And I hate the stuff
June 30, 2004
The New York Times > Health > Wakefulness Finds a Powerful Ally
I find it elevates my blood sugar and makes me feel like a zombie.
The New York Times > Health > Wakefulness Finds a Powerful Ally
I find it elevates my blood sugar and makes me feel like a zombie.
I see him tomorrow and I've been dreading it.
First, I have found out that Sleep Med has not been paid by Blue Cross Blue Shield because the doctor has not provided proof of medical necessity.
So that's MY first issue on the books.
The good news, is that my scale shows about a 5 pound weight loss since I was there last. I'm QUITE sure that won't be enough for him, but screw it. It's my health, it's my body, and I'm doing things MY way.
I lost weight fast AND it didn't stay off. I am losing weight slow now, and I want this to be the last time I am at this weight.
He wants me to go for bariatric surgery, but if he can't provide the medical necessity for CPAP equipment, how can I even imagine he'll help through that process? And I don't want to go there. I am watching someone go through the recovery right now, and I'm sorry, I think I feel better and I think I look better. At least I have my hair! Maybe that sounds vain, but to me, good hair is a sign of good health. When I'm not sleeping well, my hair is an absolute mess.
But the good news, is that I see my CDE the next morning.
Cutting Back on Medications Has Adverse Effect on Health Status
There are lower cost alternatives to some of the meds I'm taking, but so far, they just aren't as effective.
For example, I could go from fast acting insulin to regular. Instead of a 2 hour delay, there would be a 4 hour delay. AND I've used that insulin, and it is really hard to manage things with it.
I had to do a fasting blood test this morning for the diabetes doctor and since I was already fasting, decided to make it into a basal test.
I keep hoping that my basal rates will decrease, and while today wasn't completely normal, it seemed as good a time as any.
I did have a big dip but my glocuse level popped back up 30 minutes later. The rest of the time -- and I ended up being to do the basal from 7:30 - 11:50, my glucose level was stable enough that I don't need to mess with anything.
I'm going to discuss it with the CDE, but I think we just need to leave things alone until after school starts.
The quick note was left because I had received a few emails asking if I had gotten back.
The trip itself was a success. Nothing happened I couldn't handle, and I did manage to get all of the supplies with me. The two things I forgot -- dog food and shoes -- were easily replaced. Actually I didn't bother to do anything about the shoes.
I was able to maintain my weight while I was gone. Still with the same very slow but steady weight loss.
I did have some eating issues on Sunday, I think that was the stress from not doing well at the show, the stress of the drive, it was raining most of the drive and severe rain for a short period of time. Since I've gotten eating problems down to about once every week and half, I think I am doing well on that. I would like to get that to even lower, but if I work on it too hard, it aggravates it.
So the trip was a success, even though the agility trial itself wasn't.
Right now, those courses are just too long for me to do well on. But I am not giving up yet.
I did get back safely. Just too tired to post or deal with anything besides unloading.
And have to hit the ground running this morning.
Well, we didn't do well today. I feel good about the first course, but she didn't do ANYTHING right, not even the things she is good at. She even left off the stay at the start!
The JWW run was better, but I blew that one. I didn't know the course well enough as I expected to be blown off again, but she was with me.
Traveling itself is going well. I would have done fine with out the food, I think, but it was nice having a good dinner waiting for me. And having breakfast here was nice too.
I'm going to plan better on food next time. Lunch was something that needed to be heated, so I left it behind. I ended up eating consession food instead.
I didn't think to bring the book I was reading, so I picked up one I've already read. I didn't MEAN to, but that's okay. It's easier that way, and I don't remember how it ended.
Oh, and I dropped my blood sugar monitor in the dog's bowl. I'm having a real problem with the case provided by Therasense for my monitor. The monitor slides right out of the case when I get strips out of the test strip container. How it managed to land in the water bowl, I have no idea.
It's not a real problem -- I have a spare. I immediately took it apart, and shook out all the water I could. I have it drying out now. I did this with a cell phone and it survived so we'll see.
I need to remember to use test solution to check it.
But at least she is well. She's had a pulled muscle at class right before Memorial Day and then an ear infection and a hot spot right where her collar sits.
So now I am on my first trip away from home with an insulin pump. I am in Monroe, LA with one beagle, and we're entered in an agility trial here. I have a NICE hotel room, Holiday Inn, and it's a suite room. I found years ago that helps the sleeping problem.
I did notice that my blood sugar was a bit elevated driving. It makes sense, since you aren't moving around much and people driving around you do goofy things on the road. I also had some edges of thunderstorms and some road construction to deal with.
Not eating sugar as I went wasn't hard. A bad habit my father taught me -- eat sugar to stay awake. FYI: It makes diabetics sleepy. This is NOT a good thing.
I ended up eating fried chicken and salad on the road instead of Diet Gourmet when I got to the hotel, but the calorie level worked out fine. Maybe a touch over.
I only woke up once, and my blood sugar was a tad high. It was low when I went to sleep -- 125 and the last time -- Wednesday -- it was that low, I woke up three times and had to treat it. Instead I ate a Snickers minature without insulin. Thus I was a little high when I woke up too. I treated the high with a half insulin correction since right now I'm on my dawn syndrome basal.
I did leave the dog food and my running shoes behind -- it was starting to storm and I wanted to get out of town before it did. Luckily I only managed to get hit by the leading edge. Stopped and got dog food in south Dallas, and will deal with the shoes sometime today.
Free food isn't really free. I would have done MUCH better if I had brought my own food.
I still lost weight though. We'll see if I maintain that over the weekend. I just had to feel a bit deprived in the evening. I probably could have eaten half -- but it's a mind set thing. Once you figure out how much insulin, and administer YOU have to eat whatever you decided.
My basal rate is probably a bit high for a normal day for me. We will see over the weekend.
I am making my first trip and going to be away from home for the first time since the pump.
My "day" pack already has enough supplies in it for a week, so that should be fine. I've packed clothing, taking my electric cooler -- LOVE this thing, and will be packing CPAP and meds in a bit.
I'm going to take an extra vial of insulin -- just in case.
Big dog and I are going to an agility trial in Monroe LA. I may do some other out of town agility trials if this goes well.
I've done everything I can to make it convenient -- suite hotel, fridge and microwave in the room, free breakfast buffet, taking the food, and high speed internet access -- all the comforts of home. Probably won't do much of that on later trips.
The LAST trip I made, I did the same type of thing. No dog, first time on insulin injections, and did the "suite" hotel thing.
So wish us luck. I'd like to get an Excellent leg. We've been an obstacle short for a time.