Went to the doc today to follow up on my last set of labs. We are gaining on the thyroid nicely but my diabetes is getting worse. I am going to try another change in diet and exercise routine. Also bought a new meter that should help us track things better. Check it out here:
Mail ordered it today. I am kind of caught in a vicious circle here. The thyroid caused me to gain weight, that increased the stress on my deteriorating back and also has driven the diabetes the wrong way. As mentioned the thyroid is finally coming under control but I am having to start all over again improving my physical condition through walking/hiking. It has taken it’s toll with the legs going numb along with nerve pain from the mid thoracic area to the ankles. Doc says I have until November 3rd to get the A1C back down or I will be on insulin (currently I am only on Metformin).
Didn’t mean to whine but I know some others here are diabetic. Thought they might like a heads up on that meter. Most stores want $50-70 bucks for it. Walgreen’s has one heck of a sale price there. The meter should help me keep better track of my blood glucose than my old one does. I am going to use that as pert of the motivation to get better. Besides, fall/winter really is my favorite time of the year for those brisk hikes/walks in the crisp air.
Eric, Man I feel for you. Somewhere pass the age of 40 life starts getting complicated. I have been very fortunate so far for myself. My wife has rhematoid and is alway in some pain so although I am not experiencing it personally I have an idea.
Last night I was with one guy who needs extensive back surgery, which the doctors tell him he will likely no survive due to his other health factors and another who I visited in the emergency room last week because he was having nose bleeds due to the blood thinner required from his heart valve replacement 3 years ago.
You can see you have plenty of good company out there to “feel your pain.” You will be in our thoughts and prayers. Take care of yourself and mind what the doc and wife says, they are usually right.
Hey Eric, that really sucks! I will be pulling for you to get it under control before november, I know it hurts but keep at it and you will bring your glucose levels down.
All the very best.
Mike
i been lookin at the usb meters. please let us know how it works out. seems like back problems go hand in hand with diabetes. i’m in constant pain form my back. all one can do is learn to live with it. surgery can stop worsening of the problem but rarely eases the pain. i know a few others that have the same problems. i use metformin with actos and it does a great job however actos in expensive, $232 for 30 days. most drug companies have help with payment available. a1c last time was 5.9. due for diabetes checkup this month.
Thanks folks. Wes a1c of 5.9 is great! Mine jumped from 6.3 to 9.7 and climbing. Just got back from a 2 mile walk. I felt pretty good doing that. Got to hit the shower now. I will keep all posted on how the new meter works.
First you should enter a class if there is one in your area to learn what to eat and when. Learn about CARBS four at a meal–one slice of bread is one carb. You should only use four at a meal. Vets can get free supply at a VA hospital and those old enough(ME) free thru medicare. Meters and test strips. Ive seen insulin in a tube now–dial a number and push the plunger–each tube can be used a number of times.
I don’t have that meter but I do have a the One Touch Ultra 2 and I like it very much. Not that I’ve had others to compare it to though. I’ve had it for two years. I got the USB cable and program. It’s pretty slick. Way better than tracking with a pencil and book.
Like others here have suggested, ask your doctor if there are classes available. They are very helpful in teaching you how to eat. Portion control and carb counting is absolutely key, as well as regular exercise. You don’t have to run…just walk and pick up the pace a little as you feel better. I use my iPod and favorite tunes to pass the time and keep pace. If you can’t walk for 30 minutes…walk for 15 minutes 2 times a day…or break it down into 3 ten minute walks. You can increase the time as you get more in shape. I’ve had excellent control since taking the classes. My doc just cut my metformin intake in half yesterday…from 500mg to 250mg a day. I purchased a treadmill last Christmas. Good investment for those in the cold climates. I don’t use it over the nice months but in winter it’s a godsend. I hate walking on ice.
“Learn about CARBS four at a meal–one slice of bread is one carb. You should only use four at a meal.”
I wanted to make something a little clearer here…what WilliamF was calling a CARB is actually a Carb Unit. A carb unit consists of 15 carbs. A slice of whole grain bread (read the labels) is usually around 20 carbs but there is usually Fiber as well. You subtract the fiber number…in this slice of bread it may be 4 g … 20 -4 = 16 carbs = 1 carb unit. You get 3-4 carb units per meal (45-60 total carbs) three times a day… and a couple of snacks…one mid afternoon and one before bed. (try to eat something every four hours) A Snack is one carb unit. I go with 15-25 carbs at snack.
I check my sugar once a day, at different times of the day… and when I first got started I checked four times a day or when ever I ate something I hadn’t planned on to see how it affects my blood sugar. I still do that when I have an “off” read until I can figure out why or get it back under control. The strips aren’t cheap but its a good way to see where you make your mistakes…and when you need to get up and start moving.
Remember the worst thing that aggravates diabetes is belly fat. So don’t worry about the number on the scale as much as the inches around the waist. Your goal is to make sure that your waist measurement at your belly button is not wider than half your height. So if you are 5’4" tall, or 64 inches, you should keep your waist size at or below 32-inches to decrease your risk of health problems. If your waist is greater than half your height, you have too much omental fat (that’s belly fat). Now that you have your thyroid issues under control you should be able to loose the gut. I use SparkPeopleto help keep me on track. I use the food tracker a lot. (It helps if your taking a class too because the nutritionist will want you to keep a food diary. This does that for you and prints out really nice. It’s 100% free. It has a lot of really nice tools that will help you. If you don’t like a lot of emails you need to set it up so that you don’t have the email stuff all checked off. There are “support groups” there which group folks together with common interests…like Fly Fishing, photography, Diabetes, etc. Anyway…it’s a tool you can use if you wish. (lots of great recipes on there too…with a little tweaking you can make a lot of them diabetic friendly.
Another good source of information on Diabetes is good ol’ Dr. Oz.
Sorry to hear about your issue Nighthawk I do know and understand, it not easy going though health issue due to my own issue over the last 5 months, I will put you in my parys and hope thing get better.
Ghost
Eric I don’t personally know you, but I know how hard diabetes can be as I’ve had a number of family members go through the stages of it from nothing more than taking pills to the worst, which was my uncle losing his leg. So you will be in my prayers that your able to get this taken care of and back on your feet and healthy in short order.
Hi folks,
I really appreciate all of the advice and well wishes offered here. I have already had the diabetes classes and such since I was diagnosed 3 years ago. My problem now is the loss of my thyroid. The thyroid regulates virtually everything about our bodies. When I was hyperthyroid insulin production, metabolic rate, heart rate and all other bodily functions were in at rates through the roof. Blood glucose levels were low because I was burning the stuff faster than I could take it in. You loose weight like crazy while eating like a horse. Problem is because of the extremely high heart rate, B.P. and pulse you are going to either have a massive stroke or developer ventricular thrombosis and embolism. You are in essences a ticking time bomb. If the thyroid is not brought under control or destroyed you will die.
Okay so we destroy the thyroid. Problem is it takes the darned thing months or more to die. It stores up months worth of thyroid hormone. Usually that hormone is released slowly over time causing you to need constant monitoring for adjustment of the pile of pills you will be on. Sometimes the shock to the thyroid causes it to release all of that stored hormone at one time. This is a dangerous thing called “Thyroid Storm”. You will recognize it when it happens as your meds will loose control of you system. You have a very short period of time to call 9-11, tell the operator and the EMT what is happening or you will die. Fortunately that did not happen to me. Now my thyroid is dead but it takes many months more to regulate the oral hormones I take. Recovery for this can be up to two years but some folks never completely recover.
So you see since the throttle, so to speak, that regulates my pancreas, liver, metabolic rate and kidneys is now dead the normal diabetic dietary guide lines won’t work properly. Your immune system is also compromised. You don’t get any energy from your food so all you want to do is sleep. Your entire nervous system is adversely affected. Your body can no longer control the electrolyte levels giving you severe cramps from head to toe. Your memory is shot too. Mood swings are all over the place. I have a different outlook now from the normal male on what you ladies go through. A new appreciation for you gals!
This is literally a life or death struggle. As in all such cases a positive attitude is vital to survival. I am doing my best there, refuse to feel sorry for myself, staying positive. Hopefully that new meter will help track what is happening with it’s advanced tracking software. I really don’t post to draw attention to myself. I do post in the hopes that sharing what is happening to me will help some of you who may need that help further down the road.
Nighthawk, sounds like you are getting some good advice from the members here. One thing that I think healthcare is trying to change is the stigma associated with insulin, going on insulin is not a horrible thing. We are finding more and more that a good insulin regimen even in type 2 diabetics is beneficial. Also with all of the issues associated with oral medications for diabetes, insulin is a much safer alternative. Now I know that sounds great, and I’m not the one that will have to give myself shots, but just know that it’s not a “failure” or “death sentence” to go on insulin. If you have to go on it, just know that it is another weapon that you can use to help keep yourself healthy and control your blood sugar. You have a very special situation with your thyroid issues, but stay on top of it and things will work out. Feel free to message me with any questions.
Drew