I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes (also called Diabetes mellitus Type II, als called "non-insulin-dependent Diabetes")

This disease changes how I live my life in certain ways. I have to take meds everyday, probably for the rest of my life. I will have to eat right and watch what I eat more so than some people. Desserts and food in general has a different meaning to me. (Especially during the holidays.)

I thought I would open this thread to talk about Diabetes with other people who either have the disease or know a friend or relative with Diabetes. I'm hoping to develop sort of a support group here to share information about Diabetes and ideas on how to eat what foods to remain under control with blood glucose levels.

Diabetes is a strange disease. It is one that modern science has learned to control, but... the person with the disease must control it by taking care of themselves and taking their meds consistantly. There are many terrible consequences for those who do not. There can be damage to the retina of the eyes, which could result in blindness later in life. One of the first symptoms of Diabetes is blurred vision. The kidneys can be affected and fail.

High blood sugar levels (I just learned from my doctor) can cause the Diabetic to have mood swings and irritability. Sometimes those moods, as I've learned, can affect the world around you, and touch other people in ways you might not want to happen.

On top of all the rest, the liver can be affect. Many of the internal organs can be affected by Diabetes. If the blood glucose level (a.k.a. blood sugar level) goes high enough and out of control for long enough, the Diabetic can go into a coma. There is a condition in the feet called nearopothy that gives a tingling sensation starting in the toes. When the blood glucose level is high for an extended period of time, the blood vessels that feed the nerves in the toes cannot pass the high glucose level blood (it is too thick) to the nerves, and they go numb.

Much of these things can be prevented by the person taking care of themselves and taking their meds on time and consistently. The other half of this is eating right, and getting some sort of activity in your life to maintain a level of exercise.

I am determined to live. Therefore, I am admitting that I don't always make the right choices 100% of the time, and I need you folks maybe just as you might need me. Together we can fight this disease and help get it under control.

Add your comments, ideas, suggfestions, ask questions, talk about Diabetes here.

Time to come out from the denial (for myself) maybe somebody or several somebody's deals with the same thing.



TM

Here is the link to the American Diabetes Association:
http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp

There is a lot of information for folks on there.

**************
Diabetes message boards:

http://community.diabetes.org/n/forumIndex.aspx?webtag=adaindex

...similar to the style of our on-going Mingle message boards, but specific to Diabetes.

I'm also Phase 2; I've had it since I'm 10 yrs old (now 54). My niece who is 21 is also Phase 2. She is med free now by following diet and doctors. I am med free also. I follow a diet and know what I can and cannot have.
Just be careful with infections and cuts. It takes me twice as long to get over colds, flu and regular infections than any of my friends.
It's life changing; but if you do what you are supposed to you can live a happy life.
Good luck to you and stay strong.

I too have type II diabetes. Just found out a few months ago. The hardest part for me is to remember to take my meds and test my sugar 2 hours after each meal. I know its new to me and I will get in the habit of it I'm sure.

Thank you, Twitch, for adding to this thread.

I like hearing that it is possible to become med free. I may be a long way from that.

For the life of me I do not understand why I do not take my meds consistantly. I have tried so much stuff... leaving them by my computer... setting an alrm clock radio to remind me... getting some of those pill boxes with days on them... I still forget, and sometimes for day I don't take the meds.

Monday my mg/dl reading of blood glucose was 415 at the doctor's office. Today it id down a little to 329, but still too high.

It is very encouraging to hear that you and others can get this under control. I am heading that way.

I want to live.

My dad and my mother inlaw were diabetics type 2..I didnt check your age but a 30 something friend had diabities and corrected it with excerise and diet and after 7 years on meds and several blackouts he has been med free for 2 years now...My dad was on pills and diet for over 30 years and diabities was not related to his death at 86 and neither was my mom in laws death.They scare you to help you understand how serious this can be but all is takes is discipline and family support...The mood swings are very real and sometimes even become temporary personality changes..The bad part is you wont realize this is happening so find someone you trust that will tell you if you are acting differently..

I just talked to my nurse this morning and she suggested a small group they have at my doctor's office. Folks with Diabetes get together once every two weeks and discuss their Diabetes. They share ideas about what they did that helped them remember their meds, what they do to remember to eat right.

I was inspired by that and thought I would start this thread.

I have done good for about a week taking my meds... I'll just go one step at a time, and I believe I can whip this sucker.

It helps to have folks to talk to.

I had diabetes during pregnancy. Had to test my blood all the time and was fortunate to be able to control it with diet. The baby was fine and the diabetes went away after delivery but you've reminded me that after all these years I need to get tested again...

I am 46 years old, and I was diagnosed about 3 years ago. Nearly all of 2007 I spent in denial, not taking meds like a dumba$$. I developed neuropothy in all of my toes (a tingling sensation that feels like it does when your hand falls asleep, except it does not go away...), and it really scared me. I thought I was going to lose my feet.

Instead, I started taking my meds and got on top of the disease.

The neuropothy in my toes went away and I started to realize this disease really was something I had. I didn't want to accept that, but it is reality.

most of the people in my dialysis clinic have diabetes. Diabetes and kidney failure seem to go hand in hand

I don't have diabetes yet, but it won't surprise anyone if I develop it

most of em seem to have missing limbs and feet or are in wheelchairs. Which tells me that if I do develop it I better take really good care of myself

There is a name for the specific kind of Diabetes a woman can get during pregnancy, and I do not know enough about the disease to say whether or not it is the same as Type II Diabetes.

By all means, check with a medical professional and have them check your blood sugar level. It is an extremely simple test they can do in seconds while you wait. They just tick your finger, take a small drop of blood, and set it in the monitor machine right while you wait.

To satisfy your curiosoty, it could be done literally in seconds. And... it could save you from a lot of struggles if by any chance you do have high blood sugar. Please do go have it checked very soon !!!

My nurse told me just this morning that kidney failure can result from not taking care of Diabetes.

Amputation is a very real threat to people who do not take care of it as well.

What I need to do (Iheard this somewhere, and I do not remember where) is to go to the part of the hospital where they have these amputees because of Diabetes and get a good look at what could happen to me if I don't take care of this stuff.

It would be a good thing to put oin my head.

Your not alone...I have diabetes also, starting to get tired of the shots! Good luck!

My ex hubby was/is diabetic. His mom's brother lost a foot due to not taking care of his diabetes. He was a drinker and never followed the diet properly. Unfortunately I cared more about keeping his diabetes under control than he did. Not my problem anymore though.

before I got sick and had to quit work I was working at an R&D company that was developing a non-invasive method to monitor blood glucose (no needle sticks) using modulated infrared light.
We had a machine that worked but it wasn't quite cheap enough for Medicare to cover it. But they are still working on it and one day it will be available

I just learned on the American Diabetes Association web site that stress can cause one's blood sugar to go up...

whew...

I am under a LOT of stress as a college student to constantly get grades posted, projects turned in... papers written... tests are usually timed...

I had no idea stress was linked to high blood glucose readings

Anyone else ever here of this?

There was another term associated with this called a "Liver Dump"... in normal people (without Diabetes) when their bloood sugar drops normally, the liver will dump glucose into the blood stream... it is sort of like the body's own thermostat... In Diabetic, this "thermostat" doesn't quite work right and sugar can be dumped into the blood stream when it isn't needed...

The high stress levels can cause a "Liver Dump".... causeing high blood glucose readings

I am a diabetic. Type II also. I was diagnosed about three years ago. It sucks. I don't take care of myself the way that I should. I don't eat right. I do take my meds. I would never hope to be diet controlled. I cheat too much. I love to eat and I love to eat what's bad for me. I need to go for my blood work though. And I need to find out when I'm supposed to see my endocrinologist again.

Yes, stress does affect blood sugar. Since I've been out of work I really have to watch my diet as well as the STRESS levels. This year has kicked my ass with being out of work for so long and worrying about my future and finances.
Also be aware with stress comes blood pressure problems. Six years ago, my doctor put me on pressure meds. I am now no longer taking meds for that either. He's not big on meds if medical problems can be controlled with diet. He's told me many times I am one of his exceptions; he has many patients who do not take care of themselves.
Please take care of yourself and try to minimize your stress TM.

I don't have diabetes, but reading/understanding more on the subject is a great lesson and motivator to do what I can for my own best health.

This thread helps me understand what a big issue it is for people who live with this. Thanks for starting this, Tman...

I love to eat... I am taking full-time classes... and have been living on financial aid (student loans and Pell grants and such...) since May, 2003... very tight financially... my money comes in once every four months...(and some people complain about getting paid every two weeks.. LOL) I do everything I need to do on the financial aid money, and give a few guitar lessons, but that has been slow for a few months... major stress ensues... I've been pretty crappy at taking my meds...

the rest is classic Diabetes

blood sugar goes up, health goes down.... yada yadda yadda...

Now its time to take charge of my own life... do things right... get in control of all of the above...