Hard to believe!!!!

[JohnEGreen]

Prednisone

Yes I have been taking them for several years now but have reduced down to 15 mg per day Neurologist says that's as low as I can go.

 

[hankjam]

Each to their own. For myself, my mother was a heavy smoker and from an early age I really took against it. I remember they used to have parties, in the 60's, and the main room would be just full of smoke, you could hardly see through it sometimes... I was 6 so maybe my memory is a bit ott. She died from a massive heart attack, which was put down to the smoking... I believe it was very quick, which is fine. I've never smoked.
It is like everything else we do, there will always be extremes to any activity, the Bell curve, where some "dangerous" activities have no effect when sampled excessively and at the other end light users can get nailed. For most, it will have some detrimental effect.
It's all about choice and if it helps, go with it.

Agree with @JohnEGreen about debate, this place is full of it, might not always be on the "winning" side but it's good to talk.

 

[Dark Horse]

OK folks. I appreciate this post may draw fire, and I may even get removed or banned, and have thought long and hard before posting it - bit feel I now need to.

I have frequented this forum for a little over 3 months and in that time have been quite amazed at some of the lengths folks will go to, and the results 'residents' achieve.I am not a committed 'LCHFer' nor a 'tester' but totally respect those that feel it right for them. I see many posters who are (possibly quite rightly) fixated on achieving the holy grail of the lowest possible hba1c and Daily BS levels, and making many ongoing and daily dietry sacrifices to achieve levels even 'normal' people would be very pleased with, and completely and utterly respect that stance ..... and before you all start throwing things at me for my flippacy, I FULLY understand that this does need to be taken seriously and of the possible complications quite rightly rammed into us!
However ..... What I find unbelievable is that that despite taking, monitoring, measuring, comparing and going to great lengths to get BS as lowwww as possible ....here goes ..... some people here I know continue to smoke!!!!
Now I declare my hand here in that I am an ex smoker of some 8 years standing (long before I was 'labelled') so yes I do know what it is like to stop and how hard that was, BUT I recognised the need to protect my health going forward before any of this (OMG if only I had changed other habits too!). I think we all fully understand the MASSIVE health risks of smoking even for 'normal' people and that the biggest single contribution ANYONE can make to their health is to stop smoking! ..... and that is before you add in the even BIGGER risks 'we' run. When I was 'labelled' the very first question I was asked was did I smoke!
Now I have seen posters talk about the need to test, the 'dangers of evil carbs etc etc ..... Yet they continue to smoke...
I have seen posters give up fruit because they are toooo carb heavy ..... Yet they continue to smoke
I have see posters clearly state the need to test because of the damage 'spiking' may cause ..... Yet they continue to smoke!
Again perhaps being a little flippant if you give me choice between a cigarette and a baked potato .... I think I know which one is the safest!
As outlined earlier, I gave up the weed over 8 years ago - and it was difficult, BUT I have found accepting 'it' and my new found fate and potential deprivations I must now make10 times worse than that was. So I do find it hard to believe that some people who take the management of their condition soooo seriously can continue to do this???
I end with perhaps another flippant remark - I understand in here there are many who deride / mistrust and ignore the guidance and advice of HCPs in the pursuit of lower BS levels - is the advice they give about smoking also wrong!!!!
Thoughts?

I think you raise an important point. There are a number of possibilities, including:-

• People haven't thought to weigh up all the risks. - Diabetes is described as a condition where blood glucose levels are too high so the 'natural' thing to do is focus on glucose, which may mean that addressing other health risks may inadvertently be put on the back burner.
• People have difficulty weighing up the risks. - We human beings are notoriously very poor at estimating and comparing risks. For example, it has been estimated that 1,595 Americans died because they chose to travel by car rather than plane in the aftermath of 9/11.
• People may be well aware of the comparative risks and intend to give up smoking in the future but may find it easier to address the glucose control first.
• People may be in denial about the risks of smoking.
• People may have decided that giving up smoking is just too difficult for them so instead try to improve other risk factors as much as possible in (partial) mitigation.
• People may enjoy smoking so much that they believe their quality of life would be unacceptably reduced if they gave up so instead try to improve other risk factors as much as possible in (partial) mitigation.

Logically, once you have achieved good glucose control, the efforts put into achieving even better glucose control might be better directed towards addressing other risk factors for poor health such as smoking. However, humans have complex motivations and often do not behave in the most logical way.

I notice that some people appear to have interpreted your post as being deliberately unsupportive and criticised you for it. I can honestly say that, to me, it seemed like a genuine request for information/perspective to help you understand an apparent paradox. It's always difficult to judge where people are coming from on a forum where we don't have facial expressions, gestures and tone of voice to help us.

 

[toodles60]

Only just came across this thread. I do find the OP arrogant and patronizing. Ex smokers are the worst for that though. Didn't think it was terrible when they were smoking themselves. I'd also like to point an important fact in regards to myself and smoking. I gave up smoking two years ago and within five months had gained 4 stone and because of that i became a type 2 diabetic. Believe me, i was healthier when i was smoking. Weight is a huge factor with diabetic type 2's and people should concentrate on getting their diabetes under control before smoking. And you know what? Even then it is YOUR decision. it is your life not the OP's. Ex smokers can be so sanctimonious.

 

[chri5]

Only just came across this thread. I do find the OP arrogant and patronizing. Ex smokers are the worst for that though. Didn't think it was terrible when they were smoking themselves. I'd also like to point an important fact in regards to myself and smoking. I gave up smoking two years ago and within five months had gained 4 stone and because of that i became a type 2 diabetic. Believe me, i was healthier when i was smoking. Weight is a huge factor with diabetic type 2's and people should concentrate on getting their diabetes under control before smoking. And you know what? Even then it is YOUR decision. it is your life not the OP's. Ex smokers can be so sanctimonious.

This is not an exact quote but G.K.Chesterton said something like,"accept the world as your companion, never as your judge."

 

[Freema]

well I do think doctors are right about telling diabetics to stop smoking, as it does the prognosis of a good life in the endïng years nothing good... you may have to be amputated earlier, you may have much more difficulties in healing wounds in general which is already a problem for many diabetics especially in the later years..
I myself has been a very bad smoker for 20 years , and it took my 3 serious tries to stop for good, it isn´t easy, and more difficult to some... but it is the best I have done to myself and my Family... now it is 10 years since the last cigaret.. I did gain weight , but even then it was good

 

[JohnEGreen]

Well let me see if I remember correctly a few months ago I was in a hospital side ward with seven other patients all of whom like me were diabetics I was the only smoker on the ward of the others there all where being treated for various infections of the foot including septicaemia one had maggots in his foot a last ditch treatment to prevent amputation one was sent home told he was now OK three days later he was back in hospital and had to have his left big toe amputated. I don't know how the other non smokers on that ward got on but I do know that I despite being a smoker am in reversal or remission of my diabetes.