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I'm almost 76, retired woman. Must admit, I love food but believe I've been reasonably careful with sweets.
Saw my doctor yesterday and she told me my diagnosis. I think my reading was on first level of being beyond pre-diabetic. So had bloodwork which will reveal current A1C reading.
When I questioned her about what to do now she recommended low-carb diet. Exercise (I do need to lose weight). Cut down on portions. I don't eat a lot of meat but it sounded like I should eat more.
So...... I would very much appreciate it if you would share with me what my next steps should be.
Also..... I struggle with being tired a lot. Is that a sign of diabetes?
Dietary changes need to take place in order to improve your condition. Sugar is not the only thing a diabetic should avoid. Many foods are just as bad or worse than sugar itself. The doctor mentioned low carb, that would be the path you need to follow. Almost every high carb food has low carb substitutes including sweets and breads. You do not need to feel deprived. It's never too late to become educated in this area. I assume you do not have a meter? It is a useful tool in determining how certain foods will affect you. I am writing in general terms here. It's up to you to read and read some more. The internet is very useful in this regard. I would venture to guess that the fatigue comes from liver issues. Just a guess. If it is the liver, it is easy to fix with diet. Diet is key for almost everything diabetic.
It's up to you to which level you want to make those changes.
Dietary changes need to take place in order to improve your condition. Sugar is not the only thing a diabetic should avoid. Many foods are just as bad or worse than sugar itself. The doctor mentioned low carb, that would be the path you need to follow. Almost every high carb food has low carb substitutes including sweets and breads. You do not need to feel deprived. It's never too late to become educated in this area. I assume you do not have a meter? It is a useful tool in determining how certain foods will affect you. I am writing in general terms here. It's up to you to read and read some more. The internet is very useful in this regard. I would venture to guess that the fatigue comes from liver issues. Just a guess. If it is the liver, it is easy to fix with diet. Diet is key for almost everything diabetic.
It's up to you to which level you want to make those changes.
This is not true.
There are liver issues that *cannot be fixed* with a change in diet.
Until one knows for sure what if anything is wrong with the liver it is best to refrain from making a random, ill informed diagnosis and *diet can fix everything* statement.
Just for the record, I was diagnosed with a liver disease that cannot be fixed with diet, it cannot be fixed at all.
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis is the official diagnosis, do a bit of research to be better informed before making a false statement.
OP: The best thing to do is get your A1C then visit a dietician who specializes in diabetes.
There is a lot more to diabetes control than low carb foods.
Everything you eat or drink has an affect on your blood sugar from moment to moment.
Get a test kit and start testing a lot until you know your baseline and how your body reacts to different foods.
Find your key food/foods.
Mr. CSD cannot eat potatoes, if/when he does his blood sugar will go up 60 points, Chicken and green beans will bring them down and stabilize him. He also has to eat every two hours and has to have double the amount of protein that he has carbs at a meal. That means if he has two ounces of bread he has to have at least 4 ounces of protein.
Protein is more than red meat.
One resource I still use and have used since he was first diagnosed is called
Carb Counting and Meal Planning.
CSD610: Thank you for this post. Also the liver information you included. Many years ago I had a CT exam that indicated fatty liver. Of course everyone said it's from alcohol. I've never been a big consumer of alcohol. I grew up in a home that did and I learned I didn't want that life. So now I don't have a clue what that meant, fatty liver. I will ask my physician during my next visit.
I will get the test kit you mention. I hope it comes with good directions on how to use it. I will also check out the Carb Counting and Meal Planning info.... I assume that is a book?
I love water and coffee/tea. I have been putting cream in the coffee lately. Guess I'll go back to drinking it black. It's still good!
CSD610: Thank you for this post. Also the liver information you included. Many years ago I had a CT exam that indicated fatty liver. Of course everyone said it's from alcohol. I've never been a big consumer of alcohol. I grew up in a home that did and I learned I didn't want that life. So now I don't have a clue what that meant, fatty liver. I will ask my physician during my next visit.
I will get the test kit you mention. I hope it comes with good directions on how to use it. I will also check out the Carb Counting and Meal Planning info.... I assume that is a book?
I love water and coffee/tea. I have been putting cream in the coffee lately. Guess I'll go back to drinking it black. It's still good!
It is more of a pamphlet, you can find it on ibooks if you have access to that or go to
cornerstones4care.com (I think, put it in google) and you will find a lot of good information there.
My disease is not from alcohol either, it is an auto immune disease and I was diagnosed 10 years ago.
Good luck and please learn all you can, test a lot, track all your food and drink and make good notations on how foods affect your blood sugar.
I'm almost 76, retired woman. Must admit, I love food but believe I've been reasonably careful with sweets.
Saw my doctor yesterday and she told me my diagnosis. I think my reading was on first level of being beyond pre-diabetic. So had bloodwork which will reveal current A1C reading.
When I questioned her about what to do now she recommended low-carb diet. Exercise (I do need to lose weight). Cut down on portions. I don't eat a lot of meat but it sounded like I should eat more.
So...... I would very much appreciate it if you would share with me what my next steps should be.
Also..... I struggle with being tired a lot. Is that a sign of diabetes?
Thank you.
When you get your A1c result, if it's too high, your doctor may refer you to a diabetes nurse educator, who will give you a glucometer and teach you how to use it. Then you can use the glucometer at home to check what foods raise your blood sugar too high (it's not just sweets). Once you do that, you can then find lower carb replacements for those foods. You may also be given a referral to a nutritionist to learn about foods and blood sugar.
There is a lot of conflicting advice given online about diabetes, and it will likely cause confusion for you. I'd recommend concentrating on your glucometer to see how various foods affect your body, it's less confusing that way.
As for being tired a lot, I haven't personally experienced that with my diabetes.
This is not true.
There are liver issues that *cannot be fixed* with a change in diet.
Sure like you mention, cirrhosis cannot and I didn't actually come out and say fatty liver, but that is EXACTLY what the OP came out and said and what I suspected. MANY diabetics have a fatty liver which comes as a direct result of consuming high levels of refined carbohydrates. I had it (don't any more). A Ketogenic diet cured MY fatty liver. I am not saying the OP needs to get on this type of diet, but it is what I would recommend. I didn't get specific, now I am. Cut the carbs and the liver issues will go away. Keep with the same lifestyle and you can actually develop NAFLD otherwise known as non alcoholic fatty liver disease. It is very common in the US with the SAD.
A sonogram is the test you need to determine the fatty liver as well as the CT already mentioned. I suspect the sonogram would be cheaper.
@OP
Do you have belly fat? If you do, you have the classic symptoms of insulin resistance which are belly fat and a fatty liver. I speak from experience. When we consume high levels of sugar and refined carbs, our bodies (liver) turn that into fat and many times the fat stays in the liver and/or is deposited around the mid section. Doctors use metformin to treat the insulin resistance but we should help things along with diet. Are you on medication?
Quote:
Fatty liver is a reversible condition that can often be resolved with lifestyle modifications. In many cases, fatty liver has no symptoms. It doesn’t usually cause permanent damage unless it progresses.
If it progresses enough it CAN become cirrhosis, just like an alcoholic. I am not trying to scare you, just simply stating a fact and I doubt you are that bad off.
As for being tired a lot, I haven't personally experienced that with my diabetes.
Oldgardener, I remember you saying you were thin? You obviously don't fit the picture of a typical diabetic. Many diabetics like myself are not thin, LOL.
Fatigue is one of the main symptoms of a fatty liver which if you are thin, I doubt you have. Sometimes there are no symptoms.
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