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Diabetes is not a death sentence. Losing weight by eating healthy and exercising means you're already going down the right path. Diabetic complications such as amputations do not happen overnight. You do not need to worry about mistakes. You just need to take it one step at a time. You do need to talk to your doctor or a diabetic educator about steps to take. I would look for a diabetes support group in your area you can learn a lot from your fellow diabetic type 2s.

Hi Janice!

Sorry to say welcome to the club!  I've been living with diabetes 39 years and have remained utterly healthy and without complications.  Exercise and healthy eating have certainly been a major part of the recipe.

Your A1C of 12 is no surprise for newly diagnosed and I have no doubt you will see it come down very quickly to below 7 or even below 6!  

There are bloggers you can read about on this site who are fabulous and fun!  

Kelsey is a mom and blogs about her life as a wife and mother.

Ginger is 23 and lives in VT and is super as editor of Diabeteens, a sight for teens and young adults!

And I'm Ann, community leader for type 1 side of the sight.  

We will be having another blogger joining our team shortly, Amylia Grace, whom I think you will love!

If you have specific concerns or questions, feel free to email any of us!  

Joe is right, this is not a death sentence, it's really just a change of habits!

Hey Janice,

I'm Ginger, from HealthCentral's www.diabeteens.com - for young adults and teens with diabetes.

It's fortunate you were diagnosed because now you can do something about it! So many people live with Type 2 diabetes and have no idea, they continue untreated and don't have a chance to start taking care of themselves.

Diabetes is no reason to stop giving up. But it's going to be a challenge, definitely. With Type 2, you have a true incentive to start changing your lifestyle. I live with Type 1, so no matter how much I exericse, I will need injections because i don't make any of my own insulin.

With Type 2, you can increase your sensitivty to the insulin you do still make, and reduce your need more insulin by exercising every day and gradually adjusting your diet. The changes won't happen overnight, but they will happen!

Over the past 2 years, even though I have Type 1, I've cut my insulin needs in half by making exercise a major part of my life.

Either way, this is our challenge, and it's not easy, but I don't know anyone in life who doesn't have something to face every day  -- cancer, depression, alcoholism, you name it -- we all have something, sometimes a few things.

You can absolutely do this.

Ginger

p.s. Here are a few links for you! (With a lot of other links within each link!)

This is hard for everyone!

Just For Today...

There is so much to learn!

Thank you all for your support, I definately need it. It has been shaky and new for every aspect of my life. But I think i cried everything out and am approaching it one steop at a time. It was so hard to face this new challenge epecially right before the weekend with all my plans. But I took it one step at a time and tried to pick healthy menu items and watch my portions and suprised m,yself by staying at 1500 calories (part of my diet from my doctor to help loose weight). So one small goal and positive steop in the right direction. I am so thankful to have you all as a resource! Thank you all for your positive words.

The one very positive spin I have put on this, is I am gettign married in March of next 2010, so now I have a HUGE motivator to help me loose the weight I wanted to loose in the first place!

Hi Janice -

I was'nt diagnosed at your age, although clearly symptomatic - 15 years later,

a diabetic friend talked me into testing myself with his meter...  > 400 mg-dL.

Lots of grief in that 15 years - Suffice to say you're lucky to have an on-the-ball

doc, and have every chance of leading a normal life, with "some" effort on your

part.

"Some" with a grin - there's a lot to learn, & do - Believe me, I know...

Good luck, Jack