Re: Recently diagnosed
- From: Quentin Grady <quentin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 21:12:03 +1200
This post not CC'd by email
On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 01:48:50 -0700, Helen Back
<SiriusC-63@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Genetically, my mother had diabetes which complicated many other
health issues (sadly, she passed away last year at the age of 64).
The male side of my family are predisposed to high cholesterol levels
and heart disease. If you saw my father, he has always been a lean
bean and healthy in every aspect, except for the cholesterol issue -
his consultant told him that altho his triglycerides are high (and on
statin for it) that there is nothing to worry about - and has been
telling him this for many years.
G'day G'day Helen,
A decade ago, nearly all doctors didn't regard high triglycerides as
problematic. They were making decisions based on the best knowledge
available to them. More recently high triglycerides have been
recognised as an indicator of insulin resistance and is usually taken
more seriously.
Please accept that I'm not a medical professional so the description
I'm about to give is simplistic.
What having insulin resistance means in very rough terms is that your
pancreas has to struggle to produce more insulin to encourage glucose
to enter your muscles. The levels of glucose in the blood can be
high while the level in the muscles is low. This means you could be
feeling tired and in need of energy food when this is the very thing
you must avoid if the risk of diabetic complications is to be reduced.
The problem is that many organs do NOT require insulin for glucose to
flood into them. The vital things that I'll mention at the moment are
eyes and nerves. When they are flooded with glucose damage is done.
The generally accepted paths to dealing with this situation for T2
diabetics are,
1. Exercise. Those who have been able to exercise like they never
have before find many of their problems disappear. Some have even
found that what could be described as a balanced diet and exercise has
been all that is needed for them.
2. Exercise with a diet in which carbohydrate is thoughtfully assessed
and moderated. The most direct route to doing that is by blood glucose
testing. You'll have noticed how often Jennifer's advice to newbies
is mentioned here. There is an abiding reason why. Many of us have
followed her advice and found it simple, workable and effective.
It makes sense to read it through with friends or family. Diabetes
affects families and it helps to get as many you can involved in the
solution.
3. Exercise, diet and oral medications.
Here I profess to some surprise. The nurse or doctor has suggested
that ONLY diet and/or exercise is going to deal with your diabetes.
It could be in the shock of you diagnosis that other things were
mentioned but not heard. Whatever. There is some truth in
emphasizing diet and exercise.
Some people initially find diet an easy path to weight loss than
exercise. People differ. Doing what works is what is important.
Secondly, a few people get the mistaken idea that if they take the
tablets they don't need to change lifestyle. This provides temporary
relief of the symptoms of high blood glucose but in a short time their
condition is much worse as they haven't dealt with the major
contributing factors.
4. Exercise, diet and insulin.
I am 43 btw!! Mature onset? Family related? Obviously I didnt stand
a chance!!! LOL
OH, you stand a VASTLY better chance than your family. I don't mean in
terms of getting T2 diabetes, I mean in terms of not having it destroy
your life. I think you've probably already worked out why.
Firstly, doctors are much better informed and have more efficacious
drugs at their disposal.
Secondly, you.
What strikes me as quite remarkable is your proactive attitude. You
have already made dramatic changes in your diet. You are seeking the
best information you can. You are sifting through the info you've
received here and taking what is valuable on board.
One of the truisms of support groups is that people who give good
information tend to receive good information in return.
IMHO you have received some remarkably good responses from a wide
variety of people. That is a tribute to you. It didn't happen by
chance. In few days go back over what people have written.
Much of it is quite remarkable.
Your parents didn't have access to that opportunity. What happened in
the past is past. The future is your challenge and the odds are
better for you than for anyone in the past.
I am hoping that the next time I go for my blood test, that the
triglycerides have reduced - simply due to my change in diet and
upping the exercise levels.
As I see it from a zillion miles away there are at least three reasons
why your triglycerides should improve.
The first is the statin. Don't underestimate the power of these
drugs. Trust your doctor in these matters. If you do have side
effects tell her IMMEDIATELY. They might be transient but they can
abeit rarely be extremely serious and irreversible. I hope you will
ask for and receive a print out with the symptoms to watch for and
their significance which you should notify your doctor about
immediately. You pharmacist might have such print outs if your doctor
doesn't. Different countries have different ways of dealing with
issues. Establish a working relationship with your doctor and nurse
that encourages them to give you their best.
IMHO, it is too much to rely on memory, especially when so much is
happening emotionally such as when you've just been diagnosed. It
makes sense to ask for print outs of things that are important such as
symptoms that need to responded to sooner rather than later and of lab
tests. These of course are simply my opinions and you might have
other thoughts.
Secondly and thirdly there is the diet (reduced intake of rapidly
available carbs) and exercise.
Best wishes,
--
Quentin Grady ^ ^ /
New Zealand, >#,#< [
/ \ /\
"... and the blind dog was leading."
http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin
.
- References:
- Recently diagnosed
- From: Helen Back
- Re: Recently diagnosed
- From: bj
- Re: Recently diagnosed
- From: Helen Back
- Re: Recently diagnosed
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