My mom has type 2 diabetes and she was told it could affect her eyes. I was just wondering what that meant?

We just went over this in my anatomy class for nursing school. Basically, diabetes is when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, so your liver doesn’t break down sugar and send it to your cells like it should. So instead of storing it as glucose–cell food–it stores it as fat. The fat eventually clogs up your arteries, causing decreased circulation all throughout your body. This is why a lot of diabetics end up having to have their toes or even more amputated. The loss of circulation causes the tissues to die and turn gangrenous.
Diabetes affects the eyes in the same way, by fat blocking the arteries and blood vessels inside the eyes, which eventually leads to blindness. Diabetes can also cause strokes because the stored fat blocks blood vessels to the brain.
So tell your mom to watch her blood glucose levels and stick to her ADA diet, and if she has to take insulin to keep at it as prescribed. On my clinicals in nursing school, we had a few patients that had already had toes, feet, legs amputated. Your mom can avoid all this if she sticks to the dietary guidelines. Also, do some research of your own so you can get a better understanding of the disease and be a good support system for her. I hope this helps clear some things up and I also hope your mom does well.

I’ve had Type 2 Diabetes for over a year and I’m still trying to figure it out. I’m currently living in Thailand. A list of foods containing carbs that are good for Diabetics would be great.

i also have type 2 diabetes…i like the lo-carb wraps..any food with a low glycemic content …..veggies..green beans, mustard greens, squash..whole wheat pasta,look for net carbs. potatoes ,rice, pasta ,junk foods are very bad too much sugar and fat..counteract your carb content if u eat potatoes or pasta by adding protein to them..such as cheese,and chicken ….alot of fruits have too many carbs and sugar, such as..pineapple, watermelon..oranges…these also have important vitamins and nutrients in them ..you can eat them in small portions..hope this helps…bluedot

I am not diabetic, but my chemotherapy & steroids have upset my sugar levels – high sometimes 29.5 low 3.1! I’ve been put on slow release Metformin to try and control it. I keep asking what I should and should not eat, but I keep being told – just eat a healthy diet! I already do and obviously there’s more I need to know. I knew someone once with Type 2 and he used to have to eat a sandwich at a certain time of day and avoid certain foods. Please help – it’s bad enough trying to survive Stage 4 bowel cancer which has now spread to both my lungs and my liver, and the Deep Vein Thrombosis I get as a side effect of the chemo, so I should be pig sick to die of Type 2 Diabetes and the side effects!!

Help! and Thanks.
JUDY A – yes it’s true, I do have all those problems! but I made 67 in November so that’s good. Diagnosed with Bowel Cancer Stage 3 in June 2002, had chemo and it went away until some time in the summer of 2005. Scan in September discovered at least 5 tumours across both lungs and one in my liver – had chemo from November 2005 to June 2006, then time off, but a few more arrived in my lungs during the time off, so started another course of chemo in October [another 6 months] I feel fine, just needed help to do the right thing with the sugar problem. Thanks for your info – sounds just like the man I knew years ago – who always had a sandwich in his bag incase he reached a certain time! Hope you read this!

i,v had diabetes for 48 years now they no longer give diet sheets out you just have to carefully on how much and how often you eat
1, breakfast
2, small snack : 2 biscuits(plain)
3,lunch
4,small snack
5,tea, dinner
6,small snack
eat little and often,1,3,5 are the main intake of food,do not go over board with these AND NOT TO MUCH CAKES OR SWEETS a little of these in small
portion ,i.e cake in normal cake cases are fine ,DO NOT FORGET you need these food regular so you do not go( hypo= no or very little sugar in blood)
just live life to the full i do nobody knows you have this to you tell them
you have a few problems there hope this is a genuine question

I recently found out that my mother has type 2 diabetes. Its something that runs in our family plus she’s over weight and is obviously in the process of losing. Still, I like to be told straight up the dangers or what may happen with things. So be honest.

A person can live with Type 2 Diabetes for many many years, into old age, just like any other person. The thing is that such a person has an increased risk of suffering serious health problems like heart disease, lack of circulation, and even blindness. You should try to help your mom to lose weight. The good news is that for many people, once they lose excess weight, the Type 2 Diabetes actually disappears. You should do exercise together, even starting with light walking and perhaps encourage your mom to see a dietician. She has a long life ahead of her!

Does anyone know what foods to avoid if you suspect someone has Type 2 Diabetes? Also, what foods to definitely consume that will help with the weight loss/whatever else is needed?

avoid sugar; starchy foods like bread, pasta, potatoes; fruits (because of the sugar content); alcohol, because it metabolizes as pure sugar. try eating lots of non-starchy veggies, like celery, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce; low-fat meats, sea foods, fish; cheese, low or reduced sugar yogurts, milk. the adkins diet and south beach diets are very diabetic friendly. i hope that you are getting a doctor’s opinion/diagnosis before you do anything else, especially if type 2 is suspected. it’s not anything to play around with and you need to be educated about how to live with it. best of luck to you!

I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and due to my weight of 315 pounds and the fact that I would be considered morbidly obese with a BMI greater than 40, I will most likely be tested for type 2 diabetes. I wouldn’t be suprised if I do have it though.

The first test to do is called A1C. this is a simple blood test that most doctors do in their office in 5-10 minutes IF they have the equipment. if not, they will take a blood sample and send it to a lab for 2-3 days.

A1C Test measures the AVERAGE of your blood sugar over the last 90 days. NORMAL is between 5 and 6.

if the A1C is more than 7, the doctor may want a second test called Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT). This is a more complicated test. it takes longer (3-4 hours) and is a bit painful.

But GTT will give a definitive YES or NO answer, if the GTT says YES then you are diabetic and you need to start treatment immediately.

Some doctors use the Finger Stick Blood Glucose Test. They stick your finger, then take ONE DROP of blood into a handheld meter. The readings come back in 30 seconds. This is the same test diabetics do 3-4 times a daty to control their blood sugar.

The problem with this test is that it is affected by WHEN, WHAT, and HOW MUCH you’ve eaten. Therefore, for purposes of DIAGNOSIS it is unreliable.

Since the A1C was invented (3-4 years ago) the "Finger Stick" test should NOT be used for diagnosis. The Finger Stick test is for CONTROL only.

Given you weight, you should INSIST on getting an A1C test. If the doctor pricks your finger and puts blood into a HANDHELD METER, this is NOT an A1C test (it is the figner stick test). Insits that the doctor do the A1C test properly.

As well, you should insist that the doctor repeat the A1C test every 3-4 months. You might not have diabetes now, but you could start next week. The A1C test will catch diabetes early enough that you can begin treatment and avoid the damages diabetes causes — blindness, kidney disease, amputations, sexual dysfunctions.

And of course you know the drill — watch your diet, get more exercise, lose weight. Sounds like a broken record, but this is how you control diabetes. if you don’t already have it, this is how you keep it away.

I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and due to my weight of 315 pounds and the fact that I would be considered morbidly obese with a BMI greater than 40, I will most likely be tested for type 2 diabetes. I wouldn’t be suprised if I do have it though.

The first test to do is called A1C. this is a simple blood test that most doctors do in their office in 5-10 minutes IF they have the equipment. if not, they will take a blood sample and send it to a lab for 2-3 days.

A1C Test measures the AVERAGE of your blood sugar over the last 90 days. NORMAL is between 5 and 6.

if the A1C is more than 7, the doctor may want a second test called Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT). This is a more complicated test. it takes longer (3-4 hours) and is a bit painful.

But GTT will give a definitive YES or NO answer, if the GTT says YES then you are diabetic and you need to start treatment immediately.

Some doctors use the Finger Stick Blood Glucose Test. They stick your finger, then take ONE DROP of blood into a handheld meter. The readings come back in 30 seconds. This is the same test diabetics do 3-4 times a daty to control their blood sugar.

The problem with this test is that it is affected by WHEN, WHAT, and HOW MUCH you’ve eaten. Therefore, for purposes of DIAGNOSIS it is unreliable.

Since the A1C was invented (3-4 years ago) the "Finger Stick" test should NOT be used for diagnosis. The Finger Stick test is for CONTROL only.

Given you weight, you should INSIST on getting an A1C test. If the doctor pricks your finger and puts blood into a HANDHELD METER, this is NOT an A1C test (it is the figner stick test). Insits that the doctor do the A1C test properly.

As well, you should insist that the doctor repeat the A1C test every 3-4 months. You might not have diabetes now, but you could start next week. The A1C test will catch diabetes early enough that you can begin treatment and avoid the damages diabetes causes — blindness, kidney disease, amputations, sexual dysfunctions.

And of course you know the drill — watch your diet, get more exercise, lose weight. Sounds like a broken record, but this is how you control diabetes. if you don’t already have it, this is how you keep it away.

There seem to be cookbooks that are specific to Type 2 diabetes. Does this mean there’s a difference in the kind of diet that Type 1 and Type 2 sufferers need to follow?

There is a lot of difference between the diet of all diabetics.

We have different tolerances to certain carb / protein / fat combo’s.

Type 2′s can vary so much. Some people can control it with a very strict diet, others can have a less strict one with tablets.

Type 1′s can have a lot less of a strict diet, we learn to adjust our insulin to our carbs, just like a normal pancreas would work.
Insulin is given either via injections or a pump.

I’ve been type 1 since i was 9. I have very good control, and i self-medicate, like most type 1′s learn to.
I can eat mostly anything, apart from the obvious, like a load of sweets, 3 pizza’s etc.

Any ‘specific’ cookbooks are usually rubbish.
Type 2 diabetics can vary a huge amount with their medications, their dietary requirements.
There is no ‘diet’ that works for everyone.

There seem to be cookbooks that are specific to Type 2 diabetes. Does this mean there’s a difference in the kind of diet that Type 1 and Type 2 sufferers need to follow?

There is a lot of difference between the diet of all diabetics.

We have different tolerances to certain carb / protein / fat combo’s.

Type 2′s can vary so much. Some people can control it with a very strict diet, others can have a less strict one with tablets.

Type 1′s can have a lot less of a strict diet, we learn to adjust our insulin to our carbs, just like a normal pancreas would work.
Insulin is given either via injections or a pump.

I’ve been type 1 since i was 9. I have very good control, and i self-medicate, like most type 1′s learn to.
I can eat mostly anything, apart from the obvious, like a load of sweets, 3 pizza’s etc.

Any ‘specific’ cookbooks are usually rubbish.
Type 2 diabetics can vary a huge amount with their medications, their dietary requirements.
There is no ‘diet’ that works for everyone.

Im a nursing student and im sort of confused. My teacher gave us a paper titled "HYPOglycemic drugs Indicated for Type 2 diabetes"

One of the drugs listed is Glucophage.

For glucophage it says it decrease glucose production in the liver, but wouldn’t you want that if you were a HYPERglycemic and not Hypoglycemic?

I’m in med school, and your teacher is right. The class of drugs you give to a diabetic are called hypoglycemic drugs because they INDUCE hypoglycemia in the patient.