His numbers were Triglicerides 377, Sugars 277--fasting. I have been seeing this coming for about a year and only now could scare him enough to get some bloodwork done. He is going to try diet first for 4 months, then go to meds if he has to. He is VERY scared so he is very motivated. I am basically using the new Diabetes Food Pyramid with some Exchanges. , but what I need to know is what is the goal Carbs for one days, goal for the sugars. Could someone tell me. The doctor is getting him scheduled for his first Diabetic training which I hope is soon. I will go along to help him remember. But if I just knew the usual goals it would help till then. Thanks

So sorry to hear your husband has to join the club no one wants a part of.

Now, what you probably aren't gonna wanna here:
With a fasting blood sugar of 277, he's running uber high all the time. I cannot imagine how high he's going after meals, but I'm sure it's over 400. In other words, way too stinkin' high.

I think he requires far more agressive treatment than diet right now, and to be followed far more often than "see you in 4 months."

So sorry to hear your husband has to join the club no one wants a part of.

Now, what you probably aren't gonna wanna here:
With a fasting blood sugar of 277, he's running uber high all the time. I cannot imagine how high he's going after meals, but I'm sure it's over 400. In other words, way too stinkin' high.

I think he requires far more agressive treatment than diet right now, and to be followed far more often than "see you in 4 months."

Ditto, ditto, ditto. Blondy and I almost always agree.

Since you have seen this for a year, another 4 months of high blood sugars definitely puts him in serious danger of complications. Right now. Did his doctor do a hemoglobin a1c test? It tells you what the average blood sugar has been for the last 3 months.

I'm sorry to say (imho) that if his doc was really looking out for his best interests, he would put him on meds and then wean him off as he adjusts his diet/exercise and his blood sugars come down. I'm sorry, but a fasting of 277 is ridiculously high and dangerous. As I said, the medication route is your doctors choice, but if I were you I would find someone more aggressive. Do you have an appointment with an endocrinologist? This would be a good idea too because it will be easier to get diabetes education and an appointment with a dietitian.

For starters, make sure he drinks a lot of fluids. That will get the ketones out of his system (which are poisonous) and also make life a bit easier on his kidneys (it's easier to force a thinner fluid through a filter than a thicker fluid). How often is he testing and what are his readings after meals? This will affect what he can eat.

As far as goal number of carbs, each person is different. He will need a balanced diet and you will have to see what carbs work for him depending on his blood sugars. Stick with high fibre and whole grains.

Best of luck and feel free to ask any questions. There is a lot of knowledge on t his board.

Cora

Where's the "ditto" button when you need one? ;) Ditto what Blondy and Cora said.

With fasting numbers that high, you need a much more aggressive plan than "try diet, see you in 4 months." If the doctor your husband saw wasn't an endocrinologist, ask for a referral to one. And don't let anyone put him off with "oh, you just need to lose weight." Yeah, he probably needs to lose weight, but meanwhile his blood sugars are high enough to do serious damage, and he should be put on some type of medication right now!

Ruth

They drew blood for the A1C on Friday and a retest. He hasn't tested his own yet. We are working on getting a glucometer now.

He is not very overweight--about 10 pounds so that should come off quickly. He is 55 and has always been the kind of guy who can eat anything and not gain weight. He's also ADHD--very hyper. We are suffering extreme financial stress right now to where we both can hardly sleep. He has been a cola guzzler--BIG time! He has put a total stop to that and felt better the next day. He couldn't beleive how much better he felt!

Anyway just to say we have many irons in the fine and are just trying to stay out of the poor house. I am disabiled with my back and can only do part time work. I know stress can play heck with the blood sugar and the whole body.

Thanks for the headsup everyone.

They drew blood for the A1C on Friday and a retest. He hasn't tested his own yet. We are working on getting a glucometer now.

He is not very overweight--about 10 pounds so that should come off quickly. He is 55 and has always been the kind of guy who can eat anything and not gain weight. He's also ADHD--very hyper. We are suffering extreme financial stress right now to where we both can hardly sleep. He has been a cola guzzler--BIG time! He has put a total stop to that and felt better the next day. He couldn't beleive how much better he felt!

Anyway just to say we have many irons in the fine and are just trying to stay out of the poor house. I am disabiled with my back and can only do part time work. I know stress can play heck with the blood sugar and the whole body.

Thanks for the headsup everyone.

Hi again. Yes, this sort of diagnosis can be very stressful. And since you already have a lot going on, it's certainly an additional burdern. Please feel free to come here to vent or to get some support. We answer questions too. ;)

It's a really good thing that he gave up the soda. That will help tremendously. Please let us know what the a1c tes result is.

Good luck to both of you.

Cora

Oh, gosh...I really hate to say this, because I know it's going to add a bit more stress, but if your husband is only 10 pounds overweight, and his fasting blood sugars were that high, you should ask the doctor to do a C-peptide and a GAD antibody test, as there's a slight possibility he could be a Type 1. Hopefully not, but with those numbers (relatively low weight, very high fasting bg), I'd want to be certain.

Ruth

I agree with Ruth, as per usual.

Well, they ran the A1C and the results were 10.6--bummer. They also ran both test you talked about C-peptide and a GAD antibody test, and the doctor made no mention of them being out of order. She now wants him on meds ASAP with strenuous exercise with him metering. He has a leg that is gimping at the knee and we are afraid he will blow the knee. I am overwhelm. I keep saying--make him do it. Ultimately it is his health and he should be responsible, not me. I am not his mom. I am his wife of 32 years.

I have some books ordered to help me
thanks guys...........karen

Does your husband take any meds for ADD because stimulants, antidepressants, beta blockers and neuroleptics all negatively effect blood sugar.

As do corticosteroids. Since you mentioned the bad knee, I'm wondering if he's had any cortisone shots recently for the knee? That would raise his blood sugars to quite high levels, and it would last for anywhere from 3 days to a week or so.

Ruth

As would corticosteroids. Since you mentioned that he has a bad knee, I'm wondering if he's had any steroid shots for the knee recently? That would raise his blood sugar levels quite high, and the effect usually last for anywhere from 3 days to over a week in some people.

Ruth

Don't get me started on cortisteroids, especially prednisone. That drug has all but ruined my mother. The polymyalgia she had it for originally isn't near as bad as the bone, stomach, eye and muscle damages it has caused. But at least she's been lucky in the diabetes dept as she didn't get it, at least not yet.

I guess cortisone shots are a different thing I suppose though.

Been gone. Had my DIL with the 2 grandgirls here and my MIL (shes' 86). I am exhausted. I have my own maladies I contend with everyday...

Yes sir the doctor has picked it up in overtime. He has to see the eye doc and her again next week. He hasnt ever had cortizone for anything. Doc is just now looking at whether he should take Sraterra. It is a dicey situation. He can't function without it. I am most concerned about the EXTREME stress we have been under. He got fired because the ADHD makes him---well, too long to decribe. Has a job now, but at a smaller pay. I can barely get out of bed so I have to find a very slight job------oh, too much to even think about. I know stress can cause sugar troubles also.

We have been able to retrace his first symtomology to about 9 months ago. The extreme thrist and ED started for real back that far.

Too stressed.....I will write more later...............

Strattera? Ugh,great, that explains a possible reason for high blood sugars. Yes, I know ADHD can be hard without meds but maybe diabetes is worse than that, isn't it? If he could end up not needing diabetic meds, that would be worth dumping the Strattera IMHO. Diabetes is not only very disabling in some people, life endangering, but extremely costly! Skipping all those meds/docs would almost make unemployment look good.

He could try weaning off Strattera, and take fish oil(very good for brain) or even the recently studied combo of fish oil and primrose oil for ADD as they found it improved ADHD. Regular exercise and good food(not alot of sugar); also, green tea has powerful antioxidants to support the immune system.

My husband's friend has diabetes and said they found in studies that taking 1/4 tsp cinnamon twice a day helps regulate blood sugar...but this is not going to work if one is taking blood sugar raising medications or eating alot of sugar.

If your husband felt better physically as a result of some changes, maybe his ADD would even improve or not matter as much as far as work went. At this point, why not try something to get his health back.....if it doesn't work, then he can always have his Strattera and diabetes meds for life if so be it.

I don't want to sound negative, but we know a woman who got diabetes from her antidepressant(no family or previous history) and even with diabetes meds, she died because she chose that over losing her legs!!

Now, I'm not saying that happens to everyone(it doesn't) but diabetes is definately more serious IMHO than ADD and some choices must be made when faced with the possibility that Strattera might be causing this diabetes in your husbands' case. Maybe it isn't, but I think it's worth a shot to see if weaning off of Strattera would prevent this diabetes problem. I sort of side with the doc on this one.

Perhaps dietary changes and no Strattera would control things and avoid the costly medications.

My husband has never tried Strattera yet.But he is a very miserable man. If you don't have ADHD then you can't imagine how poorly you feel with it. He has had it his entire life and it has cost him some jobs and he has made huge mistakes that have affected our lives until we die. It is as serious as anything is to our quality of life that he address his ADHD.

He sees the eye doctor on Monday to make sure no eye involvment has ocurred, then meet once again with all test data with the doctor and start the program.

Jenna I am not sure what you are saying?

We both have major physical problems now and it looks like most of our days will be spend making sure we eat, drink and exercise correctly:(

I'm sorry,to me it sounded like he was already on strattera since you said he couldn't live without it; I took that as he has been taking it and didn't want to discontinue it.

I would say IMHO he should live without it if he does want to control his blood sugars but everyone has to make those types of choices for themselves I am only expressing my own thoughts on what I would choose.

I personally would be very afraid of making the diabetes situation worse as I mentioned before sometimes it is very hard to manage and has sometimes extreme consequences for some people.

I do hope perhaps he can control it with diet and lifestyle changes, maybe it would even go away as I have heard people with type 2 do not have the genetic problem to worry about. I read a statistic where they said 95% of type 2 diabetes is lifestyle related, yikes, maybe some nitpicking will unveil some of the factors. Even stress raises cortisol, which raises blood sugar and as you mentioned you have alot of that going on, unfortunately.

Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine raise blood sugar, part of the lifestyle change might be to give up any of these if necessary.

In my family, my uncle had type 2 caused by prednisone medication used for his lungs because of smoking. My grandmother had it, we suspect from using nicotine habitually in the form of snuff. My mother doesn't have it at all nor my dad but they avoided nicotine and even though my mom takes prednisone for polymyalgia rheumatica, she hounded and fought to make her doc get her on a low dose after awhile or I'm sure she'd have diabetes by now. However, her bones got wrecked after 8 years on the stuff and she's basically disabled now.

In your husbands case I hope things work out just be careful of antidepressants or other meds that might make things worse. Good luck, sorry for so many problems maybe things will get better, it's possible.

Jenna,
Thanks for your concern. Thankfully, neither of us has ever smoked, drank etc. We were in ministry for 26 years (married for 31 now), then due to a terrible thing happening we came to live in this metro area.
My husband was a pop drinker--BIG TIME!! He has been in the car business since we had to come here 5 years ago and just slugs back the sodas like crazy in the heat and stressful situations he finds himself in.How he only remains about 10 pounds overweight I will never know.
He got fired 3 weeks ago from his finance manager postition and our income went from 5 K per month to 3 K. BIG drop! This was due to his inability to concentrate, organize and making mistakes on paperwork. He isn't dumb. He has a master's degree. It is this vexing ADHD which has been a constant trouble.
I do understand how difficult the meds will be and it is possible he won't be able to take the strattera since his life is way more important that making money, but we are hoping that he will succeed. The doctor says he must be on the diabetes med.
I am sure things will get better. I have faith. I have survived his affair, loss of my home I had for 19 years, lived in his parents front room for over a year afterwards and now my own pain from a destroyed spine. Seems this is just another part of life. It is good to come to these boards and vent though!
Keep us in your prayers as we try to navigate this new territory! karen