Living with a diabetic for many years here are my suggestions. Listen to your Dr, listen to the nutritionist, take notes, go to the Mayo Clinic website, review, talk to your Dr's nurse, any friends that have this, etc. Otherwise what I am suggesting is to just review any and all information you can and YOU make up your mind what you can eat or??? Trial and error etc. Some people can eat anything, some have to be on a strict diet. Good Housekeeping has some excellent information. Personally I stay away from the Diabetic magazine. DH very seldom eats any sugar free stuff. The calories and carbs on many on higher than the good stuff, but he also eats in moderation. Pasta makes his blood sugar go out of sight. You will also fine other medical conditions and any infections/stress will send the numbers up.
Hope this helps you.
Marie

That's excellent! I expected any diabetes nutrition specialist would have issues with what your doctor had suggested. Lifetime and lifestyle changes are what are taught, the quick unrealistic change your doctor suggested might cause a sudden change but it is not realistic that it would maintain that level once going back to your "normal" routine. In diabetes nutrition classes the goal is more one of a long term change that will last and can be maintained.

Just like when I was on South Beach, the results were wonderful and pretty fast, but fairly unrealistic that I could maintain it for a lifetime. Some of it has been incorporated into changes I could live with. I am grateful for those and I appreciate the experience. I just couldn't live that way forever.

I am sure you will gain great knowledge from the classes, it sounds like they are caring and experienced teachers.

Didn't she say her doctor said it was for a specified time period.

I had my A1C this week and see my doctor again before too long so I am going to see if she can send me tp a nutritionist. I was thinking maybe instead of making sure my numbers were good, I should have worked hard at making sure they were not good so the test would have merited a referral...I want her to recommend medicare pay for the meter and strips so I can test...if the different foods effect everyone differently then it seems like the only way to be sure is to test yourself.

sisto, does that nutritionist specialize in diabetes? Can you share anything else she had to say?

This post was edited by ruthieg__tx on Thu, Apr 25, 13 at 16:52

ruthieg, I have never paid for a meter, the meter companies give them away all the time, I have probably 7-8 different ones. Now for the testing strips my insurance does cover part of that.
If you do some research online you can very likely get a free meter.

The classes discussed are diabetes classes, some are free, others are not but can be covered in some cases.

free meter offer from accu check, I currently use the accu check compact plus.

Here is a link that might be useful: offer

Bayer meter free offer. I have never used a Bayer.

Here is a link that might be useful: offer

Thanks Raven

Yes, about nutrition, she recommends the "plate method", divide a 9" plate in half. One half is to be vegetables, like salad, or low carb vegetables. Divide the other side into half (fourths). One fourth lean protein and the other fourth grain or carb. She said, with three meals divided like this, and 2 small snacks a day, it would provide about 1200 calories, without too much of any one thing. She also said exercise, exercise, did I mention exercise. The most important thing to help control pre- and diabetes is exercise, and lots of water. Dehydration is very hard on a diabetic. It really was a very informative class. She is a RN, diabetic specialist, and dietician.

Yes, my doctor did say to limit the diet to 12 weeks, at which time I go back to recheck my numbers. The nutritionist said 12 weeks is entirely too long, so she will call the doctor and voice her concerns and will follow up with me once she does.

Today my blood pressure was down to 88/57, which she thought was too low also. She is going to mention that to the doctor when she calls. She said it may be why I don't have much energy and feel sluggish. I hadn't even thought to check BP.

Just a little recap, BG is under 100 (last 3 checks), BP is way lower than it was, weight is down exactly .2. Yes, that is correct point 2 in a little over 3 weeks.

About the monitor and strips, my insurance covered mine with the pre- diagnosis, but I still had a copay of $30 for 100 strips, $25 for the meter. Walmart carries a brand ReliOn which sells for less than $20 and strips for it is less than $10 for 50. It would have been cheaper for me to buy those without insurance than the one I got with insurance.

One other thing I forgot to mention, the nutritionist said the new recommendation for protein is 4-6 oz per day. I think that is why she was so taken aback by the diet.

for those with insurance be sure to check with them their preferred brand of meter and strips, this makes a big difference in copay amount. which is why I have numerous brands, every time insurance has changed I had to change meter brands but in all cases I was provided the preferred brand meter at no cost.
sisto you should not have paid anything for a new prescribed meter. I would question that. You could likely have gone to their website and got one free. What brand meter did you get? Check with your insurance company so you don't end up with a brand that will cost you more for supplies.
Unfortunately a lot of this info is not provided to new diabetics.
Some brands will also provide you with a little card that you use when you buy supplies that will lower your copay costs. Freestyle has that, you sign up on their website, get a free meter and the card plus diabetic information. I will put the link below. Also important is that the meter companies are extremely nice and helpful people, any questions any problems, just call the 800 number on the meter. I have never been disappointed in their response. Most recently my meter was randomly popping up an error code not listed in the manual, they worked with me on it then just sent me a brand new one, that happens often they will send you a new one.
I personally prefer to stick with the top brands that specializes in diabetic meters. I test usually 4 or so times a day unless something changes.

Here is a link that might be useful: freestyle

I currently use the OneTouch UltraSmart monitor, but they have discontinued manufacturing it (or shortly will), so I was given the new OneTouch Verio IQ monitor free. Haven't started using it yet because I still have "strips" from the UltraSmart that I don't want to waste.

Many pharmacies "give" the monitors for free....but the supplies used by the monitors cost $$$ (strips) which is where the money is made and why the monitors are free!

I test twice a day just before using my Insulin, or if I suspect that my blood sugars are too high/too low.

Here is a link that might be useful: OneTouch Verio IQ Blood Glucose Monitor

Justlinda I hate to reveal my ignorance but I am trying to learn everything I possibly can and wonder if you will answer this question...if you don't want to, feel free to ignore...

you said if I suspect my sugars are too high or too low...could you tell me what the signs are that you look for that would tell you that they were too high or too low...

My meter is the One Touch Ultra. I have Express Scripts, and the doctor sent the prescription to them, so I had a copay on both the strips and the meter. I only have to check mine 3 times a week, but I do it more often so I can see how the diet is doing.

Ruthieg - There are several symptoms that I get when my blood glucose is low:

1) I get the shakes....starts with my hands, arms, etc.
2) I can get disoriented, confused.
3) I break out in a sweat.
4) During the night I wake from a sound sleep with these symptoms, and I go and eat a couple of crackers with peanut butter and I'm good to go.

Harder to recognize when it's too high, which has not happened to me yet as the insulin knocks it right back.

In my case the lower blood glucose is more important, and I usually make sure my husband and daughter know where to find a snack, medication, soft drink (not diet!) or where to find my glucose tablets (Dex4).

Important to keep checking the blood even if you just THINK that you feel "not right".

I keep orange juice (small bottles) in the refrigerator all the time for DH. That is the first thing I give him when his blood drops. He knows by a certain feeling in the stomach, plus if he is on computer, it seems to be going darker--gradual. Then I give him a small glass of juice and he feels better right away. Then go from their. He also takes a 10pm snack before bed. For him small (about 6oz milk, 1-2 graham crackers (depend on his blood sugar) and either a few grapes or very small dish of canned fruit. He has done this for years and most of the time no problems at night. Maybe his system is use to it.