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Re: Questions RE: Type II Diabetes HELP
Re: Questions RE: Type II Diabetes HELP -- Posted by Julie Bove on 06-28-03 08:59
"Michael Roback" wrote in message
news:kbbLa.68704$Io.6433171@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
>
> I have had a hx of high cholesterol, 215-268 with a rato that ranges from
> 5.1-7.1. I had controlled it with Niacin I thought, and hadn't had a
> physical for several years. Recently, at about 25 LBS overweight, I
finally
> decided to go for a physical. I had put it off as I wanted to lose weight
> to get life insurance and my weight never came off but I never really
worked
> hard at it. I was horrified at my physical to learn that my Cholesterol
was
> at about 275, triglycerides at about 220, LDL was at about 190, HDL 48 and
> my ratio was about 6.1. Also my blood sugar was about 175. When I did
the
> A1C test it came back 9.1. The doctor put me on glucophage and zocor.
The
> questions are:
>
> 1) Is it a foregone conclusion that I am diabetic or could it be a
function
> of my weight? In the past when my weight went down, so did my cholesterol
> numbers.
You are diabetic.
>
> 2) I am reading that Diabetes can be reversed with diet and exercise but
> some physicians say that in theory it can never be reversed.
Can't be reversed. Can be controlled. Now there are specific situations
where diabetes *can* go away. But in these cases, the diabetes was caused
by taking certain medications, such as steroids. And there has been recent
debate about the thyroid/diabetes connection.
>
> 3) If one is genetically predisposed to diabetes, would it develop even
for
> one in good shape with lots of exercise. What I am wondering is if I
> definitely brought it on myself . In other words, had I exercised and been
> at a decent weight is it possible that I would have never developed it or
> would the onset just have been forstalled?
I was in good shape and got lots of exercise when I got GD (gestational
diabetes). Did I forstall my diagnosis? Maybe. My brother was diagnosed
at a slightly younger age than I was. But the part about exercise and
decent weight do not necessarily go hand in hand. There is one school of
thought that says the insulin resistance caused by diabetes is what causes
the weight gain.
>
> 4) If one monitors and controlls their diabetes, can they live just as
long
> as anyone else without any complications?
Maybe. Unfortunately, there is no way of telling who will get the
complications and who won't. Some people do everything they're supposed to
and still get complications. Yet still others do not control their diabetes
and somehow manage to escape complications.
>
> 5) Is it better to be off of medication and try to deal with it with diet
> and exercise first?
No. Use the medication if you need it. And some medications (like
Glucophage) are good to be on because of the protection they give to the
heart.
>
> 6) Anyone have any experiences getting life insurance with controlled
> diabetes and if so how much is it compared to someone who
> does not have it?
Don't know about that.
>
> 7) I am using KetoDia Sticks to generally check my ketones and glucose.
> Should I invest in a glucometer and if so which one?
Useless except for ketones. And you probably don't need to check those
unless you are on a really low carb diet. If glucose reaches your urine,
that means it was in your blood some many hours ago and you were way out of
control. Means nothing at the time you pee it out. A meter is the only way
to know how your control is.
>
> 8) I will be visiting the MD for the first time post glucophage in a few
> weeks. What type of reduction in numbers should I be looking for?
Glucophage can take several weeks to kick in. You might be on a starting
dose right now. Ideally, you should be at <110 fasting and <140 at two
hours after eating. Some people go for <140 at 1 hour after eating and <120
at two hours after eating. But with no meter, you have no idea how you are
doing.
>
> 9) Should I get a consult from a endocrinologist?
If you feel your Dr. is not capable of treating your diabetes. My GP
refuses to do anything with my diabetes aside from ordering lab tests and
refilling prescriptions. I do also have a thyroid problem and that
complicates things. I see an Endo.
>
> Thanks for all of your support. I am very new to this. Any good books to
> read?
The best one I've found is the American Diabetes Complete Guide to Diabetes.
--
Type 2
http://users.bestweb.net/~jbove/
Re: Questions RE: Type II Diabetes HELP -- Posted by TREKKINGUY on 07-11-03 21:34
> No. Use the medication if you need it. And some medications (like
> Glucophage) are good to be on because of the protection they give to the
> heart.
> >
This is the 1st i have heard of this, how does it protect the heart? thnx
Re: Questions RE: Type II Diabetes HELP -- Posted by oldal4865 on 07-12-03 06:25
TREKKINGUY wrote in message ...
>
>> No. Use the medication if you need it. And some medications (like
>> Glucophage) are good to be on because of the protection they give to the
>> heart.
>> >
>
>This is the 1st i have heard of this, how does it protect the heart? thnx
>
>
One assumes that since metformin (Glucophage) reduces Insulin
Resistance, it also reduces the net amount of circulating insulin in the
blood. High levels of circulating insulin characteristic of Type 2 diabetes
cause damage to arteries which raises the risk of premature heart attack.
Also, high blood sugars cause a second type of damage (AGE) to the
arteries. For most folks, metformin helps them lower blood sugars, and
thus minimize the AGE type damage. (Advanced Glycosylation End-products)
Finally, high triglycerides are a result of high Insulin Resistance. High
triglycerides cause a third form of damage to the arteries. Metformin tends
to reduce triglycerides levels. and thus, it is assumed, reduces the risk
of premature heart attack.
In any case, they know it does something since they ran clinical trials and
it reduced the rate of heart attack in overweight T2 diabetics.
BTW: The risk of premature heart attack for Type 2 diabetics is so high
that some doctors regard Type 2 diabetes as "a Cardiovascular disease marked
by occasional high blood sugars" That's one of the big reasons for
therapies which encourage:
a. Anti-Insulin Resistance meds like metformin, Actos and Avandia
b. Blood Pressure meds, especially the ACE and ARB type
ACE and ARB meds do such "good" things for Type 2 diabetics that some
medical personnel are talking about asking their T2 folks to take one or
both even if their b.p. doesn't look all that bad.
In addition to the meds, the basic anti-Heart Attack strategy for Type 2
diabetics is:
a. Lose fat lb
b. Gain muscle lb
c. Exercise regularly and vigorously
d. Ration carbs, eat slowly-digesting carbs, spread your carbs over
several small meals
Regards
Old Al
Re: Questions RE: Type II Diabetes HELP -- Posted by Thelma Lubkin on 07-12-03 06:57
oldal4865 wrote:
: High levels of circulating insulin characteristic of Type 2 diabetes
: cause damage to arteries which raises the risk of premature heart attack.
How do you characterize the break between 'premature heart
attack' and non-premature heart attack? I've never been clear
about this.
--thelma
: Regards
: Old Al
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