Hubby quit smoking 3 weeks ago, at the same time he had a slight heart attack, and was also diagnosed as diabetic. Today we had a sugar test done at the Doc's office, and it was 209. This was mid afternoon. he had a light bologna sandwich for lunch, and sucked on a bunch of lifesavers, as this is what has been controlling his urge to smoke. Have any of you tried to quit smoking, and if so, what have you used to control the urge? Obviously lifesavers were helping with the urge to smoke, but it has not helped the sugar level any. Any ideas?

He can't suck on regular lifesavers, that's for sure, they'll keep his sugars up. Why was it necessary for him to go to the doctor's office for a blood test? Does he not have his own blood glucose monitor? If he does not, his doctor is either a scam artist, a fool, or an imcompetent jerk--EVERY diabetic MUST have a home glucose monitor and should be using it several times a day to get and keep their blood glucose levels under control. This disease is no joke--He may have already had it for quite some time, and that may have contributed to his heart attack. The diabetes, smoking and heart disease together can be a fairly lethal combination, and he obviously has taken one step toward defusing this bomb--quitting smoking is 100% necessary. But Lifesavers are out, it may be better if he just goes cold turkey--it'll build his self-control, which he will need in spades for the rest of his life: He'll need to watch his fat intake (for the heart) and his carbohydrate intake (for the diabetes), and watch them very closely for as long as he wishes to remain healthy. He should also be exercising several hours a week, but the doctors may wish to get him started slowly on that, especially after a heart attack--but he WILL eventually need to be a regular exerciser! You should both see a CDE (certified diabetes educator) and perhaps a dietician/nutritionist to get your food intake re-aligned to a healthier model. And if this doctor does not see the necessity for a home glucose monitor right now, or then only wants a "few tests a week" (I've heard this one before...) then this doctor should be fired, and you've got to get one who takes this seriously.

Michael
38 years type 1

[This message has been edited by MikelBear (edited 06-16-2003).]

First off, I agree with Michael and what he said. I have been reading his posts for some time now, and what he says is to the point, honest, and the best course, albeit not easy. Some people, like him, are living proof that diabetes can be controlled and complications avoided if you can adhere to the proper routine.

However, it took me much longer to see the light. Like your husband, I had a heart attack (at age 35), after being diagnosed with type II diabetes 2 years prior, continuing my nicotine habit and not exercising. Michael is right--"Cold Turkey" is the way to go because it is indicative of how serious one really is! The heart attack was enough to effect the changes in me; I tossed away the nicotine, started losing weight, eating low fat, controlled carb intake and began to exercise. Net effect: loss of 75 lbs, reversal of type II diabetes, for the first time in my life an excellent lipid profile, discontinued prescription meds. The benefits are that I feel better than ever, higher endurance than when I played sports in high school (20 years ago), can eat desserts without my blood glucose spiking extremely high (amazing how exercise/weight loss can take care of impaired glucose tolerance with cells).

Of course, the exercise program needs to start slow after the MI--his heart should heal first, then start out walking and gradually increase pace and time spent exercising. It took about 6 months before I finally felt "normal" and was jogging for 30 min every morning.

Unfortunately though, if you husband is not driven to do this on his own, I am not sure you can have much of an impact.

As far as the cravings, I use sugarless gum to satisfy that one. Much better choice than lifesavers. As Michael said though, lifesavers should be out...

Thank you both for your replies. The reason my husband was at the doc's office was it was for his first post hospital discharge checkup. The reason they tested his sugar, was because we requested it. It was a simple finger prick test. We just got a prescripton from the doc for a glucose monitor. The insurance company is sending us one, and it should arrive in the next few days. He has been testing his sugar on his mothers machine in the meantime. His levels were running im the 116-129 range in the evening. This was before he started with the lifesavers. He has an appointment to get a complete blood profile done on July 5th. The doc wants him to try to keep his after meal levels below 130. He has been doing some walking. In the past 3 weeks he has lost 5-6 pound. Luckinly his heart attack was light, and all of his other vessels are clear. The Doc said that with strict control of his glucose levels, that he should be able to go a long time without worrying about another blockage. he said that by my husbands age-45-that if he was going to have alot of problems, that the catherization test would have showed alot of blocked vessels. He calls this attack his wake up call. I guess he is going to try to chew sugarless gum when the urge to smoke hits. Again, thanks for your replies.

Thank you both for your replies. The reason my husband was at the doc's office was it was for his first post hospital discharge checkup. The reason they tested his sugar, was because we requested it. It was a simple finger prick test. We just got a prescripton from the doc for a glucose monitor. The insurance company is sending us one, and it should arrive in the next few days. He has been testing his sugar on his mothers machine in the meantime. His levels were running im the 116-129 range in the evening. This was before he started with the lifesavers. He has an appointment to get a complete blood profile done on July 5th. The doc wants him to try to keep his after meal levels below 130. He has been doing some walking. In the past 3 weeks he has lost 5-6 pound. Luckinly his heart attack was light, and all of his other vessels are clear. The Doc said that with strict control of his glucose levels, that he should be able to go a long time without worrying about another blockage. he said that by my husbands age-45-that if he was going to have alot of problems, that the catherization test would have showed alot of blocked vessels. He calls this attack his wake up call. I guess he is going to try to chew sugarless gum when the urge to smoke hits. Again, thanks for your replies.