Diabetics Progress Reports

[That Girl]

hi nursemonkee, thanks for the input...we are very much alike, in april my ac1 number was 8.something also....you know what is funny (well, not really), when i go a little bit off plan my numbers are more within normal ranges than not...it has to be too much protein when i am on atkins.... i must have to balance my protein/fiber better..good luck to you, i know it can be frustrating....and for me, i know i have to loose around 60 more pounds, which i just can't get around to doing 100 percent....i must be nuts or something...i stay good for three days and then bamm!, it's a train wreck...ack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Georgia Lee]

Just wanted to peek in and say hi. I've been surfing thru this thread and finding a ton of good information!

I've been told I'm pre-diabetic. No meds yet. My AM fasting number averages 150-170.

I have lost a few lbs the past month and my AM fasting numbers are coming down to 135-145. Still high, but at least coming down.

Last night around midnight I ate a spoonful of natural peanut butter and my fasting test came in at 137.

I have been on the Metabolism Miracle diet the last 3 weeks. This has made a huge impact on my BS and overall I feel great.

Look forward to learning more from you guys!

[Cherylg]

My early morning bs (fasting has been between 140-165) and then, I guess as the metformin kicks in, it is like 100-120 thru the day.

I am switching doctors and go on Aug 11 for blood work so I guess we shall see!

[Monkee]

Originally Posted by Georgia Lee

Just wanted to peek in and say hi. I've been surfing thru this thread and finding a ton of good information!

I've been told I'm pre-diabetic. No meds yet. My AM fasting number averages 150-170.

I have lost a few lbs the past month and my AM fasting numbers are coming down to 135-145. Still high, but at least coming down.

Last night around midnight I ate a spoonful of natural peanut butter and my fasting test came in at 137.

I have been on the Metabolism Miracle diet the last 3 weeks. This has made a huge impact on my BS and overall I feel great.

Look forward to learning more from you guys!

If you are being told that are only pre-diabetic with fasting numbers of 150-170.....it is time to get a new doctor.
Those numbers are way too high. Looks more like diabetic numbers to me.

Have you had a full work up lately?
A1C and GTT w/insulin levels?

[CookinsForMe]

So, the lab results from last week are disappointing. The A1c was 7.7. Back in April it was 7.5. However, I'd had quite a few very bad hypos (readings from 23 to 40 in the middle of the night) previous to April and I think the 7.5 reflects that. The Dr changed my insulin regimen in April (though what I was doing worked on a daily basis except for the hypos at night) and now tells me I need to "watch my diet" more carefully and exercise more. I'm already eating low carb and working out an hour or more 6 days a week. My total cholesterol was 128, a little too high still but I don't think it warrants doubling the Pravastatin as she wants. She put me on Metformin last week, too, so now I'm taking that with breakfast and supper. I'm not sure how long it takes to start working but my numbers the last couple of days are fantastic. Going lower carb, insulin, and metformin must be helping, huh?

I'm not very happy with how she's handling this and am going to take control of it my way. Instead of doubling the cholesterol medication, I'm going to attack the cholesterol issue for a few weeks and see if that makes a difference. As for exercising more, that's ridiculous. Instead, I'm going to exercise differently. I paid for four 30 minute sessions with a trainer at the gym and hopefully will have the first session this week. My hope is that he/she will guide me on better ways to utilize the time I have for workouts, you know, mix it up a little and get me on the right track so to speak. I'm also going to join the Zumba class at the gym, even though I'll trip all over myself and look really stupid.

I think that given three months, I can lower that A1c, lose more weight and get the cholesterol under 100. I really want to try!

[razberry]

Any advice on cutting back on Metformin a bit to see what my "true" numbers are? I haven't been actually diagnosed with diabetes, but I'm sure I probably am by now. I've been on Metformin 2000 mg for years for PCOS then for infertility treatment, stayed on it as a preventive as paternal relatives were diabetic, most died fairly young, and I have that side of the genetics to a tee, unfortunately. When I'm lowcarbing I tend to get some days when my BS drops into the 50s and I get nauseated. But most of the time my fasting is in the 80s and my mornings are in the 90s. One hour post-meal are usually 110-150, the higher being from a carby meal, but once in the 200s after eating pancakes and real syrup. I'd like to reduce my Met for awhile just to see what my true numbers really are, and put an end to my pretending I'm not a "real diabetic" as an excuse to avoid self-blame and continue eating carby foods. It's easy to get lulled into this feeling that I'm okay because my numbers are good from the Met. But don't want to do it through my primary care doctor, who is a real by-the-book type who is not a fan of Atkins/lowcarb anyway. I had to convince him to keep me on the Met as a preventive after we quit TTC. Any suggestions?

[CookinsForMe]

I don't have any suggestions on reducing the metformin but wanted ask how your numbers are two hours post prandial.

[Georgia Lee]

Thanks for the advice NurseMonkey!

My fast this morning was 137.

At 1:00am I ate a 1/2 slice of LC bread. About 2.5 net carbs. So now I've tried natural PB, LC bread, tonight I think I'll try a cheese stick and see if it makes a difference.

I did get some cinnamon tablets at the health food store yesterday and will give them a try.

I walked 2 miles yesterday.

I go back to the doctor on Aug 18th. I don't have all my numbers as it was my first ever visit with the Doc. I will request numbers and ask for a full workup. (my 1st ever visit with the Doc was on June 18)

I'm still going strong on Metabloism Miracle and losing fat everyday!

Thanks

[mermaid]

My blood sugars are in the 80's and 90's now with less than 5 grams carbs, about 80 grams protein, 1200 to 1500 calories, and supplements (no meds). I'm feeling good, lots of energy, good circulation, very few neuropathic twinges, losing 1-3 pounds a week. I'm so happy to be able to do it without meds. Just took some experimentation to figure it all out.

[Georgia Lee]

Wow Mermaid that's great!

[mermaid]

Georgia: Thanks. And is that 30 pounds you have lost in three weeks? Phenomenal!

[Georgia Lee]

Hi Mermaid,

LOl, don't I wish!

I started low carbing 7 weeks ago, the last 3 weeks of those 7 being on Metabolism Miracle by Diane Kress.

Anyway you look at it, I feel a whole lot better! Hey me!

I still have a mega ton to go, but now that I'm feeling better and I have my energy back, I'm really trying to wrap my brain around the diabetes. I'm trying to understand the ins and outs of the whole liver/pancress/insulin thing.

So much to learn.

Have a great day and weekend.

[goheels]

Hi CookinsForMe, I was reading about your cholesterol numbers, my LDL count was 108, and instead of increasing the Simvastatin, my doctor switched me to Lipitor, and after 2 months, my LDL was down to 88. I think.

It is more expensive, but does a better job according to her.

[Maeve]

Hi, everybody. I'm new to this stuff. I was diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome in 2005; have lost some weight and work out 5 days a week. I lowered everything and in October, my 14-hour fasting sugar was 90. On June 3 of this year, it was 106; it was 108 when I got the diagnosis in 2005. So, I've been lowcarbing but not losing any weight all summer. Well, I went out and bought a meter this weekend and here are my numbers:

Sat: Breakfast, 2 hours, 124
Lunch, 1 hour 88; 2 hours 129
Dinner, 1 hour 114; 2 hours 93

Sun: Rising 112
Breakfast, 1 hour 188; 2 hours 180
Lunch, 1 hour 129; 2 hours 126
Dinner, 1 hour 131; 2 hours 81
Bedtime 103

Mon: Rising 95
Breakfast, 1 hour 100
Lunch, 1 hour 147

Was at the gym and knew that bacon and eggs were safe...didn't do it in two.

This is really something. What a learning experience. I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep this under control. My doctor doesn't want to see me until March. I think he is a good doctor who has faith in my dieting and exercising. He, like most doctors from what I've read and been told, did not tell me to check myself...you know, the prediabetes thing where you're just allowed to float out there...

[Maeve]

OK, I just did it again, just to see if it went down yet. It's 136. I did something at lunch that I shouldn't do again. I'll have to figure that out.

[30something]

You are figuring it out, it is an ever changing process. Good luck!

Denise

[Maeve]

Thank you.

[BABSY]

Originally Posted by mermaid

My blood sugars are in the 80's and 90's now with less than 5 grams carbs, about 80 grams protein, 1200 to 1500 calories, and supplements (no meds). I'm feeling good, lots of energy, good circulation, very few neuropathic twinges, losing 1-3 pounds a week. I'm so happy to be able to do it without meds. Just took some experimentation to figure it all out.

I would love to know what you are eating in a day

[Maeve]

Wow...I just heard back from my doctor's office. He's on vacation but his nurse, whom I've known for many years, told me that my blood sugar is fine. I told her how I bought the meter last weekend and what certain foods did to me, yada yada...and she still thought I was fine. I told her that I get those numbers by eating low carb, that if I ate a "regular" diet, even a calorie counting one, that my numbers would not be good and that my major concern was that I am not dropping any weight, that I keep gaining and losing the same 5 lbs. She was very nice but told me as long as my numbers were under 200 that I was good I couldn't believe it. And the other thing is, when I continued to tell her how upsetting it was to me that I can't lose weight, no matter how hard I work out or healthily I eat, she made an appointment for me to meet with him on September 17th to talk. If I have any changes by then, I can cancel the appointment (like if I start to lose again).

My husband's chiropractor called and told me I could come in for nutrition counseling, and he would give me some stuff called gymnema. I'm thinking, what the hell...

[Maeve]

I am just so disgusted right now. And don't worry...I'm not going to start with the chiropractor. I already know what to eat. I just need someone to help me. And since I definitely have impaired fasting glucose, and was given the diagnosis of pre-diabetes, I am having one hell of a time losing weight and I am tired of it.

[Monkee]

Goodcelt,

You could be insulin resistant. I am IR and it makes losing weight very difficult. If IR applies to you, you might benefit from metformin. If you're not comfortable with your doctors diagnosis, get a 2nd opinion.

Based on the readings you listed, it looks like you're having some normal readings, but you're also having some high readings as well. Ideally you should be under 140 @ 1 hr and 120 @ 2 hrs.

[Maeve]

Nursemonkey, thank you. Oh, I definitely am insulin resistant. I've been seeing this doc since 2007 and he has written either that or impaired fasting glucose on bill. He also told me when I first went to him, after bloodwork, that I was borderline high everything. I weighed more at that time, took off some weight, and got off of the diuretic he put me on for blood pressure. The blood got better but that changed in June and you know the rest. Where I live, it is rural and I am not from here. But I have lived here for 20 years now, and I go to the very best practice in town; believe me. I've been to some real "stink" around here. These guys are right on the hospital grounds and their lab is right in their office, which is great. You go in, get your blood drawn a half hour before you see the doc, and he has the results in his hand when he comes in to see you.

But I am not backing down, and I am taking back-up material with me. I don't know why I have to feel like I am pressing the issue...I guess it's because I AM pressing the issue and like I told the nurse yesterday, you guys see me for a physical; you're not with me every day and I need to tell you what is happening with my body so that you can try to help me. She even had told me that I was pricking myself too much, that I didn't have to do it but twice a day. Well, I told her that I had to do it a couple of times after each meal to see what the food was doing to me, and that once I found out what not to eat or what did or didn't spike me, that I could comfortably eat it and didn't have to prick it again; I also reminded her of the cost of the strips and that I would LOVE not to have to use so many.

But I am not going to give up. I need help.

[mermaid]

Originally Posted by BABSY

I would love to know what you are eating in a day

Hi Babsy,
here's a typical day of eating:
tea/cream/splenda
2 fried eggs in butter, 3 pieces bacon (or one sausage patty, or ham)
tuna salad made with with celery, green onion, radishes, parsley, garlic, mayo, mustard. (or hamburger patty, or steak, or part a turkey thigh, keep under 4 ounces)
Cofee/cream/splenda
1/2 cup full fat cottage cheese
egg drop soup: broth, herbs, lemon, parmesan, beaten egg drizzled in when hot.

It's about 1200 to 1500 calories, around 5 grams carbs. Sometimes I throw in an ounce of cheese if I'm hungry before bed. I try to eat very light in the evening for best blood sugar and weight loss results. It is hard, though because sometimes I'm a little hungry.

The last two days I was craving veggies, so I ate some salads and now my blood sugar is hanging about 110, and no weight loss. Tomorrow back to "incidental" veggies only again.

[Monkee]

Do your numbers only stay low if you do VLC?

[mermaid]

Originally Posted by NurseMonkee

Do your numbers only stay low if you do VLC?

Yes. Even a small salad puts me up over 100.

[Monkee]

Well, thats not too bad. I think you're doing great w/out meds.

[Maeve]

Had my lowest rising sugar this morning since I started testing last weekend. Here is how it has gone, from the first morning until today:

112, 95, 96, 96, 96, 100, 104, 87

I have not used powdered Splenda since last Saturday morning and have not had a diet soda since last Friday. I also went to a Greek festival yesterday and will go again today. I did a good job. I had a shishkabob, a small salad with olive oil and vinegar, and water. I also bought an extra container of feta and olives, and only ate about half of it. We're going back today, and I shamelessly (to save money) am going to take my own salad with the leftover olives and cheese from yesterday; I'll buy the shishkabob (just one skewer); and I'm making a sweet one minute muffin to eat. I'm putting walnuts into it since one of the things besides the various pastries which I will not name were these dark walnut cakes made like cupcakes with a cherry on top. I have walnuts sitting in a little dark walnut extract (no sugar) at the moment to add to my muffin; then, I will frost it with either a little cream cheese flavored with the cherry extract or, with some coconut cream. Haven't made up my mind yet. But I am ready!

[shunsweets]

Hi everyone. You are all doing so well. Good job planning ahead for the festival Goodcelt. Your fastings look great. Wish I could get mine below 100.

Mermaid I am similar to you. I can usually keep below 140 if I eat near zero carb, but if I add even a bite of veggie or nuts my BGL jumps up to 170's and stays there for hours. I can't imagine what a true carb blow out would do to me and I'm taking metformin er 1500mg daily. So far I haven't seen any effect on my meter or my appetite with the met but I'm going to give it a full 3 month trial before I give up.

So nothing really to report here. Sticking to near zero, exercising daily (which sends my BGL up not down but it still must be good for me right?), taking the met with very little side effect (a bit of a.m. nausea), neither gaining nor losing weight - basically at a standstill. At least I'm not getting worse but I can't stay with near zero forever - I miss veggies, berries, yogurt and nuts.

Nurse Monkee I'm so glad you are here with us - you always have something positive and insightful to say.

Vacation for me next week. Going to Canada. Hope I stay with near zero and plan to check out their pharmacies. I hear diabetic meds are all OTC in Canada. Want to see what they have.

So how is everyone else doing? Any tips to share?

[Maeve]

Rising sugar today was 86. I'm also seeing 189 on the scale again. I don't change it on my avatar because I go up and down all the time. Let's see if I'm going to start to lose again. I hope so...If not, at least I am keeping my sugar in a good range.

Had a really delicious one minute muffin this morning, and I whipped some heavy cream with Da Vinci's Irish Cream. Yum....

[yackyjan]

Ok, went to the Dr. today and the good news is that I'm a whopping 2 pounds down. The bad news is that everything else is up...A1C up, Glucose up, Cholesterol up, LDL up, Triglycerides up...HDL down (that's not good).

So, my doctor started using bad words like insulin and exercise and a more stringent diet. He talked about complications and early death. I finally had to plug my ears.

I have fought for 13 years to stay off insulin. I have fought with myself every single hour of every single day about the foods I eat. I have starved myself at times and I have said to heck with it at times and sometimes I have even gotten it right.

Right now I'm just scared. I'm scared I won't be able to get those numbers down. I'm scared of defeat. I'm scared of doing this on my own.

I don't have a support system. It's all me...and that should be enough, but I'm afraid it isn't.

I'm sure tomorrow I will pull myself up by the bootstraps, give myself a good swift kick and get on with it, but right now...I'm scared and feeling very much alone.

I'm joining this group discussion board in hopes that I can find some support here and also give some.