Monday, March 14, 2011

update on being diabetic

So I won't say that things with being diabetic have gotten easier or better, but I am definitely learning as I go in the hopes that things will get easier! Since my last post about being diagnosed with diabetes I have been back to the doctor, been set up to go to a diabetic nutritionist class, and been set up to see an endochrinologist, along been taking a stronger dose of the metformin my doctor prescribed almost two weeks ago. I started out taking the metformin once a day and checking my blood sugar before I eat breakfast in the morning and before I go to bed at night, but was still getting really high numbers. So my doctor has me now taking the metformin twice a day and checking my blood sugar four times a day, before I eat breakfast, 2 hours after I eat breakfast, 2 hours after I eat lunch, and before I go to bed at night, and also journaling everything I eat and what my blood sugar numbers are. I got set up to go to a diabetic nutritionist class on thursday from 8-4 and thankfully Jake was able to trade shifts with someone so he is able to come with my as my "guest." I'm so glad he is coming with me to this class, one because I think it will be very informative for both of us since he is trying really hard to be healthier and lose weight and also since it is so long I didn't want to go by myself, and I'm just so glad to have him there by my side for things like this!

I don't all that much about this diabetic nutrition class quite yet except that it is rather long, I will be set up with a personalized meal plan that I need to stick to, along with blood sugar goals, get a individual appointment with a nutritionist, will have a foot exam, and that they will feed us lunch since it is so long. As of right now I have SO MANY questions and really still don't understand alot about this disease and my particular situation so I know this class will probably help me out so much. I also found out last week at the doctor that I am for sure type 2 diabetic, which isn't good neither bad. Another thing my doctor did labs on me for was to find out if my pancreas is working like a type one diabetic or normal and we found out that my pancreas does produce insulin normally, but that my body has something called insulin resistance, which is why I was feeling the diabetic symptoms. In other words, my pancreas makes and produces the insulin like any other person, but my body and organs don't receive it and use it like they should which is why I am diabetic and why my numbers are so out of whack. So it was good to know that my pancreas is working normally, that makes me feel alot better for some reason.

The worst news of the week is probably knowing that I'm not going to be able to have very much fruit at all, which is something I survive on, I love fruit so much, so that was some pretty depressing news. But I'm hoping if I start to get my blood sugar numbers lowered maybe I can allow myself at least one piece of fruit a day as long as my numbers are much lower than they are now. The weird part is that I could deal without sugar, desserts, cookies, pies, cakes, and all that kinda sweet dessert stuff, but if you allowed me fruit that would be enough for me so we will see what happens. Obviously my health is most important, even more than my love for fruit haha, so right now I'm trying to really focus on getting control over these numbers and really take control of my health like I have never done before.

The best part out of all this bad medical news lately is probably seeing how much all my family and friends care and how much they are concerned for me. I cannot explain how many messages on facebook, text messages, and phone calls I have gotten over the last two weeks about how sorry everyone is, how many people are praying for, and all the support I have out there for me. It definitely puts things in life in their perspective for me to know what is the most important and really just how super important your health is and how much we all take our health for granted. I certainly hope we can all use this situation upon us to an advantage and all really take control over our health and live longer healthier lives. I'll write more this week about updates with doctors and such. But in non-diabetic news I am really looking forward to this week, it is spring break for everyone in abilene and my sister is coming in town to visit for the week since she has the same spring break as we do and I am really looking forward to spending some fun time with her and my mom this week. I absolutely LOVE times like this, they are just the greatest! Anyways I hope everyone has an awesome spring break week!!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Being Diabetic

First off, sorry there will no pictures in this post, all about my most recent news at the doctor, being diagnosed with diabetes. But I'll back up to about middle of January when all this started. So about mid January Sam's Club was offering free health screenings for members so naturally I went just to see what all my numbers were like definitely not expecting what I got. They did my blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index, and cholesterol, my blood pressure was good, body mass index was good, but my blood sugar and cholesterol was much too high and was very concerning. That particular day my blood sugar was 295 and my cholesterol was 280, this was about 1:00 in the afternoon with only eating breakfast much earlier that morning, I had not had any lunch or other snacks when these tests were taken so naturally the nurse that did was a little worried and told me I needed be following up with this with my doctor. So I decided to make an appointment and to start watching what my sugar intake was like.

Fast forward to a few weeks later going to my doctor's appointment I tell her everything, my specific numbers and a few strange symptoms that I have been dealing with such as excessive thirst, extreme hunger, somewhat more tired than usual, and very weak, & nauseous. So my doctor decided to run some blood tests to figure out what is going on and why some of my numbers were so high. So now fast forward to yesterday when I went back to the doctor to talk with my doctor about my test results. As I sat in the doctor's office waiting for her to come into the exam room I cannot really explain it, but somehow through waiting on my test results I just knew I was going to have diabetes, I don't know I just had such a strange intuitive feeling about this. So when she finally came into the exam room I could tell by the look on her face what the test results were. She said I do have diabetes, my blood sugar was way way too high especially for someone my age and my weight. Most likely I have type 2 diabetes, but it could also be a combination of type 1 & type 2 diabetes, which would make it even more difficult to treat/manage. So yesterday she prescribed me with an oral medication of Metformin to take every morning and a prescription for a blood glucose monitor, lancets, & test strips to start taking my blood sugar every morning before I ate or drank anything and every night before I go to bed. She also referred me to an endochrinologist/diabetic specialist and a nutritionist who I will be seeing within the next week.

This all is very shocking, but at the same not shocking at all, I know that doesn't make alot of sense, but throughout my life I feel physically all these diabetic symptoms that have now been diagnosed have always been around at least for most of my life. It still is very intimidating, a tad scary, and a little bit nervewrecking because of knowing how much I will have to change my life. It is taking alot of getting used to when it comes pricking my fingers twice a day to check my blood sugar levels, but for now I am having Jake prick my finger because for some reason I just cannot bring myself to do it myself quite yet.

So that is my most recent physical/medical update, I will keep posting as new things come about and as I see new doctors and such...