I
was told I had diabetes at the age of 31. At the time, I weighed
2601bs and was immediately put into hospital. I had routine blood
and urine tests about a week before and was informed of the results
on Christmas Eve day. However, I persuaded my doctor to hold off
my admission to hospital until after Christmas, meaning Boxing day.
I did not want to celebrate the holiday in hospital. Of course,
I got my way and went on a sugar binge and my blood levels were
very,very high once admitted to hospital.
While in hospital,
I was on a 900 calorie diabetic diet and my blood was tested four
times a day. I was given insulin three times a day to see if that
would help me. Two weeks later I left the hospital 101bs lighter
and off insulin. I continued on a rigourous program of diet and
exercise, including tennis and jogging. Within a year I had dropped
1001bs.
In recent years
I have had trouble controlling my sugar because I still haven't
accepted this disease and I'm battling it as hard as I can. I keep
my weight down and still exercise faithfully but it is my diet that
I have trouble maintaining on some days. About 10 years or so ago
I started on low dosages of Metformin (500mg). Now I take 2000mg
as well as glyburide, 1.5mg. I try and test my sugar at least twice
a day, but I'm not consistent. I know I have to be or, as one nurse
from the diabetic association told me, I will end up on dialysis.
That scares me and I have been doing a lot better with this disease.
I still have a lot of work ahead to keep it in control; however,
I still haven't really accepted this illness.
I hope you can
understand my honesty about my feelings about this disease because
when I was diagnosed with it, I honestly thought it was a death
sentence. Of course, if not taken care of properly and with discipline,
it can be. Right now I eat about 1500 calories/day depending on
my activities. It varies. I doubt if I will ever eliminate metformin
and glyburide from my life as some people are able to. I will keep
trying. I might add I have been called a "brittle" diabetic. Last
year I tried a new blood monitoring system called Precision Plus.
I find it a lot easier to use. I get tested by my doctor at least
every 3 months. |