New medication working good.

Started a new medication (Victoza) almost 2 weeks ago. It is an injectable that is so easy to give. It manages blood sugar very well, so far no side effects (could have nausea) and AM sugars have been really good. Still taking the Metformin and Amaryl in the morning. Hopefully I can cut the Amaryl out completely.

My problem now is eating. I need to make a conscious effort to eat better. This new med really does decrease your appetite. Yesterday I went to Costco, had a few nipples around the store but not much. After checking out I got a slice of pizza (large slices at Costco) and I could not eat but half and that was over about an hour time frame (kept running errands and would take a bite here and there). Last night I only ate a little bite of leftover pound cake and a candy cane. Threw the rest of the pizza away.  I have found that sweets if eaten too much will make me sick to my stomach. This is probably a good thing. I know it and I have to be careful. My friend who is on this med says she is hardly interested in sweets at all and her appetite has really decreased. Lost 20 lbs without trying. Yippee, looking forward to losing 20 lbs and all it's family members.

It has been a while since I posted about my diabetes. It took about 3 months to get things under control. I have a visit with Anna in a week or so.  I went back to eating sugar. I could not tell much difference. I am still trying to be careful what I eat. Calorie counting is the best way to go. Staying at 2000 a day is sometimes a chore. I have started eating oatmeal, took a while to acquire the taste/texture but now I really love it and look for different flavors, etc.  This has helped me get breakfast in early in the day. The best way to change a lifestyle is with baby steps. The most helpful thing I have done for myself is to accept the challenges and look ahead. Face reality with a smile on my face.

Days 18-22 - keeping it up

Still off sugar.  Having hard time staying away from some starches. The best thing is take it step by step and be aware of what is going in your mouth. All in all doing OK.

Day 17-white bread and white rice is a no no

Started the day out well with glucose monitoring. Had white rice, black beans and a regular bagel for lunch, 3 hours later blood sugar was over 250. Go figure. I guess I will not do that again. Whole grain is best with brown rice. Will try that and see what the number is. Trial and error.

Days 15 and 16-doing well

Still staying strong. No sugar. Eating fruit or using Splenda.

Day 14-Dinner at Olive Garden with my friend Kathy G.

Spent a nice evening at Olive Garden with friends and my Mom. My friend Kathy is working in Afghanistan for 2 yrs. Very dangerous but she is truly loving the children and women, men are bit on the crazy side. She brought scarves and jewelry as treats for us. Great night. Blood sugar doing better, still not there yet. Had soup, salad and 2 bread sticks at OG.

Day 13-Good Monday

Finally had a walk today instead of the pool. Felt good. Water temp had really dropped over the weekend. I think fall may be coming around.

Blood sugar doing better. This past Sat was a week on the new med. I am sure this is helping. I really could kick myself. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. I have decided my blood sugar monitor is my best friend. She will go with me every where and visit me often, maybe even 3 or more times a day. She really can bite though. I am trying to remember not to poke the same finger in a row. I think I will name her Rosie (you know roses have thorns and they prick your fingers) and she is pink.

Salad today with tuna at lunch. Yum. Got a bit hungry in the afternoon and had some peanut butter. Probably have had a bit too much bread today but it is multi-grain. Need more protein I think.

Days 11 and 12-the weekend

Blood sugar coming down. Was the lowest this morning. Yesterday had a few more carbs than usual and was hungrier. Must be a connection. I did not have my usual salad with all the veggies. Really missed it. This week I will shake things around with a different protein with lunch probably tuna. Still love my multi-grain flat bread from Costco.

Day 10-It's Friday, yippee

About 2 weeks since being off sugar and eating more healthy. Planning on a productive weekend. Having some friends over beginning of next week. Looking forward to preparing dinner and sugar free dessert.

Day 9-A week since visiting Anna the PA

Today is a week since visiting endocrinologist aka PA Anna and I have been doing my best, taking meds, following diet pretty good. Tonight I am going to have some Tilapia, I still have some baking potatoes, I think I will cook them up even though they are in the moderate to high range of glycemics. All week I have had the best salads. Still have some fruit left, and a few veggies. Need to keep these in plentiful supply.  This weekend I will look at some recipes using Splenda.  Still need something a little sweet even if it is not sugar.

Day 8-Learning about low glycemic foods.

A good day with good food. Did a little more looking at low glycemic foods, those foods that help blood sugar stay under control. Foods with a low glycemic index are essential when you are going to be doing an extended period of exercise as they will give you a slow and sustained burst of energy. Most fruits and vegetables, except for those that are very high in carbohydrates (such as potatoes) have a low glycemic index. Others include such products as whole grains, brown rice, cereals, and milk. The general rule is that, if the food is low in carbohydrates (such as dairy products) the likelihood is that they will have a low glycemic index.

On a GI scale of 1 to 100 the lower the number the less sugar there is in the food source. Below 40 is said to be a healthier option. (A few examples)


Nuts and seeds 10 to 30 GI  Beans and Lentils 20 to 30 GI   Bran cereals 25 to 35 GI

Skim Milk 34 GI   Apples and Pears 38 GI    Rye Bread 42 GI   Spaghetti 44 GI

Brown Rice 55 GI   Table Sugar 68 GI   White Bread 73 GI   Coca Cola 77 GI

Day 7-Dreaming about cookies...

Missed day 6.  I really did not miss it but missed blogging about it. Still doing good. Have not eaten sugar or white bread. Did have some pasta. I have been eating a lot of fruit. Making good salads. Found some wonderful multi-grain flat bread at Costco. Yummy.  Blood sugars are still up some. Taking meds including a Centrum vitamin. My walking partner and I have been exercising in her above ground pool. Too hot to walk right now. Actually it is getting better around 8:00 or so. Looking forward to starting back walking. I really miss it. Last night I dreamed I bought a bag of cookies and ate them. I do miss cookies. I will have to come up with a recipe using Splenda.

Day 5-Rested well and ready for the week.

Slept a little late today. Just enjoyed being home. Had a late breakfast so med got into me late. Had 2 eggs, 2 whole wheat pieces of toast, real butter, and all fruit jelly.  Went to Costco later to pick up some last minute food items. I am all set for the week.  Blood sugars were down but not enough yet. Lunch consisted of ham, lettuce, tomato, olives and whole grain flat bread. Had some fresh cherries for dessert.

Tonight I will make some spaghetti with meat sauce and a salad. Later I will probably have a Glucerna bar for dessert.  I think it has been a successful day with food.

It is still hot at 6:40 PM here in Georgia and I will cut the front yard and wash car in a bit.

Day 4-Saturday morning

Got up early and went to the 3 mile walk for work. I now have blisters. Blood sugar was a little down this morning but up a few hours after dinner. I keep plugging along. Just had a Glucerna snack bar. It was yum. Tomorrow is another day.

Day 3-Shopping and preparing for the days ahead.

Blood sugar still up. Got Amaryl Rx. Did not prepare food for work. Went to Asian market where they have lots of veggies and fruit after work and got plenty for several days or more. Today I had a bad start with breakfast, so glucose was not in a very good range. Hopefully tomorrow will be better and I will prepare my food for the day in advance. Eating is good, it is what you eat and how much that is the problem. There are so many foods I like but don't mess mine up with mayo and dressings. I like it plain. No exercise today. I may do the "Firm" DVD which I bought. Tomorrow morning is a 3 mile walk sponsored by my work. Off to do a bit of shopping at wally world.

Day 2-Facing myself with reality.

Well I went to the endocrinologist but saw the PA. Not really a problem but was expecting to see the doc.  OK so here goes.

1. Blood sugar is out of control. (morning 207)
2. Got to lose weight. (I knew that).  213 lbs
3. Suggested Byetta which has a lot of terrific qualities, injected with a pen but this is not an insulin. Gave me information and wanted me to consider it. It controls appetite and helps you lose weight as well as control blood sugar. Sounds pretty good except for the needle but is actually smaller than the lancets you stick finger with.
4. Added another med to Metformin called Amaryl.
5. Check blood sugars 3 times a day, morning, before lunch and before supper. Ouch my fingers.
6. Start on low dose Lipitor 10 mg to get LDL down to 70. She is concerned about heart attack and stroke.
7. Go to hospital for dietary class.  I thought I was too good for that one.
8. See a change in blood sugar and come back in a month.

She was not Ms. Personality and did not say "you go girl" when I told her about cleaning out my pantry. I was expecting a pat on the back.  All in all she really seemed to know her stuff.

Did I say that being overweight and having diabetes sucks, oh but it does.

She looks a bit scary, glad my PA did not look like this.

Day 1-Admitting to the problem, cleaning out the cupboards.

Thought I would start a new blog so to speak. It is really going to be a daily bit, sort of a journal. Tomorrow I actually go to an endocrinologist for my diabetes type 2 which was diagnosed a little more than 2 years ago (April 2008). There goes that time flying again. I started out with a general practitioner treating me. I lost about 20 lbs, blood work was stabilizing but over the past 2 years I gained the weight back and now my blood glucose is really up. I take 500 mg of Metformin twice a day and I do not think it is working very well. My stomach is so sensitive to this medication that I cannot increase it. Hopefully tomorrow this new doc will start me on something that works better and give me hell-o about my diet.

Just so you know I am addicted to sugar. I crave it. I go in the store, buy products made from it, eat it and then feel so bad about it.  I have started eating better. Actually preparing a meal, buying fruits and veggies. This morning I took everything out of the cabinets that were a temptation, i.e. cake mixes, muffin mixes, baking chocolates, sweetened condensed milk, cookie mix, puddings, jello, etc. I took all this to work and said "free food". My co-workers took it all home. Yippee. Now I have a little good news to tell the doc tomorrow.

I am not going to bore everyone including myself with writing what I eat daily in this journal. I really want to use this to stay on track in a different way--dealing with food that gives me health.