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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,204
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: I know diabetes treatment is subjective but ...

I point new diabetics to diabeticlivingonline.com  It has many articles like counting carbs or the plate method. 

Yes, every diabetic is different.  Different meds, lifestyle, etc.  I was told I was diabetic at age 50 at the same meeting I was told I had cancer.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: I know diabetes treatment is subjective but ...

I have issue with the "plate method" because  you divide the plate into quarters - 2 quarters are veggies,one is protein and one carb. However plates come in 8" to 12" diameters. Which would be a tremendous difference in volume of food. We were taught this in my class and when I asked about this she said it didn't matter. Well,I think it does.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,204
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: I know diabetes treatment is subjective but ...

Of course the size of the plate makes a difference in caloric or carb numbers.  It's more like a guideline like a portion of meat is the ize of a deck of cards or an apple is the smaller one.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: I know diabetes treatment is subjective but ...


@traveler wrote:

Of course the size of the plate makes a difference in caloric or carb numbers.  It's more like a guideline like a portion of meat is the ize of a deck of cards or an apple is the smaller one.


 

 

One would assume that it would be obvious that the size of the plate matters. In anything I have read, a"plate" is defined in size at the beginning. Diabetic Living states 9". They range from 7-10" online but I would think common sense would keep you away from the smallest or the largest (though some plastic plates that are 10" have rims so they are really 9"). I have seen more references to 9" than either high or low.

 

 

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: I know diabetes treatment is subjective but ...

There will always be those who wilfully misinterpret things.

 

My sister said her doctor said she had to eat 5 meals a day, and most diabetics know where that comes from. However she ate 5 meals a day of KFC and Burger King. Seriously. And said her doctor told her to. You have to use common sense, and not twist things to allow you to do what you please.

 

You have to want to comply and be in the spirit of compliance; whether you fill a 9" plate or a 10" plate to overflowing, it's not the inch that will make the difference, it's the overflowing - and *everyone* knows this in their heart-of-hearts.

 

My sister has since passed on, which surprised no one.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,091
Registered: ‎01-02-2011

Re: I know diabetes treatment is subjective but ...

I feel like the rules change all the time with type 2 diabetes.  I was diagnosed 20 years ago because I kept getting episodes of vaginitis, plus I was extra thirsty.  

 

I aim for 100 or so in the morning, under 160 two hours after a meal and want to be 120-140 before bedtime.  

 

It's a frustrating disease:/

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,095
Registered: ‎03-17-2010

Re: I know diabetes treatment is subjective but ...

I was diagnosed about 8 years ago.  After a lifetime of Karate I had to quit and put on some weight (around 30lbs).  I remember getting sleepy in the afternoons and feeling like my brain ws goo....but I was around 55 and was thinking it might be age related.  I can't remember what prompted me to spontaneously buy a monitor but I did and my reading was 599~!  I called the nurses station and she advised I start drinking water (to help dilute the sugars in my blood) and come into the emergency room.  I did....  

 

I was started on Metformin and Glipiside and went to my doctor the next day. Apparently my AIC was 12.  I was signed up for classes by a nurse specializing in Diabetes.  

  

In retrospect, I was never over-thirsty nor did I over-urinate.  My only symptoms were being so tired in the afternoon that it was almost like a mini-coma and not being clear headed.  Also in retrospect, I had some very slight numbing of my big toes and I thought was connected to Bunions.  Nope, the very start of neuropothy!  

 

Over the years I have taken this very, very seriously.  I was told to never go above 7.0 and I haven't.... actually getting my numbers down to an A1C of 6.3 the first three months after diagnosis and I've never gone over 7.0.  I was told to have 170 two hours after eating, no higher.  However my FBS is always high and I was told that can be a phenomenon due to the stress I have when sleeping....  I kid that I live another whole life in my dreams, and on top of that I have neck and jaw issues that cause me pain so my FBS are rarely under 160.

 

That's another issue that should be addressed.  Pain and Stress affect blood sugar numbers~!  It isn't ALL about the food you eat.  A Diabetic can be severely affected with very high numbers from pain and stress and not having eaten much at all, so it's something to really remember.   This just recently happened to me where I was in a lot of pain for a couple of days, hardly ate anything, some broth and vegetables and that's about it and my numbers were through the roof....  if diet controlled everything regarding Diabets then I should not have had high numbers, in fact, they should have been very low but they weren't.  So this is a complication of Diabetes that a lot of professionals don't talk about often....  

 

It's a very complicated and personal disease.  By personal I mean that everyone is SO different and affected so differently.  Keep your meter handy, keep your doctor informed, keep stress and pain to a minimum and choose your foods and quantity carefully.... it.is.worth.it!!! 

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*
Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,095
Registered: ‎03-17-2010

Re: I know diabetes treatment is subjective but ...

OH, forgot to say that I lost that 30lbs and an extra 8 for good measure! Woman LOL

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,512
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: I know diabetes treatment is subjective but ...

Q4U, this is so true-it is different for everyone and we have to work with our healthcare team members and recognize that even a close family member may have totally different care than what we have.....that being said, it still sounds as if we need to be "clean eaters". This is such a difficult disease to navigate-and no, it's not cancer, but the effects can still be the same if left-no-I don't want to say "if left to its own devices"...you can follow the paths that your healthcare providers lay out for you with the latest knowledge in hand-and the best of intentions for you, but things can still go awry. My best to you my friend, Hugs,

Poodlepet2

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: I know diabetes treatment is subjective but ...


@tansy wrote:

I feel like the rules change all the time with type 2 diabetes.  I was diagnosed 20 years ago because I kept getting episodes of vaginitis, plus I was extra thirsty.  

 

I aim for 100 or so in the morning, under 160 two hours after a meal and want to be 120-140 before bedtime.  

 

It's a frustrating disease:/


 

Yes, you're right - the standards and management have changed a lot in the past 10-20 years and even more in the last 5 years. What you get as management depends on your doctor and they aren't equally interested or keep up with the top experts. I think the increasing trend is to drop a house on pre/minimal symptoms and try to scare the heck out of people.

 

I'm not entirely sure that's a bad thing, but I hope I never get a doctor who freaks out and goes bombastic on me for numbers I know are not bad.

 

My niece's husband has been over-prescribed (IMO) and used to go low a lot. He lost a few pounds (he didn't have many to lose) and my niece cooks a balanced meal routinely. He tests a couple of times a day and his numbers are good *without* the different medications his doctor prescribed. They never gave him something simple like Metformin, it was always overkill. He finally told the doctor she could prescribe whatever but he wasn't going to take it because when he tested (and he knows when to test) he's fine, and he was sick of going low.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all