Living with Diabetes and Lapband

MSNBC - Diabetes treatment response varies

First, I'm not a doctor, I'm not a medical researcher by profession, I"m just a patient, but this article is one reason I think a "cure" for diabetes is just downright impossible given the current level of technology.

I believe there are a whole bunch of "diseases" that all have the same group of symthoms we've been calling diabetes.

I figure there are several types of Type 1, and a whole bunch of types of Type 2.

However, I don't think I belong in this group. My blood sugar was "normal" back in my 20s.

It's been a tough year -- last January I had just started daily injections and I was just starting to see some improvement in blood sugar numbers.

It's been my toughest teaching year so far. I've never had this many resistant students.

Of course, the last 4 months with the husband on crutches has been tough -- but he was released off of them on Monday. The really fun part, is that the doctor has released him to ride bicycles -- he suggested that Rich start with a stationary, but has not released him to walk as a form of exercise. More good news -- he doesn't see the doctor again for 6 weeks.

I'm really glad I went to the insulin pump. I don't think I would have dealt with the issues I have dealt with as easily.

I talked with a woman who was considering the pump the other day -- and I just can't imagine relying on daily injections again. Even if I were on a better insulin, I can't image control being better controlled by the pump, versus controlled by a time released insulin. You sure can't adjust for exercise -- something we were talking about yesterday on the email list.

Anyway, I'm glad I have made the decisions I've made. I am glad I didn't wait on the new insurance to see if maybe they would cover the pump. I'll see soon how they work out with the supplies.

Most Effective Exercise to Reduce Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes

I've started back on resistance training again at the Country Club. Bought a package deal and having one of the personal trainers help me. I find it REAL important to get help. I get lazy fast.

I also find that you get better service on a regular basis from ALL the employees, if you employ a personal trainer.

A side note in this week's issue:

DID YOU KNOW: Reports in the lay press are suggesting that it's dangerous for patients to stop low-dose aspirin. This comes from a small study. It suggests there's a higher risk of heart attacks shortly after stopping aspirin in patients who already have heart disease. Aspirin's protective antiplatelet effect is reduced within several days of stopping the drug. In fact, some experts recommend NOT stopping low-dose aspirin for most dental and medical procedures. In many cases, the risk of clotting outweighs the small increased risk of bleeding. Encourage cardiac patients to stick with their aspirin. Mayo Clin Proc 2003;78:1392-6.

Diabetes In Control Dot Com. The weekly newsletter for medical professionals in Diabetes care.

DID YOU KNOW: Reports in the lay press are suggesting that it's dangerous for patients to stop low-dose aspirin. This comes from a small study. It suggests there's a higher risk of heart attacks shortly after stopping aspirin in patients who already have heart disease. Aspirin's protective antiplatelet effect is reduced within several days of stopping the drug. In fact, some experts recommend NOT stopping low-dose aspirin for most dental and medical procedures. In many cases, the risk of clotting outweighs the small increased risk of bleeding. Encourage cardiac patients to stick with their aspirin. Mayo Clin Proc 2003;78:1392-6.

Need for More Aggressive in-Hospital Glucose Control

This was an issue for me when I had my hand surgeries. Okay, at the time, I was on MDI (Multiple Daily Injections) -- but I definately saw a difference in how I was healing based on high and low blood sugars. I managed to get an infection the first time around, because I got a tad careless. Soon as I got a hold of antibotics, and got things back under control, the infection was gone. I did MUCH better on the second surgery after I learned my lesson the hard way.

But if we can get the surgeons in on the act, I think we'll all be better off.

Good article on Type II

And to add to DB's suggestions:

When diagnosed, the patient and the doctor need to get serious about the treatment!

I'm starting to get into a routine at the Country Club. It really is easy to get over there.

Started working out with weights with one of the trainers there, and am feeling MUCH MUCH better about all that.

It's been a rough 3 1/2 months -- Rich broke his hip that long ago, and he's still on crutches, but not here at the house anymore. He did do too much today, he says.

My health club shut down today. This is a very small, but extremely friendly place, just down the road from my house. It was owned by the Club Corp corporation and by Mack-Cali -- the owners of the building. They jointly decided to close it -- they are leaving equpment there, and it's self-service for the employees of tenants of the building.

The good news is that they are moving the neighborhood members (and building tenants who want to join us), to the local country club. I've been working out there since they moved the big treadmills over, got a locker then laundry services yesterday. (So I have no excuses!)

They are promising new equipment and have already done some remodeling to accomodate us.

It's just that I've never belonged to a country club, never imagined I would, and that's all different to get used to.

They had a lovely wake for the club tonight.

Blood sugar numbers have just been fabulous this week. I'm a bit concerned as they are showing a bit low -- I was at 98 when I got to the gym, and dipped to 86 even though I was doing sugar while working out -- I REALLY hate that! (The doing sugar part).

But I still haven't suffered a low since I got the pump.

Yeah, and today was my birthday. It's a bit of a lousy time to have one with the club closing and Christmas close every year, but I'm stuck with the date.

Finally got the dog's pictures with Santa. I had them taken on Dec 6. Very disappointing, I was waiting patiently.

Speaking of which, I have also been awaiting the return of my Palm Zire 71. I've got a Tungsten E for a while, just to manage things, and haven't decided what to do. I might just sell the Plam Zire. There are a lot of nice things about the Tungsten.

Here's the deal. I called and talked to their tech support in November. The 5 way navigation button broke, was fine one day, and next day wasn't -- and I had it in a hard case.

So the tech support person (an Asian speaker) got my name, my email address, and every other important piece of information wrong. Palm had an English speaker call to get the screwed up information wrong, but gee, I was at school teaching.

Oh -- and in case, you are wondering what this has to do with diabetes -- well, I manage my care with Animas's EzManager, and use the Palm extensively.

Anyway, the person who I got ahold of -- another Asian speaker -- told me to go ahead and ship, even though I didn't have all the information. I had a note in the envelope, and the SR number on the outside. Had it sent UPS, had the tracking number, etc. Well, it arrived, and nothing happened, and nothing happened.

So, I call back on a Saturday, but didn't have the tracking number. THAT Asian speaker claimed she had escalated it to Level 2 and that someone would call, but no one did -- I checked the caller ID AND the messages.

When I did have the tracking number (had left it on my desk at school), I called and got yet another Asian speaker, who assure me they had it, gave me yet another Service number, this one was NOT in their database, and assured me, that they were shipping.

Well, I knew he'd lied ... so I called later in the day. Another Asian speaker who only confirmed all the numbers I had -- though DID confirm that the number I had been given that morning was a lie -- and assured me once again, I'd be getting my Zire back.

Still nothing -- even though I emailed their tech support and told them all of this -- oh and they also claimed someone would call, and no one did.

Finally on Wednesday afternoon, I got ahold of an English speaker. He confirmed that the Palm had arrived, but was not paired with a SR number and was just sitting there. He said that the facility that handled that had just closed, and couldn't do anything but would handle it first thing in the morning.

GOOD NEWS! I actually got an email early in the morning claiming that they had received the Palm. Sadly their ship date was December 24! That means the Palm had been gone close to a month!

But better news, got an email this morning, with a Airborne tracking number, and it is on it's way.

I really believe the problem is outsourcing ... when I did get English speakers, life was good, and things got solved. Not one of the Asian speakers got ANY of the call right.

The moral of the story, is to make sure you don't buy a Palm with parts that can break off -- like this Tungsten E.

Anyway one want a refurbished Palm 71 Zire cheap?

Diabetes In Control Dot Com. The weekly newsletter for medical professionals in Diabetes care.