I saw my doctor yesterday for my quarterly check up. My blood tests (A1c, lipid panel, liver panel) were showing improvements, and she was delighted to hear I joined Weight Watchers and was already losing weight. I told her about the lows (hypoglycemia) I've been experiencing lately, so we discussed it and decided to drop one of my diabetes meds, which I'm thrilled about. I'm hoping when I see her again in 3 months, my test results will be even better and I'll be a lot skinnier. ;)
My A1c this time around was 6.4, which is a lot better than I had been doing the past year. For 4 years I kept my A1c in the 6.1-6.4 range, but last year it started creeping up into the 7's. I've finally got it back down, but with the new diet and weight loss I'm hoping to push it down into the upper 5's in 3 months. Eventually I'd like to see it in the 4's, which is a normal nondiabetic range. But ... one step at a time. For right now I'm shooting to push it down to 5.9 or lower.
Today I drove over to the Saturday morning WW meeting (we normally go to the Tuesday morning meeting) to purchase monthly passes for my sister-in-law (my diet buddy) and me. Now I just need to go to the WW website and activate the passes. I also picked up a POINTS calculator. I love the new design! It's like a small compact. ;)
This morning for breakfast I ate 2 whole-grain Eggos (2 POINTS), 2 tablespoons of Brummel & Brown (3 POINTS) and 1/4 sugar-free maple syrup (1 POINT). POINT-wise it was fine, but blood sugar-wise it was not a good choice. 1 1/2 hours after eating my blood sugar tested at 165. I shouldn't let it get over 140 (to prevent diabetes complications), so I think I'll toss out the remaining 4 waffles. Without the fat of the margarine to slow it down, I'm sure my blood sugar would have gone much higher. Still, it's too high and I'll have to stick with lower carb choices, like eggs. For lunch I'm planning a salad (assorted veggies and a sliced boiled egg for protein), using my honey mustard Wishbone salad spritzer for dressing.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
More Weighty Thoughts
Back in 1978-1980 when I was about 135 lbs, I was more active. I walked, played tennis, loved to swim, ride my bike and go camping. It's been about 15 years since I last played tennis; I haven't walked or gone camping in more than 10 years because of my arthritis. My hips are bone-on-bone and I need hip replacements; I stopped swimming and tried to start again last year, but only swam once. Me in a swimsuit was too much to bear and bare; And last year was the first time I haven't ridden a bike in years. Bikeriding was my last surviving activity, but then it died.
I'm hoping when the weather warms up I'll get back on my bike and start riding again. And this summer I want to start swimming again.With my arthritis the way it is, I doubt I'll be walking, playing tennis or going camping anytime soon. At least not until I get those hip replacements. I'd like to look into that this year. It would be great if I got at least one hip done before 2010.
Before my hearing began to leave me in the mid-80's, I was a more outgoing person. But as my hearing deteriorated, so did my social life. I become essentially a recluse 10 years ago when my hearing loss became profound. I tried learning sign language, but I sucked at it. When my audiologist recommended a cochlear implant in November 2007, I was momentarily stunned. Then scared. But the more I looked into it, the better I liked the idea. I never thought of myself as a deaf person. I always thought of myself as a hearing person who couldn't hear. So when my insurance company finally agreed to pay for it, I set the date and went full steam ahead. My implant surgery was a HUGE success, and at my last appointment with my audiologist my hearing was testing borderline normal. I can hear. I can listen to music. I can use the telephone again. I thought once my hearing was turned back on I would suddenly turn back into a hearing person who can hear, but a decade of being a recluse makes it harder to just dive back into my former life. I'm finding I have to take it one step at a time.
When I was 16 and my father's hearing was deteriorating, I saw him starting to pull back from people. I swore if I lost my hearing I'd never do that. What a stupid kid I was. I just couldn't imagine how hard life was without hearing. You can't call someone up on the phone and talk with them. When you ask someone to repeat something, or ask them to speak up, they look at you like you just murdered their mother. And if they do repeat what they said, it's lower. Making it impossible to figure out what they're saying. When in a group setting, and you can't keep up with the conversation, it's easy to just let your mind wander. Eventually you pull back and stop going to places where there will be people. Running into someone I know while out shopping became my worst nightmare. Someone taps you on your shoulder, you turn and look at them and see their lips moving. No sound. You struggle through and when it's over you run for cover. Even though I'm hearing better, I still cringe when I run into someone I know. I guess it will just take time to reclaim my old life.
I'm hoping when the weather warms up I'll get back on my bike and start riding again. And this summer I want to start swimming again.With my arthritis the way it is, I doubt I'll be walking, playing tennis or going camping anytime soon. At least not until I get those hip replacements. I'd like to look into that this year. It would be great if I got at least one hip done before 2010.
Before my hearing began to leave me in the mid-80's, I was a more outgoing person. But as my hearing deteriorated, so did my social life. I become essentially a recluse 10 years ago when my hearing loss became profound. I tried learning sign language, but I sucked at it. When my audiologist recommended a cochlear implant in November 2007, I was momentarily stunned. Then scared. But the more I looked into it, the better I liked the idea. I never thought of myself as a deaf person. I always thought of myself as a hearing person who couldn't hear. So when my insurance company finally agreed to pay for it, I set the date and went full steam ahead. My implant surgery was a HUGE success, and at my last appointment with my audiologist my hearing was testing borderline normal. I can hear. I can listen to music. I can use the telephone again. I thought once my hearing was turned back on I would suddenly turn back into a hearing person who can hear, but a decade of being a recluse makes it harder to just dive back into my former life. I'm finding I have to take it one step at a time.
When I was 16 and my father's hearing was deteriorating, I saw him starting to pull back from people. I swore if I lost my hearing I'd never do that. What a stupid kid I was. I just couldn't imagine how hard life was without hearing. You can't call someone up on the phone and talk with them. When you ask someone to repeat something, or ask them to speak up, they look at you like you just murdered their mother. And if they do repeat what they said, it's lower. Making it impossible to figure out what they're saying. When in a group setting, and you can't keep up with the conversation, it's easy to just let your mind wander. Eventually you pull back and stop going to places where there will be people. Running into someone I know while out shopping became my worst nightmare. Someone taps you on your shoulder, you turn and look at them and see their lips moving. No sound. You struggle through and when it's over you run for cover. Even though I'm hearing better, I still cringe when I run into someone I know. I guess it will just take time to reclaim my old life.
Weighty Thoughts
I've been overweight almost my entire life. I was an average child while growing up, but when I hit my teens I began to put on weight. I'll bet that was the result of my diabetes gene (which I didn't know I had) rearing it's ugly, evil, insulin-resistant head. In 8th grade I was chubby, but by 9th grade I started to get criticism from my mother about my tummy. Back in my early teens "smock" tops were in fashion and I had one hair stylist ask me when my baby was due. I told her I wasn't pregnant. She said I was wearing a maternity top, to which I retorted it was a smock. My mother put me in Weight Watchers when I was in 9th grade, but I didn't keep up with it long. By the time I was in 10th grade I went from chubby to fat. I started WW again. The second attempt lasted no longer than the first.
When I was 19/20 years old I managed to drop about 30 pounds and kept it off for a couple years. After I married in 1981 I started gaining weight again, and the mid-80's saw me hit 200 plus. I started WW again and again and again (and I dabbled with TOPS and a couple other diets -- South Beach and The Four Corners Diet). My highest WW start weight was 275. My lowest start weight (after marriage - can't remember earlier numbers) was 225. The closest I came to getting under 200 pounds again was in 1996. I had lost 50 pounds and reached 202 lbs. ... I was almost there ... then I sabotaged myself and regained that 50 pounds and more.
In 2003 I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and started taking my very first long-term medication. Previously I had only taken the odd antibiotic now & then. In 2004 I was diagnosed with diabetes and gained 2 new long-term medications. That was a bitter pill to swallow and I was in denial for a brief time. My success at controlling my high blood sugar comes and goes. Mostly it goes.
In 2005 my father died of a heart attack, which I knew was related to complications from his out-of-control diabetes. I knew I had to do something to prevent going the same path, but couldn't find the motivation to do anything about it. I did take my first stress test and was told my heart was fine.
Last year I had cochlear implant surgery to improve my hearing (I have a hereditary hearing loss) and my doctor insisted I take another stress test before the surgery. This time a problem was found. I had a blood flow problem and they wanted me to get an angiogram after I healed from my CI surgery. Well I dragged my heels and didn't get the angiogram until earlier this month (my CI surgery was in Sept. 2008 and I was healed by early Oct.). A "minor clog" was found, but the cardiologist said it wasn't blocking anything so nothing more needs to be done at this point, other than continue my high blood pressure med and cholesterol med (a new med I inherited last year). I was relieved, but at the same time worried about that "minor clog". I most certainly don't want it to get worse. So I decided to return to WW again.
January 20th I went to my first WW meeting in about 10 years. And I dragged my sister-in-law with me. My start weight was 254 lbs. I lost 4.8 lbs my first week and my current "official" weight is 249.2 lbs. On my home scale I've dropped a couple more pounds, but it won't be official until I step on the WW scale at meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 3rd. My sister-in-law topped me by losing 5.8 lbs. We both got bookmarks on Tuesday, but only my SIL got a 5 lb star to put on it. I found out the stinker had been exercising, while I had been laying back awaiting my 2nd week when I would get my starting to move booklet. Serves me right for being lazy. Now I need to get busy and top her next Tuesday. ;~D
Last year I bought Dr. Richard Bernstein's "Diabetes Solution", but didn't read too far in it. I picked it up again the other day and I'm determined to get through it. His diet is very strict, but I've had success on a low-carb diet before (The Four Corners Diet). I lost 30 lbs in a couple months (9 pounds the first week!) and my blood sugar normalized. I wasn't on a nasty merry-go-round of too high or too low. After my initial success on 4 Corners back in 2006, I started backsliding when my mother-in-law's health circled the drain. It was a looong year and I packed that 30 lbs back on me. After my MIL began to get better I tried to restart 4 Corners, but couldn't find my earlier resolve to stick with it. Low carb is perfect for diabetics. The weight just fell off me, particularly in my tummy where type 2 diabetics tend to gain weight, and I felt more energetic, but it takes a huge commitment to stick with it. And until now I just couldn't find the motivation and strength to do it.
When I was 19/20 years old I managed to drop about 30 pounds and kept it off for a couple years. After I married in 1981 I started gaining weight again, and the mid-80's saw me hit 200 plus. I started WW again and again and again (and I dabbled with TOPS and a couple other diets -- South Beach and The Four Corners Diet). My highest WW start weight was 275. My lowest start weight (after marriage - can't remember earlier numbers) was 225. The closest I came to getting under 200 pounds again was in 1996. I had lost 50 pounds and reached 202 lbs. ... I was almost there ... then I sabotaged myself and regained that 50 pounds and more.
In 2003 I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and started taking my very first long-term medication. Previously I had only taken the odd antibiotic now & then. In 2004 I was diagnosed with diabetes and gained 2 new long-term medications. That was a bitter pill to swallow and I was in denial for a brief time. My success at controlling my high blood sugar comes and goes. Mostly it goes.
In 2005 my father died of a heart attack, which I knew was related to complications from his out-of-control diabetes. I knew I had to do something to prevent going the same path, but couldn't find the motivation to do anything about it. I did take my first stress test and was told my heart was fine.
Last year I had cochlear implant surgery to improve my hearing (I have a hereditary hearing loss) and my doctor insisted I take another stress test before the surgery. This time a problem was found. I had a blood flow problem and they wanted me to get an angiogram after I healed from my CI surgery. Well I dragged my heels and didn't get the angiogram until earlier this month (my CI surgery was in Sept. 2008 and I was healed by early Oct.). A "minor clog" was found, but the cardiologist said it wasn't blocking anything so nothing more needs to be done at this point, other than continue my high blood pressure med and cholesterol med (a new med I inherited last year). I was relieved, but at the same time worried about that "minor clog". I most certainly don't want it to get worse. So I decided to return to WW again.
January 20th I went to my first WW meeting in about 10 years. And I dragged my sister-in-law with me. My start weight was 254 lbs. I lost 4.8 lbs my first week and my current "official" weight is 249.2 lbs. On my home scale I've dropped a couple more pounds, but it won't be official until I step on the WW scale at meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 3rd. My sister-in-law topped me by losing 5.8 lbs. We both got bookmarks on Tuesday, but only my SIL got a 5 lb star to put on it. I found out the stinker had been exercising, while I had been laying back awaiting my 2nd week when I would get my starting to move booklet. Serves me right for being lazy. Now I need to get busy and top her next Tuesday. ;~D
Last year I bought Dr. Richard Bernstein's "Diabetes Solution", but didn't read too far in it. I picked it up again the other day and I'm determined to get through it. His diet is very strict, but I've had success on a low-carb diet before (The Four Corners Diet). I lost 30 lbs in a couple months (9 pounds the first week!) and my blood sugar normalized. I wasn't on a nasty merry-go-round of too high or too low. After my initial success on 4 Corners back in 2006, I started backsliding when my mother-in-law's health circled the drain. It was a looong year and I packed that 30 lbs back on me. After my MIL began to get better I tried to restart 4 Corners, but couldn't find my earlier resolve to stick with it. Low carb is perfect for diabetics. The weight just fell off me, particularly in my tummy where type 2 diabetics tend to gain weight, and I felt more energetic, but it takes a huge commitment to stick with it. And until now I just couldn't find the motivation and strength to do it.
As strict as 4 Corners is, Bernstein is stricter. With 4 Corners I just stopped eating bread, cereal, pasta, potatoes and sweets. Bernstein doesn't allow any of those, and he doesn't allow fruit. With 4 Corners I got to keep tart apples and berries. It's going to mean a HUGE change in my diet, but my blood sugar situation is getting too scary. The way I can quickly swing between 250 (or higher!) and under 80 is harmful to my body, and I already have diabetic neuropathy. I don't want to acquire any more diabetic complications.
Usually I'll start to shake around 80 and I previously had never been under 72. Tonight when I left work (around midnight) I felt weird, but I wasn't shaking. Yet. I can't remember feeling that weird before, so as soon as I got in my car (that's when I began shaking) I tested my blood sugar. I freaked when I saw it was 52. I quickly sucked down some glucose tablets and waited several minutes before driving home. By the time I got home I was in the mid-90's and fine again. Normal blood sugar is between 80-100, and when I'm low-carbing I'm able to keep it in that normal range. No seesawing up & down. I need to do that again before I end up losing control of my car one day and wake up in the hospital. If I wake up at all.
So ... I'll still use the WW POINTS system, but I'll stop eating bread, potatoes, cereal, pasta, starchy vegetables, some milk products, sweets, and fruit. Losing fruit might kill me at first, but hopefully I won't miss it after awhile. And I will start taking a daily multivitamin and calcium+D to make sure I'm getting all needed nutrients.
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