High blood sugar levels

[rgc729]

I was recently diagnosed with type II. I have BS levels ranging from 140 to 398 averaging 258 since I have been monitoring. I have always eaten well, no alcohol and I get some exercise daily. I am overweight 5' 10" & 230 lbs, have hepatitis C and cirrhosis. How do I get my BS levels down? Insulin?

[strawberri]

One of your biggest problem is your liver and the diseases. That is why your BS are unstable most likely. When u say eaten well, is it junk food free, processed foods, no packaged, boxed foods, and sugar and starch free. U just might change your diet to a Lowcarb one, have u looked into a naturepathic dr to help u heal your Liver in a natural way? are u on any diabetic med's or any other med's? I myself am on pharmacutical meds, but I have heard so much informaion that is natural for help with your disease, thats why I am asking theses questions. Its just one less thing to poisen your liver, u want to turn it around and make it happy...becasuse diabetes oral med's build up in the liver. Do u drink lemon juice in warm water in the am, its a great tonic to healing the liver. I am going to be seeing a naturalpathic dr this next month, I know thing will change for my diabetes with his help.

[rgc729]

I rarely eat junk food, occasionally some processed foods, no sugar anymore, and some starches.I love raw veggies and never fry anything. I am not on diabetic meds at present. My doctor wants me to try diet and more exercise at first. I take Lasix, amiloride, Reglan, Wellbutrin SR, Protonix, & Nadolol. I have also taken milk thistle extract (sylmarin) for several years. I was not aware of lemon tonics to heal your liver. I'll check in to that. Thanks!

[WaveRider]

"becasuse diabetes oral med's build up in the liver. Do u drink lemon juice in warm water in the am, its a great tonic to healing the liver."

Strawberri, this is so far from the truth I almost fell out of my chair. I have met with and I talk with liver surgeons on yearly basis. First at UCLA and currently at UCSF. These are the two major teaching hospitals in Calif on liver care & liver transplantation. To say oral diabetic medication builds up in the liver is unfounded. Metformin is one oral diabetic medication that has been cleared by both hospitals.

rgc729, you should go to the Delphi Liver Forum http://tinyurl.com/27v3uw to learn more about liver care, health & preventive measures from patients that have gone through what you're enduring, are going through, or know someone close to them that has. A real good source of "true" liver information.

As far as lemon juice is concerned, if you have Cirrhosis I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Anything acidic in nature is potentially harmful to the liver. Liver transplant patients are told to stay away from grapefruit or high acidic foods or risk the chance of the immune system rejecting the new organ.

I'm hoping that you are currently seeing  a liver specialist, one that deals with liver diseases, a Hepatologist.

[rgc729]

I do have one of Atlanta's best or the country's best liver specialist. However both he and my primary care physician have told me that I could not take the oral meds for diabetes because of my cirrhosis. I had never heard or read anything that said that lemon juice was good for my liver before this. I am fairly knowledgeable about my liver, cirrhosis, and hepC. I have done hours of research since my my hepC was diagnosed in 1994. Do you have hepatitis or other liver disease? I am not so knowledgeable about diabetes having only been diagnosed in August of this year. This time next year I will be. Thank you for your comments.

[MrsOckert]

I have Hep C, diabetes, high blood pressure, sarcoidosis, etc.

I believe your diabetes is most likely the result of the Hep C.  It does make you insulin resistant.  I've been on metformin (oral meds) for a couple years now.  I thought metformin was processed in the kidneys not the liver.  However, I'm not cirrhotic, I'm still in grade/stage 3.

Did you TX for the HCV?  I did for a year, but relapsed.

[WaveRider]

Good to hear you're on top of your diseases. Diabetes can be controlled largely through diet, sometimes with the aide of medication, and sometimes only with medication. I haven't read nor heard of Cirrhotic patients being told to stay away from oral diabetic medications unless there is some underlying reason(s) that your doctors have not shared with you. Hopefully, these two doctors are not from the same office/hospital and the Hepatologist is not being a johnny-be-good follower. That's the type of doctor who will go by what the previous doctor(s) says and not state his own medical opinion even if he has one. They do this so they don't create issues among fellow brother doctors. Hey, the hepatologist gets his patients by referral or assigned within the same hospital/office. You may want to seek out a second opinion. It won't hurt matters.

But by all means post on the Delphi web page I gave you earlier about diabetic oral