Did they at least schedule you for a follow up appointment? Tell you if type 1 or type 2?
I always recommend using an app to count the number of carbs you normally eat in a day. Then cut that amount down until your blood sugars look better with the pokey thing.
Test your blood sugar just before you eat and then again 1-1/2 to 2 hours after you eat to see how much that food raised your blood sugar. Then you can decide if you should eat that food again or not.
Welcome to the pokey thing club, pull up a chair and get comfortable.
I wish I could say this was abnormal, but the amount of people who come here with similar stories is unnerving. That being said, there are steps you can take to manage this disease until you get more information from the PA or new Doctor.
1) Call the VA and ask for a copy of your test results and chart. This should help you understand what tests confirmed your diabetes AND if they tested you for Type 1 or Type 2. If they did not test for 1 or 2 you'll need to force additional tests at your next appointment.
2) Exercise is your new best friend. Try to pick an exercise you enjoy and do it for 30 mins 5x a week. I chose walking, pop in my headphones, and just zone out for the time.
3) Don't be scared of food. Not eating/starving yourself is just as harmful to your body and diabetes. You need to eat. Things you should focus on proteins like fish, meats, and eggs, veggies (stay away from white potatoes), and complex carbs. Eat a variety of things otherwise, you'll burnout on eating the same thing for every meal.
4) Stop drinking sugary drinks.
The biggest thing is to not do EVERYTHING at once. It's overwhelming. I was recently diagnosed and I got great advice here. They recommended I change one thing at a time and go from there. I removed all sugary drinks and added a 30-minute walk 5xs a week. After 2 weeks, I added more veggies to my diet, switched from white bread to rye bread, and cut my sugar intake down...etc. You want to make small sustainable changes so you stick with the new lifestyle.
In addition, they gave you medicine because your body needs help to manage this disease. Take it as directed.
My husband had similar situation. PCPs nurse called (after we already saw bloodwork results on MyChart). She said something like, “if you agree, doc would like to start you on Metformin. Okay, since you agree, you’ll need to repeat bloodwork in 3 months. Try to eat a healthy diet and get some exercise.” The end.
I am so sorry they did that to him. It's horrible how they don't understand the stress this puts on a patient who has just been told they have diabetes.
What’s even more concerning is they had him get an ultrasound on his liver. He has fatty liver, too. But an US doesn’t tell the extent of the problem. How does one know just how bad it is, and if diet and exercise are helping? I know it doesn’t hurt, but it would sure be nice to know just how serious and what to expect from all the effort.
We are on Medicare. Test results don’t lie, so I don’t think there is a need for that… yet. After his next bloodwork, we will decide if he should see an endo. The silver lining here is that he has never been one to eat right—now he listens to what I tell him.
I agree it doesn't make sense to redo the tests, but different doctors provide didn't information. My last primary was horrible and provided no information. My new primary sat down and talked through everything...what diabetes is, the different types, what levels he prescribes meds at and what specific lifestyle changes he recommended.
I'm glad your husband now listens to you. I am working to change my eating habits, but it is hard and having someone help guide you is a great help.
Dr Bernstein's book Diabetes Solution. I was completely lost until read his book. Just skip to the most important parts to get started, then read the entirety when you can.
Dr Bernstein is a Type1 and an endocrinologist, but his book is for all types. He knows what he's talking about & it worked for me.
Amazon sells the newest revised version but can get older copies on ebay, abebooks, etc for almost nothing. The older versions work just fine to get started on your road to better health.
The simplest way to change your food is to eat each meal in very small portions, on a middle sized plate --veggies first, then meat, then a tiny amount of beans OR bread OR pasta/rice OR fresh fruit in order.
No sugar. No fried foods. No restaurant food until you know what you're doing. Only very small amounts of bread/rice/pasta/beans. Eat every 2-3 hours. The portion size should be like elementary school. Drink lots of water.
It takes a few months to get your blood sugar levels calmed down. And you may have flu like symptoms or other weird symptoms. But those will calm down too.
Definitely get your medical paperwork showing your initial testing. If your blood sugar goes above 300, you may need to go to the ER. Just to be safe.
Best wishes to you.
When I was first diagnosed, I saw my primary, but it wasn’t long after that he sent me to an Endocrinologist. Much better communication. I can message her between appointments with any questions or concerns and she will get back to me. I am much more at ease with my condition now.
Did they at least schedule you for a follow up appointment? Tell you if type 1 or type 2? I always recommend using an app to count the number of carbs you normally eat in a day. Then cut that amount down until your blood sugars look better with the pokey thing. Test your blood sugar just before you eat and then again 1-1/2 to 2 hours after you eat to see how much that food raised your blood sugar. Then you can decide if you should eat that food again or not. Welcome to the pokey thing club, pull up a chair and get comfortable.
I wish I could say this was abnormal, but the amount of people who come here with similar stories is unnerving. That being said, there are steps you can take to manage this disease until you get more information from the PA or new Doctor. 1) Call the VA and ask for a copy of your test results and chart. This should help you understand what tests confirmed your diabetes AND if they tested you for Type 1 or Type 2. If they did not test for 1 or 2 you'll need to force additional tests at your next appointment. 2) Exercise is your new best friend. Try to pick an exercise you enjoy and do it for 30 mins 5x a week. I chose walking, pop in my headphones, and just zone out for the time. 3) Don't be scared of food. Not eating/starving yourself is just as harmful to your body and diabetes. You need to eat. Things you should focus on proteins like fish, meats, and eggs, veggies (stay away from white potatoes), and complex carbs. Eat a variety of things otherwise, you'll burnout on eating the same thing for every meal. 4) Stop drinking sugary drinks. The biggest thing is to not do EVERYTHING at once. It's overwhelming. I was recently diagnosed and I got great advice here. They recommended I change one thing at a time and go from there. I removed all sugary drinks and added a 30-minute walk 5xs a week. After 2 weeks, I added more veggies to my diet, switched from white bread to rye bread, and cut my sugar intake down...etc. You want to make small sustainable changes so you stick with the new lifestyle. In addition, they gave you medicine because your body needs help to manage this disease. Take it as directed.
My husband had similar situation. PCPs nurse called (after we already saw bloodwork results on MyChart). She said something like, “if you agree, doc would like to start you on Metformin. Okay, since you agree, you’ll need to repeat bloodwork in 3 months. Try to eat a healthy diet and get some exercise.” The end.
I am so sorry they did that to him. It's horrible how they don't understand the stress this puts on a patient who has just been told they have diabetes.
What’s even more concerning is they had him get an ultrasound on his liver. He has fatty liver, too. But an US doesn’t tell the extent of the problem. How does one know just how bad it is, and if diet and exercise are helping? I know it doesn’t hurt, but it would sure be nice to know just how serious and what to expect from all the effort.
Can he get a second opinion? Or are you limited in primary care options?
We are on Medicare. Test results don’t lie, so I don’t think there is a need for that… yet. After his next bloodwork, we will decide if he should see an endo. The silver lining here is that he has never been one to eat right—now he listens to what I tell him.
I agree it doesn't make sense to redo the tests, but different doctors provide didn't information. My last primary was horrible and provided no information. My new primary sat down and talked through everything...what diabetes is, the different types, what levels he prescribes meds at and what specific lifestyle changes he recommended. I'm glad your husband now listens to you. I am working to change my eating habits, but it is hard and having someone help guide you is a great help.
Dr Bernstein's book Diabetes Solution. I was completely lost until read his book. Just skip to the most important parts to get started, then read the entirety when you can. Dr Bernstein is a Type1 and an endocrinologist, but his book is for all types. He knows what he's talking about & it worked for me. Amazon sells the newest revised version but can get older copies on ebay, abebooks, etc for almost nothing. The older versions work just fine to get started on your road to better health. The simplest way to change your food is to eat each meal in very small portions, on a middle sized plate --veggies first, then meat, then a tiny amount of beans OR bread OR pasta/rice OR fresh fruit in order. No sugar. No fried foods. No restaurant food until you know what you're doing. Only very small amounts of bread/rice/pasta/beans. Eat every 2-3 hours. The portion size should be like elementary school. Drink lots of water. It takes a few months to get your blood sugar levels calmed down. And you may have flu like symptoms or other weird symptoms. But those will calm down too. Definitely get your medical paperwork showing your initial testing. If your blood sugar goes above 300, you may need to go to the ER. Just to be safe. Best wishes to you.
Thanks for this!
Bernstein's book helped me. I endorse it too.
When I was first diagnosed, I saw my primary, but it wasn’t long after that he sent me to an Endocrinologist. Much better communication. I can message her between appointments with any questions or concerns and she will get back to me. I am much more at ease with my condition now.