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LafayetteLady -> RE: Diabetes - sugar is EVERYWHERE! ARGGH (10/18/2012 3:25:50 PM)
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ORIGINAL: WinsomeDefiance
I was recently diagnosed with steroid induced diabetes, but even after being off the steroids increasing my activity and losing weight my blood sugars are still running high. I've lost 20 pounds, have been eating vegetables like mad and watching my carb intake; but sugar is in damn near everything. Even things advertised as "Sugar Free" still have sugar alchohols which have ridculously high carb counts.
First congratulations on losing 20 pounds! Remember though, that the steroid meds you were taking probably added a great deal to your weight issues, as that is a side effect of the drug.
One of the first misconceptions about people getting type two diabetes is that is all about being overweight, and that is not the case. Yes, weight can contribute to getting the disease, but it is far from the major cause. Women who get gestational diabetes are more likely to get type two later in life, and in your case, with a family history of the disease, your diagnosis is not the least bit unusual.
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Sugar Free? PFFT!
You don't mention what your blood sugar levels have been, so it is difficult to really say whether to be as concerned about being completely sugar free or not. My point is that if your levels are over 200, of course watch your sugar intake. If they are over 300, you should have more worries than simply your sugar intake. On the other hand, if your levels are at something like 140, satisfying your sugar craving, within reasonable limits is not a big deal. You also need to remember that the numbers mean something different whether it is a fasting (as in your wake up in the morning test), or after eating. Fasting or after eating tells you how your body is processing the sugars, which helps your doctor in figuring out how to treat your disease.
Another very important thing is to remember that type one and type two are very different. I'm sure with your mother being a brittle diabetic, you are aware of this. Type one diabetics do not produce any insulin, where type twos' may not produce enough, or any other number of things, but you do produce insulin unlike the type ones'.
I was diagnosed with type two about 3 years ago. In the beginning it didn't make any difference how I modified my diet, my numbers just wouldn't drop. I could eat salads 24/7, and still couldn't drop a pound. Of course, I also have a thyroid issue which added to the problem. Earlier this year when I was very ill with kidney stones, I couldn't really eat anything without it quickly exiting my body from one end or the other. Still, my numbers were over 200 on a regular basis.
You say you were diagnosed "recently," but that could be anything from last month to last spring. Remember, getting this under control is not going to happen overnight. You also don't say how your doctor is treating the problem beyond taking you off the steroids. If you are trying to manage this by diet alone by your doctor's order, your levels are likely not very high, but you might need medication anyway. Once you get your numbers under control, you might be able to wean off the medication, and manage it by diet alone. Only time will tell.
As for the sugar cravings, I know for me the minute someone tells me I can't eat a particular thing, there is nothing I want more than that thing, lol. I don't think ignoring the craving is a great idea. If you can satisfy your sweet tooth with just a bite or two of something sweet (not everyday of course), it is not going to drive your blood glucose through the roof.
Three years into my diagnosis, even after eating, my blood sugar levels rarely go above 150. Of course, when I was so ill, I lost 40 pounds, and still have issues with certain foods. However, I am addicted to Nerds, which is a basically purely sugar candy, lol. Even with eating those every day, my numbers are still great. This has only been the last few months after recovering from surgery, but I can't wait for my next A1C, lol.
Don't beat yourself up over your worries about the sugar and carb counts. Stress can raise your levels as well. Eat healthy, including snacks and give yourself some time. Don't forget that if you were on steroid treatment for a significant length of time (which I get the impression you were), you couldn't have just stopped them cold turkey, but had to wean off of them. So depending on your "recently" there could still be steroids in your body, even if you aren't receiving the benefits of them, which could be adding to trouble controlling the diabetes.
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