I used to be going to title this put up “Success and Failure” however this isn’t about failing; it’s about lack of success. There’s a giant distinction.
People with diabetes work arduous to “do what’s right” regarding their situation. We could take the required meds, make adjustments to our weight-reduction plan, add train and hunt down help. It takes a number of effort and willpower!
Sometimes it may be troublesome to determine what the “right thing” is. What meals plan works for me, what medicines ought to I take, what ought to my numbers appear to be? There are at all times a number of people who find themselves prepared to present you recommendation. They could be caring associates or fellow PWD, or they might be folks making an attempt to promote you one thing. The neatest thing to do is experiment your self and determine what’s greatest for you.
Here’s the factor: we do these items in an effort to enhance our well being and try and hold The Beast below “control” (no matter that’s). But what occurs after we’re not profitable? What occurs to us when our greatest simply doesn’t lower it?
The want to only quit.
It is really nice to learn different folks’s tales of success; how they made this variation or that and had stellar outcomes. I’m at all times SO completely happy for them! Truly.
“I lost a bunch of weight and my numbers are so improved. I feel great!”
“I started a different food plan, one that shuns junk, and I was able to cut back on my meds!”
“I began exercising and am now running marathons, despite my diabetes!”
These tales are inspiring and assist PWD to determine methods to enhance their very own state of affairs. The drawback is that typically PWD do all the above, or a variation, and they aren’t profitable. That sucks.
I used to be recognized with kind 2 diabetes 12 years in the past and have at all times managed to maintain my A1c in a great vary. Slowly, over a few years, I’ve made adjustments to my meals plan, tried to train extra and elevated my metformin when wanted in order that my numbers would stay as near “in range” as doable. I hardly ever noticed something on my meter over 180ish except I actually splurged and anticipated that outcome. Things have been fairly peachy.
Quite a while in the past my fasting numbers started to creep up and frolicked within the 130s. I didn’t like that however my physician mentioned, “Your A1c is so good. Don’t worry about it.” No treatment change. No acknowledgement of my concern. I had been attending shared medical appointments (a form of help group mixed with a fast dr. go to.) Last April I advised the dr. that, though I assumed this system was superior, it simply wasn’t one thing I wanted. She agreed and advised me to come back again in 6 months “since my A1c was so good”. Then issues started to vary. My fasting numbers crept as much as the 140s, 150s, 160s. I started checking earlier than and after meals (which I hadn’t achieved in a very long time). I used to be usually within the 140s earlier than I even ate. Unheard of for me.
½ taco salad (a particular splurge) 187 four hours after I had eaten.
Chicken strips (one other splurge) 210 three ½ hours later. No dinner that evening.
½ apple w/peanut butter – nonetheless at 150 four hours later…and I used to be hungry.
35 carbs = 134 as much as 216.
½ a BLTA sandwich with a handful of fries for lunch in the present day– nonetheless hanging out within the 170s.
I hardly ever share my numbers however I wanted you to see that issues are totally different. Instead of staying inside vary, I’ve been spiking manner up and not coming down. (and to make clear, I do not eat these sorts of issues fairly often. I eat a low carb, smart weight-reduction plan.)
So what am I doing in another way now? Not a rattling factor. In reality, I’m consuming loads much less and have been gaining weight.
Cue a health care provider appointment.
I’m seeing a brand new physician (as a result of the opposite one semi-retired and is just doing share medical appointments and we already established that I didn’t wish to do this anymore). He was stunned to see how excessive my fasting numbers have been. We mentioned doable treatment adjustments. We talked about the truth that train has been troublesome these days resulting from my fibro, however heck I can do higher! “Let’s do an A1c and see where you are. If it has gone up dramatically then we’ll see about adding a new medication. If it only goes up slightly then we’ll just wait and see.”
“But what about these fasting numbers? What about these spikes and sustained higher numbers? What should I do about those?”
“They aren’t that bad. Don’t worry.”
I’m not sharing this to get sympathy and even recommendation. I’m sharing this as a result of there are such a lot of PWD on the market who’re doing every thing they’ll to “do the right thing” and make a distinction of their situation and typically it simply doesn’t work! They learn tales about how a sure weight-reduction plan makes an enormous distinction for others or including train “reversed someone’s diabetes”. And there they sit consuming low carb and lifting weights to no avail. How do you suppose that feels? Pretty effing crappy.
This put up is for you, fellow I’m-trying-so-hard-and-nothing-is-working peeps. It sucks. It’s arduous. It’s merely not truthful! But, it’s not your fault. You haven’t failed, you’ve simply had the reverse of success. Not success. All we will do is carry on keepin on. Keep making an attempt various things. Keep hammering on our HCPs to assist us. Change freakin medical doctors in case you should, however don’t quit. Don’t give in. Don’t take heed to the nay-sayers who inform you that “all you have to do is…” Screw them. They don’t know. They don’t perceive. But I do and I feel you might be fabulous!
