My first A1C since diagnosis 3 months ago!!

Posted by kateia @kateia, Nov 4, 2019

I just wanted to share my excitement. I had my first A1C test today since my diagnostic test in July. July's test was 10.1 Today's test was 5.8!! I was going to be happy with 8!! I can't believe it dropped so fast. No medications. Just eating right and exercising!!! Woo Hoo!! I'll keep plugging along. Still want to get 10 more pounds off before the end of the year!

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@conyentandwell I agree. I don't know what a nurse practioner can do, but I don't think I would consider a med prescribed by one. I'll have to get back to my diet, but I need exercise, and that's not possible. I can't sleep at night because my feet hurt so bad. I am afraid I am going to fall when I walk, so a treadmill is out. I've seen foot pedaling type or vibration/massage type for feet, but don't know if they work. I need a whole body workout-----from top to feet to really exercise. What a conundrum. I never thought I'd be in this fix.
Carol

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Just to let you know I haven't been exercising for close to a month and have been eating too many carbs. I was shocked that my numbers were so low. I have purchased DVD exercise videos from Grow Young Fitness. Most of them are chair exercises or standing next to a chair. There are several DVD's that he makes that works on core, balance, cardio and yoga. I have not used them all yet but what I've used are very good. Not outrageously priced either. I ignore all of his supplements, drinks, etc. It's just an idea. Tai Chi would also be something good to do. I don't know if there is a chair one. Nobody is perfect. If we fall of the wagon, we crawl back up and start over. This site is the best!! I've had more encouragement from you guys than any family or friends. A big thank you for all of the support!! You are keeping me on track. I'm back to exercising, and my food journal. Blessings to all of you.

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@retiredteacher

@contentandwell Since my feet are so painful and exercise has basically ceased, I also have felt sorry for myself and snacked and been a couch potato. My A1C was up in September and my endocrinologist retired, but I can go to a nurse practitioner and get my A1C in late December, and I also dread seeing the number. I know I am over the moon high. I am so mad at myself and have to deal with getting back with the program. I don't know what I am going to do about my lack of exercise. Everything is just is chaos.
Carol

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Carol, you have close to two months to get on track!! You can do it!!! Let's do it together. My challenge to you!!

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@kateia If I could exercise, this would be a good motivation, but until I can reduce the pain in my feet so that I can exercise, I'm at a standstill, I can go back to a strict diet, but this holiday time of year is so hard for me to ignore all the delicious food we don't usually have any other time. So, I'll have to come to terms with it myself for the time being and try to re-think my situation. Thanks for your encouragement.
Carol

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@retiredteacher

@conyentandwell I agree. I don't know what a nurse practioner can do, but I don't think I would consider a med prescribed by one. I'll have to get back to my diet, but I need exercise, and that's not possible. I can't sleep at night because my feet hurt so bad. I am afraid I am going to fall when I walk, so a treadmill is out. I've seen foot pedaling type or vibration/massage type for feet, but don't know if they work. I need a whole body workout-----from top to feet to really exercise. What a conundrum. I never thought I'd be in this fix.
Carol

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@retiredteacher I tend to want to see the doctor too, not an NP, but I have seen a couple of pretty good ARNPs.

There are chair exercises, that would be better than nothing. I know the feeling, when I couldn’t exercise I was worried that I’d never be able to get back to it again.

@kateia has some great ideas. That book might be worthwhile to get. Kateia, are these exercises advertised by the young, blonde guy on the internet? They are not all chair exercises, right? Does he have exercises for osteoporosis?
JK

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@retiredteacher

@conyentandwell I agree. I don't know what a nurse practioner can do, but I don't think I would consider a med prescribed by one. I'll have to get back to my diet, but I need exercise, and that's not possible. I can't sleep at night because my feet hurt so bad. I am afraid I am going to fall when I walk, so a treadmill is out. I've seen foot pedaling type or vibration/massage type for feet, but don't know if they work. I need a whole body workout-----from top to feet to really exercise. What a conundrum. I never thought I'd be in this fix.
Carol

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@retiredteacher Any time I ask my doctor about anything to do with diabetes, he tells me to talk to Dee, the nurse practitioner. She is also a diabetic. She tells the doctor what he needs to do to keep Medicare happy. She has me on an insulin pump and just started me on a CGM. She is the one who adjusts my insulin dosages. She is very knowledgeable and knows what she is doing and I trust her to do what's best for me. (And by the way, my exercise program fell apart also. Really need to get back at it!)

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@kateia

Just to let you know I haven't been exercising for close to a month and have been eating too many carbs. I was shocked that my numbers were so low. I have purchased DVD exercise videos from Grow Young Fitness. Most of them are chair exercises or standing next to a chair. There are several DVD's that he makes that works on core, balance, cardio and yoga. I have not used them all yet but what I've used are very good. Not outrageously priced either. I ignore all of his supplements, drinks, etc. It's just an idea. Tai Chi would also be something good to do. I don't know if there is a chair one. Nobody is perfect. If we fall of the wagon, we crawl back up and start over. This site is the best!! I've had more encouragement from you guys than any family or friends. A big thank you for all of the support!! You are keeping me on track. I'm back to exercising, and my food journal. Blessings to all of you.

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Hello @kateia, I'm glad that you brought up the idea of chair exercises. If you don't want to buy a DVD, there are a lot of chair exercises on Youtube that you can watch for free. Here is a link to some of those
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chair+exercises+for+seniors
I'm sure that everyone can find one video that will help to get moving without being harshly aerobic. They are great when you are recovering from surgery or an injury.

Here is one that looks especially gentle, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaYDK_LH_uk&t=7s.

Remember you only have to do the exercises that feel good, for example, if you have leg or foot discomfort, just do the upper arm exercises, etc.

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@marvinjsturing

@retiredteacher Any time I ask my doctor about anything to do with diabetes, he tells me to talk to Dee, the nurse practitioner. She is also a diabetic. She tells the doctor what he needs to do to keep Medicare happy. She has me on an insulin pump and just started me on a CGM. She is the one who adjusts my insulin dosages. She is very knowledgeable and knows what she is doing and I trust her to do what's best for me. (And by the way, my exercise program fell apart also. Really need to get back at it!)

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Hi @marvinjsturing, I agree that Nurse Practitioners can be just great. They are very knowledgeable in their area of expertise, it is easier to see them than to see a doctor and they take a lot of time. They always consult with the physician about their patients so you are still getting the benefit of a doctor when you see an NP.

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@hopeful33250

Hello @kateia, I'm glad that you brought up the idea of chair exercises. If you don't want to buy a DVD, there are a lot of chair exercises on Youtube that you can watch for free. Here is a link to some of those
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chair+exercises+for+seniors
I'm sure that everyone can find one video that will help to get moving without being harshly aerobic. They are great when you are recovering from surgery or an injury.

Here is one that looks especially gentle, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaYDK_LH_uk&t=7s.

Remember you only have to do the exercises that feel good, for example, if you have leg or foot discomfort, just do the upper arm exercises, etc.

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That's great to know!! They also have stretching and chair exercises on public TV in Iowa.

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@retiredteacher

@kateia If I could exercise, this would be a good motivation, but until I can reduce the pain in my feet so that I can exercise, I'm at a standstill, I can go back to a strict diet, but this holiday time of year is so hard for me to ignore all the delicious food we don't usually have any other time. So, I'll have to come to terms with it myself for the time being and try to re-think my situation. Thanks for your encouragement.
Carol

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Carol, whenever I have pain in my legs or feet, I make myself exercise by doing heel lifts, and sometimes I do them in the shower after I get my back warm. If it is neuropathy, the gentle exercise will decrease or stop the pain and I can get to sleep. I don't have this all the time and I find I can fight back with the heel lift exercises. Sometimes I must hang on to the counter for balance. My sister took Klonepin for years and said it was for her "restless legs" but she ate an awfully big diet and gained a lot of weight and would not cooperate with a diabetic program at all. She took lots of BP meds and I could not reason with her at all. She was very bad before she died. Dorisena

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