Diabetic and Trucking

If you have to switch to insulin then you can't truck. Oral meds you should be ok.

Keep your carb intake low and try to remove alcohol, completely if possible. Eat high protein, lots of lean meats and leafy greens.

If you've never been treated for diabetes, the oral meds may go further than you think in controlling much of the difference. Depends how bad it was at time of diagnosis. Were you 200+? 250? 300?

 

Those sugar levels are really high... you need to take this very seriously since the complications from it are terminal.

 

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/medical/exemptions.htm

 

These are signs of hyper glycemia. Definately on the high side. These can also be altered by being ill.

Oral meds are needed in order to continue trucking when diabetic.

 

You're getting a portable blood sugar meter, and a batch of test strips, yes? You're insurance should cover some of this. Also, it would help to see a dietician concerning some education about what you can eat. Really, you have to stop eating anything with sugar in it, alcohol, cut way back on starches and complex carbs like bread. Mine is under control with diet and exercise (yeah... like we get some in the truck!).

 

Watch your stress level. Stress can drive your blood sugar up also. I know it's bad news for a trucker to get this news, but you will come through it with some modifications to your life style. You will find that when you read the boxes and labels that a lot of food has hidden sugar in it. For example ...plain old cornflakes has enough sugar as a candy bar. It is very misleading because it doesn't taste like it has sugar in it. Also I would caution you to watch out for artificial sweetners line malitol, sorbitol...any of the endings in "tol"....they are alcohol based and a lot people don't have the enzyme to digest it. It can cause excessive gas and diarrhea. Splenda is not one of these kinds of sweetners.

The sooner you get under control the better you will feel and the longer you will mostlikely be able to stay on oral meds. I'm on insulin and have been for about 15 years. I can never be a truck driver because of it. Uncontrolled diabetes is really nasty. You should have regular blood test for lipids, cholestrol, and tri's. Diabetes can lead to plaque leading up to heart trouble. Just ask me...I had a triple by-pass at 50 years old and a heart attack at 55 and a stint after the heart attack. Diabetes is one nasty disease. Take care of your self. Drop me a pm if I can be any help to you. Good luck ....and relax you'll be ok with some mods to your life.