SCARED TO EAT FOOD NOW!

[Doti]

Hi I just got diagnosed type 2 diabetic this past weekend. i was started on glucophage immediately and given menus and diets to follow. even though i have these menus i am so afraid of eating now....i managed to get through the weekend pretty good and my numbers have come down...they were 330 and over the weekend i ranged from 275 to 307. How long does it take for the metformin er to take affect where you see the numbers drop followed with a diet....im so new to this and finding hundreds of things on the net....and also what is the danger zone numbers before you get put on insulin.

Dottie

[Zoelula]

You are on the right track so take a deep breath and hang in there! I disagree with the person who said you are a "half step from being put on insulin". I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way! For a Type II diabetic the correct step for you and your doctor to take is to start you on some oral medications and help you to learn the right way to eat. I agree with the person who said not to think of it as a diet but as good nutrition. Please don't be afraid to eat! As a diabetic, you need regular meals to stay balanced. I like to think of it that way....balance; you don't want to be too high OR too low. So don't skip meals! Your numbers may be high for awhile until the meds, nutrition and exercise begin to balance things out. Also, doctors often start you on just one medication and then add one or two more. This doesn't mean you are failing, or "a bad case", it is just how diabetes treatment works.

I just got put on Insulin and for me this is a positive thing. My body had stopped producing enough insulin and diet, exercise and oral meds could no longer control my diabetes. I feel much better! I disagree with thinking of being put on insulin as a "last resort" or "failing diabetes 101"! It doesn't mean you have a bad case or will have dire consequences. As a matter of fact current research is indicating that people started on insulin sooner have better longterm results. However, for you, worrying about insulin would be getting WAY ahead of yourself. Type II diabetics almost always respond to some combination of diet, exercise and oral meds. It just takes a little time.

I also think people (including professionals) sometimes make the diabetes diet seem more complicated than it is. There is no absolute correct way to eat. If someone told me I had to weigh and measure my food and eat only what was on a written list, I'd tell them to shoot me now! Besides, what works for one person doesn't work for another. Learn the guidelines and then find out what works for you with your likes and dislikes, your lifestyle and most of all test, test, test to see how various types of food, eating schedules and portions affect your blood sugar.

[pdljmpr]

It takes Metformin about 3-4 weeks to really kick in.  

I would suggest eating about 100g of carbs a day total.  That is whhat I try for and it helps. It is also difficult because I have always craved carbs. And dont' go below 1200 cals a day.  Make all your meals balanced, by that i mean all the food groups are there in every meal.  As much as we would like it , we can't save up our carbs for a meal like we can calories:(

Try to eat smaller meals everal times a day. www.calorieking.com is an excellet place to check the amount of carbs on foods.

2nd time I was dx'd (yes i slipped for a couple yrs) my bs was over 400 but he sent me home with metformin and that did the trick.  It took about 1.5 months to see a huge difference and about another month or two after that I was in the normal range all the time.

Good luck:)

[WaveRider]

"How long does it take for the metformin er to take affect where you see the numbers drop followed with a diet"
There three important factors in keeping your glucose levels under control. 1) A better word than diet is nutrition, eating proper foods in the proper amounts. Stay away from sugary foods and food containing bad carbs. These will raise your glucose levels. Google diabetes nutrition for other good recipes and food ideas. 2) Being over weight plays a large part in keeping your glucose levels above normal. Lose weight and you see those levels drop accordingly. 3) And, the last one is moderate exercise. Walking helps a lot, even a stationary bike. Some kind of exercise to get your blood to circulate helps in reducing excess glucose.

Currently your numbers are high. You're a half step away from being put on injectable insulin. Your numbers are considered boderline dangerous high so be careful and test your glucose often. If you reach 400 mg/dl go to emergency care immediately. Think of this; normal is below 126 mg/dl. You're over twice that amount. The doctor started you off with oral metformin and a diet plan for a good reason; to see if you listen to instructions. Failure to do so leads to insulin as the last resort. It's not hard to manage your diabetes but it does requires a lifestyle change. You have to rid yourself of all those old bad habits if you wish to be well. Good luck.