Comments on Cranky Fitness: Diabetic? Who cares?

Great Post. It is unbelievable that 1 out of 3 peo...

2008-11-19T16:51:00.000-05:00

Great Post. It is unbelievable that 1 out of 3 people have pre-diabetes. There are just so many people out there who take the simplest life saving tasks (such as healthy nutrition and exercise) and make them negligible.

Very informative and very true. For as serious as ...

2008-11-19T16:35:00.000-05:00

Very informative and very true. For as serious as diabetes is, I would think that people would want to avoid it at all cost. I agree with your post 100% because I know several people with type 2 diabetes who just are not that concerned about it. It's shocking to me!

Crystal said, "the only stage in which you can rea...

2008-11-19T10:42:00.000-05:00

Crystal said, "the only stage in which you can really turn it around is in the early stages."

I love the stories of people who saw the light and made lifestyle changes and got off of oral meds and/or insulin.

However, some people with diabetes (PWDs)reach a stage of nearly-complete pancreatic exhaustion.

Even if that person becomes a true-believer in regards to eating well and exercising and really walks the walk, these people may never be able to get off of medications.

As wonderful as it is to get off of medications, that should not be the only measure of success. PWDs who start taking good care of themselves at any stage of the disease deserve to be called a success.

Whether it's diet or exercise or what have you, pe...

2008-11-19T10:22:00.000-05:00

Whether it's diet or exercise or what have you, people have to really want to change. And the problem is that in the initial stages when it's first diagnosed, they don't have as much motivation, because the symptoms aren't quite so bad, and they can justify it by saying that it's just the disease and they can't do anything. And by the time they get to the point where they want to change because of the really bad consequences, then it's nigh impossible to make as big an impact. Kudos to all those who've turned their lives around, and good luck to those who haven't!

Great post - I totally share the frustration, espe...

2008-11-19T06:51:00.000-05:00

Great post - I totally share the frustration, especially when parents choose to feed rubbish food to their children - but that's another rant...

In terms of helping - there are two situations here really (IMHO).

1) A person you know but is not a close friend - i.e. you don't keep in touch often, and they don't care too much about you.

In this case, as cold as it sounds you can't do much if they're not interested. In fact they have to be much more than that - they have to want your help...

2) The second situation is when a person you love (and I don't use the term lightly) is "risking their life through sheer inertia" (that's such a powerful statement BTW).

Here you have no choice but to try to help. My practice is to usually be cruel to be kind, but not too cruel, as you want to make an impact, but you don't want them to switch off.

The thing is, that you need to find their 'trigger' - the one thing that matters to them so much, that if they lost it, it would hurt worse than death...

It is a different trigger for everyone. It is usually hard to dig out. It may cost you the friendship (in the short term). But if it is the real trigger - it would save them...

You're right. It's almost impossible to help peopl...

2008-11-19T02:17:00.000-05:00

You're right. It's almost impossible to help people who don't want to change.

Great post.

I, too, am in the same position. My step mother h...

2008-11-19T02:00:00.000-05:00

I, too, am in the same position. My step mother has lost one leg and most of her foot due to diabetes. She also has had quadruple bypass surgery and yet she still smokes and refuses to change her diet.

My sister is 21 and is 2 or 3 times what she she weigh and she also refuses to exercise or change her diet.

It's extremely frustrating to have people in your life that you care about who just don't take heed to the warning signs. The best thing I can think of is to keep trying and just take care of yourself.

Check out the trailer for Simply Raw: Reversing Di...

2008-11-19T00:51:00.000-05:00

Check out the trailer for Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days.

Wonderful documentary film that chronicles six Americans with "incurable" diabetes switching their diet and getting off insulin.

The problem is getting people to pay attention to ...

2008-11-18T21:33:00.000-05:00

The problem is getting people to pay attention to their diabetes when it is mild. My own family says, "Oh so an so's sugar is 400 and mine is only 175." The only stages where you can really turn it around is the early ones. Once your blood glucose is sky high, you have pretty much turned the corner.

Until they learn that the only magic pill is perso...

2008-11-18T21:02:00.000-05:00

Until they learn that the only magic pill is personal responsibility, it will not change.

I like that comment!

Five years ago my mother was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The irony is that while I have been significantly overweight or obese from childhood, she has never had a weight problem, so never thought it could happen to her. After her diagnosis, I lost 90 pounds by following a healthy low-GI diet and started working out really hard.

Yet my mother bitterly resents the fact that it is she, not me, who has diabetes and has *never* mentioned my weight loss!

I know this is a somewhat contrary comment, but I'm mentioning it because family dynamics can be very complex.

As with those who want a magic pill for weight los...

2008-11-18T17:06:00.000-05:00

As with those who want a magic pill for weight loss, many want to be able to do whatever they like with food and exercise, and get the medical community to give them a magic pill to make it all go away.

Until they learn that the only magic pill is personal responsibility, it will not change.

messymimi

I just wanted to share a brief word of encourageme...

2008-11-18T16:45:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to share a brief word of encouragement to all of you who have mentioned personal struggles with diabetes or struggles with family members who have the disease. My mother, who was an insulin-dependent diabetic on too many medications to remember, and I used to get into the biggest fights over things like coconut cake when I was a teen. She felt smothered by my comments and concern, while I feared that she would have to go to the hospital again after a holiday meal because she wasn't paying attention to the fact that she was sick. It's hard to watch the people you love make choices that could ultimately kill them. Some of you mentioned having lived through that very experience. I am sorry for your pain and loss.

In an effort to encourage my mom, I began a fairly strict diet and exercise regimen and hoped that she would be motivated by my progress. Well, it took almost a year, but she woke up one day realizing that not only was she sick, but that she was continuing to MAKE HERSELF SICK by ignoring the disease. With the help of a trainer, some like-minded individuals and some nutrition classes, my mom turned her life around.

In only 6 months, my mother lost more than 35 lbs. That wasn't her victory, though. Her real victory was ending the nine and a half years that she was dependent on insulin to survive! Her doctor commented that she sees an average of 600 patients a month and that my mother is the only patient she has ever taken off of insulin. She said she believes it is because people do not believe that they can do anything about the disease, they are embarrassed by their "lack of self control," or they simply do not want to be told what to do. Well, my mother is proof that you CAN do something about diabetes and it is within your power to do it! Six months. That's roughly 1% of her entire lifespan.

Take heart. There is hope. I hope that my mother's story will encourage those of you who are struggling. There is often little that we can say or do to encourage diabetic family members and friends to fight. In my mom's case, she wouldn't hear it because we (the rest of my family) "just couldn't understand." Well, my mom understands your family and friends' predicament. She will tell you that it is not easy, but she will tell you that it is worth it. She saved her life. I hope that her story inspires others to fight back, to fight hard and to save their own lives.

**On another note, World Diabetes Day took place last week (on November 14). This year's focus was on children with diabetes, but the information and awareness brought about is so important, I thought I should pass it along. www.worlddiabetesday.org

My ex was ecstatic when he finally got his handica...

2008-11-18T16:22:00.000-05:00

My ex was ecstatic when he finally got his handicap placard, because he hated walking. He always had to circle a parking lot to get the closest spot. I was the opposite, I walked every chance I got (I was a lot younger too). He was also overjoyed to find out he was a diabetic, and immediately surrounded himself with even more boxes and barrels of cookies, chocolate, candy, sugared fruit juices and the like. He'd take his Glucophage and do a finger test, and he'd have a healthy dinner, but talk about blatant self sabotage! Long after we parted, going to the hospital seemed to be like going to a resort for him, because he could get attention. He figured the dr's and pills could fix everything that broke. He's dead now, almost a year ago, but somehow made it to 83.

It pisses me off how much people not taking care of themselves has increased the cost of health care and /or made it impossible now to get coverage, unless you're really poor, then people like me who can't afford a dr. visit ourselves subsidize the cost of their care through our taxes.

Some people have a psychological disorder to do self harm in order to have medical drama to get attention, some are in denial or are just lazy, or have a "tomorrow, I'm too busy today" attitude, some apparently have an outright death wish.

I have a mom who weighs 100 pounds, barely eats yet drinks an incredible amount of alcohol every day, smokes, and won't walk around the block. I can't do anything but clean up the mess when the time comes that she can't care for herself anymore.

I am sorry you are going through this. It is so frustrating! But yeah, the "detaching with love" process mentioned above is about all you can do.

very scary! I had gestational diabetes with the t...

2008-11-18T16:11:00.000-05:00

very scary! I had gestational diabetes with the twins and had to do insulin shots twice a day. I was pre-diabetic 7 months ago.......but after losing 70lbs my sugars are normal :)

I hear ya....a relative has finally taken steps to...

2008-11-18T15:09:00.000-05:00

I hear ya....a relative has finally taken steps to exercise, eat better and lose weight since her Dr. diagnosed her with pre-diabetes. SHe is doing much better so I do try not to nag. It's just hard when it's someone you care about!!

So sad. I have known people who were in danger of ...

2008-11-18T14:50:00.000-05:00

So sad. I have known people who were in danger of and eventually lost limbs (feet) from type II diabetes. They had room to make improvements in their diets, but they didn’t want to give up the sugar, carbs, alcohol, fast food, sodas and God knows what else. I don’t understand it either.

Sometimes people aren't motivated until they are o...

2008-11-18T14:36:00.000-05:00

Sometimes people aren't motivated until they are on their death beds. My BIL has been diagnosed as pre-diabetic and he eats crap all the time. Diabetes killed both his grandparents. His mom died of cancer before diabetes could kill her.

I don't think people take illness seriously until it costs a limb, their eyesight or their life. By that time it's too late.

I'm amazed at people not willing to change...if so...

2008-11-18T14:24:00.000-05:00

I'm amazed at people not willing to change...if someone told me "do this or you'll have a shorter life, poor health and feel lousy"...and all I had to do was eat better and exercise more?

I hope my loved ones would beat me around the head a few times if I tried to rationalise that away.

DIabetes is a scary thing...so many people don't even try and eat wholesome ehalthy foods anymore...I'm sad to say the 1 in 4 number didn't surprise me...

Great post. I had my 2-hour fasting test done abou...

2008-11-18T14:17:00.000-05:00

Great post. I had my 2-hour fasting test done about a year and a half ago and was diagnosed as pre-diabetic.. Like one of the posters, I was skeptical and complained about moving goalposts, overdiagnosis, &c. Looking back, it was denial. I was fat, and while I was more active than many people my age, it wasn't enough. After a bit more waffling, I got serious, lifted weights, started running, watched my diet -- and a year later my numbers were normal again. I just realised I did NOT want to be sick.

A question they may need to ask themselves is why ...

2008-11-18T12:38:00.000-05:00

A question they may need to ask themselves is why are they using certain foods, habits and/or alcohol. As most things in life that you want, it's the why you want it. What is it filling for the person. If they feel they need it or deserve it then it will not change. Learned a long time ago you can not change someone, they have to want to change and even then there can be back sliding. Best wishes for your friend. Hope the answers click and there is a turn around in thoughts on the subject.

My mother-in-law died from complications from diab...

2008-11-18T12:33:00.000-05:00

My mother-in-law died from complications from diabetes when she was 59. She didn't take care of herself before, and she certainly didn't take care of herself AFTER her diagnosis. She had a lot of dementia at the end...I met her only once about 6 weeks before she died.

And now I have a friend, age 32, who has been diagnosed. She is at least 100 lbs, maybe more, overweight. She doesn't ever exercise. I want to help her - I have an uncle who, through diet & exercise, got to a point where his diabetes could be managed without medication. I'm afraid that my friend, who refuses to make diet & exercise a priority, is jeopardizing her chance at a long & healthy life.

You earn type II diabetes.... I think too often we...

2008-11-18T12:21:00.000-05:00

You earn type II diabetes.... I think too often we think ignoring something will make it go away. On the reverse side, I know a lady who was completely diabetic. She lost over 100 lbs, got into daily strenuous exercise, watched her diet and voila. 1 year later, her blood sugar is stable with NO meds. Kudos.

My mom:Type 2 diabetes took both her legs,her kidn...

2008-11-18T12:20:00.000-05:00

My mom:Type 2 diabetes took both her legs,her kidneys,and contributed to I-don't-know-how-many strokes.

Yes, she was overweight and did not exercise, but her father was a Native American. Native Americans are genetically predisposed to type 2 diabetes. My mother's brother also had type 2 diabetes. He DID exercise (sports and a physically active job) and was never overweight.

I'm sure my mother's lifestyle did not help her diabetes, but I am convinced that it did not CAUSE her diabetes.

I am very sorry I nagged her so much about her weight and lack of exercise. The nagging did not help her health and did hurt her feelings and our relationship.

If I had it to do over again, I would not nag her or act is if my love for her was conditional on her "doing the right thing". I wish I would have simply loved her.

It is such an insidious disease and preventable fo...

2008-11-18T11:58:00.000-05:00

It is such an insidious disease and preventable for so many people AND children, not to mention crippling our health care system. Ugh.

I don't know much about Diabetes. Whenever I hear...

2008-11-18T11:56:00.000-05:00

I don't know much about Diabetes. Whenever I hear the word though, I can't get Wilford Brimley out of my head saying "diabetes" in that old timey, mispronunciation way like "dia-beat-ESS". Funny dude.