Introduction + Labs

Thanks i'll definitely check that out.

In general, i'm battling several things at once so I can't gear 100% towards something I have to strategically make choices.
I do think oatmeal is ok though. it's low glycemic and complex carb. Here is something I just quickly pulled from google

"It's typically made of steel cut (or chopped), rolled, or “instant” oat groats. Because oatmeal has a low glycemic index, it can help maintain glucose levels. This can be beneficial for people with diabetes."

Respectfully, that's publicity copy. (And if I ever again see the phrase "steel cut" used as if blade metal magically bestows health juju, I'll hurl.)

Come on. You are a diabetic with a meter and a box of oatmeal. Why not find out for sure?

edit: Post on oatmeal's effect on blood glucose: http://www.cureality.com/blog/post/2010/03/11/oatmeal-good-or-bad.html

[FONT=&quot]If you have diabetes, hold onto your hat because, even if you take medications, blood sugar one hour after oatmeal will usually be between 200 and 300 mg/dl.[/FONT]

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Ok i have no problem doing that. I'll do tomorrow.
I just posted that was the first thing popped up. Steel cut or whatever, I agree with you.
I still need some low glycemic carbs though and if you know anything better that also has fiber and good for my cardiovasular issues i'm all ears.
Thx

rhino5169 said:

Ok i have no problem doing that. I'll do tomorrow.
I just posted that was the first thing popped up. Steel cut or whatever, I agree with you.
I still need some low glycemic carbs though and if you know anything better that also has fiber and good for my cardiovasular issues i'm all ears.
Thx

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Packed with valuable information for diabetics or anyone interested in understanding carbohydrates/insulin.
http://www.mendosa.com/

And of course I have to mention Jennie Brand-Miller.
http://www.glycemicindex.com/about.php

rhino5169 said:

Ok i have no problem doing that. I'll do tomorrow.
I just posted that was the first thing popped up. Steel cut or whatever, I agree with you.
I still need some low glycemic carbs though and if you know anything better that also has fiber and good for my cardiovasular issues i'm all ears.
Thx

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Watch this video when you have time.

G.I. gets her hot LOL!

madman said:

Packed with valuable information for diabetics or anyone interested in understanding carbohydrates/insulin.
http://www.mendosa.com/

And of course I have to mention Jennie Brand-Miller.
http://www.glycemicindex.com/about.php

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I've never seen those sites, thanks.

I just took a few minutes to check out the first one it it looks like it has some good info there, i'll check it out more.
I'll say though that I think im doing a pretty good job with that. According to that site the american diabetes association recommends getting below a 7 A1C. I am at a 7.0, and i've done that WITHOUT drugs. When I was seening my endo they both told me I was one of the best cases they've seen. When I first started seeing them it was after 13 -14 years of having diabetes and my A1C was a 13.
Im still trying to get lower though and I think it might be a little bit easier when the rest of my body is back in balance.

Good for you! If you have any serious questions regarding nutrition in relation to carbohydrates/insulin both Mendosa and Miller will answer your emails as I was stumped by certain things and they both answered/returned my emails within a week or two which I thought was awesome!

madman said:

Good for you! If you have any serious questions regarding nutrition in relation to carbohydrates/insulin both Mendosa and Miller will answer your emails as I was stumped by certain things and they both answered/returned my emails within a week or two which I thought was awesome!

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That is definitely cool.Im going to go through those sites later when I have some time for myself. I appreciate the info Madman, thanks.

The ADA guidelines are generally trash, so do some research on Dr. Bernstein and the video posted above looks good as well. That A1C of 7.0 is like running at an average bg level of 154 which is way too high. You should strive to get the A1C below 6 and ideally closer to 5.
You will have to learn what works for you by experimentation and testing, but carbohydrate source and control is going to be the key.
It is tough in the beginning, but gets easier and your health depends on it.

JV63 said:

The ADA guidelines are generally trash, so do some research on Dr. Bernstein and the video posted above looks good as well. That A1C of 7.0 is like running at an average bg level of 154 which is way too high. You should strive to get the A1C below 6 and ideally closer to 5.
You will have to learn what works for you by experimentation and testing, but carbohydrate source and control is going to be the key.
It is tough in the beginning, but gets easier and your health depends on it.

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Agreed. I'm still a work in progress.
From 13 to 7 is pretty good progress I think.
Thx

Hi guys,
I want to get back to this with a couple questions and results with the "oatmeal experiment".

So before eating anything this morning I was 157. Yes that's high for not having eaten since about 7pm yesterday but I have dawn phenomenon.
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with...re/blood-glucose-control/dawn-phenomenon.html

I had some oatmeal around 8:30 and at 10 am it's 178. So it did go up but only by 21 points, though still to high. I will se what I can do about that and thanks for pointing that out. Sometimes with so many health issues going on it's hard to focus on some things when other things take priority, and those priorities are constantly rearranging.

Metformin:
I understand all the good benefits but this is what has kept me from going back on it

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...rt-disease-thyroid-problems-experts-warn.html

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/861514


@JDS
In an earlier post you didnt recommend HCG. I see most posts about it here do recommend so i'd like to get more info on why you dont. Did you mean solely taking hcg, because you then did recommend trt. I am thingking a combo of the 2. Any input on that?

Also, for anyone in general, I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to go over that labwork and discuss trt. I have some questions I will ask him but if there's anything you say I should be asking please let me know.

One of the most important questions I am asking I will ask you guys too:
I am mst concerned with rbc / hematocrit and causing heart attack by using trt. IF my levels rise then my questions are these:
1. How far do I let them rise before blood donation, given my current cardiac situation I have 2 stents, though my cardiologist says my functioning is back to normal?
2. If I keep those levels controlled, is the ANYTHING else I need to be concerned about or stay on top of to prevent cardiac issues, or is the hematocrit / rbc levels the tell tale be all indicator?

Thanks

So after breakfast, lunch and a snack my sugar is 128, which is classified after eating as "normal", but i'll still try to get it lower.

@JDS
In an earlier post you didnt recommend HCG. I see most posts about it here do recommend so i'd like to get more info on why you dont. Did you mean solely taking hcg, because you then did recommend trt. I am thingking a combo of the 2. Any input on that?

Also, for anyone in general, I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to go over that labwork and discuss trt. I have some questions I will ask him but if there's anything you say I should be asking please let me know.

One of the most important questions I am asking I will ask you guys too:
I am mst concerned with rbc / hematocrit and causing heart attack by using trt. IF my levels rise then my questions are these:
1. How far do I let them rise before blood donation, given my current cardiac situation I have 2 stents, though my cardiologist says my functioning is back to normal?
2. If I keep those levels controlled, is the ANYTHING else I need to be concerned about or stay on top of to prevent cardiac issues, or is the hematocrit / rbc levels the tell tale be all indicator?

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I'm a bit confused with where I didn't recommend hCG. If you show me, I'll explain.

For the most part, I don't like hCG mono. Mostly because I see no advantage to it. Clomid at least maintains the entire HPTA, but hCG mono you're shutdown just like TRT. It usually is subpar in results, and is incredibly fickle from seeing other Men's experiences.

That being said, I wouldn't consider TRT without hCG myself.

1. That question is way too advanced for any of us to answer I think. You have multiple cardiac issues and I can't even begin to answer that. I can tell you what people without those issues do, and that is to basically donate at the high end of the range, maybe let it go a tiny bit above that.

2. Again, you are not the average TRT guy.

johndoesmith said:

I'm a bit confused with where I didn't recommend hCG. If you show me, I'll explain.

1. That question is way too advanced for any of us to answer I think. You have multiple cardiac issues and I can't even begin to answer that. I can tell you what people without those issues do, and that is to basically donate at the high end of the range, maybe let it go a tiny bit above that.

2. Again, you are not the average TRT guy.

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Post #12, 3rd paragraph
"At 47, and with multiple issues, I personally don't see a point in clomid or hCG. Yeah there's a possibility it works, but it's a lot of effort, and much less likely to result in the benefits you're looking for.
That being said, I wouldn't consider TRT without hCG myself."

I did surmise that you were talking about hcg mono.

I agree im not the average trt guy. It sucks. I've worked real hard the past 1.5 years to get back to this point, but this is as good as im going to get until I go on TRT. I'm damned if I do damned if I don't.

I do appreciate the help.

We have had cardiac patients join and engage in discussion here at EM. They include men who have successfully undergone bypass and valve surgeries, as well as men like yourself who have had stents placed. All of them reported that they were following a TRT protocol.

I raise this point only to indicate that, in and of itself, heart issues aren't an automatic disqualification.

CoastWatcher said:

We have had cardiac patients join and engage in discussion here at EM. They include men who have successfully undergone bypass and valve surgeries, as well as men like yourself who have had stents placed. All of them reported that they were following a TRT protocol.

I raise this point only to indicate that, in and of itself, heart issues aren't an automatic disqualification.

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Thanks CW. That's what im hoping for. Will know more tomorrow.
FWIW, just looking for info from you guys, not definitive answers, for future reference. I know you won't say anything definitive given my conditions. No worries, I appreciate the info, thanks.

rhino5169 said:

Thanks CW. That's what im hoping for. Will know more tomorrow.
FWIW, just looking for info from you guys, not definitive answers, for future reference. I know you won't say anything definitive given my conditions. No worries, I appreciate the info, thanks.

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We're all in this together. Keep us posted.

rhino5169 said:

Post #12, 3rd paragraph
"At 47, and with multiple issues, I personally don't see a point in clomid or hCG. Yeah there's a possibility it works, but it's a lot of effort, and much less likely to result in the benefits you're looking for.
That being said, I wouldn't consider TRT without hCG myself."

I did surmise that you were talking about hcg mono.

I agree im not the average trt guy. It sucks. I've worked real hard the past 1.5 years to get back to this point, but this is as good as im going to get until I go on TRT. I'm damned if I do damned if I don't.

I do appreciate the help.

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Yeah going back and rereading my most recent post, I see that the tone I gave off wasn't what I had intended. I apologize for that.

I didn't intend to be so, crass?

I also didn't intend to say that your cardiac issues are an automatic disqualifier, because they're not, they're just a difficulty. It probably can be worked around. I'd highly recommend you speak to a thoroughly experienced TRT doctor. Preferably your cardiologist? Dunno what their opinion on TRT is, but nearly every other specialist I've talked to knew less than I did about TRT, and those are THEIR words, not mine lol.

Yep, we're on the same page with hCG then it seems!

Glad I could be helpful

CoastWatcher said:

We're all in this together. Keep us posted.

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Absolutely. Thanks

johndoesmith said:

Yeah going back and rereading my most recent post, I see that the tone I gave off wasn't what I had intended. I apologize for that.

I didn't intend to be so, crass?

I also didn't intend to say that your cardiac issues are an automatic disqualifier, because they're not, they're just a difficulty. It probably can be worked around. I'd highly recommend you speak to a thoroughly experienced TRT doctor. Preferably your cardiologist? Dunno what their opinion on TRT is, but nearly every other specialist I've talked to knew less than I did about TRT, and those are THEIR words, not mine lol.

Yep, we're on the same page with hCG then it seems!

Glad I could be helpful

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Lol....no worries.

A year and half ago both my cardiologist and endo did not want to discuss trt. I did not even bring it up really much at that point but to point out I was low T (~320 at the time, 194 now). They were reluctant because of the "dangers".

I briefly discussed with my new dr and I brought that up and said probably because of the study that was done that increased a cardiac event after going on trt. He told me his feeling on that was that it increased possibly because guys feel too good on T and overdid themselves when they shouldnt have.

Anyway, im hoping to have a more thorough discussion tomorrow.

Thanks again