Life takes a wee bit of a left turn....
So, I was diagnosed with Type2 Diabetes last Thursday ...
1. this wasn't particularly a shocking development to either myself or my husband (who was with me)
why no surprise? because I've been overweight for probably nigh on 40 yrs, (give or take), and 2 of my 7 siblings have both been diagnosed some years ago.
2. it was / is frightening - one of my 2 brothers also suffered from depression and that played a role in his not caring for himself after his diagnosis - this led eventually to amputation of his left foot, and eventually to him dying of a stroke in 2011.
2b) it was/is frightening - my numbers at diagnosis were better than double what my doctor wants them to be (and is confirmed by the 'what should my blood glucose levels be' on this website). 16mmol/L. She sorta subtly hinted at "Why are you walking around not feeling like crap/death warmed over/ dead?" When my doctor seems nervous, that's kinda scary.
3. it was / is embarrassing - see above two statements - I've been whistling in the wind for years, half expecting this, going through the motions of diet and exercise for 6 months / a year ... aware that I needed to take better care - In other words - I knew better than to let it get to this. I really don't want to hear my mother say, "see I told you" right now (if ever).
3b) it was / is embarrassing - I've put my poor long suffering husband through a lot of difficult life changes in the last 5 yrs (we've been married 10 this year), I hate putting him through this too ... and while it may be MY diagnosis, it will impact on him, us, the whole family.
4. it was / is depressing - as you all know I'm a passionate cook, particularly baking .... I do love my carbs. Just before my diagnosis I was working towards getting a spot at our local farmer's market to sell syrups and cordials and flavoured ices.
5. it was/is overwhelming - despite all the knowledge and education and prior research and exposure to diabetes before the diagnosis, it's different when it's happening to you and see point 2 and point 3 and point 4 .... and woah.... gimme a second to catch my breath....
Ok so that was 10 days ago.
The doctor has me on metformin 500mg - started me on slowly 1/2 tab once a day 3 days, 1/2 tab twice a day 3 day, then full tab twice a day.... because of the 'digestive upset' potential side effects, (my pharmacist was a bit more graphic than the doctor was about those) ...well didn't see any of that on a half tab, so moved up after 2 days ... since I've gone to the full tab things have been a bit uncomfortable, but that seems to be easing up a little bit.
No one has told me how quickly I should be seeing an improvement in the numbers. But 10 days in and I'm seeing 8's and 9's (down from 14-16) so target range of 6+/- is in sight and that pleases me.
We're trying to take this in stride and remember that the lifestyle changes this is forcing was a direction we were working in anyway - aside from a higher reliance on carbs than perhaps would have been good, my diet wasn't HORRIBLE - just maybe a bit much... so we've removed all sugar sweetened items, almost completely eliminated all bread / potato / rice / pasta - and when it does include bread then it's a half portion and it's whole grain.
Breakfast is the most difficult meal of the day to accommodate - all cereals are kinda carb heavy, and eggs everyday isn't maybe the best choice (and don't you always want toast with your eggs?). So balancing eggs with a half a whole grain bagel with high fibre low carb cereals like steel cut oats and 12 grain cooked cereal.
Trying to consider this a positive thing - these were lifestyle changes I was working towards - it just fast tracking some of them. I do all my own cooking and am food educated - so using this as an opportunity for recipe development and I'm pretty good at that. I found some very interesting baking options through jewish passover recipes - (grain / leavened baked goods are forbidden) - like a lovely blueberry muffin made with almond meal and beaten egg whites that - isn't quite what we'd call a muffin, different texture, but neither unpleasant nor untasty - I think I'm going to use this basis for further recipe development. ( http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/flourless-almond-blueberry-muffins ). I've also downloaded all the cookbooks / recipes on this site and shared them with Him (as he does share cooking duties). Still trying to think my way around the Farmers Market plan - haven't given that up entirely.
I am feeling good about seeing the numbers come down - I figured my next blood test was for 6 weeks from diagnosis so maybe I wasn't gonna drop dead on the spot - still not sure how 'fast' they should drop but they're coming down so it's good right? I am also finding that I am feeling 'better' - I didn't feel all that badly - I thought, but I was tired and worn out, figured that was just a product of working the night shift. Now it may be that it's springtime now and we've got some sun after weeks of rain, or it may be diet changes, or blood sugars dropping, but in general my energy levels seem to be improving. (and as a side note, there's been an improvement in my depression this past 6-8 months - still getting the blues a bit, but the deep gut wrenching death wishing crashes seem to be gone, that's more hormonal - God bless Menopause). And well bluntly my libido is back, honestly I thought that was a menopause thing, I thought when they talked about sexual function and diabetes they were talking a guy thing - hey it's always a guy thing side effect right? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, maybe it's just increased energy levels, but hey my frisk is back. Yay for that!
Last but not least, and if you've survived this far through my interminable ramblings you're a brave soul and deserve a sugar free chocolate (yay my favourite Farmers Market chocolatier might make me some sugar free treats...)... I do have a question..
I thought (it made sense) that fasting blood sugars ie. the first one of the day / before breakfast should/would be the lowest number of the day.... and while it generally isn't the highest my lowest blood sugar tends to be the one I take right before dinner on average it's 1 below my breakfast numbers. So maybe someone from a more experienced crowd might weigh in?
Originally posted to: The Plan® comment there or here
1. this wasn't particularly a shocking development to either myself or my husband (who was with me)
why no surprise? because I've been overweight for probably nigh on 40 yrs, (give or take), and 2 of my 7 siblings have both been diagnosed some years ago.
2. it was / is frightening - one of my 2 brothers also suffered from depression and that played a role in his not caring for himself after his diagnosis - this led eventually to amputation of his left foot, and eventually to him dying of a stroke in 2011.
2b) it was/is frightening - my numbers at diagnosis were better than double what my doctor wants them to be (and is confirmed by the 'what should my blood glucose levels be' on this website). 16mmol/L. She sorta subtly hinted at "Why are you walking around not feeling like crap/death warmed over/ dead?" When my doctor seems nervous, that's kinda scary.
3. it was / is embarrassing - see above two statements - I've been whistling in the wind for years, half expecting this, going through the motions of diet and exercise for 6 months / a year ... aware that I needed to take better care - In other words - I knew better than to let it get to this. I really don't want to hear my mother say, "see I told you" right now (if ever).
3b) it was / is embarrassing - I've put my poor long suffering husband through a lot of difficult life changes in the last 5 yrs (we've been married 10 this year), I hate putting him through this too ... and while it may be MY diagnosis, it will impact on him, us, the whole family.
4. it was / is depressing - as you all know I'm a passionate cook, particularly baking .... I do love my carbs. Just before my diagnosis I was working towards getting a spot at our local farmer's market to sell syrups and cordials and flavoured ices.
5. it was/is overwhelming - despite all the knowledge and education and prior research and exposure to diabetes before the diagnosis, it's different when it's happening to you and see point 2 and point 3 and point 4 .... and woah.... gimme a second to catch my breath....
Ok so that was 10 days ago.
The doctor has me on metformin 500mg - started me on slowly 1/2 tab once a day 3 days, 1/2 tab twice a day 3 day, then full tab twice a day.... because of the 'digestive upset' potential side effects, (my pharmacist was a bit more graphic than the doctor was about those) ...well didn't see any of that on a half tab, so moved up after 2 days ... since I've gone to the full tab things have been a bit uncomfortable, but that seems to be easing up a little bit.
No one has told me how quickly I should be seeing an improvement in the numbers. But 10 days in and I'm seeing 8's and 9's (down from 14-16) so target range of 6+/- is in sight and that pleases me.
We're trying to take this in stride and remember that the lifestyle changes this is forcing was a direction we were working in anyway - aside from a higher reliance on carbs than perhaps would have been good, my diet wasn't HORRIBLE - just maybe a bit much... so we've removed all sugar sweetened items, almost completely eliminated all bread / potato / rice / pasta - and when it does include bread then it's a half portion and it's whole grain.
Breakfast is the most difficult meal of the day to accommodate - all cereals are kinda carb heavy, and eggs everyday isn't maybe the best choice (and don't you always want toast with your eggs?). So balancing eggs with a half a whole grain bagel with high fibre low carb cereals like steel cut oats and 12 grain cooked cereal.
Trying to consider this a positive thing - these were lifestyle changes I was working towards - it just fast tracking some of them. I do all my own cooking and am food educated - so using this as an opportunity for recipe development and I'm pretty good at that. I found some very interesting baking options through jewish passover recipes - (grain / leavened baked goods are forbidden) - like a lovely blueberry muffin made with almond meal and beaten egg whites that - isn't quite what we'd call a muffin, different texture, but neither unpleasant nor untasty - I think I'm going to use this basis for further recipe development. ( http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/flourless-almond-blueberry-muffins ). I've also downloaded all the cookbooks / recipes on this site and shared them with Him (as he does share cooking duties). Still trying to think my way around the Farmers Market plan - haven't given that up entirely.
I am feeling good about seeing the numbers come down - I figured my next blood test was for 6 weeks from diagnosis so maybe I wasn't gonna drop dead on the spot - still not sure how 'fast' they should drop but they're coming down so it's good right? I am also finding that I am feeling 'better' - I didn't feel all that badly - I thought, but I was tired and worn out, figured that was just a product of working the night shift. Now it may be that it's springtime now and we've got some sun after weeks of rain, or it may be diet changes, or blood sugars dropping, but in general my energy levels seem to be improving. (and as a side note, there's been an improvement in my depression this past 6-8 months - still getting the blues a bit, but the deep gut wrenching death wishing crashes seem to be gone, that's more hormonal - God bless Menopause). And well bluntly my libido is back, honestly I thought that was a menopause thing, I thought when they talked about sexual function and diabetes they were talking a guy thing - hey it's always a guy thing side effect right? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, maybe it's just increased energy levels, but hey my frisk is back. Yay for that!
Last but not least, and if you've survived this far through my interminable ramblings you're a brave soul and deserve a sugar free chocolate (yay my favourite Farmers Market chocolatier might make me some sugar free treats...)... I do have a question..
I thought (it made sense) that fasting blood sugars ie. the first one of the day / before breakfast should/would be the lowest number of the day.... and while it generally isn't the highest my lowest blood sugar tends to be the one I take right before dinner on average it's 1 below my breakfast numbers. So maybe someone from a more experienced crowd might weigh in?
Originally posted to: The Plan® comment there or here