DIABETIC DIET...UGH

         On Tuesday I had a phone visit with my doctor about a recent problem. It could be the result of Type II diabetes, so rather than put me back on Metformin, which I stopped taking last August, we agreed I would adjust my diet and see if I could get my blood glucose back down to a lower range. I hate getting the message, “High Pattern” on the glucose reader and I’ve been getting it a lot lately.

          Now, for those of you who may not know me well, I don’t, and haven’t ever looked as though I could have diabetes of any type. In fact, when I was first diagnosed, the day after Thanksgiving, thank you so much, I told them they had the wrong person. That’s because I didn’t eat a lot of junk and sugar and got up at 4:30 am every morning to go to the gym before I went to work.

          Nope, the nurse calling informed me, I was definitely a Type II diabetic. Like I said, this was the day after Thanksgiving, so I was given until the end of February to bring my A1c down to a non-diabetic level. I gave up every single bit of sugar I’d had in my live, mainly two raw sugars in my grande latte. I also gave up carbs…not a one passed my lips. I looked for and found a non-carb bread. I watched what I ate and drank like a hawk with a mouse in view.

          Come the end of February, my A1c hadn’t budged at all even though I’d lost 20 pounds. Bummer. So, it was on to Metformin. I worked with the Group Health pharmacist for a number of months to find the right dosage and keep track of my glucose. Eventually, he told me I didn’t need to check my glucose more than a few times a week, unless I changed my diet dramatically. He also told me it was okay to “binge” once in a while and have pizza or a hamburger, something that was really good, but not necessarily good for me. The research I did then led me to believe I am insulin intolerant.

          So, that’s what I’ve done for the last 12 years or so, until last summer. I had developed some intestinal problems. After much complaining, I went to see a gastroenterologist. He looked at my history, talked about this and that, what I could and could not try. At almost the end of the appointment, he brought up Metformin. That drug, he said, could actually cause my problem. He suggested I stop taking it for a couple of weeks and see what happened. I did and added Citrucel to my diet. Problem solved.

          I then emailed with my primary doctor and she agreed I should stop the Metformin. Then, in six months (March 2020), I would have my A1c done and decide whether to return to Metformin. Well, y’all know what happened. I managed to get my eyes checked (no big change, yeah!!!) and my ears tested (another no big change, yeah!!!), but before I could get to the lab or get to the doctor appointment I had for the end of March, everything was cancelled!!!

          So, here I am worried about my high glucose levels and no way to test aside from my little monitor. No way to get to a lab and have my A1c determined. If it remains under seven (7), then I don’t need a diabetes drug of any kind at my age. So, since I can’t visit the lab and as a result of that MD phone conversation, I’m changing my diet…boo, hiss, moan, cry.

          Starting today, once again, I’m going to be watching my sugar and carbs. I’ve pulled up the old spreadsheet I developed that will show absolutely everything I eat and drink as well as all the various nutritional values of whatever enters my big mouth. I love Safeway everything bagels. I toast them, put a slice of cheese on top, melt the cheese and top with sliced English cucumbers. The is my lunch most days…not anymore beginning today. Going forward, it’s going to be veggies, fruit, seafood, chicken, and a bit of meat.

          I already thought I was eating well, but apparently not. I’m going to have to concentrate on eating multiple times a day, but small amounts. And, I’m going to have to keep that spreadsheet pulled up and filled in. I haven’t looked to see how much in the way of sugar or carbs my daily allotment of gin contains, but I may have to stop that as well.

          There’s no way I can even look forward to having a “binge” meal since I can’t go to a restaurant. Yes, I could still get one of those meals to go, but why put out the extra effort if I cannot share it with a friend. At this horrible pandemic time, it seems like I should be able to just eat whatever I want since it’s just about the only physical pleasure available.

          You know, somehow old age is definitely not all it was cracked up to be. My old body has a variety of problems that can be or are addressed via prescription medications, i.e., levothyroxine (thank you radiation), Cymbalta (thank you chemotherapy), Gabapentin (thank you chemotherapy). These are supposed to be my “golden years?” Well, if they’re golden, it’s only a very thin coat over lead. I’m sure I’d feel a lot different if we weren’t in the midst of this pandemic. I guess you could say I’m feeling sorry for myself…sheesh, what a surprise.

I think of my grandma, and I should keep her memory at the forefront. She didn’t exercise, she wore housedresses and fixed and ate pretty much whatever she wanted. If memory serves, she didn’t take hardly anything in the way of medications, either prescription or over the counter. She seemed extremely happy with her lot in life. If she wasn’t, she certainly didn’t whine (like me) about it and just kept on keeping on. I guess I’ll keep on keeping on, but as of today, I doubt there’ll be very much in the way of tasty foods going over my lips, by my gums, look out tummy, here it comes.