[Hank93]

Hello everyone, here is a little background and a couple questions to follow. I went to Dr this last Monday for a cold and was told I had Type 2. My AIC was around 10 if I remember right. My BG at that time was 256. This was all a complete surprise to me so before this I had been eating anything I wanted, drinking a ton of sugar drinks, taking carbs in by the truck load. I am not over weight, I am 5' 11" and 175lbs. I am 44 years old and in pretty good shape, just a few days before going to the Dr I ran 3.25 miles, and was routinely running 1.5 miles 3 times a week. I am very active and am in the Military. Both my parents have been diabetics for years, on insulin and also suffered heart attacks and strokes. (I know this should not have been a surprise to me).

About a year ago I went to my DR to have a physical and blood work done just to make sure I was doing ok on everything. i had a followup appointment 30 days later which I did not make due to a military trip for a couple months. I never rescheduled my appointment and figured no news was good news, that if something was out of the norms they would have gotten a hold of me. (WRONG). When going to this DR appointment on Monday I ask about my lab work that was close to a year old and that is when they hit me with being a diabetic. 1 year ago my average BG was 156, this Monday it was 256.

I talked the DR into giving me 30 days to try to change my ways and see where the numbers went. I have no problems with the diet, I have pretty well stayed under 100 carbs a day since then and almost zero sugar intake. However my numbers are not going down. I think I have learned the culprit, it is the fact that I use smokeless tobacco (DIP). Yesterday I experimented by really cutting back on it and it made a difference in my BG. One hour after eating dinner my BG was 194, best number I had seen since I started checking it. I then put a dip in my mouth for about 1 hr and re-checked my BG and it was 255. (Bingo). So I am working up a plan to quit dipping, should have done that along time ago.

Questions: Now that I know I have this issue and I now realize that I was having some symptoms all along, tingling in feet / legs, eyes starting to get a little bad. If I get my BG where it needs to be and am able to control it with diet and exercise soon will I get any symptom relief. Is this a diesease where once the damage is done it is done or what parts can be reversed?

#2 - Should I wait the 30 days and try to get it under control or face the music and get on medication now. If I can't get it under control, how much damage can be done in 30 days with numbers anywhere between 190 and 340.

Thanks,

[dano]

Originally Posted by Hank93

#1 - Now that I know I have this issue and I now realize that I was having some symptoms all along, tingling in feet / legs, eyes starting to get a little bad. If I get my BG where it needs to be and am able to control it with diet and exercise soon will I get any symptom relief. Is this a disease where once the damage is done it is done or what parts can be reversed?

#2 - Should I wait the 30 days and try to get it under control or face the music and get on medication now. If I can't get it under control, how much damage can be done in 30 days with numbers anywhere between 190 and 340.

1. When you get your blood sugar average below 140 mg/dl, you should see a difference, for the better, in your vision.

2. Any time your average is over 140 mg/dl, there is risk for damage. However, I don't think that the additional 30 days will make that much difference, since you have probably been over that mark for several months. Try to get your blood sugar down in the next 30 days, just be aware the most times it is very difficult without the meds.

Read the first three threads in the Type 2 Section, they will help you a lot, as you try to get your readings down. Good luck with your control and management.