Living With Diabetes

It's been a major effort, but my TDD is slowly going down. If you've been reading for a while, you'll know I have had some major stress in my life, plus I injured my knee slowing down my workouts. My TDD got back up to over 60 units a day, 80 a few times, even doing Symlin.

Well, I've been making a effort to follow my iShape workouts every day and I've done very well with that. At first, the workouts were just smoothing out my blood sugars, but finally I started having to eat after working out to avoid a lot. In fact, I'm still having to do that, even though I lower my basal to 50% for exercise.

I have also been making better choices. Choosing lower carb snacks when I absolutely positively have to eat. My favorite meal is one of the packaged Ceasar salad, add a bit more salad dressing and either chicken or tuna. The bulk helps the most.

Anyway, I'm celebrating as I've gotten my average TDD to 45 units a day, my bolus ratios and correction ratios are also decreasing -- yeah, it all works that way. I think I've stopped gaining weight and I'm hoping to start losing again.

Posted by at 9:12 PM | Permalink

New Devices May Free Diabetics From Constant Monitoring

The technique she's helping test is called continuous glucose monitoring, and it's a goal researchers have chased for nearly 50 years.

Though from my research, I'm wondering if Animas was right -- that an implant in the blood stream will work infinitely better than intrestatial fluid (too tired to look up the spelling).

Posted by at 11:11 PM | Permalink

Got an email from a Dexcom employee today, my doctor has trained so they just need a letter of medical necessity.

Obviously it isn't covered by insurance yet. I don't suffer from a lot of hypos, BUT my performance at work is affected by blood sugar. Example, I was feeling tired, cranky and out of sorts this afternoon. Tested and was at 252 (but only tested because it was "time"). Cause: my infusion set was bloody, so I assume that was the reason. Don't know why, blood sugar was fine before lunch, didn't do anything different. Weird.

I have unexplained highs and lows like any diabetic, just not as high and low as a Type 1.

I've got an email out to my doctor.

So do I hold out for the Navigator, which will probably work with the Cozmo -- and I wouldn't mind going with a Cozmo pump, next pump.

Or do I go with the Dexcom which already has a deal with J&J (the meter it pairs with is a Lifescan)?

Or do I wait for insurance.

FYI: I'm predicting a price war.

Posted by at 4:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

dLife Today: Penny Wise and Pound Foolish?

A recent UK decision highlights one of the problems with universal coverage, and interestingly enough, it isn't that different from an issue faced by Americans under many managed care programs - cost pressures that deny life-enhancing drugs.

This definately bit me in the rear when I first went on an insulin pump. My diabetes care and my life has improved significantly since I started pumping insulin. However, the HMO I belonged to, wouldn't fund it, and I did it out of pocket. I'll probably have to do the CGMS system out of pocket too, I just have to decide if it is worth it.

Posted by at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We've had record setting temperatures in Dallas this week and I actually made it in the pool and swam some laps.

Since I had just finished 35 minutes on the treadmill, I disconnected.

Sorry for the light blogging. I'm still exhausted from the time change.

Posted by at 10:09 AM | Permalink

BBC NEWS | Health | Diabetes inhaler rejected for NHS

Insulin that can be inhaled rather than injected has been rejected by NHS advisers on grounds of cost.

Bet they are the only ones who will feel this way.

Posted by at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The weeks of stress and limited exercise took their toll. I'm up about 5 pounds.

The good news is that I've finally gotten to where I can exercise following my iShape plan, and have finally started reducing, rather than increasing my insulin usage, so maybe they will go away.

I am having real problem with the repeaters attitudes, and they are really getting to me. I'm sick to death of their lack of respect. I actually left after 2nd period yesterday -- but desperately wanted the whole day off, but went in because we had an important faculty meeting.

Hopefully today will go better. Today is operant conditioning day, which means I'm taking Marcie with me.

Posted by at 7:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Quite a few people come by my website looking for information about Byetta, but since I haven't done it, I can't give much information on it.

There is a website devoted to Byetta at http://www.bettaweightloss.com

I've posted quite a bit about Symlin though.

Posted by at 8:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm very tempted.

Dexcom

The starter kit is $800. Sensors are $35 a piece and come in a bundle of 5. It would be wonderful if BCBS of Texas would cover it.

I've very tempted to do it without coverage. I would not have to wear the sensors every day.

Posted by at 5:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Between the diabetes and the sleep disorders and the knee the time change is sucking.

The sad part is, I can go asleep any time but when and where I am supposed to. For example, I dozed off for a minute in front of the TV about an hour ago.

Knee aches which is not helping.

However, I do have some good news. I've been doing my iShape workouts for 4 weeks now and while my insulin usage is staying steady (and higher than I like), my blood sugars are smoother. And just this week i started using my temporary basal to drop my rate before and during exercise instead of eating to prevent the low.

So I'm hopeful that once I recover from the time change, my insulin usage will start to drop.

Posted by at 7:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I've been watching every episode of Miracle Workers since it started on ABC and I was actually happy to see one of their procedures fail.

So far, it has just been TOO positive, without getting into the true ordeals the patients have had to go through to get their miracle. I will say, that everyone so far, has eventually turned out in a better shape than they started with, including the poor woman who died after the show was filmed tonight.

I was especially interested because they were putting an articial heart in her. I'll be honest -- and my mom and I was just talking about this -- I figure I'll be suffering from cardio vascular complications at some point in the future, since I have heart problem history on both sides of my family. In fact, I've been seeing a cardiologist every year for the last 3 years, and was seeing one every 5 years before that.

Back to the show. Poor woman had gone through breast cancer and then was diagnosed with heart failure. They put a Jarvik pump in her, and after 3, yes, 3 open heart surgeries she was doing better. They sent her home and she finally died of a massive infection.

I personally think they went too far with the second surgery, though I do think she was aware enough to participate in decisions.

I just know I don't want to go that far.

Posted by at 9:59 PM | Permalink

After participating in a chat last week on insulin pumpers (if you are a member, the transcript is available), I decided to perform 2 Symlin experiments.

The first was NOT prompted by anything anyone said. It was prompted by the fact that I'm a Type 2, I've been dealing with heavier insulin resistance and lots of hunger problems. That said, I decided to up my dosage to 25 units. No adverse effects and my blood sugar is smoother.

This WAS prompted by the discussion. I've been kicking around this idea for quite some time, and since someone did suggest it in the chat and found it working, I decided to try it too. I put in an extra infusion set on Sunday and I'm using it to put Symin in. I've got it more accessible than I usually put it and plan to change it out on Sunday. It eliminated the "ick" factor of injections, although it still burns because of the ph problem. Of course, I take that as meaning it is working.

So far, it's been really good.

Posted by at 9:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Well, I got a gig as an Algebra I teacher (computerized) this summer. I'll be working for 6 weeks, 7:45 - 1:45 4 days a week.

As soon as that is done, I've got to do an AP Workshop. Then I have one week left to play. Hopefully I'll also get to write our district final, which will really make the summer full, AND the bank account happy.

I'm really looking forward to this.

Posted by at 7:19 PM | Permalink