Diabetes Symptoms Weblog

I am new to this group. It sounds like just what I need. I got
Gestational Diabetes with both of my children. About 1 year after my
last was born 5 years ago, I was told I had type 2 diabetes. None of
the pills helped so they put me on insulin in August of 2001 which
made me gain 20 pounds in about two weeks. So, my logic was….if I
lose weight I won’t need the insulin so I took carb blockers and
stopped taking insulin. The higher my numbers went, the more weight I
lost. Even though I was constantly thirsty and peeing, I was losing
weight pretty rapidly, so I thought this was a pretty good plan. I
would occasionally shoot insulin if I felt really bad, but only for a
day or two so I wouldn’t gain weight. In one year, I lost 78lbs.
Well….on Sept 16, 2002, I was put in ICU for Ketoacidosis. They
said, if I hadn’t come in, I would have lived maybe 12 more hours.
Even once admitted, the acidity level was so high they weren’t sure
they could pull my blood back to normal and feared I wouldn’t make it.
(more…)

Hi there. I’m new to this group and I have a question please. I’ve
known for a long time how carbs (especially breads, etc) affect me
and my sugars. I can’t handle many carbs before lunch. And I can
never eat cereal, even in the correct serving size, without my
sugars sky-rocketing. The last time I went to a dietician, it was a
group thing with the insurance and I didn’t get a choice who to see,
they didn’t listen to me and there were carbs in the AM and my
sugars were nuts. I tried to rearrange things, but there were just
too many carbs present for me.
So, how do you “force” a DR or dietician to see this individual need
of lower carbs? What have some of you experienced in getting these
people to take notice, listen and act accordingly?
Thanks!
Christine

I just this weekend went to the Indian grocer and got some Gram Flour, Urad
Daal, and Millet Flour. I have heard/read that one can use these bean and nut
flours (yes, I know the millet is really a grain) to replace the wheat flours in
some baked goods to produce breads with (a) lower carbohydrates, (b) higher
protean, and (c) higher fiber than with the unmodified versions.
As of yet, I haven’t tried any of them, and would like advice.
1. Does one substitute *all* of the flour, or only a portion of it? (1/2, 1/3,
etc.)
2. Does anyone have specific recs.?

It was delicious, and didn’t raise my BS.
For those who asked for the rec., here it is:
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons each honey, molasses, and olive oil
4 cups whole wheat flour
2 to 3 tablespoons gluten powder (more if the flour is very coarse-ground)
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup flax seeds
1 tablespoon yeast
Place ingredients in your bread machine in the order recommended by your
manufacturer and set on ‘wheat’ and ‘medium crust’.
(For those of you who make your bread the ‘old fashioned way’, my father [also
diabetic!] is experimenting to get a non-machine adaptation. When he gives it
to me, I’ll post.)
[If you want to make rolls or buns, rather than a loaf, use the ‘dough’ cycle,
(more…)

I got my flax seeds UPS yesterday. This morning, before going to work, I
assembled the rec. for flaxseed bread and put it in the bread machine, setting
the timer to coincide with when I plan to get home.
I’ll report later on how it did.

Understanding and overcoming denial, depression, and anger
You’ve heard it a million times: Diabetes care is up to you. But it’s
easier said than done. Staying motivated 24 hours a day, seven days a
week can tire anyone out.
Of course, the more you stick to your plan of care, the healthier and
more energetic you will feel. But what if you lose your drive? If you
find you’re in a slump, you might want to check to see if your
emotions are getting in the way of good self-care. Three common
culprits are denial, depression, and anger. You can learn to spot
when these feelings are disrupting your self-care.
Denial
Denial is that voice inside repeating: “Not me.” Most people go
through denial when they are first diagnosed with diabetes. “I don’t
believe it. There must be some mistake,” they say.
That first reaction is not the real problem. In fact, it’s so common
(more…)

Thanks for all the advice.
I tried some whole wheat pasta over the weekend. My readings jumped from 105
(before dinner) to 135 (after dinner); this is not all that high, but it is
higher than I like it to be. Whole wheat pasta is off limits, then.
Unfortunately, I can’t find anywhere here that sells bean- or nut-flour pasta.
(The Indian grocery sells bean-flours, but not pasta made from them.) I’m still
debating about investing in a pasta machine.

When I started writing, I thought it would be simple to write a few things
and press send - Turned out to be as simple as diabetes This
could end up being a book SO I think it is time to press send…..
1. In what ways have you repeatedly tried to control your
(diabetes)? Have any of these brought you long-term
relief?
There are so many ways that I have tried to control my diabetes and most of
them have helped only while I am focusing on attempting to make “it work”.
First thing that I think of is many years ago requesting a pill that
reduces the amount of glycogen that is released from the liver.
(metaformin?/glucophage?) Decided wouldn’t be a good idea after the doctor
mentioned that if I had a major low my body might not have enough “sugar
reserves” to keep me alive….. Not a risk I was willing to take.
I have done research on onset/peak/duration of the various insulins to try
to find the optimum insulin doses. Never consistently worked. And now it
(more…)

Hey I am a newbie. I look forward to talking with everyone! I have
type 2 diabetes. I hope I can find some people I can relate to. I get
pretty emotional sometimes. LOL I am at work so I cant post a long
messege. Hope everyone is having a good day.