My wife just found out she has diabetes.

[Tobin S.]

Her doctor did a test that revealed that her blood sugar has been over 200 for the last three months. She went in to see him because her feet were hurting her at night. She looked it up and saw that it was a possible symptom of diabetes. She'll be 43 next month and she's not particularly unhealthy. She's never smoked and she doesn't drink. Family members from both sides have had diabetes. Her father does.

We're getting on top of this. We're going to go to a class up at the hospital for people who have diabetes. She was started on medication immediately. Fortunately, she doesn't have to take insulin. We caught the disease early enough that it can be controlled with pills and diet. She has one of those machines that measure blood sugar. Yesterday morning her blood sugar was 248. By the end of the day it was down to 222- her first full day of medication and watching what she ate. I'm hoping it will be under 200 this morning.

[My Good Babushka]

1. It sounds like she's doing all the right things.

I hope she's feeling tip-top very soon.

[mnhtnbb]

2. Good that it was caught early.

Weight loss can be VERY helpful in lowering blood sugar, but it absolutely should
be medically supervised.

Some info here: http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/features/diabetes-weight-loss-finding-the-right-path

I personally know quite a few people who got themselves off meds for diabetes by losing weight.

[hermetic]

3. Glad it was discovered early,

rather than later. I have several friends with diabetes. One refused to get it checked out and now she has lost a leg. I also know two ladies who got this book and it turned their lives around. They lost weight, blood sugar now normal, etc. The End of Diabetes: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes Jen might want to have a look at this page:

http://www.amazon.com/The-End-Diabetes-Prevent-Reverse/dp/0062219979?tag=ecosia-20

Seems to be pretty popular as it is sold out at Amazon right now. Anyway, wishing you both good health and long life.

[In_The_Wind]

4. It's a bit frustrating at times.

We had my diabetes under control for a while.
Now, we are trying to adjust my meds cause they aren't working. My doctor says it's a normal thing ... readjusting dosage as we age.

[handmade34]

5. so glad it was discovered...

too many of the people in my life have had it... please take it seriously. (my experience tells me processed food is a huge culprit... my partner- also a diabetic, and I have cut out all sugar and use only xylitol in coffee as sweetener, drink only unsweetened seltzer water for a treat and get as much exercise as possible)

http://www.diabetesforecast.org/landing-pages/lp-newly-diagnosed.html

[HereSince1628]

6. Blood sugars can vary widely during the day...many people have highs in the morning

This rise is part of how the body prepares to wake up and become active.

IMO, as a T2, her initial objective should be to meet the BG number her doctor targets for her and to learn how her blood glucose varies. There will be variations. The low readings are rewarding the highs not so much. Sometimes there will be unexplainable spikes, it's part of it.

Test strips can be damned expensive...the meters are often given away to establish your business be careful about that. It's a lot ink cartridges...the cost burden of testing is the strips, shop for strips that you can afford.

When I started I didn't know that sugar free candies use sugar alcohols as sweetners that convert to sugars once ingested. Chewing gum was a major source of my sugar intake, I thought switching to sugar-free gum would help...not so much, really.

[Baitball Blogger]

7. Tell her to check her sugar intake.

HFCS are especially nasty.

Exercise is wonderful and tell her to eat lots of protein.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. Lots of us diabetics here on DU...

Maybe we should have a forum?

Anyway, it's not the end of the world, although it could be if not dealt with. Serious diet changes are called for, and reading the labels on food and drink will become automatic. Exercise is now not just a fitness craze, but essential. She'll find out about the a1c test every few months and what her number should be. The daily tests are important, but the a1c shows long term blood sugar and whether it's going up or down.

The good news, if you could call it that, is that diabetes control for many largely means doing what you should have been doing all along and overall health and fitness could improve with control.

[RebelOne]

9. I am glad your wife's diabetes was caught early.

I was worried that I might possibly have diabetes as all family members on my mother's side developed Type 2 diabetes in their 60s and 70s. My sister was diagnosed with Type 2 last year. I am 75, so assumed that I may have it as I drink a lot of wine. But I have always watched my sugar intake. I had to have a pre-op examination a couple of months ago for cataract surgery and was terrified that the doctor would tell me I had Type 2, but to my surprise she told me my sugar was normal.

I also smoke and have done so since I was 16 years old. I also had to have a chest X-ray and that showed that my lungs were clear. That is totally unbelievable. I guess I must have a terrific immune system.