Living With Diabetes

I was a bit disappointed -- I had reduced my TDD on Saturday by 10 units, but on Sunday only by 5 units.  However, that's still quite a bit of a reduction considering that bolus insulin is about 20 units a day for me right now.

Actually that's a lot of insulin.

I also think my blood sugar was trying to elevate from the Lasix yesterday.  My blood sugar was a bit high this morning, though I'm hoping part of that was from being disconnected from the pump.

I also didn't see as much weight loss from the Lasix this weekend.  On the other hand, I have ankles again, which is always good.

This week I'm focusing on getting enough sleep -- both Saturday and Sunday I slept in fairly late and then went to bed at 9:30 last night.  I'm hoping that will get me through the week.  This is my last week before the AP exam -- my major stressor of the year.

Posted by at 6:54 AM | Permalink

He's one of my sports heros -- okay probably my only hero as I am not that much into sports.

He went to public school in Dallas -- next door from my school at W.T. White.  He grew up as a golfer at the country club around the corner.

Plus he's a diabetic.

I'll never forget when I approached my husband about an insulin pump, he said "Cool, Verplank has one and his golf really improved when he went on it."

I also think it's a bit poetic justice since he was one of Bryan Nelson's kids.  After seeing how bad the greens looked and with Bryan gone, I have a feeling this is the last year it will be a "big deal".

Sad, because my kids through the years have really benefited from the Salemanship Club.

Posted by at 6:12 PM | Permalink

Well, I don't consider the lasix thing an experiment anymore, since the endo not only approved it but wrote a script up for it.

I'm still showing a 4-5 pound weight loss, not bad with almost 4 weeks of working with fitness4diabetics.  The approximate is because of the water weight fluxuations.

I have been doing another experiment this weekend, and it's to see how little insulin I can get by with.  If I do a fairly decently low carb meal, and walk for 20 minutes after, I don't need much of a bolus -- I am still doing basal insulin AND symlin though.  So I'm not completely insulin free.  It only saved 10 units yesterday.

I have to watch the low carb -- the more I low carb, the worst the gastric reflux. 

So all in all, I'm still losing weight, still happy with fitness4diabetics, though I have to be careful during the workweek not to get too tired.  Had a couple of bad days of eating as a result of that.

Posted by at 12:58 PM | Permalink

The five pounds I lost are still missing.  I really bounce around on the scales though.  My friend edema.

I screwed up last night's meal -- gave myself 10 units instead of 5.  Didn't sleep well, but I don't think it was gastric reflux as I have not been coughing as much today.  I tend to have trouble sleeping on Monday's as I get home from dog agility late.  Blood sugar was beautiful yesterday evening.

Got yesterday scripts off to Medco.  Decided to go ahead and ship off the new blood pressure pills, may even switch to them instead of waiting.

Wish there was a place to take good but no longer needed medication to.  I've had the same problem with contacts.

More good news, since I've decided to limit my calories (but way higher than fitness4diabetes has suggested), I've been able to do it.  And still off the carbonated drinks.  In fact, haven't touched one today.  Though that doesn't seem to influence the GERD.

Posted by at 11:14 AM | Permalink

He noticed the edema and thought that taking Lasix twice a week probably wouldn't be a bad idea.  He also changed my blood pressure medcation to a new, kinder diuretic that will work better.

Also thought adding Symlin at 5 units back to my evening meal wouldn't be a bad idea -- so of course, when I got home and ate, I did 10 units <rilling eyes>  At least i remembered after.

Also tweaked my morning basal rate some more because I always spend my mornings high.

Not a bad visit. 

Oh, and if you want a Multiclix Lancing device, ask your endo for an Aviva meter -- they come with.  And the devices are $30 bugs now!  I lost my spare -- $37.00 at the pharmacist where the endo is at!

You can occasionally snag them on Ebay.

Posted by at 5:52 PM | Permalink

The weight I lost from the lasix is back --- and so are the thick ankles. Next weekend I'll try two days and see what happens.

I may just be cursed with edema for a while.

I"m seeing my Endo today and am going to ask his opinion too.

Posted by at 8:18 AM | Permalink

I suspect sitting still for most of 4 days had something to do with it -- we've been TAKS testing (state mandated tests) -- but the edema is back and back in full force to the point my shoes are hurting in the evening.

I asked the fitness4diabetics wellness coach about trying it again -- I'd done what the cardiologist nurse said to do, which was to be on it for a wekk -- though I quit after 5 days when the blood sugar shot up.  She asked if it was a comfort issue or a health issue and I think it's a bit of both.  Here's why.

I took a Lasix yesterday morning after weighing myself.  In 24 hours I lost 2 pounds!  Surely lugging around two extra pounds of water weight isn't good healthwise.

The good news is my blood sugar was 101 this morning so I didn't get the blood sugar effects -- yet.

As to the weight thing -- since I started and weighed for fitness4diabetics at the end of my last lasix experiment, I've lost 5 pounds not just 3.  That might be magical thinking and the 2 pounds will probably be back by the end of the week, but it helps.

 It will be interesting to see what does happen to the weight -- and as tempting as it is, I'm NOT taking another one until next Saturday.

Posted by at 7:16 AM | Permalink

Since starting fitness4diabetes, I've lost 3 pounds!  That's a pound a week so that isn't too shabby!

I've also dropped my TDD from 80 units a day to 50 -- of course, contributing to the weight loss.

I'm definately pleased with the program.

Posted by at 5:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, that type of testing too -- but we're doing the TAKS test.  State mandated tests, some for Exit Level, some for NCLB. 

First of all who ever came up with the idea of giving teenagers an untimed test needs to be shot.  Though today wasn't too bad.  I think I finished directions at 9:15 and I believe the first test was turned in around 1:00.  That's for the "hardest" of the tests -- 11th grade Math.

But here's the deal.  I was supposed to be the test administrator's go-fer.  I didn't really want to do it but decided I didn't want to make a fuss.  I ran a few errands for him at 7:30, then opened the lab for my early kids, then kicked them out and started running errands again at 8:30.  Well my first errand was to go get a missing test proctor.  When I got back and reported that she said she wasn't supposed to test today, they said, yeah we figured that out and you're replacing her.

This at 8:40 and we are supposed to start at 8:40.  They got someone to carry the materials upstairs for me, I ran by my room to pick up my directions, and I got going by 8:45. This is a tough test because not only do you have to keep up with tests and answer sheets, but you have to keep up with graphing calculators.  Never my favorite thing.

I get everything started, start watching the kiddos and take my first break.  Come back to find the state test monitor in the room (argh!), and am followed in by one of our runners who needs the money for lunch.  Whoops -- I forgot to collect money for lunch.  (Hey, not bad), and they needed $2.90.  I handled $3.00 to the runner without taking my eyes off the kids (okay, I had to look down twice), the whole time the monitor is watching.

Oh, and because surely we have to be cheating, proctors have to keep their eyes on the students at all time.  We're supposed to talk around but the room I was in was so tight, I can take maybe 5 steps max.  Oh and then my phone starts vibrating and vibrating.  I forgot to turn it off.

So finally the monitor leaves -- and the phone stops buzzing but now the pump is buzzing.  Check blood sugar and I'm at 290! 

My high was a 341.  But it finally started dropping. 

I never got sick -- like I did on Monday -- another story, and made it without getting the munchies.

I talked to a union rep afterwards -- and in the future I need to be insistant that I have a set schedule and it not be changed without a 2 hour notice.  It's for THEIR benefit as much as mine -- if they "kill" a proctor, it will be hard to replace one.

At least it ended well.

Posted by at 10:23 PM | Permalink

Need idea -- not the only one out there, but a slightly different implementation.

It's designed to hold and protect vials.  One of the big problems when having to use insulin, symlin or any other product available only in a vial, is that they are breakable.  In fact, I've dropped and broken two vials.

That's where Secutee Blanket comes in.  They kindly sent me a free one for Novolag and for Symlin.  They are nice.  They are made of that rubberized fabric used for wet suits, which makes them protective from drops and easy to grip. 

Very nice, and very nice packaging.  I'm wishing them good luck in marketing as it a product that needs to be out there.  I assume they are available on Ebay as that is how they reached me.

One other family also produces an similar item, also sold on Ebay.  Either device works equally well.

Posted by at 9:13 PM | Permalink

I haven't been sleeping well -- some out and out heart burn attacks, but mostly just uncomfortable and waking up a lot.

Last night, I slept all night, without waking up until the alarm clock went off.  Very unusual.

Horrible day yesterday too.  Forgot my breakfast insulin dose which ruins my whole day as it always takes longer for my blood sugar to go down when it is messed up in the morning.  Very weird, but my metabolism is very sluggish until about 11:00 am or later.

I am anxiously awaiting Thursday fitness4diabetes email as they are going to crank the fitness up a notch.

Posted by at 10:12 AM | Permalink

Good news, both the physical coach and the nuitrion coach contacted me spontaneiously this week (or at least on their schedule).

I think I've solved the "going low in the evening" problem.  I just don't do any insulin or Symlin with my evening meal.

I do believe my activity level is higher when I'm doing dog agility -- especially when I was training Macy this week.

I keep seeing the same two pounds disappear and reappear -- a lot of that is edema. 

My insulin usage has dropped dramatically -- in fact I'm going to be able to go back to changing my set ever two days.

So is it worth it?  Yep!

Posted by at 9:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

First -- SEE you don't need Embroyic Stem Cells.

Second -- of course, it probably won't help me or most Type 2's.  But it will be really great if it will eliminate Type 1s! 

Thirteen young diabetics in Brazil have ditched their insulin shots and need no other medication thanks to a risky, but promising treatment with their own stem cells — apparently the first time such a feat has been accomplished.

Source: Stem cell experiment lets diabetics forgo insulin - Diabetes - MSNBC.com

Posted by at 9:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This is interesting... and much more hopeful than the Brazilian news. 

Connor Ahles, 11, is the billion-dollar boy – the first to test a revolutionary Victorian discovery to prevent Type 1 diabetes. He will take the insulin vaccine through a nasal spray once a week for a year. If successful, the vaccine could save more than $1 billion in diabetes-related health care costs.

Source: Diabetes In Control - First Person Gets New Vaccine Against Diabetes

Posted by at 1:17 PM | Permalink

First, the physical coach has been absolutely fabulous.  She's gotten me to up my activity level -- my lowest number of steps so far has been 9013 and that was Monday when I spent most of the day asleep -- either being scoped or getting the drugs out of my system.

The nutrition coach hasn't been personalizing things, and is a bit slow to respond but when she does, she has good information.  Same thing goes with the wellness coach.

All in all, I'm happy with the program.

However, I'm getting frustrated with myself.  I keep going low when I exercise.  I've figured out workouts -- no insulin and no symlin with the evening meal, and I come out okay at the end of the evening.

But all of the sudden, I'm having to do the same thing in agility class!  Of course, I wasn't prepared for that, so I've had to eat extra.  And I'm having to eat it late -- which means I'm waking up with heartburn, when I'm trying really hard not to.

Don't worry I'll get over it.

Posted by at 9:43 AM | Permalink

Nope, absolutely not.  Although Jobs might need a pump, didn't he go through pancreatic cancer?  I'm not sure what the implications of that is.

What do you all think?  Would you, could you, sign your name to an appeal like this to the Big Man of Consumer Design-ism?

Source: Diabetes Mine

First, Amy, shame on you -- the picture you have on your post is the OLD Animas pump.  It wasn't bad BUT I have the new pump -- the 1250 and the 12xx series is quite cool.  The 2020 pump is even cooler and it should be arriving soon.  It even has a color screen.

I've never been a huge fan of Apple products.  I own two mini Macs, I've taught Webmastering on Macs, and I've had to support Apples in the classroom for years, as a teacher tech.

They are extremely difficult to support from the technical end.  I've always found PCs easier to program -- and yes, I've tried it.  I will give you that Macs to digital cameras better than PCs.

I will give you that the Minimed and the Cozmo is clugy, but I love my Animas pumps!

Posted by at 9:35 AM | Permalink

Blood sugars have gone extremely well.  I was hoping my blood sugar would be a bit high this morning -- and it was -- 125.  I did turn my pump off for an hour about two hours before the procedure was scheduled per the doctor's request.

When I went into the procedure my blood sugar was 135.  When I left the day surgery center and went to eat, my blood sugar was at 120.

Honestly I don't think you could ask for anything better -- and my brunch dosing even work well, I was at 119 at 4:00.

I'm quite proud of myself!

Posted by at 4:56 PM | Permalink

This is good news -- I am definately going to wait on getting one know until it may be covered. 

Medical device maker DexCom Inc. said Monday it is one step closer to gaining reimbursement for its continuous glucose monitoring devices.

Source: DexCom Gets Positive Medicare Response: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Posted by at 3:35 PM | Permalink

Won't know the full results for several days but the sonogram found one very large gall stone. It could be causing the GERD or contributing to it.

There were polyps in the esophages and I think lesions which were removed and sent for biopsy. I'll know in 5-10 days.

My protonix is on the way.

Posted by at 11:27 AM | Permalink

I actually haven't been focusing on losing weight, because it's been really hard for me since I've been diagnosed with diabetes.  It was hard enough before with my sleeping issues -- though if I do sleep well, I did lose weight before diabetes.

Well, since I've started with Fitness4Diabetics, I've lost two pounds.  I think.  Between the edema issues and diabetes, I won't count them entirely gone until they stay off the scales for at least a week, but the two pounds have been gone for two days so far.

More progress.  Since I started their second week workout last Thursday, I've been able to get in more than 10,000 steps! 

The workouts are going well too!

My fitness coach has been super responsive.  I was having trouble with the streching exercises, because they were not written in English, so she sat down this weekend and rewrote the ones I was having trouble with.  That's helped tremedously.

Posted by at 6:41 AM | Permalink

It was STILL cold.  A bit warmer though.

Maggie took a first in Novice Preferred Standard.  Glad I didn't go home.  Thought about it though, especially when she did so poorly in Jumpers.  She just didn't have her head in the game.

Marcie didn't Q, but she tried.  And I tried.

I got in 13585 steps.  Food wasn't great but I've gotten down to 2 carbonated beverages a day so that is good.

I also think I've lost weight, I'll know more tomorrow.

Posted by at 9:25 PM | Permalink

Medco has been jerking me around, yet again, over Protonix.  During spring break, I went to see the primary care doctor to see if there was something different we should about my GERD, since I was almost out of Protonix and to let him know we were playing the Medco game.

He is fed up with, decided I needed to be scoped anyway since it had been a while, so he sent me to a gastric doctor (I think I've posted about this, sorry for the repeat).

So I saw the gastric doctor.  She decided I also needed a gall bladder ultrasound since gall bladder stones can cause a backup of bile, looking like GERD.  She also gave me a medication, Carafate which is supposed to help if it is bile reflux.

It doesn't seem to help.

She also prescribed Reglan which set off all sorts of red flags because it counteracts Symlin.  I tried it for a few days, it doesn't seem to help.

Then the Endo said to back off on the Symlin -- so I went to 10 units.  Amazingly enough it didn't seem to affect my blood sugar.

I have had to make another change to the Symlin, unrelated -- I've been having trouble with crashing in the evening during my new workouts, so I've changed my evening meal, so that I take no insulin and no Symlin.  I can't decide if that is helping or now, and I'm still low at night.  That means I still need to eat something before I got to bed which DOES affect the reflux.

Anyway, back to the Medco games.  Gastric doctor prescribed Protonix, 2 x time which is the only thing that helps.  Most of the time.  I still get break through depending on how much I have to eat to fix the nightly low.

So Medco needs an authorization for Protonix, because it isn't Nexium.  Then they need a second authorization for the amount of Protonix, because it's an extra amount.

So the gastric doctor had to fill out both authorizations -- and I think that is where everything got screwed up at the primary care physicians.  The good news is that I'm authorized for the extra dosage until October and I'm authorized for the medication until April.

I had the sonogram on Friday and am supposed to get the results back tomorrow.  I'm getting scoped tomorrow, early in the morning.

All this, because Medco has to play games on GERD medications.

Posted by at 6:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Running Maggie didn't go well.  First, it was snowing.  Maggie is a bit deformed -- she has no outer coat -- and she was freezing.  At one cold trial, she stopped and cussed me out for making her run.

She actually attempted the JWW course, got ahead of me twice and came back.  Wouldn't have been too bad, but she took a jump and you're not allowed off courses.

Standard was actually worse, we were whistled off -- she took the trap, and then was on the wrong angle for the A-frame.  Four paw rule came into affect -- if they put all four paws on an obstacle and bail, they can't retake it.  Even though I didn't call it, we were whistled off.

Got in 11553 steps so far, blood sugars have been perfect, came home with a 135! 

Posted by at 4:46 PM | Permalink

Posted by at 10:55 AM | Permalink

Posted by at 9:52 AM | Permalink

Today went better.  I've gotten to 11360 steps so far.

First, I'm off from work today -- inclement weather day.  I got in 4 5-minute walks earlier in the day.

I think I'm finally finding a good tweak for my workouts.  I shut my pump to 0% at about 3:00.  I ate dinner around 5:00 pm, no Symlin and 1/2 bolus.  2 hours after eating I was at 145.  The best thing is that I didn't crash.

I've got to do a lot of work on food.  That is not going to happen overnight.

All in all, it is going well.

Posted by at 8:51 PM | Permalink

Today was almost too much, but I did get in 9817 steps today.

First, they suggested that I add two 10 minute walking sessions.  I did one round during my planning period, and another round during lunch -- but that was only 5 minutes. 

I got home a bit late -- had a group of students trying to earn more points for the six weeks.  Worked on weave poles with the girls -- and I turned my pump to 0 delivery for an hour at about 3:30.

Ate dinner, did my normal Symlin and insulin dose. 

Managed to get in 20 minutes on the tread mill, work out on the Weider Max, and started the stretching but started feeling a bit funny.  Sat down to record what was going on in an email to the fitness expert when I realized I was low -- 89!

Ate two GS Samoa cookies, and let my blood sugar climb enough so I could get something to eat -- I need to have my blood sugar stable enough so I can drive and get a gall bladder sonagram done in the morning.

Just a bit too much, but I think I will adjust.

Posted by at 10:07 PM | Permalink

Just saw the April 510(k)s from the FDA web site.  Apparently there is a new version of Ezmanager -- called EzManager Max.  Unfortunately the documentation does not mention using Palm.  Or Pocket OS.

Posted by at 9:51 PM | Permalink

I just got an almost overwhelming amount of documentation from them. 

From my fitness coach, I got documentation on my exercising in general, with some specific notes on what is happening with my blood sugar when I do exercise and some suggestions.

I've got a set of stretching exercises, which is good, because I haven't been doing that.  Hopefully that will help my stiffness and my knees.

Two sets of weight exercises, some with the stability ball and some with my Weider Max.

Suggestions for cario exercises.

From the nuitrion coach, a suggestion of 1800-2000 calories a day.  YEAH!  I wrote her this morning and that's been a problem.  Most nutrionists look at me and assume I sit still all day and put me on a 1200-1500 plan.  That puts me in starvation mode.

So I'm busy sorting all this out!

Plus it's the end of the six weeks.

Posted by at 10:06 AM | Permalink

Background story on Mr. Universe.  And Jackson, MS could be brutal to outsiders so I image the backwoods of Mississippi would be  worse.

The reigning Mr. Universe, he’s two hundred pounds of sheer muscle and the picture of good health.

Source: Scrawny Boy With Type 1 Diabetes Becomes Mr. Universe - Diabetes Health

Posted by at 8:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I have a few more hours and log entries before my first week is up.  So far I am happy.

My meter 14 day average has gone from 173 to 152 though we can attribute some of that to getting Lasix out of my system.

Have they changed anything my routine.  No.  But I am logging and thinking about what I am doing.  Could I do that on my own, yes.  Have I been, no.

I am supposed to be getting workout stuff and nuitrion stuff in the next few days.  It will be interesting to see what they come up with.

So far, I'm happy.

Posted by at 3:31 PM | Permalink

 Another one!

The reigning Mr. Universe faces assault and resisting arrest charges following a run-in with police who mistakenly believed the diabetic bodybuilder was intoxicated.

Source: Mistaken for drunk, Mr. Universe is arrested - CNN.com

I actually do not believe the police department is at fault here, however, the movie theater certainly is.  If the theater had sold him sugar instead of calling the police the whole incident wouldn't have happened.

In fact, I've been avoiding my local theater ever since the last time I went there and they ran out of Diet Coke, wouldn't let me bring any in, nor would they send someone of the convenience store near there to buy me one.  I would have paid what ever they asked.

Posted by at 8:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I think I woke up Sunday morning with reflux but we had a car wipe out and hit something on our street that woke me up and drove GERD out of my head.  Never did see the car or figure out what they hit but even the husband heard the skid / crash, he just didn't do anything about it.

And I definately woke up at 4:30 this morning with a burning throat, but was able to go back to sleep fairly quickly.

The 10 unit dose of Symlin doesn't seem to be affecting my blood sugar much.  I also haven't decided on what it is doing with the reflux.

Posted by at 1:33 PM | Permalink

I was right -- the Edgepark guy was wrong. 

Background:  Last year at Diabetes Expo I saw a company who displayed an iPort.  Basically it's an infusion port designed for shots only.  Since I have a severe needle phobia I was hoping it would solve the Symlin problem.

So they finally get approval and start selling it, and they sent me an email telling me that Edgepark was their supplier.

I contacted Edgepark, and they clamed that BCBS had a 0% deductible for DME supplies.  Well, I knew that they were wrong.  They also claimed that getting test strips from them would be cheaper. 

I got a bill today showing I owed the 10% deductible I knew I had with BCBS.  No problem, check is on the way.

Also test strips aren't cheaper as the copay through Medco is $25.00 and yikes! they costs $100.32 through Edgepark.  Oh well, I'm closer to meeting my deductible and know I have a HUGE cushion on the test strip supply.

Sometimes the best way to learn is by doing.  And hopefully the next guy will do an internet search and find this before trying the experiment.

Posted by at 5:50 AM | Permalink