Are these signs of diabetes? They could be. You didn't mention frequent urination. Usually dry mouth associated with diabetes is a result of excessive urination causing dehydration. The dry mouth is your body telling that you are urinating more out than you are taking in . This is often associated with a large intake of food but losing weight in spite of the large intake. Since you didn't mention urination or wt. loss or the other symptom, rapid breathing (polyuria, polydipsia, & polyphagia) & a normal BP I would doubt that your dry mouth or overeating is due to diabetes. But it wouldn't hurt to see a Dr. & get tested or buy an over-the-counter urine test kit for sugar & ketones & test yourself. If positive please see a DR. right away. Good luck! READ MORE

How young can a child get diabetes? You can get it at any age. I have a child as young as 3 mo. old develop Type 1 diabetes (T1D) & 4 yrs. old with Type 2 diabetes (T2D). There several forms of a disease called "Monogenetic Diabetes" that can appear in newborns. Since your sons problem is wt. gain, if he has diabetes it would be T2D since people with T1D usually lose wt. I doubt though that your son has diabetes since you didn't mention any of the other symptoms. Children who are home schooled do frequently have wt. gain due to overeating & under exercising (no recess or gym classes) just as adults quarenteened at home with the Corono-virus have gained an average of 8-10 # in just a month or so at home. For the wt. gain please see a Dr. for a test for diabetes or get a urine test kit at the pharmacy & test his urine for sugar & ketones. If positive see a Dr. right away. If negative you may still want to see a Dr. as the wt. gain can lead to insulin resistance that can lead to T2D. I don't think he has diabetes but see a Dr. anyway about his wt. gain & correct that since obesity can lead to a variety of other complications (heart & others). READ MORE

What are the common symptoms of people with undiagnosed diabetes? The classic symptoms of diabetes are Polyuria (excess urination) , Polyuria (excess urination) & Polyphagia (excess hunger). The latter is often associated with weight loss in spite of overeating since the body cannot metabolize food without insulin. The above + rapid breathing are associated with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). The most common type of diabetes is Type 2 (T2D). With this type of diabetes there may, T2D, there may be no symptoms until late because the problem here is insulin resistance associated with over-weight. This disease can exist for many years before symptoms appear. The bad part is that even the mild elevations of blood sugar of early T2D that are asymptomatic can cause damage to the blood vessels & nerves. This damage can lead to heart attacks, foot ulcers with amputations, blindness, kidney failure and more if not corrected. So whether you have symptoms or not, get your blood sugar checked at least once a year by your Dr. and if you are over-weight, have relatives with diabetes, have had babies over 9# at birth or are non-white get checked more often as you are in a high risk group. READ MORE

What happens when a diabetic eats sugar? Table sugar is made up of 2 sugars-glucose & fructose. These 2 sugars are broken apart in the gut & absorbed separately and metabolized slightly differently. It is the glucose part that will elevate the blood sugar level (BS). The BS level in the blood is controlled very close to prevent several problems. First if the BS gets too low (under about 70 mg/dl) the brain begins to act "funny". If it goes below 50 the person may begin to act funny & lose control and lower the person may become unconscious & have a convulsion. This can be fatal so always know your BS level. If BS goes too high it can damage blood vessels and the organ the serve & the nerves. This can cause blindness, kidney failure, foot ulcers with often amputation, and heart disease. Normal BS levels Fasting is 70-120 mg/ml & after a meal is 80-125 depending on what & how much you eat. Since the breaking point above which the damage occurs is between 140 & 150 we try to keep the fasting below 120 & the post meal below 140. The other test we use is the Hemoglobin A1c (HBA1c) . This is a measure of sugar stuck to red blood cells. The more glucose in the blood the more there is to stich to the cells. The American Diabetes Association says keep the HbA1c less than 7%. Other organizations such as the AACE say keep it less that 6.5%. So what does eating sugar do- it raises your blood sugar damaging your blood vessels & nerves and the organs they serve. This must be controlled by 1)not eating sugar & simple carbohydrates or 2) taking a bigger dose of the diabetes meds you are taking to get the sugar out of the blood. CAUTION: it is much easier by not eating simple sugars to control BS (also they are empty calories & contribute to weight gain & tooth decay) than it to try to calculate medicine doses based on you intake of sugar. It too easy to miscalculate & overdose that will cause the problems of low BS. Be moderate in all things. You'll find that in the Bible & it is still good advice, Good Luck. READ MORE

Does caffeine affect blood sugar? This is a hard ? to answer since there are few good studies & they often contradict each other. In my own experience, I have experienced low blood sugar after I drank coffee & at the same time ate a sweet such as a donut. When I became a diabetic 28 yrs. ago that problem stopped & I could drink coffee with a sweet or without & there was no effect on my blood sugar. I think it is important that you not put a lot of sugar in the coffee. If you do and are not diabetic, the combination may overstimulate insulin secretion & the BS will get low. If you are diabetic, the coffee will do nothing but the sugar in it will elevate your blood sugar. Experiment a little & record the effects & follow the course of least symptoms. By the way, there some studies now that have shown that 4 cups of coffee a day in women (but not in men) will slow the development of heart disease. Remember though that caffeine is a potent stimulator of constriction of the blood vessels and thus high blood pressure. So be moderate in intake. Don't over do it!!! READ MORE

What causes high blood sugar in the morning? Without knowing whether you have diabetes or not (I'm going to assume yo do and it is Type 2 Diabetes from your age), there can be several causes of high BS in this case. I will list 3. 1) Your medicines may not be right. The doses may be too low, they may not be working, or they may not be lasting through the night. 2) The medicines may be too high at night & are causing low BS with rebound to higher values caused by the liver pouring out stored sugar to keep the brain functioning. 3) A common cause of this is known as the "Dawn phenomena". BS drops during the night & that is normal, but in some people, the insulin level must go up in order to keep the BS down. This is caused by the secretion of cortisol & human growth hormone that is the normal event that wakes us up & gets us going in the morning. Growth hormone & cortisol are "counter-regulatory hormones that raise BS so a peak can occur in these people in the morning. There are ways to check what the cause is so see your Dr. and set up these tests the correct it. It can often be corrected by a simple change in meds or the timing of taking the meds. It can be fixed. READ MORE

Can you live a long life on blood thinners? Yes you can with some precautions. But why at your age are you taking blood thinners? They are usually given to old codgers like me (I am on them for stent in my heart & I'm 84 yrs old so I have lived long on them. You must be careful. These drugs are called blood thinners but they are really anti-coagulants. So you will bleed easier & take longer to clot. You must the avoid trauma like playing tackle football, etc. Watch for bleeding & tell your DR. I recently had an intestinal bleed, became very anemic, which put extra strain on my heart. I went into congestive heart failure & my lungs filled with fluid and went on to develop pneumonia. I had to be intubated & was on a respirator for 10 days-not fun. I am doing ok now but have some scaring in my lungs that may shorten my lifespan. I still take the meds but must watch it closely. at age 20 you have got a lot of years to watch & restrict your activities so be sure that the meds are really needed. "LIVE LONG & PROSPER" as Spock would say. READ MORE

Will prediabetes go away? The answer to this question is "YES AND NO". Most forms of diabetes or glucose abnormalities have a genetic component. That is we are born with it and we can't change our genetics so the inherited abnormality will not go away. But there is also an environmental component or trigger. For Type 1 diabetes we do not as yet know the trigger or triggers. For Type 2 diabetes & thus most prediabetes, we know that a sedentary life style, overeating, under exercising & the presence of overweight is associated with it. So if fits then, change food intake & type, increase exercise and lose weight and the blood sugar will improve & the day of developing full blown diabetes may be put off or prevented. Remember though that the abnormal gene is still there so if you let down your guard, it will come back. READ MORE

What sweet things can diabetics eat? Follow Saint Paul's advice "Be temperate in all things". Avoid completely "empty" calories & concentrated sweets such as sugar containing soft drinks, candy bars, very sweet pies & cakes, etc. Small pieces of candy that is low in sugar (such as some dark chock.) can be tolerated. I have diabetes & I do sometimes eat cake, like on birthdays, but I scrape off the icing. Remember that the empty calories will add to your weight & that will make the diabetes harder to control. So the advice is as above: Be moderate in all things. Choose low sugar or no sugar sweets & consume only small amounts. READ MORE

What can cause growth disorders in children? To know about growth, we need to know 2 things in addition to the child's age & Ht. We need to know his genetics ( how tall are his parents, siblings & some recent ancesters) and we need a growth chart to chart his rate of growth & predicted adult height. So low growth may be due to many factors such as genetics ( we would not expect a child of pygmy parents to be a 7 foot basketball player). There can be many causes of growth failure such as delayed puberty or delayed growth spurt but if he is well behind on growth & growth rate, he should have a work up for growth hormone deficiency. This can be genetic or not, and can be a problem of growth hormone secretion by the pituitary gland in the brain or a problem of the hormone not working because of a deficiency of a chemical called IGF1 in the blood. Growth hormone & IGF1 & some other things can be tested for and treated. So see a pediatric endocrinologist to evaluate growth, rate of growth, and hormone levels to be sure of cause. READ MORE

Why do diabetics pee a lot at night? This may have many causes but remember that polyuria (excess urination) is a key component of "Uncontrolled" diabetes. Much of the polyuria occurs at night because a laying posture changes the circulatory dynamics & more blood flows to the kidney. Check with your Dr. to be sure you don't have some problem with your bladder (such as infection or prolapse of the uterus, etc.) and above all get your diabetes in control with a HbA1c of less the 7% and preferably less than 6.5%. and the excess urination at night may go away. READ MORE

How long does it take to go from prediabetes to diabetes? Yes you should be worried. But the time to full blown diabetes is quite variable & depends a lot on what he is willing to do. The diabetes gene will never go away, so he is susceptible the rest of his life. He needs to watch his diet, exercise (in other words change his life style-not easy) and lose wt. If he can accomplish this he can put off the diabetes indefinitely. But any time he slips & becomes overwt. again, the prediabetes will come back & progress toward diabetes again. So keep after him to change his habits & keep wt. down. READ MORE

Can you eat sugar if you have type 2 diabetes? Yes you can but be conservative & limit quantities. Remember that sugar & sugary foods are empty calories & will add wt. Since you are only 19 yr. old & have T2D, you are probably overwt. so adding sugars will only increase your wt. problem. Also simple sugars require little digestion time so will rocket your blood sugar faster than other more complex foods. So you may have to adjust your medication to keep control. You don't need to completely eliminate sugar (indeed it's probably impossible since most processed foods have it added) but remember Saint Paul's advice "Be temperate in all things" & remember that while sugar tastes good, it is not necessarily needed since carbohydrate can better be gotten in more complex form with slower digestion. READ MORE

What can cause thyroiditis? I presume by thyroiditis you mean Hashimoto's thyroiditis that is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system goes off the tracks and attacks your normal tissue. You can blame this on your parents, especially your mother, since it is an inherited defect of the immune system & is much more common in women than in men. The immune system is there to kill viruses, bacteria, etc. but sometimes goes off & destroys normal tissue. Thyroiditis has a similar to many other auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Bright's disease, certain intestinal diseases, etc. There is no cure (the body cannot make replacement tissue for that which is destroyed except in the liver) so we have to replace the hormone with a pill. This is no big deal as it is one pill a day. I've had this for 27 yrs. & take my pill each day & get the value checked 2x/yr. to see if I need to adjust the dose. It's simple & easy to treat, unlike some other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid, lupus, etc. But Don't miss your pill. READ MORE

What are the side effects of insulin injection? There are few to no side effect to insulin injection. In the past there were a lot of problems since insulin was from animals & could cause a lot of problems. Also needles were big & not disposable so had to be sterilized. It is much better not. Current insulins are human insulin, identical to what the body normally makes so cause no allergy or tissue damage. Today also needles are so small you can hardly feel them & syringes & needles are disposable. The main side effect today from insulin injection is low blood sugar if you take too much, or don't eat or over exercise or too high a blood sugar if you do the opposite or skip a dose. Occasionally there can be a skin reaction from the insulin but this is usually caused by not getting the needle in all the way & giving part of the dose into rather than under the skin. Giving the dose in the same place over & over (as teenagers often do) can cause lumps to form in those areas. Rotating injections sites will prevent this. Other than the above I know of no side effect from modern insulin given with modern equipment. I have been taking insulin for 27 yrs & never had a problem. You can to. READ MORE

Will insulin be difficult to get during the coronavirus? It shouldn't be difficult to get. Pharmacies are open, though understaffed, and the cost has come down. Insulin now is made syntheticly so it should be produced continually. Unless the insulin companies (Eli Lilly, Novo, & Sanofi) shut down because of illness of their workers, they will continue to produce insulin. Lilly has now capped the co-pay price of their insulins at $35 so we should be able to afford it. I'm very optimistic regarding the continued supply of insulin. READ MORE

What foods can diabetics eat freely? Nothing is free. there is nothing you can eat "freely" Remember the words of Saint Paul "be temperate in all things" Still good advice today. Also remember that all calories count and add up so be moderate in all foods. You do not want to get or maintain fat. What you shouldn't eat are concentrated sweets such as sugared soda, candy bars, etc. You should also avoid saturated fats as they cause heart disease. You can eat about anything else but control the quantity so you do n ot get fat as that will make your diabetes worse & the complications of diabetes more likely. READ MORE

At what sugar level is insulin required? At any sugar level. If your question means at what level of blood sugar should I change from oral meds to insulin then the answer is when the max doses of at least 3 oral agents will no longer control the BS (FBS 70-120, After meals 100-140 and Hb1c less than 7% or by some Drs. <6.5%). READ MORE

How to help a diabetic child manage symptoms? This is a difficult question. I have spent the last 50 yrs.. of my life trying to answer it. A 13 yr. old is in a state of transition from childhood to adulthood with all the emotional problems of teenage. Add diabetes to that & you have a problem. It is impossible in this limited space & without details of her behavior to tell you what to do. I can only be generic in my comments. 1) have her go through good diabetes education with a good diabetes educator who is familiar with the problems of teens 2) make the diabetes management as easy as possible using modern tools such as continuous glucose monitoring, insulin pumps, etc 3) find a peds endo who knows how to use these instruments & understands teens. 4) if severe problems develop find a child psychiatrist who understands teens & diabetes in teens. Always be loving & kind. Diabetes is hard for anyone but especially hard for teens. A Diabetes Camp experience may also help. All the best, I hope she accepts her disease & does well. READ MORE

Can you manage diabetes 2 without medication? Some people can. It depends on how many beta cells that produce insulin are left and how much insulin resistance there is (related to the degree of obesity). I wouldn't fear being able to get your meds during COVID 19 since pharmacies are considered vital & will stay open. Most also will deliver so you won't need to go out. Exercise & follow your diet just as always & you should do OK READ MORE

Does being a type 2 diabetic increase my chances of getting covid-19? Yes, it does. Diabetes tends to compromise the immune system so you are more susceptible to infections of all types. COVID 19 seems especially prone to hit hardest in those with co-diseases or impaired immune systems. So take all precautions as outlined by the CDC. Stay home & avoid contact with potential carriers. Until we find a treatment or cure or a vaccine that's about all we can do. READ MORE

Can I control type 2 diabetes with diet alone? Some people can & some cannot. You didn't tell me your wt. so I can only speak in general. If you still have beta cell that make insulin & thus insulin resistance associated with obesity the answer is yes you can probably control the diabetes with diet, exercise & wt. loss. Medication may be needed until you have lost enough wt. to reduce insulin resistance but then you may come off meds. Remember though that diabetes is an inherited disease and you cannot change your genetics. So if you are successful in controlling your diabetes without meds, if you regain the weight, stop exercising & dieting the diabetes will be back with a "blaze" So don't stop!! READ MORE

Can you reverse diabetes? The answer to this question is YES & NO. Diabetes Type 1 & Type 2 are inherited diseases and we cannot change our genetics. Maybe some day, but not now. So diabetes never goes away. But there is hope. Not only is diabetes inherited but there are also environmental factors that enhance the genetic makeup. In Type2 diabetes the main environmental factor is insulin resistance due to obesity. Thus diet, exercise & wt. loss may make it seem like you have reversed the diabetes. You have not really. What you have done is reduce the insulin resistance & relieve the stress on the beta cells so they can do their job. If she regains the wt. though the diabetes will return in force. So it is important that she understands this & never quits her program. READ MORE

What should a diabetic not eat? The simple answer to this question is NO Concentrated SWEETS. Some Dr. restrict all carbohydrates. That is not necessary & may be harmful. In my program we try to have patients (including me) follow a sensible diet. We follow the American Heart Association sensible American Diet Plan. They developed it to prevent heart disease but since heart disease is a common complication of diabetes their diet makes sense for people with diabetes. The diet consists of about 50- 60% of the calories from complex carbohydrates, no more than 20-30% fat and no saturated fat, & the rest from protein. Avoid concentrated sweets such as candy bars, cakes & pies, etc except in small amounts on special occasions (such as a small piece cake without the icing on your birthday). Please see a dietician and remember what Saint Paul said "Be moderate in all things." That's still good advice. READ MORE

What is a normal blood sugar reading after eating? The answer to this question depends on several factors such as how long after meals we are talking about. In general though we tend to measure post meal BS at 2 hours after the meal. In normal people the BS fasting is between 70-100 and post meal is between 80-125 depending on the times of measurement & what you ate. volume of food & type of food (carbohydrate will bring the BS up faster than protein or fat) ingested will have an enfluence on the post meal blood sugar. Most Dr. today say keep the post-meal BS less than 180 in people with diabetes. I have always taught my patients to keep it less than 150 & I try to keep mine less that 140. Good luck! READ MORE

What are the warning signs of prediabetes? For this answer I would refer you to the web site of the American Diabetes Association= ADA.edu They have brochures that explain this & tables with values. Unfortunetly most prediabetes is asymptomatic & hard to detect. A fasting BS between 100 & 125 and/or a HbA1c test between 5.8-6.5 are usually considered pre diabetes. READ MORE

What does it mean when your thyroid gland hurts? Thyroid glands usually do not hurt. Even very enlarged glands (goiters) are usually not painful. If it is your thyroid gland that is painful, you should see your DR. A painful gland usually means sub-acute thyroiditis (usually due to a virus) or acute thyroiditis usually due to a bacterial infection. Both can & should be treated so see a Dr. right away for some tests & treatment. READ MORE

What are warning signs you have diabetes? See the American Diabetes Association web site for detailed info on this. The site is ADA.edu They list 9 signs of developing diabetes. These include wt. gain & obesity, if female having a baby that weighs over 9 #, a family history of diabetes, excess thirst & urination, etc. There are 2 types of diabetes Type 1 & Type 2 and the early signs are different so I would refer you to the ADA for details of each. The info from them is free. READ MORE

Does diabetes get worse with age? Sometimes yes & sometimes no. The beta cells that make insulin age & deteriorate just like any other organ. Just as your joints wear out & may need replacement, as a female your ovaries wear out & you are no longer fertile, your brain can wear out & you develop dementia and just as the brakes & other parts of your car wear out so can the beta cells of the pancreas. It has been estimated that under ideal conditions that the life span of the beta cells is about 140 yrs. So if we lived to be 150 yrs old we'd all have diabetes. Sometimes the beta cells wear out faster in one person than in another. So that person will see their diabetes worsen with age while the other will not. This is controlled by both genetic causes we can do nothing about and by environmental factors such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle, failure to take medicine, etc that we can do something about. The more strain we put on the beta cells from overeating, eating the wrong things, not exercising, obesity, etc. the sooner the cells will deterioate & the diabetes will get worse. So you can do something to slow the deterioration by your life style & following the rules. I have had diabetes for 27 Yrs. & it has not gotten better or worse but I try hard to follow the rules I taught my patients over the years. READ MORE

How do I manage a donating plasma accident? I am an endocrinologist, not a hematologist. I have never heard of this before, but any machine can go bad at times. If the machine was shaving off metal particles, they could have gotten in the blood. They would have been excreted by the kidney, though they could cause kidney damage. I would check with a kidney Dr. & have your kidneys checked. Other than that, little damage would be done & since symptoms are gone, I wouldn't do anything except find a different plasmapheresis center next time. If there is found to be any permanent damage especially to the kidneys, then I'd see a lawyer. READ MORE

What can diabetics with high blood pressure eat? About anything that is low in salt. No foods seem to cause high BP in people with diabetes or in non-diabetics except those high in salt. Processed foods especially processed meats, are especially high in salt as are many snack foods such as potato chips, etc. These should be avoided whether you have diabetes or not since they can cause high BP whether you have diabetes or not. Be temparent in all things especially high salty food, check your BP often & take your BP meds if on them. READ MORE

Can a person with diabetes eat whole grain pasta? Yes you can but obey St. Paul & be moderate in all things. Pasta whether whole grain or refined flour, is a high carbohydrate food. These foods increase blood sugar & put on wt. So be moderate & wise in the amount of intake & learn how to adjust your diabetes meds to compensate for high carbs. READ MORE

What type of bread is best for diabetics? Whole grain bread is best. It doesn't much matter which grain it comes as long as it is whole grain & not refined flour. Whole grain breads are high in fiber that is important for regularity & fiber slows absorbtion of other carbohydrates. Thus the fiber of whole grain breads will help you with diabetic control. READ MORE

What should blood sugar levels be in the evening? Fasting blood sugar in the morning in most people without diabetes is between 70 & 100. After meals it may go up to 125 in non-diabetics-AM, PM or evening. So BS in the evening after supper should be between 100 & 125. It gradually falls lower during the late eve or night so the fasting in the morning is lower. You did not say why your sons BS is low. I assume from this he does not have diabetes. If he does, the low BS is easy to fix-simply decrease his diabetes meds, If he does not have diabetes, but has hypoglycemia he needs a work up to find out why. This can be due to a problem of the liver, a tumor of the beta cells of the pancreas, a failure of the beta cells of the pancreas to communicate & coordinate insulin secretion, failure of the pancreas to produce glucagon (a hormone that raises BS) or a failure of the liver to respond to glucagon & release stored sugar. He needs to see a Dr. familiar with hypoglycemia & find out the cause of his hypoglycemia since most causes are treatable & continued hypoglycemia can cause brain damage. READ MORE

What is the best pain reliever for diabetics? People with diabetes tolerate pain meds about the same as people who do not have diabetes so any pain reliever is probably all right. All of them have some kind of side effects. Asparin is the most commonly used but it can cause gastro-intestinal bleeding and in small children, a form of heart disease. At 18 the latter probably will not occur. Acetominophen works well & has few side effects though it can cause liver or kidney damage if taken long term & high doses. There are many NSAID medications on the market & they work well with few side effects though like any drug they can have some I some people. A NSAID such as "Aleve" or others would be my first choice for him. Stay away from addicting pain relievers such as oxycontin & similar drugs as they are highly addicting. A simple pain reliever such as asparin, acetomeniphen (Tylenol) or NSAID would be best. READ MORE

What can be used instead of sugar for diabetes? Any of the artificial sweeteners are OK. you will see a lot of derogatory comment about artificial sweeteners but most of this is urban myth or propaganda from the sugar industry. The latest myth is that they will stimulate appetite & cause you to eat more & become fat. There are no good well controlled studies to back up such a claim. It makes about as much sense as the claim a few yrs. ago that Gulf War disease was caused by our soldiers drinking artificially sweetened soda-pop in the desert. Well here are the facts-soldiers in battle don't drink any kind of soda. With or without sugar or artificial sweetener, drinks that get hot in the desert taste awful so no one would drink them. Also the Army provides water trucks for the soldiers to use to fill canteens so there is no need to drink soda whether it contains sugar or AS. There are several kinds of AS on the market now & all are safe. Try them & see which ones you like best & stick to it or them. READ MORE

What happens when you stop taking diabetes medication? The answer to that is simple-any person with diabetes (Type1 or type2) who stops their meds will have a high blood sugar. If this happens often or they stop entirely, then expect high blood sugars & a high HbA1c & in the long term, damage to the blood vessels & nerves resulting in blindness, kidney failure, neuropathy, brain damage & heart disease. Take the meds, check the blood sugar frequently and check HbA1c at least every 3-4 mo. Keep the A1c below 7 & preferably below 6.5%. & he can avoid the complications. READ MORE

Can diabetics eat brown sugar? NO. Brown sugar is still sugar & provides the same calories & elevation of BS as white sugar. Sugar is sugar whether white (refined) or brown (unrefined or malted). Artificial sweeteners are safe & most are tasty. Stick with them & avoid any form of sugar. READ MORE

Can diabetes affect blood pressure? Yes it can. anyone can get high BP whether they have diabetes or not. However people with diabetes are more likely to develop it because the diabetes, especially if poorly controlled, can cause hardening of the arteries so they cannot expand with pulses as needed. So keep your BS in control with a HbA1c less than 7% & I like to keep it below 6.5% & you will lessen your chances of developing high BP> READ MORE

How can I stop taking diabetes medication? You didn't tell me what kind of diabetes you have or what meds you are taking so I can give you only a generic answer. If you have Type 1 diabetes you can never stop your insulin as it can & will be fatal. I am going to assume you have Type2 diabetes & are taking oral agents. If this be the case, then it might be possible to stop your meds if you lose wt. Type2 diabetes is an insulin resistant state associated with obesity. If you get rid of the excess fat by diet & exercise, you may be able to stop your meds. If you regain the fat. the diabetes will come back. Consult your Dr. & perhaps a dietician and learn how to decrease the insulin resistance & follow their guidelines. READ MORE

What can diabetics take for headaches? People with diabetes can take anything for headache that any one else can take. More important, Why do you have headaches? If this is just an occasional headache like anyone may have, the asparin, acetomenophen or a NSAID is ok. If these are severe or frequent headaches, like a migraine, the see a headache specialist & find out what kind of headaches they are & get appropriate meds as there are good ones for migraines now. READ MORE

Why do my antibodies keep increasing? Antibodies are produced by the immune system to counteract foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses in our systems. Sometimes the immune system gets it wrong and attacks our own tissue such as the thyroid, beta cells of the pancreas (Type 1 diabetes), our joints, our gut and other tissue. The immune system going array usually is due to a defective gene that is inherited. Hasimoto's thyroiditis is most common in females & can frequently be seen in mothers and daughters at the same time. Since the immune system stays array once it starts, the antibodies will increase with time as the damage to the thyroid continues. Yes this may lead to hypothyroid and require thyroid Rx. That's no big deal though. It requires one pill per day which is not too bad. I've been taking it for 26 yrs. and it's easy. So don't worry. I always treated people with antibodies even if thyroid was normal to keep them from forming a goiter. Don't worry. READ MORE

Can you get diabetes from eating too much sugar? Probably not. Sugar intake is not the cause of diabetes in most cases. Non the less you should be careful of your intake of them. They do add calories and to many calories can cause wt. gain and being over wt. can cause insulin resistance that can lead to diabetes. Remember what St. Paul said 2,000 yrs ago "be temperate in all things" . Good advice even today or maybe especially in todays world. Yes you can eat too much sugar. These are empty calories that do you no good except to satisfy your "addiction" so ease off gradually and eat sugary things only in a sensible manner, not in excess. READ MORE

Can diabetes affect bladder functioning? Yes it can. This is function of diabetic neuropathy. In diabetes, if the blood sugar is not well controlled, damage to the nerves that control many functions of the body can be damaged & lose control of their functions. These problems due to nerve damage include gastroparesis (damage to the nerves to the stomach), diarrhea & constipation (damage to other nerves of the intestinal tract, problems of heart beat, problems with sweating, problems of sexual function (impotence in men & lose of orgasmic function & vaginal dryness in women, & in both sexes loss of bladder function with urinary retention & leakage. If you are having bladder problems there 2 things you can do 1) get your diabetes under control (some of this nerve damage is reversible) 2) see a urology specialist as they can help. READ MORE

Can diabetics drink no added sugar drinks? Yes. So-called diet drinks have been given a bad rapt by the sugar industry but there are no good facts that they are harmful. I have had diabetes for 27 yrs. & drink diet soda every day & I have had no side effects or complications from them. I also drink unsweetened tea & coffee and that is ok also. Of course plain water is OK also. You need fluids so drink all the water you want & intersperse with other non-sugar drinks as you feel you need. READ MORE

Where can I get a 1,200 cal. diabetes diet? There are many places to get a 1200 diabetic diet. I will mention only a few here. 1) any registered dietician can give you a diet plan & food amounts as well as food suggestions. 2) The American Diabetes Association can do so. Contact a local Ass. office or go to their web site ADA.org/diet. 3) the same for the American Dietetics Association. 4) The YMCA has a diet program, so contact the local Y. 5) finally many doctors have literature that outlines various diets as do professional groups like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc. Your Dr. should be able to help you find a source of good material. READ MORE

Do sugar free energy drinks raise blood sugar? Sugar free drinks themselves do not raise blood sugar but energy drinks may. If you feel the need for energy drinks use sugar free & be sensible in how much you drink. These drinks contain a high level of caffeine that can cause increased heart rate & high blood pressure. In high amounts the can cause changes in blood sugar by activating the adrenal gland causing a rise in blood sugar but in small doses this will not happen. So use good sense & don't overdue it! READ MORE

What causes these unusual changes in blood pressure? This is a very complex question & not sure I can answer it fully here. There are a few things I could suggest. 1) level out her insulin- Lantus id a long acting insulin and supplies the bodies basal insulin. It should not be given "as needed" but if she needs insulin, it should be given daily. You said she also get Novolin-Is this Novolin regular or Novolin fast acting (Novolog) or Novolin NPH? NPH & Lantus should not be given together. Lantus & Novolin regular can be but it is not the best. If she is taking Novolog, it would be better is she were taking Levemir than Lantus as her basal insulin but that is not a big deal. The best regimen would Novolog or Humalog with meals & Lantus, Basaglar or Levemir at bedtime. Now as too the BP. I would need more data to understand what is going on here but I will make a couple of suggestions 1) amlodipine is a calcium CHANNEL BLOCKER & dilates the blood vessels going into the kidney increasing the load on the kidney. An ACE or ARM dilates the arteries coming out of the kidney & thus relieves pressure in the kidney. An ACE or ARB would be a better BP med for a person with diabetes than a calcium channel blocker. I would get it changed. Finally the memantine, gabapentin & donepezil all have sedative properties & the combination may be causing her sleepiness. I'd see if at least one of these could be eliminated or at least lower the doses. If I were you I would discuss these points with the Dr. & see if changes can be made. It's tough to get everything under control is us older people & it may take a consult with a specialist in older people (a geriatrician). Good luck. READ MORE

Can a skinny person get diabetes? Yes a skinny person can get diabetes. There are 2 types of diabetes ( & several subtypes), Type 1 & Type 2. Type 2 diabetes is the most common & is usually thought to be caused by insulin resistance with over weight. But a few skinny people do develop Type 2 diabetes if the genetic & environmental factors are present. Type 1 diabetes, as it develops, usually causes wt. loss so it is associated with skinny people. Type 1 diabetes is more common in children but can occur in older people as well. I developed it at age 57 & have had it for 27 yrs. This form is more related to genetics than weight, So YES skinny people can get diabetes but it is less common that that which occurs to overwt. people. READ MORE

Will hair grow back after the thyroid is regulated? This is a good question but I don't have a good answer. If the hair follicles are still alive, the hair can grow back. If the follicles have died before you got treatment of the thyroid, then it will not grow back. I have known of no resurection for about 2,000. You need to see a dermatologist who can determine if your follicles, all or part, are still functional. This may require a skin biopsy but they can give you the answer. READ MORE

How can I improve my thyroid function? This is a hard question since so little data was submitted. I think you are asking "what can I do to get off thyroid medicine?" If so the answer would be Nothing. Most likely at your age the decrease in thyroid function is due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This is an auto-immune disease you inherit. The immune system is destroying the thyroid gland. We know of no way to stop that (except to go back to Heaven & be born again WITH different parents-Ha). The treatment for this disease is thyroid medication to replace what has been or will be lost. No big deal-just one pill a day (I've been doing it for 27 yrs.). So it's not difficult to do. If you have some other kind of diabetes, it may or may not be reversible. You need to see a thyroid specialist, find out what kind of thyroid disease you have & get it appropriately treated. There is no behavior or diet that will change thyroid function. READ MORE

What is worse to have diabetes type 1 or 2? This ? seems simple but it is not. Diabetes of any kind is a complex group of symptoms & management. In some ways Type 1 is more difficult because it occurs in younger people (children) and is totally insulin dependent. On the other had type 2 can also occur in children & also in old people where management is similar to Type 1. Type 2 would seem easier because most people with it can take oral meds instead of injections, but the plethora of oral meds now makes it difficult to know which one is best for an individual and when to change or add too the medication. Also many Type 2 patients will progress to insulin dependency & need injections. Both types of diabetes are "not fun to have". I know because I had it for 27 years. It is not easy to have a normal life with any kind of diabetes and prevent complications. It can be done with the tools we have today. I am free of complications except some neuopathy in my feet after so many years of diabetes, so I know it can be done. Which ever type you have, monitor frequently & keep it in control to prevent complications. READ MORE

Is blood sugar low in the morning? Blood sugar (BS) is usually lowest in the morning. There is usually a slow fall in BS overnight as you are in a fasting state while asleep for several hours. In some people it can be higher in the morning. This is caused by the secretion of "wake-up" hormones produced in the early morning hours. This is known as the "dawn phenomenon". Usually during the rise in these hormones, the body secrets more insulin to keep the BS down but in people with diabetes they can't produce insulin or secrete too little so BS rises in early morning. But the short answer is: yes BS is usually at it lowest point in the morning. READ MORE

What are the early signs of diabetes in children? Your Dr. should be able to tell if your child has diabetes in about 10 seconds with a finger stick blood sugar test so I don't understand why he or she should say your 9 yr. old "may" have it. Anyway here are the cardinal signs you should watch for: 1) polyuria=excess & frequent urination. 2) polydipsia=excess thirst 3) polyphagia=increased hunger that in spite of eating a lot wt. loss occurs. These are the cardinal signs but there are others such as severe fatigue, loss of coordination, dull mentality, etc and just plain "I don't feel well" Your child needs a urine test for sugar & ketones, a blood test for sugar & a test called HbA1c. He may also need a test of his antibodies to differenciate Type I from Type 2 diabetes since this will determine the treatment if he or she has diabetes. Get the Dr. to do these tests & find out for sure & I'll pray he does not have it. Good Luck! READ MORE

When should I test my blood sugar? When to test your blood sugar depends on the reason for doing it. If you do not have diabetes, you don't need to test & your insurance will not pay for it. If you still want to test even if you do not have diabetes the best time is in the morning before you eat. If you have type 2 diabetes, the guidelines say test once a day in the AM 3x/week. I personally believe it should be tested 4x/day for 3-5 days a week & prefer fasting & 2 hours post meal. If you have Type 1 diabetes you should test at least 4x/day every day. I prefer Fasting & 2 hour post meal but on some days you might test pre-meal & bed time to fill all the time slots & establish your pattern. If you do have diabetes & your DR. has not answered this ? I'd find another DR. & see a Diabetes Educator for further instruction. READ MORE

What is the main function of thyroid hormone? The thyroid is a very important organ of the body. It's function is to keep the furnace running. Without thyroid hormone (thyroxine) body organs slow down. This results in fatigue, fluid accumulation, swelling of the extremities that can be very painful & can ulcerate, very slow heart rate with poor blood circulation, dry scaly skin, very slow brain function with mental retardation, many other symptoms when all organs fail due to lack of stimulation by thyroxine. If you don't feed the furnace with more fuel, it will die and if you don't stoke your body furnace with thyroxine it also can cease to function. So don't let that happen. If you have hypothyroid please take your medicine and stay well. READ MORE

Can thyroid problems cause gray hair? Yes it can and also hair loss. Thyroid hormone stimulates all organs & if deficient those organs including the one that produces hair color will cease to function & gray hair and/or hair loss will result. Gay hair can also be caused by many other causes including your genetics. My mother was a red head but I can hardly remember her as a red head. She became gray when she was in her early 30's as did her father who also had red hair. I started to turn gray in my 40's & was completely gray by age 50. So look at your relatives & see when they went gray. It may be thyroid, genetics or several other causes. Your Dr should be able to tell the cause. READ MORE

Does Hashimoto's disease cause hair loss? Yes it can. Hashimoto's disease is an auto-immune problem that comes through your genes. It can result in a hypothyroid state in which your organs do not function well. This can effect your hair follicules that may die and produce no new hair. Hair loss and/or graying may be the result. Be aware though that there are other causes of hair loss so see your physician or a Dermatologist to determine the cause of the hair loss. READ MORE

Does Hashimoto's cause weight gain? Hashimoto's disease is an auto-immune disease that is caused by your inheritance. The immune system can destroy the thyroid gland resulting in a hypothyroid state. Hypothyroid problems result in poor function of all organs, including the kidney. The kidney maintains water balance so if it is not working well there is fluid retension that can be manifested by weight gain. If you have Hashimoto's disease be sure to take your thyroid replacement daily and see the Dr. often to get the thyroid level checked & kept in control. Now though there are many other causes of wt. gain so see your Dr. to be sure the wt. gain does not have another cause and can be fixed. READ MORE

What is the fastest way to raise low blood sugar? The fastest way to bring up blood sugar (BS) is intravenous glucose (IVG). If you have diabetes, the 2nd best way is IV or sub-cutaneous glucagon (there is now a new form of glucagon that can be giver intranasal). Then eat some carbohydrate & protein ( we have had good success with mild hypog. in kids at camp with a mixture of peanuts & raisins. You can also use high sugar foods such as orange or grape juice or glucose tablets you can buy over the counter. If you have non-diabetic hypoglycemia, see your Dr. as you could have an insulin secreting tumor of the pancreas. This can be removed to solve the problem. For treatment of this problem, just eat something with high sugar. As above juices, candy, regular soda pop, glucose tablets, etc. DON'T overdo it. We tend to eat too much sugar foods when we are low & then go high. 20 grms. (2 glucose tablets) or equivalent is all you need. If you take too much you will go high and that stimulates more insulin secretion which will make you go low again. So up & down like a roller-coaster. So don't "pig out" on high sugar foods. Another good thing to take in moderation, regardless of the kind of hypog. you have, is honey, and it tastes good, too. READ MORE

What is the best food to eat when your blood sugar is low? I am going to presume from your question that it is non-diabetic. You should 1sr see a Dr. since this type of hypog. can be due to an insulin secreting tumor of the pancreas. Removal of the tumor will cure the problem. If not a tumor, then treatment is food or drink. Rapid acting foods include juices such as orange or grape juice. Other high sugar foods are raisins, ice cream, honey, plain table sugar, grapes, dried fruit, etc. You can also buy glucose tablets over the counter & eat 2 or 3 of those. DON'T over do it. We are tempted to eat too much when we are low. This will push the blood sugar too high and cause the pancreas to put out a lot of insulin to bring it down & produce hypo again-like a roller-coaster. If you have diabetes the bet treatment for hypo is IV glucose or IV or IM glucagon followed by high sugar foods with some protein. At diabetic camp we have had good success with a mixture of peanuts & raisins. READ MORE

How can I test my thyroid at home? You can't; at least I know of no home test for thyroid function. You may make a personal diagnosis by symptoms of slow function or a thyroid swelling but it would have to confirmed by a blood test for thyroid hormone & pituitary and perhaps thyroid antibodies before treatment is started. This is true because there are many different diseases of the thyroid and each is treated differently. For example Hypothyroid is treated with thyroid hormone replacement, hyperthyroid is treated by suppressing the thyroid, tumors are treated by removal, etc. so true test by the Dr. is needed to be able to prescribe the correct treatment. READ MORE

How do you keep your thyroid healthy? There is no magic bullet to keep the thyroid healthy. Thyroid function is the result of many factors including other endocrine glands like the pituitary gland in the brain. Most thyroid diseases have a genetic connection and we cannot change our genetics. So just eat a good diet & exercise well. Don't smoke or use much alcohol (these are all things for good health of all organs) and then nature will determine the presence or absence of thyroid disease. READ MORE

Can Hashimoto's thyroiditis be cured? Probably can be cured in the future but not today. Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease where the immune system that normally just protects you from foreign invasion like bacteria or virus diseases, goes wild & attacks a part of your body. In this case the thyroid gland. Other autoimmune diseases include Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, several intestinal diseases, and many others. We know what causes these diseases but not why the immune system malfunctions. Until we know why, we probably will not know how to reverse. Also be aware that most organs of the body cannot regenerate ( the liver is an exception) once they are destroyed. Here the thyroid cells are destroyed & cannot regenerate. So the "cure" it we would have to find a way to detect it before it destroys the gland or find a way to make that tissue regenerate. It can't be cured today but it can be treated and you can have a full life with one pill a day & once in a while a blood test to see if the medicine dose is still correct. Don't forget your pill! READ MORE

What is the difference between Hashimoto's disease and hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism simply means that the thyroid gland has quite functioning without saying why it has quit. There are many reasons why the thyroid quits. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is one of the causes of hypothyroid. In Hashimoto's disease, the immune system goes bonkers and attacks the thyroid cells & destroys them thus the thyroid can't produce thyroid hormone=hypothyroid. You can have Hashimoto's & early the gland may enlarge but you may not have low thyroid or hypothyroid yet. Further you can have hypothyroid from a variety of causes such as a germ or virus infection, a poorly functioning pituitary gland, old age, cancer or several other diseases. So you can have Hashimoto's without hypothyroid or hypothyroid without Hashimoto's. Hashimoto's the is a cause and hypothyroid is the result. Hope this clears it up. READ MORE

What happens if hypothyroidism is left untreated? DISASTER!!! IF UNTREATED IN A 12 YR. OLD BOY, HE WILL NOT GROW WELL & END UP VERY SHORT. HE WILL ALSO RETAIN A LOT OF FLUID SINCE THE HEART & KIDNEY WILL BE OPERATING AT A VERY LOW RATE. DAMAGE TO THE HEART & KIDNEY WITH UNTREATED HYPOTHYROID IS USUALLY PERMANENT & IRREVERSIBLE. HE WOULD THE LIKELY DIE FROM CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE & KIDNEY FAILURE. BE SURE HE TAKES HIS ONE PILL A DAY (NO BIG DEAL-I HAVE DONE IT FOR 27 YRS.) AND GETS THE THYROID LEVEL CHECKED REGULARLY SINCE WITH GROWTH THE DOSE WILL CHANGE. BUT NEVER STOP THE MEDICINE, SUCH CAN BE FATAL & HE'S TOO YOUNG TO DIE!!!! READ MORE

What foods should be avoided with hypothyroidism? NONE! FOOD HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH THE THYROID EXCEPT IN AREAS WHERE THE SOIL IS LOW IN IODINE THAT IS NEEDED BY THE GLAND TO MAKE THYROID HORMONE. THEN IODINIZED SALT IS NEEDED. I HAVE HYPOTHYROIDISM & EAT ABOUT EVERY THING. TAKE YOUR MEDICINE THOUGH ON AN EMPTY STOMACH SINCE FOOD WILL SLOW OR PREVENT THE ABSORPTION OF THE MEDICINE. If YOUR HYPOTHYROID IS CONTROLED BY THE PROPER DOSE OF THYROID HORMONE & YOU HAVE NO OTHER DISEASE,YOU CAN EAT ABOUT ANYTHING. ENJOY!! READ MORE

How to help a child with type 1 diabetes? I'll try to answer it in general terms. 1) Get him under the care of a pediatric endocrinologist who is well trained in diabetes care of children. 2) See a dietician to learn the best diet for him & how to calculate his insulin based on how much he eats (especially carbohydrates). 3) Find a diabetes education class & you & his father attend the class to learn all you can about diabetes. Take him to class with you if he is old enough. 4) Join a diabetes support group of parents who have children with diabetes for mutual support. I hope this helps & good luck, your son's life depends upon good diabetic control, so use all the resources you can find. Also, contact the American Diabetes Association. They have a lot of resources to help you, some of which I helped to write. All the best. READ MORE

What is the best breakfast for hypothyroidism? There are no dietary restrictions in hypothyroidism nor will any special diet help or cure hypothyroidism. You can eat anything you want for breakfast. Though a good breakfast has other helps so eat a good well balanced. I have hypothyroidism and eat 1 egg, a piece of meat (2 strips of bacon, or a sausage patty or a little ham) & some hashbrown potatoes. Toast can be substituted for the potatoes. Orange juice, grapefruit juice or other fruit juice and coffee is ok. Be aware though that fruit juices are high in sugar & can cause wt. gain & raise the blood sugar in people with diabetes. The same can be said for things like pancakes, waffles, etc. that are covered with syrup. The treatment for hypothyroidism is thyroid hormone replacement, not diet. Please be aware though that you should take your thyroid medication on an empty stomach & not eat for about an hour to let the medication be absorbed before the stomach is filled since food will slow or prevent the absorption of the meds. READ MORE

What are the side effects of hypothyroidism medication? There are a lot of effects if you don't take your medicine & they can be fatal. Ifyou take your medicine & the dose is correct there should be no side effects since you are just replacing what has been lost. The dose must be correct though. If it is to high you can get symptoms of hyperthyroid (rapid heart rate & other metabolic parameters, such as wt. loss, shaky feelings, etc.). If you are taking too low a dose or missing doses then all the symptoms of low thyroid that you had before starting treatment will recur. A few people develop allergy to the preservatives or coloring, etc. in the pills & have allergic reactions such as hives & respiratory symptoms. This is very rare. Check with your Dr. at frequent intervals to be sure the dose is correct & you should have no side effects. READ MORE

How long does it take to feel better on thyroid medication? When your thyroid has been low for awhile, it will take a few weeks for all the organs to get back to full function. It shouldn't take more than 3 months however & if it does, see your Dr. and get checked to be sure the dose is right. If the dose is too low it will take longer for symptoms to subside or they may not subside at all, so be sure your dose is correct. READ MORE

What are the early signs of diabetes? If your child has diabetes, it would be Type 2 that occurs mainly in adults, but we are seeing more of in children. Early forms of this are called "metabolic Syndrome" or "Pre-diabetes". These early forms may have no or very few symptoms. Check the back of her neck & see if it is rough & has pigmentation. This is called Acanthosis Nigrecans & is associated with high insulin levels due to the insulin resistance of obesity. Look also to what kind of obesity she has. That associated with these problems is central or truncal obesity and the excess fat is intra-abdominal not just under the skin. We often illustrate this by using as an example apples & pears. Pears are small on top & bigger on the bottom. This is fat under the skin & they do not usually develop diabetes. It is the apples with central, abdominal obesity that do develop it. Other symptoms are excess urination & thirst. If it has gone this far without medical care, it has gone too far. Please see you doctor & get it evaluated. Tests can be run to confirm the physical signs & perhaps set you heart at ease. In any event see a dietician and get help for the obesity. The YMCA has a good program with dieticians & exercise specialists to help and it is relatively cheap. Please see Dr., Dietician & if available the YMCA for help as continues obesity with or without diabetes is detrimental to your childes health. READ MORE

Can you test yourself for diabetes? Yes you can. Go to the pharmacy & buy, without a prescription, a urine test kit for sugar (glucose) & ketones. The kit will contain strips the you just "pee" on & they change color if glucose is present in the urine. There should be no sugar in the urine. If the test is positive or indeterminant, see a physician for blood testing. You can also buy a blood glucose meter & do a finger stick blood glucose test but this is more expensive & you would need some training on how to do the procedure. Good luck. READ MORE

How long does a person live with type 1 diabetes? How long a person lives with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is variable depending on many factors including how well the diabetes is controlled. We used to believe that it took 10 or more years off life expectancy & it does if not well controlled. If the diabetes is well controlled, we now believe the person will as long as their genetics & life style permits just as any one else would. That means keeping the blood sugar in good control, their Hb1c >7 or 6.5., keeping blood pressure normal, keep lipids normal, don't smoke or use drugs, etc. So follow the rules & life span can be the same as anyone else. There are thousands of people who have had T1D for over 50 yrs., hundreds over 60 yrs and some over 75 yrs. with a healthy, fulfilling life. I have had it for 27 yrs. & feel fine. I am 84 yrs. old. You can do it!! READ MORE

What are the symptoms of a low TSH level? There are many symptoms of low thyroid (hypothyroidism). Thyroid hormone (thyroxine) is the hormone that keeps things going (stokes the furnace) so the symptoms of low thyroid are that every organ slows down. I will list here only a few of the main symptoms: the heart slows down & loses the strength to pump blood (that causes congestive heart failure), puffy face & legs, dry scally skin, problems of the mind such as slow decision making & learning and even hallucinations, fatigue & slow movements, slow speech and a deep voice due to swelling of the vocal cords, etc. Get the point everything slows down. If this continues & is not treated, it can be fatal from damage to the heart. If things are slowing for you, see a Dr. right away. Hypothyroid can be diagnoses with a simple blood test and can be treated with all functions returning to normal. READ MORE

Does Type 1 diabetes get worse with age? Type 1 diabetes may get more severe & harder to control with longer duration. Soon after diagnosis & treatment, the beta cells that make insulin may get better & insulin needs decrease. This is called the "honeymoon period). It doesn't last forever. Later, depending on the level of control, more beta cells may be killed and less internal insulin is produced. After a time that varies with the individual & level of control, all the beta cells may die & the individual will have more difficulty in control since they are now totally dependent on external insulin that cannot completely duplicate the smooth action of internal insulin. There is some memory in the pancreas so the better the control at the beginning the better is the control later on. So get in control & continue that control & you may save some beta cell & make control better. This loss of beta cells is not age related but is related to duration of the diabetes. READ MORE

Should I go to the hospital if my blood sugar is over 200? That depends on what type of diabetes you have & how you feel. If you have Type 2 diabetes & are taking oral agents, the answer is No. You do need to see a diabetes Dr. though & get your medication adjusted to get the blood sugar down. If you have Type 1 diabetes, the answer is probably yes since ketoacidosis may be starting. If you are not sick & BS that high & you are taking insulin, you can treat this at home by taking some supplementary doses of short acting insulin. If this is a chronic problem (that way all the time) you need to see your doctor since BS this high & sustained will lead to complications such as loss of vision, kidney failure, heart attacks & stroke and foot ulcers & amputations. Occasional high BS from overeating or eating too much carbohydrate will occur in all of us & needs only take a little extra medication or MORE IMPORTANT follow the dietary rules. READ MORE

What is the best thing for a diabetic to eat before bed? What to eat before bed depends on what kind of diabetes you have. If you have Type 2 diabetes & are overweight, you should probably eat nothing. If you are not overwt. then a simple snack of some complex carbohydrate & protein in small amount is all you need. If you are Type 1 diabetes, then a good high protein snack maybe with some complex carbs is needed. If you exercise in the evening, then a bigger snack is needed to replenish your liver stores of sugar. I have type 1 diabetes & have had it for 27 yrs. I usually eat a peanut butter sandwich before I go to bed. It works well. I may eat cheese sometimes but be careful not to over do it. Try several foods with complex carbs & protein and check your blood sugar before eating, maybe once during the night and when you get up to see effects with different foods to find the one and amount you need. Using a Freestyle Libra meter will allow many blood sugars without finger sticks. Don't be afraid to experiment but to do so you must check your blood sugar many times to see the results with different foods & amounts. READ MORE

How is diabetes diagnosed in children? The symptoms of diabetes in children is about the same as in adults though more severe. The most prominent symptoms are Polyuria (over production of urine), Polydipsia ( increased thirst) & Polyphagia (overly hungry usually associated with wt. loss). These are the BIG 3. Other symptoms are dehydration, fatigue, dry skin, rapid breathing & some level of loss of brain power leading eventually to coma. If you suspect any of these, you should see a Physician ASAP since neglect results these symptoms can get worse leading to coma & death. Diagnosis is based on symptoms, a simple urine test, a simple blood test for sugar level in the blood or a test called Hemoglobin A1c (abbreviated HbA1c). The latter test measures the amount of sugar that has been in the blood stream over the last 3 mo. & can be done on very little blood in some physicians offices. If you suspect diabetes don't put it off. Get to your Dr. or an ER very soon . I hope you are wrong & he or she doesn't have diabetes but it can be treated & controlled. I have had it foe 27 years & have learned to live a fully normal life. Your child can also do so. READ MORE

What are the symptoms of thyroid problems in females? There are several kinds of thyroid disease with different symptoms. 1) Hypothyroid- Thyroid hormone is the hormone that stokes the furnace & keeps organs functioning. If it is low, symptoms are those of organs not function well. Everything slows down. The heart slows, there is lack of energy, the brain is slow to react so thinking & speech are slow. Other organs slow down as well. If untreated, organs will fail & edema of extremities will develop, skin will get dry & thick and death can occur. 2) hyperthyroid is the opposite. There is too much thyroid hormone & everything goes too fast. Heart rater is high & may fail. You are agitated & nervous & lose wt. in spite of eating more. Both of these are life threatening & easily treated, so if you suspect either soo a physician right away. 3) Thyroid gland enlargement with perhaps nodules or masses. This needs to be attended to since some of these masses or nodules can be malignant. If caught early they can be removed with cure. If treatment is delayed some of these masses can metastasize & be fatal. Please see a physician if you suspect you have thyroid disease. READ MORE

How can I test myself for thyroid problems? You cannot test yourself for thyroid disease. There are 2 things to do if you suspect thyroid disease. See a competent physician with expertise in thyroid disease & explain your symptoms. The physician should the feel your thyroid area for masses or nodules or enlargement. If found the further testing with ultrasound & maybe radioactive iodine. If no masses are found by touch the lab tests are needed. First to be done is a blood test for thyroid hormone (FreeT4) and pituitary stimulating hormone (TSH). If the thyroid is enlarged then a test for antibodies to the thyroid should be done to rule out an inflammatory disease that may be destroying the gland. If you do have thyroid disease there is medicine that is cheap & easy to take but is by prescription, so you need to see a physician. READ MORE

How is hypothyroidism detected in children? Thyroid disease is detected the same way in children & adults. 1) see a physician and explain the symptoms. The Physician should then palpate the thyroid gland area for enlargement, nodules or tumors. If found then ultrasound or a radioactive iodine scan may be needed. 2) if no masses or nodules found the blood test of thyroid & pituitary function is needed ( Free T4 & TSH). If the gland is enlarged the physician may also want to measure thyroid antibodies to rule out or confirm Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an auto-immune disease that tries to destroy the gland. This is the most common cause of thyroid disease in children & needs treatment which is simple-a pill once a day. So see a Dr. preferably a Pediatric Endocrinologist. READ MORE

Can you manage diabetes 2 without medication? Maybe. Type 2 diabetes is a disease of insulin resistance associated usually with overweight. By limiting calorie intake and exercising with wt. loss, it will improve and you may not need meds. You still have diabetes since you have the inheritance but you may be able to control it with diet, exercise, and wt. loss. Or it may be controlled with a single drug. Metformin is a very cheap drug with very few side effects and may have several benefits such as control of blood sugar, decreased appetite thus controlling appetite and has recently been shown to prevent or slow some cancers. A recent study shows that it may also slow mental decline so maybe we should put it in the water supply and we could all benefit. Good luck!! READ MORE

What foods should be avoided with type 2 diabetes? There is no food you should completely eliminate but follow St. Paul's advice & be temperate in all things. If you are overwt. then limit portion sizes. It will help if you limit or eliminate foods with high sugar (sugary deserts, candy bars, sweetened drinks, prepared foods with high fructose corn syrup, etc. Fruits are good but some have more sugar than others. Grapes are very high in sugar as are bananas, oranges, grapefruit, mangoes, etc while apples & similar fruit are low in sugar. Fruit juices have high sugar content so eat the fruit but avoid the free juices. The fruit itself contains the fruit fiber that will slow the absorption of the sugar. Artificial sweeteners have been given a bad rape by the sugar industry but they are OK. If you need to lose wt. limiting fats may help as the have more calories per measure than carbohydrates & protein. Mainly though just watch the portion sizes, avoid concentrated sweets and exercise!! READ MORE

What are the symptoms of thyroid problems in females? The symptoms of thyroid disease are about the same in males & females except that women may have menstrual abnormalities which men, of course, can not. There are several types of thyroid abnormalities: hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, benign thyroid nodules and malignant nodules. I don't know which of these you are asking about but I will concentrate on hyper & hypo. Hypothyroid or low thyroid is the most common & more common in women than in men. It can have several causes but is most commonly caused by an autoimmune effect in that the immune system attacks the cells of the thyroid & kills them. The thyroid may then enlarge as it tries to remain functional. This enlargement we call a goiter. When the thyroid can no longer compensate for the destruction , all bodily functions slow down from lack of the hormone needed to stoke the furnace. Heart rate slows as does the gut causing constipation. You may feel very tired and draggy. If the problem continues the brain may be affected & thinking & reasoning suffer. There may be skin changes & leg swelling. There are other symptoms but if you have the early ones see a Dr because you can be treated & avoid permanent damage. Hyperthyroid is too much thyroid the opposite of hypo or low. So the symptoms are the opposite. All organ functions speed up. Heart rate increases, gut goes too fast & may cause diarrhea. You can't sit still & feel hyper pepped up & then fatigue easily. You are hungry & eat more but still loser wt. This can cause permanent damage of the heart with failure & even be fatal. Again see a physician since this also can e treated with no lasting effects. READ MORE

What doctor do you see for a hormone imbalance? You should see a board certified or board eligible pediatric endocrinologist. Since 8 yr old children have few hormones until puberty, it would be unusual that he has a hormone problem. Children do have thyroid problems & they can have growth hormone deficiency & not grow well. I not sure what you suspect but see a pediatric endocrinologist who should be able to help you. READ MORE

What is the best breakfast for a diabetic to eat? There IS no BEST breakfast. There are some things to avoid, however. Avoid sugary cereals. Rather, eat a high fiber cereal & add an artificial sweetener rather than sugar. There should be protein in the breakfast. Protein can be found in milk, eggs, breakfast meats, etc. Avoid sugary juices. Coffee is okay, & new data indicates it may be beneficial. Toast is okay, but don't add jelly or jam. The most important thing is to follow St. Paul's advice: "Be temperate in all things." And see a dietician who can develop a meal plan for you. READ MORE

How do you bring down blood sugar quickly? There are many ways to bring down sugar & this question is difficult to answer with more data such as "are you type 1 or type 2? Do you need to lose wt.? etc. But here is a general answer: Insulin intravenously is the quickest way to bring it down & the second quickest way is insulin under the skin. Fasting & exercise will help but probably not normalize the blood sugar if it is real high. The oral or injectable meds for Type 2 diabetes will help but again will not bring a really high BS to normal & these drugs take time. Most important: SEE a DR. and get the proper treatment since leaving the BS high can cause many complications and even early death. So don't put it off. SEE a physician right away. READ MORE

What is the normal range for blood sugar? This is a hard question to answer because it depends on the time of day it is measured & how close & how much & what kind of food has been eaten before the measurement. Here are some accepted values: Fasting 70-100 mg/dl (a value over 126 is diagnostic for diabetes.) After meals a value of 80-125 is normal though there is a lot of leeway as this value depends on how long after the meal is taken & how much & what was eaten. A high carbohydrate intake will give a higher value than a high protein &/or fatty meal. For Fasting a value less that 100 is normal. A value 100-125 is called Pre-diabetes & a value 126 or greater is diabetes. Get a fasting value & if normal OK. If abnormal >100 get a value by a glucose tolerance test or 1-2hrs after drinking a liquid test meal. The fasting though will probably tell you what you want to know. READ MORE

Does exercise affect blood sugar? YES it does. In general, exercise lowers blood sugar (BG) & is one of the best ways to lower it. There are exceptions however when exercise can raise BG. The lowering of BG by exercise can occur with the exercise or several hours after. Athletes who play football or basketball at night can sometimes have low BG during the night. The reason for this is that during the exercise the athlete uses up the stored sugar in the liver & several hours later the liver tries to replete it since it is needed for emergencies. In this instance eat a big snack before going to bed so the liver has carbohydrate available to store. READ MORE

What is the best treatment for diabetes type 2? This would be a long & complicated answer. I would also need more information about your age, body weight, how long you have had diabetes, etc. In general treatment is 1) diet such as limiting concentrated sweets, & eating the amount need for wt. loss or for maintaining your wt. if wt. now normal for Ht. 2) exercise on a regular basis 3) medication. There are now about 20 meds. available for treatment in several classes. One or more of these is best left to your physician as he or she has the information to tailor the proper med to your particular needs. 4) monitor your blood sugar regularly and 5) get your HbA1c checked regularly. Please see a board certified Diabetes educator (a CME) for more info & for treatment specific to your circumstances. READ MORE

What foods are good for your thyroid? Thyroid disease is usually an autoimmune phenomena & is not affected by diet. It is a hereditary problem. I don't know of any food that will affect the thyroid gland. READ MORE

What fruits should diabetics avoid? There are none you need to completely avoid. Some are higher in calories & sugar than others so you should follow St. Paul's advice "Be temperate (moderate) in all things). Fruits with a sugar content include oranges, grapefruit, bananas, mangos & grapes. Eating the fruit itself rather than the juice is better since you will get some fiber that will help slow the absorption of the sugar. Apples, pears & related fruits are lower in sugar content (especially glucose) & contain more fructose that will not effect your blood sugar. Fructose does have calories so if you are trying to lose wt. the calories are still there. Please see a dietician who can give you a list of the sugar & calorie content a longer list of fruits than I have space for here. Good luck! READ MORE

What causes type 2 diabetes? God and nature!! T2DM is a genetic disease (that's why I say God) and an environmental disease with resistance to the action of insulin because of factors such as diet, obesity, inactivity, high cholesterol, etc. We can't change the genetics, but we can alter the environmental factors, so go to it. READ MORE

Can type 2 diabetes be reversed? The answer is Yes & NO. Diabetes is 1st of all an inherited disease. We can't change our genetics so in that sense it never can be cured. But there is also an environmental component such as obesity. Losing weight will make the diabetes easier to control & in many instances blood sugar will return to normal. This looks like diabetes has been reversed. But the genetic component is still there and if you gain the wt. back "here comes the diabetes back" often worse than it was the first time. You can't change the genetics but you can control the environmental factors so get to it. READ MORE

Can hypothyroidism be cured? Hypothyroid cannot be cured. It is due to destruction of the thyroid producing cells in the thyroid gland & like most other organs it cannot regenerate. But the treatment is easy. One pill a day & once or twice a year get your thyroid (free T4) & TSH checked then adjust you thyroid dose if needed. I have had hypothyroid for 26 years & its no big deal to treat. Don't stop treatment as the consequences of remaing low on thyroid severe to the heart, brain & other organs. Take your pill & be thankful you have it. READ MORE

What fruits should diabetics avoid? Most fruits are OK to eat as long as they are not eaten in excess. "Be moderate in all things" the Bible says. A good rule. Grapes are high in sugar-that's why we make wine from grapes not avacados. So go easy on the grapes. Apples are good as they are low in sucrose (regular sugar). Bananas are between grapes & apples in sugar content. Mangoes are very high in sugar but they are SOOO good. Eat them but go easy. Oranges are fairly high in sugar but can be eaten. Avoid much orange juice though because it is low in fiber & thus the sugar is more quickly absorbed. I once thought grapefruit juice would give less elevation of blood sugar so I tried a comparison (I have diabetes too) & I found that it raised my blood sugar as much as orange juice did so now I avoid both. A dietician can get you a list of sugar content of a whole list of fruits. Fruits are good for you so get a list, be moderate in intake & enjoy them. READ MORE

My child was diagnosed with diabetes? You should see a pediatric endocrinologist. There are few of them so you may have to travel to find one but they are specially trained in treating diabetes in children and well worth the time & expense. The American Diabetes Association has a list of them with names, address, phone # etc. Go to ADA.org & they can help you find a qualified pediatric Endocrinologist close to you. READ MORE

Is hypothyroidism serious? Yes it is. If untreated it can lead to severe tiredness, heart failure, mental slowness, kidney failure & other organ failure including swelling of the face, edema of the ankles & other problems. It can be fatal in untreated. Treatment is easy- 1 pill a day & check your thyroid values once or twice a year. So don't neglect it. I have had it for 26 years & with proper treatment "it ain't so bad". One pill a day along with my other pills, & a blood test twice a year to adjust dose if needed & I have lived well these 26 yrs. Go for it! READ MORE

My son was diagnosed with thyroid issues? You didn't say what issues he has. Does he have high or low thyroid? I would guess he has low or your Dr. would have sent him immediately to a specialist or a thyroid surgeon. Rx of low thyroid is easy. Just take 1 pill/day. Your physician may be able to handle or you could request a referral to a pediatric endocrinologist for treatment. The Dr. needs to palpate the gland every 3-6 mo. & test thyroid & TSH (Pituitary Stimulating Hormone) levels frequently at first to find the right medication level the once or twice a year to adjust medication with growth. A pediatric endocrinologist can do all this quickly & easily. I have had low thyroid for 25 years & its no real problem. He can also. READ MORE

What could be the cause of diabetic neuropathy? Diabetic Neuropathy (NP) is a frequent complication of diabetes. The cause is not completely known but is a loss of the insulation covering of the nerves so they short circuit just like 2 bare electric wires. It is thought to be related to high blood sugar (BS) levels but can occur at fairly low levels. My HbA1c is 6.0% but I also have neuropathy. The most important thing to do is get & keep your BS is good control (HbA1c >7 or 6.5%). There are medicines such as Lyrica that may help. Check your feet daily & see a podiatrist regularly. DR is the most common cause of foot ulcers & amputations. So be alert. READ MORE

Is thyroid cancer curable? That depends on the type a cancer & at what stage it has progressed. Some types of thyroid cancer do not spread & can be removed by surgery & cured. Some are more severe & can spread throughout the body. If she has this form of cancer & it has not spread yet, it can probably be cured by removal of the thyroid perhaps followed by some chemotherapy or radioactive Iodine. If it has spread more aggressive chemo &/or radioactive iodine will be needed and may or may not cure it. In any event, thyroid cancer is less life threatening than many other forms of cancer & the prognosis is good especially if caught early. READ MORE

What can I do to live a normal life with diabetes? I'm not sure you can. Diabetes is a serious disease and at present can't be cured. I have had it 26 years & can't get rid of it & life is not "normal" though you can, as I have, adapt to it. The most important thing is KEEP YOUR BLOOD SUGARS DOWN & A1c IN THE NORMAL RANGE (>7 or 6.5%). to prevent complications. If you think life is not normal now, think of how complicated it will be if you develop complications such as blindness, kidney failure, neuropathy of your feet & heart disease. These complications are related to high blood sugar (BR) & are preventable. You can live a fairly normal life with diabetes. 1) get or keep your wt. down 2) follow a good diet-the American Heart Association Prudent American Diet to prevent heart disease is a good one as is the Mediteranian diet. 3) check your BS frequently 4) exercise regularly. 5) limit deserts & concentrated sweets. Follow this advice & you'll quickly adapt to the few restraints & life will be good. I am 83 & worked until I was 80 with the disease. I am retired & having fun even though I have the disease. You can too!! READ MORE

What are the causes of diabetes? This is a complex question because there are different kinds of diabetes (Type 1 & Type 2 & subtypes of each). I suspect you have Type 2. Both 1 & 2 are a combination of inherited (genetic) and environmental cause, but different genes & environmental causes. Type 1 is genetic with genes carried on the #6 chromosome, but we have not yet identified the environmental trigger, though there are several possibilities. Whatever triggers it, sets off the immune system to attack the pancreas cells that produce insulin & destroying them. Type 2 diabetes is also genetic though the many forms of it suggest many different genes. Last I heard scientists had identified at least 120 possible genes that could cause one form or another of Type 2. The environmental triggers for Type 2 are better known that for Type 1. Overwt. is the most potent trigger. Abdominal fat produces hormones that trigger insulin resistance & make the pancreas cells work harder to keep the blood sugar down. This stress on the pancreas is eventually too much & it wears out sooner than usual & can't make enough insulin to keep up so the blood sugar goes up, viola Diabetes! The outcome is the same if the diabetes is not well controlled-damage to the blood vessels & nerves with blindness, kidney failure, heart disease & nerve pain, & amputations. Get your doctor to send you to a certified diabetes educator & get a good education about your disease & keep the blood sugar in control!! READ MORE

Is a thyroid function test painful? I'm not sure what test you are asking about. Thyroid disease is usually diagnosed by a simple test for Free T4 (level of thyroid hormone, the FUNCTION) of the thyroid and for TSH (a test of the pituitary FUNCTION). That's usually all that is needed-1 simple blood draw. If the gland is enlarged or there are nodules by palpitation the a sonogram may be performed. This is painless using ultrasound just like they do to look at babies in the womb. That could lead to a biopsy is nodules are found. That requires a needle into the gland but is done with numbing of the skin & is painless. They might also do a radioactive iodine test to look at the nodules for function or malignancy but that is also painless. They drink a liquid that contains a very small amount of radioactive material that is taken up by the gland then they put a counter that counts the radioactivity throughout the gland. It is completely painless. Start with a single blood draw with Free T4 & TSH. Nothing else may be needed. READ MORE

Is hypothyroidism curable? The simple answer to this is no! Hypothyroid disease is usually caused by an auto-immune process that destroys the gland. And like all other organs with the exception of skin & liver cannot replace itself. So, when it's, gone it's gone. Sorry, but that's the way it is. You will have to take thyroid medication the rest of your life. But that's no big deal - one pill a day. Most people take more pills than that that they get over-the-counter (food supplements, etc.). I have had hypothyroid for 26 years & take the pill along with the rest of my pills each day. It's easy. Good luck! READ MORE

What are the symptoms of diabetes? There a several symptoms of diabetes but the main ones are polyuria (excess urination), polydipsia (excess thirst), & polyphagia ( hunger with wt. loss). Overwt. is a causative factor & should be controlled. You can get a list of all the symptoms & factors that influence diabetes from the American Diabetes Association at a local office or if there is none near you contact the national office on the internet. You can GOOGLE it. READ MORE

What tests diagnose diabetes? There are several ways diabetes can be diagnosed. 1) a Fasting Blood Glucose test. This may require a blood draw or a finger stick. a value of 126 or greater is diabetes. Below this is either Pre-diabetes or normal depending on the level. 3) a Hemoglobin A1c test (HbA1c). This can be done on a single blood draw or in some offices on a finger stick. A value less than 5.8% is normal, 5.8-6.5% is prediabetes, & >6.5% is diabetes. 3) an oral glucose tolerance test. This requires to drink an overly sweet drink, then do several blood draws over a 3 hour period. A 2 hour value of blood glucose >200 is diabetes, <200 but >140 is prediabetes and < 140 is normal. 4) A FBS > 200 at any time if you have any symptoms of diabetes such a excess thirst & urination, severe Weight loss, etc. A complete list of symptoms can be obtained from the American Diabetes Association of your town or if none from them on the internet. READ MORE

What tests should I take to see my thyroid levels? There are only 2 important tests to take as screening but several others is screen says you may have thyroid disease. 1) Tell the doctor if you have any symptoms & have him feel the thyroid gland in your neck to see if you have enlargement or nodules. 2) ID no symptoms (or some) & the gland feels normal the a blood test for thyroid function is needed. There are 2 tests-Free T4 (thyroid hormone) & TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone from the pituitary gland). If your thyroid is low, the TSH goes up to make the thyroid gland work harder and if the gland is overproducing (hyperthyroid) the TSH goes down. So this is an important test. If any of these tests are abnormal, then further testing is needed but I won't go further here. This is all that's needed now to answer your question, I hope it turns out OK. READ MORE

Why do I feel cold all the time? There could be many causes. Too many to explain all here. It could be thyroid, heart, blood vessel disease & many others. It could also be lack of insulation i.e. fat. My wife is skinny & always cold. I am a little overwt. thus have some fat to insulate me & keep the eat in, so I am always hot. We fight the battle of the thermostat every day! Please see your DR. and get checked. It may be nothing or it could be serious so get a check up soon. READ MORE

Can diabetes be detected with blood test? There are several tests that can be done. 1) a fasting blood glucose level in the blood. This can be done by finger stick in 5 seconds. 2) a hemoglobin A1c level. This test measures your average blood sugar over the last 3 months. It is a blood test. 3) a 3 hour Glucose Tolerance Test. This requires you to drink a very sugary drink that tastes awful & draw several blood samples over a 3 hour period. I rarely do this but depend on symptoms, Fasting Blood Glucose level >126 mg/ml and or the HbA1c >6.5%. See your DR. READ MORE

Is hypothyroidism hereditary? Yes & no. There are many causes of hypothyroid. Some are hereditary. Others are caused by infection, auto-immunity, damage from trauma, surgery, aging, etc. Since you have a strong family history, this suggests you have a heredity form which is usually auto-immune & occurs most commonly in females. Even if heredity you may not get it but if you do get it treated right away because lack of replacement therapy can have many bad effects including heart damage. READ MORE

Can type 2 diabetes cause a heart attack? Yes it can. Listen to the commercials for some of the latest diabetes drugs. They stress this. High blood sugar causes damage to blood vessels that can cause eye damage with blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke & many other things. This blood vessel damage is caused by chronic poor diabetes control with high blood sugars. Your mother should be monitoring here blood sugar level regularly, getting a Hemoglobin A1c test every 3 0r 4 mo. & working to keep them in normal range. If they are not in range, she needs to insist to her Dr. that she needs a change in the medical regime until it is normal. It can be done. I have had diabetes for 26 years & my HbA1c is 6.0 (normal) & I have no complications. Complications such as heart attack are preventable with good control. Now be aware of the fact that there are other causes of heart disease other than diabetes-age, heredity, cholesterol, hypertension, etc. so try to get all of these tested & controlled. READ MORE

How strict does my diet have to be with type 2 diabetes? Some dietary changes are needed but this does not have to be so strict as to be unpleasant. How strict you need to be is dependent on several factors such as how severe is your diabetes, do you need to lose wt., etc. Diet for wt. lose may be more difficult that for control of blood sugar. Please get some education about diabetes. See a diabetes educator & a dietician and get educated about your disease. Insurance will pay for diabetes classes. If you have no insurance, a good source of diabetes education is the YMCA. Their course is good & it's cheap. Your Dr. should have gotten you into a diabetes education program where you would get dietary education. Every one with diabetes needs 10-15 hours of diabetes & dietary education. It is your need & your right READ MORE

Can young people be diagnosed with diabetes? Yes they certainly can. Diabetes associated with diabetes is usually Type 2. We used to call this adult onset diabetes, but in recent years, with the epidemic of overweight children, we are seeing it in them, so we now call it Type 2 diabetes & drop the age reference. In my practice, I have had a child as young as 4 yrs. old with "adult-onset" (Type 2 diabetes), so age is not a factor. Get her to a DR. & get her wt. under control. She may have a pre-diabetic state called Metabolic Syndrome that is without symptoms, but can cause damage. So, get her under control. READ MORE

How can I control my diabetes? Diabetes is a complex group of diseases, all managed differently. I would advise you to enroll in a diabetes education class by a certified educator to get the full information about the disease. Diabetes causes many severe complications if not properly controlled, & ignorance of the disease & the tools for control is the primary cause of poor control. Your doctor should have taken care of this at the beginning. In my practice, I would not take care of a person with diabetes of any kind if they were not willing to take a 10-15 hr. class from a Certified Diabetes Educator. You can't do right if you don't know what is right. So, find a diabetes educator & get the training needed to get & keep good control. READ MORE

How do diabetics deal with low blood sugar? I'll try to answer both questions: 1) How does he monitor his sugar? Well, there are many ways. The simplest is, get a blood glucose monitoring machine from the drug store (they do not require a prescription) & some strips for it (they do require a script if you want insurance to pay for them). How frequently he monitors the BS depends on the type of diabetes he has & the treatment program. Monitoring is less frequent with Type 2 diabetes than for Type 1 that requires 4x/d. If he has Type 1 diabetes & is taking insulin, there are now several alternatives- Continuous Glucose Monitoring (called CGMS) which monitors the BS continuously & is read out on a "reader" or a cell phone. Also now there is a new system called Libre that has a small round devise that goes on the arm & is read by a reader. The arm piece needs to be changed every 2 weeks. The first kit with the reader & device costs about $75. The replacement set costs $25, so 2 a month is about $50 a month. This is cheaper than strips & CGMS and does not require finger-sticks. Just place the reader over the device on your arm & get a reading. It's easy & painless & cheap. 2) How to manage low BS? This is a little complex because it depends on how low the BS is & the kind of treatment he is receiving. Low BS is most common in Type 1 diabetes where the person is taking insulin. The cause of the LBS is also a factor. It can be caused by too much medication, taking taking the wrong dose, not eating properly, exercising too much, etc. The most important fact is to prevent the hypoglycemia. So, identify the cause & correct it. To treat, the first thing to do is eat, usually something with a high sugar content. If that doesn't work, or if they are not able to eat or drink, then a shot of a drug called glucagon is needed (there is now a nasal form of this). Then call 911, especially if he doesn't wake up or is convulsing. Get him to the hospital for intravenous glucose solution. BUT MAINLY find the cause & prevent it!!! READ MORE

What is a thyroidectomy? A thyroidectomy is the surgical removal of the thyroid gland in the neck. There are 3 ways to treat this disease: 1) medication that blocks the thyroid glands output. This requires 2 or 3 pills a day for 1-2 years. 2) Thyroidectomy that you have been recommended 3) treatment with radioactive Iodine to destroy the gland. The latter is the easiest & less traumatic and is what I usually recommend if the thyroid gland is not too large for this treatment, then I would recommend the thyroidectomy. READ MORE

What are the dangers of HGH? There are many dangers from taking HGH when it is taken for reasons other than growth hormone deficiency. 1) It is illegal to take it for any reason other than deficiency and can only be given by prescription by a physician. If you take it otherwise, you & your supplier can go to jail. 2) HGH elevates blood sugar & may cause diabetes. 3) HGH has been known to cause Mad Cow Disease, though the newer synthetic forms should not do that. 4) When you take HGH and don't have a deficit, you get too much which can cause growth of organs other than bones & muscles. The heart can become enlarged, which will cause the valves to fail to close & may cause heart failure. 5) Too much HGH can cause high blood pressure and several other things, so it should not be taken just to increase height or increase muscle strength. Those who do that are trying to avoid heavy workouts to gain strength. 6) It can be tested for at events & if found, you will be disqualified & lose any winnings & may be barred for life from these activities. 7) HGH is very expensive. Good HGH costs several thousand $/yr. So, play on a level playing field. Do your work & compete fairly!!! READ MORE

What is the treatment for diabetes? Your question is hard to answer without knowing if you have Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes. The treatment is different for each. At your age, I am going to presume you have Type 2 diabetes. This is usually associated with being overweight, so get your weight down. Most Type 2 diabetes can be treated with oral agents for several years. There are many drugs now to use (about 20, so I can't list all of them here). Roughly, they are divided in several groups 1) drugs that stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin (seldom used these days), 2) drugs that make your own insulin work better (there are many of these & you have probably seen ads on TV), 3) drugs that cause your kidney to excrete sugar in the urine (on TV also), 4) drugs that work on the nucleus of the cell to make your insulin work better, 5) drugs that cause your bowel not to absorb the sugar. And there are more, but this should give you the idea. The most common drug used at least to start is a drug called metformin. This is usually used first because it is cheap, & has few side effects. The above drugs can be used in combinations of 2 or 3 or even 4 together though that is very expensive. People with Type 2 diabetes will usually need insulin after a few years, so don't be surprised if that becomes needed & don't put it off or refuse. If you have Type 1 diabetes, the main treatment is insulin by injection for life. In both diseases, diet, exercise, & lifestyle change is needed to do well. Keep your blood sugar in the normal range to stay free of complications. READ MORE

Too many diabetes prescriptions? This is not extreme for the present day. We now have about 20 drugs to treat diabetes and it's not uncommon to take 2-4 of them. They work in different ways. The Farxiga works by blocking the reabsorption of glucose in the kidney, so he excretes it in the urine. Victoza works in several ways 1) it stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin, 2) it suppress the secretion of another hormone called glucagon that raises blood sugar, 3) it slows stomach emptying so the insulin can keep up with the sugar absorption.4) it affects the brain to decrease appetite. Repaglinide works like sulfofnaluria drug and is little used today because it causes wt. gain & low blood sugar. More commonly, we would use metformin in its place. It is cheaper & does not cause low blood sugar. You can certainly use these drugs together, and may need to, but that is expensive therapy. Keep his cholesterol down & his blood pressure, for elevation of these is dangerous. READ MORE

What are the signs of diabetes? Yes, that could well be diabetes. We list 3 signs as important: 1) polyuria - peeing often & a lot 2) polydipsia - increased thirst from the loss of water as urine since the kidney is trying to get rid of the sugar & must dilute it. (The kidney can't excrete molasses, it's too thick.) 4) polyphasic - this means increased appetite since the body is excreting the sugar not burning it, so it wants more. In spite of increased intake, you may lose weight since the extra you take just goes out in the urine & is not used. Please see your doctor right away & get checked. READ MORE

Is it normal to gain weight while on an insulin pump? Yes, some weight gain is usual. Before the pump, she has not been using all her calories, but with the pum