Diabetics Progress Reports - Page 8

mermaid · 05-07-2007, 11:03 AM

Okay, Begete, here's some straight shootin'--An A1C of 5.7 is still too high for optimum health. Should be around 4.5. This is info I get from Dr. Bernstein, as well as my own experience.

My A1C is 5.2 and my fasting BS was 104 this morning. During the day I've been riding at about 110-120, which has gone up some from a few months ago. When I was keeping it a little lower, my neuropathy completely disappeared. Now I have shooting pains in my toes a little here and there. To keep my BS lower, I have to eat a very small quantity of food and feel hungry all of the time. Today I am starting a short-term Kimmers diet for just that reason--to get used to less food again. Not fun, but necessary for my health.

By taking the right supplements, you can lessen the damage of eating too much food (not just too much carbs) that gets converted to glucose. That's probably why my A1c is lower than yours even if my blood sugars are not. A1C measures the IMPACT of that blood sugar (glycolization of proteins).

I think Dr. Bernstein explains all of that very well in his book, "Diabetes Solution." It would be well worth your time to read it. R-Ala, a form of alpha lipoic acid, is an extremely helpful supplement in lowering blood sugar and stopping neuropathy.

Excuse my verbosity here, but I figure that as a Lawyer you can handle it! (LOL)

Begete · 05-07-2007, 03:45 PM

Mermaid, thanx for the info. I hope you will not be offended, but I am going to table your advice until after we move (3 weeks from today - 3000 miles - 36 years' worth of stuff - 8 days of driving with a finicky cat in the car) I am just so totally overwhelmed right now, I cannot take on learning any new - no matter how important. I am going to see if the Jenuvia works, and that is about all I can handle right now. I really do appreciate your suggestions, and perhaps when meet we can discuss all this in person.

and rest assured, the barbecue will be low carb as my husband uses LC to control his gout!!

Jewels · 05-07-2007, 03:54 PM

My A1c was 5.8 in Jan. Hopefully with my exercise and eating better it will lower next month. My FBG is mostly below 100 now.

I do get those sharp pains in my toes too. I need to google R-Ala for more info.

Just looked it up and it said something about sulfur which I'm allergic to. So I best not try that one. Is there anything else to help the needle like pains in the toes?

mermaid · 05-07-2007, 09:38 PM

Julie,
I think anything that promotes better circulation would help with the needle pains. I walk a mile a day, and that does seem to help also. You might check out plain ALA and see if it also has sulfur in it. Sorry can't help more than that.

Good luck with the big move Begete. Once you settle down you can work on tweaking the diet, etc. Hope it all goes smoothly for you.

Begete · 05-12-2007, 04:16 AM

5 day report on Januvia: I started Januvia on May 8. For the past two days, I have not noticed any tingling in my toes, and while yesterday my before breakfast blood sugar was 110, today it is 97!! I am also down 1 pound, without consciously trying to restrict carbs or calories beyond what I normally eat on LC.

Will keep you all posted....

Jewels · 05-12-2007, 11:20 AM

Babette!!!

I have found if my fasting is under 100, I've lost a few lbs too. Not up much on diabetes, although I'm reading as fast as I can to learn, do you who are diabetic's know if this is the case?
If your insulin doesn't shoot up then it's easier to lose weight without even trying?

Abbott · 05-15-2007, 12:38 PM

Julie, sorry I can't answer your question. Weight loss is a mystery to me.

Gosh do I wish this sugar issue was easier to come up with the right answers!!

I undestand and believe that low carb does keep the BS down. And with that knowledge I have also learned that you can eat too much of the "good" foods at one sitting and still get a spike.

What I do not understand is if you are eating low carb consistently how many days does it take for the BS to come down to where it should be?? Mine just stays a little over or under 130. It does not rise overnight, but will go up within 2 hours after getting up in the morning if I do not eat something. Example was last night at bedtime it was 132. This morning when I got up and 2 hours later it was 133 and three hours later it was 144. Now that I have eaten it is back down to 131.

I noticed that several of you mention specific foods that will create a spike for you. Sooo, I decided to eat only one item at a meal, test before and after, and see if I could figure out what foods I do not respond well to. Is that how the rest of you did it??

I really appreciate any insight you have.

Babette, traveling is so difficult when you are trying to eat the right thing. We were military for 32 years and moved every 2-3 years. All of my weight gain was during each of those moves. I can just imagine what my BS was doing!

Lisa, how are you doing? I'm interested in how you are progressing.

Jewels · 05-15-2007, 02:37 PM

Abbott, that's what I do. I test before and 2 hours after to see if a food makes it go up. I found that grapefruit makes mine spike (for me) and banana's don't. Go figure. But we are all different and I'm only pre-diabetic but eating LC and exercising 5-6 days a week, mine numbers are now below 100. Once in awhile it will be above but on the whole not now. I thought all diabetics were suppose to aim their's below 100. Am I misunderstanding here?

Are you on meds Abbott?

Begete · 05-15-2007, 02:41 PM

Hey Linda -

3 more weeks and we will be neighbors!!

Do you exercise? I was thinking of taking up power walking. Are you at all interested in doing that together?

Abbott · 05-15-2007, 06:13 PM

Julie, according to what I have read your BS numbers should be under 90. I have been on 1,000 to 1,500 mg of metformin. From what I read it is slow to respond so I have been taking it when I get up and then around 7pm. I can tell the R-ALA brings the BS down, which I began a month ago. I started with 400mg and am now increasing that to 600mg. If anyone has any other suggestions let me know.

During the last 6 months my BS has moved to around the 130's, it was around the 120's when I was diagnosed and put on metformin 2 years ago. It took my body 6 months to accept the medication... I know from looking back at test results that it was in the 120's for at least 15 years before that and I was told I was in the normal range. I'm still very angry over this since high blood sugar runs on my father's side of the family. I am reading and trying to understand everything I can about BS and see if I can turn it around.

Begete I had thought you were already on the road. Wow, only three weeks. You must be really excited! Let me know if you need anything. I am gone from 20th-29th.

I do exercise, but I have found that with my schedule that it doesn't work for me to do something that is pre-scheduled. I tried Curves in both Oak Harbor and Freeland and it just didn't work for me. Really loved their program.

Coupeville has been very dry...I heard that April was the driest month on record and no rain yet in May. With a wet winter the weeds loved it and now all of my plants are yelling for water. I find myself outside working most of the day and I do give myself a walk up our hill several times before the day is over. My 5 acres as well as my pedometer is great to ensure I am active.

Begete · 05-15-2007, 06:43 PM

Linda - we leave for Coupeville on the 29th. We hope to be there by June 6th!!

You never sent me your phone number. Please stop by after the 6th!!

mermaid · 05-16-2007, 09:13 AM

Abbott,
You are doing great for having had blood sugar problems for so long. Diabetes really is tricky to deal with I'm finding. Just when you think you have the magic bullet things can go screwy again. But even so, a low carb diet should be the foundation of every diabetic's treatment.

Earlier in this thread I talked about taking the Glucose Balance formula by Geromatrix. It has consistently worked for me to bring down BS by 15-20 points per tablet, and the directions say to take up to 3 tablets three times per day. It is a Chinese formula that I have not seen duplicated elsewhere (I'm always searching for bargains). At the rate I take it, which is only one or two pills per day usually, it only costs about $15 per month usually. I have noticed no side effects in over a year of taking it. It take some other herbs too, like gymnema and eleuthero.

I am trying the R-ALA now, but do not notice a difference from the cheaper ALA I was using. ALA does keep my blood sugars lower. Progesterone cream lowers my BS's too and makes me feel better overall.

I recently read an article by an editor of a health magazine, and she said that when she went on birth control pills as a teenager, it caused her to be immediately diabetic Nobody made the connection at the time, but when she eventually went off the pills she was no longer diabetic and has remained normal for many years. To me, there is no doubt that other hormones besides insulin affect diabetes.

ChristiansMom · 05-17-2007, 11:51 AM

Hi Everyone..

This is my first time venturing into this area of LCF and I honesty wish I didn't have to but I need support, advice and a shoulder or two.

On May 6th I started to feel really 'strange' like my heart was beating wrong. It didn't hurt, just felt uncomfortable and scary. On the 10th I went in to see my doctor, heart was beating fine but she ordered a bunch of tests since it had been awhile. I got a call the next day telling me my blood sugar level was extremely high (230) and that I needed to come back for another sugar test. Went in on the 15th, got a call yesterday saying my levels were consistent with diabetes. I have to go in this afternoon to pick up a glucose meter and see an RN about how to use it. I go back to see my doctor tomorrow. That's all I was told. Oh and to avoid sugars and most carbs.

I feel so in the dark and lost. I know nothing about diabetes. I'm extremely scared and spent the day yesterday feeling sorry for myself and crying my eyes out.

I do not know what to expect at all. I'm afraid I'm going to do something wrong.

Since Monday I've been eating LC (not induction). Meat, 'good' veggies, cheese, eggs, a very small amount of fruit, a very small amount of milk, a bowl of natural oatmeal - lots of water - that kind of stuff. No sugar and no breads, pasta, potatoes etc.

I know I need to eat right from now on and I'm going to start walking with my dogs each night as well but I do not know what else I need to do. I don't know what I'm suppose to avoid or what I can't have (other than the obvious sugars).

If anyone has some advice for me, I'd gladly take it and appreciate it.

Thanks
Diana

Edited to add - I will be coming back this evening to read this whole thread. I'm sure there's lots of helpful stuff here, I just need to get ready to go to the clinic right now so not much time.

mermaid · 05-18-2007, 08:50 AM

Hi Diana,
My heart really goes out to you. It was only a year ago I was in the same dark place, really scared for my future. Low-carbing changed the picture very quickly, making me feel more confident that I could control the "diabeastie" and be healthy.

Please do read this whole thread as it has LOTS of important info in it. As you'll see on many posts, it's important to read Atkins Diabetes Revolution and/or Diet Revolution, and Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution. Very soon you will feel much better and less "dark" about your situation.

Just to tweak your diet a little, I would leave out the oatmeal. It causes BS spikes for many diabetics. I would also leave out the fruit for now. You can cautiously introduce it back in later when you have your regimen figured out, maybe.

Other than that, I'm a little puzzled about how you became diabetic when you are a seasoned low-carber? That doesn't really fit my paradigm (LOL). I know that being a little carb piggy along with genetics is what tipped me over the edge. Maybe for you its strictly genetic? Or maybe type 1?

ChristiansMom · 05-18-2007, 09:22 AM

Hi Lorena,

Thanks for your help! Before I say more - I'm not even close to being a seasoned Low-Carber. I'm a seasoned member of LCF, but sadly, I never took it as serious as I should have. When I first came to LCF I did the plan through 2 weeks of induction and about 2 weeks off induction - that was my downfall. I slowly thought I could add in things like pizza here or there because when I first did - I was still losing. Anyhow, I went off the plan - then got back on it but again, not like I should have .. deciding I'd just 'wing it' - that didn't last long. I proceeded to do nothing for about a year before jumping back on the bandwagon. I did induction for about 3 months, then my whole family went on vacation for my father's 70th birthday and even though I tried really hard to stay on plan - by the 3rd day, all of the buffets got to me and I caved. That was the end of that. I came home and never got back on. Since then I've been making a few better choices because I know what the right foods are but not doing it the way I should have. My high post count is from spending MANY days on the Playground here - so easy for me to pretend the rest of the boards weren't here over on the PG. All I was doing was avoiding the inevitable.

I'm Type II. I saw the nurse yesterday and got my training on using the Glucose Monitor. That part wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I'm still confused on alot of stuff and I was scheduled to see my doctor today but she has rescheduled me for next Friday. She wants to see how I do this week with monitoring my levels and with my diet/exercise. I had the eye test done and they took another blood and a urine sample while I was there.

I think my biggest fear is that I'm going to do this all wrong.

Here are the numbers I know right now.
The very first blood test I did was 230.
My second test was after fasting and it was 196.
Yesterday when the RN was practicing with me, I had a reading of 190.
This morning, first thing, before eating - it was 129.

I am extremely overweight. I'm 5'6" and 342 lbs. I will say that my small happy moment was the first day I went to the doctors because the last time I had been in to see her I weighed 356. I had weighed myself one other time between that visit and my most recent visit and I had ballooned up to 367. So seeing the scale say 342 was a bright moment because I expected it to say 400.

I'm 36 years old and no one in my family has diabetes. This is all new to me and I mean ALL new. I have so much to learn. *sigh*

Thanks for the advice on the fruit and oatmeal. I had the oatmeal on Monday because at that point, I thought my heart was still the main issue and wasn't really thinking about diabetes. I always thought whole, pure oatmeal was good for your heart so I cooked some with cinnamon and nothing else. Tasted horrible but I split the bowl between 3 different meals (a little at a time). I will stay away from it from now - not a problem since I do not like it anyhow but I'm not sure where else I should be getting my grains from. The fruits are going to be a little harder. I love fruit. I've only had a very little this week. A total of 1/4 banana, 1 orange, 1 wedge of watermelon and 1 med. strawberry over the course of 5 days. I realize all of them except the strawberry and maybe the orange, were bad choices. Do I really need to omit them completely? The RN yesterday made it sound like fruits are good for you. See, so confused!

Thanks again

mermaid · 05-18-2007, 03:30 PM

Well, gosh, where to start? The easiest question is about fruit. If you really love it, keep some in as a treat here and there but stick to berries in small amounts. Definitely no oatmeal. It seems like Atkins induction would be a good place to restart with losing weight and keeping BS low.

You will likely notice a big difference between the RN's recommended diet and the low carb approach. The ADA tells them to say that you need 55% carbs a day in your diet and that something awful might happen were you to give up grains for some reason. In the Atkins Diabetes Revolution he talks about how that is not based on science at all, and is very detrimental advice for diabetics. It's up to you whom to believe. You've got high carbs/high blood sugar/drugs up to your eyeballs/progression of the disease on one hand, and low carb/low blood sugar/little or no meds/great health on the other.

Want some good news? 129 is not too bad for a fasting glucose, and your other readings around 200 aren't so bad either for being newly diagnosed. That means you're not to far progressed and may do just fine controlling with a low carb diet. Also, the more weight you lose, the better chance you have of reversing the diabetes, as some on this forum have done. No guarantees of that, though.

Hopefully you'll get busy reading those books and the rest of this thread and learn enough to end your confusion and feel more in control of your health. Maybe some others will have some advice for you here too.

Jewelthief · 05-18-2007, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristiansMom

I'm 36 years old and no one in my family has diabetes. This is all new to me and I mean ALL new. I have so much to learn. *sigh*

Thanks for the advice on the fruit and oatmeal. I had the oatmeal on Monday because at that point, I thought my heart was still the main issue and wasn't really thinking about diabetes. I always thought whole, pure oatmeal was good for your heart so I cooked some with cinnamon and nothing else. Tasted horrible but I split the bowl between 3 different meals (a little at a time). I will stay away from it from now - not a problem since I do not like it anyhow but I'm not sure where else I should be getting my grains from. The fruits are going to be a little harder. I love fruit. I've only had a very little this week. A total of 1/4 banana, 1 orange, 1 wedge of watermelon and 1 med. strawberry over the course of 5 days. I realize all of them except the strawberry and maybe the orange, were bad choices. Do I really need to omit them completely? The RN yesterday made it sound like fruits are good for you. See, so confused!

Thanks again

Hi, again! Glad you made your way to this folder, it has some good information for you and lots of "nodding heads," as in, you will find many of us have things in common with our diabetes.

I have a few posts in here I won't rehash, but I think you'll find it's not uncommon to feel the whole spectrum of feelings you find washing over yourself lately. I personally spent several weeks in something akin to shock and all but total shut-down... I slept, ate, vegged in front of the TV and did very little else until I slowly began to come to grips with my situation and learn "what next?"

Get yourself a notebook and keep notes--things that make sense, things that don't, questions you have now, problems, symptoms, etc. Make it a mini-journal even, if it helps you organize your thoughts.

I also keep a folder on my desktop that I save files, recipes, posts, webpages, and all kinds of things I either want to look up more about or just review/remember later.

There is SO much information (some will apply to you directly and some will work for others but not necessarily you) and you cannot remember it all.

Visit the links in here about Dr. Bernstein, etc. Much of his book is available online at his site, and it was one of the main things that put me on the "right" path to eating healthy for a diabetic.

Your RN was right when she told you fruits, veggies, grains, etc. are all good and healthy for you, but they have to be eaten sparingly or not at all depending on how they affect *your* sugars. My RN put me on a diet consisting of approximately 130-160 CARBS a DAY.

I currently do well on 30 a DAY or under! My sugars would be through the roof on that amount of carbs.

Read, read, read... and come here for support. Get your pen ready and get yourself armed with some helpful reading material. This folder is a good place to start, and from here, you'll feel better able to control that which seems to be out of your control just now.

Hugs, and welcome.

Karyn

ChristiansMom · 05-20-2007, 02:38 AM

Hi Karyn

Thank you for all the wonderful advice! I'm so glad I found this little thread. It's been very helpful so far for me.

I have a question - is there another Diabetes group or thread on LCF that most of the diabetics post on .. on a regular basis or is this the only one? I was looking but couldn't find anything - I might be blind or looking in the wrong places. Some place to get daily interaction and support. I was thinking maybe this thread was just to post your progress reports and not really chit chat and such.

dreamerdee · 05-20-2007, 08:42 AM

Hi Diana & welcome!

There used to be an area that had a new diabetic thread every week. When I was later looking for it and couldn't find anything I started this one. Sometimes it goes slowly, other times faster. But it is a very caring area with some wonderful and experienced folks.

It is terrifying when you are first diagnosed! I have written elsewhere on here about how it was for me. But I can honestly say now that I am thankful that I became diabetic because it really has helped focus me on taking care of myself. If I'd not become diabetic I would have continued to neglect myself in numerous ways and would have a much shorter life span full of other types of sickness. So I am grateful for the gift. (a case of a curse being a blessing in disguise)

You are still learning, and working hard at learning. You are WAY ahead of where I was so soon after diagnosis. You really don't have to have it all together right away, it is a process. I hope you give yourself credit for all the progress you are making so fast, and take care of yourself in other ways too, like taking time for calmness, destressing and such. Your walks may be good for that. My week end mornings while I am online I listen as my DH practices guitar and works out new songs he has written. It is my refresh time.

I think if you have read the thread you will see there is space for daily interactions and support, and chit chat, etc.

Are you on any meds at this time for diabetes, or are you doing well using exercise and diet to maintain your levels? One of my friends did well without meds, but she was doing almost daily water aerobics at the time. Years later she got high levels again despite now being on meds. Just a few weeks ago she went back to water aerobics (and added low carb eating - she'd never tried that) and is again having great b.s. levels.

Again welcome, and feel free to share however much of your journey as you would like.

ChristiansMom · 05-20-2007, 03:23 PM

Hi Dee

Thank you for such a sweet post - I am still reading through this thread and should be done shortly but I realize now that I can chit chat here too

Thanks for starting this thread.

I do appreciate the fact that I already knew about LC and the benefits of it way before I was diagnosed with diabetes. I think it's going to come in handy in helping me to keep things in control. I can't imagine if I was facing this without the little bit of knowledge that I do have and this board as my support. I would be a mess. I truly believe that LCing is going to be my main lifeline to doing well with my blood sugar levels - exercise as well.

I was just diagnosed last Wednesday the 16th. My doctors nurse called me and told me over the phone. She then scheduled me to come in and pick up the glucose meter from the pharmacy and talk to an RN - I was scheduled to see my doctor on Friday but that got pushed to next Friday instead. The RN helped alot but I haven't actually sat down with my doctor and gone over a plan or what her plans are for me. I did talk to her for a moment when I was with the RN and she said she wants to see how I do with monitoring my blood this week on my own with my own new diet. The RN only told me the foods to avoid and then gave me a small list of foods and their glycemic numbers. Thank God I knew about Atkins or I would be so lost. I am REALLY hoping I do not need meds. I'm not good at taking pills, I've never been a pill taker and no matter what it is, I always end up feeling sick or ill after taking them. I would like to avoid it if possible but we'll see.

I'm keeping a daily notebook with every single thing I eat as well as my glucose readings. I'll take that in with me when I go to see her. My numbers are coming down since I started eating LC. I'm still not cutting out one small fruit per day and a decent amount of good vegetables but otherwise I've eaten no bad carbs (that I know of) and I feel really good - alot more energy than I had before.

I hope no one minds me posting my numbers but it helps me to get feedback on if they seem to be doing better or worse - especially since this is really new to me.

1st glucose reading = 230 (this is what caused the concern)
2nd fasting glucose reading = 196 (this is what determined I was diabetic)
3rd after-meal G.R. = 190

Then I started eating LC and did my testing for the first time from home:
Friday fasting G.R. = 129
After meal G.R. = 151
Saturday fasting G.R. =124
After meal G.R. = 142
Sunday (today) fasting G.R. = 129
After meal G.R. = 118

My problem is - I wonder if I'm eating enough food or if I'm doing fine just the way I'm doing it now. I'm trying to eat smaller meals so I don't stuff myself but I've been mainly eating 3 med. meals and maybe 1 snack a day. I also know I'm going to have to watch my sodium because I really love to grab a string cheese and eat it when I'm hungry but I know those have alot of sodium. Also, I eat eggs and bacon every morning. I hate breakfast but can tolerate it if I'm able to eat the eggs and bacon. Is that going to be bad for my heart in the long run? Hmm

That is wonderful about your friend. I hope she is able to keep it up. I actually love LC eating - my cravings are pretty much gone for the first 2 weeks and then I have to work harder at them but I think my mind has gone through a huge change since finding out I have diabetes. It's like before I had a choice but now I do not (at least not in my mind). I'm not sure it's good though that I am to the point of being afraid of eating anything with sugar in it. Is that o.k.?

I'm really sorry if I'm annoying or sounding stupid. This is all so new to me. I feel like I need to gain as much knowledge as I can to better help myself.

Thanks again!

Jewelthief · 05-20-2007, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristiansMom

I'm keeping a daily notebook with every single thing I eat as well as my glucose readings. I'll take that in with me when I go to see her. My numbers are coming down since I started eating LC. I'm still not cutting out one small fruit per day and a decent amount of good vegetables but otherwise I've eaten no bad carbs (that I know of) and I feel really good - alot more energy than I had before.

Diana, hey!

Listen, don't try to do it all at one whack, you'll drive yourself crazy! I think you're doing great, and this is all a learning experience... You will learn to listen to your body and how it feels when you eat right, when you eat something it doesn't quite agree with, and those other times when you eat something you know better not to eat (or eat much of) and how it makes you FEEL.

I was afraid of eating sugar in the beginning, and over a year later, I limit the amount I'll have at once, because believe me--when you LC and/or when you're diabetic and lessen/stop sugar intake, having sugar might just make you feel like your pulse is racing!

I went MONTHS without experimenting with sweets and stuff because I didn't want to "mess up." Now I don't have many sweets and fruits or grains, but I do have them occasionally. And that's okay!

Don't tell yourself "never" or you'll soon feel deprived, resentful, and more likely to eat things you wouldn't ordinarily eat when you're taking care of yourself.

The fruit is GOOD for you, but try to always think in terms of serving sizes, and test your sugar 2 hrs after you've eaten something to see how it affects you. Different times of day/night may also yield different results, but if I get similar readings 2-3 times for a portion of a food, I tend to consider them accurate for my body's threshold.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristiansMom

I hope no one minds me posting my numbers but it helps me to get feedback on if they seem to be doing better or worse - especially since this is really new to me.

1st glucose reading = 230 (this is what caused the concern)
2nd fasting glucose reading = 196 (this is what determined I was diabetic)
3rd after-meal G.R. = 190

Then I started eating LC and did my testing for the first time from home:
Friday fasting G.R. = 129
After meal G.R. = 151
Saturday fasting G.R. =124
After meal G.R. = 142
Sunday (today) fasting G.R. = 129
After meal G.R. = 118

I doubt you're bothering anyone!

I didn't take a glucose tolerance test; my doc pretty much diagnosed me with a plain old lab blood test, and while I understand from reading more that that is not the way one is normally diagnosed, I believe she was right on the money...

I'd say your numbers are coming under control very nicely for no meds and using LC to do it!!!

My doc believes in treating aggressively, and since apparently weight is an issue for many people diagnosed diabetic, she chose to attack it head-on and start me off on meds rather than wait & see how I did.

She was right to do so... I am in a wheelchair and I'd steadily gained over the years, like most of us do, and I am unable to exercise much to control weight. However, LCing has brought my weight down 50 pounds since I started, and my meds were cut back, and I am healthier today than before!

YOU are doing great!!! Keep up the good work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristiansMom

My problem is - I wonder if I'm eating enough food or if I'm doing fine just the way I'm doing it now. I'm trying to eat smaller meals so I don't stuff myself but I've been mainly eating 3 med. meals and maybe 1 snack a day. I also know I'm going to have to watch my sodium because I really love to grab a string cheese and eat it when I'm hungry but I know those have alot of sodium. Also, I eat eggs and bacon every morning. I hate breakfast but can tolerate it if I'm able to eat the eggs and bacon. Is that going to be bad for my heart in the long run? Hmm

I don't know, I don't know if anyone does. Information changes every decade or so, and we often learn that which we've been told all our lives is no longer so. How are we supposed to know if the experts don't know?!

I am LCing and doing well. My A1c (a test run every 3-6 months that measures your blood sugars for approximately the previous 3 months) started at 7.8 when I was diagnosed. Every 90 days I have brought it down, down, down and am happily maintaining at 4.5 these days.

LCing WORKS.

As for how much you're eating... Are you full or satisfied after a meal? Do you know your body well enough to trust how full you feel as you're eating?

I eat either 3 meals and 1-2 small snacks a day, or else 4 meals and maybe 1-2 snacks a day. It depends on how I feel, and sometimes if I *think* I am hungry, I will drink a bottle of crystal light and re-assess after that. If I AM hungry, I eat.

If I eat and don't feel quite full, I'll wait at least a couple of hours then have a small snack. I try not to eat more often than every 2-4 hours and not let more than 5-6 hours pass without a meal or snack. I keep portions small and try to pay attention to feeling full. I am still surprised now when I don't eat as much as I used to at one sitting--a dinner-sized plate full back then, and a saucer-sized plate now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristiansMom

I'm not sure it's good though that I am to the point of being afraid of eating anything with sugar in it. Is that o.k.?

Diana, everything is okay. Honest. You are feeling and acting completely NORMAL. You'll find your way once you get further away from the fright of it all.

With me, I wasn't afraid to eat sugar; I was afraid to eat at all!!!

I'm better now, more relaxed, and comforted by what I've learned. You're just starting out here, be gentle with yourself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristiansMom

I'm really sorry if I'm

05-07-2007, 03:45 PM	#212
Begete Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 3,750 Gallery: Begete Stats: 199/172/140, restart 1/2/07 at 173.5 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 2/1/2003	Mermaid, thanx for the info. I hope you will not be offended, but I am going to table your advice until after we move (3 weeks from today - 3000 miles - 36 years' worth of stuff - 8 days of driving with a finicky cat in the car) I am just so totally overwhelmed right now, I cannot take on learning any new - no matter how important. I am going to see if the Jenuvia works, and that is about all I can handle right now. I really do appreciate your suggestions, and perhaps when meet we can discuss all this in person. and rest assured, the barbecue will be low carb as my husband uses LC to control his gout!! __________________ "In the beginning, the sun, the air, the water were life enhancing and sustaining--and it was good. In many areas of the Earth today, they carry health warnings". a saying by Maggie MacRaven

05-07-2007, 03:54 PM	#213
Jewels Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 9,164 Gallery: Jewels Stats: Maintaining 123	My A1c was 5.8 in Jan. Hopefully with my exercise and eating better it will lower next month. My FBG is mostly below 100 now. I do get those sharp pains in my toes too. I need to google R-Ala for more info. Just looked it up and it said something about sulfur which I'm allergic to. So I best not try that one. Is there anything else to help the needle like pains in the toes? Last edited by Jewels : 05-07-2007 at 04:33 PM.

05-16-2007, 09:13 AM	#222
mermaid MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,036 Gallery: mermaid WOE: Clown Diet Start Date: re-start March 2006	Abbott, You are doing great for having had blood sugar problems for so long. Diabetes really is tricky to deal with I'm finding. Just when you think you have the magic bullet things can go screwy again. But even so, a low carb diet should be the foundation of every diabetic's treatment. Earlier in this thread I talked about taking the Glucose Balance formula by Geromatrix. It has consistently worked for me to bring down BS by 15-20 points per tablet, and the directions say to take up to 3 tablets three times per day. It is a Chinese formula that I have not seen duplicated elsewhere (I'm always searching for bargains). At the rate I take it, which is only one or two pills per day usually, it only costs about $15 per month usually. I have noticed no side effects in over a year of taking it. It take some other herbs too, like gymnema and eleuthero. I am trying the R-ALA now, but do not notice a difference from the cheaper ALA I was using. ALA does keep my blood sugars lower. Progesterone cream lowers my BS's too and makes me feel better overall. I recently read an article by an editor of a health magazine, and she said that when she went on birth control pills as a teenager, it caused her to be immediately diabetic Nobody made the connection at the time, but when she eventually went off the pills she was no longer diabetic and has remained normal for many years. To me, there is no doubt that other hormones besides insulin affect diabetes. Last edited by mermaid : 05-16-2007 at 09:15 AM.

05-17-2007, 11:51 AM	#223
ChristiansMom Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 14,121 Gallery: ChristiansMom Stats: :( :\| :) WOE: LC	Hi Everyone.. This is my first time venturing into this area of LCF and I honesty wish I didn't have to but I need support, advice and a shoulder or two. On May 6th I started to feel really 'strange' like my heart was beating wrong. It didn't hurt, just felt uncomfortable and scary. On the 10th I went in to see my doctor, heart was beating fine but she ordered a bunch of tests since it had been awhile. I got a call the next day telling me my blood sugar level was extremely high (230) and that I needed to come back for another sugar test. Went in on the 15th, got a call yesterday saying my levels were consistent with diabetes. I have to go in this afternoon to pick up a glucose meter and see an RN about how to use it. I go back to see my doctor tomorrow. That's all I was told. Oh and to avoid sugars and most carbs. I feel so in the dark and lost. I know nothing about diabetes. I'm extremely scared and spent the day yesterday feeling sorry for myself and crying my eyes out. I do not know what to expect at all. I'm afraid I'm going to do something wrong. Since Monday I've been eating LC (not induction). Meat, 'good' veggies, cheese, eggs, a very small amount of fruit, a very small amount of milk, a bowl of natural oatmeal - lots of water - that kind of stuff. No sugar and no breads, pasta, potatoes etc. I know I need to eat right from now on and I'm going to start walking with my dogs each night as well but I do not know what else I need to do. I don't know what I'm suppose to avoid or what I can't have (other than the obvious sugars). If anyone has some advice for me, I'd gladly take it and appreciate it. Thanks Diana Edited to add - I will be coming back this evening to read this whole thread. I'm sure there's lots of helpful stuff here, I just need to get ready to go to the clinic right now so not much time. __________________ Diąŋą™ I've never been perfect.. But neither have you. - Linkin Park The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

05-20-2007, 08:42 AM	#229
dreamerdee Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: central OH Posts: 342 Gallery: dreamerdee Stats: 232/163/140-150ish WOE: Atkins Start Date: 6-14-03	Hi Diana & welcome! There used to be an area that had a new diabetic thread every week. When I was later looking for it and couldn't find anything I started this one. Sometimes it goes slowly, other times faster. But it is a very caring area with some wonderful and experienced folks. It is terrifying when you are first diagnosed! I have written elsewhere on here about how it was for me. But I can honestly say now that I am thankful that I became diabetic because it really has helped focus me on taking care of myself. If I'd not become diabetic I would have continued to neglect myself in numerous ways and would have a much shorter life span full of other types of sickness. So I am grateful for the gift. (a case of a curse being a blessing in disguise) You are still learning, and working hard at learning. You are WAY ahead of where I was so soon after diagnosis. You really don't have to have it all together right away, it is a process. I hope you give yourself credit for all the progress you are making so fast, and take care of yourself in other ways too, like taking time for calmness, destressing and such. Your walks may be good for that. My week end mornings while I am online I listen as my DH practices guitar and works out new songs he has written. It is my refresh time. I think if you have read the thread you will see there is space for daily interactions and support, and chit chat, etc. Are you on any meds at this time for diabetes, or are you doing well using exercise and diet to maintain your levels? One of my friends did well without meds, but she was doing almost daily water aerobics at the time. Years later she got high levels again despite now being on meds. Just a few weeks ago she went back to water aerobics (and added low carb eating - she'd never tried that) and is again having great b.s. levels. Again welcome, and feel free to share however much of your journey as you would like. __________________ Best wishes, -dee k.

05-07-2007, 11:03 AM	#211
mermaid MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,036 Gallery: mermaid WOE: Clown Diet Start Date: re-start March 2006	Okay, Begete, here's some straight shootin'--An A1C of 5.7 is still too high for optimum health. Should be around 4.5. This is info I get from Dr. Bernstein, as well as my own experience. My A1C is 5.2 and my fasting BS was 104 this morning. During the day I've been riding at about 110-120, which has gone up some from a few months ago. When I was keeping it a little lower, my neuropathy completely disappeared. Now I have shooting pains in my toes a little here and there. To keep my BS lower, I have to eat a very small quantity of food and feel hungry all of the time. Today I am starting a short-term Kimmers diet for just that reason--to get used to less food again. Not fun, but necessary for my health. By taking the right supplements, you can lessen the damage of eating too much food (not just too much carbs) that gets converted to glucose. That's probably why my A1c is lower than yours even if my blood sugars are not. A1C measures the IMPACT of that blood sugar (glycolization of proteins). I think Dr. Bernstein explains all of that very well in his book, "Diabetes Solution." It would be well worth your time to read it. R-Ala, a form of alpha lipoic acid, is an extremely helpful supplement in lowering blood sugar and stopping neuropathy. Excuse my verbosity here, but I figure that as a Lawyer you can handle it! (LOL)

05-07-2007, 09:38 PM	#214
mermaid MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,036 Gallery: mermaid WOE: Clown Diet Start Date: re-start March 2006	Julie, I think anything that promotes better circulation would help with the needle pains. I walk a mile a day, and that does seem to help also. You might check out plain ALA and see if it also has sulfur in it. Sorry can't help more than that. Good luck with the big move Begete. Once you settle down you can work on tweaking the diet, etc. Hope it all goes smoothly for you.

05-12-2007, 04:16 AM	#215
Begete Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 3,750 Gallery: Begete Stats: 199/172/140, restart 1/2/07 at 173.5 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 2/1/2003	5 day report on Januvia: I started Januvia on May 8. For the past two days, I have not noticed any tingling in my toes, and while yesterday my before breakfast blood sugar was 110, today it is 97!! I am also down 1 pound, without consciously trying to restrict carbs or calories beyond what I normally eat on LC. Will keep you all posted....

05-12-2007, 11:20 AM	#216
Jewels Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 9,164 Gallery: Jewels Stats: Maintaining 123	Babette!!! I have found if my fasting is under 100, I've lost a few lbs too. Not up much on diabetes, although I'm reading as fast as I can to learn, do you who are diabetic's know if this is the case? If your insulin doesn't shoot up then it's easier to lose weight without even trying?

05-15-2007, 12:38 PM	#217
Abbott Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Whidby Island, WA Posts: 252 Gallery: Abbott Start Date: April 2000	Julie, sorry I can't answer your question. Weight loss is a mystery to me. Gosh do I wish this sugar issue was easier to come up with the right answers!! I undestand and believe that low carb does keep the BS down. And with that knowledge I have also learned that you can eat too much of the "good" foods at one sitting and still get a spike. What I do not understand is if you are eating low carb consistently how many days does it take for the BS to come down to where it should be?? Mine just stays a little over or under 130. It does not rise overnight, but will go up within 2 hours after getting up in the morning if I do not eat something. Example was last night at bedtime it was 132. This morning when I got up and 2 hours later it was 133 and three hours later it was 144. Now that I have eaten it is back down to 131. I noticed that several of you mention specific foods that will create a spike for you. Sooo, I decided to eat only one item at a meal, test before and after, and see if I could figure out what foods I do not respond well to. Is that how the rest of you did it?? I really appreciate any insight you have. Babette, traveling is so difficult when you are trying to eat the right thing. We were military for 32 years and moved every 2-3 years. All of my weight gain was during each of those moves. I can just imagine what my BS was doing! Lisa, how are you doing? I'm interested in how you are progressing.

05-15-2007, 02:37 PM	#218
Jewels Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 9,164 Gallery: Jewels Stats: Maintaining 123	Abbott, that's what I do. I test before and 2 hours after to see if a food makes it go up. I found that grapefruit makes mine spike (for me) and banana's don't. Go figure. But we are all different and I'm only pre-diabetic but eating LC and exercising 5-6 days a week, mine numbers are now below 100. Once in awhile it will be above but on the whole not now. I thought all diabetics were suppose to aim their's below 100. Am I misunderstanding here? Are you on meds Abbott?

05-15-2007, 02:41 PM	#219
Begete Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 3,750 Gallery: Begete Stats: 199/172/140, restart 1/2/07 at 173.5 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 2/1/2003	Hey Linda - 3 more weeks and we will be neighbors!! Do you exercise? I was thinking of taking up power walking. Are you at all interested in doing that together?

05-15-2007, 06:13 PM	#220
Abbott Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Whidby Island, WA Posts: 252 Gallery: Abbott Start Date: April 2000	Julie, according to what I have read your BS numbers should be under 90. I have been on 1,000 to 1,500 mg of metformin. From what I read it is slow to respond so I have been taking it when I get up and then around 7pm. I can tell the R-ALA brings the BS down, which I began a month ago. I started with 400mg and am now increasing that to 600mg. If anyone has any other suggestions let me know. During the last 6 months my BS has moved to around the 130's, it was around the 120's when I was diagnosed and put on metformin 2 years ago. It took my body 6 months to accept the medication... I know from looking back at test results that it was in the 120's for at least 15 years before that and I was told I was in the normal range. I'm still very angry over this since high blood sugar runs on my father's side of the family. I am reading and trying to understand everything I can about BS and see if I can turn it around. Begete I had thought you were already on the road. Wow, only three weeks. You must be really excited! Let me know if you need anything. I am gone from 20th-29th. I do exercise, but I have found that with my schedule that it doesn't work for me to do something that is pre-scheduled. I tried Curves in both Oak Harbor and Freeland and it just didn't work for me. Really loved their program. Coupeville has been very dry...I heard that April was the driest month on record and no rain yet in May. With a wet winter the weeds loved it and now all of my plants are yelling for water. I find myself outside working most of the day and I do give myself a walk up our hill several times before the day is over. My 5 acres as well as my pedometer is great to ensure I am active.

05-15-2007, 06:43 PM	#221
Begete Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 3,750 Gallery: Begete Stats: 199/172/140, restart 1/2/07 at 173.5 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 2/1/2003	Linda - we leave for Coupeville on the 29th. We hope to be there by June 6th!! You never sent me your phone number. Please stop by after the 6th!!

05-18-2007, 08:50 AM	#224
mermaid MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,036 Gallery: mermaid WOE: Clown Diet Start Date: re-start March 2006	Hi Diana, My heart really goes out to you. It was only a year ago I was in the same dark place, really scared for my future. Low-carbing changed the picture very quickly, making me feel more confident that I could control the "diabeastie" and be healthy. Please do read this whole thread as it has LOTS of important info in it. As you'll see on many posts, it's important to read Atkins Diabetes Revolution and/or Diet Revolution, and Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution. Very soon you will feel much better and less "dark" about your situation. Just to tweak your diet a little, I would leave out the oatmeal. It causes BS spikes for many diabetics. I would also leave out the fruit for now. You can cautiously introduce it back in later when you have your regimen figured out, maybe. Other than that, I'm a little puzzled about how you became diabetic when you are a seasoned low-carber? That doesn't really fit my paradigm (LOL). I know that being a little carb piggy along with genetics is what tipped me over the edge. Maybe for you its strictly genetic? Or maybe type 1?

05-18-2007, 09:22 AM	#225
ChristiansMom Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 14,121 Gallery: ChristiansMom Stats: :( :\| :) WOE: LC	Hi Lorena, Thanks for your help! Before I say more - I'm not even close to being a seasoned Low-Carber. I'm a seasoned member of LCF, but sadly, I never took it as serious as I should have. When I first came to LCF I did the plan through 2 weeks of induction and about 2 weeks off induction - that was my downfall. I slowly thought I could add in things like pizza here or there because when I first did - I was still losing. Anyhow, I went off the plan - then got back on it but again, not like I should have .. deciding I'd just 'wing it' - that didn't last long. I proceeded to do nothing for about a year before jumping back on the bandwagon. I did induction for about 3 months, then my whole family went on vacation for my father's 70th birthday and even though I tried really hard to stay on plan - by the 3rd day, all of the buffets got to me and I caved. That was the end of that. I came home and never got back on. Since then I've been making a few better choices because I know what the right foods are but not doing it the way I should have. My high post count is from spending MANY days on the Playground here - so easy for me to pretend the rest of the boards weren't here over on the PG. All I was doing was avoiding the inevitable. I'm Type II. I saw the nurse yesterday and got my training on using the Glucose Monitor. That part wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I'm still confused on alot of stuff and I was scheduled to see my doctor today but she has rescheduled me for next Friday. She wants to see how I do this week with monitoring my levels and with my diet/exercise. I had the eye test done and they took another blood and a urine sample while I was there. I think my biggest fear is that I'm going to do this all wrong. Here are the numbers I know right now. The very first blood test I did was 230. My second test was after fasting and it was 196. Yesterday when the RN was practicing with me, I had a reading of 190. This morning, first thing, before eating - it was 129. I am extremely overweight. I'm 5'6" and 342 lbs. I will say that my small happy moment was the first day I went to the doctors because the last time I had been in to see her I weighed 356. I had weighed myself one other time between that visit and my most recent visit and I had ballooned up to 367. So seeing the scale say 342 was a bright moment because I expected it to say 400. I'm 36 years old and no one in my family has diabetes. This is all new to me and I mean ALL new. I have so much to learn. sigh Thanks for the advice on the fruit and oatmeal. I had the oatmeal on Monday because at that point, I thought my heart was still the main issue and wasn't really thinking about diabetes. I always thought whole, pure oatmeal was good for your heart so I cooked some with cinnamon and nothing else. Tasted horrible but I split the bowl between 3 different meals (a little at a time). I will stay away from it from now - not a problem since I do not like it anyhow but I'm not sure where else I should be getting my grains from. The fruits are going to be a little harder. I love fruit. I've only had a very little this week. A total of 1/4 banana, 1 orange, 1 wedge of watermelon and 1 med. strawberry over the course of 5 days. I realize all of them except the strawberry and maybe the orange, were bad choices. Do I really need to omit them completely? The RN yesterday made it sound like fruits are good for you. See, so confused! Thanks again

05-18-2007, 03:30 PM	#226
mermaid MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,036 Gallery: mermaid WOE: Clown Diet Start Date: re-start March 2006	Well, gosh, where to start? The easiest question is about fruit. If you really love it, keep some in as a treat here and there but stick to berries in small amounts. Definitely no oatmeal. It seems like Atkins induction would be a good place to restart with losing weight and keeping BS low. You will likely notice a big difference between the RN's recommended diet and the low carb approach. The ADA tells them to say that you need 55% carbs a day in your diet and that something awful might happen were you to give up grains for some reason. In the Atkins Diabetes Revolution he talks about how that is not based on science at all, and is very detrimental advice for diabetics. It's up to you whom to believe. You've got high carbs/high blood sugar/drugs up to your eyeballs/progression of the disease on one hand, and low carb/low blood sugar/little or no meds/great health on the other. Want some good news? 129 is not too bad for a fasting glucose, and your other readings around 200 aren't so bad either for being newly diagnosed. That means you're not to far progressed and may do just fine controlling with a low carb diet. Also, the more weight you lose, the better chance you have of reversing the diabetes, as some on this forum have done. No guarantees of that, though. Hopefully you'll get busy reading those books and the rest of this thread and learn enough to end your confusion and feel more in control of your health. Maybe some others will have some advice for you here too.

05-20-2007, 02:38 AM	#228
ChristiansMom Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 14,121 Gallery: ChristiansMom Stats: :( :\| :) WOE: LC	Hi Karyn Thank you for all the wonderful advice! I'm so glad I found this little thread. It's been very helpful so far for me. I have a question - is there another Diabetes group or thread on LCF that most of the diabetics post on .. on a regular basis or is this the only one? I was looking but couldn't find anything - I might be blind or looking in the wrong places. Some place to get daily interaction and support. I was thinking maybe this thread was just to post your progress reports and not really chit chat and such.

05-20-2007, 03:23 PM	#230
ChristiansMom Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 14,121 Gallery: ChristiansMom Stats: :( :\| :) WOE: LC	Hi Dee Thank you for such a sweet post - I am still reading through this thread and should be done shortly but I realize now that I can chit chat here too Thanks for starting this thread. I do appreciate the fact that I already knew about LC and the benefits of it way before I was diagnosed with diabetes. I think it's going to come in handy in helping me to keep things in control. I can't imagine if I was facing this without the little bit of knowledge that I do have and this board as my support. I would be a mess. I truly believe that LCing is going to be my main lifeline to doing well with my blood sugar levels - exercise as well. I was just diagnosed last Wednesday the 16th. My doctors nurse called me and told me over the phone. She then scheduled me to come in and pick up the glucose meter from the pharmacy and talk to an RN - I was scheduled to see my doctor on Friday but that got pushed to next Friday instead. The RN helped alot but I haven't actually sat down with my doctor and gone over a plan or what her plans are for me. I did talk to her for a moment when I was with the RN and she said she wants to see how I do with monitoring my blood this week on my own with my own new diet. The RN only told me the foods to avoid and then gave me a small list of foods and their glycemic numbers. Thank God I knew about Atkins or I would be so lost. I am REALLY hoping I do not need meds. I'm not good at taking pills, I've never been a pill taker and no matter what it is, I always end up feeling sick or ill after taking them. I would like to avoid it if possible but we'll see. I'm keeping a daily notebook with every single thing I eat as well as my glucose readings. I'll take that in with me when I go to see her. My numbers are coming down since I started eating LC. I'm still not cutting out one small fruit per day and a decent amount of good vegetables but otherwise I've eaten no bad carbs (that I know of) and I feel really good - alot more energy than I had before. I hope no one minds me posting my numbers but it helps me to get feedback on if they seem to be doing better or worse - especially since this is really new to me. 1st glucose reading = 230 (this is what caused the concern) 2nd fasting glucose reading = 196 (this is what determined I was diabetic) 3rd after-meal G.R. = 190 Then I started eating LC and did my testing for the first time from home: Friday fasting G.R. = 129 After meal G.R. = 151 Saturday fasting G.R. =124 After meal G.R. = 142 Sunday (today) fasting G.R. = 129 After meal G.R. = 118 My problem is - I wonder if I'm eating enough food or if I'm doing fine just the way I'm doing it now. I'm trying to eat smaller meals so I don't stuff myself but I've been mainly eating 3 med. meals and maybe 1 snack a day. I also know I'm going to have to watch my sodium because I really love to grab a string cheese and eat it when I'm hungry but I know those have alot of sodium. Also, I eat eggs and bacon every morning. I hate breakfast but can tolerate it if I'm able to eat the eggs and bacon. Is that going to be bad for my heart in the long run? Hmm That is wonderful about your friend. I hope she is able to keep it up. I actually love LC eating - my cravings are pretty much gone for the first 2 weeks and then I have to work harder at them but I think my mind has gone through a huge change since finding out I have diabetes. It's like before I had a choice but now I do not (at least not in my mind). I'm not sure it's good though that I am to the point of being afraid of eating anything with sugar in it. Is that o.k.? I'm really sorry if I'm annoying or sounding stupid. This is all so new to me. I feel like I need to gain as much knowledge as I can to better help myself. Thanks again!