Diabetes and my stroke


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For about six years, diabetes was very important part of my life.  I was actually pre-diabetic because I lost weight, ate low carb/high fat diet and exercised heavily.  But I knew that if I relaxed at all, I would be full-blown diabetic.  Then in December of 2018 I had a stroke.  Suddenly diabetes ceased to be important at all.  For the 7 months since my stroke I have eaten to keep my weight, exercised to regain what I lost by the stroke, and simply eaten a healthy diet but with way more fiber (but that is for a different post).  Bottom line is I quickly realized that the stroke and heart problems deserved priority over my diabetes.  It seems to be working because my blood-sugar has stayed in the pre-diabetes range.  I would be interested in hearing if anyone else has had to treat their diabetes while dealing with a stroke. (?)

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Diabetes and stroke often go together. I have no idea which is the trigger for the other, but quite a lot of stroke survivors also manage diabetes after. Personally I'm not one of them "yet", I hope never, but I have a family history that also predisposes me so managing diet, weight and exercise are important.

 

It sounds like you have a good handle on it.

-Heather

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Heather,

I probably shouldn't take much credit for weight control because some of the heart medicine made all food taste bad.  I had to force myself to eat.  Even water tasted bad.  I will have to be more careful now since I'm off that medicine and food tastes good again.  Your motto is great.  jwalt

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I had something similar after my stroke, it wasn't medication but altered perception from the stroke. I lost quite a lot of weight while in inpatient rehab.  But over time my tastebuds/brain realigned themselves and food tasted "normal" again and I gained back all I lost and then some.  After an incident with my gallbladder last year I again lost a heap of weight and put it back on after the problem was resolved.  I'm now on an eating better regime that has helped me shed most of the extra kilos.  It takes being conscious of what goes in your mouth and making all the calories you consume "useful"  so lots of veg, fruit not too often, good protein, good fats, seriously limit processed carbs (sugar/flour/white rice etc.) and don't beat yourself up if you have the occasional "lapse" from plan.  Cook as much for yourself as possible, easiest way to avoid extra sugar.  Once the body adapts to it having something "wicked" actually doesn't taste all that good.  I was surprised at how quickly my body adapted (2 - 3 weeks of minimal carbs was enough to reset things).

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I couldn't agree more, Heather.  Cooking for yourself can become a pain.  But it helps us know exactly what It is we are. swallowing.   Your statement now makes me wonder if my taste problems were just the medicine or also part of the "altered perception" from the stroke.  Once again, you have given me something to consider.  Thank you!!!

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I've done most of the cooking since before I was married.  My wife hates cooking, but two of my kids enjoy it (provided they don't have to do it every day and don't have to clean up :-)).

 

We've always tried to eat healthily, since my stroke we have been making and even bigger effort to stick with food that remembers where it came from.  As much fresh veg and fruit as possible, little meat (preferably non-feedlot, even if that means very small portions).  We're also trying to cut carbs, unless there are roast potatoes, in which case we pig out.

 

When we were first married, we lived on 100 acres of bush, so were able to grow our own food, including milk (goats) and meat (sheep).  The only thing that kept me in shape was clearing the lots to grow vegetables, chasing livestock and all the rest that comes with rural life.

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Paul,

There is an old western saying. to the effect that:  "It is not so important to know what. a dish being served is called, but it is really important. to be able to know what it was called before it became food".  I also grew up on a farm.  The only food I really have a hard time eating is mutton - it makes me deathly ill - some kind of allergic reaction.  I grew up  in Colorado so most of our meat was wild. game.   People now ask why I do the cooking in our family and my wife replies, "because he gets hungry!"  Jwalt

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My wife of 61 years, is beautiful, sexy, smart and tough as an old boot.  It seems to work for us.  She has done a great job taking care of me since my stroke/heart problems.  Her way to motivate me is to simply "expect and assume that I will do it".  And if I possibly can - I do.  James 

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Hi James 

 

I haven't chatted with you before,  so first off I'll let you know I technically haven't stroked. The beautiful people here on the site let me contribute because it's so similar to stroke...

 

I am no longer able to exercise well due to my disabilities.   So guess what? I now how diabetes!

 

I am on medication which helps with weight loss, as I'm definitely a comfort eater. 

 

Being in the early stages of diabetes, I struggle with what goes in my mouth,  as I don't have side effects. That will change if I don't change my ways.

 

So, my challenge is willpower. 

 

I'm trying.....

 

 

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GreenQueen,

If you keep trying, I'm sure you will discover the willpower.  I think we all have our demons for which our normal level of willpower doesn't work.  Keep up the fight!  You know You're worth it.  Jwalt

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Janelle you are definitely worth it, you have to believe that!  This is one of those things where the self talk makes all the difference. When you fall off the plan you draw a line under it and start again. The past is done, keep going forward. Don't bother beating yourself up, that's a waste of energy.

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Oh Heather,  thank you.

We've had issues with family, that's kept me absolutely preoccupied. 

Your response here fits perfectly with how I should be reacting to family!

That situation required way too much energy that was totally not worth it!

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Heather,

You have given some excellent advice for us all.  I realize now that when I am tired and my speech becomes slow and slurred, I have tended to stop speaking so others won't hear my problem.  I need to keep speaking , and not worry what others think, so I can improve my abilities.  Worrying about others or what others think of us, is not productive.  Jwalt

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10 hours ago, jwalt said:
10 hours ago, jwalt said:

 Worrying about others or what others think of us, is not productive.

remember this

 

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James I often need to give myself this advice. knowing and doing are not always together in my own head.  So hard sometimes to take your own advice.

 

On 7/14/2019 at 12:27 AM, jwalt said:

Her way to motivate me is to simply "expect and assume that I will do it".

This is exactly what you need from family and friends, This was and is very much the approach taken by my family and I'm sure it's a large part of my "recovery" from this.  That and being a stubborn b*&*%ch

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This forum is so great, because the members seem to all be on the same journey.  I feel like others understand what I am saying and even what I am thinking.  Thanks to you all for reading between the lines.  and for caring!!!  James alias jwalt.

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James, we are definitely all on the same journey. 

We make take different forks in the road,  and be travelling at different speeds, but we are definitely all together. 

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  • ksmith pinned this topic
  • 5 weeks later...

I was diagnosed Type II Diabetic about 15 years before my first stroke.  A vew years ago, my endocrinologist replacd my hefty daily dose of long-lasting insulin with a much smaller dose of Treciba(sp?), which gave me good results initially but eventually seemed to be less effective.
  In Janary, he started me on Trulicity and has been blown away by the results.  One injection a week brings my blood sugars down to normal levels, or often below but without the symptoms such low blood sugars would normally cause.  I've had four mild strokes in ten years; none in the seven months on Trulicity.  It ight be pemature to leap to any conclusion...

 

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PennGwyn,

Sounds like you have a Doctor who is interested in making you the best you can be.  Congrats on finding something that works.  I find your motto interesting and I can identify with it as well.  As I get farther along in my stroke and heart operation recovery, I'm going to have to pay more attention to my diabetes.  So it is really helpful to hear of treatments that have shown such promise.

James

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  • 3 months later...
On 8/16/2019 at 7:15 PM, PennGwyn said:

I was diagnosed Type II Diabetic about 15 years before my first stroke.  A vew years ago, my endocrinologist replacd my hefty daily dose of long-lasting insulin with a much smaller dose of Treciba(sp?), which gave me good results initially but eventually seemed to be less effective.
  In Janary, he started me on Trulicity and has been blown away by the results.  One injection a week brings my blood sugars down to normal levels, or often below but without the symptoms such low blood sugars would normally cause.  I've had four mild strokes in ten years; none in the seven months on Trulicity.  It ight be pemature to leap to any conclusion...

 

 

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I was started on Trulicity last week. I'm coming up on six months post stroke. I had terrible side effects for the first three days including fainting on my kitchen floor. This is a problem when one side of your body isn't working properly.  It's a problem even if it was to be working properly! I'm now scared to take a second dose of Trulicity even though it seems to be helping with my blood sugars, it doesn't seem to be helping with my stroke recovery/quality of life! I don't know if people will see this. Maybe I should've posted it somewhere else so I can get some input?

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