I feel sorry for her too. I'm trying to avoid having to use insulin as well.

I'm wondering why her doctor said not to eat meat or fish?

I don't understand the meat and fish thing either. Diabetics need a balanced diet and that includes protein.

I have a friend who is trying to avoid diabetes by going carbless. She claims she is just "pre-diabetic" but her numbers (as she tells it) say otherwise. I think she is being an idiot. She deprives herself of so many foods that she ends up binging on all the bad stuff. Hasn't lost any weight either. In the meantime who knows what is happening to her organs?

We have another friend who went on pills because he wanted to "avoid" giving himself injections. Well today he tells us it was a very stupid decision on his part. Had he known what he knows now he would have gone directly to insulin shots.

I think your friend needs a second opinion. Her life or at least the quality of her life may change with proper treatment whatever that may be.

I have a diabetic dog. We work very hard to keep him level. I can't imagine why a person would take chances with their health by "trying" things when what will work is already out there. Insulin is not the end of the world. Failed kidneys, blindness and the inability to walk well could be the end as the person knows it.

I'm not on insulin because my A1c is very good (5.5) just with diet control.

My doctor won't put me on insulin unless I can't keep my sugars controlled with diet alone.

Since DH has been on insulin he is able to control the blood sugars so much easier. Also he can eat more and a bigger variety. Diet and pills are not always the answer. He uses two types, both with pens. Therefore, unless it is very hot, he can take the pen anywhere and so easy to use. The tubes you put in the pen are kept in the refrigerator. And they last longer than the bottles.
As to the meat, fish? I don't understand unless the Dr. is a member of the 7th Day Adventist Church and wants all his patients to be vegetarians. The is the only thing I can think of. All need a balanced diet, even sweets. With his heart meds and cancer meds insulin is easier on the system. Also his eyes are better. He eats very little diabetic foods as they are too high in carbs and have too much junk. Regular candy and cakes very seldom bother him. But then he is very good about the amount he eats.
Just common sense.

There is nothing wrong with being on pills, I have been type 2 diabetic for years and am on medication in pill form, it is what works fine for me, should we need to at some point in the future move to other medications or insulin that will be considered then. Not all diabetics should be on insulin, for some reason people think if you are diabetic you take insulin, many many people with diabetes are able to control their disease fine with out use of insulin. Being under the supervised care of a doctor that knows how to take care of a diabetic patient is very important and they will know when or if those medications need to be introduced.

I have never been told by any of my doctors, specialist or diabetic nutritionist to remove meat or fish from the diet, in fact fish is highly recommended. A well balanced diet and eating small meals through out the day is the preferred method in most cases with a lower carb intake. I would question why that was recommended.

No nothing wrong with pills if that is what you need. But for people in denial about the severity of their illness "trying" pills instead of the recommended insulin by their doctor is not very smart.

If you are pre-diabetic, you may be able to avoid becomming diabetic by taking off excess weight coupled with regular exercise. The time to do this is NOW. Once you go diabetic, it is almost impossible to reverse course and rid yourself of the symptoms. The exercise does not have to be strenous, but adequate to burn off some calories and to keep in shape.

Thanks for the discussion. marie, she did mention the insulin is in pen form, I had never heard of this before. Well, yes, she is over weight, as I said always liked to eat and is a great cook; maybe I'll call her back and question the no meat diet, perhaps there was more to the doctor's orders than she's saying. Could be a weight loss tactic if only for a month? Or she could have misunderstood.

My Dh has was dx'd with diabetes almost 20 years ago. He managed it well with pills. His A1c was never more than 6.4. or less than 5.8, showing good control. But about 12 years ago he began loosing weight. Since he has never been overweight the loss of 30 pounds over about 8 months even though he was eating well and properly had his Endocrinologist concerned. At 5'10" and 130 pounds DH was looking and feeling bad. The Doc reccommended that he try insulin to control his diabetes. Having raised a daughter with type 1 diabetes (and of course on insulin), plus 2 dogs over the years with diabetes that we treated with insulin, well...we already knew all the ins and outs of insulin use. Within 4 months DH had gained back the lost weight and was feeling great. He continues to do well on 4 shots a day using 2 types of insulin. He tests his blood anywhere from 4 to 8 times a day depending on what and when he eats or what he is doing.

Inability to control your blood sugars isn't always the reason to move from pills to insulin injections. Diabetes is a progressive disease even if you are doing everything right. In time insulin may be the right answer for any diabetic. You will be better off if you are being cared for by a doctor whose specialty is diabetes and who knows you well.

My diabetic daughter is a nurse in supervision at a hospital. She is constantly amazed at how little the average doctor knows about diabetes and how to treat their diabetes patients.

I think your friend needs to find an Endrocrinologist and get a second opinion. Her doctor's diet recommendation is against what I would think would be right for a diabetic starting insulin. Protien is a key to keeping blood sugars from swinging wildly as use of insulin can cause with a new inexperienced user. She needs the right doctor and a diabetes dietitian to help her with the right way to eat.

I'm another one who doesn't understand the no-meat thing. Diabetes is a progressive thing.Earlier this year, I had a very bad spell of not at all feeling well, many obscure symptoms, but the main one is no matter what I did, I couldn't get my blood sugars down. I was on pills and insulin, so I went to the Dr and after taking several tests, turned me over to our Diabetes educator. She was the one who said this is a progressive disease, and what I had been doing just wasn't working or working well enough. I am now on three injections a day, with 2 kinds of insulin. One kind is twice a day and the other is three times. she showed me how to fill the syringe with the two kinds, so it is only 3 shots. This is probably TMI...but 9 yrs ago I had major back surgery, where they had to go in the front and they mad a 17" incision across my abdomen, diagonally, before they turned me over and then went into my back. One side of that long incision site, the feeling never came back, so that is ideal for giving my self my injections. I'm still on the Medformine pills with the irritating side effects, but there isn't any other oral med that would work for the Diabetes as well. As for giving your self an injection, it really isn't that bad. The needles, made today are so super fine and super sharp. I think your friend should get another opinion, Schoolhouse, the instructions her Dr gave her, just doesn't sound right. I wish her luck.

Schoolhouse...I think she needs to see another Dr. Do you think she may have heard incorrect...that she needs to eat MORE protein?? I have been type 2 for about 9 years, and just this spring have started with insulin with meals, and also prolonged insulin. Protein is one of the 'good foods'. I can eat those as much as I would like! I can eat anything I want, just very small amounts of those that I shouldn't eat, (breads are my biggest enemy!!) and I have to make it up by eating more 'free foods'...like proteins.

My mother was type 2, and all 4 of us kids have type 2 now. I am the youngest, and the only one on insulin. My endocrinologist said that everything went well with my diabetes until just the last 8 months, when my AC1 just kept crawling up. He said some people just have to accept that they have to be insulin dependant.

Insulin dependency isn't the worst thing!!! Yes, it is alot of work, it takes time and you can't eat just anything but in the whole scheme of things....it isn't THAT bad!

Tell her to do what the doctors say. Many people are afraid of needles, but I know from personal experience they are not that bad. When you need regular injections, the drug company will send an RN to your home to train you. And there are "Auto-injectors" available that are very easy to use. It's a sort of a "gun" you load with the pre-measured insulin syringes. Very easy, and only a little pain.

There are many, many plant based sources of protein that are much healthier than meat or dairy. I think it's awesome her doctor wants her to go vegetarian. Her health will thank her for it!

I wish more doctors would prescribe it but most people aren't willing to even consider it, which is a shame. You can see it right here on this board that so many people think a vegetarian diet recommendation must have been a mistake, lol. You guys should try it...you might be surprised at how much better you'll feel. And yes, I ate meat for a good portion of my life and I felt so much better when I gave it up, and especially when I gave up dairy and eggs as well. I wish her luck! I firmly believe with a proper diet she can reverse the diabetes.

I've heard of diabetics going on vegetarian diets.
Here's an article on it - from the Mayo clinic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mayo Clinic article on Diet and Diabetes

I'm not afraid of needles, and that isn't why I don't want to take insulin. Since my sugars are controlled, there is no need for insulin at this point.

My fasting sugar is in the low 90s on just metformin and my sugars do well with just diet control.

My oldest sister has been a diet-controlled diabetic for many, many years and has no diabetic neuropathy, nephropathy or retinopathy.

On the other hand, our brother was on insulin for years and lost his kidney function and had both feet amputated.

Our mother was diet controlled only for years and had no diabetic complications whatsoever when she died.

Sometimes diet and/or pills works, sometimes insulin is needed.

My cousin's (late) husband had diabetes for many years. He controlled his condition with exercise,diet and a medication call Diabanese. (SP?) His wife listened to the doctors very carefully and MADE him eat properly. She baked him desserts with sugar substitutes and controlled evey bite he took at all times. Other than that, I don't recall any meat/protein restrictions. I do know he tested his blood sugar level with pin-pricks three times a day. By the way, he died of heart failure at age 80. Possibly related to diabetes,I don't know. But he never had to get insulin injections. Just one example of the different forms and stages of this disease.