I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes for the first time around 4 years ago. It’s not Like I didn’t see it coming, it runs in the family, my grandfather on my Father’s side, my father and mother all died of diabetic complications, and both my brothers were diagnosed years before I was. Still, it was unwelcome news to hear. I was really unsure of how to proceed and I wasn’t given any immediate advice from my doctor’s office, only told to pick up a prescription for Metformin and to take one tablet daily. I was also unsure of what I was supposed to eat and as a result I ate next to nothing so the first day I took the medicine I suffered my first attack of low blood sugar. I turned white, I was sweating and my stomach was upset, so I took off work and decided to drive home. What I didn’t know was how close I was to passing out and how dangerous it was for me to drive in that condition. Thankfully I made it home safely. I called my doctor’s office and left a message and then went to bed. The nurse called me back in just a few minutes and told me to get out of bed and eat something to raise my blood sugar. We then discussed how I should eat and the benefits of exercise. I was afraid to take the Metformin again after the reaction I’d had that day, but they persuaded me to take a half pill for a few weeks and then go back to a whole pill. I didn’t have any more adverse reactions and I set out to improve my health.

I paid attention to my diet, walked every day and took my medicine every morning. I did such a good job that when I took my next A1C test, which measures your blood sugars over time, they took me off the medicine and told me to keep up the good work, which I did…for a while. However old habits die hard and slowly I gave in to eating what I shouldn’t and with winter closing in I convinced myself it was too cold to walk and promised I would dust off that exercise dvd and use it instead. That is the hard thing about this disease, you don’t always feel that bad and the bad you do feel is easy to get used to. Over time I was back to a high A1C count and instead of taking Metformin I was taking two new medications, Januvia and Glyburide. Now I’m back on the wagon as it were, keeping a better eye on my diet, especially my carbs, committing to exercise and taking my medicine daily. I know it isn’t going to come easily, but it is something I have to do if I want to escape the terrible consequences of this largely silent, but damaging disease.

I you are diagnosed with diabetes an excellent website to visit first would be the American Diabetes Association website. We also have many wonderful resources here at the library. A few of my favorites are: Charting a Course to Wellness by Graham Kerr and 50 Secrets of the Longest Living People with Diabetes by Sheri Colberg. We also have an extensive selection of diabetic cookbooks which are helpful in finding new and exciting recipes to make the transition to healthier eating more fun. Remember that while this diagnosis may well be a frightening one, there are many choices before you that will allow you the empowerment to manage your health in a positive way and positive thinking is a key component to living with diabetes.

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