Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

• Housecall
• Alzheimer's caregiving
• Living with cancer

• October 19, 2009 1:44 a.m.

  My doctor said that if I didn't cut my suger down in five years I would be a Diabetic; heres the problem 1 every thing just about has sugar in it of one kind or another 2 my doc. did not give me even a sugestion on what foods I should eat etc and 3 I have cancer on my moms side of the family and in mom, and I also had colon cancer and breast and lemph node cancer. Now how am I to do anything about the suger problem when I cannot add sweetener to my recipes with out causing cancer in my body???

  - Joyce

• October 6, 2009 8:44 p.m.

  Healthcare reform should not only address the obesity epidemic (both in adults and children), but should also take into consideration the rising epidemic of dental disease. Diabetes attributed to obesity is also impacting dental health, gum disease in particular. We lack access to affordable dentists in this country. There has been widespread increase of dental caries in children. As focused as we are on cosmetic dentistry and teeth whitening, in the United States, the aforementioned dental issues need at least equal attention. We need to contact our local congressmen so that dental care is included in the Obama healthcare reform plan.

  - SoCal Dentist

• August 13, 2009 12:37 p.m.

  Pet peeve People with T2 telling me a T1 what their blood sugars are. Mine are all over T2‘s seem to have perfect blood sugars, to me. I do not what to here it.T1 and T2 are completely two different diseases. T1 for 35 years A1c 6.8.

  - Kent

• July 29, 2009 9:29 p.m.

  my husband has type 2 diabetes for a couple of years he has nerver complained befor about his toe befor,its the toe next to the big toe,he has a red circle around it and its sore.he has complained a week or more of joint pain in his toes. does anyone ever get this system ? with diabetes? or is this normal? any replies will be appreciated thanks dian

  - dian

• July 23, 2009 1:58 p.m.

  Good grief, Rose. How long have you been carrying that negativity around? Relax. There are people in this world with certain opinions, you can try and reason with them but if they have their own problems - let it go. This world will never be ideal. You can only control your own reaction to the situation (who hasn't heard that?!). There are people who contribute to their own health problems and that is what Rich was trying to say. It's just like AIDS - not everyone has brought it upon themselves - like innocent children or raped women or men. Just as it is with diabetes, some bring it upon themselves by not living a healthy lifestyle and some just get it no matter what they do. Our society has become ultrasensitive to any perceived nuance of discrimination or criticism.

  - mike

• July 23, 2009 9:20 a.m.

  My last comment, I did not mean that those that get diabetes particularly Type 2 are unhealthy. It is just finding ways to stay we are not as healthy as we would like to be so we are trying to change. Like the smoker or someone with a drinking problem that wants to change.

  - Rich

• July 23, 2009 9:13 a.m.

  I have been a diabetic since 15 years old and now 43 years with diabetes. My control is great. Have not had the major problems associated with the disease. Following a lifestyle that watches my diet, nutrition, exercise, insulin and blood sugar has kept me in control. Up to 1998, I did fixed doses of NPH and Regular which worked but hated it setting my body clock around meals. Have done carb counting adjusting regular insulin. One problem that I have found is reacting to a high > 300 with a correction bolus. Look at the meter reading as one point in time that contantly changes. Wait for the next reading and act when necessary. The fear of that one high signals fear of headed down the road to kidney, nerve, eye and other problems. NO! NO! Remember Wait for at least 2 readings before a meal before acting on a high. Would love an in person support group to talk about methods of controlling diabetes. Does anyone thing Diabetes should be named something else that doesn't sound like death? Some name that describes it as a metabolic disease of the endocrine glands that is controlled with a healthy lifestyle with or without insulin.

  - Rich

• July 14, 2009 9:48 p.m.

  My pet peeve is self-righteous Type I people who think that ALL people with Type II DESERVE it. No one deserves this disease. I was diagnosed at 32...while I have been overweight and mostly sedentary, those weren't the only factors - most of my paternal relatives have Type II as well. I am now eating well, exercising daily, and have my A1C down to 5.8 - but I will be dealing with this for the rest of my life just like the people with Type I.

  - Rose

• July 13, 2009 4:23 p.m.

  My pet peeve has to do with Type I and Type II. My great-grandparents were first cousins, and all their kids developed diabetes at some point, three of them as teens. Those three were dead by age thirty. Type I is often genetic--these people were farmers who worked hard all their lives. Today, we have a lot of people who have or will have Type II. This is not inherited, it is because they eat more than they should and live inactive lives. A reality of our sedentery society. The people who suffer from diabetes because of any reason other than eating 6000 calories a day are a separate concern. I worked with a women who died from heart and diabetes complications at 46. She was obese all the 23 years I knew her. She signed her own death warrant. She was immensely stubborn and physically lazy. Another girl I worked with was diabetic since childhood, she struggled every day with her blood sugar, trying to live a normal life. This included giving birth to a little boy successfully, then caring for him and holding down a full time job. We all supported her efforts however we could at work. But as for the big mouthed fat ass, well, that's different. It's tragic so many Americans CHOOSE diabetes, especially if we will be forced to pay for their treatment with federal health insurance.

  - susie

• July 10, 2009 7:05 p.m.

  Those pet peeves are so on point. I hate when people ask if I have the bad diabetes. In fact, I've actually used that direct quote of "Is there a good kind?" when I answer people. How about... "Oh I could never be diabetic, I'm so scared of needles." Really? Really? Like diabetics signed up for it because they LOVE needles. I was terrified of needles and got diabetes...I deal. I feel those types of comments are extremely inconsiderate and down right rude at times. Like thanks! For the reminder that I live my fear everyday.

  - Chris

• July 9, 2009 7:59 p.m.

  Pet Peeve - Genetics that don't surface until it's almost too late! I have the maternal marker for Type II Diabetes. Diag. @ 50, April 2004. I used to have a supposed expert in Diab. but when I constantly asked him "shdn't I be seen by an Endocrinologist?" he just shrugged it off! Well, long story short, Sept. 10, 2008 last year after 6, SIX unplanned surgeries since Feb. 07, all the stress apparently had caused my Hb to go up AND due to a Blood clot, PE in my lower right lung that same day in Sept., during the hosp. stay, the stress caused my b. sugar to sky rocket up to 300's-500's, which it NEVER does @ home, they forced insulin shots on me, which is actually assault, (yes!) well come to find out, my THYROID was beginning to stop working! HYPOTHYROIDISM CAN make a person INSULIN RESISTANT! HEAR YE HEAR YE! HYPOTHYROIDISM CAN MAKE A PERSON INSULIN RESISTANT! So, after 6 more months of living hell & having to find a new GP who gives a darn about me, AND after having to SELF-REFER to a new Endocrinologist who said my thyroid was subclinical & we needed to do a thyroid panel, well it turns out that now, also due to my paternal side grandmother who also had this problem, I'm now on Levothyroxine along with the Glimiperide to go along with the Metformin to make my body produce the needed Insulin on its own! I also discovered that due to an online Dr. just graduated who told me to get a certain test, I also have the Hypercoaguability disorder for blood clo

  - Barbara

• July 8, 2009 8:11 p.m.

  What the doctors failed to tell me was that diabetes is just a part of a multi endocrine system problem for a lot of people. For me diabetes, polycsyctic ovary diseases, goiters, bone spurs, adhesive capsulitis, trigger finger, repeated root canals, they were all part of general endocrine system problems that were ignored because of the diagnosis of diabetes. It took years before I found the related literature that linked all of my complaints together. A dentist dealt with my tooth issues; a gynecologist, my ovaries. A thyroid specialist choked me periodically and an endocrinologist monitored the progress of my diabetes. I was sent to a podiatrist for my broken foot bones and an orthopedist for my weird lumps in my hands. I got physical therapy for my frozen shoulders and electrolysis for my unwanted hair. Finally, a nutritionist tested my hair and found that I had a mineral imbalance and suggested taking 4,000 units of Vitamin D, calcium, magnesium and a small dose of chromium. My skin improved, I haven't had a broken tooth in a few years and most of the mobility has returned to my shoulders. After all this time, doctors don't understand diet. And if each of your body parts are treated individually you will never see the whole picture. Never stop asking questions, never stop looking for the answers.

  - Sue

• July 8, 2009 11:19 a.m.

  I dislike diabetes,have had it for 30 years ans thngs were fine.Now it is really getting me, neuropathy has made it very hard to walk,right now all of a sudden my blood sugars are high even if I don't eat they get worse.Been working for three weeks to control them, my a1c has been 6.5 to 6.8 for years and now it 8.7. Been very strick in control and changed my insulin but nothing helps. Allan

  - Allan

• July 8, 2009 9:12 a.m.

  The most discouraging words I have heard were from a doctor of endocrinology. He told me that being diabetic was a downward sprial the rest of my life and he bet I would be on insulin within a few months. My regular endocrinologist, a very understanding woman, is excellent. My A1C is 6, I have no problems with kidneys, eyes or neuropathy and she is very encouraging. I am on oral medication. My BS was 93 this morning.

  - Ferne

• July 8, 2009 8:56 a.m.

  I love my diabetic!!! It really confuses both of us, that when I make a meal that should be wonderful for his blood sugars and they are sky the next morning. Then the next night I make something with potatoes and his sugars are wonderful the next day. Diabetes is really a weird disease.

  - kathleen s

• July 8, 2009 6:16 a.m.

  hi i am having symtoms of hypos with bsls of 4.4 to 4.7.i am diet controlled and seem to hav to eat a lot to stop symtoms has anyone heard of hypos at these readings

  - coleen

• July 7, 2009 3:32 p.m.

  I dislike the food police. I am the one in charge of my diet and I follow my doctor's recommendations. If I decide to eat something, that's no one's problem but mine.

  - Marilynne

• July 6, 2009 10:49 a.m.

  I have had Insulin Dependant Diabetes for the last 34 years, and the last three years , I have had Parkinson's Disease. Is there any one elce out there in the same position as I ? Is there any one who can tell me how quickly the disease will progress with me? What can i do to prevent it coming on so quickly ? What should I eat in order to help me with the two diseases? Some time ago I was in the hospital as my blood sugars were getting too high, they eventually found out that I was forgetting to bolus for what i had been eating ! ! ! Pretty drastic especially since before i got the P.D. My hbA1C was in between 5.6 or 6.5 it is now nearer to 7 or 8 which I don't like. As far as going to a docter with more than one compaint, I find, that they don't mind what you die of, as long as you don't die of their complaint. Carol Ann.

  - Carol Ann mcCormack

• July 5, 2009 11:25 p.m.

  My pet peeve is going to a doctor for a problem that is NOT related to my diabetes of 46 years and hearing "Well after all, you are diabetic. Skin blemishes, ingrown toenails, hair falling out, or stomach disorders, etc. are ALL related to your management of diabetes." While I realize that diabetes is very serious, I could not have lived this long with the disease (type 1) without having done what I was supposed to do. It would be nice to have medical professionals hear me when I tell them something is wrong and search for the real cause of the problem, not just blame it on diabetes and blow it off. I have had a heart attack (stress after the death of my husband), stomach ulcers twice after being given medications which caused them, and I have no problems with neuropathy, kidney failure, or any of the known diabetic complications. I would like to be treated like any other patient with normal problems, not "just another diabetic who does not follow the rules".

  - Patty

• July 3, 2009 9:46 a.m.

  Pet Peeve: That all Type II diabetes patients are obese. I am not obese. All my life until, yes until, I became a diabetic (11 years ago at age 54), I weighed less than 125 pounds except when pregnant. My diet had always been healthy, no junk food, etc. Now I have this awful stomach which began when I started to take medication for diabetes. What a bummer! My legs and arms were always small; today they are smaller. My siblings (3 of them) have diabetes and they were also very small people who have gained excessive weight since they became diabetics. Big time TV Journalists are so prejudiced in their reporting on this "dreadful" disease. Most in their reporting insinuate that all diabetics are ignorant and uneducated about its causes. Another thing that has happened to me is that I now have blemishes and my skin was absolutely flawless, glowed and did not look my age and alll of this began about two years ago. I now have an insulin pump and for the most part have an A1C of 6.5 or lower. Thanks

  - F. Morris

• July 3, 2009 9:45 a.m.

  Pet peeve - People who think because my husband is insulin dependent that our diet is limited. You just have to be more creative with the menus. Since we live in the country and have a garden we have a lot of ways we can go. Learning to adapt the old family recipes has made it much easier. Visitors, when they sit at our table will see no difference, even in the desserts, but it's there, and it all good for us.

  - Pam

• June 30, 2009 9:06 p.m.

  What I love...everyone believing that only people who are "fat and lazy" get diabetes...regardless of family history of three generations dealing with it. A friend said to me, "My daughter needs to get her weight under control or she'll end up a diabetic like you." Sigh.

  - cindi

• June 30, 2009 5:32 p.m.

  My pet peeve is people who eat whatever they want and manage their diabetes with insulin. I have two friends who say, "I shouldn't eat this but...I'll just take more insulin." I work for a home health agency and know how destructive their thought pattern is.

  - Kathy

• June 30, 2009 5:10 p.m.

  My pet peve is reading an obituary in the newspaper that says,"Joe died after a long struggle with diabetes." Nobody dies of diabetes but from the complications caused by diabetes. The major one being cardiovascular disease. Life with diabetes doesn't have to be a struggle if you learn how the self manage and do the things that are necessary. Take your medication, test your blood sugar, eat healthy and practice portion control, see your medical care team for frequent checkups. Follow the simple rule, Do more of what works and less of what doesn't. (Livabetes Glucose Goddess) www.livabetes.com Florian (Type 1, 42 years and going for the Joslin 50 Year Medal)

  - Florian