Diabetes

[exquizit]

Hi everyone. Just recently both my mom and I were diagnosed with diabetes. We've been scheduled to take classes on the mathods of taking care of ourselves, but I'm curious,Do any of you know anyone with diabetes or any useful information about it. I've searched the internet but it seems the only ones my search engines come up with are sight advertising medications. I'm thankful for any help or advice you guys could give!
Ex

[Nquisitive]

I'm sorry to hear about you and your mom's diagnosis. My grandmother had diabetes. She recently passed due to other complications (Congestive Heart Failure).
Here is a website that I find benefical. I hope it helps! If you have any other questions or concerns I will be happy to assist you from a pharmacist perspective.
http://www.diabetes.org/ada/diabetesinfo.asp

[mgdzkm433]

My father has diabetes. He has been living with it for 27 years. He takes 2 insulin shots a day and takes his blood sugar 8-10 times a day. He will be getting an insulin pump very soon. It injects you with insulin every 3 minutes. It is very serious. Your doctor will be able to really help you coordinate what you need to do. It is based on individual needs of course. Excersise and diet are very important. Was your mom diagnosed with type I or type II? Will she have to take injections?

[Eclipse]

exquizit,
I am not a diabetic, but several friends and relatives are. As a matter of fact, out of my mothers 8 siblings, 7 are diabetic. My paternal grandmother and several praternal aunts and uncles were also diabetic. I also have a brother in law who is the poster child for what to do when you find out you are diabetic. With proper treatment, diet, and exercise it can be controlled. If you and your mother are not taking insulin shots I *strongly* encourage you to cut out sugar and starch and start an exercise plan. It is sooooooo important that you take care of your self now, because diabetes is a degenerative disease. I'm not trying to scare you, but I have an aunt who is battling blindness (she has had 3 surgeries) and an uncle who may have to get a leg amputated, all because they feel like a little ice cream, cake, cookies, (and on and on) never hurt any body and they think that exercise is what you do when you walk from the car to the house. Now on the other hand, my brother in law has lost about 30 lbs since he found out by eliminating sugar, starch, fried food,, etc. from his diet, he exercises regualarly and must simply monitor his blood sugar levels. His doctors have told him that as long as they consistantly stay in an acceptable range he will not have to take medication.

[exquizit]

Thanks for your responses and encouragement. Can you believe that after dozens of tests the doctors seem lost. My mom's blood sugar has been toping off at 560! We decided to seek another doctor. At a time like this the last thing we need to worry about is quality care. I was curious as to why I started to feel like I was going to pass out all the time and it's because the meds I've been on have my levels falling to far too fast. I decided to call another doctor's nurse and they called me in right away. Now maybe we'll get the answers we need. Thanks again!
Ex

[This message has been edited by exquizit (edited November 03, 2000).]

[exquizit]

I just want to say my mom and I can't thank you enough! This was the most informative site I've seen since I began searching! Bless you. There's nothing worse than not knowing what to do and this has helped a great deal.

Thakns again
Exquizit

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Be who you are & say what you feel because those that mind don't matter & those that matter don't mind.

[MsAnn]

Exquizit,

I have a long history of diabetes in my family so I know how you feel. As some have stated, diet and exercise are most important. Yes your diet will be restricted to certain things, but it doesn't have to be all bad. When my mother was diagnosed, the whole family changed our eating habits and ate what she ate. As a result she didn't feel like she was alone in her battle and our healths improved significantly. Also, do be mindful of your doctor. A few months ago my father's physician diagnosed him with diabetes and even put him on medication. After seeking a second opinion, it turned out that my father didn't have diabetes at all and that it was the medicine that was making him feel so strange.

[exquizit]

Thanks for your kind words. Here's my update....We also got a second opinion and I DON"T HAVE IT! Can you believe that? My mother has it worse than we thought though, the pills aren't enough, she has to take shots in her stomach! The worst part is that if we would have just went on the first diagnosis we would have ended up in much more danger and we're now actively tring to figure how the previous doctor even recieved a licence to practice! My mom is a little down about the whole thing by I've been walking with her as well as eating the same foods that have been recomended for her. Getting the correct info was like a double edged sword...Happy that I'm not a diabetic, and very sad because my mom is.

[Discogoddess]

Please make sure your mom takes care of herself and follows the proper course of care...my uncle recently had his leg amputated, after getting his toes cut off, not listening, and signing himself out of the hospital. What could have been a moderately bad situation is now a very serious one, all because he wouldn't listen when the doctors told him to eat right, exercise, etc. My father and grandmother also have it, and I am battling to keep healthy with exercise and a tiny bit of diet modification so I won't end up with it. That and high blood pressure are the devils of bad health cursing my family (besides the obvious mental illness!

[MsAnn]

Discogoddess, your uncle and my grandmother must be related some how! Those are the exact same problems we used to have with her.

[exquizit]

I don't know what it is about our loved ones, they can be as stubborn as mules! Guess what I found yesterday....My mother sneaking on her patio smoking! I really wanted to shake some sense into her!(She had a heart attack around this time last year) I was like mama, I've been stressing myself trying to make sure we play by the book and you're doing THIS???????No I'm just worn out on all of it. I'm gonna be strong though, I love her and that's gonna make me stand firm. Now I'm just gonna have to be on her like the F.B.I !

[AKA_Monet]

Dear exquizit,

EMAIL ME!!! If I write a message, it'll be too long. I am a research scientist in biotechnology trying to understand the molecular genetics of cholesterol metabolism. And there is a HIGH correlation between heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Nquisitive gave a very good website to start understanding what's happening to your mother...

I don't mean to pry or sound ugly, however, is your mother considered medically obese? If she is, somehow, you are going to have to convince her to join a weight reduction class along with a exercise regimen. I know Jenny Craig CAN be expensive, but "Jenny's" food is prepared by dieticians and help alot of people lose the pounds. The other thing to consider is becoming practically a vegan--or vegetarian... And drink lots of water practically hourly if you can...

AND GET your mother the nicotine patches and MAKE her wear them!!! Stick those things on her when she's sleeping or whatever you have to do!!! If you don't, her medical problems WILL get worse, especially if she's already suffered a 1st heart attack!!!

PLEASE take care of yourself and EMAIL me!!!

[This message has been edited by AKA_Monet (edited November 09, 2000).]

[exquizit]

I e-mailed you!

[Discogoddess]

The one thing we all must remember too is that our elders are adults, usually set in their ways, and we can only give them so much information, support, etc. Because at the end of the day, they are going to do what they want to do...we as caregivers and concerned parties need to make sure we don't make ourselves sick worrying about what we cannot control.

"If you're going to pray, why worry and if you're going to worry, why pray?"

Peace Be Still.

[Sugar_N_Spice]

I will pray for all of you that are battling this disease or that have loved ones that are battling this disease. I know how frustrating it can be to try to encourage loved ones to take care of themselves. My grandmother has diabetes and I know that there is a very high chance that I or my sisters may get it too (we are all under 21), which makes it necessary to start taking care of ourselves now so we won't have to worry about it later 9one of my biggest worres is that I will get it b/c I take after my grandmother so much in SO MANY ways, but I'd rather it be me nad not my sisters). It really bothers me that my grandmother has this disease and yet she still smokes and doesn't always eat right (she also has a mental health condition,which doesnn't make things any better). This saddens me to no end (I wish we could move her out where myself and the rest of the family lives but I know it would be very difficult and she wouldn't want to anyway). So, all I can do is keep everyone in my prayers.

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"If there is no struggle, there is no progress"--Frederick Douglass

[This message has been edited by Sugar_N_Spice (edited November 10, 2000).]