Just Diagnosed with Diabetes

[Keith1010]

I am sure you can cancel the package.

 

Keith

[Ocean Boy]

Thank you, on behalf of diabetics. Seriously, some people do not get it and spread false information because they think they are right, or maybe they just don't know.

 

They think they are right AND they just don't know. LeesSummit saved me from having to post the info.

[Ocean Boy]

Honestly I am in the very beginning stages of this. I don't know much about it. I have not even seen a dietician yet.

Everything I have read says I can't drink. I know it can be a dangerous disease and I want to take care of myself better than I have been. The last thing I want is to go into a diabetic coma on a cruise ship and end up in a Jamaican hospital.

Those of you that answered my question, thank you. I really just wanted to know if I could get my money back.

 

You have a good outlook. If you decide that part of that includes refraining from alcohol intake then good for you. It doesn't really matter if everyone else is telling you it is ok to go ahead and drink.

 

Get your money back and enjoy your cruise.

[kpgibbs]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Everyone has been most helpful. I know I will have to change my diet....which sucks because I LOVE ice cream.

 

I'm going to wait and see what happens before I cancel my package. I'm not a big drinker anyway. But we are going on this cruise with a bunch of people so I thought I might indulge more than normal.

 

And BTW, my drink of choice is Captain Morgan and diet coke.

[cb140]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Everyone has been most helpful. I know I will have to change my diet....which sucks because I LOVE ice cream.

 

I'm going to wait and see what happens before I cancel my package. I'm not a big drinker anyway. But we are going on this cruise with a bunch of people so I thought I might indulge more than normal.

 

And BTW, my drink of choice is Captain Morgan and diet coke.

 

You know what? Have a little bit of ice cream if you want it. Not all the time. Not every day. But the fat in ice cream means that the sugar is absorbed more slowly, and doesn't spike your blood sugar levels. Sorbet is less good (unless they have sugar-free - you never know, they might) as there's no fat and so causes sugar spike.

 

Your drink sounds fine. Will you be drinking enough of it to make the package worthwhile though? I heard you had to average 7 or 8 drinks a day to come out even (and that's not good for anyone, diabetes or not lol!)

[Langley Cruisers]

Will you be drinking enough of it to make the package worthwhile though? I heard you had to average 7 or 8 drinks a day to come out even (and that's not good for anyone, diabetes or not lol!)

 

Completely agreed! I'm not sure if some people realize how much they have to drink, every day (port days are sometimes harder to do this!) to break even and make it worth while. I understand drinks are an expense but if OP just wants a few per day, it might be better to cancel the package and pay for each one. :)

[kpgibbs]

Completely agreed! I'm not sure if some people realize how much they have to drink, every day (port days are sometimes harder to do this!) to break even and make it worth while. I understand drinks are an expense but if OP just wants a few per day, it might be better to cancel the package and pay for each one. :)

 

Yep, totally agree. The more I think about it, the more I think I will get my money back. If I drank 8 or 9 drinks a day, that would mean I would be drunk every day. I know some people find that fun. I, however am not one of those.

[negc]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Everyone has been most helpful. I know I will have to change my diet....which sucks because I LOVE ice cream.

 

I'm going to wait and see what happens before I cancel my package. I'm not a big drinker anyway. But we are going on this cruise with a bunch of people so I thought I might indulge more than normal.

 

And BTW, my drink of choice is Captain Morgan and diet coke.

 

Please, please talk to a dietician. You may need to make some minor modifications to your eating and drinking habits, but nothing as drastic as cutting out all alcohol, soft drinks or ice cream. I am a Type 2 Diabetic and have been for decades. With prescribed medication and sensible eating habits I have no problems dining or drinking during our cruises or the rest of the time. After discussing your situation with a nutritionist or dietician, you should learn that having diabetes is something that can be controlled without taking drastic measures.

[big al]

Honestly I am in the very beginning stages of this. I don't know much about it. I have not even seen a dietician yet.

Everything I have read says I can't drink. I know it can be a dangerous disease and I want to take care of myself better than I have been. The last thing I want is to go into a diabetic coma on a cruise ship and end up in a Jamaican hospital.

Those of you that answered my question, thank you. I really just wanted to know if I could get my money back.

 

Diabetic , cruise agent & frequent cruiser here..also a former Pharmaceutical Rep w/ 23 yrs exp...Diabetes is doable when you cruise ..first, go see the dietician..also, *IMPORTANT*- VODKA has no sugar & is a decent choice for diabetics..you should not have to eliminate all alcohol or sweets, just do all in MODERATION..I drink beer on cruises, though not as much as 20 years ago, maybe...watch the starches & desserts..ALL proteins ( meat, chicken & fish) are fine..proteins have no sugar & no carbs..veggies OK..careful w/ fruits- they are loaded w/ sugar...buy some "blood glucose tablets" at the store & bring with you on the cruise..actually, LOW sugar is much worse for diabetics than high sugar...NEVER let it get under 70 when you check it ( you will be getting a blood glucose monitor to check your sugar levels ..)...most want you to check your glucose levels FIRST thing in the morning ( called "fasting" level)..also, they may want you to check it 2 hours after dinner OR just before sleep...FYI- you should be under 180 two hours after dinner, BUT, let's face it, on a cruise it may be higher..I have been diabetic for 20 years now, & have been on 31 cruises, so I'm very experienced on do's & don't's..TIP: You will most likely have to make some decisions on what you prefer to eat or drink on a cruise when diabetic..personally, I find 90% of desserts pretty lame on cruise ships, so I don't really eat desserts much ( although I LOVE things like chocolate cake, brownies, peanut butter cups, Key Lime Pie, etc..) because they don't have the goodies I like..I DO love bread..just keep portions limited..it is important eat something every 2-3 hours to keep your sugar level up ( because the medication can or will bring it down..) if possible..when you get off the ship & go on an excursion or explore on your own, it's a good idea to bring maybe an apple or crackers from the buffet at breakfast along with those sugar tabs ( you should take 3-4 tabs if feeling weak, heart racing a bit, hands clammy, or feeling a bit weak- those are the common symptoms of low blood sugar)...I know it sounds scary and a bummer for you before this cruise, but just get the information from your doc & if you like come back on here & post what meds you are on...I'm on: Metformin, Actos, Glipizide, & Victoza injectable 1x daily...I never miss a dose ( might take a bit late when vacationing, but I never forget!!)...any questions/ concerns give a shout...you will be fine!!!

 

Big Al

Edited July 16, 2015 by big al

[missmetal]

I also have T2 Diabetes, however, I have booked the premium drinks package! I'm excited to try as many cocktails & frozen mojitos as possible.... I think you should be ok, as long as you pace yourself over the day, make sure you have plenty of food in your stomach and take your tablet before bed, you'll be safe! Have a great time on the cruise :)

[luvscruising2007]

Here is a link to a forum that has been very helpful to me: http://www.diabetesforums.com/forum/.

 

There is a lot of good information about diet, meds and testing. Most of the posters are "eat to your meter" advocates. This means to test frequently to see how different foods affect your blood sugar. Everyone is different and what works for me may not work for you.

 

My only suggestion is to get yourself in to a good routine of eating, exercising and testing before you cruise. It will make it easier while cruising. And, as another poster said, everything in moderation.

 

Good luck with this new challenge. You can do it.

[Blue Elephant]

I was diagnosed with a marginal case of Type 2 earlier this year. The most useful advice the diabetes educator gave me was to take blood sugar before eating, then eat a "test meal" of something I think would make a good regular meal, then test again two hours after, noting the difference.

 

I was given guidelines for how much was a suitable rise, but we use a different series of numbers here in Austrlia for blood sugar readings. The same process could be used for assessing drinks, if you can get reference numbers from a dietician or diabetes educator.

 

Experiment with this at home to come up with the right habits.

[cb140]

Diabetic , cruise agent & frequent cruiser here..also a former Pharmaceutical Rep w/ 23 yrs exp...Diabetes is doable when you cruise ..first, go see the dietician..also, *IMPORTANT*- VODKA has no sugar & is a decent choice for diabetics..you should not have to eliminate all alcohol or sweets, just do all in MODERATION..I drink beer on cruises, though not as much as 20 years ago, maybe...watch the starches & desserts..ALL proteins ( meat, chicken & fish) are fine..proteins have no sugar & no carbs..veggies OK..careful w/ fruits- they are loaded w/ sugar...buy some "blood glucose tablets" at the store & bring with you on the cruise..actually, LOW sugar is much worse for diabetics than high sugar...NEVER let it get under 70 when you check it ( you will be getting a blood glucose monitor to check your sugar levels ..)...most want you to check your glucose levels FIRST thing in the morning ( called "fasting" level)..also, they may want you to check it 2 hours after dinner OR just before sleep...FYI- you should be under 180 two hours after dinner, BUT, let's face it, on a cruise it may be higher..I have been diabetic for 20 years now, & have been on 31 cruises, so I'm very experienced on do's & don't's..TIP: You will most likely have to make some decisions on what you prefer to eat or drink on a cruise when diabetic..personally, I find 90% of desserts pretty lame on cruise ships, so I don't really eat desserts much ( although I LOVE things like chocolate cake, brownies, peanut butter cups, Key Lime Pie, etc..) because they don't have the goodies I like..I DO love bread..just keep portions limited..it is important eat something every 2-3 hours to keep your sugar level up ( because the medication can or will bring it down..) if possible..when you get off the ship & go on an excursion or explore on your own, it's a good idea to bring maybe an apple or crackers from the buffet at breakfast along with those sugar tabs ( you should take 3-4 tabs if feeling weak, heart racing a bit, hands clammy, or feeling a bit weak- those are the common symptoms of low blood sugar)...I know it sounds scary and a bummer for you before this cruise, but just get the information from your doc & if you like come back on here & post what meds you are on...I'm on: Metformin, Actos, Glipizide, & Victoza injectable 1x daily...I never miss a dose ( might take a bit late when vacationing, but I never forget!!)...any questions/ concerns give a shout...you will be fine!!!

 

Big Al

 

If you're on all those things then I'm not surprised you get low blood sugar occasionally. This is not going to apply to the OP, however, who has only just been diagnosed and is either going to be on nothing at all, or else Metformin only (which does not cause low blood sugar). Your advice about hypos is spot on, of course, but isn't going to apply to the OP, and I just wanted to say that because he's already freaking out a bit, and he really doesn't need to worry about carrying glucose tablets and snacks with him whenever he goes out.

[Homosassa]

Alcohol is basically pure sugar...so diabetics DO have to be mindful! You can cancel the package....

 

No. It is true that wine, light beer, and most liquors begin as carbs, but the fermentation and distillation process changes the chemical structure of the ingredients so that they metabolize through the fat pathway rather than the carbohydrate pathway,

 

Of course, one does have to be careful of sweetened drinks, desert wines, port, sangria or regular beer because of the addition of sugar or the heavy grain load of the regular beer.

 

While it is true, morning fasting blood sugar may be higher after a night of drinking, it is not the alcohol that causes the rise. It is a result of the liver needing to prioritize the importance of its functions.

 

The liver both detoxifies the blood and regulates the blood sugar through the release of glycogen stored in the liver.

 

If a large amount of alcohol has been drunk, the liver makes the detoxifying the first priority. Meanwhile, the blood glucose level is dropping (either naturally or because of diabetic medication). When the detox process is finished, the liver over reacts to the drop in blood sugar and releases more

glycogen than needed. Bingo, fasting blood sugar rises.

[Motorman23]

Ok, I have been quiet for the past few days but since this has deviated from the op's original question to opinions and advice from obviously personal experience I will add mine. First I got type 1 diabetes at age 12 in 1968, second I am type one on an insulin pump since 1993, third I was an EMT since 1974, fourth I am a medical technologist who has since retired, lastly my last a1c was 6.6. The original question was should I cancel my drink package, my answer is yes. Can I still drink, my answer is yes with moderation.the rest of the comments others have offered were not answers to the op's question but nonetheless deserve comments.

 

Can a diabetic enjoy a cruise? Yep,I have 274 days on rccl and Have enjoyed every one of them. Talk to your MD, PA, and NP and do the best you can. I have enjoyed every meal and drink I had on rccl with appropriate thought and planning and am still enjoying them. Be thoughtful and careful and life as a diabetic on a cruise can be great. Btw, many of the comments here are very useful, take them with a grain of salt....

 

Mike

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Edited July 16, 2015 by Motorman23

[mutzy]

regarding requesting a sharps container and ref. in your cabin

 

I was on the serenade in April and two weeks before the cruise I called the special needs department requesting the above items. they said no problem.

 

when I got to the cabin of course neither were there. I asked the cabin attendant and he said there were no ref. available and he would get something for the needles and lancets. what he brought was a joke- it was a small red plastic box with a slit across the top.

 

I did find sharps containers in all the accessible bathroooms so that is where I disposed my needle and lancets instead of using the box the attendant gave me.

[Motorman23]

regarding requesting a sharps container and ref. in your cabin

 

I was on the serenade in April and two weeks before the cruise I called the special needs department requesting the above items. they said no problem.

 

when I got to the cabin of course neither were there. I asked the cabin attendant and he said there were no ref. available and he would get something for the needles and lancets. what he brought was a joke- it was a small red plastic box with a slit across the top.

 

I did find sharps containers in all the accessible bathroooms so that is where I disposed my needle and lancets instead of using the box the attendant gave me.

 

That is an acceptable sharps container according the the U.S. Biohazard requirements. https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_BloodborneFacts/bbfact02.pdf

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Langley Cruisers]

OP may not even need a sharps container -

 

A) because some glucose meters have the lancets inside them and they never require touching them/disposing of them, and

B) OP is newly diagnosed, has not seen a dietician yet, and may not need insulin (I don't).

 

:)

[katiel53]

LOL - this poster posts false information on just about every subject on these boards, but never returns to see that it is wrong.

 

She has posted wrong info for as long as she has been on cruise critic. She never goes back to see where she posted false/wrong info. She has been corrected so many times, but she doesn't care.

 

She also posts on every single thread on here including other cruise lines, family cruising etc. I don't know where she gets the time to post so much!

[cruisinghawg]

Everybody's medical situation is different and I don't say your medical condition is worse then or better than mine. That said I was diagnosed with type 2 about six months ago. I take 750mg of metformin. Sugar level have been in the 140 range. On our recent cruise to Bermuda we had the beverage package. I drank like a fish. Couple of piña Colodas, couple of rum punch, couple of margaritas and couple of glasses of wine at dinner.

 

Combined with carrot cake, cookies, waffles every morning and ice cream after lunch. Then came dinner................

 

Never went into a coma. ["]The only thing that happend was my wife's yelling at me after every drink and cookie. [/color]Did get back on the straight and narrow when we got back though.

In the immortal words of a past Pres "I feel your pain" Edited July 17, 2015 by cruisinghawg

[riclop]

I was just diagnosed with diabetes. I have a cruise scheduled on October. I have purchased the Ultimate drink package. Obviously I will not be able to drink, or at least not enough to pay for the package.

Here's my question. Will RCI possibly transfer that to OBC?

 

Just cancel and get your $$$ back.

[big al]

If you're on all those things then I'm not surprised you get low blood sugar occasionally. This is not going to apply to the OP, however, who has only just been diagnosed and is either going to be on nothing at all, or else Metformin only (which does not cause low blood sugar). Your advice about hypos is spot on, of course, but isn't going to apply to the OP, and I just wanted to say that because he's already freaking out a bit, and he really doesn't need to worry about carrying glucose tablets and snacks with him whenever he goes out.

 

You are probably correct..I'm on all those things because I'm a bit different- I have something called the "Dawn effect"..that's when your blood sugar actually rises when you go to bed, even though I have eaten NOTHING for hours..I.E., I check my sugar before bedtime, say 10:30-11 pm, and it's 125..pretty good..I get up at 6 am & sugar is 150!! The Dawn Effect is when the brain "tricks" the pancreas into thinking it needs more sugar released into the bloodstream, and so it does so..so, I take Glipizide and Actos at bedtime to lower below the desired 120 or less..also, forgot to mention that the A1C is actually the most important number of all..under 7 is considered OK...I was once around 5.7, 5.8., but it went up to 6.7..Endo added Metformin & numbers are down quite a bit last 2 months..just wanted to point to OP that LOW blood sugar can be more dangerous than high, which most newbies don't know...BUT, you are probably right, at this point, they probably won't need the sugar tabs..Thanks for pointing that out...

 

Big Al

[kpgibbs]

Thank you for all the replies. You have been most helpful. I have a few more days of testing my sugars twice a day before I go back to the DR. Once I get a true diagnosis, I will come back to this thread and read it again. It's all a little confusing right now.

[reallyitsmema]

Thank you for all the replies. You have been most helpful. I have a few more days of testing my sugars twice a day before I go back to the DR. Once I get a true diagnosis, I will come back to this thread and read it again. It's all a little confusing right now.

 

Good plan, don't let all this information overwhelm you. As you can see, everyone is different and what works for one, might not work for another. Meeting with a dietitian or nutritionist will really help. Though I am not diabetic, my DH is and so was his mother who lived with us for years. I went to the nutritionist with my DH when he was first diagnosed so I could understand better what foods work better with others and what to be careful with. It made a huge difference with trying to keep my mother in laws levels controlled and gave me great ideas on what to do when she had lows.

 

Good luck, you will figure it all out and it will become second nature. Just learn what your norms are and don't let anyone else's norm getting you thinking you are worse off than you are.

[jes Scott]

The bloody Mary's are usually excellent and I find they are a great choice for me and don't seem to affect my sugars negatively - even when I have several!