Happy, happy, Joy, joy!!!!! The Grand Experiment has other Benefits!

Ok, doing the one legged happy dance here! I've sprained my knee and am in a leg brace for the next 11 months to hopefully have the tendons and ligaments heal without surgery. I've not been swimming because of the pain but went back to the YMCA yesterday to try some gentle laps again.

While in the locker room I got on the scale... I don't have one at home.... I've lost 29 lbs. since April when I had to stop the Avandia and quit eating most grains and tubers. All the years I have had diabetes I was trying to follow the food plan I was given but no one ever told me how to lose weight. It wasn't until I had to eliminate the starches to hold the numbers down that my pounds started to drop off.

I used to be afraid to change my diet because I was afraid of the hypos I had experienced when I first started my meds. Now I have found that I can keep my numbers down and eliminate some meds (with my doctor's permission) by lowering my starchy carb intake and I'm not having hypos... I feel like I've found the Holy Grail.

I have about 100 more pounds to lose to be in fit condition but at this rate, I'll probably get there within the next year or so... This is the very first time in my life that I have felt in control of my food plan, my glucose levels and my emotions as they pertain to diabetes. I could never have gotten where I am without all of your input and shared knowledge. Thank you, my friends!

about the knee... My doctor told me that because of micro something or other that has to do with decreased capillary circulation to the ligaments and tendons diabetics are much more prone to damage of connective tissue than normals. So, word to the wise, take gentle care of your tendons and ligaments and don't ask more of them than they can give. My injury happened in February and I tried to 'tough it out'. Now I'm in a brace and looking at possible surgery.

Hey Jeanie
You got super good new and not so good news.
Your weight loss is great...................loosing weight is a bear, I know I have been trying to lose weight ever since my last baby was born and he is 35 years old
I am sorry about the ligament tear and the posibility of surgery, but one hop at a time, my friend. You can hang on to us.
(((((((((((HUGS)))))))))) Kiddo!

Wow, that's fantastic Jeannie!  I hope they can fix your knee up.  Good on you!

Sorry to hear about the knee. My type 1 diabetic daughter tore her ACL three times and had three different surgeeries on that knee in the span of about four years. Diabetics take longer to heal than others. As long as you're not playing college sports like she was, take care of yourself and do all the physical therapy ordered, you have a better chance. I also had ACL reconstruction (before type 2 diagnosis) and cartilage repair--really glad I had the surgery but the knee will never feel "normal." Doctors never tell you that fact: surgery rarely brings things back to exactly where they once were. But if you're considering the surgery or not, do not hesitate to have it. It's much better to have the ligaments intact (which ligament(s) did you injure?) than always worry about them tearing again. I think it was Bette Davis that said: "life isn't for sissies." Ain't that the truth!!! Congrats on the weight loss--you GO girl

Jeannie, Congratulations on your weight loss, that's so great!!  Hope your knee is feeling better.  I'm sorry you're without insurance, what a burden that is.  I sure hope something gets done in the next administration to ensure everyone can afford necessary health care.

I have a bad knee and went to PA yesterday.  We looked at the x-rays, and he asked if I wanted a knee replacement   I told him no, so we reviewed the choices and I got a cortizone shot.  He told me that the shot may wreck havoc on my BS levels, so I'm watching them carefully for the next few days. 

Mary 

First let me say congrats Jeanne on the weight loss and I hope your knee gets better. I know what that's like (did it myself last Nov).
Now for Mary, please be very careful with the cortisone shots. 2 almost 3 years ago I had to have them for my knee (ultimately wound up with knee surgery but not replacement). My bs were fine after the first shot, but with the second (about 2-3 months later) my bs went up 50 points. The third shot had me rushing to the doctor's offce with a bs up over 350 where I had to get an insulin shot (I am not insulin dependent and don't normally need insulin). Also, even though cortisone occurs naturally in our bodies the injectible cortisone is synthetic and there are some serious side effects associated with it. These are usually rare but worth mentioning. The 2 that are the most important are dramatic increases in bs readings during the first couple of weeks and if you develop a fever or infection at the injection site. Hope this helps.
Marburg

Mary E. said...

Jeannie, Congratulations on your weight loss, that's so great!! Hope your knee is feeling better. I'm sorry you're without insurance, what a burden that is. I sure hope something gets done in the next administration to ensure everyone can afford necessary health care.
I have a bad knee and went to PA yesterday. We looked at the x-rays, and he asked if I wanted a knee replacement I told him no, so we reviewed the choices and I got a cortizone shot. He told me that the shot may wreck havoc on my BS levels, so I'm watching them carefully for the next few days.

Mary