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Posted 9/29/2007 12:59 AM (GMT 0)

Can someone help me please.  Although I have been diabetic for many years, I have never done well with any aspect of it, dieting, exercising, losing weight no matter how I have tried.  I now have 4 small grandchildren, 2 of them living with me.  I find getting through each day hard.  Presently I am taking 150 units of Lantus, 75 in the morning and 75 units at night, and started taking byetta 9/14/07 at 5mcg. before breakfast and before dinner. Oh what a blessing for those of you who are losing weight.  I never seem to lose.  In fact was taking Humalog for 2 1/2 weeks and gained 8 1/2 lbs. sad    While I don't feel hungry at all since starting the Byetta ~ still see no sign of losing!  Can someone give me an idea of how often and what you are eating or what kind of diet you are following?  While my bg readings have gone down a lot and are much closer to what they should be now and I am thankful for that aspect of it. :-)    I still feel deflated that I don't do well with the diet, exercise or losing weight part of it.  I am looking to lose 30 pounds.  Any advice or any information that anyone can share to keep me motivated would be greatly appreciated.  Because I truly feel like giving up!

Posted 9/29/2007 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Va-Gram, you've come to the right place. I'm glad you found us and please be patient for other members of the Forum to arrive and read your post. I do not take meds but I can talk to you about diet. First of all, don't give up! Most of us here follow a low-carb diet because it's the best way to keep the blood sugars down whether or not you're on meds. A low-carb diet will also help you lose weight but you also need to get moving - which will help you lose and also make your meds more effective. It would be very difficult to lose those 30lbs with the diet alone. You need to figure out something that you will really stick to everyday. Keeping a journal not only of what you eat but also your exercise will help you stay on track. Check off that you've done 30 minutes of whatever exercise everyday. Take the 2 grandkids for walks a couple of times a day. "Race" them across the yard or in the park for a quick burst of energy (if they're old enough to walk, that is!). Ride bikes with them if they're older. That kind of thing, but you have to have daily exercise. about the diet: eat more meat and vegetables but stay away from potatoes and carrots. Check back over our past topics here for food ideas because we've talked a lot about breakfast and dinner food with recipes, etc. You'll be fine. Check back with us. We have several members taking the same meds that you are and they'll be here to discuss that, too. In the meantime, take care!
Posted 9/29/2007 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the forum, Va-gram and don't give up!! We are here to bounce ideas off of and to let you know what our experiences have been. I was diagnosed 11 years ago and once the honeymoon period was over, it was really a constant struggle, and one that a lot of times I just said forget it to. When I stumbled on to the forum it was because I was looking for people who were on byetta. And actually there aren't many here that are. But that being said, I have found more support and wonderful information here than anywhere else.

OK, here's my byetta story. At the beginning of summer I was taking actos and glucovance. My ankles had been swelling like blimps so the doc and I knew that it was time to ditch the actos. So she suggested the byetta. Everyone starts with the 5 mcg. dose usually 2 X a day. So I did that for about a month, but no real weight loss or change in numbers so she put me on 10. I guess that is pretty much the protocol. Well, I lost 10lbs. in a hurry...throwing it up as well as the other end. I decided I definitely couldn't spend 6-8 weeks like that getting used to it. So she put me back on the 5. Still nothing. Then I found this place and started reading all the threads about low to no carb diets and how much they help diabetics. So I figured nothing else was working so might as well try it and see what happens. And OH...MY...GOSH! My numbers really started to come down. Since the beginning of summer I've lost 36 lbs. (and it just keeps coming off), my cholesterol is perfect and my blood pressure has come down. I've actually stopped using the byetta and I'm trying januvia and metformin (got rid of the glyburide part of the glucovance). I have never had these kind of results trying to follow the ADA diet. And luckily I have a doc who agrees with the no carb thing. Unfortunately, many of them still seem to be stuck in a time warp. This isn't to say that I may not go back to the byetta. If I can't get the januvia, metformin thing to work, we may try the 5 dosage 3 x a day. My numbers still aren't where I want them but they are much better than they were. But I'm giving this combo 3 months to see what happens.

So, Gran, go back through and look for the threads that talk about diet. If you can't find them or have questions, just holler. That's what we're here for. :) This is an awesome group and you will get more help than you bargained for. Good luck and keep us posted!!!

Karen
Posted 9/30/2007 10:36 PM (GMT 0)

Welcome aboard Va-Gram. You've already made a giant stride forward - simply by joining this forum! Many of us have been banging the drum for a low-carb diet and regular exercise as the only truly reliable method of countering the effects of diabetes. More and more people are discovering this now, although the ADA and Diabetes UK are shamefully slow on the uptake.

I'm reluctant to comment on anyone else's dosages or medication, but I had to give your Lantus dose a double-take when I read your post. 150 units a day? There may be reasons why you're using this volume of basal insulin, but just to put it in perspective, I'm using 7 units of Lantus daily. I'm a Type 1 diabetic with no self-made insulin at all so I'm getting no help from my pancreas here. My low dosage is simply down to a low-carb diet and regular exercise.

I think you should should bear in mind that insulin is the fat building / fat storage hormone. In other words, the more you use the more you will gain weight. You ought to be able to significantly reduce your dose  (please talk to your Doctor!) the fewer carbohydrates and the more exercise you take. Try some of the eating suggestions on the forum. Not only will you find tons of great tasting food, it's nutritionally so much better for you too.

All the best,

fergusc 

Posted 10/1/2007 3:45 AM (GMT 0)

Thanks so much for all the help.  I have been reading a lot of what is on this site.  But I am  having trouble finding diet related topics.  Years ago there was a printout about 7 pages that was very well balanced that was given to diabetics, does anyone know what I am speaking of?  Do most of you follow a specific diet such as weight watchers, atkins, etc.  or mostly just watching how many carbs you eat each day?  And what range do you most of you follow?

As far as the Byetta, I take 5mcg 2x a day.  I haven't lost any weight.  In reading I feel I have been lucky.  I had one very bad night, but other then that just slight nausea occasionally.  I just recently started taking the Byetta on 9/14/07.

All of you are so friendly and helpful.  I am glad I found this forum and all of you.

Posted 10/1/2007 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
Dear Gram,
I have had diabetes for over 10 yrs. and didn't learn how to lose weight with it until this past April. I have posted about my experience in the "Grand Experiment" post and then continued it in the next "G E" posts:
Report on the G E
Happy, happy, Joy, joy!!!!! The Grand Experiment has other Benefits!
Posted 10/1/2007 11:40 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you Jeannie, I will go back and read that. Don't mean to keep asking so many questions but I am new to the site and just getting acquainted.
Posted 10/1/2007 1:43 PM (GMT 0)

Granny, most of us follow a low carbohydrate diet.  This helps keep your blood sugar down and will also help you lose weight.  And remember that some kind of daily exercise is also important.  There are several topics from the past you can read on our Diabetes Forum here including breakfast ideas and dinner ideas.  You can look up Atkins, South Beach (Phase 1) or Dr. Bernstein.  Here is a short list of do's and don'ts:

Ok to eat:  meats, fish, vegetables, cheese, nuts (not too much at one time)

NO: bread, cereals, cookies, potatoes, yams, sugar, flour

Some people can do well with eating limited whole-grain products, long cooking oatmeal, and fruit such as berries or cherries, but that depends on each person and how their blood sugar is affected.  You can only know this by testing your blood sugar after you eat.  This is the only way you will know how different food affects your blood sugar.  Also, don't forget that the amount of food will also affect it.  If you eat a lot, your blood sugar will rise more than if you eat moderately.  I suggest that you look into those food plans I mentioned and make out a new eating plan eliminating "white" food as mentioned above.   Be sure you inform your doctor because if your blood sugar is affected, your medication will be affected. 

Check back again if you have more questions!  Good luck!  :-)

Posted 10/1/2007 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
VAGram,
Ask away! That's what this forum is for... Besides, as we answer your questions we often help the peeps who are too shy to post. Hope you are starting to get a handle on this whole thing. Give yourself some time. Diabetes education doesn't happen overnight. If it will help I'll give you a quick cheat sheet. Every food is basically one of three things for our diabetic purposes; proteins, fats or carbohydrates. Choosing from the correct forms of food is the easiest way to help your body adjust to its new metabolic needs.

Proteins - Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, soy/meat substitutes

Fats - Good fats are plant based - nuts, olives, avocadoes, olive oil, peanut butter (without sugar) Fats are necessary for vitamin absorption, healthy skin, and slow down your stomach emptying time thus delaying or offsetting blood sugar spikes from a meal.
Less good fats (but still part of a healthy food plan) animal fats such as bacon, butter, fat as part of meat (sausages and hot dogs). You can see the % of fat in a processed meat by reading the chart on the package. Some hot dogs are 100 calories each and the number of calories from fat may be 90 so that hot dog is 90% fat and for our purposes not classified as a meat but as a fat.

Carbohydrates - Plant based starches and sugars, some are very good and some not so good. One animal carb - milk - I will cover separately.
Good Carbs include all brightly colored vegetables, greens & spinach, winter squashes, tomatoes, all your salad veggies, mushrooms, and most brightly colored fruits as well, strawberries, cantalope, pineapple, kiwi, oranges and apples & bananas. Some fruits like pears and grapes have high sugar and low food value and should be used less.
Anything made from grain, sugar or tubers (potato family) is very high carbohydrate and more difficult for diabetics to metabolize. Overweight Type2's should use very little or none of the breads, cereals, crackers, pastas, baked goods and candy-type carbs in their everyday food plan. Meat roll-ups can be made with raw spinach or collard green leaves. Same with tacos. Lasagna can be made with meat, tomato sauce, cheeses and greens in place of noodles. By putting vegetable carbs in place of starchy carbs you add vitamins and fiber and lower after meal blood sugar spikes.

We have different names for this type of food plan and knowing how food is made will help you decide if it's good for your plan or not. I am simplifying here for illustrative purposes.

Cave people food plan - Only eat foods that could be found and eaten by a cave person. This eliminates most processed foods, snacks, alcohols and pastas. It makes your choices basically meats & fish, vegetables (canned or frozen is ok), nuts (and nut oils) and fruits. Obviously a cave person would be unable to produce cheetos or snickers or soda pop so it's easy to see that those foods are off limits. (I use diet sodas, the choice is yours.)

Nothing white except cauliflower food plan - Remove from your food plan any food that is basically white such as milk, flour, sugar, potatoes, corn, rice and all foods made from them. Milk is high in lactose (a milk sugar) and can raise your blood sugar. Better to eat cheese with the proteins and fats of milk but not the sugars.

Once you start on a food plan you need to see the results of your efforts in frequent blood sugar testing. By frequent I mean each morning's fasting results and a two hour post-prandial (a reading taken two hours after the start of a meal). The morning number tells you how your body is reacting to no food for eight or more hours. The two hour pp tells you how your body is handling a food load and if it's efficiently putting the carbohydrates from the veggies & fruit into the cells of your body where it is needed. This will help you identify which foods are very good for you and your blood glucose and which ones you can only have once in a while.

Hope this helps.
Posted 10/1/2007 8:38 PM (GMT 0)

Another eating plan you might wish to look into is the Insulin- Resistance Eating Plan  (The book is written by Dr. Cheryle Hart, and Kay Grossman R.D.). This is a simple plan that allows you to link carbs with proteins in a way that doesn't cause blood sugar levels to rise. I eat this way. I am able to eat most whole grains, potatoes, beans, lentils, nuts, many fruits, low carb yogurt, starchy and non-starchy veggies etc. on a regular basis while maintaining an average blood glucose level in the 80 - 95 range with an A1c of 5.0.

My sugar levels are lower when I eat like this, than when I follow a very low carb eating plan. You really need to test the food you eat to see how it affects you personally- we're all different. I have nothing against very low carb eating- but I find it too restrictive for my lifestyle, especially when I am traveling for business and pleasure. I am able to enjoy a wide variety of foods without jeopardizing my numbers.

sandy

Posted 10/7/2007 3:44 PM (GMT 0)

I want to say Thank you so much to all of you who have helped me get a grip on this diabetes and make some changes.  I have been so busy at work this past week that I couldn't get started on some of the suggestions you all have made.  But now that I have read a few things and put things in prospective a bit I will be starting today to make some changes ~ especially when it comes to exercise.  I have to be the worst person when it comes to exercising so I know this will be a struggle each day!  I enjoy reading the post on this site.  Everyone is so helpful and so many topics are covered.  So how is everyone doing?  And with the upcoming holidays what special recipes do you prepare for a festive holiday but where you can still stay on plan?

Debbie

Posted 10/7/2007 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Debbie, give yourself time to adjust to a different eating plan and soon it will be a normal way of life.  There have been a few recipes previously posted for food that would be great for the holidays.  If you want to prepare a "normal" Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, that's fine, just don't overload your plate with the mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, rolls, and pies.  Think of those in terms of high carbs.  You can survive a normal meal just by taking a very small amount of those but eating more meat or other vegetables.  This may depend on your meds, too.  Don't forget to test.  And don't forget that when you eat too much at one time (as most of us do during these meals), your blood sugar will rise more than if you eat more lightly.  Maybe you can eat a small serving of the potatoes but not the yams.  Or, decide you really want that regular apple pie later, so you don't eat the potatoes.  On the other hand, you can also make mashed cauliflower as a decent substitute for the mashed potatoes.  I'm going to make both for the holiday table.  There's a pumpkin pie recipe with cream cheese posted a week or two ago which is also very good.  (My kids want that instead of the regular pumpkin pie this year.  And they are "normal".  Honest.)  If you can control what and how much you eat, then that's fine.  The problem would be if you throw caution to the wind and figure you'll go back to your eating plan after the holidays.........  Well, the holidays start soon, so are we talking 2 months?   A cookie here, a piece of fruitcake there, leftover mashed potatoes and gravy for breakfast........  Feeling deprived because of missing out on these favorite holiday foods can cause trouble for us, but there are ways around it as I said.  Take a small spoon to satisfy the need to taste it.  Substitute another way to fix it.  Beware of "sugar-free" pies and cakes:  there may not be any sugar but the flour is high carb, so you'll still have high blood sugar readings.  Better to make it yourself with the ground nut/flax meal crust explained with the cheese cake and pumpkin cheese cake recipes here.  I'm working on flour-free gravy.  I made a pretty good one yesterday and I'll post it when I get it better - as a matter of fact, that's good for a new topic!  Thanks!


Posted 10/7/2007 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
lanie

you should try the konjac flour (carb free-all fiber) from miracle noodles. I use it as a flour substitute for my gravies, white sauce, stir fries- you just need a tiny bit, it's full of fiber and it does  not add undesirable tastes to your food.

sandy

Posted 10/7/2007 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you, Sandy!  I shall!  The one I'm working one uses almond flour and protein powder.  Please write your recipes for the gravies!  New topic:  gravies!

Posted 10/9/2007 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sandy,

I don't want to hijack this thread... but where can you buy that konjak flour... can you get that at a regular grocery store?

Bear ;)
Posted 10/10/2007 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
Bear

I'm not sure if you can get it locally. Whole Foods, Trader Joe, and Sunflower market do not carry it.  I buy it from the miracle noodle site. It's pricey up front, but you need so little that it'll last a long time-

sandy

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