not new to disability; new to diabetes tho

[Susycakes]

hi!

Long time lurker...don't post very often. I was at WDW last year and had an awesome time...I have a number of health issues and had no problems finding places to rest, keeping hydrated, and I somehow didn't get sick the new disability access system is just fine - although we only needed to use it for 2-3 times?... The seven dwarves and also so my daughter can meet Anna and Elsa. I really recommend those of you that have mobility issues or other health problems to try to go in the off season. We went the first week of November and it wasn't crazy crowded..which is way more helpful to me than anything else.

Anyhow...I'm planning to take a low key trip again at the same exact time this year - first week of November- since it seemed to work. A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with diabetes- and it's been a difficult adjustment. Is it possible to eat at the parks without a spike?? Today I woke up with a severe migraine --desperately wanted to order delivery - but then I realized there's nothing I could get delivered that would not cause a problem with my numbers. Then I remembered my Disney trip and I'm freaking out that there's nothing to eat..

Should I post this on a Disney food forum?? Help!!

 

[lanejudy]

If you are newly diagnosed, it can be quite an adjustment! Honestly, I suggest you talk to your physician and make sure he/she knows of your plans to go to WDW and can give you some advice about your treatment.

But specific to your question -- yes, absolutely it's possible to eat at WDW. My DH eats pretty normally. If you don't already have one, I recommend a book or app like Calorie King. It's not perfect but will help you a lot with estimating your carbs. In a few months it'll come fairly natural to you without having to look everything up, but since you are fairly newly diagnosed I'm sure you aren't there yet.

Lows are much more common (at least in our experience) than highs. Even with all the eating, all the exercise and activity offsets it. Make sure to carry plenty of testing supplies -- you'll probably test at least 3 times more often than usual. And have your quick carbs on hand to treat a low. Make sure those who are with you recognize the symptoms of a low and know what to do. Stay hydrated!

There are lots of posters on here who deal with diabetes. I'm sure they'll be along to offer more advice and suggestions.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[gap2368]

well welcome back I think you will be fine at disney

some things to remember medicine lowered BG insulin lowers it faster then most pills ( if you are on insulin then I would ask your dr if you should lower your dose)

exersize also lower BG at you will do a lot of that at disney now if you can walk then I would because this will off set the extra carbs you eat.

other things do lower BG ( but they depend on the person and time of day)

one major thing that will raise BG will be food the thing that will raise BG the most is carb ( not sugar ) disney will not tell you how much carbs are in the food but if you down load calorie king it will help you can ask them for portion size and get a good idea that way.

test more then you normally do walmart has a cheep meter for $15 and 50 test strip for $10 I can test more then 10 times a day.

if you have any question ask and have a great trip

 

[nikkislaght]

Also Stress is a big factor if you have a lot of stress be prepared for out of control numbers..

 

[Sadie22]

If your doctor has not referred you to diabetes education with a certified diabetes educator and nutritionist, ask for it. Some doctors do not know that this exist. It is covered by most insurance.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Type 1 or 2? Assuming Type 2, I find it easy to eat in the parks, though table service is easier than counter service. Almost every restaurant has a low carb option, though it isn't billed that way. Look for meat and veggies, and ask to substitute vegetables for fries, pastas, or breads. If you are at a sandwich place, you can hold the bread or eat just half of the bread. I find pizza restaurants to be the most difficult because I love pizza and crusts - I usually order wings (making sure to pick a hot sauce rather than a sweet one) or thin crust and a salad.

In the beginning, you should be testing a lot. I tested one or two hours after each meal at first, and it didn't take long to figure out how many carbs I could eat at a meal to maintain blood glucose levels where I feel good. My goal is 120 two hours after a meal or 140 one hour after a meal. Any higher than this, and I start feeling lousy.

There are lots of apps that can help you estimate the carbs in your meal - I use MyNetDiary most for both food journaling and tracking of various numbers over time. It has an easy food search function. You can also just google "carbs in XYZ" and find an estimate.

For the record, I walk so much at Disney that I need to eat a few MORE carbs than normal to keep from having lows...which is nice on vacation.

 

[Sadie22]

I just came from a meeting with my diabetes educator who is also a nutritionist. I have had the diagnosis for some years and am under good control but wanted help with weight loss. My goal numbers are not the same as the previous poster's goal numbers. These gauges and benchmarks are individual, and that is why I recommend diabetes education for the newly diagnosed and anyone with questions. The original poster did not tell us whether she is on insulin or other medical diagnoses that she may have. A diabetes educator would be best equipped to discuss a healthy diet and how to make choices at restaurants as well as how to treat highs, lows, etc., in varying conditions, in the manner best for the original poster.

 

[zela02]

If you look at the Tips for Special Needs at Disney FB group, you will likely find a lot of info on Disney and diabetes. The head of the groups has a a son and husband with T1.

 

[Susycakes]

Hi all,

Thanks for the tips! Yes I have seen a diabetes nurse who has given me the entire run down. As for T1/T2, well I'm actually both, but right now I'm on 500mg of metformin ER 1x a day. Originally was on 500mg 2x a day but seriously could not tolerate it. I do have a meter and have been testing regularly..it just pisses me off that if I even go slightly off the diet , my numbers are crazy. I don't know if the med is doing anything at this point. I've never tested 1 hour PP..always 2 hours PP and I've gotten it down to 150ish. Except today I ate something "extra" and, well, it wasn't 150...

I have mynetdiary and calorie King. All this documenting is really getting to me though

 

[gap2368]

Ok take a deep breath life will be ok you are newly DX and you have a lot of information and a lot you are learning right now.

Ok with that said I think you should go to Disney the are very good of taking care of there guest so I would not worry to much I think Disney is one of the best places to go

Also you say you have both type 1 and type 2 I am a bit confused on that I know it is possible but you are DX with one then the other like years down the road like 20+ years

 

[acebatonfan]

Ok take a deep breath life will be ok you are newly DX and you have a lot of information and a lot you are learning right now.

Ok with that said I think you should go to Disney the are very good of taking care of there guest so I would not worry to much I think Disney is one of the best places to go

Also you say you have both type 1 and type 2 I am a bit confused on that I know it is possible but you are DX with one then the other like years down the road like 20+ years

Could it be LADA (often dubbed as "type 1.5")? At this point, she is controlling it with oral meds/diet/exercise, but people with LADA will eventually require insulin for survival (think of it like a super slow type 1 diabetes).

To the OP, think about one week of crazy numbers will do in the grand scheme of things. It's one week out of the year, and you're not going to develop complications from one "bad" diabetes week. Enjoy yourself, eat sensibly (most of the places I went to had some sort of lean protein + vegetable combination), and get back "on the wagon" once your vacation is over. My blood sugar ranged from 44 to 310 while down there with a ton of food spikes in the 250-280s, but my A1C post-disney stayed relatively the same (only a 0.1 difference). What's most important is that I enjoyed myself and did not have to go to the hospital for DKA or severe hypos.

If you really want to see what the food places in Disney offer, most of the places have online menus on the official Disney World site. I ended up taking a quick look at the menus a few days before leaving and got a rough idea of what would be the best things to have (or which foods to share if I really wanted that carby food).

 

[gap2368]

yes but the OP said she had type 1 and type 2 she did not say she had LADA or type 1.5 or MODY ( and yes I do know what LADA is dr thought I might have it but changed there minds, people with LADA often do not need insulin for at lest 6 months and oral pills do not do much and yes I know there is a lot of controfery over what LADA really is and even dr do not know I am seeing one of the worlds best dr in LADA and when I was told I do not have LADA I stopped seeing her and now just see her PA.

also to the OP Metforman takes a month to really start to work to bring down BG. there are a few online support groups for people with diabetes they are very helpful I would try and find one. but they can be a big help.

 

[Susycakes]

Sorry to confuse anyone..no I don't have those conditions. I've developed diabetes as a side effect of taking steroids for my lungs for 15 years as well as 2 courses of chemotherapy to treat rejection. It was the last course of chemo that tipped me over to diabetes. There was so much back and forth regarding how to treat it; the PA insisted I go on insulin, but my NP didn't think it was necessary- she wanted to put me on prandin. I was discharged without any treatment at all- but when I saw my dr for a follow up we decided to try the metformin and control with diet and exercise. Although sometimes I feel like it might be easier to eat what I want if I had the insulin!! When I was hospitalized, I was on insulin.

 

[Susycakes]

Could it be LADA (often dubbed as "type 1.5")? At this point, she is controlling it with oral meds/diet/exercise, but people with LADA will eventually require insulin for survival (think of it like a super slow type 1 diabetes).

To the OP, think about one week of crazy numbers will do in the grand scheme of things. It's one week out of the year, and you're not going to develop complications from one "bad" diabetes week. Enjoy yourself, eat sensibly (most of the places I went to had some sort of lean protein + vegetable combination), and get back "on the wagon" once your vacation is over. My blood sugar ranged from 44 to 310 while down there with a ton of food spikes in the 250-280s, but my A1C post-disney stayed relatively the same (only a 0.1 difference). What's most important is that I enjoyed myself and did not have to go to the hospital for DKA or severe hypos.

If you really want to see what the food places in Disney offer, most of the places have online menus on the official Disney World site. I ended up taking a quick look at the menus a few days before leaving and got a rough idea of what would be the best things to have (or which foods to share if I really wanted that carby food).

I like your attitude

 

[buffettgirl]

Sorry to confuse anyone..no I don't have those conditions. I've developed diabetes as a side effect of taking steroids for my lungs for 15 years as well as 2 courses of chemotherapy to treat rejection. It was the last course of chemo that tipped me over to diabetes. There was so much back and forth regarding how to treat it; the PA insisted I go on insulin, but my NP didn't think it was necessary- she wanted to put me on prandin. I was discharged without any treatment at all- but when I saw my dr for a follow up we decided to try the metformin and control with diet and exercise. Although sometimes I feel like it might be easier to eat what I want if I had the insulin!! When I was hospitalized, I was on insulin.

Ok, just so you know - taking insulin, and being insulin dependent does not mean you have type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is primarily an autoimmune disease where your body produces no insulin on it's own. With Type 2 diabetes ,your body cannot effectively use the insulin it makes, and eventually, most people need to take insulin to supplement their body's own production.

But the two diseases are not interchangeable. You don't become type 1 because you take insulin. And if you have type 1, there is no other option for you except taking insuiln. forever. Or you die.

There are some random exceptions, where people have been mis diagnosed as one or the other, and then re diagnosed correctly, but it doesn't seem that that's what we're talking about. There are also cases of double diabetes, where people have both, but that also isn't what we're talking about.

 

[gap2368]

to the OP has your dr done any of these test for you GAD65 Ia-2,insulin antibody, or Cpeptide if not I would be asking for all of then or at lest a Cpeptide and one of the others. But as fair as disney goes I would go have fun and do not worry too much about your numbers no you do not want to be in the 400 500s but being in the high 100s some or half of the time is not going to cause long turm damage if it is just for a week every now and then.

like buffettgirl said there are cases where people I missed DX I was one of them I was Missed DX as type 2 and went though 4 and a half months of well lets just say I was very sick lost a little over 35 pounds ( and I am only 5 foot 1 and was not over weigh to begin with)

if you need someone to talk to about being newly DX you can PM me. or if you need help with dealing with diabetes at disney ask

 

[gap2368]

Sorry to confuse anyone..no I don't have those conditions. I've developed diabetes as a side effect of taking steroids for my lungs for 15 years as well as 2 courses of chemotherapy to treat rejection. It was the last course of chemo that tipped me over to diabetes. There was so much back and forth regarding how to treat it; the PA insisted I go on insulin, but my NP didn't think it was necessary- she wanted to put me on prandin. I was discharged without any treatment at all- but when I saw my dr for a follow up we decided to try the metformin and control with diet and exercise. Although sometimes I feel like it might be easier to eat what I want if I had the insulin!! When I was hospitalized, I was on insulin.

sorry I missed this the first time i was reading the new post.

wow you sure have been through a lot health wise and I hope you lung problems never come back again and you are feeling much better.

I would see an endo and ask them what you should do to manage your diabetes since you have such a complicated medical history
people with type 1 is an autoimmune condition there are way to test it ( gad65 IA-2 and antibody there are some others) and a way too see how much your pancuse is making insulin, ( c-peptide) you probable have and I do not know the proper name for it but it is something like medical induced diabetes, but I could be wrong about the name.it has some cariteristicks of both type 1 and type 2 in the since the meds you took destroyed you pancruse and most of the time the body has a hard time using insulin either what the body makes or what you inject.

but please find an endo also and I do not know if I can post this or not but diabetes daily is a great support group and there is/was someone on how has diabetes because of a lung problem and strioedi use I do not know if she is still there but there are a lot of people with years of diabetes ( all types ) who can help you out and give you ideas to ask your dr

 

[buffettgirl]

I also hate the way adults get so very little diabetes education and support. It's so wrong. And i really hate the way they make pepole feel like failures for needing to go on insulin. If you're a type 2 and you begin supplementing with insulin, you often preserve more of your own body's insulin function. And like Gap2368 said, if you're misdiagnosed as a type 2 and you're really a type 1, it becomes pretty obvious, pretty quickly.
And yes, once you start insulin you can eat a little more normally, but if you're truly type 2, you're always going to have that insulin resistance and certain foods are going to be tremendously hard to manage. But for many people with type 1, as long as they time the insulin properly, and dose it properly, then most foods are pretty easy to deal with.