My brother just found out he has diabeties. He has lost about 20 some pounds in about 2 months. Why?

Question

He asked the doctor but he didn't give him an answer. He is very depressed, feels horrible, every time he eats he gets sick to his stomach. His sugar was about 550 when he last went to the doctor & he was given a prescription but it doesn't bring it down any lower than 300. Does it take a while to get in your system? He has no insurance & can't afford to go to the nutrition classes. Is there some help out there for him.

Answer 1

he probably lost weight because he is dehydrated because he is urinating a lot due to his sugar being out of control.

his sugar is still too high, and no the medications do not take long time to start working. but it may take some time to get the optimal medication regime.

not sure what kind of help they have out there, but he can start by helping himself. stop eating so much sugar (anything processed like candy, sodas, chips, white bread, juices, fruits - yes fluits are mostly sugar, etc.) start exercising so his body actually uses sugar better and loss some weight (fat not water). drink plenty of water in the mean time if he feels tired, because he might be dehydrated. take the meds, check his sugar, keep a log of his sugar, take it to his doctor.

long term, if he doesn't get his diabetes controlled, he'll have all his organs fail on him (heart, kidney, etc), and it's pretty much permanant.

Answer 2

If he has type II, he should gain weight. If he has Type I then those people are thinner. Anytime your doctor does not get your sugar regulated, then you need to get a different doctor. Diabetes is progressive and you need to get him in control asap. The longer you wait, the more the disease has progressed. There is no turning back with diabetes, but you can stop it from progressing by keeping yourself regulated. It is an expensive disease but without meds, the result will be early death and a very nasty one at that. His sugar should be between 80 and 120 although I believe I read they have lowered it by 10. At 70, I have low sugar problems. Anyway, your sugar should return to normal 2 hours after eating. I can give specific ideas because I'm not sure why your brother is losing weight. You need to go to a good doctor or endocrinolist-who will get him in tune-but they are expensive but worth it. Look or ask around for a regular doctor that specialized in treating diabetes so it will be cheaper. Some doctors just don't get it about getting someone in control and it is so important. You need to test his sugar and some glutrometers and test strips are much cheaper than others. Try WalMart's brand stuff but check everywhere. If you know someone that has an old meter, you can usually get a meter price reduced. Many doctors have meters to hand out, but the strips are ridiculously expensive. First, find out what's going on with him so you know where to start and what to do. Lots of luck. Diabetes is a bummer.

Answer 3

It sounds like your brother needs insulin ASAP. He is peeing out all of the calories he eats and his body is literally starving to death. His kidney's are also trying to rid the body of excess sugar via urine. This method is not effective and leads to dangerous dehydration and electrolyte imbalances..

There is a very good chance he has Type 1 diabetes but was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic. If this is true, oral medication will not work for him, and he will need insulin soon to prevent him from going into a coma. Type1 diabetes is fatal if untreated, so get him to the ER or back to his doctor and ask for a c-peptide test. Ask for a referral to an Endo (specialist), since this doctor sounds clueless about diabetes.

His doctor can also test for the antibodies found in Type 1 diabetes.

Either way, it sounds like he needs insulin, unless he is eating quite a bit of carbs and simple sugars like soda and candy.

Go to www.diabetes.ca or www.diabetes.org for diabetes information and diet help.

Whatever you do, do NOT ignore this or put it off.

Answer 4

No sugar or sweet foods or drinks. I mean the ones made with sugar. You can use Splenda to make desserts and they are good.

No starches. Potatoes, pasta, rice, and refined white bread convert to sugar in the blood stream. He can have breads like Arnolds 15 grain bread, it is good.

It is a long slow road to deal with Diabetes. The side effects are frightening. So help him eat well. 300 is still very very high.

My Husband has it. We walk 1 to 2 miles every evening, eat
low carbohydrates, plenty of vegetables, go to smaller portions. His sugar stays in the area of 180. Stress can make it go higher.

If you use a smaller plate (the luncheon size plate) not the dinner size plate, it helps you eat less.

Research on the Internet for diabetic menus. You do not need insurance for this, just work diligently on the diet and exercise. Getting his weight down to a normal amount should be helpful. Good Luck.

Answer 5

Uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetes results in hyperglycemia or high blood glucose levels. Our kidneys have a certain threshold for this blood glucose level, and it is about 180 mg%. If the level is higher than this threshold, the glucose spills into the urine, and we call it glucosuria. This makes the person lose weight, as if he or she melts away via the glucose in the urine. That's why, he or she loses weight.

Answer 6

boost your metabolism with some green tea or chili peppers

Answer 7

I suggest you seriously consider natural remedies for your brother's ills. Natural remedies are MUCH better than all those insulin shots and whatnot because they have no side-effects, and ARE CHEAP (some are free) !

http://www.diabeticwarrior.com/Clickbank.html?preview=642&hop=kapya

Answer 8

ride him like a cow girl for 26 minutes straddling requires more calorie burning leg work

Answer 9

waist dance to the radio or tap out a beat on the steering wheel while driving

Answer 10

if you find yourself at a weight loss plateau up the duration of your exercise routine by five minutes