Diabetes update

Saw the dr with  my husband today for a followup on last visit.    He has type 2 diabetes.  Gave us one of those meters to check blood glucose levels. Have to do it 4 times a day for 2 weeks, then 3 times for 2 weeks, then 2 times.    W're going to a diabetes seminar conducted by a nurse on April 25 (that's our anniversay - what a way to celebrate!).    He also has to have a carotid artery test (same as I did) and an EKG.    No more candy!   Needs lots of exercise, water, cut back on red meat, eat chicken and fish.  Surprisingly the dr said pizza is really good and doesn't do any harm (in moderation of course).

So I guess this is something we'll learn to live with and of course there are a lot worse things.   Now we can both eat healthier!  Maybe it's a blessing in disguise!

Good luck w/ everything & Happy Anniversary early!

Thanks!    All we have to do now is learn to use the meter and the inserts to prick his finger!!!  Should be fun.

Thanks for the anniversry wish!

Happy Anniversary as well, and I know it's a crappy way to spend it, but think of it this way...this is your gift to each that he will be around for many more years to celebrate. Still, not fun, I know.

DH was diagnosed with borderline Stage 2 Diabetes last year and yes our diets did change. But you would be amazed at what eating healthy can do and what it can allow. Is your DH on meds to help control it? DH takes a pill first thing in the morning (even before his coffee) to help regulate his sugar. It seems to be helping and it also helps that he's more familiar now to what his body is doing and notices the danger signs. Before he was diagnosed, he constantly thought he had to go to the emergency room because he was having a heart attack or something. He gets a racing heart, an "out of it" feeling, and just panics. At least, he did, hence the trips to the hospital. The first few months were a learning experience for him and I swear in the beginning he would check his sugar ever 1/2 hour to the point his fingers were raw. Now, he only checks it in the morning and when he starts feeling strange. He's learned to know what his body needs.

Honestly, other than fast food and the sweets nothing much has changed. Yes, he still buys a burger every now and then, and still has his SMALL bowl of ice cream every few weeks, but for him little splurges are ok. His blood sugar is rarely over 160, which isn't good but still not bad considering what he registered when he was diagnosed (close to 300). Each person is different. If it gets down to "normal" range of 80-120 he is shaky and anxious so even the doctor agreed that if he can keep it in the 120-180 range he should be fine for now.

Good luck with the new life style. It is a learning experience, and honestly the class you have to go to may help with the dinner menu. Keep us posted.

Calico 2222---thanks for the very helpful info.     We're going to start with one of those sugar monitors this week.   First we have to learn how to use it!  The nurse showed us, but we'll see if we can remember.   Paul was on a sugar pill for the last few years, before they even mentioned diabetes. 

When the nurse showed us how to use the monitor and she pricked his finger I think it read 145.   We'll see what happens when we start to use it.  I think  he's really determined to eat healthy from now on, and the seminar we're going to should be a big help.   I know he'll miss the sweets, but that's a small sacrifice to pay.    The dr emphasized how important exercise and a lot of water is.    Maybe now when he goes to the gym he'll stay on the treadmill for more than 10 minutes.   I'm always yelling at him for that.   She said to walk about an hour a day, start slow and then build up.

I really appreciate your advice and input - it's a big help!

Will keep you posted.

AWW sorry about the diagnosis BUT you sound like you have a great, positive outlook! Good for you Yes, eating more healthy foods will benefit both of you. I think the "candy" part would tough for me :lol3: BUT they do make sugar free candies too :bigthumb: AND a yummy dessert could be Angel food cake - with sugar free cool whip and fresh berries of your choice. Happy Anniversary and Happy Learning at the seminar

Sounds like you're really working on Paul to get things under control, Lana. Keep it up! I don't really know that much about diabetes, so I can't help you with that. But we can talk about various recipes and ways to cook for Paul that will help him.

I can tell you that Rick and I cut way back on meat servings. Instead of each of us eating a chicken breast, for example, we'll divide one breast halt in half to get about four ounces of meat per serving (today's chicken breasts are huge). When I shop and bring meat home from the butcher, I cut steak and weigh in 3-4 ounce portions and freeze that way, two portions to a freezer bag. That way, we can't eat more than we're supposed to for a meal.

When a recipe calls for one pound of ground beef, I use about 8 ounces and increase the amount of vegetables to make up for the loss of meat. Or I'll add barley to the ground beef. I freeze ground beef and ground turkey in 6-ounce portions to use in meatloaf. I will sometimes combine ground turkey with ground beef in some dishes.

Pork tenderloin.....it usually comes two to a pack. But I'll open the pack and weigh each tenderloin...then I cut each tenderloin into two pieces, each right around 6-8 ounces or so. Wrap each one separately, then place them into a large freezer bag. When I want tenderloin, I just grab one piece and Rick and I will share it. That seems to be the best way for us. If I freeze it all the way I bring it home from the store, we'll eat it. And that's not good.

We eat a lot of vegetables. Don't be afraid to go meatless once or twice a week. Try meatless pasta sauces with whole wheat pasta and cut back on the ounces of pasta, too. Instead of all pasta, add some broccoli to the mix. Try adding cannellini beans or other kind of beans to your pasta dish. Chopped spinach. Lots of chopped carrots. Sauteed mushrooms. Sun-dried tomatoes are wonderful....not the ones in oil, the dried ones. Spice it up a bit; stay away from salt and try some different spices and herbs. Experiment with some homemade salad dressings...some of them are delicious. Honest. And they're easier on your waistline as well as your wallet.

And HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

Pam your advice is always priceless.  Funny you mention whole wheat pasta.   Just this morning while having our coffee (and whole wheat bagel) we were talking about pasta, which Paul said he felt like having.   We still have some regular pasta in the house but I did mention that I know they make whole wheat pasta which is what we are going to buy.      Anxious to go to the seminar on 4/25 - I'm going to take notes and make sure all our questions are answered.     The nurse at the dr's office said that the nurse who conducts the seminar is absolutely fabulous and knows all there is to know.

We haven't started the finger pricking for the meter yet.  A little confused on exactly how to use it.    The pharmacist at Target (where we get our prescriptions) told me to bring everything in on Sat and he'll show us exactly how to use the meter.  (as  you know, where both "mechanically challenged" - Paul more challenged than even me -- ).  

One thing you could do is look for the diabetes meter on YouTube; there are all sorts of "how to" videos there, and you might find step-by-step instructions for whatever brand you have.

We're FINALLY getting the hang out of using the meter.   Went to the Target pharmacist and he demonstrated. But of course when we tried it we couldn't get the little lancet to stick the finger properly.   Finally after re-reading the directions we realized (just this morning) that the needle wasn't clicking in all the way.     His reading has varied --- yesterday one reading was 131, which wasn't bad (I think), then first thing today (before breakfast) it was 181, which is high, but at lunchtime it went down to 139.   This is really a learning process!

ok - we're still idiots.   Still having trouble getting the needle (lancet) to work properly.  Managed to do it at dinnertime, after a struggle - we'll see what happens before bedtime.     We may go to the pharmacist again tomorrow just to have another demonstration.

I guess we're just two klutzes!!!!

You can use the lancet free hand-just twist off the cover.  That is how I am used to doing it on myself and the cats.  You have to pull back most models till it clicks and if fatter fingers may need a deeper setting.

Do you have a spring loaded pen? You can set the depth for how deep you need it to go. DH had a hard time at first because his fingers are very calloused from working and the normal setting wouldn't penetrate deep enough, hence no blood. He had to set the depth to almost the max in order to get a sample. It took a while for us to figure that out, so he had many sore fingers!

And, I second the whole wheat pasta. It takes a little bit of getting used to, but they even make angel hair whole wheat pasta which isn't half bad. 

It's gotten much easier now that we know how to put the lancet in properly.

Question:    do you find the reading in the morning is high and then it goes down?     He's doing 4x a day for the first 2 weeks, then next 3x, then next 2 weeks 2x.   I guess this is just so the dr can see the numbers and advise him how often he needs to test in the future.

Thanks everyone for all  your advice!   Really appreciate it.