Diabetes information

[dragonrider]

The only time I have a low level is when I take Humalog and forget to eat after. This usually happens at work because I am just too damn busy. I'll take my shot and a couple of hours later I'll be shaking and dizzy and wondering why. Other than that I am never under 150. At night I take 24 units of Lantus and in this morning my level was 193. I don't eat at night. It's nothing but a big PITA.

[Wayne Smith]

Thanks for the tips. I break a sweat at least once a day just working around the house. Chopping firewood, mowing, working in the garden things like that. I guess that is probably as good as a treadmill workout of 5 minutes or curling weights to break a sweat. My biggest problem was just mentioned by leftiye. The dreaded ice cream. I've always had a sweet tooth and I can see that this is where I need to really focus. I'll start working with weights to see and go from there. I've noticed that nobody's mentioned swimming. Any comments on that ?

Swimming, if it is available to you, is probably the best whole body exercise you can do. Remember that with diabetes you cannot exercise for yesterday or for tomorrow, only for today. To build muscle and condition you can, but for blood sugar you can't.

[osteodoc08]

To all you insulin requiring diabetics, I suggest you look at the VGo system. It is like a daily insulin pump for type 2's and I've had good success with my patients on it. Better numbers and less overall insulin.

[mold maker]

My Mom (93) died of cancer after 46 years with type 1 diabetes and MS. She was bound to a wheel chair for the last 25 years, and could do very little exercise.
I've had type ll for over 20 years, and at 72 am limited to what I can do.
Now my wife has it, and because of other issues, she also can't exercise.
If all three of us can manage it, so can you.
If the Dr. told you that mowing grass would kill ya, would you continue?
Eating the wrong foods, in the wrong amounts, at the wrong times, is the same. If you continue, it will kill ya.
By the time your diagnosed, you've probably already made lifetime bad habits. That's why your diabetic. If you continue those same habits, all the meds in the world wont change a thing.
The Dr. can only suggest a better life style. It's totally up to you to change bad habits that will allow the meds to work in your favor.
As Americans we have taken too much advantage, of the milk and honey.
While you still can, get off the couch, push your belly away from the table, and do what ever you can, to burn some of what you've already eaten. You will get more than enough carbs, no matter how careful you are. Read lables and avoid as many carbs as you can. Bread, cake, sweets, starches are the worst offenders. Corn carrots, and beans are next worst.
Extra lean meat, doesn't taste as good, but it's much healthier. Fish and skinless chicken are great as long as not battered and fried.
There aren't that many meds available and the Dr has to pick and choose on your behalf. Lots of time it's trial and error.
If you don't have faith in your Dr. get another one. Your gonna have to work in co-operation with him for your benefit. It aint like putting in a new set of spark plugs.
Many deseases are totally dependent on meds or removal for a cure or extention of your life. As a diabetic WE are in charge of our fate. The Dr can prescribe what he thinks is the best meds, but in the end it is YOU, who makes it work.

[osteodoc08]

My Mom (93) died of cancer after 46 years with type 1 diabetes and MS. She was bound to a wheel chair for the last 25 years, and could do very little exercise.
I've had type ll for over 20 years, and at 72 am limited to what I can do.
Now my wife has it, and because of other issues, she also can't exercise.
If all three of us can manage it, so can you.
If the Dr. told you that mowing grass would kill ya, would you continue?
Eating the wrong foods, in the wrong amounts, at the wrong times, is the same. If you continue, it will kill ya.
By the time your diagnosed, you've probably already made lifetime bad habits. That's why your diabetic. If you continue those same habits, all the meds in the world wont change a thing.
The Dr. can only suggest a better life style. It's totally up to you to change bad habits that will allow the meds to work in your favor.
As Americans we have taken too much advantage, of the milk and honey.
While you still can, get off the couch, push your belly away from the table, and do what ever you can, to burn some of what you've already eaten. You will get more than enough carbs, no matter how careful you are. Read lables and avoid as many carbs as you can. Bread, cake, sweets, starches are the worst offenders. Corn carrots, and beans are next worst.
Extra lean meat, doesn't taste as good, but it's much healthier. Fish and skinless chicken are great as long as not battered and fried.
There aren't that many meds available and the Dr has to pick and choose on your behalf. Lots of time it's trial and error.
If you don't have faith in your Dr. get another one. Your gonna have to work in co-operation with him for your benefit. It aint like putting in a new set of spark plugs.
Many deseases are totally dependent on meds or removal for a cure or extention of your life. As a diabetic WE are in charge of our fate. The Dr can prescribe what he thinks is the best meds, but in the end it is YOU, who makes it work.

Amen.

[abunaitoo]

A friend has it bad.
I don't have it.
I suggested he try the honey/cider viniger drink I've been using. On the web, it's said to help.
He is cut his insulin to less than half. He feel better than he has in years.
You might want to give it a try. Couldn't hurt.
1 table spoon of Raw honey
1 table spoon of "organic" cider viniger
Mix in a glass with warm water
Drink 1 glass three times a day.

[doc1876]

Enoc 59
I am going to submit several threads here, and for you I am going to mention Apple Cider Vinegar Tabs. These are all natural and will relieve calcium buildup in the joints. It is also good for circulation, and most other vascular conditions. take 4 2x a day, and after a month maybe 2 2x a day. You also need to be on a large vitamin C, and E regimin. 10k units of C and 5k units of E.
I have been studying herbs and vitamins since I watched a Merv Griffon show with a Dr. Linus Pauling, adn was amazed by the things the US won't let us know about these healing ways

[doc1876]

For the diabetics, please give some other natural +things a try. I have several friends who are diabetics, and they are doing better.
Gymnemia is for blood purification.
Tumeric will help with other symptoms, (right now I am at a loss, as my brain is going so fast)
and the most important is Pycnogenol, This will help with neuropathy of the legs and feet, which is why when your nerves start to go, they amputate.
Apple Cider Vinigar helps with the bone spurs, circulation, and intestinal issues.
I will tell you I am not a doctor, and really don't like most of them that I have met (one especially on Dec. 23, 2013), However, I have been studying these things for many years, and my sweetie is an herbalist, and there is a large groop of them that get together, and discuss sucesses, and failures, nd I take notes as these ways are going to be very necessary for us to live when the world does come to and end.
Remember what Dean Martin said " there aren't enough nice people in the world, so be careful"

if you do try these things please go to a reputable vitamin store, or get one on line, as walmart and walgreens etc ex rays their vitamins, which kills the ability for them to work, which is why people think they don't. Essentially they just paid a lot of money for dust in a bottle!
Steve

[leftiye]

Just to add something that I had to find out the hard way (and to give this important thread a bump).

Neuropathy was mentioned (I can't find the post as to who mentioned it). It was said that that is the reason doctors cut off people's feet and legs. There is another reason - cellulitis. It starts with edema in the legs. The edema reduces the circulation in the legs. Stretching causes gaps in the skin's defences, and infections of the skin result. BAD INFECTIONS! And infections that destroy your skin. And eventually without skin, they cut off your leg(s).

One of the main ways to avoid this is so simple that it is almost boring. Use compression socks, they are hard to put on, but after you've had cellulitis a couple of times (without the attending diabetic doctors - yes plural times not informing me of this, a dermatologist told me to use them while he was freezing some warts), - they are a godsend!

They make "diabetic" socks that are loose - to not impede circulation. If you have swelling in your legs, forget those and get some compression socks - the edema is already restricting your circulation more than the (other, regular) socks will.

I'd be interested in other people's experiences as to what amounts to criminal negligence in the way diabetics are treated. Knowledge may be power, and the thing which makes the money for doctors, but failure to get the information to us that we need if we are to have a lifespan longer than that of a common housefly is definitely questionable ethically.

[LeftyDon]

I can heartily agree about doctors, at least the GPs I've had. Not to put too fine a point on it, I think a lot of them are just parroting the marketing message from whatever drug company pays them the most. One full-blown MD in Ann Arbor MI, where you'd expect to get topnotch doctors, (and this guy was a full professor at UMich!), ignored my symptoms for four years. In 2000 the dime finally dropped and he checked me for diabetes. Meanwhile I struggled with the constant severe fatigue, which was hell on wheels since I was in a management position that was often 16 hour days. He, and the next one I had up there, just loaded me up with expensive medication, and collected fees from the company insurance plan for ten-minute consultations every 90 days.

My current doctor down here in Boondock County Ohio is an OSTEOPATH, (common in this area), and I've found him more responsive and better informed on the subject than either of those Ann Arbor hotshots.

Interesting to me that Type Ones that I've known who survived to middle age were/are fit and active people. Best example was a GM engineer who played serious amateur hockey every week in season. I learned a lot from him.

Sound just like what happened to my niece's husband. GP finally tested him and his blood sugar level was over 600, then he was given metformin by the GP. Still had problems and changed doc's. Second doc figured out after his first visit that the guy was a type 1 diabetic and giving him metformin was useless. Now has levels under control with insulin.

I myself messed up my knees and my 5 mile daily walks ended, so there after I turned type II. New knees over the winter and I hope to loose some of the extra weight that I've gained. A1C is under 6, but I want off metformin!

[LeftyDon]

I have been dealing with type 2 for about 10 years. Used to take pills for some years, started with Metformin, worst thing in the world. Ended with Glipazide (sp). Am now on Lantus pen at night and Humalog before meals. Still ain't down where it should be. Neuropathy in hands and feet is bad every night, sometimes all day. Just another step on the road to hell.

I have been taking alpha-lipoic acid capsules for neuropathy. Seems to help a bit. Caution! It does lower blood sugar and my interact with med's, so talk to your doc and monitor your sugar if you take it.

https://umm.edu/health/medical/altme...phalipoic-acid

[Gelandangan]

I have type 2 diabetes.
I dropped once a few years ago after missing breakfast, lunch and my diabetic medication when out hunting..
The bad thing is that I hunt alone mostly..
Lucky I still got the presence of mind to suck on some Mentos I have in my pocket at the time.
Took 15 minutes to recover good enough to slow walk back to camp, where I eat my meds and get a good meal.

Scare me good enough that now I always carry a few cereal bars to munch while walking... just in case.

[Mtnfolk75]

I was diagnosed as a Type II Diabetic in December 1997, it was found during Blood Work for my annual Physical. I was 6' and weighed about 225lbs, I was very active and was working as a Night Patrol Supervisor in a Resort Area of the county. I had been having Annual Physicals around my Birthday for about 14 years, had never had any indications or family history prior to this. I started on oral meds and have been on most as they have hit the market, been on Lantus since March 8th, 2008.
As I worked up an immunity to meds I progressed to others. I started on a 10 Unit dose of Lantus once a day and continued that dose until October 2010. My Primary Care Doc had died in August while I was in Alaska for the summer and I had to find a replacement. The first one lasted 1 visit, the 2nd until June of 2011. The 2nd increased my Lantus dose to 70 units once a day and took me off some the oral meds. I gained about 40 pounds in 30 days and to this day I can't get it to go away ....
When I found the 3rd and I hope final Primary Care Doc, he got me back on track pretty quick. In June of 2014 he added a 5 unit dose of Novalog to the Lantus. In October I got a referral to a Diabetic Specialist, the 1st available appointment was March 13th. When I saw her and her PA, she dropped all of my oral meds & dropped my Lantus to 60 units a day, increased my Novalog to 8 units before each meal and added Victoza at a .6 daily dose for 7 days and then a 1.2 dose daily. She told me the Victoza curbs the appetite as well as controls blood sugars. I weighed about 293 when I saw her in March, in April I weighed 296 ....
When I saw her PA in June I had dropped to 288, we decided to fine tune my doses of Lantus & Novalog. I started adding 2 units of Lantus every three days until I reached 70 units daily again, I adjusted my Novalog to 10 units before each meal & flexing to 15 for a more carb heavy meal. I posted in another thread about my reaction to Novalog, it made me sick every morning with the sour stomach not going away until early afternoon. The PA suggested I move my Novalog injection to bedtime. It worked like a charm and I have continued to follow that routine.
I saw the PA again on July 10th, my weight had dropped to 278 and my fasting blood sugars where in the 120-130 range. We agreed to continue with the same dosing and I will see him again on the 26th, I have a 90 day with my Primary the same day. One thing that I think has helped me is SWMBO and I bought Fitbit Flexes on July 1st. They keep me more focused on daily activity and when & what I eat, they also show sleep patterns. I'm in the 60-70% range on sleep, SWMBO is in the 90's. I have started riding ATV's about 3 times a week, usually 20 or so miles that takes about an hour. Really gives me a good upper body and cardio workout, some days the activity equates to 13,000 or so steps and burns about 150-160 calories. I walk with a cane so the ATV is really the only way I can get any cardio in.

[pmeisel]

I have type II, diagnosed at age 55; I was expecting it as my dad and grandmother both had it. One daily Losartan pill, and being moderate at meal time, seems to manage it pretty well.