Living with Diabetes and Lapband

I used the new CPAP last night for the first time. Man is it quiet!

It has also saved me quite a bit of driving time and hassle. I was supposed to pick up an oxymeter today from Baylor, which means driving downtown, finding a parking space, taking the elevator up, waiting for people to get their acts together, etc.

Then I have to sleep with the blasted thing, meaning I'll wait up 3 or 4 times (been there, done that, literally), so I will be tired tomorrow.

Then I have to haul it back to Baylor.

SO, instead, I'll take the new machine up there next Friday when I'm off and deal with it and the doctor then. Not sure I want to deal with the doctor, since I think I was thinking logically and I don't think she was

The nicest thing though, is being able to pack up everything in one carry one sized bag. Especially since I am supposed to go to St. Louis in June.

Saw the new Endo's CDE yesterday. I am very pleased with his practice. A fellow pumper recommended him and them.

Good news, I lost 7 pounds in the two weeks between visits. Of course, I know how to lose weight, I just don't know how to keep it off! That's one thing the CDE and I discussed.

We did some tweaking on numbers. The fixes we made two weeks ago really helped, I'm running between 90-120 every morning, which is MUCH better than 130-140 every morning.

I've also had a problem with carb lockup after lunch. We upped the insulin to carb ratio on lunch but left the rest of the meals alone. Also fixed my correction factor.

We discussed the weight loss thing, and she agreed with an idea I came up with this weekend. I'm going to lose 25 pounds then maintain it for 4 weeks.

I've also come to the conclusion that I will be logging food someway for the rest of my life. That does make a difference.

My experience with the sleep doctor has been VERY VERY frustrating. I should start by saying this is a PhD, not my pulmanary specialist, whom I really like!

I haven't been sleeping well. BUT the first thing the doctor jumped on me with was my weight. Apparently I'd gained 20 pounds since the last visit. She was full of suggestions, of course, everything I've done.

So when I finally got a chance to talk ... Well, I really think she brushed the sleeping thing off. And she refused to write a script for a new CPAP machine.

We FINALLY got to masks, since mine is driving me nuts, and IS worn out according to her. She wanted to go with a new nasal mask, which wasn't a bad idea, but then we finally got to chin straps, and I explained I couldn't wear one, everyone I had tried, slipped right off my hair -- this is true of anything that goes on my head -- barettes, rubber bands, you name it.

SO she suggested a full face mask -- I wondered at the time why it had not been suggested before, and I need to do more research on it -- BUT, they are not indicated for patients with reflux and hiatial hernia. WHOOPS!

I do have one now though ... more frustration -- I saw her last Wednesday, by the next Monday had not heard from the sleep company and called the office back. Finally heard Tuesday and the doctor's office had given them the wrong insurance information!

So still had not heard from them by Thursday morning -- so I called again, they had everything approved, and had a mask on their shelf. Finally good news, they are a few blocks from my school! So ran by after school picked one up, and took a nap after dinner. I felt so much better afterward.

It is going to take some getting used to...

On the new CPAP approval. Well, I asked the respiratory therapist -- and he asked me at the same time. Told me about a new little CPAP model, which will facilitate traveling. I've seen it on the internet. Well, they have gotten approval from the insurance company and are now waiting on the doctor's script.

In fact, I'm waiting for a call back for more information on that.

I DO hope they do what they are claiming they are going to do. I don't much trust Minimed though, because of their customer service track record and other issues, for example the water tight issue.

BUT, they have taken their CGMS Gold system -- available from doctor's office, and made it a tad smaller -- though it is still big. They have come up with a device that they claim will alarm when blood sugar is too low or too high.

They are marketing it to the kid market, BUT it can't be worn in the pool -- though they claim you can shower with it (you can't with the CGMS Gold system). They also claim that it is going to be upgraded in the same type of program as the Paradigm system is.

However, they don't have a launch date and they don't have a price.

I will probably still hold out for the Therasense system, I have been SO impressed by their customer support, but it is interesting.

And you still need to test 4 times a day.

Oh, and I can't figure out how you are going to get their sensor + pump on a 5 year old. But that's not my problem

Talked to the MD doctor, and he is going to talk with the Sleep Med people to make sure they write everything up right so it will get covered.

WHEW!

Animas newsletter -- article about Ezmanager

See page 6.

They interviewed me for this -- pretty neat!

Do You Mind if I Eat? (washingtonpost.com)

Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring Improves Metabolic Control in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

This is one of those things. I can tell you for a fact that my blood sugar readings go down when I do cardio exercise. Thus, I'm more apt to do them the next day.

Same thing happens if I eat the wrong food. I've been tending to avoid pure sugar foods unless I'm treating an about to be low, because I stay high for a long time.

Unfortunately, it costs around 80 cents every time you test. Before insurance.

"Healthy" Diet May Increase Risk for CVD

I guess this is why they call it practicing medicine and it is SO irritating.

As soon as they get us following something, they switch the rules on us!

Yahoo! News - Bloated Costs, Risk Cast Doubt on Stomach Stapling