has any one else got type 2 diabetes & how do u manage your blood sugar levels ?

Question

im having trouble maintaining mine and i think im doing everything right [diet medication etc ]

thanks to all who took the trouble to reply . i got some wonderful feed-back . and will try to do as suggested , many thanks & God bless ..........patty xx

Answer 1

This is a tough question that has a lot to answer..


Diabetes is more about blood sugar. Its more about what docs like to call ’’Target Organ Damage’’ It targets you main organ systems and before you know it you have stroke, heart attacks, Kidney failure and blindness. Not to mention foot ulcers, amputations, diabetic comas and what not. OK, so now thats clear. Diabetes is a deadly disease.



How do you manage it?

Well you manage the sugar AND you manage to prevent target organ damage..

Blood sugar: I recommend a glucometer. It cost only 50 bucks nowadays. your FBS should be 70-110 max 120. The post meal one should be 150-160... Regular checks are essential

HBA1C: But even regular blood checks are just snapshots.. you could still miss out. The HbA1C is more like a 24 hour surveillance video vs the snapshot. It should be below 7... have one every 3 months to assess you overall sugar control.

Target Organ checks:

Eye check up for retinopathy: Annually, at least

Urine microprotein: Ditto for Kidney involvement

Sensation check ups : Monthly and always wear footwear, even inside the house.
Check your feet every night for cuts and skin loss. A diabetic may not recognise an ulcer till its too late.. as he/she can’t feel pain that well. Foot care is thus, very important for a diabetic

Cardiac: Lipid Profiles, Stress tests annually might be a good idea, as chest pain is often absent in diabetics due to nerve involvement

Diet:
Very important: Avoid large heavy meals that cause the blood glucose to surge. Take several mini meals. Prefer complex carbs over refined.. more vegetables and less white flour. Fruit juices are best avoided, go for the natural fruit instead. Which fruit? Take them only if your sugar is under good control.. see above.. and prefer fibrous fruits.. oranges and tangerines are such. Any fruit is OK, if your sugars are under control.Go for foodstuffs with lower gycemic indices.. they are absorbed slower.
Diet was the only way of treating DM before insulin was isolated.. and it is really important. Ask your dietician for details, there are quite a few, including the data given above..Avoid heavy meals, high glycemic loads such as sweets,refined flour,sugar etc... all cause the insulin to spike and wear the pancreas out further...
Take more fibre and low glycemic foodstuffs..There really is a review on diet... no space here..
Exercise:
Also very important. Helps to reduce insulin resistance and metabolize the sugar. But let it be graded never sudden as it can lower you blood sugar dangerously, if not monitored and if done without adequate glucose in the blood.
Exercise keeps your blood vessels lining(endothelium healthy and thats really important!

Hypoglycemia:
Very dangerous. This is low blood sugar, usually <60, which can lead to unconsciousness and even death.. Can be due to excess insulin,diabetic drug dosage, excess exercise, less intake, diarrhea etc all culiminating in less sugar in the blood. So all diabetics should try for regular meals and regular exercise.. And carry glucose/sweets for use in emergencies, in addition to a medical card, in case they become unconscious

Medicines:
This is beyond this review, but all diabetics should ensure that they are on an ACE inhibitor/ARB and a statin, in addition to their blood sugar medication,unless there is a reason not to... Ask your doctor. These drugs prevent the dreaded Target organ damage to a great extent.. ACE inhibitors have interestingly been shown to prevent the onset of diabetes in people who are prone to develop it!


So in summary:
Check for it, Keep monitoring your body and be proactive.. You can beat it

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

I am writing to tell you what an incredible impact these methods had on my life! I have had type 2 diabetes for 27 years. For me, the worst part of this horrible disease is the severe pain I constantly get in my feet. The pain is so bad that I avoid standing and walking as much as possible. I've got to tell you that within the first month, my feet stopped hurting altogether and I can now walk totally pain free.

Believe it or not, I even danced at my niece's wedding last month, something I have not done in a many years. I've been following the book for six months now and my blood sugar is well within normal range. I feel great!

I recommend you use the Type 2 Diabetes Destroyer to naturally reverse your diabetes.

Answer 5

I'm a type 1, and I've had it for 27-28 years now. I've been using an insulin pump since the latter part of 1998 as multiple daily injections just wasn't cutting it. (I was having wildly swinging blood sugars.) Even though my control is better now, the years of uncontrolled diabetes has taken it's toll. I've got a multitude of complications. You've, no doubt, heard it all before, young lady, but can I just say that it's vitally important that you maintain as 'near normal' blood sugar levels in yourself as you possibly can. If you fancy a chat about your diabetes, or just want to get something off your chest, feel free to click on my avatar/photograph and send me an email. Be well.

Answer 6

I don't have type 2 diabetes but have relatives that do.

My suggestions would be to:
- exercise. Personally, I would suggest something like walking. ( I don't think there's a need to overdo anything )
- maintain timings for everything. Eat at the same time everyday, go to bed and get up at the same time everyday. This way, keeping track of your sugar levels becomes easier.
- sleep. Lots of sleep and rest is always good.
- stress: Try to reduce it. I notice that when my relative is stressed out, his sugar levels seem to be a bit higher.
- Visit your doctor regularly and tell him everything. A few years back my relative needed to have his medications changed or the dosage increased every few months.
- make sure you are not eating any hidden forms of sugar. There might be a chance that you are eating sugar without knowing it.
- And there are some natural remedies that are sugar reducers. I think cinnamon for one is an example. Try including those in your diet. First of all, most of them do make a difference. Second of all they are perfectly natural. You might want to research stuff on the web, and find other natural foods that reduce blood sugar.
- Do you have one of those sugar testing devices? The ones where you can prick your finger, and test a drop of blood for the blood sugar. Having one of those devices would be very useful, especially to find out how your sugar levels effect the way you feel. And to find out how some foods may affect your sugar levels.
- Personally, I would advise you to stay away from diet drinks, like diet pepsi and diet coke. And also stay away from artificial sweetners as far as possible. I don't trust them. They can actually make managing your sugar levels a lot harder.
- Always keep some hard candy or fruit juice handy just in case your sugar levels drop low. ( Put some candy in all your jackets, pants, and shirts... and at your workplace... just to be safe).

Well, this is all that I can think of now.

Answer 7

Sometimes diet & exercise are just not enough and medication is necessary. If the pills don't work, increase the exercise & talk with a nutritionist/dietician who can help you with food you should eat & which you should avoid. Surprisingly, some "healthy" foods should be limited if diabetic, because they have a lot of "natural" sugars in them. If your blood sugar is still not under control after this, you may need insulin injections. Your body just may not be able to produce the insulin you need. Do NOT avoid this, if it becomes necessary. Diabetes can be fatal if not treated properly. Even if not fatal, you can cause severe problems by letting blood sugars be high for too long.

Answer 8

Probably the first step is to take blood sugar readings every three hours and use the results to see how your lifestyle (food, exercise levels, drinking, etc.) affect it.

If you are taking medication that stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin, you may have reached the stage where the pancreas no longer responds. If you don't already take Metformin, suggest it to your doctor as it attacks the glucose in your bloodstream directly. The first few weeks it will upset your stomach but after that you get used to it.

Another tip is to take exercise that makes you a little breathless for up to half an hour a day. Exercise burns blood sugar.

The next stage, after Metformin, is to inject insulin. Don't worry about that. It is quite painless and, boy, does your enthusiasm for life return! You will continue to take Metformin as well.

If you are on insulin, record your mmol reading before your breakfast and before your evening meal. If the glucose level is above 7 mmol three mornings in succession, increase your insulin dose by 2 units every evening until it drops below 7. Similarly, if it is above 7 mmol three evenings in succession increase your morning dose by 2 units daily until it drops below 7.

However, beware of hypos. If you take insulin and have one day a week which is physically more hectic than other days, take less insulin.

The British Diabetic Association website (link below) has lots of tips too. But, the best advice is to consult your doctor and get the 3-month average test done, then let the doc prescibe for you.

Answer 9

there are several factors that effect your blood sugar levels. You didnt mention whether or not its going high or low. So i will cover as much as I can. Try to eat several small meals a day. Make sure you do not over eat. Watch your sweets and starches as these will add sugar into your system. Dont over eat fruits as these are sugar also. Make sure your diet is balanced. If you must drink soda, make sure its diet, and dont drink alot of fruit juice.
Stress and on going infections can also drive your blood sugar up. Visit the dr. to make sure you do not have any unknown infections going on. If you are stressed, try and find a way to relax and maybe get away for a day
Lastly, the amount of unsulin youre taking may not be enough to meet your needs. Talk to your dr about the units you are taking and how often youre taking it. I may need adjusting. The kind of insulin may need to be changed as well. Good luck

Answer 10

My sister has type 2 diabetes. You need to make sure you are getting your sugar from fruit and milk etc. and not processed sugar. You can have some things like biscuits and chocolate but you have to limit it.

Avoid alcohol. If you want to drink some wine or something drink one glass and NEVER on an empty stomach.

Exercise can often help people with type 2 who have trouble balancing their blood sugar levels. Little and often is best, a 20 min walk twice a day will help you balance your blood sugar levels for example. Or a 20-30 min swim and a 20 min walk. You could try cycling to and from school or work etc.

Eat oatmeal or porridge. Have it with a small amount of honey, no sugar. Add fresh fruit. Have that for breakfast.

Avoid big meals. Have five small meals a day instead, for example,

Breakfast, oatmeal and fresh fruit.

Meal 2, soup and a roll, small amount of butter.

Meal 3, sandwich, mainly salad as filling for sandwich, small amount of grated cheese or some meat, chicken.

Meal 4, Baked potato, with tuna, or baked beans, or cheese, if you didn't have cheese earlier in day.

Meal 5, slice of buttered toast or two plain biscuits with a glass of milk or hot chocolate.

My sister was told to eat something like the toast before going to bed, it made a big difference to her sleep and blood sugar levels in the morning and earlier part of the next day.

Small meals, small portions, often.

Exercise, moderate, twice a day.

Drink milk or juice if you feel tired between meals.

Eat something starchy before going to bed and first thing in the morning.

IMPORTANT, dehydration affects blood sugar levels dramatically, you MUST drink at least 2-3 litres of water a day, more if you drink coffee or tea.

Drink no more than 4 cups of coffee or tea a day.

Avoid all soft drinks except fruit juice (can be diluted with carbonated water), milk, or water.