I am so worried about my husband, in January he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. His cholesterol was 441 and his triglycerides were 2395 the highest his doctor has ever seen. His glucose was 347. He was put on a diet and pills.
Well we followed the diet strictly and seriously in a week his cholesterol was at 391, his triglycerides were 1171 and his glucose was down to 294. He quit drinking and smoking altogether by May, his cholesterol was 160, triglycerides were 147 and glucose was down to 89. The doctors could not believe we did this. She told him that in September, she would probably take him off pills.
Well, now the problems started. He figured then if he was going off pills that he could drink again. So he started again. In July I was downsized to 2nd shift, he works 1st. Almost 2-4 times a week, I would come home and he would not be there. Later he would come home drunk. I know this is not good. He does not eat right and is drinking heavily and smoking again. I tell him he is hurting himself and all he says is the doctor says I will be off pills so this is OK. He says there is nothing at the house for him now so he goes to a bar.
I mean for 7 months we watched everything, made charts of meals and everything. Now he thinks it’s all OK. He has an appointment today to get blood checked. I know it has to be bad. If not, I don’t know what he’s doing. Is it OK for a diabetic to drink and smoke like this? I don’t think so.
I know he will not tell doctor today what he’s been up to. He thinks it’s all right. He also takes blood pressure pills. Since we have been on this diet the doctor told him he would not need to take them anymore, but still takes them because they are good for his heart. The thing is that for the last 4 months he has not followed his diet. If his test comes back normal today, he will never slow down. I can’t see how they can, but it seems like he has something on his side. He is 42 and 6 feet 1 inch and about 260 pounds. He is a big man. In the beginning, he was so scared of losing now all he feels like is a winner of this. In the last 3 months, he has had a caring wife.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink also applies to people’s health care. While your husband’s doctor cannot tell you your husband’s blood results without his permission due to HIPPA privacy laws, you can share your concerns with his doctor before your husband’s appointment.
When your husband gets his blood work done, the doctor will not only check his blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides, he can also check his A1c (glycosylated hemoglobin). When red blood cells are forming, glucose molecules attach. Since a red blood cell lives 120 days, a doctor can tell what the patient’s blood glucose has been over the last 4 months.
Drinking is not advised for persons with diabetes when blood glucose is out of control (A1c >7) and even if their blood glucose is in control (A1c <7 American Diabetes Association or A1c <6.5 American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) alcoholic beverages should be limited. Your husband needs to lose weight and exercise, which will improve his blood glucose along with following a diabetic nutrition therapy. Your husband may benefit from an appointment with a registered dietitian, but he first needs to deal with his dependence on alcohol.
Smoking is not good for anyone’s health and increases hardening of the arteries which is also accelerated in persons with diabetes even if they don’t smoke. Your husband should stop smoking, but he should first get his alcohol dependency and blood glucose under control because it is very difficult to change more than one behavior at a time.
