Well, dang. Diabetes.

[Bill Mattocks]

As several have mentioned, the effects of type II can sometimes be reversed or at least put into remission, particularly when you start out overweight.

I appreciate all the advice, truly! I am hoping that exercise and diet will help me reverse the effects, but I'll do whatever the doctor says in terms of treatment and drugs. The funny and ironic thing was that I was exercising and losing weight before I began having symptoms of diabetes, so I was heading that direction anyway - and since diabetes just knocked 50 pounds off my frame, I only have 30 to go to my ideal weight (in my mind, anyway). So as soon as the doctor gives the OK, it's back to the dojo full force and the exercise regimine. I'm planning a visit home to NC in July, I'll be bringing my bicycle back with me too. I'm going to hit this hard for the last 30 pounds and increase my C-V as well - not to mention my karate!

 

[cdunn]

I agree with you on the splenda and thier shades of truth. They mention that they add dextroxe and maltodextrin to the granular package for "volume". Basically, they mix sucralose with sugar so people don't get confused with having to use less for thier normal recipes (those PESKY math calulcations..gasp!)

I don't use it..for many reasons.

A recipie that calls for a half cup of sugar calls for somwhere around 0.0075 oz (0.2g) of sucralose. This is not measurable using common cooking equipment. Pesky math indeed!

Look, I don't want to defend McNeil Nutritionals, but generally, companies understand that a product has to be usable to the end customer. To this end, most of the artifical sweeteners you can buy on the shelf are fluffed up with dextrose and maltodextrin, including Equal (apartame), Sweet'N Low (saccharin), and quite possibly your favorite brand of Stevia Powder will be similarly fortified. Where they are available, cyclamates are also bulked up with dextrose.

Perhaps many reasons not to use it besides this, but I wouldn't discount it because of the filler material. Keep your eyes open, and your sugars monitored, and if they don't hurt much, don't worry about the fillers.

 

[Joab]

Well Bill, it's up to you, but I have found Splenda tastes exactly like sugar and doesn't increase my blood sugar.

 

[teekin]

Guys, there are Three and only three components that make up food.

1. Carbohydrates, these break down into some form of "sugar" ring during digestion. How complex the molecules are that make up the carb/sugar/starch will give you it's glyc index. 4 cals/gram Alcohol falls into this category.
2. Protein or amino acid. Y'all know what these are. Burning protein for energy is not so good, your liver and kidneys take a beating trying to remove the waste products. Your brain Can Not burn protein, it must burn glucose. 4 cal / gram
3. Fats, fatty acids. Your body can and will burn fatty acids as it can turn them into glucose with minimal effort and dispose of the waste products fairly easily. 8 cal / gram

Every food you consume will fall into one of these categories.

lori

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Perhaps many reasons not to use it besides this, but I wouldn't discount it because of the filler material. Keep your eyes open, and your sugars monitored, and if they don't hurt much, don't worry about the fillers.

I'm hip, but you say 'filler material' like it was inert. Dextrose is Glucose, and that's the exact thing I'm supposed to stay away from now. How can I not worry about it?

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Well Bill, it's up to you, but I have found Splenda tastes exactly like sugar and doesn't increase my blood sugar.

Well, I've been putting it in my coffee (until I use up what I bought, anyway) and it tastes nothing like sugar to me. I don't hate it, there's nothing really wrong with the taste, but taste like sugar? Not even close. I guess it's just my taste buds.

I just got my glucometer tonight. I guess I'll have to try it and see.

 

[cdunn]

I'm hip, but you say 'filler material' like it was inert. Dextrose is Glucose, and that's the exact thing I'm supposed to stay away from now. How can I not worry about it?

In the end, it all comes down to dosage, dosage, dosage. Any artifical sweetener that you put in your self is going to give you like 5-10% of the carbs that equivalent sugar is. Preprepared gives you nothing. Remember the end goal of keeping your blood sugars reasonably low, and monitoring your success or failure by that end.


And yeah, I think Splenda is ten miles off sugar too, but saccharin tastes more like an old penny and aspartame is just nasty.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

FYI - last night's first glucometer test - 299 mg/Dl. This morning - 200. So that's where I'm at. Long way to go.

 

[Live True]

True, but remember you started out at 312. So the road is long..but you've taken the first few steps. That is far more than many do.

So pat yourself on the back and go have a diet soda or water...:boing2:

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Just got back from third checkup. The medication seems to be doing the job, which is good.

The bad news is, my chest x-ray came back (unrelated to the diabetes, I just had one because I'm a former smoker and it was a general physical before they found the diabetes) and the doctor says I have two 'dark masses' in the hilar, whatever that means. He is scheduling me for a CAT scan. Not good. I'm actually kind of scared.

 

[arnisador]

I'm glad to hear the former news and hope the latter news turns out to be nothing big. There are lots of reasons for a dark spot on an X-ray, and if you've quit smoking for long enough the odds of a smoking-related illness drop precipitously...think positive.

 

[bluekey88]

Hang in there man.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I'm glad to hear the former news and hope the latter news turns out to be nothing big. There are lots of reasons for a dark spot on an X-ray, and if you've quit smoking for long enough the odds of a smoking-related illness drop precipitously...think positive.

I quit quite some time ago. I want to say something like six years or so. I just wish I had never started.

 

[arnisador]

Well, you took a major step to improve your health when you stopped. After 10 years the risk of those spots being something truly unfortunate is essentially the same as for someone who never smoked, so you're on the better-odds side of that curve.

My father had a lung biopsy for dark spots on his lungs. They found...spray paint. He was spray-painting his model cars in a small, poorly-ventilated room.

 

[Stac3y]

Hope it's all okay, Bill!

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Follow up.

My blood sugar is now averaging between 91 and 101, which is in the zone for me. Heck, it's great. I'm increasing my exercise, hitting the gym every day M-F or riding my bike or going to the dojo. Running on the treadmill for 30 minutes with my heart rate averaging 155 and getting as high as 168, which is 90% of maximum for my age, they say. And I feel great!

My eyes are starting to stabilize, I can wear my glasses again. Still need a new prescription, but that's to be expected, I'm told.

Weight keeps dropping, but now just a couple pounds a month, not two pounds a day as it was when I was still undiagnosed.

I feel so good, I have to say - I haven't felt this young and powerful since I was in my late 20's. I am getting fit, and more, I'm becoming myself again - a more mature version of me in near-peak condition. And I want this - I want it all back. Everything. Woot!

 

[Carol]

Follow up.

My blood sugar is now averaging between 91 and 101, which is in the zone for me. Heck, it's great. I'm increasing my exercise, hitting the gym every day M-F or riding my bike or going to the dojo. Running on the treadmill for 30 minutes with my heart rate averaging 155 and getting as high as 168, which is 90% of maximum for my age, they say. And I feel great!

My eyes are starting to stabilize, I can wear my glasses again. Still need a new prescription, but that's to be expected, I'm told.

Weight keeps dropping, but now just a couple pounds a month, not two pounds a day as it was when I was still undiagnosed.

I feel so good, I have to say - I haven't felt this young and powerful since I was in my late 20's. I am getting fit, and more, I'm becoming myself again - a more mature version of me in near-peak condition. And I want this - I want it all back. Everything. Woot!

That is great news! I am so happy for you!! I hope your momentum with the weight loss (the healthy kind) rubs off on me.

 

[arnisador]

That's good to hear!

 

[Live True]

Awesome!!!

 

[Bill Mattocks]

The doctor's office called just now with reference to my most recent blood tests on Monday.

My blood glucose on May 27th was 312. Now it is 91.
My A1C was 13.5. Now it is 7.0.

I need to get my A1C down below 6.0, but it's an average, so it will continue going down if I keep my blood glucose down at or around 100.

The doctor said "You're doing a great job, keep it up!"

My Blood pressure this morning was 115/67, and my resting pulse was 60. It used to be 140/90, with a resting pulse of 90. The change has taken three months of hard effort.

Just wanted to share!