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• March 18, 2011 6:56 p.m.

  Re: "Insulin is a natural hormone and is probably one of the safest medications around." That is, if you check your blood glucose regularly, or know how to recognize your own symptoms of hypoglycemia. Otherwise, you could die.

  - Carlos

• March 5, 2011 12:42 p.m.

  I have heard from the dr. and others that insulin causes weight gain. I give myself insulin (lantus) 45 units every evening before bed. I seem to be gaining weight around my middle.

  - Diane

• February 21, 2011 9:02 p.m.

  As a diabetes educator, I start by asking my patients "which people groups in the world do not get diabetes." The answer is the rural poor, village people of India, China, South America, etc. (Not city people) Why don't they? They eat mainly rice, beans, vegetables and some fruit. They rarely can afford meat and don't have access to processed foods. I know, I lived in rural India for several months. They eat all Carb. If carb caused diabetes, these people would really have it! So who has the highest diabetes rate in the world? Native Americans. What do they eat? Well, I lived on reservations for 10 years and worked for Indian Health. They fry everything--bread, noodles, meat, potatoes. Lots of meat. Here you have the basis of type 2 diabetes. If you can get your type 2 patients to cut way back on animal products (even low fat) and eat less fat and start eating whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables and nuts, diabetes (and extra pounds) starts to slowly disappear.

  - James

• February 9, 2011 2:31 p.m.

  V.C. If people have higher blood glucoses at the onset of diabetes they can experience swelling in the lower extermites; as the blood glucose stabilizes with better blood glucose control, the swelling is generally short lived. Often people will gain weight when they start insulin because they can use the calories they consume better instead of losing calories through the urine (frequent urination). V.C. frequent lows and the hunger symptoms may indicate your medication needs to be adjusted lower. Check this out with your health care provider.

  - Nancy and Peggy

• February 8, 2011 5:00 p.m.

  I was diagnosed 19 years ago with Type 2. I have tried so long and so many times to lose weight and can't do it-more than a few lbs. which come right back. I hate having people infer that I should just lose weight: That I am responsible for my own diabetes. My A1C runs about 6.5%. I have no complications. Can I continue this way for an indefinite time without complications, or is the clock ticking?

  - CactusLinda

• February 6, 2011 2:08 p.m.

  I'm a Type 1 diabetic (for 35 years) and I have to take issue with the statement that we should have 50% of our diet in the form of carbohydrates. I think the Dr. Bernstein approach (low carb diet) is easier to follow and leads to more level and normal blood sugars. I don't think that the low-fat diet is helpful for Type 1's. Between 50 and 80 grams of carbohydrate per day is ample for my and I am quite active.

  - Carl

• February 4, 2011 12:46 p.m.

  Recently started taking insulin. I have heard and read the comment that upon starting insulin weight gain is imminent. In the process of acclimating to insulin I have been experiencing "lows". I get extremely hungry.

  - V.C.

• January 29, 2011 2:10 p.m.

  In response to redian, I totally disagree. I have heard about Dr. Bernstein and his views. You do need carbohydrates in your diet. It is a balancing act. Eating all that fat is going to give you heart problems, clogged arteries, etc. You need a well balanced meal and lifestyle that includes the carbohydrates, and exercise. Yes, I do have diabetes and have A1c's of 5.4 and I eat my required carbohydrates. I read the article and fully agree with what was said. I hope other diabetics do not fall for that falsehood that they are not to eat carbohydrates. They are not dangerous, our body just needs help regulating them so we get the nutrients and benefits that are required from them. They are necessary.

  - Cindi

• January 29, 2011 6:04 a.m.

  The author of this article certainly does not know anything about diabetes, particularly when she talks about carbohydrates. Perhaps she never heard of Dr Richard Bernstein either. My experience with the current prediabetic condition really taught me clearly that carbs are evil and you just need to be as far away as possible. On the other hand, I could eat as much fat as possible (eggs, red meats, KFC original recipe with no/little skin) and no significant sugar spike. Unless you are living with the illness, you could never write a better, useful information about it.

  - redian

• January 22, 2011 10:33 p.m.

  @ Marta - yes, a Type 1 diabetic such as your grandchild will always need to be on insulin. I encourage you to join groups that fundraise to find a cure for Type 1, as that is the best hope for Type 1s in my opinion. Educating yourself and her are key to living a healthy life w/ Type 1. People have much better tools to control their blood sugar than I did when I was diagnosed in 1971. Try the American Diabetes Association website at www.diabetes.org I have never read anywhere that immunizations are connected to Type 1. Type 1 is not a preventable disease.

  - Allison

• January 17, 2011 7:13 p.m.

  My granddaughter, 3 years old was just diagnosed with diabetes 1. After having a cold, she was sick for more than a week, suddenly she got so sick, then, she ended up at the PICU with almost 700 sugar levels. I am overwhelmed, and trying to find out the cause. If a child was not immunized, would that have anything to do to affect her immune system? she was told that she'll be needing insulin for the rest of her life. Is that true?

  - Marta

• January 14, 2011 10:37 p.m.

  Hi, my comment is about my partner... he is a 6-year survivor of pancreatic cancer (It presented early at a bile duct obstruction) but as a result of the Whipple surgery which amongst other organs half of his pancreas was removed and was diagnosed with diabetes about two years ago. Currently we are trying to control his sugar levels with diet and are doing pretty well. Because of the surgery he has other digestive issues and I am wondering if he would be better off to go on insulin? He wants that to be a last resort, but I'm not sure. Thanks.

  - Sharon

• January 13, 2011 11:45 a.m.

  As one who has dealt with Type II for nearly 20 years I also dealt with the myths and misinformation about insulin. Several years ago I began an insulin regimen. It's the best thing that ever happened in my efforts over those years. Now, I plan to live out a full life with no serious complications from the disease.

  - Bill

• January 12, 2011 9:32 p.m.

  Ha Ha La Dema!!!I totally agree!!!!!I appreciate sites like this for providing easily available info.Nancy and Peggy I applaud you for taking the leap.There are so many people who just don't understand the Diabetes education they have received or people who just are uneducated period.I would love to go into the industry to educate, but I would pull all of my hair out.Thank God for patient people like Nancy and Peggy.I would NEVER have the grace to deal with all of this.I have to stop reading.My blood is boiling already and I can feel my type 1 sugar rise ;p

  - Jessica

• January 12, 2011 9:23 p.m.

  You need to control your type 2 to stay healthy.Poorly controlled type 2 does not cause you to "get" type 1.Poorly controlled type 2 causes you to have poorly controlled type 2.Sometimes type 2 requires you to take insulin, but you still have type 2.Type one is an autoimmune disease.Type 2 is a metabolic disorder. Contact your local hospital/clinic/county to see if you can get assistance.Many medication manufacturers will help cover costs if you cannot afford them.It may take a lot of phone calls and paperwork, but life-your life-is worth the effort.Good luck.I understand how expensive this stuff can be.

  - Jessica

• January 12, 2011 9:14 p.m.

  I wish that the healthcare system would call type 1 Diabetes & type 2 Diabetes different names.While they both have similarities, type 1 is an autoimmune disease & type 2 is a metabolic disorder.The next time someone shakes a dirty finger at me while I eat one cookie or the next time someone says to me"You have diabetes?You aren't fat."...I might lose it!!Yes, can someone please get with the program and not lump both diseases together?I don't want to read about type 2!!I want to learn info about the disease I have without sifting through all the stuff aimed at a group that is reducing their diets to something their insulin production can handle.I have been counting carbs & taking insulin for over 20 years now.Being overweight is a predisposing factor for TYPE 2 DIABETES, because your body can't make enough insulin for what you're putting in it!!Lloyd, reducing your carbohydrate intake was what YOUR metabolism needed.180 per day is just a standard set amount.Doctors adjust it based on each case-which includes how YOUR body's metabolism reacts and your activity level.CARBS ARE NOT THE ENEMY!OVEREATING carbs for YOUR body is!My body allows me to eat over the standard 180 & still wear a woman's size 4 despite being completely insulin dependant.Come on people-the way our bodies process our food can be as different as our personalities.The key is to get help from your doc to find how many carbs YOU require, & how much insulin you may or may not need f

  - Jessica

• December 29, 2010 2:42 p.m.

  My husband was diagnosed with diabetes a little over 2 years ago. I really need to disagree with your carbohydrate statement that says we should be getting 50 percent of our calories from carbohydrates especially if someone has diabetes. You should stay as far away from carbs. as possible. My husband takes one pill so far but is working on making it so he will no longer need it. In the last 2 years he has cut most carbs. out of his diet and has eaten mainly proteins and healthy fats. So far he has lost 45 pounds with doing this (proteins and fats) and the last 20 pounds was with the HCG diet mainly no grains. His numbers are getting really close to normal readings. I think one more month of the HCG diet (20 more pounds off) and he should be getting normal reading all the time. Every person’s food needs are different so this one diet for all is not very realistic and if someone is diabetes there bodies are telling them that they need less carbs. not to just go on meds. Enid

  - Enid

• December 29, 2010 12:52 p.m.

  LM: Perhaps you misread the article. The statement "Being overweight is a predisposing factor for developing diabetes" is not the myth. That statement is true. This statement was under the "myth": "I don't know why I got diabetes, I never eat sweets" which is in bold letters.

  - Nancy and Peggy

• December 21, 2010 3:35 p.m.

  "Being overweight is a predisposing factor for developing diabetes." The irony of this statement being on a blog devoted to dispelling myths is breathtaking. Every idiot that reads this crap calls to tell me my underweight child shouldn't caused her own condition. Way to go, ladies.

  - LM

• October 26, 2010 3:02 p.m.

  I think medical professionals need to rethink and reevaluate their stance on carbohydrates. I have been a T2 for 16 1/2 years. 3 1/2 years ago when I went on a pump, I found that I was able to lower my carbohydrate intake from 150-180 a day down to an average of 80 a day, because my hunger was greatly reduced when I got my glucose under tight control. As a result, I lost 25 pounds in 8 months and have kept it off for 3 years, and my last 14 A1c's have been between 4.9 and 5.4. I don't have to deal with hypoglycemia either, with a standard deviation of 14. You don't need all that much carbohydrates, your body gets it's energy from fat and protein also. Low carbohydrate diets have been found to be just as effective as low fat diets, but safer. 80 grams of carbohydrate a day is not all that hard to do, I fully expect to be able to do it for the rest of my (very healthy) life. -Lloyd

  - Lloyd

• October 19, 2010 11:51 a.m.

  Terri: Keep up the good work. Having pre-diabetes means that you are at risk for diabetes. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle may delay the progression towards developing type 2 diabetes but we cannot say that you will never develop the disease.

  - Nancy and Peggy

• October 15, 2010 12:40 a.m.

  Thank you Nancy. Your blog is right on. Keep up the good work. (type 1 diabetic 34 years and feeling good)

  - Eric

• October 11, 2010 11:00 a.m.

  I have just been diagnosed with pre diabetes and I am thin, eat well, do yoga everyday. I just wondered if it goes away or if I will eventually get diabetes?

  - Terri

• October 9, 2010 8:19 p.m.

  my doctor is telling me that i can come off the metamorphine pills if i eat right and exercise every day. Is this possible? i have type 2 diabetes.

  - vickie

• October 9, 2010 7:57 p.m.

  If losing weight can improve insulin, why do thin people have diabetes? Overweight is bad but reducing from healthy weight is also bad. I wish this site would give exercises/yogas that improve the health of pancreas. Diabetes is increasing enormously in the world,and the diabetes drug manufacturers are laughing all the way to the bank.

  - Sam