Obese, diabetic with high BP; need help with food addiction
Diagnosed 1 year ago. Can't take Metformin or Glipizide due to side effects. Felt like a zombie, could hardly do my work. Didn't make much difference in my levels as I am also a food addict. Weight at 312 (was 320 2 1/2 weeks ago). A1C at 10.2 and sugar was 345 on Saturday morning. Feel better off the Meds, actually walking and getting to the gym. I know a lot of this will get better if I lose the weight.
Anyone out there a food addict like myself? How are you coping?
Also would like to know if there are any vitamins that help with the high blood pressure or the diabetes since the meds only make it worse for me.
Thank you in advance for any help.
Minda
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@ihatediabetes, I use hiking poles and I love them. I use 2, my husband prefers to use 1. I like them for balance and so that I can look at scenery and not trip/fall while moving. They are great for uphills, too. Great if it is wet and slippery! They also help to easy the back burden if carrying a back pack. Ours are lightweight and fold easily. They are available in many brands and models and sizes and prices. A quality outdoor store is a good place to go for assistance.
The clicking sound might have been the tips that were hitting on rocks or concrete walkway.
Rosemary
@ihatediabetes, Check out this. It contains some basic information plus gear suggestions.
http://www.hiking-for-her.com/beginner-hiking-tips.html
Rosemary
Rosemary, thank you for the information. I'll take a look. I also wanted to take some Bow courses or "becoming an outdoors woman" courses like fly-fishing in state parks. I am interested in getting a fishing license and maybe catch a fish and cook it. I am getting pretty good with hiking about three miles at a time. Yesterday I actually tried the interval training that I'm supposed to do for wellness plan. I was hiking and when I saw a hill I started running up the hill. I was wearing heart monitor. I'm supposed to aim for 156 bpm. I was able to do that three or four times then I was too tired and just walked. They say that interval training us supposed to be really good for health and you can do it using hills on hiking trails. So I did try yesterday. I did get my toolbox for bluebird monitoring so I can only carry one pole. I made an action plan to get back out there to repair some of the boxes. It's amazing to learn that there are so many people involved to increase the bluebird population. I am going to watch 38 boxes this season.
@ihatediabetes, You are an exceptional woman! Remaking yourself is not easy, yet you are doing exactly that. Reading about how you are making healthy changes in your life is very inspiring.
Would you share with us how old you are? Did you find your inspiration for making changes in your life from the Mayo Diet/ Wellness program?
I know I'm not able to do all the things you are doing, but I am feeling like I can begin to do more than I am. Your story helps me dream bigger. Thank you!
OK. I will give you some details. I'm 52 years old. My daughter transferred to four-year college so I became empty nester. I also raised son with developmental disability. Very difficult to raise. I got the diagnosis that my son would need lifelong support when he was three years old at Mayo Clinic. I know them. Yup. I get anxiety just thinking about it. I was totally worn out from being mother of special needs child. So at 51, I got diagnosed with class 3 obesity, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, hyperlipidemia, mental health challenges. I had a kitchen sink of problems from internal medicine clinic. Yup. But I started hiking last summer. Then I got snowshoes for winter. I used nature and trails for my really messed up mind and body. I stopped at every running brook and just listened. It's healing. I made short video clips to listen to at home. I took photos to look at. I have PhD level psychologist that knows about dissociative disorder and what it comes from. Eventually I started getting used to certain state parks and learned the trails. I felt home there. I kept going every chance I got. Nobody to worry about at home so I could wander there for hours. I bombed psych assessment for bariatric surgery. That was last year. Totally bombed it. Not suitable candidate for psychology reasons, e.g. Dissociative disorder. Glad I bombed it now. So I only do healthy living now including physical activity, nutrition, and resilience. I think resilience really means taking care of your mind. So far healthy living program kept me. It still asks me questions day and night from portal. Good morning, how is your energy level today? Good evening, how did your day go? I still have wellness coach. I have challenges. But now I am running on the park trails with heart monitor to reach my 156 bpm. Plus, I am doing bluebird route. I take a hotbath every night for my action plan. I am supposed to organize condiments in my kitchen cabinet to gradually organize my cluttered life. But I am trying to take ground like hiking and hold it. I don't feel like I have my life together at all. But on positive note I believe I am diligent and teachable. Those are two positive qualities I have. If you can find certain qualities you have often you can leverage them for your benefit. Yes. I am diligent and teachable. That's why I knew it would be good for me to have responsibility like monitoring bluebird boxes. I have hard time dropping things if I agreed to do it. So that makes me exercise even if I don't feel like it. It's the responsibility. Maybe you get that from being a mother. That's where I learned responsibility. But I'm kind of messed up, too. I think I am getting better though. Peace.
Hi Minda! I am prediabetic (6.1/120) and shed significant pounds and was able to drop my blood pressure. I was wondering if your doctor has advised you of any circulatory issues you may be having? Do you heal and recover slowly? What plan do you have to recover going forward and to manage your situation with as much independence and mobility as possible? I hope you are feeling OK today.
GF
@ihatediabetes I'm so inspired by your posts! Thanks for keeping us iinformed with your progress. Teresa
Teresa, OK well the scoop for today is my son came over for supper and sleptover night. I tried really hard to cook something nice. But I do know I was anxious and snacking on sweets. Lots of emotions still over my son. So I have been taught to observe but don't judge. I guess it means look at what you're doing or feeling but don't condemn yourself. So I did notice I was anxious and snacking on sweets. Lots of extra calories that aren't on my nutrition plan. But I just have to give myself a break and not beat myself up about it. I think we do have tendency to condemn ourselves. So that's my update for today. I have to recover my balance. So I did go for strength training session in women's club I go to. It really helps to pick up heavy things just to deplete me of anxiety.
I too have those days when I indulge in things that I should not indulge in. Of course I beat myself up a bit afterwards but the important thing is that we do "recover our balance".
Strength training, huh? I should look into that at my health club. I hate, hate, hate the gym, I am totally intimidated by the equipment so I would need to get a personal trainer to get me started on that ($$$$$$ though).
JK
JK, I used to go to coed club that was big. But I felt intimidated by the guys and how much weight was left on the bars. Now I go to women's club. It's much better for me. The weights are all within a certain range that women use. Also they include personal training in membership fee. They create a program that you do 12 times. Then you make appointment with trainer to get new program. I did explain what I am doing to healthy living program and they really liked it. So my physical activity program includes keep going to women's club for strength training. They told me to tell them that Mayo Clinic believes its a great program. They focus on proper form and change program after you do it 12 times. It's important to change program regularly for muscle development. I noticed it's big muscle groups, then smaller muscle groups, then core strength that you do on a mat with your body weight. It's quite challenging but you get results. Every woman has a notebook on shelves with pages of her present and past programs. It's very helpful for me to see progress.