Do I have Type II Diabetes?

~Tonia~ · 09-10-2006, 10:27 PM

I've been on met (850mg twice a day) for insulin resistance & always have had normal blood sugar levels (usually under 120). Last Sunday they suddenly started shooting up to 300-400. I went to see my doctor on Monday & he added Glyset 25 mg, which I cut in half & take half with breakfast & half with dinner. My levels are still not coming down & this is with less than 15 carbs per meal. I've been living on SF popsicles & scrambled eggs for a week. The only other problem I have is a yeast infection, which is starting to clear up.

Any ideas what this could be? My doctor said my pancreas could be stressed. My diet hasn't changed & nothing else is going on. I have to go back to the doctor in the morning. If anyone has any ideas what would help, please let me know ASAP. I don't know what to do & am very scared & worried.

flyfisher · 09-10-2006, 10:38 PM

You need to get your blood sugar down. Try eating more, because sometimes if you don't eat enough of the right things, this will cause your blood sugar to go up too. Its a balanced diet that helps with controlling blood sugar, not just eating less. Go to American Diabetes Association website and that will give you a lot of information. I would go back to the doctor and ask a lot of questions. Have you had a Glucose tolerance test? If so, what was the highest reading? 300 and 400 readings are very high...How long after eating were these readings? Your blood sugar readings should be back down to normal 2 hours after eating. What is your blood sugar reading first thing in the morning, before eating breakfast? Mine is usually around 117 to 129. Not keeping levels normal will cause a lot of health problems. Good luck..You might try going for a walk...exercise helps bring sugar levels back down to normal... My first symptoms was extreme thirst, carb cravings, hunger, joint pain and frequent urination. I was also very tired not long after eating a meal. Also, if I were to have a sore or infection of some kind, it would take a long time for it to heal. These are some of the classic symptoms. I hope this helps...

Julieben · 09-11-2006, 10:31 PM

Tonia,

I second the pp, and wanted to say that one of MY first symptoms of diabetes was SEVERE yeast infections that wouldn't go away, followed by losing weight without trying, THEN started getting thirsty all the time... see the first two symptoms are due to having a higher hemoglobin A1C, something I never new before dx...so get it professionally assessed- maybe by an endo instead of your pcp? Don't be scared, just go get it taken care of, ok? We'll answer any questions we can!!

Julie

~Tonia~ · 09-12-2006, 02:00 PM

Thanks girls. I'm going to see my endo today to see what she thinks. I went over my past A1C results with my regular doctor yesterday & the last one in May came back at 5.9 and being under 6 is really good.

I just hope my endo can get me all fixed up. I'm anxious & nervous, which I know is just making things worse.

~Tonia~ · 09-12-2006, 06:12 PM

Hi girls. I'm back from my endo appointment & am feeling so much better & reassured. She did some tests, including another a1c & bcb (to check for infection). She put me on an insulin pen once a day, along with met, until I see her next Thursday to follow-up. She is thinking once my levels come down, she can adjust my dose of Met.

The good news is that since I last saw her in March, I've lost 10 pounds (probably all last week - LOL). Not a lot over 6 months, but better to lose than gain, right?!

Can I ask you both how many carbs you have per day & how you break it down per meal?

ETA: The insulin pen is soooo easy.

flyfisher · 09-13-2006, 01:02 AM

I eat 1200 calories a day...My dietician wanted me to eat 1400 calories instead. I eat 10 carb servings a day and this includes 4 servings of starch, 4 servings of fruit, and 2 servings of milk, 4 oz meat/protein, 3 serv of veggies, 3 fat servings. A carb serving is 15 grams of carbs, a fat serving is 5 grams of fat. You have to weigh, measure and count everything you put in your mouth. It isn't as hard as it sounds and it is a real healthy life style. It isn't a diet and shouldn't be viewed as a diet. It is a life style change. I encourage you to speak with a dietician and find out what a serving size of each of these is and what calorie count is best for you. Everyones needs are different and I wouldn't recommend doing the exchanges without consulting with a dietician and your doctor. Best wishes and I hope this helps.

Julieben · 09-13-2006, 05:01 AM

Flyfisher's diet is just like my nutritionist recommended, but sometimes I go over, sometimes under. If my bloodsugar is unusually low, I might have a carb portion with a meal that I wouldn't normally have. If its too high, I might drop the carbs and just eat the proteins. Its amazing how its all interactive, like I adjust my insulin if I know I'm going to walk soon after taking the insulin, or I near bottom out (usually a walk causes me to cut my insulin down by 15 units!). So its about figuring out how you feel, watching your body's cues. I know, easier said than done- and sounds much like love advice: "you'll know when its right" haha :-) I'm glad you and your doc made a plan. I use the novolog pen and it IS easy for what it is! I take some before breakfast and some before dinner. I also take another shot called byetta before breakfast and dinner (so four shots a day and I'm getting great control) Let us know what your bloodsugars are on the shot if you don't mind...just whether improving or not? Thanks!

~Tonia~ · 09-14-2006, 03:15 PM

Hi girls. My levels are coming down, but not as much as I'd like. I took 14 units of insulin this morning & 850 mg of glucophage after testing at 237, which is still high. I had a V8 juice for breakfast (15 carbs) at 8:40am and now one hour later I'm at 272. I don't know what is going on. What do you all think? I'll test again at 10:30 to see where I'm at.

I guess I'm feeling scared & confused right now. To go from having a perfect A1c in May to this is tearing me up. I thought 14 units of insulin was quite a bit. Am I wrong?

ETA: I just did a check & 2 hours after my V8, I'm at 201. Still high, but coming down. My endo has me adding 2 units of insulin every day until I'm at 110 2 hours after. I'm thinking I'm in bad shape if I have to add much more. LOL How much is considered a lot of insulin?

I really hope she can get this fixed by adding another pill with my met, but I don't want to take avandia because I've read it causes water retention. Any suggestions? You girls have been so helpful & reassuring to me & I'm so grateful. Please tell me I'm not hopeless. LOL

flyfisher · 09-16-2006, 07:10 PM

Everything will be okay...don't stress, because stress causes sugar levels to increase. Try going for a walk, that helps level it out and lower it. Matter of fact, exercise will not only bring down sugar levels, but will keep them down for 24 hours. I am not on insulin, so I can't help with that. Eat a well balanced diet, low in fat and as healthy as possible. Watch processed foods, because they will effect your sugar levels. An example of my daily diet is: Breakfast, yogurt and a piece of fruit. The yogurt is a low fat yogurt and is half cup in size. That is 15 grams of carbs and 1 and a half grams of fat, and a small banana is 15 grams of carbs. Lunch, I have a cup of raw carrots and 2 tsp of low fat ranch dip, two slices of sara lee delightful bread, fat free swiss cheese, 1 oz of meat, low fat miracle whip and 1 1/2 cups of fresh fruit. Supper I have three oz of meat, fresh fruit and 1/2 cup of cooked nonstarch veggies, snack I have 3 cups of cheddar cheese microwave popcorn (15 grams of carbs and 5 grams of fat) or I may eat sugar free angel food cake with fresh fruit and fat free cool whip which is 20 grams of carbs and a free food that doesn't count or two chocolate chip cookies and 1 cup skim milk which would be 5 grams of fat and 15 grams of carbs. I eat every bit of my exchanges for the day or I am starved. Don't skip meals or skimp on your meals because this will cause your sugar levels to increase as well. A well balanced diet is very important. I hope this helps. Please check out the American Diabetes Association website or go to the library and check out a book on Diabetes. It will help you. Also, ask your endo to send you to diabetic teaching classes. That will help a bunch and will teach you how to use insulin and what to do when certain things happen. If I can help you more, just let me know. Feel free to pm me...Take care.

Jeanne in MN · 09-16-2006, 11:11 PM

I've just been diagnosed myself and haven't see the dietician yet. But here's a caloric-carb meal plan I found and have been trying to follow. I have since decided it's easier to split some of these meals up into smaller meals and snacks. Works better for me than eating a huge pile of food at one time. Don't know if this will help any, but until I see someone who can help me, this is what I've been doing with success. -Jeanne

http://www.diabetic-lifestyle.com/ar...01_whats_1.htm