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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Wolf Dreamer on February 5, 2004, at 15:12:54
I am 28 years old, and gave up sugar months ago. For much of my life unfortunately, sugar made up the bulk of my diet.
I'd consume massive amounts of chocolate and ice cream.
This of course probably gave me candida problems, but hopefully thats all dead since I don't eat sugar any more, having recently decided to give up oranges even.
But I do worry that perhaps I developed diabetes two from massive sugar intact during much of my life. I believe that is what causes it.
Anyway, what exactly are the symptoms, what do I do about it if I have it, and can I get something cheap to test myself at home or do I have to go see a doctor?
Could this contribute significantly to my anxiety? The change of diet and all the supplements I take, does seem to make anxiety easier to manage.
Posted by Penny on February 5, 2004, at 15:40:55
In reply to curious if I have diabetes two, posted by Wolf Dreamer on February 5, 2004, at 15:12:54
Diabetes is not caused by eating sugar - even lots of sugar.
And when you say you gave up sugar - did you give up bread and starchy foods (carbs) as well? Because those, especially simple carbs (white bread, white pasta, potatoes), turn to sugar in your system.
Here's a link to some type 2 diabetes info:
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/riskfortype2/index.htmIf you suspect that you are diabetic, you need to go to a doctor. It is true that type 2 diabetes can sometimes be managed by diet, but this isn't always the case. Sometimes you need medication to assist in the process. And not taking care of yourself when you have diabetes is no laughing matter. I think that website should give you the info you are looking for.
P
Posted by Wolf Dreamer on February 5, 2004, at 16:13:49
In reply to Re: curious if I have diabetes two » Wolf Dreamer, posted by Penny on February 5, 2004, at 15:40:55
I gave up instant 3 minuted noodles, formerly what I ate large amounts every day. I gave up those because I was getting fat, and each pack has 380 calories in it, and I ate 2 packs at a time, several times a day.
Those years of starch was surely bad for me.
I have been steadily lossing weight since giving up the noodles, and am now only 148. I think I was over 170 before.
I gave up white bread long before that. When I was younger I ate penut butter on white bread every day, and then pooped constantly because of it. I didn't realize it at the time, and since I hate eating and hate most foods, there wasn't much else around. Other than junk food of course, which I had plenty of.
---
Now I eat masquete chicken I get in bags from Sam's Wholesale Club, brown rice, boiled egg whites, tostitos(made from corn), and sometimes bannannas. There is absolutely no other food going in me now whatsoever. Just that, distilled water, and plenty of vitamins and supplements of all kind.
Would any of that stuff be bad for me if I had diabetes? I've been trying to exercise a bit each day, but thats just jumping jacks and push ups against the back of the couch. I still sit my butt in front of the computer all day, and almost never leave the house.I have all of this stuff:
increased thirst
increased hunger
fatigue
increased urination, especially at night
weight lossBut not:
blurred vision
sores that do not healThey heal, although sometimes it seems rather slowly.
Posted by Racer on February 5, 2004, at 17:21:03
In reply to Re: curious if I have diabetes two, posted by Wolf Dreamer on February 5, 2004, at 16:13:49
Trying to eat well and get exercise is all good, BUT you gotta be smart about it all. Most of those supplements are suspect at best, and some of them are downright dangerous. Healthy, *real* food is the best place to get your vitamins, and beyond that, a good multi-vitamin.
A few words about diabetes: Diabetes is a very serious disease. Period, end of story. It's not something to worry about -- it's something to DO something about. NOW.
Yes, there are some tests you can do at home, but they're not particulary accurate. You can test your blood glucose levels with a glucometer -- set you back about a hundred bux, if you get only the 50 strip pack of testers. You can check your urine glucose with strips from the drugstore, but they're not only not as accurate, they're also really hard to read. You can check your ketone levels in urine with strips from the drugstore, again, not accurate and hard to read.
If, indeed, you're seriously concerned that you have developed diabetes, go see a doctor. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to blindness, neuropathy, kidney failure, heart failure, amputation of limbs, and a few other serious things that you DON'T want to deal with.
In the meantime, just as a suggestion, look at other possible causes for your symptoms. You've lost weight? Maybe you've lost it because you're not eating as many fattening foods? Could the dry mouth and thirst be caused by medications? Could the increased hunger be caused by the change in your diet? (Fats and carbs satisfy hunger better and longer than proteins, for example. That doesn't mean to eat lots of high fat, high carb foods, it only means that trying to eliminate them entirely from your diet may be counterproductive.)
Hope that helps.
Posted by Karen_kay on February 5, 2004, at 22:40:26
In reply to Type II diabetes and health and diet fads » Wolf Dreamer, posted by Racer on February 5, 2004, at 17:21:03
OMG!!!! That sounds a lot like me.... And it runs in my family.. I'm 24 right now. At what age do you normally develope diabetes??? Can a Pdoc order the tests from a lab? I'd feel more comfortable talking to him about it than my regular MD...
Posted by Penny on February 6, 2004, at 9:09:54
In reply to Re: Type II diabetes and health and diet fads » Racer, posted by Karen_kay on February 5, 2004, at 22:40:26
Type II diabetes is more common in folks who are obese, but this isn't always the case, and especially if it runs in your family (as it does in mine), you should be paying attention and periodically getting checked, if your doc thinks there's reason. Due to my weight problem and the fact that both my dad and my maternal grandmother are type II diabetics, plus I have two cousins who are type I diabetics, I am checked regularly for diabetes.
Type II diabetes used to be called 'adult-onset' diabetes, but is showing up in younger generations now due to rising levels of obesity in children and teens.
http://www.nih.gov/news/WordonHealth/jun2002/childhoodobesity.htmAnyway, as Racer said, the important thing is to get checked BY A PHYSICIAN if you suspect you are at risk for diabetes. If it runs in your family, you should definitely know what you can do to limit the possibility of your developing type 2 diabetes later in life. (as opposed to Type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disorder, usually strikes children and teens, and there's nothing you can do to prevent it.)
As for whether you should see your regular doc or not - your pdoc is certainly qualified, as a physician, to order the diabetes diagnostic tests - fasting glucose levels and such. It just depends on whether it's something he would be willing to do - might be something he would be happy to screen you for, but I doubt he would be willing to manage it for you if you were diagnosed, as that's not his area of specialty. For that you would need to see your GP or an endocrinologist (a GP is usually the one to manage all but the most severe diabetes - usually type 1 - cases).
P
Posted by Penny on February 6, 2004, at 9:26:52
In reply to Re: curious if I have diabetes two, posted by Wolf Dreamer on February 5, 2004, at 16:13:49
You really need to see your doc, WolfDreamer. As with any disease, you don't have to have all the symptoms in order to have the disease.
As Racer said, there are other things that could be causing the symptoms you describe - but it's really up to your doc to rule those out and give you the proper diagnostic tests. And, I can't emphasize this enough, diabetes is not a disease to play around with. It will not go away on it's own. In some cases, as I said, it might be controlled by diet (type 2 only), but in many cases, medication is a necessity. My father is a type 2 diabetic. At the time he was diagnosed, he was quite obese. After losing a good deal of weight and being on medication for a while (pills, not insulin injections), he was able to go off medication and his blood sugar levels remained normal. However, not too long later, his blood sugar levels started increasing to dangerous levels again, even though he was no longer obese, and he, in fact, began rapidly dropping weight. Today, at nearly 48 years old, he looks terrible - like a walking skeleton - and he's extremely unhealthy, yet he refuses to take medication. At this point, he may need insulin injections, as regular medication typically prescribed to type 2 diabetics might not work for him any longer. However, had he started taking care of himself when he first started noticing the diabetes symptoms after going off of medication the first time, this might not be the case. (Though type 2 diabetics do, sometimes, have to start taking insulin even if they have properly managed their disease from the get-go).
http://www.diabetes.org/type-2-diabetes/oral-medications.jspAnyway, I'll say again - you really need to see your doctor. You need, at the very least, to share with him or her that you are experiencing these symptoms, and what kind of diet you are eating, and the supplements you are taking. IMO, your diet doesn't sound very balanced, and supplements are not the best answer to a balanced diet - they are intended to supplement, not to replace. You might consider speaking to a nutritionist as well, though you might be referred to one if you are diagnosed with diabetes anyway.
I hope you'll seek medical attention.
P
Posted by noa on February 6, 2004, at 11:04:11
In reply to Re: curious if I have diabetes two » Wolf Dreamer, posted by Penny on February 6, 2004, at 9:26:52
I'm in the high risk group for Type 2 diabetes, or insulin resistant diabetes. My endocrinologist, when I went to be checked for hypothyroidism, suspected as much and had me tested. I had the oral glucose tolerance test--First, they drew blood before I'd eaten anything that day. Then, they had me drink a disgustingly sweet liquid. Then, they drew blood at various intervals up to two hours. In between, I was able to go down to the lobby or outside the building, as long as I was back in the lab at the next draw time. From this they found that regular blood sugar level is fine, but post glucose drink it went up a lot--not quite to the level of diagnosing diabetes, but much higher than normal, and I guess the rate at which the blood sugar levels returned to normal was slower than normal, again not quite in the diabetes range, but getting there.
So, the endo put me on glucophage xr pills. I know I also need to do more to lose weight and curb my sugar/carbo intake, because although the glucophage has kept my blood sugar in check, who knows how much longer it will suffice?
I had been exercising regularly when the glucophage was first prescribed, and the combo of glucophage plus regular exercise facilitated some good weight loss. My exercise habits are very episodic--when I am in exercise habit, I lose weight. When not, gradually gain it back. Not nearly as quickly as before the glucophage, though.
I really do need to start exercising again. Aside from the insulin resistance risk, I apparently tested positive for c-reactive protein last spring, which is scary because the news is full of reports about this being a predictor of heart disease. I may still have a little protection left from being in childbearing age, but that's not gonna be around much longer either, and when the hormones go, the risk of heart attack rises a lot. The insulin resistance also is a risk for heart disease because apparently when the body produces more and more insulin in its attempts to metabolize the sugar in the face of cells being resistant to the effects of the insulin, apparently the insulin can be damaging to the arteries, etc.
OK, when did I officially become middle aged and having to worry about these things in such stark reality??
Posted by Racer on February 6, 2004, at 11:28:49
In reply to Re: Type II diabetes and health and diet fads » Racer, posted by Karen_kay on February 5, 2004, at 22:40:26
In your case, KK, your diet probably has a lot more to do with your symptoms. When you don't eat all day, and then eat at night, you're not doing your endocrine system any favors.
Here's a very basic idea of how it all works:
The pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin, which allows cells to be able to use glucose for energy. Much of the food we eat, especially carbs, is turned into glucose as part of the digestive process, and glucose is the main source of energy for a living body. When insulin is not produced, the cells die because they can't use the glucose. When too much insulin is produced, the cells will die from too much energy -- unless they develop some level of insulin resistance. When blood glucose levels fall too low, the body activates a sort of back up system: the adrenal glands and the liver start trying to fix the problem, by producing a lot of adrenaline (that's the adrenals) and by breaking down the liver cells to create more glucose for those cells to use. Guess what? That's not a good thing...
Type II diabetes is often called Insulin Resistant diabetes, because the pancreas is producing insulin, but the cells can't use it. This can happen for a number of reasons, but eating once a day is a good way to up your chances of getting a problem with it. It's better for all parts of your body to eat more smaller meals every couple of hours, rather than one big meal. In fact -- I know, you've all heard this before -- if you're trying to lose weight, eating six small meals a day will do more than three midsized or larger meals. AND is likely to be more satisfying.
So, to repeat the salient details: diabetes is nothing to play around with. Healthy eating habits and regular exercise can go a long way towards avoiding developing diabetes. Results of diabetes range from the annoying, like male impotence; to the extreme, like having your legs amputated or going blind. And just as an aside, most of those side effects are more in the "when it happens" category, rather than that "if".
I know, I'm still yelling about this. It is very, very serious. DO something about it.
And, KK, if you're going to eat only one meal in a day, make it breakfast, not dinner. And read up on what women's bodies will do with limited intake. The answers there may surprise you, and it really is a Girl Thing. (Taking in far fewer calories than you need will put almost as much weight on your as mild overeating. Most anorexics know this, and eat three meals a day. It's just that those three meals will be quite small.)
This is the end of the thread.
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