Are you still going to quit smoking? I've gained 22 pounds since I started the Chantix.... I quit smoking about 10 years ago and gained about 30 pounds that time.

Watch your potato cravings. White bread,rice,potatoes all have a higher glycemic index than a candy bar. I hope your type II diabetes becomes easy to control. Good luck on quitting smoking!!! Nuts are a great way to pack on the pounds and they have good fats,a low glycemic index and are a really good protien.
BTW, I don't have diabetes but it runs rampant in my family. I've been tested for it 4 or 5 times to make sure I didn't have it. PJ

Here is a link that might be useful: glycemic index

I hate to hear that Carrie...but I know you will handle it in stride! Type 2 is very controlable with your diet.
I lost 8 lbs the first 2 weeks on Chantix. It seems to have kicked my snacking addiction too. I put off quitting until just recently out of fear I'd pack on more weight.
~Angie~

So sorry to hear this, Carrie. My husband is a type 2 diabetic, but we have been able to control it with diet and one medication for a number of years now. PJ is so right about the glycemics, so if you get a craving for potatoes, make sure they are the fresh red ones --- not nearly as bad for you.

I'm sorry to hear of your health problem but it's good it's been caught early. Also watch out for some fruits they are high in sugar. Go figure a natural food being bad. You'll learn that is class though.

Chips are hard to give up but a must for diabetics. Try munching on pretzels. My grandmother was diabetic and that is what she ate in place of chips. She drank one diet Pepsi a day, where before she she found out she was diabetic she drank cokes all day long.

Giving up smoking is not easy, I've tried three times, try the patch and cold turkey, I either ate the whole time till I couldn't stand food any longer and broke down, another time I stayed in bed for a full week feeling awful.
I wish I could quit but I will not take another drug to stop and so far from thing's I've heard about this one is bad. A risk I'm not willing to take. Many new drugs their coming out with have bad side effects one even says can cause cancer. This I don't understand, don't we go to the doctor to keep us healthy, not for them to give us something that's bad for us?
Three family members did give up smoking and they of all people I thought would not be able to do it. My aunt smoked Pall Mall non filter 40 plus years till her job place went smoke free and she had to go 9 hours without a cigarette while at work so she figured she might as well give it up.

I wish you the best and keep you in my prayers, Barb

Barb, I had no idea you smoked !!!!!

Thanks everyone!
I'll be filling the Chantix Rx Friday, it isn't' covered by my insurance and it's $124 so I have to wait until payday.

Hopefully I'll hear from the people that run the classes today, I'm eager to start them and get this thing brought down to a normal level.

The smoking needs to go, with or without the drug aid. Smoking is a bit like a slow poison, so not that many smokers have a weight problem, unless they are careless with diet.

You will likely gain weight if you quit, unless the drug affects your appetite.

Diet is the key to Type II diabetes. What PJ said....pretty much right on the money. Glycemic index is the key.

Walnuts, hazlenuts, and macadamia nuts, are all healthy snacks, that while they contain "good fats" (polyunsaturated), which is good for cholesterol balance, they don't affect weight gain that much, unless eaten in fairly significant qty.

In potatoes, you should get to liking only sweet potatoes, as they are much better for you than white potatoes. You should eat only wild rice, and only spinach pasta, both in very limited amounts.

White foods tend to be high in glycemic index, and should mostly be avoided.

Certain fruits also contain a high sugar content, so you need to become knowledgeable about which ones contain the least sugar, but still have the vitamins, minerals, etc.

Minimize alcoholic beverages, as wine and spirits all contain sugars, which can be more harmful than the alcohol itself.

For breads, white is still the color to avoid, with pumpernickel bread being the most healthy, followed by whole wheat, and other "brown" type breads.

For snacks, try pretzels, but go the low salt ones. The mustard flavored taste good, and you can get a fairly healthy honey flavored one, as well, which I can vouch for a great taste.

Again, the small pumpernickel bread, sliced and lightly toasted, makes a great snack.

Check out the Asian store snacks, also, such as the dried limas, the watanabe peas, and others, found in Asian food markets. Much better for you, than anything made by Frito-Lay.

I would be looking for another source for the weight loss, though, as with that level of sugar in your body, you should have been storing food, and not losing food. That actually concerns me.

One way to tackle weight gain, is to take a dietary supplement that will provide more nutrients for weight gain. One of those is called Nutriment, and can be used as a supplement to gain weight, or a food replacement, to lose weight, depending on your situation.

Lastly......do NOT eat in restaurants, if you have a diabetic problem. Most unhealthy cooking is found in restaurants, pure and simple. (That actually accounts for most of the weight gain in this country, over the last 30-40 yrs.) Cook at home as much as possible, or be very selective in your menu selections, if you must eat out.

Nicotine can do some crazy things to blood sugar.

I have tried to quit, and stay quit, many many times. I know I will keep on trying but it's a nasty addiction.

Anyway, I have done a lot of reading on quitting smoking and I remembered that there was an article on quitting smoking and blood sugar levels. This may help you figure out why your blood sugar is wacky.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nicotine and Blood Sugar

I read the article about nicotine and blood sugar. Hypoglycemia(low blood sugar) sucks and can give a person one heck of a whopping headache.The way I stop a "sugar crash" is to drink or eat something with sugar(small amount like a piece of toast. My toast is rice flour based so the gycemic index is really high)follow up with protien and then drink as much water as I can handle. Dehydration seems to make the "crash" so much worse. If that doesn't work the first time I do it again. The water part is really important. Good luck! PJ

I'm absorbing all your helpful hints, there is just so much to learn. It looks like hubs will finally win on his quest to get me to try more things, I'm a real picky eater.

It looks like I'll be putting in a veggie garden as well.

I'll keep you all updated after my visit on Friday.

Carrie, I am a picky eater myself, still am. I have a bad thyroid and when I found out the doctor told me the best thing to eat is fish, salmon is the best, I can eat a little if it's cooked right, by a little I'm talking a few times out of the year. When I should eat it 4 times out of the week :( Oh how I hate fish, the smell the taste I just cannot make myself like it, not unless I drowned it in tarter sauce and that just defeats the purpose.
I did stop drinking Dr Peppers only having one once and a while and changing from sugar to splenda. It was hard I'm a sugarholic, love candy, sweet tea you name it.

Changing ones life style is one of the hardest thing's to do but it can be done. Hang in there and if you have someone close by to be there for you or someone your close enough to ask them to help you out. Like being available when you need to rant, talk or take a walk anything to release the pent up frustrations.

P. J. My son has low blood sugar sounds like he needs more info on how to take care of himself for this problem. Only thing he does is eat, if he can't eat he'll take a sugar tablet. It seems to get him by but he might do better if he went to a class on how to handle it.

Carrie751, I'm surprised you don't smell it on me when we get together. I know I haven't smoked in front of you that's how I am. I don't smoke around people that don't smoke but if I must have one I'll ask if it's ok and go outside to smoke even if I have to stand next to the street. I'm not going to be rude or pushy or nasty because I have a habit. Let me tell you all how shocked I was when I looked at my doctor's chart, they now call cigarettes a drug and put down that your a user as if your hooked on heroin. At least that's how it made me feel :(

Carrie, good luck with the smoking and the diabetes.
I'm glad you are going to try more foods tho,lol

"they now call cigarettes a drug and put down that your a user as if your hooked on heroin. At least that's how it made me feel :( "
I'm glad I quit smoking but gimme a break. It's not quite in the same catagory as smoking crack or buying street drugs. Sometimes people get a bit pushy/drama queen to make thier own point. It's hard not to be bothered by all the fuss they make tho. PJ

For those of you that like "sweet stuff", have any of you tried the herb stevia Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni? I don't do sweets, can't stand sweets in fact, but I have lots of friends and family that do including my DH.

It is an herb that has been used for many, many years in South American. There was lots of controversy about the herb and the FDA. It is supposed to be even sweeter than sugar, and it is now being sold in the USA. They are even selling stevia cookbooks using the proper amounts of stevia in place of sugar. And I have bought several of the plants to grow, but they haven't done very well for me.

If you are interested here are are a couple of websites to check out: http://www.stevia.net/ and http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out36_en.pdf",/a>.

Blood Glucose went from 550 to 227, and I gained 2lbs!
I still have to get it down to the 110 range but that's a great start.

Go me!

Go, you !!!!!!

Quitting smoking is the easiest thing in the world to do. I've done it a thousand times. Of course, I've only been smoking for 47 years. I tried really hard in '91, when I had 5 coronary bypasses. I've tried really hard every time I got a new stent, 5 of those. I've been controlling type II diabetes with insulin injections 4 to 6 times a day for 30 years. What's a meal without potatoes?

More power to you if you can quit. For me the nicotine addiction isn't the big deal, it's the hand to mouth action, something in my hand, something to do. I've smoked for so long that it's 'Who I am', I truly think I'd be lost without it. The key is wanting to quit. I like to smoke. I know that I should quit, but don't think that's enough. Maybe I'll try again with this new drug.
Jim

My dad also has type 2 diabetes. I can't put anything in my mouth without him telling me how quickly it turns to glucose in my body or how bad it is for me. I'm not overweight and eat fairly healthy and also have a regular workout routine three times a week. Anyway, look into getting into an exercise routine, whether it is walking or joining a local gym. I go to Curves and love it since it is only women there - no makeup, no mirrors and 30 minutes working out and I'm done. (yes, it does sound like an ad). I think exercise is just as important as eating a balanced diet. Back to my dad . . . he walks a lot to keep the weight off and does a really good job watching his diet with what he eats. He takes a pill before meals to help control how much glucose is absorbed into his body and it seems to help keep it under control. I hope you work with your doctor to get this diabetes thing under control (and stop smoking). It will become a way of life for you - different than what you were living, but still a life you might not have had if you didn't find out about your blood sugar levels.

I started the Chantix on Saturday, hopefully it kicks in sooner rather than later.

As for the #'s, my bedtime test was 166, my waking test was 125!! Not quite perfect yet but I'm headed in the right direction. The hardest part of it all was convincing hubs to go for a walk yesterday, lol.

Thank you all for the support and encouragement this past week.

Carrie in San Angelo

YEAH CARRIE!!! I'm glad your doing good...your on your way!
I am on the Chantix still and on day 21 smoke-free. The website keeps track of how much you smoked before and what the cost per pack is - today it said I have saved $126.00!! Try the site if you haven't already - it tell you information every day and I've found it to be pretty nice.
I am very happy for you!
~Angie~

Way to go, Carrie ---- I know you will feel so much better.

I don't usually come over to Conversations, but I'm glad that I saw this.
I tried to quit smoking a million times. Usually it didn't last more than 24 hours. I got a prescription for Chantix and then realized that my insurance wouldn't cover it and they don't have a generic form yet. So I tried to quit without it and smoked for nearly 1 more year. On my last Dr appointment I asked for the generic form of Wellbutrin. I had done some reading that said if you were a woman, and a light smoker, that Wellbutrin has a really good success rate. I took it for 2 weeks then thought about quiting ... another week or so after that my sister had her first child and I decided that I might want to be a mother some day (it would have to be quick since I'm 30). I haven't smoked a cigarette since that baby was born. That was only 2 weeks ago, but 2 weeks ago is forever when you are talking about no cigarettes. The Wellbutrin is really helping. Instead of craving a cigarette every minute of every day because just the thought of not smoking makes you want to go buy a carton and sit down and chain smoke, I'm craving one 2 or 3 times a day. It is a little more doable because you can make it through each individual craving. Wellbutrin also helps you not to gain weight. It'll actually make you lose weight. It's a depression drug, and the way it works is that it makes you obsess about things a little less. Your mind is less focused on the cigarette, or the sadness you are feeling, or whatever.
Anyway, I just thought I would mention it, because I never would have thought that I could go 2 weeks. I think I can easily make it another 2 weeks, maybe even a month. Who knows, maybe those months will add up and make a lifetime.
Carrie

That's so awesome that so many people are trying to quit. People are so individual I'll bet there is a different method for everyone that will eventually work. PJ

The Chantix hasn't kicked in yet, it better hurry up as tomorrow is my last day of smoking lol. I'm not going to beat myself up if I have a slip up or 2 though.

The good news is that I finally got my first reading under 100 today, I was at 95! I worked extra hard today and ate extra veggies since I overindulged a bit last night. Those Tootsie Rolls get me every time.

I never knew how 'sick' I was until I started to get better. My vision has improved, I'm not tired all the time and I'm getting better at dancing around the living room with the dog. :)

Carrie in San Angelo

Carrie and Angie......All I can say is *WAY TO GO!!!!*. I went yesterday to have blood drawn for my physical next week. I too am going to ask to be put on Chantix. Because of family history on my Dad's side, I'm also going to ask for a stress test. Dad had his *first* bypass on his legs at age 28. All of his 7 brothers and sisters have had bypass on either the legs or chest or both. Dad is 72 now and plays golf 2-3 times a week. Thanks to many great doctors and my mother's insistence that they eat healthy. My brother (2 years older) was diagnosed with diabetes this year and has done a great job of losing the weight and changing his eating habits.

It's a little scary to think about what we might find from my physical and the stress test... But not as scary as not knowing and not doing anything about it.

Again, I think you all are doing a fantastic job and I hope to be counted among the non-smokers soon as well. Keep up the good work and stay strong!

Kristi

It's really nice to have someone else to talk to that is going thru the same thing (trying to stop smoking). I'm on day 25 and I really don't think about it much anymore. It is hardest for me after a big or heavy meal. My thoughts are with you all who are working towards being non-smokers, I know is a day at a time process.
Take care, Angie

Carrie,

My hubby is Type 2 diabetic. Discovered it during a physical for a new job in 1998; blood sugar was over 400. His vision had been bad but he did not tell me. A few months before he had been on steroids for an ear infections..2 rounds and during that time lost 30 pounds without trying. He told his dr that he thought he had diabetes because he was in the bathroom peeing all night and drinking lots of water plus the weight loss. Dr. supposedly ran bloodwork and said he was fine. It was just 3 months after that bloodwork that they found he was indeed diabetic. I checked his file from the old dr. and his blood sugar was over 400 then...not sure why he lied or maybe he didn't even check his file.

First drug they gave him brought it down quickly...cutting back on sugary soft drinks made a big difference until we discovered he could not use aspartame because it was causing him to have numerous vertigo attacks. He has Meniere's disease and aspartame can cause attacks.

We realized after the fact that the dr. who gave him the steroids did not realize he had Meniere's nor did an ENT dr who ran an MRI to see if he had a tumor in his ear. He has lost all hearing in his right ear due to this disease. Thank God we found a dr. who knew right away he had Meniere's and explained what was happening.

Unfortunately, his job was very stressful and his diabetes required more meds...this has happened several times and the dr just kept adding more meds. He walks a lot on his current job but it is very long hours and stressful which seems to be the cause of his high blood sugar.

We have a new dr as of last month...see him next week for followup, we will see if he has a better approach. I suggested he might benefit from some classes on what foods he needs to be eating.

He works a very long shift and meal time is very irregular so he takes things to munch on during the day...veggies, peanuts. He keeps doing the sandwich thing and I keep telling him he is shooting himself in the foot! He loves potatoes, rice, etc. It is a very hard row! His parents developed diabetes late in life...80's...he was in his 50's.

Stevia is good...expensive. I need to grow it and learn how to use for him.

I just pray I don't come up with it...If I do not have my chocolate occasionally, they will have to lock me up!

Peggy

Just to be more clear. Above I talked about weight gain. However, I was far too thin both of the times that I quit (107 and later 115 - I'm 5'5"). That's why I mentioned the weight gain because you said need to gain some weight. I quit in 1997 and gained 30 pounds, but I started again and lost it all. It seems the more I smoke the less I weigh. This time I took Chantix and gained weight before I even actually quit. I've only been smoke free for about a week now.

When your next pack runs out, don't go immediately to buy a new one... just hang out and see how bad the cravings are. On the Chantix I could smoke as long as I had them, but when I didn't it wasn't a big deal. So, I could go hours without a cig... The habit part was the hardest this time - for me.

btw, I was a 2 pack a day smoker. Who knows if this will stick. I hope it does for both of us. But don't feel bad if it doesn't work for you. Different strokes...