From good BS control to not

Diseases & Conditions Diabetes
1
I have been a T2 diabetic for 16 years and for the majority of that time had great control (85-130) with diet and exercise.  Over the last 1.5 year, I fell off the wagon - hard.  I allowed personal difficulties (unemployment, loss of insurance, etc) to affect the way I cared for myself.  Not an excuse, just reality.  Finally got my act together and have started with a new doctor to get myself back in shape.  However, my sugars are out of control and my doctor is talking insulin.  Am I a lost cause?  How is the best way to evaluate the meds that are used for treatment?
 
I have lost 100lbs and need to lose another 50, so I am very concerned about weight gain as a side effect.   I feel good that I am on the right track, but aware I have a long way to go (BS dropped from high 300's to mid 200's in the last 2 weeks).  Due to my doctor of 10 years leaving the area, I have had to change doctors.  We seem to mesh well and I think we can work together.  I'm freaked out a little about meds/insulin treatment after so many years. 
 
Bottom line, anybody been down this road that might have some advice?  Any information would be apprecated.... Best, Peach!

"Success is a series of recoveries"

2

High TeddyBear,

Mid 200's is way to high for your BS.  You need to be on meds and sooner rather than later nono .  Read down through the threads in the Diabetes forum and find the REQUIRED READING, everything you ever wanted to know about diabetes.  Here among other things is a discussion of all the different types of meds and what they do.  I personally use some orals and Byetta which is an injectible.  It keeps my BS generally between 70 and 100.  However, don't be scared of insulin.  I was once in the same situation you are in, having been lax and out of control and then finding my oral meds just failed completely.  Most orals fail at some point.  With you it was simply hastened by your ignoring your condition.

My Endocrinologist put me on Lantus insulin once a day and it brought my BS back to where it should be.  It is much better to take a tiny injection that doesn't hurt in the least, once a day than to die at an early age from all the complications of runaway blood sugar!  Discuss meds with your doctor and get back to living a normal life.

scool  Warren

It's not that some people have willpower and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not. - James Gordon, M.D.
What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet, isn't much better than tedious disease. - George Dennison Prentice

I can only please one person per day, today is not your day...tomorrow doesn't look good either.

Post Edited (Warren) : 2/17/2006 1:40:38 AM (GMT-7)

3
Hi Peach!

Welcome to HealingWell. I've been diagnosed with diabetes for about 11 years and probably have had it since 1975. I have been doing glucophage for the last 6 yrs or so and just started on Lantus a year ago on Feb. 22nd. Without a doubt, the Lantus is the one thing that has brought my sugars in line as well as made me start being totally serious about my program. I purchased a food planner online called Calorie King and it does the fats, carbs, protein and fiber counts for the day and helped me stay on track. I don't have to use it much anymore but it sure helped me get my diet in order. There are a number of calorie and nutrition counting programs out there you can try. They are a HUGE help!

Most everyone here is doing the best they can to stay healthy so stick with us and you will go far. We help each other with new techniques and ideas and lots of moral support. Sometimes we get in little tiffs but it's only because we are all trying to find the best way to live longer with this disease. Welcome to the fam!

~ Jeannie

"People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun's out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within."

- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross