I very recently (March 31) got diagnosed, officially, with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. I am 43 years old...44 in May. This is about the same age as when my father was diagnosed with Type 2 himself.
He, however, was an alcoholic and he did not take care of himself, or take his medications properly. He died at 51 years of age. I am not going to go down THAT road!
Diabetes is a very serious condition which needs to be treated seriously. I am still learning how to cope with this disease, and making radical changes in my eating habits and lifestyle.
As my doctor said - "Diabetes is like a caged, vicious dog. You keep it in it's cage, and it can't hurt you. If you let it out of it's cage, it will maul you." everything I am learning...and everything my father went through before his death - has me convinced my doctor is right. I have had the fear of God looped into me, big time.
The good news is that diabetes IS manageable. There are support groups to help people out (and a buddy system is always a good thing to have when trying to make major lifestyle changes.)
There are different forms of Diabetes, and they have different mechanics, and therefore, have different treatment methods. For the purposes of this Diary, I will be talking only about Diabetes Mellitus. There are also Gestational Diabetes (which happens with some women during pregnancy, and which usually clears up after the pregnancy) and Diabetes Insipidus (which is actually hormone related...or related to kidney damage and/or alcoholism)
Most people, when they say "Diabetes" are referring to Diabetes Mellitus. There are two types of Diabetes Mellitus.
Type 1 (or what used to be called Juvenile Diabetes) because it normally is diagnosed in childhood is very different from Type 2. Ninety percent of Diabetics in America are Tyoe 2, rather than Tyoe 1.
Type 1 Diabetes is where the immune system attacks the beta cells in your pancreas (these are the cells that procuce insulin.) As a result, Type 1 Diabetics produce very little or no insulin, and are therefore insulin-dependent. They must take shots or use an insulin pump.
The more common type, the type I have...once was called Adult-Onset Diabetes, because generally, the onset occurs around the age I am currently at (although it can also happen at older ages) - however, there are now teenagers and even younger kids being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. This is largely due to poor eating habits and a lack of exercise. This is a direct result of the obesity problem we now have in America.
And I will admit my own lifestyle choices, to this point, have been pretty poor.
The way Tyoe 2 Diabetes works...is that the insulin receptors on your cells become damaged and therefore the insulin cannot "unlock" the cell to allow glucose (your body's basic fuel) into the cell. This is also called insulin resistance.
The glucose therefore stays in the bloodstream, and it can cause a myriad of problems if not treated, including amputations, blindness and even death. But that is only part of the problem.
Additionally, your body tends to produce even more insulin...and your cells become even more resistant. Not only that, but the cells that are NOT getting fuel start sending out false alarms "I'M HUNGRY" when you really aren't...and that triggers the liver to release even more glucose into your system...compounding the already-existent problem.
One of the first symptoms of Diabetes is polydipsia (or extreme thirst.) This is caused because your body goes into panic mode, trying to dump glucose out of your system through the process of urination. The extra urination (polyuria) causes dehydration, and triggers the extreme thirst reaction. In fact, Diabetes is so named for this reason (the exact etiology of the word comes from the Greek for "siphoning")
THIS IS NOTHING TO FOOL AROUND WITH!! If you have symptoms of extreme thirst, and increased urination, GET YOUR ASS TO A DOCTOR, FAST!!
Now then...what you need to know and many people don't....is that if you HAVE Diabetes, Medicare will pay for you to see a dietician. Your private health insurance may also do so...and I highly recommend it.
When I was diagnosed, just over three weeks ago, I weighed 304.5 pounds. My fasting bloodsugar was 388 (it should be between 70 and 110) an my A1c was 13.2 (it should be below 6.0)
I have taken up a form of exercise I believe I can stick with. For me, exercise HAS to be fun or I won't stick with it. I know me well enough to know that. I would never do well with a treadmill, for example. For me, the answer was disc golf. I try to get 20-30 minutes of that in at least three times a week. In addition, I now walk to my mailbox and back (about two blocks) every day.
I have taken to better eating habits, thanks in part to my dietician. I also have given up all diet soda (not to mention regular soda!) I now drink water, suntea with nothing in it, and the occasional Gatorade, in order to replenish my electrolytes, since I am drinking more fluid than I used to. Until my body gets used to this new fluid intake, I am watching my electrolytes and making sure to replenish them.
So...how's it going, you ask?
So far, I have kept with it. In three weeks I have dropped 11 1/2 pounds. I have not yet been tested again for my levels (I am not required to use a meter and test myself - but I am on pills.)
The first normal treatment for Type 2 Diabetes is a prscription drug called Metformin, which works in three ways:
1. It prevents some glucose from the fod you eat from being absorbed in the first place.
2. It prevents the liver from sending extra glucose into your system.
3. It increases your cells sensitivity to insulin.
So it is manageable. It requires constant vigilance. It usually requires radical lifestyle changes. But it can be done. There are also, as I mentioned, support groups to help you if you need it. But if you have Diabetes, you are not alone, and there is help out there. It will require a lot of effort. But it may be the best thing that ever happened to you. Because, if you treat it as I have chosen to....it may lead to much healthier habits, and thus a healthier you.
I have chosen to take my diabetes diagnosis as a wake-up call. I have chosen to take it as a challenge to myself, to treat my body better than I have been. This is a lifelong journey now.
And if you happen to be on this same journey as I am...or if you later find yourself where I am now...I am here to help as much as I can.