noncompliant diabetic husband

[kweaver]

I need help. My husband was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetics approximately 8 months ago. He fails to see the seriousness and is very reluctant to change his ways. He is only 26 years old, far from overweight, he is 6'2" and weighs 170lbs, and seems to lose more weight as the days go by. We are currently residing overseas, and the medical information we have been getting has not been helpful, and at times contradicting. None of the doctors we have dealt with had any real knowledge in how to treat diabetes. He was put on a 2500 calorie a day diet and felt as if he was starving himself. I was reading another thread where someone said to have 6 carbs for breakfast and 12 each for lunch and dinner. How is this possible? Everything we look at in the grocery store has way more carbs than that. I myself am a carb lover but want to change so we can be on the same food plan. There were times when his blood sugar levels were normal, but somewhere along the way it changed and we are finding it hard to get back on track (especially when he is so resistant to changing his diet). Now we are lucky to see levels at 220. If anyone has any information for me for his diet and/or how to get him to see the seriousness (I dont want to be his mother, I know it only makes him resist it more), I would greatly appreciate it.

[dina1957]

Hi kweaver:
Are you sure that he 's type 2, seems more like type 1 to me. too young and not overweight, it's strange to be type 2. make sure you got all test done, as antibodies, c-peptide, GAD, etc. as for 6-12-12 plan, it would be hard for him to keep his existing weight, not sure if it would work well. but after all, i'm not a doctor and there are other people on this forum, who are not overweight and do well on 30-40 gram carbs plan.
as for groceries, the best is to get home cooked food, instead of pre-packaged one. try meat , fish, poiltry, eggs, low carb diary with non-starchy vegetables and good fat. good luck and keep us posted,
Dina

[kweaver]

hi dina,

thanks for the reply. the doctors tell us he's type 2, so that's about all we can go on right now. he has been able to keep his blood sugars at normal levels for extended periods of time without insulin, using only his medication and diet, but somehow he's deviated from it and can't get back on track. thanks for you help.

[eevee]

Sounds to me like Type 1 also...whatever country you are in, the doctors will surely know about testing for autoimmune conditions. These tests would confirm which type. If Type 1 he will continue to drop weight fast because his body is burning itself up for fuel. Until the glucose from the food he eats can get from the bloodstream into his cells this will continue to happen. Without insulin--either natural or injected--this process cannot take place..!!

So you can see, it is important that you discover for sure that he is/isn't T1.
Eve

[switzr]

hi dina,

thanks for the reply. the doctors tell us he's type 2, so that's about all we can go on right now. he has been able to keep his blood sugars at normal levels for extended periods of time without insulin, using only his medication and diet, but somehow he's deviated from it and can't get back on track. thanks for you help.

Hi,

Sounds exactly like me. I am 6 foot and 175 pounds - I have been diagnosed type 2 (perhaps 1.5, since the GAD tests will be negative during the "honeymoon" period which can last an indefinite period of time) and I am extremely active (run 3+ miles in the morning 5 days a week and do lots of resistance training).

I usually eat around 3000+ calories a day and do _not_ gain a pound. I was slowly loosing weight for a period of 1 year before diagnosis. I actually dropped down to 165 pounds and have now gained back 10 pounds since I have gotten my BGL under control.

All that matters is BGL control - do whatever it takes (exercise, diet, medicine, insulin) to keep it in the normal range. Type 1 or type 2 means nothing to me it is simply a classification ...

Adam

[eevee]

All that matters is BGL control - do whatever it takes (exercise, diet, medicine, insulin) to keep it in the normal range.[/QUOTE

That is exactly the way tp approach diabetes.

[QUOTE]Type 1 or type 2 means nothing to me it is simply a classification ...
Wish that were true..!!
Cheers...Eve

[Lisa N]

26 is fairly young to be diagnosed as type 2, but it's not out of the question. Children as young as 9 are now developing type 2 diabetes.
If his blood sugars are not controlled, I'm not surprised that he's losing weight either; this will happen to a type 2 who is not well controlled but it does signal that he is headed for trouble in the very near future if he does not get those blood sugars back into line again. The hunger can also be a sign of uncontrolled blood sugars as the cells are not getting the glucose that they need are are signalling the body for more through hunger. Getting the blood sugars under control can help control that as well.

As for how to get him to see the seriousness of his condition, this link might be a good start: http://www.umassmed.edu/diabeteshandbook/chap12.htm#Diabetes_Complications
He may, however, still be in a certain state of denial about his condition but the sooner he realizes that this is for real and potentially life threatening the better. Simply put, diabetes kills if you don't take it seriously.

What to eat? My first suggestion on that would be to get a good book (preferably several) on low carbing; some good ones are: Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes solution, website www.diabetes-normalsugars.com Protein Power, website www.eatprotein.com and Atkins, website www.Atkins.com
Those sites can at least give you the basics if you can't find or get the books you need where you currently live. Have your husband read these as well. This is his disease and he needs to be the primary person in managing it, not you. Since the advice you are receiving is conflicting and confusing, you are going to have take it upon yourselves to learn what you need to know to beat this thing.
Doing the 6-12-12 meals is very doable, but not if you rely heavily on pre-packaged convenience foods. The majority of his calories will be coming from fats, not carbohydrates, first, then protein and then carbohydrates. Focus on whole unprocessed foods such as meats, fish, poultry, butter, olive oil, cream eggs, cheese and non-starchy dark green vegetables. Stay away from breads, rice, pasta, flour, sugar, potatoes and other starchy high glycemic vegetables.
Please let us know how he is doing and feel free to ask all the questions you like. :)

[kweaver]

hey all,

thanks for all your advice and help. We've been cutting down on the carbs and the sugars, still getting some odd results, but coming down as well. Does anyone eat sugar free chocolates? my husband loves them, but i was wondering if anyone eats them and how it affects their bgl. thanks again for your help.

Kristin

[alaskaman]

'Fraid the sugar free chocolates can be bad news - they can be labeled "sugar free" cause they don't have table sugar(sucrose) but may have other stuff, maltitol, dextrose, fructose, and many other sugaralcohol type things which can raise blood sugar. Be careful, check with your meter when you know you haven't eaten anything else that could raise the reading. Bill

[p_rosie]

I think what Bill says is true, you must eat the chocolates only with permission of your meter...also these can have and effect on your stomach (bloating) and bowels if consumed in quantity. I find this a good thing actually, I had a box of fancy SF chocolates and had one per evening w/o ill effect. Fear of upset plumbing kept me from thinking SF meant okay to eat the lot! I wish you well with your husbands DX/LC journey.

[dina1957]

hey all,

Does anyone eat sugar free chocolates?
Kristin

Hi Kristin:
if you can find a 85% cocoa dark chocolate, which has very little carbs per square, may be it would be better to get a square of real thing than a box of SF. some of us can eat a square or two without adverse effect on BGs. It's a very fine chocolate and your DH may even appreciate the rich test. i never tried SF chocolate but SF jello upsets my stomack as well.
Cheers,
Dina

[c6h6o3]

still getting some odd results, but coming down as well.

Kristin

That's certainly good news.

The most important thing you can do at this point is to buy Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution (http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com) and read it from cover to cover. Reading that book has added at least 20 years to my life. Getting my doctor to read has probably saved a lot more lives.

[revan]

kweaver,

You're husband's diagnosis sounds a lot like mine. I was diagnosed as a Type II when I turned 30, at 155 pounds by my family physician. I went almost a year burning out my beta cells before I went to a specialist at Joslin and was correctly diagnosed as a type I (in my honeymoon phase). If I had got a second opinon earlier, there is a possiblity that I could have saved some of my insulin producing beta cells by taking insulin immediately. So, you should get a second opinion by a doctor who specializes in Diabetic care. My opinion only, though

Revan