my son brought a tear...

bigpoppapuff · 12-03-2006, 09:14 PM

to my eyes......

some know..most don't,that i just found out i have diabetes (in addition to my SA....grrrr) (brain-scan to follow)......i'm about three weeks in on my meds and about 6 days using the "prick" thing......

my youngest son (18) is a part of my life now,since he left his mother last january (he's said one word to her since then)...

he's been screaming at me about my readings,diet,etc....i've been taking the readings at 10am,7pm,and 11pm.....i have to call him and tell him the result.

my reading at 7pm tonight was 99...first double digit i've had (though i still feel like shit)....i couldn't reach him by phone,so i text messaged him to tell him......he replied with the following....

"good shit,dad,i'm proud of you ....i'll call you later"

it's not much,and i'm sorry if i bored you...but tears welled in my eyes...he actually cares about me...

btw...i haven't met with my doc yet (this thursday)..so any tips you can give me regarding diet,etc will be appreciated

**guado** · 12-03-2006, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by bigpoppapuff

to my eyes......

some know..most don't,that i just found out i have diabetes (in addition to my SA....grrrr) (brain-scan to follow)......i'm about three weeks in on my meds and about 6 days using the "prick" thing......

my youngest son (18) is a part of my life now,since he left his mother last january (he's said one word to her since then)...

he's been screaming at me about my readings,diet,etc....i've been taking the readings at 10am,7pm,and 11pm.....i have to call him and tell him the result.

my reading at 7pm tonight was 99...first double digit i've had (though i still feel like shit)....i couldn't reach him by phone,so i text messaged him to tell him......he replied with the following....

"good shit,dad,i'm proud of you ....i'll call you later"

it's not much,and i'm sorry if i bored you...but tears welled in my eyes...he actually cares about me...

btw...i haven't met with my doc yet (this thursday)..so any tips you can give me regarding diet,etc will be appreciated

Being a Paramedic and seeing all the people that do NOT take care of themselves I beg you to keep up with the routine of checking your glucose levels and your strive to learn more about how to keep up with it. You may be miserable now but 20 years from now you will still have all your appendages live a much MUCH happier and healthier life.

If you are just on a diet controlled or diet controlled with pills just keep up with your diet in a healthy way. I have found just eating balanced meals w/o junk foods and high calorie snacks do well. Eat lots of protien and whole grains. Stay away from simple carbs.

If you are on an insulin dependent diet my biggest advice is to MAKE SURE you eat after your insulin injections to avoid a hypoglycemic situation. We run repeatedly on the same people for hypoglycemic conditions....which can be VERY bad but usually just a pain for the patient. These situations can lead to you acting like a crazed drunken fool to just passing out into a diabetic coma. Granted those are EXTREMES but everyone is different.

Hyperglycemia is mainly the one to avoid...that is where all the bad stuff happens IMO.

I am no doctor nor do I intend to have all the answers. I will just give you my limited "street advice" from the field. It will be hard to get to the point of mainting your B/S at the appropriate levels but once you get it you'll do fine. Also don't be afraid of checking your sugar randomly throughout the day just to see what it is or if you ever feel funny. Alcohol also plays a role in that so if you drink some keep up with your sugar and see how it affects your body and levels.

I also want to add....I am damn proud of you for using TEXT messages.

**basil** · 12-03-2006, 09:35 PM

Outstanding. I second everything guado said. In my field, I see folks always letting their shit slide. Usually, when a person grows up with it and has had time to make management a part of their life, they continue to do so. But when an adult is diagnosed, they don't feel like it, or it's too much hassle, or they're feeling sorry for themselves, etc. That's great that you have someone who loves you enough to hold you accountable until it's routine.

You are a fortunate man.

**cigarsarge** · 12-03-2006, 09:35 PM

Sounds like you did a good job with the young man Sid.

bigpoppapuff · 12-03-2006, 09:42 PM

this is type 2...taking pills and something for kidneys......i feel that i'm driving a car without a map....doc said..no rice,pasta,potatoes,white bread.....i'm sure that when i meet with him on thursday i'll get a more specific diet......i haven't been to the gym in two months....i feel like crap.....we'll see how it goes...
text messaging is pretty new to me.....,btw...

bigpoppapuff · 12-03-2006, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by cigarsarge

Sounds like you did a good job with the young man Sid.

the thing is,ken...that i had very little to do with him until the thing with his mother...

he surprised me last year when he told me his email name...it was my dads nickname...

i hope he does well.....i'm trying to be a part of his life...

**chefchris** · 12-03-2006, 10:23 PM

dude that's awesome. i had a similar experience with my dad. i went 7 years without talking to him, and now, we're like best friends. it's awesome.

**cls515** · 12-03-2006, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by guado

Hyperglycemia is mainly the one to avoid...that is where all the bad stuff happens IMO.

Hypoglycemia, a too low blood sugar level, is very dangerous. Your brain primarily uses sugar for energy. When your blood sugar level is too low, coma and death can follow. Anthing around the 50's is hypoglycemic. I believe around 70 is borderline. So be careful with your 90 level, as stated earlier using your meds without eating can drop your blood sugar level into this dangerous "too low" range.

Above 200 is high. Your ideal range is in the low to mid 100's. So, don't feel bad that it is the first time you are breaking double digits. It is not a bad thing.

About your diet, your doc said lay off the pastas and bread and etc. This is because these foods are mainly made up of carbohydrates, which is a fancy word for sugar. A high carb diet is a high sugar diet...you get the point.

Exercise is very important. I'm not saying get in shape to run a marathon, but take the time out of the day to exercise, go for a walk. Exercise is a natural medicine. It also will lower your blood glucose in a similar method of how your meds work.

I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

**chefchris** · 12-03-2006, 10:48 PM

Hypoglycemia, i have that. it sucks.

**SmokinDVM** · 12-03-2006, 10:49 PM

Hey BPP,

Most Docs are now pushing the "low carb" diet for diabetics. Carbs, especially the simple ones, cause radical fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Proteins maintain a more steady level throughout the day.

BTW, while long term hyperglycemia can/will cause severe damage to organs and possibly lead to ketoacidosis, hypoglycemia can be very dangerous also. Low blood glucose can lead to seizures and possibly coma. This would obviously be most dangerous when driving or when alone.
So, as was mentioned before, if you feel strange at all, don't hesitate to do some unscheduled checks.

Sounds like you've got a great kid there Sid.

bigpoppapuff · 12-03-2006, 10:54 PM

thanks for the info......i'm taking the readings at 10am..........7pm...........11pm

mon....175......243....(no 11pm)
tue.....140......126....171
wed....162......117....172
thus..151.......114...146
fri.....137.......192...193
sat.....140.......121...127
sun...139........99.....???

i probably was bad on friday,huh??....

**SmokinDVM** · 12-03-2006, 11:02 PM

Kinda pushing it on Friday, but seems like a nice recovery today.

**drew_goring** · 12-03-2006, 11:07 PM

Good to hear about your son. I am always glad that I have a great relationship with my father. Good luck with everything.

bigpoppapuff · 12-03-2006, 11:08 PM

my 11pm was 158.......not the worst..but not the best....

**cls515** · 12-03-2006, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by bigpoppapuff

my 11pm was 158.......not the worst..but not the best....

Not bad at all. Keep up the good work. Seriously a lot of damage can happen if you are not careful.

Hey DVM, I read what you said about hyperglycemia/ketoacidosis. Yeah that happens, but hyperglycemia is not really the cause. It is pretty interesting how the body makes matters worse for itself. A diabetic has plenty of glucose in the blood, but the body can't use it because it can't enter into the cells. In essence, the body is starving. So, the body makes use of the glucose which is stored into the body (glycogen), to release more glucose into the blood, which only makes matters worse by further increasing the blood glucose concentration. Well, I thought it was pretty interesting.

Because the body is starving, the body turns to alternative means of producing energy, which is the breakdown of fats. Fatty acids are broken down to ketoacids. The ketoacids can accumulate and release hydrogen ions into the blood, which causes ketoacidosis.

Not sure you were aware of the process. Sorry if you already knew.

**TheNakedGun** · 12-03-2006, 11:48 PM

BPP my Mother is Type 2 Diabetic and she has good days and bad with the Blood Sugar

**Shelby07** · 12-03-2006, 11:55 PM

I have heard that cinnamon can help control blood sugar. Don't know the details, tho. Has anyone heard of this?

**drew_goring** · 12-04-2006, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by Shelby07

I have heard that cinnamon can help control blood sugar. Don't know the details, tho. Has anyone heard of this?

I have also heard of this. Supposedly 2 tablespoons a day is supposed to help. Good luck getting it down though. I am not sure what you could mix it with.

**Shagaroo** · 12-04-2006, 12:27 AM

Originally Posted by bigpoppapuff

(brain-scan to follow)......

That won't take long...

oh shut up people... Sid knows I'm kidding with him!

**guado** · 12-04-2006, 06:36 AM

Originally Posted by cls515

Hypoglycemia, a too low blood sugar level, is very dangerous. Your brain primarily uses sugar for energy. When your blood sugar level is too low, coma and death can follow. Anthing around the 50's is hypoglycemic. I believe around 70 is borderline. So be careful with your 90 level, as stated earlier using your meds without eating can drop your blood sugar level into this dangerous "too low" range.

Above 200 is high. Your ideal range is in the low to mid 100's. So, don't feel bad that it is the first time you are breaking double digits. It is not a bad thing.

About your diet, your doc said lay off the pastas and bread and etc. This is because these foods are mainly made up of carbohydrates, which is a fancy word for sugar. A high carb diet is a high sugar diet...you get the point.

Exercise is very important. I'm not saying get in shape to run a marathon, but take the time out of the day to exercise, go for a walk. Exercise is a natural medicine. It also will lower your blood glucose in a similar method of how your meds work.

I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

I was referring to Hyperglycemia in the sense of necrosis...that is a long term problem that to me is very dangerous and has no quick fix.