Feeling kinda down...

[EPhantom]

I just realized that I probably have diabetes genetics from both sides of my family... I thought I didn't have any. I remember someone saying a doctor told my mom to eat smaller meals and eat more often... and my brother and I would go hypo every so often (him more than I)... and I just realized yesterday when I was with my dad that he's probably diabetic... I didn't know that frequent urination was a sign of high blood sugar, and EVERY time my dad drinks soda, even if it's just 150ml, he has to go to the bathroom at least twice within 3 hours... he says it "goes right through him" and that he just goes to the bathroom whenever he feels even the slightest urge... I think different... I've heard people say that all the time about drinks and the what not... and only now am realizing what it really means!

I have to try to test him... will be hard cause he's stubborn.

Trying to calm myself down a little cause my BS still seems to be going down... and I noticed exercise can help out a lot...

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I don't know which soda your Dad drinks but fizzy drinks can be significant for a diabetic since many of them have loads of sugar in. They are best avoided.

A random test which is one where there is no fasting or pre conditions will gain the attention of the medical profession if it is over 11. I have no advice about how you can corner him and stick a lancet in.

Good luck.

EDIT: Why do I think you live in the States? If you do then multiply the numbers by 18, so 11=198.

 

[EPhantom]

I actually do live in the states. You have a very good memory. I plan on getting him an hour and two hours after he consumes something and checking his fasting glucose... I'll trick him and get him to go eat something with me, make him get pancakes or something. My brother is worried that he, himself, may have prediabetes or diabetes (I think he is at least) and was saying he needs to get tested, so I told him I can give him a rough idea before he goes to get himself checked, no substitute for going in to get one from a medical facility of course.

Starting to worry about his kids... the mother and grandmother have weight issues, and if I"m right and we have diabetes in both sides of our family then the kids will probably be at a very high risk... Will have to make sure they get regular testing... I refuse to let what happened to me happen to them... Auto-immunity, predisposition to diabetes, near nearsightedness, and schizophrenia

My mom had thyroid issues and the doctors kept saying that I NEEDED to get checked by a specialist, but in my fathers stubborn schizophrenic mind I had nothing wrong with me and didn't need to get checked... so I went undiagnosed for years! ... I can't let them go undiagnosed for conditions that they have predispositions for.

Why aren't children checked every year for diabetes? it wouldn't be that hard to check... They could check in school once a year, call a few kids in 2 hours after lunch, make sure they eat a specific meal that day for their body size... it wouldn't cost much at all...

 

[Scandichic]

Well then your brother is lucky to have you. How old are the kids? Mine are 7 and 9 and have both tried my test kit and are normal. I'd let your brother get himself sorted and then tell him your worries. Diet plays a major factor and soda is bad for you. Although the diet version doesn't contain any sugar it still has sweetner and tricks your body into releasing insulin. Have any of you though about eating LCHF? Especially if you need to lose weight. Have a look at this site. It's written by a Swedish doc, who specialises in obesity and diabetes.
https://www.dietdoctor.com
Good luck and hope you feel better soon!

 

[EPhantom]

Both sides of my family are skinny, my brother has tried to gain weight and has only been able to by eating three meals at home a day and going to burger king three times as well... he didn't gain very much and lost the weight very quickly when he stopped eating out. I weight about 110 pounds (50kg) right now... I lost 15 pounds (7kg) to the steroids that shot my BS to 700 and made me super resistant to insulin. Morning BG has dropped to the 80-90 mg/dl (4.44-5 mmol/l) range, but I still spike high after eating any carbs.

The kids are very young and are in a different state at the moment, so I won't be able to do anything right now, but by the time the oldest turns ten I'll demand they get tested for diabetes signs and thyroid issues. I believe they are... 6 and 5 right now.

I very sadly cannot eat high fat. Fats are bad for me because of my liver. After I was diagnosed with my liver condition in 2011 I started to eat more carbs to compensate... sadly I had no idea if I had diabetic family members or anything. I would walk to and from school... so a 2 mile walk total every day I had classes. but that was it for exercise. I was never tested before I was put on steroids so idk if I'm naturally resistant or not... I have to just assume that I am and see if there is any way to reverse it permanently... the only thing that I see that could possibly do that at the moment is increasing my muscle cell count... more cells means more ability for insulin to work on something... double the muscle, double the insulin sensitivity.

Edit: but very sadly I can't run or do a single pushup. when I job my legs feel like dense rubber, and I can barely lift my body up 3 centimeters off the ground with a normal pushup.

 

[Spiker]

EPhantom, you have a lot on your plate. I have seen all your research threads. I can see you are urgently looking for understanding of the problem, and solutions. Unfortunately solutions never come overnight, it always takes time.

I would strongly suggest trying to focus your concern on to yourself, and the things you are able to influence. Your concerns for others in your family sound valid and they do you credit. But if family members are resisting your efforts to help them, that's their decision, right or wrong. So focus on helping yourself. That will put you in a better position to provide help to other family members in the future, when they come round to it. You can never force someone to accept help, and it can be a great source of anxiety to keep trying.

Particularly if there are diagnoses of schizophrenia in your family, I would not recommend pushing those individuals. Seriously, just look after yourself now, and help others only when they are ready to be helped. Your brother sounds like he is ready to be helped.

As for the small children, if they develop T1D, which I hope they won't, the signs will be pretty much indisputable.

 

[Brunneria]

It turns out my father is diabetic too.
I lent him a BG meter and asked him to test (with detailed instructions)

So he spent a month reading books, testing everyone else, and changing his diet to something completely unsustainable. While pontificating about how he just needed to tweak his lifestyle.

So I think that your reading, looking at your family, etc. is a perfectly natural behaviour pattern. But as Spiker says, the person you need to be focusing on, at the moment, is you. The rest, while understandable, may be a cunning combination of avoidance and denial. It certainly was with my dad.

It took me setting off a rocket under him before he began testing himself. And working towards a sensible plan.

Don't make me come over to the States and rocket you .