Since I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2000,ive lost 150 lbs,currently 180 lbs-5ft9",and I currently take one 500 mg Glucaphage pill a day,I like to help others with there struggles with this sickness.Just recently a fellow co-worker was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.He is 5'8" tall,and said he was weighed in at 434 lbs.The doctor has him taking Metphormin 500 mg twice a day,plus a 70/30 40cc injection in the morning and a 45cc of the same at night.Well,he still eats like a pig.Pizzas,burgers,sweets,etc.Ive noticed he uses the restroom like every hour and ive asked him about it and he said he is trying but is still weak from temptation.He also said his urine smells very sweet,even taking all of his medicine.He told me,on the weekends he likes to sit around and watch tv,and says his feet swell up so big his shoes wont fit.I asked if his vision is blurry and he says it is fine.Anyway,ive preached to him until i'm blue in the face.Can someone please respond to this post and tell him that he has a short life span if he dont stop his current diet and laziness! I want him to read this here! I'm very concerned for him.BTW,he is 38 yearas old.Thank you very much. :)

First of all, he needs to realize that this didn't happen overnight and it's not going to be undone overnight. It's a day by day process where you really have to focus on one 24hr period at a time. Hours turn into days, days turn into weeks ,etc and it finally becomes habit.

There are two reasons why people eat. It is either a physical need or an emotional need. Obviously, it is not a physical need so he really needs to focus on why he emotionally needs to eat. He needs to focus on what type of eater he is. I eat out of emotion and boredom. Once I realized that was my problem, I could look for other ways to work through it.

The weight alone puts stress on his body. When you add the diabetes, its really a time bomb. The sad thing is that all of this can be controlled. One good thing about diabetes is that you can control it. It's not like so many other things where you just have to sit in a hospital while it takes you over. He needs to decide how long he is going to be controlled by his issues that made him overweight. Those same issues are working against him with the diabetes.

It looks like he has just said "to heck with it" and is feeling that there is no hope in ever changing all of this. That's when he needs to break it down into steps. Looking at the entire picture of what all he has to change is too overwhelming. Doing simple changes like drinking plenty of water, taking insulin on time, writing down what he eats, etc... All will help him start this journey to becoming healthy.

All in all, it's his decision. We don't get a second time around at this so we have to figure out how to make this one work. If he decides this is what he wants for his life then there really isn't much anyone can do. I guess I would ask him if he truly wants to live or does he just want to exhist.

Good luck to both of you

Mommy,thats exactly what he needs to hear.I am sending this to his mailbox.My girlfriend thinks he has given up due to the fact of being turned down by a date we tried setting up for him right after he was diagnosed.Anyway,if I can do it,lose all the weight and control my diabetes,he can too! And I will never give up helping him!

Tell you friend to go to www.tops.org and put in his zip code and find a TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Non- profit weight loss support group. I lost 75 lbs. You can use any "diet" your doctor suggests - TOPS is strictly for support and it really helps to have a group that cares. We have a man, 50, who was over 400 lbs. This year he has lost 47 lbs. so far and his diabetes is better (less meds and less complications). TOPS is very inexpensive to belong to. Good luck and we want to see him around for many years! Elaine

I would recommend he really look at the Personality Type Diet, too. It's geared to help you understand why you eat what you do and when you do. They have a full online program at Diet.com. It has really helped me gain control over the idea that I have to do more than just watch what I eat, but that it's also an entire lifestyle program. I really recommend it!

marie

A man at my husbands work died the other day of a massive heart attack. He was only 40! But really overweight. Weight is one of the worst things for our bodies. It really makes everything work overtime.

Maybe you can go for walks with him at lunch time or something like that?

I dont know if you have the time or whatever. Maybe it'll help him to have a "partner" to eat healthy with, etc. Especially since you are doing so well with it!


April