[Diabetes-Talk] Starting to feel a sense of panic when it comes to my diabetes

[Jeanette Kutash]

Terry,

Here's the thing: Even though your boyfriend may not be willing to make changes, if you are, then you need to put your foot down for you. It will be harder if he is not on board, but remember each choice that you make will effect the way you live the rest of your life. When it comes to pizza, my husband and I say we will have one or two slices of a small pizza and then have either vegetables or a salad. Hot soups of broth, soft vegetables, and protein like chicken can also be filling. 

You can have things like pasta, but choose the amount you have. I use the dreamfield pastas which are helpful with slowing down blood sugar rises, but even when I use these I limit myself to a cup or a cup and a half of pasta.

If walking is hard you can start with things like sitting on your bed with your knees hanging down and rasing them to straight, and lowering them to bent. 

Lift and raise those arms over your head and bring them back down to your sides. 

Put your arms out to your sides, almost straight, and make circles, small, medium and large with your arms.

Sit in a chair, feet flat on the floor, and lift your right leg up, then place it flat on the floor. Lift your left leg up, then place it on the floor. 
 
I can come up with many more. But you get the point.

Remember, your choices now, one at a time, will effect your long term choices, and we will help in any way we can.

Jeanette


-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Terri Stimmel via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2019 7:08 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Cc: Terri Stimmel
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Starting to feel a sense of panic when it comes to my diabetes

Hello there Sandi,


First of all, thank you for your kindness. But also, thank you for your 
knowledge. I really do appreciate this. And I appreciate you calling me 
out on things. Sometimes I need this. And no worries, I didn't feel 
shamed. I do have some questions.


As for what i said about ginetics, I agree that this is not the only 
thing that plays a role in a person's diabetes. My boyfriend says this 
often. But it's not actually something I agree with him on. My dad was 
diabetic. 1 of my sister's is as well. I am not sure of anyone else in 
my family. But they have type II, as I do.


I do most definitely want to start exercising. I know it's important. I 
used to think it wasn't really. Or that it didn't really matter.

However, in the last 6 months or so, I have realized how incorrect I 
have been in this thinking.


I have thought about purchasing an elyptical. I am not quite sure where 
we would put it. But it has crossed my mind. I don't need 1 that's 
expensive, or has all the bells and whistles. I just need 1 that I can 
use, without having any vision.

Also, we have 6 stairs outside our apartment. They are all the same 
height. They are slightly steep, but not too bad. I have thought about 
working up to being able to go up and down them, maybe a couple of sets, 
twice a day. It's something I definitely do want to work toward.

And I agree, any movement is better than no movement at all. I tell my 
boyfriend all the time that we sit way too much. Also, I did ask my aid 
that comes in during the week, if she would walk with me sometimes, when 
she doesn't have other stuff I need her to do. She said she definitely 
would. So now that it is starting to get cooler, I think we should try 
it. Start out small. We could do this until the nasty weather hits.


I appreciate you pointing out the food we ordered from Pizza Hut. I 
never really knew just how much food we were eating. I mean, how many 
people it could actually feed. I do like to eat out at times. Knowing 
what sorts of things to choose, has always been difficult. Also, I feel 
that my boyfriend wants to eat out a lot more than I actually do. But I 
give in. I think, why not? I mean, I can't change it. But that's just 
it, I need to change it. If I don't, who will?

But almost every Sunday after church, he wants to stop somewhere. And if 
1 of us has an appointment, he wants to try to go out to eat somewhere, 
afterward. It gets overwhelming to me at times. even though I love food, 
and love to eat. He likes that I am a good eater, and that I can eat a 
good amount. But I am realizing that this is not a good thing to really 
like about a person.


As for the fruit bowl we got, it was 40 ounces. I only know this, 
because I ordered it from the Walmart grocery App, and it stated the 
amount. It had cantaloupe, grapes, pineapple chunks, and watter mellon 
chunks. It was quite tasty. But if it's something that could really 
affect my blood sugar, then I need to consider this.

And I am pretty sure the fruit cups I purchased have sugar. My boyfriend 
requested them. I thought that was better than ordering more cookies, or 
cupcakes.

Oh yes, you mentioned eating small amounts of nuts as a snack. I would 
love to do this, as I used to really enjoy them.

However, now I have no teeth. So this presents it's own issues. I can 
still eat a lot of things, and I have learned ways to break food down. 
But I don't think I could do this with nuts.

No, we didn't think the wings and breadsticks would be better than the 
pizza. That's just what we wanted.


I have such a difficult time knowing how to count carbs. It makes little 
sense to me. I also find it difficult to know what sorts of foods affect 
my blood sugars. It's all so overwhelming for me.


I do think what you had to say about my choice of eating skittles after 
I was so full, is correct. I wasn't really hungry. I knew I wasn't. But 
my boyfriend was eating some. I definitely think we enable each other. 
There is no doubt in my mind, when it comes to this. And yes, I know I 
am not even close to being committed to making changes. It's something I 
really do want. But it's convincing myself to actually do it, is where I 
really seem to struggle. But also, I know my boyfriend doesn't want to 
see a dietician. While he knows things need to change, he isn't really 
willing to make the changes. When the doctor mentions it to him, he just 
says he knows, and kind of gets this anoyed tone to his voice.


Thank you so very much for all this. I will definitely keep you all 
posted on what goes on with me.


Terri

On 10/5/2019 10:58 AM, Sandi Ryan via Diabetes-Talk wrote:
> Hi Terri,
>
> First things first. I say that, because you posed three issues you're dealing with: food, exercise, and heredity. All three count.
>
> Heredity, in Type 2, is an important part of diabetes. What that means is that, if one or more of your family members has diabetes, you're more likely to get it. We can't change genetics, and in my family, everyone in my immediate family has diabetes. Even my two sons have it now that they're in their 40s. So it runs in families. Having said that, to say that it's genetic and there's nothing that can help it is copping out! There are many things that can help, and doing them needs to be your choice. Heredity is not doom. It's the reason you get the disease--but even then many people control the diabetes with diet and exercise and don't take drugs, at least for a while. I, for instance, have had diabetes 13 years and take only metformin.
>
> You indicate that exercise and standing much are not options for you. So you're probably not going to find walking the panacea some people claim it to be. I read a book once that said "Put on shoes. Open the door. Walk! Anyone can do that!" But we all know there are those who demonstrably can't. On the other hand, if you can walk a blaock at a time, do it. Using your muscles makes them stronger, and part of feeling weak is not using your muscles. You can start out small and increase the distance as you feel stronger. Everyone has to start somewhere. Having said that, could you perhaps ride an exercise bike instead? Or use an elliptical trainer? Just standing up and moving around your house regularly instead of sitting all day is an improvement if you're not already doing that. Cleaning the house, cooking, doing laundry--all of that counts as movement, and if you're very weak, it might be your best start. And you get the benefits of a cleaner environment, tastier food, and clean clothes, too.
>
> Now for food, which you will remember is my former career:
>
> As the other three list members have said, there are issues with the foods you're choosing, and Jamie mentioned the portion sizes. So let me just elaborate a bit.
>
>  From Pizza Hut you ordered 32 pieces of chicken swimming in various sauces, and 10 breadsticks, each probably the size of two slices of bread, with lots of butter and garlic. You ate 14 of the pieces of chicken, no doubt with sauce, and the equivalent of 8 slices of bread.
>
> I'm pointing out what you ate in terms of how many things not to shame you, but to help you understand how much that was. In the first place, there are two of you in the household, and you ordered food for at least four people. In my house it would feed eight, at least. My first point is this: An order of something from Pizza Hut may be proposed to you as the amount you might want to eat, but their servings are very large, not designed for a person with diabetes, and really too much for anyone to eat alone. You didn't say, but I wonder if you and your boyfriend thought the chicken and breadsticks were a better choice than pizza. If so, the answer is no.
>
> Food is not a matter only of what you choose to eat, but definitely also of how much. In my household, which also consists of two people, we order out seldom, and we would have bought one order of the chicken and shared it, or perhaps, if we wanted different kinds, we'd have ordered two orders and each eaten half, saving the other half of each order for another meal. The same could be done with one order of breadsticks. More than one or two slices of bread is ALWAYS too much for a person with diabetes. So the one order that can be broken into ten pieces is enough for about five people. Again, the right answer for a person with diabetes is to eat one of the large sticks, or one of the small ones even), and save the rest for later. Even having done these things, this meal is quite high in carbohydrates, so it's not a meal you should splurge on frequently--probably not more than once a month in the smaller quantities.
>
> Depending on what your fruit bowl is, it may have been an excellent choice, eaten in small amounts. I also don't know the size of the fruit bowl, but each time you select some fruit from it, it should be about a half-cup--a very small bowlful. And you need to limit that to about twice a day at most. Fruit will raise your blood sugar.
>
> The little fruit cups some in many varieties, some with quite a bit of added sugar, some in water only, and some with artificial sweeteners. I'm not a fan of artificial sweeteners, and fruit worth eating is pretty sweet on its own, but the artificially-sweetened ones are a better choice than the sugared ones. These are about a half-cup each, so they are meant to be eaten in one sitting. Just be careful to buy the ones without sugar.
>
> Your choice of Skittles as a snack, particularly after that large meal, was not a good one. One thing you need to do is get in touch with your body's cues about hunger and satiety. Right now you're eating will you're stuffed, then a few hours later, eating a snack. Is it possible you weren't really hungry then, but just "wanted something?" If you must eat a snack, make it nuts! They are nutritious, delicious, and low in carbs--but no more than an ounce!
>
> I applaud your buying the steamable vegetables. There are many varieties, and you've bought two that are fine. There are carbs in vegetables, but they are not carbs that make your blood sugars spike, so for most people they're very good choices.
>
> You ask about how often one can have a cheat day. That says to me that your attitude right now is "I'll do this for a while and then I'll cheat." That's not the attitude of someone ready to make meaningful changes. That doesn't mean you can never have a treat, but right now concentrate on finding ways that work for you. And you and your boyfriend are enabling each other by giving in when the other suggests a snack. It sounds to me like both of you, together, could benefit from meetings with a dietitian, to help you figure out what you can do to work together better and to help you understand and adjust your attitude toward changes. Even some therapy could be in order, but that is, of course, up to you. I'd choose to do it, but I'm very open to that kind of help from others.
>
> Diabetes is never an either/or proposition. For good control, you must eat well, be active, and take your medications as directed. It's not easy at first, but once you've learned what to do and how to do it, it takes much less time, and you feel much, much better!
>
> One last thing: If neither you nor your boyfriend wants to cook, depend on the microwave and eat cooked frozen vegetables and diabetes-friendly TV dinners. You may need help from your dietitian to determine what those dinners are, or to go to the grocery store with a friend and identify those with lower carbs. Those aren't the very best way to eat either, but they are much better than ordering takeout, which provides monstrous servings. They could get you started with learning what hunger is. And don't feel alone in this: Most of us ignore our bodies' cues about hunger and fullness. But when you don't, I predict much better control of your diabetes.
>
> Good luck, and please keep writing and don't give up. Make working well with your diabetes your new normal, instead of fighting it every step of the way.
>
> Sandi
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Terri Stimmel via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Saturday, October 5, 2019 8:14 AM
> To: Diabetes-talk <Diabetes-Talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Terri Stimmel <icecreamlover76 at outlook.com>
> Subject: [Diabetes-Talk] Starting to feel a sense of panic when it comes to my diabetes
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> First of all, I am very thankful for the support all of you offer here. It is very much appreciated. I know I don’t respond back a lot, to replies I get. I intend on doing so. But I get caught up in a lot of mail at times.
>
> As my subject says, I am starting to feel a sense of panic, when it comes to my diabetes. At my last appointment, which was just a couple of weeks ago, I learned that my A1C was 9. I forget what they said that my average blood sugar was. But I believe it was over 200. They raised 2 of my medications, and this is not at all what I wanted. But I know it was necessary. Here is what I take. I might not spell the medications properly.
>
> I take point 5 of Ozimpic, once a week. I now take 70 units of treceba every morning. And I take 20 units of Novolog with every meal. But I have more insulin, depending on what my blood sugar is. For example, if it’s 150 to 200, then I take an extra unit.
>
> I think I have mentioned this before. But I am totally blind. I have had diabetes for about 11 years now. I am 43.
>
> I live with my wonderful boyfriend, who also has diabetes, and who has probably had it for about 10 years or so. His diabetes may have affected his vision, as he has very limited vision in 1 eye, and none in the other.
>
> Neither of us really cook. We purchase food together, as it is more affordable for us to do this. We are both motivated to change how we have been eating. Although, I feel I am a bit more motivated. We talk about it a lot. But I also feel that if 1 of us mentions eating a snack, like ice cream, we kind of play off each other. In other words, I don’t feel neither of us have very good will power.
>
> This last time we ordered groceries, we did purchase a fresh fruit bowl to enjoy. We also got some of those fruit cups. Even though those might not be the best things. We also purchased some of those steamers you can prepare in the microwave. 1 has broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower in it. The other is broccoli with cheese sauce.
>
> I would like to do some cooking for us. But as I mentioned before, I haven’t cooked much, in years. Standing is difficult for me, do to physical pain. I also get tired easily. My boyfriend has talked about attempting to cook some. But so far this hasn’t happened.
>
> Last night, we ordered from Pizza Hut. We got 4 different types of boneless wings, they were all 8 counts, and we got 2 orders of the garlic cheesey bread. They come with 5 long pieces each, that can be separated in half, to make 10 pieces.
>
> We got Hawaiian tarioky, honey barbecue, spicy garlic, and garlic parmacian. I had all 8 of the spicy garlic, 3 of the Hawaiian, and 3 of the honey barbecue. Then I had 4 whole pieces of the garlic cheesey bread. I drank water. Needless to say, I was quite full. We ate at around 5. I didn’t eat anything else until around 8. That was a fun-size pack of skittles. I drank water the rest of the night.
>
> Well around 7 this morning, when I tested my blood sugar, it was 257. In a way, I was surprised it was so high. I did take my insulin before dinner. If I remember, it was around 200, before dinner. But I can’t remember exactly.
>
> This is very hard on me, because I know things need to change. It doesn’t feel the small changes are making a difference. But maybe it takes time?
> I don’t exercise. I know I need to do this as well. I actually want to do this, more than attempting to eat better. But my physical limitations actually make this quit difficult. The pain can get so intense for me, just when standing, and trying to walk.
>
> While my boyfriend is very supportive of me, I feel I don’t have much support in this area. We both talk a good game. But that seems to be about it. Plus, he thins if his blood sugar fasting is at 200, that this really isn’t a bad thing. I disagree. Ijust feel at a loss. But I also know that a lot of this is on me. So then I feel depressed. When I learned what my A1C was, it was all I could do not to cry.
> I don’t want things to get worse. And I don’t want to keep having increases in my medications. This can not be a good thing.
> My boyfriend says that how we eat is not the only thing that can affect our diabetes. He says that genetics plays a part in it as well.
> Does anyone know if this is true, or not? What if I start exerciesing, and changing how I eat, and none of it really makes a difference?
> Also, how offten can you have a cheat day? Is it once a week, or once a month? Or does that just depend on the person?
>
> Thank you for listening to me ramble. I really appreciate it. I am just sad and frustrated over all this.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Terri
>
> Sent from my iPhone
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