Intro: August 31 2013: After 2 1/2 years of poor management by an Internist who had me on too little insulin for my weight and expected me to eat 500 calories a day to get reasonable blood glucose readings I had an opportunity in January 2013 to change my life and get control. This physician made me feel like a failure. I avoided the office visits. I never felt so helpless and so inept, when in reality it was he who was out of his element. I later found out I probably should have not had insulin as my first treatment but should have been put on oral meds. After getting a contract as the team Physician for the Tennessee Titans, he needed to decrease his practice and sent me a letter telling me that, after approx. 20 years as his patient he is discharging me because of poor compliance of my diabetic treatment.
He did me a favor, I found a wonderful Endocrinologist, a Diabetic Specialist and her marvelous nurse clinician, Luisa in early January 2013. Within a week I was having almost normal blood glucoses.
But my real story begins August 01 2013 when I was put on a tight medicine regime after Luisa and I decided it was time to get really serious. A consistent weight loss of 40 lbs since January and my adherence to the med regime made us decide it was time.
Had quite a few rough days those first couple of weeks as my fear of dying in my sleep or passing out and dying from very low blood glucoses took hold. A particularly bad bout, or reinjury, of my sciatica in my left leg affecting my ability to walk without excruciating pain complicated matters. I was an anxious mess.
I went looking for support groups here in Nashville TN, there is no such thing, or if they are they are well hidden. So I discovered a use for Facebook besides reconnecting with old friends family from around the world.
Diabetic Support Groups on Facebook.
I met the dearest people, caring people who had been there, people who listened while I wept, lamented, asked questions, told them my fears, and knew, yes they knew, what I was going through.
They knew the misinformation that is out there.
They knew the lack of hope.
They also knew how to manage, to control and to beat this thing called Diabetes Type 2.
Now I am at the point where I am able to laugh with them and we are all in this boat together, lowering and in some cases getting off the meds; living life without fear and anxiety.
My goal is to get off Insulin, and any diabetic medicine.
Not sure if reversal of the disease is possible as there is not enough proof f this yet.
But remission with management is possible and that is my ultimate goal.
What follows here in this initial post is the first day of support, the day before I changed my way of eating and the very day I took the first step towards my goal of controlling my disease rather than having it control me. It is going to take a lot of work but I am very motivated.
Simply I do not want to die or struggle just to live; I have too much to live for.
August 16, 2013
He did me a favor, I found a wonderful Endocrinologist, a Diabetic Specialist and her marvelous nurse clinician, Luisa in early January 2013. Within a week I was having almost normal blood glucoses.
But my real story begins August 01 2013 when I was put on a tight medicine regime after Luisa and I decided it was time to get really serious. A consistent weight loss of 40 lbs since January and my adherence to the med regime made us decide it was time.
Had quite a few rough days those first couple of weeks as my fear of dying in my sleep or passing out and dying from very low blood glucoses took hold. A particularly bad bout, or reinjury, of my sciatica in my left leg affecting my ability to walk without excruciating pain complicated matters. I was an anxious mess.
I went looking for support groups here in Nashville TN, there is no such thing, or if they are they are well hidden. So I discovered a use for Facebook besides reconnecting with old friends family from around the world.
Diabetic Support Groups on Facebook.
I met the dearest people, caring people who had been there, people who listened while I wept, lamented, asked questions, told them my fears, and knew, yes they knew, what I was going through.
They knew the misinformation that is out there.
They knew the lack of hope.
They also knew how to manage, to control and to beat this thing called Diabetes Type 2.
Now I am at the point where I am able to laugh with them and we are all in this boat together, lowering and in some cases getting off the meds; living life without fear and anxiety.
My goal is to get off Insulin, and any diabetic medicine.
Not sure if reversal of the disease is possible as there is not enough proof f this yet.
But remission with management is possible and that is my ultimate goal.
What follows here in this initial post is the first day of support, the day before I changed my way of eating and the very day I took the first step towards my goal of controlling my disease rather than having it control me. It is going to take a lot of work but I am very motivated.
Simply I do not want to die or struggle just to live; I have too much to live for.
August 16, 2013
August 16 at 10:41pm
Having a rough time lately. Been diagnosed about three years and my
doctor had me on way too low a dose of insulin, thinking I would lose weight,
of course I didn't and felt like a complete failure. I had to eat between
600-700 calories to stay below 180, and so I consistently stayed high. Last
January I went to a specialist within a couple of weeks, with the proper dose
of insulin, my 1ac's improved greatly. I have a fear of hypo and feel shaky
and emotionally labile when my bg falls below 140, I get frightened terribly
when it hits 125 at bedtime, when it 87 I reach for the food. I so want off the
insulin, it scares me to death. I started Levemir three weeks ago and sometimes
I just can't eat my evening meal and I am afraid to take the Novolog bolus if I
simply cannot eat. I also think the Levemir is making me sleepy and giving me
anxiety. Actually it is not much of a problem because I reached the donut hole
and will not be able to afford the $500 a month so I'll probably go on a
generic Novolog 70/30 and watch my diet like a hawk. Since January I have been
steadily losing 4-5 pounds a month ( last month 7 lbs). Anyway sorry for
venting.
Replies from Type 2 supportive diabetic friends who no longer use meds
or insulin:
*“I'm assuming your T 2. We can
help get you where you want to be”
*”You are not venting. We have a
scary disease. We all pull together and help each other here. First thing, don't
be afraid of lower numbers. You just have to get used to them. I used to be as
high as 350 at times and now I try to stay around 100. Took a while for my body
to get used to it.”
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