I'm diabetic


Kenn Rashad

Kenn Rashad

Person In Charge
Staff member
I just got a call from my doctor who confirmed that I have diabetes. And I must admit I am taking back by the news. I was not expecting to hear him tell me this. He has asked that I participate in a 2 year study that is being conducted by his office along with a drug company that is in the final stage of test a new drug before sending it to the FDA for approval. I am not too crazy about this idea, but he did state that I will have to take some sort of medication to keep it under control if I decide not to particpate in the medical study.

My question to you all is...are any of you diabetic or know of anyone close to you who is? What is the daily routine that you go through? What kind of (lifestyle) adjustments were made?

I will be meeting with him again in a few days to discuss my treatment options in details. Until then, I am interested in your thoughts.
 
Diabetes runs very heavily in my family. There are two types. You have to test your blood-sugar level every morning. Some have to take pills and some have to take insulin shots. You have a regulated diet that really isn't strenuous if you follow the doctors orders. I have seen people have to have limbs amputated because they did not follow doctors orders. It greatly affects blacks because we traditionally eat the wrong kinds of foods. it also is common in obese people. My chapter president recently got out of the hospital b/c her blood-sugar level went up over 300 and they couldn't get it down. She had blisters and stuff break out on her feet. Now her doctor has her on a strict diet and in a wheelchair off her feet and made her take a sabbatical for the rest of this school year. Not trying to scare you but just stressing that you must follow your doctors orders. I know others that follow that doctor's orders and eat whatever they want, but in moderation. You're ok. Just be obedient.
 

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Kenn,

May of 2000, I got the same news. I was in denial and couldn't believe it. My Mom was diabetic and eventually went on dialysis because of kidney failure.

The first thing my doctor did was send me to the diabetes center at Huntsville Hospital. There, I worked with a nurse and dietician. The nurse educated me on checking my blood level, when, how, and what ranges were good and bad. The dietician educated me on diet, foods I could eat and to stay away from. First, they put me on a 2000 calorie diet. I lost 30 lbs with exercise. It came off at about 2 lbs a week, which is the preferred rate. I have kept the weight off, but watching how much I eat. I drink diet Dr. Pepper because it taste just like the regular. I use sweet 'n low in my coffee and tea. I check my blood sugar level about 4-7 times a week. I take a pill once a day to help keep the level down.

It took me about 2-3 months to adjust, you have to take care of yourself and you can manage alright. 20 months later, it's not such a big deal.

BTW, there is no such thing as borderline or sorta diabetic. You have been diabetic all along. Usually age and being overweight will bring it from dormat to an active stage. You have my prayers and encouragement. Together we can overcome this thing. Hang in their Kenn.... It could be have been a lot worst. But thanks to God it's not.

One thing I found out about how glucose and insulin work together. Glucose is the basic building block for cell energy. Every cell in the body needs glucose for energy so it can function to maxium extent. The insulin acts like a key that opens the door of the cell so the glucose can get in. If the body doesn't produce insulin or the right type, the glucose (sugar) level remain in the blood. These excess sugar levels then cause other organs to overwork to help get the sugar out of the blood. The kidney will work overtime causing frequent urination, etc. Eventually the kidney can fail from the extra workload and cause the person to need dialysis to remove the water fromt he body.

So Kenn, take this very serious. The test plan may not be such a bad thing. You will help not only yourself, but the rest of us cope better with better medication.

Keep in touch on this.

Grace and Peace
 
I understand what your going through myself. I was diagnoised with Type 2 Diabeties last spring. I have to take a pill once a day and watch my diet. It has a history in my family on my fathers side. I can tell when my sugar level is extremely high, I mean in the 300 and above range. I have tried to watch what I eat, but it is hard. I have dropped about 38 lbs in the last 4 months and I do feel better about that. I drink more water now than I used to and I need to excercise more, which is hard with my work schedule. I'm not sure about that experimental pill, because of what kind of side effects it could have on your body. There are more of us out here than you may think.
 
I agree with JSTUS. My sister has it, but I dont know which one it is. I know she takes pills and exercise. Exercise is one of the most important part of your diet. You can eat all the right foods, but if you dont walk, run, or something with it....it could be all for naught. Just listen to your doctor, do what he/she says, and enjoy life. Many people believe that if I can not eat what I want to eat that life is going to be awful. I believe that strict diets is just a whole new life to enjoy. Your body will surely thank you. :D

P. S. I dont know about any experiment though. I believe that I am no one's guinea pig. I am just cautious about takin new medications before they are FDA approved. :uhoh:
 
You'll definitely be in my prayers

I'm very sorry to hear this Kenn. It's a very serious disease that has to be checked daily. Please be careful what you eat. This disease runs heavily in my family as well and all my grandparents and great-grandparents have died b/c of the the complications from it. (Sorry, had to throw that in just to reitterate how serious the disease is.) Don't take it lightly......please.

Peace and GOD Bless:heart:
 
I was diagnosed with it about a year ago. My doctor said she would try diet and exercise at first, but when I went in to talk to her she immediately put me on two types of medication. I thought something was wrong with that because I didn't want to be on that stuff for life, so I stopped taking it and scheduled an appointment with a Diabetes educator and a Dietician. With their help I came up with a nutrition program for myself with 2900 calories a day and stuck to it (I actually had less calories per day most of the time). I also monitored my blood sugar level.

The next time I saw my doctor was 8 weeks later and I was 30 pounds lighter. I didn't tell her I stopped my meds. She checked everything that needed to be checked and said the pills were working well and prescribed more medication. :confused: I haven't seen her again. My blood sugar level stays in the 85-110 range.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can beat this if you work hard and stay at it. There has to be a lifestyle change. Think about your children seeing a healthy dad. Also, I would recommend not participating in the study your doctor suggested. This is too serious to be someone's guinea pig.
 
Sorry to hear that about you too jag4life, you guys take care of yourselves.

I'm having my physical on next Wednesday, so I'll be taking that test as well.

Peace
 
Kenn...

I'm sorry. What are the symptoms? What made you check it out? I know someone who was diagnosed with it last year. She changed her eating habits...decreasing sugar, watching calories and carbohydrates in take...she's lost a tremendous amount of weight and she does not have to take any medication or insulin...


But what are the symptoms? How can you help the rest of us to not get it... Thanks for sharing. I know it was hard!
 
J4J,

Some of the symptoms are dry mouth, excessive thirst, frequent urination, fatigueness, numbness in hands/fingers/feet/toes, and there are somemore, but I forget.

I have all the above.:( That's why I have to be checked regularly.
 
J4J,

I kinda found out about it by accident. I left work early on Thursday to go to the emergency room because of some discomfort I was experiencing in my chest. They drew blood, ran a EKG, etc. They didn't find anything related to the chest pains, which didn't happen again at all after I left work, but the doctor told me my blood suger level was at 325. He sugessted that I go to my doctor ASAP.

The next day, my doctor ran another test and indicated my suger level was at 193.

After talking with the doctor, it explained some of the problems that I was experiencing. I had experienced some sudden sharp pains in my kidney and experienced frequent urination. I personally thought the frequent trips to the restroom where the results of my increase of water intake, but I don't think that was the case now. And yes, there was some numbness in my fingers also.
 
Originally posted by Timbuktu Jag
I use sweet 'n low in my coffee and tea.
Click to expand...

Timbuktu Jag, you might want to get off that Sweet 'N Low. I don't know if you have read the label but it has Saccharin in it. It has been known to cause cancer in labratory animals.
My father has diabetes and he used to use Sweet 'N Low. He found out about the Saccahrin and its effects and he switched to Equal. A lot of people that I know have switched from Sweet 'N Low to another product.

I don't think my father takes any pills. He found out he had diabetes early. The doctor told him to watch what he eats and watch his blood sugar and he should be okay. I really don't know if he takes any pills or not.

My grandmother on my father's side had diabetes. I think that they said that diabetes skips a generation or something like that.

I hope that all of you with diabetes continue to take care of yourself. Watch what you eat and keep up with your sugar levels and you should be able to live as normal a life as possible.
 
Take Care

Kenn, I am sorry to hear this news. I rate veterans with Diabetes Type II and complications, if any. JSTUS provided some great advice. Take care of yourself Kenn, because the following are complications (sometimes fatal) of Diabetes:

Cardiovascular Disease
Retinopathy (eyes)
Neuropathy (nerves)
Nephropathy (abnormal state of the kidney)

Again, take care of yourself.
 
My prayers go out that you might be strong yet obeidiant to your Doctors.

I don't know much about Diabetes (no immediate family members) but grew up around elderly diabetics who suffered for years.

God's Blessing!
 

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My father died of complications from diabetes, because he refused to do anything to take care of himself. He went from taking one pill a day to having to have my mother give him two shots of insulin a day. I'm in the process of losing weight right now because I don't aim to have those problems ... Take care of yourself, YALLA BOY!!
 
You're right Antroy, that Sweet & Low is not good for you. I don't think any of those artificial sweetners are, but if you must use one, Equal is better. If you notice when dining at restaurants, they hardly ever have Equal out but always have Sweet & Low. They keep it in the back or don't have it at all because it's more expensive.

So Tim Jag, take care and GOD Bless.

Peace:heart:


btw, thanks for that website address Kenn. :tup:
 
Thanks Dtown and Kenn!

Kenn,

My mother has to watch her diet due to an apparent case of diabetes. My Grandmother the same thing at age 82 (she was diagnosed in the last 3-4 years). My uncle learned early on that he had diabetes. He died of complications from diabetes. He eventually had some toes, a foot, a leg amputated due to lack of circulation. PLEASE take care of yourself now! I don't want you to face any of the complications I have seen in my family. I never really gave it much thought, but I know more and more people who are closer to my age....and not until YOU shared did I even try to be concerned. However, you've just inspired me to learn more and do something about my weight... Thanks again! God be with you!
 
I would recommend you guys use a product called Splenda as a sweetener. It has no Aspartame (Equal) and no Saccharin (Sweet-N-Low). It also has no aftertaste. That's because it's made from a natural form of sugar that's found in fruit (apples, pears, etc) called Sucralose. It's also approved by the American Diabetes Association.

Check it out at www.splena.com.
 
Study touts lifestyle as way to cut diabetes risk

BOSTON -- Getting more exercise, eating a low-fat diet and losing some weight can prevent diabetes and may be more effective than the drug metformin, according to a study published in today's New England Journal of Medicine.

A team of researchers found when people at risk for diabetes changed their lifestyles, their chances of developing the disease dropped by 58 percent compared with people who did little except take a placebo.

Treatment with metformin, sold under the brand names Glucophage or Glucovance by Bristol-Myers Squibb, also reduced the risk, but to a far lesser degree -- by 31 percent.

The study is the second released this week that links lifestyle to adult-onset diabetes. On Monday, the Annals of Internal Medicine published research suggesting a diet rich in red meat, high-fat dairy products and baked goods made with refined sugar increased the likelihood of developing adult-onset diabetes.

That study found a diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and poultry cut the chances of getting diabetes.
 
Why is it that we as blacks get Diabetes more often than others do? Is it b/c of the way we eat? Is b/c we don't exercise enuff or what?
 
I to am a type II diabetic Kenn! My daily routine is one that consist of the following:

A morning walk-about 1 1/2 miles
Take my medicine "Amyril 4mg"
Breakfast- instant oatmeal and a banana
during the day i'm walking and doing light lifting

Lunch- A salad and some variation of chicken(never fried)
A diet soda(yuck)


Dinner- Beef, chicken(got that tyson hook up) steamed veggies and that darn diet soda again!

snacks will be popcorn, popcorn, popcorn!!! (act II lite)

In the beginning it's hard to deal with it! but once your routine is established, you can expand and tealize other opportunities! Also my wife is a diabetic!!!

It may seem that you life is over! I know I fely that way!!! But a whole new and better lifestyle awaits!!!!

Hang in ther Brother!!!
 
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