I'm home. Went in for severe abdominal pain, came out a diabetic with a fatty liver and severe spinal degeneration at L5/S1 that currently doesn't bother me at all.

My sugar when I went into the ER was 300. It dropped to 165 yesterday before lunch, but my A1C is 7.9. They put me on Metformin 2x a day. I don't want to take the drugs, but I don't appear to have much choice in the matter. I wanted to try diet and exercise first, but I was discouraged. So now I have to figure out how to like breakfast, and eat on a regular schedule.

I'm a little overwhelmed, and worried that I have to really give up pasta. I want to get the numbers down as quickly as I can though. Not sure I have the right words for how I'm feeling at the moment.

Oh Maria, that is a lot. How do you manage L5/S1 without agony? That's my worst joint. I hope you can come to a long-term resolution that combines some meds if you need them but also control through diet and exercise. Feel better.

{{{|Maria}}} you have all my empathy as another Italian-American who has had to do a diabetic diet. I strongly suggest a big batch of oatmeal that can be heated up as needed for breakfast or Cheerios. I could still have a cup of pasta as part of a meal with the diet I was on if there were no other carbs with it, but I don't know the specifics they gave you. My email is in my profile if you want to talk.

{{{Maria}}} That's a lot to take in an try to cope with.

I'm so sorry, Cass. Doing all that work and having it undone, what a nightmare

was just coming in here for Maria~ma, and still sending it to you - just on the other diagnosis side. All the hugs -- and hoping you'll start to feel better soon.

Oh Cass, I posted without seeing the nonsense happening to you. I'm so sorry.

They want me to try a constant carb diet. The hospital used exchanges but I don't know how reasonable that will be for me in the real world. I'd already pretty much limited myself to only eating pasta when my father cooked it, but now I truly have to pay attention to portion size and timing.

I'm liable to do a cup of cereal dry and two hardboiled eggs for breakfast. I'm lactose-sensitive and I hate skim milk so I'd rather eat the cereal dry.

Thanks again for the ~ma, everyone. It helped keep me calm every time they came in to tell me something new.

Maria, that's a lot, and a big change! It's probably good to get your sugar back to the normal range with meds, and then later potentially go off the meds and manage it with diet and exercise. But put a pin in that for now while you adjust to the meds.

I'm a little overwhelmed

Yeah, it's a big new thing to deal with, on top of this hellscape of a year in a global sense and a personal sense (I'm thinking of the graffiti at the restaurant that you posted on FB). This advice might sound like bullshit, but when you feel overwhelmed, try taking a few deep breaths and blowing them out slowly, just to dial down the overwhelm.

and worried that I have to really give up pasta.

I mean, maybe pasta can become an infrequent thing for now, but added back more often later? It would probably be a good idea to meet with a dietician* to talk about this stuff, including how to get used to breakfast.

*A registered dietician (RD) is the one who has credentials; just about anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, so look for an RD.

(Also, I apologize for launching into problem-solving mode if you wanted commiseration. So, in 100% genuine commiseration, I'll also say: that fucking sucks. Like you needed one more thing to deal with. It's bullshit.)

I think the metformin will probably make a difference very quickly, Maria. It sucks that it's one more thing for you to deal with, though.

My back problem was also L5-S1, so if I can offer any useful information, let me know.

Cass, that's infuriating. I would just want to rest my head against a convenient wall and scream.

I was on a different medication than metaformin but it will help. I was on a constant card diet when I was pregnant. 30 carb breakfast, 15 carb snack, 45 carb lunch, 15 carb snack, 30 carb dinner, and another 30 carb snack. If you like nut butters, the unsweetened kind makes for a quick snack with fruit or crackers.

Just took my first blood sugar reading, because I didn't get my kit or meds until 4 this afternoon. With no meds and a fig and prosciutto sandwich with a side salad for lunch, my sugar was 127 15 minutes ago.

Now I'm having a slice of quiche for dinner (have to deal with what I have on hand right now). We'll see what my sugar looks like in the morning.

Sorry for the spam. I can't put this on FB, and I need an outlet.