"Julie Bove" wrote in message
news:KP2Pj.500$NK1.449@trndny05...

"Karl" wrote in message ...

"Cheri" gserviceatinreachdotcom wrote in message
...

Julie Bove wrote in message ...speaking of doctors telling someone to
cut back on starches

What's bad is the advice she was given. Not that it's bad to cut
back on
carbs, but because it is so vague. She needs to know why she was
told that.
Does she have diabetes? Prediabates? She needs to know the reason,
be given
the appropriate testing and follow-up and use a meter to test her own
blood
sugar at home. Until she tests herself she will not know what is
"bad" for
her or not.


You said what I was getting ready to say. Surely they gave her a
reason for cutting back on starches, and if the reason was diabetes or
prediabetes, they should be advising her to test.

Cheri


I have her bring it up when she goes talks to her doctor.

She needs to bring it up right away and not wait. If she has diabetes,
there is the potential for her to have a hypo and this could be dangerous.
She needs to have a way to monitor herself.

She hasn't been diagnosed with diabetes. I have been talking to her more
and what the doctor said
was she's getting older and to cut back on the starches. I think I might be
overreacting a bit myself.

He said her tests for sugar that were combined in routine batteries of blood
work they do periodically showed
the levels were moving higher.

Maybe I just worry too much?

"W. Baker" wrote in message
...
Karl wrote:

: She just went to the doctor and he said her blood sugar was getting
higher.
: She's 74 and he just told her to
: cut back on the starches.

: I guess she should ask her doctor if she shouold start testing herself.

karl, I am 72 and proactive with my diabees. Sometimes doctors don't wat
to worry older people or think they are too old, simple, etc. to make a
proactive change in her life. I don't know if this is the case with you
mother, but it is something to be aware of. Don't let her be talked down
to. In tis ay and age she has a good chance of living happily for many
years and she needn't develpop full blown diabetes if she is able to lower
her blood ugar with diet adn exercise now. A meter will halp her adn even
if the doctor doesn't want to worry her with all that testing, get one
like tthe Walmart one which is cheaper if she doesn't get it from her
insurance.

Wendy


I agree with you about the diet and exercise. Now trying to chase her
around her house to test her
blood... that's the tough part! My Mum is stubborn.

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:55:06 -0400, "Karl" wrote:

She hasn't been diagnosed with diabetes. I have been talking to her more
and what the doctor said
was she's getting older and to cut back on the starches. I think I might be
overreacting a bit myself.

He said her tests for sugar that were combined in routine batteries of blood
work they do periodically showed
the levels were moving higher.

Maybe I just worry too much?


You could ask the doctor for the test results, and see for yourself?
It would also be very good if you could get her to test an hour after
eating.

But moving her towards low-GI carbs, and encouraging her to do more
exercise, would be a good idea anyway.

Nicky.
T2 dx 05/04 + underactive thyroid
D&E, 100ug thyroxine
Last A1c 5.6% BMI 25

Karl wrote:

: "W. Baker" wrote in message
: ...
: Karl wrote:
:
: : She just went to the doctor and he said her blood sugar was getting
: higher.
: : She's 74 and he just told her to
: : cut back on the starches.
:
: : I guess she should ask her doctor if she shouold start testing herself.
:
: karl, I am 72 and proactive with my diabees. Sometimes doctors don't wat
: to worry older people or think they are too old, simple, etc. to make a
: proactive change in her life. I don't know if this is the case with you
: mother, but it is something to be aware of. Don't let her be talked down
: to. In tis ay and age she has a good chance of living happily for many
: years and she needn't develpop full blown diabetes if she is able to lower
: her blood ugar with diet adn exercise now. A meter will halp her adn even
: if the doctor doesn't want to worry her with all that testing, get one
: like tthe Walmart one which is cheaper if she doesn't get it from her
: insurance.
:
: Wendy
:

: I agree with you about the diet and exercise. Now trying to chase her
: around her house to test her
: blood... that's the tough part! My Mum is stubborn.

OK, then you have to work to get it into her head that THIS(testing) is
the way she cab continue to enjoy her life for a long time. any
grandkisd? doesn't she want to see them "grow -up get married,
graduatle, give her great-grandkids, etc. Let her know that kowning her
blood sugar numbers adn working to do something about them will keep he,
if not young, at least going appily for quite a while yet.

Tell her a 72 year old Grandma told you all this:-) It really shuld
become her effort so she owns it and will want to follow p with teting,
decent eating, exercise, etc. Don't you talk down to her either!!!!

Wendy-If you notice my lousy typing, I have only one focusing eye and tht
is not in great condition either, but NOT related to the diabetes!!!

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:55:06 -0400, "Karl"
wrote:

She needs to bring it up right away and not wait. If she has diabetes,
there is the potential for her to have a hypo and this could be dangerous.
She needs to have a way to monitor herself.

She hasn't been diagnosed with diabetes. I have been talking to her more
and what the doctor said
was she's getting older and to cut back on the starches. I think I might be
overreacting a bit myself.

He said her tests for sugar that were combined in routine batteries of blood
work they do periodically showed
the levels were moving higher.

Maybe I just worry too much?


Hi Karl

I've come late to this discussion, so I'll just reinforce a
couple of points the others made and add one or two of my
own.

First, at 74, she can eat what she darn well likes. However,
she should be made well aware that there may be some nasty
consequences if she doesn't find out what some of those
foods she likes may be doing to her body. Once she has that
information she can make her own informed choices.

The best way to get that information, when the doctor is
effectively implying she has pre-diabetes, is to use a blood
glucose test meter. Without information she is flying blind.

I must stress that you are not over-reacting. You said in
your opening post "My Mom just the word to cut back her
starches since her blood sugar is getting high." To us, as
diagnosed diabetics, that is a clear warning sign that
should not be ignored. Some of us did ignore those signs;
that's why we're here. It would help her a lot if you could
suggest that she gets copies of all her lab reports in
future because then she, or you, can see exactly what her
numbers are and discuss with her doctor the implications of
those numbers.

So my primary advice would be to get a meter and start
testing about an hour after each meal to see what it did to
her.

Finally, if she is not prepared to test, I'd suggest that
she use the following broad guidelines. Note that these are
just my opinion, I'm a diabetic, not a doctor and that a
meter would help her find the items on this list that are OK
for her.

Minimise:

Anything made in a bakery.
Pasta.
Rice
All wheat products.
All corn products.
Starches - basically root vegetables.
All sugared drinks - sodas, sport drinks, milk.
All juices.
All fast foods.

And ignore colour, fibre content, or advertising hype about
wholegrain or low-GI.

Be wary of:

Fruits, good in small portions, harmful in large portions.

Maximise:

Vegetables, apart from root veges.

Use in appropriate portions:

Fish
Meats (trimmed well of fat)
Eggs
Beans

Those lists are not exhaustive but I think you'll pick up
the trends. If in any doubt check with her doc.

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
d&e, metformin 1500mg, ezetrol 10mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
--
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com
Latest:Valderee, Valderah. Or, I love To Go A-wandering...

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:59:00 -0400, "Karl"
wrote:


"W. Baker" wrote in message
...
Karl wrote:

: She just went to the doctor and he said her blood sugar was getting
higher.
: She's 74 and he just told her to
: cut back on the starches.

: I guess she should ask her doctor if she shouold start testing herself.

karl, I am 72 and proactive with my diabees. Sometimes doctors don't wat
to worry older people or think they are too old, simple, etc. to make a
proactive change in her life. I don't know if this is the case with you
mother, but it is something to be aware of. Don't let her be talked down
to. In tis ay and age she has a good chance of living happily for many
years and she needn't develpop full blown diabetes if she is able to lower
her blood ugar with diet adn exercise now. A meter will halp her adn even
if the doctor doesn't want to worry her with all that testing, get one
like tthe Walmart one which is cheaper if she doesn't get it from her
insurance.

Wendy


I agree with you about the diet and exercise. Now trying to chase her
around her house to test her
blood... that's the tough part! My Mum is stubborn.


If she isn't prepared to test or at least make changes, you
can't force her. Can you get her to read some of the answers
you have received?

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
d&e, metformin 1500mg, ezetrol 10mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
--
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com
Latest:Valderee, Valderah. Or, I love To Go A-wandering...

"Karl" wrote in message ...


She hasn't been diagnosed with diabetes. I have been talking to her more
and what the doctor said
was she's getting older and to cut back on the starches. I think I might
be overreacting a bit myself.

You are NOT overreacting. IMO, she is not reacting strongly enough.
Telling someone to cut back on the starches is of no use to them really.
She could be eating tons of fruit, drinking milk, eating or drinking sugary
things and having sky high blood sugar. And that's not goof!

He said her tests for sugar that were combined in routine batteries of
blood work they do periodically showed
the levels were moving higher.

Well, that's not good and it is indicative of something. But what? The Dr.
should tell her and if he does not, she should ask.

Maybe I just worry too much?

Not IMO.