Living with Diabetes and Lapband

It doesn't help with I read about research that says sleep causes Type 2 diabetes.

I have been dealing with sleep apnea for over 20 years.  Long before being diagnosed with diabetes.  One early theory was that when I broke my jaw in a car accident that caused my sleep apnea.  That means that it was untreated for about 20 years.  My doctor tends to forget that until I want to try something other than CPAP.  Otherwise, it get buried in the chart.

I have been struggling with my CPAP mask for a while.  We've tried several different ones.  The one I have is the best.

The worse part, is that when I have a bad night, it tends to make the next night even worse.  If I am too tired or not tired enough, I wake up a lot, and then the mask ends up off.  

I have been to sleep therapy, with two different people.  The last one had some good tools which I have been using, but she has also belittled the stress in my life.  I know I shouldn't be stressed about the things I stress about but is just how I am.

I've had a bad night just about every night this week.  If I go to sleep at a "reasonable" time, I wake up in the middle of the night.

As I said in my reintroduction post, I’ve been through a bunch of pumps.

2 different Animas

3 different Medtronics

Omnipod Dash - using both their mode and PDM and looping using my iPhone.

now Omnipod 5

Yes, I’m probably Type 2, maybe with a bunded out panacreas, but I also have a binge eathing disorder.  I haven’t talked about it much, mostly because of the guilt associated it with it.

But I’ve had an A1C under 7:0 most of my diabetic life, and I attribute that to pumping.  There is no medication — except maybe the new GLP-1s that could handle that.

Nothing satisfies what cause me to binge than high carb items.  I try protein but at those quantities, I still needed insulin.

Pumping was the easiest solution.  The key is to get the ratios correct so you aren’t eating to the insulin.  it does result in weight gain.  But binging does.

I went to the Omnipod 5 back in March, even though it wasn’t approved by the FDA —most of my pumps have not been approved for Type 2.  It is approved though as of end of August 2024.  There were two reasons I went to the Omnipod 5 — nighttime lows and fights between the looping developers.  Both my endocrinologist and I more comfortable with an FDA approved solultion.  

I left Medtronic, as I got a pump that was advised to be the first artificial pancreas but they woudn’t give me the model I purchased because I was a Type 2.  Before that, I had an endo who would prescribe off label, but he retired.  He probably would have fough for it.  

I had been hesitant to go to the Omnipod Dash, even though it was approved for Type 2, because I had heard so many issues with the adhesive.  I really haven’t had issues though, and it is actually easier to do the Omnipod than an insertion set.  I have a severa needle phobia and a lot of the insertions sets triggered that.

I am in the process of transitition from the Dexcom G6 to the Dexcom G7 — I had worn that G7 for about a year without issues, but had to go back to the Dexcom G6 when I went to the Omnipod 5.  I’m on my third pod and I do have a Dexcom G6 sensor and transmitter just in case.  The transmitter expires in two week, so there is that.

I did have some issues with the first box and three of the pods had to be replaced.  They weren’t connecting to the system.

I have been able to get Omnipod 5 G6/G7 pods from Amazon Pharmacy. 

I’m using Lyumjev with the Omnipod, which burns the first three or four boluses, but gets better pretty quickly.  I don’t notice it with basal doses.  I had the same issue with Fiasp.  I haven’t noticed any burning with Novolog, but my insurance doesn’t cover it, and I haven’t wanted to go to Humalog.

I was diagnosed with diabetes 22 years ago this month. 

I have gone through 5 primary care doctors. 4 endocrinologists. 7 insulin pump systems, lap band surgery, 3 Glp-1 medications, 2 cardiologists, 3 lap band doctors, an obesity doctor , two many weight loss programs to count and 2 social workers.  4 CGMs systems  

I had a binge eating disorder and sleep apnea before diagnosis.  I still have them. In fact, my sleep is the worst it has been and I have been through 3 rounds of therapy. 

Mounjaro made a huge difference for me.  I saw some good small changes with Victoria and Ozempic and Mounjaro is helping me lose weight. 

Currently I am at the gym  I have been through a bunch of those too   Right now, I am loving LifeTime Fitness and am there now  

i am doing various forms of cardio and weight training   I use Arnold’s “The Pump Club” for that  

I am deeply disappointed.  I really liked the idea of Gardencup.  They are a local business that packages salads, chia puddings, protein cups and other items.  They do ship around the country.

I got email today and text messages indicating my order would be delivered.  it’s not here.  They didn’t send their usual delivery emails.

I just canceled next weeks delivery and will be putting this week’s delivery charge in dispute with the credit card company.

Huge disappointment and I’m said because I found some healthy food I liked.

I have had some qualms — I took 4 boxes back to them and all the cups and discovered they are in a “ghost kitchen”. Better than in someone’s house, and probably the most cost effective way to start a food business but did feel like they were in for the long term.

I’ve been avoiding being in the car for long trips.  In fact, I turned down my husband when he wanted to go on a long driving trip and I turned down the beagle people and my family for the National Speciality.

I decided I needed to work up to it.  I entered a dog show in Belton, two and half hours away, then two days the next weekend knowing that most beagle people would be in Virginia and that most beagle people know what is going on.

The first weekend, Obi won WInner’s Dog and Best of Variety Owner Handler.  We stayed for the OH groups.  That meant we left at 6:30 am and got back at almost 7:00 pm.

The weekend, Obi won Winner’s Dog, Best of Variety, and Best of Variety Owner Handler and went into both rings twice.  He wasn’t really wild about it, but was happy to meet new friends.   We left at 7:00 am this time and got back around 6:00 pm both days.

So long, sitting, standing, and walking days.

I’m no more stiff than I am any other morning.  My back isn’t bothering me at all though my knee is, I’ve been dealing with that for decades.

I think he is 16 points with one major, just needing the major.

The handler we competed against this weekend was gracious and said he was glad I showed up, even though Obi won all the things.

Back when I stopped being able to eat and stopped losing weight with my lap band, I was sent to a cardiologist to prepare for surgery.

She found a leaky valve.  I saw her in July, started Profile in December, and a year later saw her again.  That was 30 pounds later.

During that visit, she found an arterial dilation but the leaky valve had resolved.  I saw her again this week, about 35 pounds later and lots of exercise minutes and the dilation had resolved.

So not only have I lost weight -- and I have just cleaned my closet of clothing that is too big for me -- again, but I have also improved my heart health.  I was a bit concerned that the vaccine might have had something to do with the dilation, but if it did, it wasn't a long term effect, and much better than most of the COVID side effects.

I've spent the last few weeks frustrated.

Mostly because my medical team and my weight loss team don't get how much I exercise.

The straw that hit the camel's back is when my Profile coach mentioned in the meeting recap, that I work out 20-30 minutes a day.  

That's just the warm up.  Seriously.  I walk 20-30 minutes a day, then 10-20 minutes of weight training, and another 30-45 minutes of cycling.  I am currently working with a personal trainer, and that's 45 minutes of strength training, with the cardio sandwich.  I will say I do cardio only on the day before and day after the workout with the personal trainer but then I step up the cardio to 60 minutes.

According to Apple Fitness, my resting energy is 2140 calories and my active energy is 790 calories.  Profile had me on a 1500 calorie a day plan, and I was literally starving in the evening.

I finally got Profile attention when I posted in the Facebook group.  They heard me and talked to the manager and she agreed that I needed to go to their Performance Plan.  I was already better yesterday evening, didn't feel like eating the house.  I did make a slight mistake by eating an extra starch, not a fruit, but it's a process.

My social worker is having me not weigh and to focus my mind on losing weight.  We'll see how that works.  I did weigh because I have a telemedicine class today, but I am losing weight, so there is that.

I have joined a new gym — literally new — it’s only been open for a few months and they are still missing some of the equipment that they have ordered.

It’s at https://www.instagram.com/p/CY9fiszhq4m/

I do at least 20 minutes of walking on a treadmill each day — and start out each day with that.  That’s for my spinal surgery recovery.  I’m starting to do more, ever since I read an article at https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/why-running-and-walking-is-unlikely-to-ruin-your-knees/.  BTW, I almost always use an Apple Fitness Plus workout.

Every doctor I’ve seen about my knees has claimed that I need to stop exercising by walking but this article refutes that.

I also do strength training.  I alternate between arms, legs, and an Apple Fitness core workout.  Weekly I work out with the club’s fitness trainer, who took the video.

I end the workout with more cardio — usually a Pelaton class, as the gym as two, or an Apple Fitness Plus workout.

YES, I love Apple Fitness Plus and when I go to dog shows, I use the workouts in my hotel room.

I think the only people who do get how much I work out is the owner of my gym and my personal trainer but then they are there when I do it.

I think that my medical team doesn't get it and I know that my Profile coach doesn't.

So here's the routine -- 20 minutes of walking on a treadmill to satisfy the requirements of my surgeon.  That is a bit of compromise for my knees.

Strength training -- I split it up into three: arms, legs, and core.

20 minutes of cardio, usually on a Peloton bike.  

Once a week, I am working out with the personal trainer at my gym.  We had our first visit last Thursday but we'll be moving to Wednesday this week. 

I do think it's throwing me into a bit too much of a calorie deficit.  

Husband has taken a mini-vacation, giving me one :)

Say endo and primary care physician and got some answers and solutions.

Quickly losing the weight spike.  I gained around 8 pounds New Years Weekend.  I will admit to being off plan and eating salty carbs.  I've got 5 of those pounds off so far.

The endo thought it was waste, both liquid and solid.  I also think that is what is making my back talk to me.  It doesn't hurt, but I can feel it.  

Dog agility class went well.  

I haven't used insulin for two days.  The endo thought I shouldn't take insulin until the evening, especially with the addition of Farxiga.  

Also got my next CT scan scheduled.