I am a type 1 diabetic, please help?
angelheart asked:
Hi, I found out 1 month ago that I am type 1 diabetic, my problem is I am having hard time, getting on track with my new life. The main thing is my diet and knowing what to eat, how much to eat and when to eat. I know to cut out sugars and carbs but almost everything I pick up has carbs in them.
I noticed now it is harder for me to wake in the mornings, I always sleepy but my level isnt low, its the opposite. For instance this morning I took my test my fasting num was high already, 129, I ate a bowl of raisin bran a small serving of green beans a small pinch of baked chicken. my sugar ran up to 200. I went out for a walk and brisk run, come back it was down to 140 than within 30 min down to 95, by now it is 1:30p.m so when I see the 95 I am scared its going to drop to low so I eat a small bowl of cream of mushroom soup. trying to keep my level around above 95. Please anyone what am i doing here. Help me get stable, any diet plans out there you can share with a 37yr old 237 lbs 5′5in
Ed if you read this again, please why did you say that. Type 1 diabeties at 37 you dont think so.
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Hi, I found out 1 month ago that I am type 1 diabetic, my problem is I am having hard time, getting on track with my new life. The main thing is my diet and knowing what to eat, how much to eat and when to eat. I know to cut out sugars and carbs but almost everything I pick up has carbs in them.
I noticed now it is harder for me to wake in the mornings, I always sleepy but my level isnt low, its the opposite. For instance this morning I took my test my fasting num was high already, 129, I ate a bowl of raisin bran a small serving of green beans a small pinch of baked chicken. my sugar ran up to 200. I went out for a walk and brisk run, come back it was down to 140 than within 30 min down to 95, by now it is 1:30p.m so when I see the 95 I am scared its going to drop to low so I eat a small bowl of cream of mushroom soup. trying to keep my level around above 95. Please anyone what am i doing here. Help me get stable, any diet plans out there you can share with a 37yr old 237 lbs 5′5in
Ed if you read this again, please why did you say that. Type 1 diabeties at 37 you dont think so.
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You need to have your doctor and have some where there explain this condition to you. It seems as if you were not counseled well at all. The readings you have listed above are fine. 95 is not too low. As long as you are above 70 you are OK.
Also try this site.
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Type 1 Diabetes at 37 years old???…I don’t think so!!
Answering your question: First, I have to say that in medicine nothing is 100% for sure. Type 1 Diabetes is really unusual to be diagnosed after 30 years old…but this is not a rule i know. You have obesity, and that is an important factor to be considered for Type 2. And there are other important factors to be considered that you didn’t mention here, for example if you have relatives with Diabetes.
Ok but the important question here is: did you take the blood insulin test for the diagnosis???, and if you did, how was it?
I’m telling you this because there are patients with the wrong diagnosis, believe it or not…and as consequence the glucose levels will be unestable.
I´m not the person who give answers with the “copy / paste” from websites or read “scientific articles” for answering the question…i just answer based on my experience. I just hope everything get better for you and take my opinion as something positive for you.
Bye
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Well, when I was diagnosed, I was sent to a class at the hospital, lead by a diabetes specialist and a dietician, and they made up plans for us and all of that.
It’s hard to tell you exactly, not being a professional, and not knowing your exact issues, but a big part of it is spreading out your carbs over the course of the day. We usually refer to them in carb choices, a choice being 15 grams. Of course, we try to avoid sugar, going for more whole grains and such to get these carbs when possible.
You should get something like, 3 carb choices for breakfast, 2 carb choices for a mid-morning snack, maybe 3-4 carb choices for lunch, 2 carb choices for a mid-afternoon snack, and 3-4 carb choices again for dinner. Then a couple carb choices for a pre-bed-time snack.
It seems complicated, but once you get used to it, it’s not all that bad. Just remember, carb choices = 15 grams of total carbohydrates in a serving. Maintain serving control! (Look at packages to see what exactly a serving is!) Try to get your carbs from healthy sources when possible. (Foods high in dietary fiber are healthy, and if they have more than 5 grams of fiber, you can actually subtract that from the total carbohydrates in the item, as it is not actually digested.)
This is all information given to me by my class. You may hear different from other sources. You can find a lot on carb counting online.
Here is a resource from University of Michigan…
Good luck! You can do it!
PS: In regards to the above message, she is right that 95 is not too low, but many health professionals will have you stay above 100 if you are going to do anything vigorous, as your sugar can drop quickly. I do also recommend, your doctor can tell you more, and probably should recommend a class for you, or at least give you some good informational resources.
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You are right ! learning to adjust to life with diabetes is difficult.
To make matters worse [ or better imho ] the patient is responsible for his/her own care.
#1- Get to a great endocrinologist.Primary care doctor often treat diabetes but they are just not up on the most recent changes and developments in diabetes care.Make sure you really have type 1 and not 2.
#2- have your endo set you up with a dietitian and a diabetes ed class.Join a support group, read everything you can- on the Internet or in books[ check the copyright date. Nothing older than the past five years will do ]
#3- Join the ADA and get their very simple magazine. Find other magazines about diabetes and read, read, read.
#4- get a simple book of carbo counts in foods.Go to the market with pencil and paper and check out the carbs per serving and the serving sizes of varies foods.Compare low fat and low sugar to regular products. You will be amazed.
Remember this all takes time. Your fasting of 129 is really quite perfect.
You didn’t mention insulin ? People with type 1 must take insulin.
Are you on any oral meds ? Those are only for type 2.
A lot of times, the doctor tells you to diet and exercise and if that doesn’t work, you will need medication.You didn’t eat that much. You may need some meds.
Take your time- get to an endocrinologist and don’t worry. It takes time.
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With the latest findings on what Type 1 Diabetes is, and how it happens, let’s dig deeper. What does diabetes mean anyway? Well, it just means that the blood sugar is too high. This blood sugar is also called glucose.
And how can we get rid of glucose? Where does it come from? Well, it comes from the food we eat and no, we should not get rid of it altogether for we need it for energy. We just need to have the right amount in the right place.
What is one to do? With Type 1 or Type I Diabetes, it looks like we are between a rock and a hard place. Don’t worry, we will show you what to do later.
Type 1 Diabetes used to be known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes because it seemed to occur in children and adolescent. This is also usually seen in young adults when the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas are destroyed.
How are these cells destroyed in Type 1 or Type I Diabetes, you asked? Well, the body immune system attacked and destroyed these cells. As a result, these cells cannot get the glucose they need.
There is something new you ought to know about this so-called juvenile-onset diabetes or Type 1 Diabetes. Now the authorities are saying it does not only appear in children. Why? Because they have seen it appearing at anytime in life like what happened in your case. You just found this out a month ago.
Now, let’s get back to the destroyed cells. When these cells do not get the glucose they need, they get starved and so does the diabetic person. When the body does not get the fuel it needs, the person feels weak and tired and may lose weight because the body needs more energy so much so that it forces the breakdown of fat cells. Weight loss makes you happy? Don’t celebrate just yet because there is more to it than meets the eye.
High blood sugar can damage the nerves. And when they do, watch out. There will either be numbness or a tingly or burning sensation in the hands or feet. At night, there will be leg cramps. These are symptoms of neuropathy, showing that the Type 1 Diabetes is affecting the peripheral nerves.
I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news but when left for long periods, high blood sugars can result in damage to the eyes, heart, skin and kidneys. There will also be increased bacterial infections. This fact may cause skin infections to appear more readily. And to add insult to injury, cuts do not easily heal.
When these cells are destroyed in Type 1 or Type I Diabetes, the body produces little insulin or not at all. In this case, the body cannot lower the glucose level. Instead the glucose accumulates in the blood. This raises a person’s blood sugar level. This high blood sugar is called hyperglycemia.
When left untreated, hyperglycemia could lead to what they call DKA or diabetic ketoacidosis coma. How can this happen? Well, when the body does not have adequate supply of insulin, it looks for something else for fuel. This can be found in fat which is broken down to produce energy. The trouble is this process generates a poisonous waste called ketone.
When too many fats break down and they will if the glucose level is not addressed properly in Type 1 Diabetes or Type I, these ketones will gather in the blood and in due course in the urine. If left untreated, the person can become unconscious and perhaps die. This will not happen to you for we will face this challenge together. I promise.
So you will be able to do something about this ketone-business, here are some of the symptoms that may help you give yourself a little test:
* increased heart rate
* rapid breathing
* nausea
* vomiting
Do you have some of the above symptoms? Then get to your doctor and he will test you for Type 1 or Type I Diabetes. This way you can start feeling better right away. You probably did as it appears you have been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. But you know what you need is a health care team with a dietitian who will give you an information on what to eat and how much to eat depending on your activities.
Since prevention is worth a pound of cure, check up on the possible causes and then take action to correct the situation. High blood sugars may be the result of eating too much and inadequate insulin. They may also be due to some medications. Illness that obstructs the glucose metabolism could also be the culprit in raising your glucose levels.
What to do, that is the question. Unfortunately or fortunately, treatment for Type 1 Diabetes includes daily insulin injection or using an insulin pump. This will be an aid for the body in managing the glucose it needs. This treatment should be accompanied by both diet of making intelligent choice of food.
And of course regular exercise plays a role. I am glad you’re doing this by taking a walk. It also helps to take low dose aspirin every day and to control cholesterol and blood pressure. But run it by your doctor first as you may have a condition that is contraindicated to aspirin therapy.
Remember you’re not alone. And you were just diagnosed a month ago. It takes time to learn how to change the lifestyle in order to cope with diabetes. But with your good attitude and desire to learn what to do, you’re on your way to good health.
If you need more information, please visit this site.
Click the above address and if it does not work, copy it and paste it onto your browser.
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most of your readinds aren’t bad. (okay that 200 wasn’t so good ,but hey you’re still learning) that 95 was beautiful that’s difficult for diabetes1 patients to get to. if it makes you nervous to get that low then buy glucose tablets or paste at your pharmacy(you do not need an rx for it) and keep it on you. work on getting your weight down. that’s very important. the lower your weight the lower you glucose levels. stay away from red meats. they destroy your kidneys. stick with white meat. chicken, pork, fish, salads. fresh fruits over juices. vegetables. learn to read labels. just because something says sugar free. doesn’t mean it is. you might want to see about seeing a dietician. your doctor should be able to set you up with one. (S) he will set up a diet just for you. good luck