One of the big phases of being diabetic is DENIAL, the quicker you get over it, the faster you will be on your road to recovey.
If you really want to do absolutely without medicine, your only bet might be going low carb such as South Beach diet. Educate YOURSELF a lot through forums, good books (e.g, South Beach, Dr. Birnstein etc.) because believe me (been diabetic for now more than 5 years) no one can help you as much as yourself.
These are my 2 cents, hope this helps.
Tash
Hi there,
Welcome to the forum!from what i understand from your communque',you seem to have taken the fact that you have diabetes, quite well. I say this because you already have visited the doctor after the regular medical check-up where you were diagnosed as having Diabetes, and went thru' all the preliminary tests without any complaint.
You have already decided to exercise and go on a diet plan and that's excellent.YOUR PROBLEM IS YOU DON'T WANT MEDS!As already noted you have quite high values.There are certain critical HEALTH situations where you have to follow an expert's advise WILLINGLY!
Your body's ability to produce insulin is impaired,and whatever little insulin that is produced is not able to transport glucose in the blood to where it is needed sufficiently and efficiently.This is a fact of life for every diabetic INCLUDING YOU!WE NEED MEDICINES TO IMPROVE THIS SITUATION.
Many people, newly diagnosed as having Diabetes,are reluctant to start medicines.This happens because(A) they don't want their life to be controlled by any external means,(B)They think they are compromising their liberty for life(forever) when they start medicines and lastly(C)They are simply afraid of medicines.
Please don't turn to alternate medicine as a way out because the brutal fact of life for you and me is we have take allopathic medication to gain an upperhand over this condition!"Proof of the pudding is in the eating" is a good phrase to use here because you will immensely benefit by taking prescription medicines.In your present frame of mind it is literally "biting the bullet" or "swallowing the bitter pill".
This forum has become popular not because it wipes your tears but for positive and realistic advise based on the facts of life.Hang on tough and the forum is with you!
Thumbs up lori!
Click on this link.It may help you. http://www.kfshrc.edu.sa/annals/196/99-042A.html
As Spooky already pointed out, you will need medications to adjust your sugar levels and you may be put on insulin as well. You can refuse these meds, as is your right, but you will be well on your way to big problems. Glucose in the blood makes it thicker, like syrup is thicker than maple sap. These large sugar molecules can't get through the teenie tiny little blood vessels in your eyes and kidneys and in the capillaries in your fingers and toes. Your heart has to pump harder to move the thicker blood. Your kidneys and liver have to try to work with less than enough oxygen because everything is running slower and the blood is overburdened with extra sugar like the expressway at rush hour... Plaque builds up more easily in the blood vessels, the little arteries in the eyes burst and scar the retina, the little arterioles in the kidneys burst and cause scarring so the filter system in the kidneys is all clogged up... You are looking at an end of life scenario of kidney dialysis, blindness, limb loss and wheelchairs...
Medications help your pancreas do it's job and help your body be more accepting of your own insulin. Once the sugar gets into the cells you have more energy and less hunger. I'm on meds and insulin and I expect to see my 6 month old grandson grow up to be a man. I want to have a good quality of life and I am choosing to do whatever it takes to keep those numbers down. Go to your food class, ask questions, come here for support and learn all you can. We will be here for you and with you every step of the way, but you have to do the heavy lifting and do your part. Hang in there! You can do this.
~ 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
I ihave been really feeling sorry for myself today. I need to learn to take care of myself better and this was a big wakeup call.
don't worry...we all have been at this point and then back.
Be glad that you have found it out now and that you are going to take care of it.
There are lot worse diseases then Diabetes so cheer up, it will be Okay, so cheer up!!!! we all are here with you.
There is a website that will help you understand the loss you feel when you are diagnosed with diabetes. It's Coping with loss and it is something that really helped me. I learned about this in nursing school and even though I understood the stages of loss and grief, I still had to go thru them myself. I was very lucky, though. When I had to start on insulin I was already a member of HealingWell and there were a number of kind people who helped me thru it. Take care and come back often with questions. Before you know it you will be the one offering support to the new arrivals!
~ 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
Hi, Lori, and Welcome!
I sure know exactly how you feel. I begggged! my doctor not to give me the diabetic label ... just give me a chance to get my numbers down and loose some weight on my own, even for a month. I'd been told for 30+ years that I was "borderline." All I needed was just a little time to straighten up. I even cried for emphasis! He couldn't be persuaded ... I'd had three consecutive fasting levels above the acceptable norm (but not near as high as yours) and that was that. Type 2 diabetic. That was the end of August, 2003; almost 3 years ago.
That doc is my hero. He put me on glucophage, ordered blood tests, including A1c, and made arrangements for a class. I got out my old Dr Atkins book, gave away all the sodas and sweet stuff in my pantry, and got real serious about taking care of myself. I know too many people who are blind or amputees because they didn't take care of themselves.
I lost 50 pounds, random blood sugar went from 183 to 95, A1c went from 7 to 5.9, triglycerides went from 163 to 46, cholesterol went from 203 to 143. I was a poster-child for diabetes management. I looked and felt good, even tho loosing another 20 pounds would still be a plus.
My point, Lori, is that it is doable. Early detection, followed by immediate corrective action ... you just gotta do it.
Now...the rest of the story. If my doctor hadn't been firm, If I hadn't taken action, If I'd let my health continue to slide, I probably wouldn't be sitting at my computer tonight. Part of getting serious about taking care of myself included eye exams, food exams, regular blood work, mammograms, colonoscopies, stress tests and that's all I can think of right now, but there may have been other things, too. Certainly regular massages and occassional facials!
My colonoscopy in November'04 found a rectal ulcer. It was excised, biopsy said 'highly dysplasic' but not maglinent. I was just fine in a couple of weeks. My followup colonoscopy in January of this year found rectal cancer. OMG! Surgery! My anus was removed and sewn up, my rectum was removed, and I now have a permanent colostomy. Early detection = Stage 1 cancer = no chemo or radiation. Survelliance only. God is good, I am truly blessed.
If I'd had too go thru the cancer stuff early this year with raging, out of control, diabetes - the outcome would have been much more serious, if not fatal. My lab numbers have crept up a bit since my surgery - I've been very lenient with myself, perhaps too much so. Gotta get back on track!
At age 64, I know I can do it, I've proven it already. And you can do it, too. Whatever it takes. Go for it, Lori - let us know what happens next - Life is better than a soap opera!
Martha
~ 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
Congratulations on making a better life for yourself. Keep working on those numbers and keeping them down. Are you on Lantus insulin?
~ 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
Martha
Take care!
~ 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
Hi Lori,
Hi and welcome!
I think everyone has already given you some really good advice, but I just wanted to say we're all here if you need any more advice or just someone to listen to you! Sometimes it's not that easy living with diabetes but it will get better. Using insulin can be scary (i.e. the injections) but that gets so easy you won't need to think twice about it.
~ 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
................Take Care All....GOD BLESS and KEEP you WELL...................Franny