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So this is, or pretty much is, the same "blood work" that a doctor would write out an Order to have done? Once I get the results back, would the doctor even review it since it didn't come from him/his office? Or, would I even have to see the doctor? I think I would b/c I will need another prescription for the Metformin glucose control.
This sounds like a good test that can be bought at WalMart, but just what will my doctor say/think when I tell him that I bought a "blood work" test kit from WalMart, sent the test in for a result? Most likely he would tell me that that test kit is not reliable enough for him and still want the "blood work" done in his office!
Wife and I have both changed our diet, in some good (very good) ways. We now read ingredient labels on products (never/ever use to do that), buy
No Sugar Added Ice Cream and fruit, I stay away from candy (even the No Sugar type now) and a few other things. I love a "morning coffee", but now use Splenda (not sugar) and have cut back on the amount of flavored cream I use. I'm about 20 lbs overweight and wife is about 30 lbs...........but, at an older age (early 60's) losing weight is very hard to do! However, we do own a power boat that we get exercise using!
Last night, at our local fireworks show, wife/I sat next to an older couple who had their daughter with them (daughter in her early 30's) and she was so, so obese! Every part of this young girls body looked completely swollen up! Her mom was definitely on the heavy side (boarding obese), but her dad was just plain heavy. Could this daughter be a diabetic? Is she trying to lose any of this weight? Why are there so many very heavy/obese people today? Let's not necessarily blame the restraunts........what about "SELF CONTROL"?? Some off these people just act like "I just don't care about my weight" and they know that they can get/have serious health problems (including diabetes) due to weight! Personally, I just don't understand!!!
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Originally Posted by ACTS Mom
If you want to know your true blood sugar, yes, fasting is important. Or get the A1c test. I don't know why your dr. ordered a nonfasting blood sugar in the first place unless it was the A1c.
Have you tried the sugar free, 1/2 fat ice creams? They're actually pretty good (Edy's). And Breyers has a fat free ice cream that is just as silky as regular ice cream (Breyers Free Double Churned). Just watch your portions.
And try to get out and walk! It will make you feel better and give you some exercise.
Wife and I have both changed our diet, in some good (very good) ways. We now read ingredient labels on products (never/ever use to do that), buy
No Sugar Added Ice Cream and fruit, I stay away from candy (even the No Sugar type now) and a few other things. I love a "morning coffee", but now use Splenda (not sugar) and have cut back on the amount of flavored cream I use. I'm about 20 lbs overweight and wife is about 30 lbs...........but, at an older age (early 60's) losing weight is very hard to do! However, we do own a power boat that we get exercise using!
Last night, at our local fireworks show, wife/I sat next to an older couple who had their daughter with them (daughter in her early 30's) and she was so, so obese! Every part of this young girls body looked completely swollen up! Her mom was definitely on the heavy side (boarding obese), but her dad was just plain heavy. Could this daughter be a diabetic? Is she trying to lose any of this weight? Why are there so many very heavy/obese people today? Let's not necessarily blame the restraunts........what about "SELF CONTROL"?? Some off these people just act like "I just don't care about my weight" and they know that they can get/have serious health problems (including diabetes) due to weight! Personally, I just don't understand!!!
I'm in the same 'boat' with weight gain...and I'm 61. I gained most of mine when I quit smoking 8 years ago and it's extremely hard to lose. I am not diabetic but recently had some issues with my heart (angina). So now I'm on meds and exercising more -- get on the treadmill every day as well as walking when weather permits in the evening. SElf-control is basically the biggest issue facing anyone who's dealing with changing their lifestyle.
My husband is diabetic -- well controlled on medications. He's not even particularly overweight -- maybe 5-10 lbs. at the very most. But he notices about a 20 point difference in his a.m. blood sugar if he has walked the day/evening before. Doesn't matter how much work he's done around the house or yard, the walking does something more to lower the b/s.
And watch some of those 'no sugar added' foods -- they make up for it in fat which is not good for your heart. That's another thing with diabetes -- it affects your heart among other organs. My husband has 5 stents but since his diabetes has been well controlled over the past 3 years, his arteries are good!
I found out that I was diabetic while getting a Physical last year. If I wouldn't have got the Physical, I don't know when (or if) I would have found out!
My curiousity is this: Just how many people out there are diabetic and don't know it? How many people out there know they are diabetic, but don't care!? In general, are heavy/obese people diabetic? I see a number of these people eating at buffets and at Denny's often AND eating lots of "sugary" stuff!
I remember having a neighbor who found out his blood glucose number was near 500 (his wife told me/wife that). Don't know if he was trying to control it, but his wife did tell us that she stopped making Thanksgiving and Christmas sweets, but he would buy cookies/other sweets and sit out in their vehicle and eat them. He did pass away last year, but don't know the total cause. He had also smoked cigarettes for years, but had stopped.
I know there are people out there that just simply refuse to change their eating/lifestyle habits no matter what their health is like......and this gets to be VERY true when people get 55 yrs old and up.
As for me, I take my medication and do my glucose checks (meter) and definitely watch what I eat/drink now.
A lot of insurance companies consider Diabetes to be an "uninsurable condition" which means they don't want to pour money down the drain. I am a diabetic, and they see this condition as forever, and that heathcare won't cure it, so they don't want to put money into it.
If you have insurance, you are lucky.
Stop trying to find goodies, ice cream, cookies, cake that you can eat. The ADA says you can have these things in "moderation" and that "not having sugar is a myth" but that wasn't always their stand.
Now, they are trying to be more accomodating to their people, and it's really not making anyone better.
A little piece of cake will raise your blood sugar.
If I ate the way the ADA says to eat, my blood sugar would be high.
Well, the insurance we had at my wife's other job and the insurance she has now won't cover (or even co-pay) for the strips, lancets or alcohol swabs! The alcohol swabs and lancets we have to pay for ourselves, but (luckily) half of the cost of the strips are paid for thru a membership with the meter company of the meter I use. With my wife only working on a "Contract" basis that has been extended for the last couple of months (luckily) and me being totally unemployed (but collecting unemployment benefits...again, luckily for us financially), medical bills of "blood work" isn't what we need or can financially handle in some ways. Even with insurance, medical bills can mount up fairly fast!
Quote:
Originally Posted by nebulous1
A lot of insurance companies consider Diabetes to be an "uninsurable condition" which means they don't want to pour money down the drain. I am a diabetic, and they see this condition as forever, and that heathcare won't cure it, so they don't want to put money into it.
If you have insurance, you are lucky.
Why are there so many very heavy/obese people today?
Duh. In general, a more sedentary lifestyle compared to 50-75 years ago. Lots of tasty (and fattening) food at your fingertips, and it is so much easier to gain weight than lose it. This could be another thread, and it has been discussed ad nauseum.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LoveBoating
Let's not necessarily blame the restraunts........what about "SELF CONTROL"?? Some off these people just act like "I just don't care about my weight" and they know that they can get/have serious health problems (including diabetes) due to weight! Personally, I just don't understand!!!
I haven't heard ANYONE blame the restaurants.
And you might want to stop obsessing with what other people do or don't do, unless you are doing it to make yourself feel superior in some way. I notice you keep lamenting on what other diabetics do or don't do to take care of themselves.
Some people starve themselves, some people eat themselves to death. Get over it. If you really feel the need to understand the psyche, do some research, all the answers are there.
As for the one of the original questions of the OP, I suppose everyone who was diagnosed with Type II did not know it. I mean, there's not a neon sign that starts flashing when a person becomes a diabetic.
Some people have a family history of diabetes, and know the signs and symptoms.
BTW, I can't stand metformin. (sp?) Normally, it seems like when a person is first diagnosed, they are in the "honeymoon" phase and really watch what they eat, read labels, etc. I just try and use common sense diet and exercise.
Location: Living near our Nation's Capitol since 2010
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My only sister (age 55) was diagnosed diabetic about 4 years ago. She is 5'4" and weighs (well, admits to)225. I suspect she is closer to 250-260. She has sky high blood pressure (not unusual for it to be 190/110). Does she even try to cut back? No. does she take her meds religiously? Nope.
I have begged, threatened, coaxed, lectured, encouraged, prayed, reasoned..etc, etc...and she simply refuses to accept the fact that her conditions are serious, very serious. In fact, I think she regrets being diagnosed with diabetes. Ignorance (and McDonald's Big Macks) are bliss to her.
I fear that someday...way too soon....I will loose her because she refuses to accept that she must change her behaviors in order to avoid even more of the complications she is starting to experience.
I tend to see it this way. A thin person cannot understand how anyone can just eat themselves into the grave, a fat person cannot understand how anyone can be an alcoholic, an alcoholic cannot understand how anyone can be a child molester, and a child molester cannot understand how anyone can be anorexic,.... and on and on and on.
Also try to cut out refined white flour products from your diet also.
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