Diagnosed diabetic! Now what?

[luv2boys]

I was just diagnosed with diabetes on Saturday. How will this affect my cruise? Do they have a special menu or can I just choose what I can eat off the menu? Glad I ate all desserts last cruise since this time I can't.

Advice?

 

[The4OfUs]

They have a special section on the menus for "sugar free" desserts, if that helps... I ordered some of them myself because they looked (and WERE) so good!

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Your cruise will be fine and don't panic about the food. I was diagnosed August 2001 and was fine on the cruise. There are sugar free desserts offered and yes you can just order off the menu. The only beef I have is that all they offer to drink in terms of diet pop is diet Coke. I'm a diet Pepsi drinker so I brought some with me which wasn't a problem.

After I told the server the first night he always told me which sugar free dessert was best and he was right. They were all good.

Any questions please ask away. The diagnosis is a shock but it is liveable.

 

[Doctor P]

I'm dealing with the same thing, and was diagnosed soon after we got off our cruise last July. I am worried about the fat and other things in the sugar free desserts (as I am finding that in many cases the sugar free desserts have a worse nutritional profile for me than full octane sugared desserts). Knowing how much wonderful fresh fruit they have on board, I am planning on fruit as a last resort dessert and serious portion control if I want something else.

 

[MickeyB426]

If you are going to be injecting insulin by needle, that insulin will likely need to be refrigerated.

You'll need to contact DCL to have them put a fridge in your cabin.

They will fax or mail you a form for your doctor to complete, so that they can have it on file. This also ensures your getting a refrigerator, since they are in short supply.

 

[bengals01]

i am diabetic, i would eat but would make sure i took laps around the deck several times a day, and take the steps instead of elevators and kept it pretty well under control

 

[kcashner]

The real "now what" is that your doc should place you in a heavy duty educational program, and you should learn all that you can about YOUR diabetes and how to control it best. You need to become the expert on YOUR diabetes. THe doc, nurse educator, etc. can be experts on diabetes in general, but you need to learn more about your disease than anyone else.

This will enable you to make wise food and exercise choices while on the ship to keep your sugars under good control. Have your doc fill out the medical form in your documents and you will get a refrigerator in your cabin as well as assistance with food choices.

The more you can learn before you sail, the more confident you will be while on board.

 

[steverog]

Are you on shots or pills. I didn't know that about the refrigator but the beverage cooler is adequate for insulin. If you don't like your dinner assignment all you have to do is say the "D" word and they will change that in a heartbeat.

 

[il-gander]

My DH was diagnosed with Type II just a few months ago. It is quite a lifestyle change, but he's doing pretty well. I wrote All Seas today to ask them to note that he is diabetic on our reservation. He plans to do on the cruise as he has been doing at home - eating a lot of meat and veggies and avoiding almost entirely potatoes, rice and other carb-laden foods. That has worked well for him so far, he's lost 30 pounds through better diet and exercising.

I see no reason why he (and you) cannot follow the same type of diet on the cruise. Buffets are easy, he can just pick what he wants and what's good for him. At dinner, we can ask our server for two different kinds of meat and extra veggies (skip the sides). There are so many food options, and we'll be actively "doing" things quite a bit, so I'm not worried about it at all. (Easy for me to say, I guess!) Good luck!

Carla

 

[luv2boys]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

I am on a pill. I have learned a lot so far and feel like I am doing pretty good. I feel so much better now knowing what is wrong with me and getting a diagnosis.

 

[Chattyaholic]

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in September, our Wonder cruise was this past January and I really didn't fret too much about the food. I had lost 35 pounds by then and was much more active. We took the stairs all the time, walked on deck and in port (no trams for us at Castaway Cay!! ). I cut back a lot on my "favorites", but still ate pretty much whatever I really wanted to, just in smaller portions. Desserts, I would take maybe 3-4 bites and leave the rest, except for creme brulee night, I ate the whole thing! I take 500mg glucophage every morning, and my blood sugar was good every morning, a little high on a couple nights, but still nothing to be worried about. Good luck to you, luv, and enjoy your cruise!!

 

[bossladypu]

My husband was diagnosed with type II in Nov. 2002
and we decided to take the Mar. 2003 4-day cruise.
We talked to his doctor and dietician and they both
said go have fun, try to eat healty but don't worry
about it. He also exercised and tried to watch
some, but he ate the regular desserts instead of
the sugar-free and he did just fine. My only complaint
and still is for our May 2004 trip, is that we told Disney
he was diabetic and filled out a sheet and sent to
Disney, but they still couldn't get us in the early
seating. He likes to eat before 6PM, so the 6PM
seating is still late, but would work fine. He did okay
on the 4-day cruise, but we've decided we'll probably
just skip the dining rooms and he'll try to eat somewhere
else earlier on the 7-day. My husband said if I still wanted
to go to the dining rooms, he'd still go with me, but just eat
a head of time.

I hope all goes well on your cruise.

 

[DoomBuggieDriver]

Hi Lov2Boys,
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis; sounds like you are off to a good start learning to live with it. You may want to check in over at the WISH board on the DIS, and I know quite a few people there are dealing with the same issues as you. You'd find a lot of support and probably even some good recipes.
Kathy