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Thread: Diabetes Decisions

  1. #1
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    Diabetes Decisions

    My personal bout with the disease —

    I’ve been diagnosed with type2 diabetes for 20 years. The doctors have given me all the warnings and lists of things to do and not do many times. I understood them. I pretty much ignored them, and except for changing to sugar substitutes in soft drinks have gone about my business with studied and resolute indifference to the disease.

    A big part of my stubbornness has been my distaste with sticking myself to test blood for glucose levels. I hate that, and it’s a major PITA. Maybe, I also did not want to know what the levels were because I am a carboholic. Everything I like seems to be a carbohydrate in some form or the other. Despite my disregard for the rules, when tested a key test, an A1C test, always showed me within acceptable levels below or at 7.0.

    Lately, I have been feeling fatigued with any level of exertion even after recent heart procedures, which I had hoped would change that. Fatigue is one symptom of diabetes. After another talk with my endocrinologist, he suggested I try a new type of glucose monitor, FreeStyle Libre, which attaches to the patient’s arm and continuously takes subcutaneous samples of glucose readings, stores them and transmits them to my iPhone for data collection in the cloud that both I and my doctor can access permanently. The finger prick method only gives a snapshot reading once or twice or whenever I am willing to stick myself in comparison. The FreeStyle Libre reading produces a graph reading throughout the day. That graph is startlingly and unforgiving to someone who has not cared.

    For those unfamiliar with glucose in humans, the goal is to keep readings between ~100 and 140. Under ~70 can be dangerously low and over ~240 dangerously high and either can make you feel fatigued or “slow.” I never suspected I would be on the low side, but have found I am often down into the 50’s. Several times I have bounced over 240, and when I have it was unfortunately after eating stuff I really like and a lot of it. The meter is being helpful but disturbing at the same time. Most alarmingly for me, Tex-Mex sends the reading over 240! Maybe I eat too much, or it’s the beans & rice & tortillas. I don’t know, but this is bad...really bad! I’m afraid to try beans & cornbread or chicken & dumplings. Oddly, fried pies and Hershey’s little chocolate thingies don’t seem to do that much. Can’t explain that.

    I have only been using it two weeks, so I have much more to learn. I thought my experience may be helpful for other diabetics on the board, and might also prompt confessions or insights from others here too.

    A word about expense of the FreeStyle Libre — it cost me $65 for 2 patches which last 14 days each and were not covered by my Medicare nor supplement coverage. The doctor warned me of this, and said certain conditions did warrant coverage however, but did not further explain. Apparently my condition was not of the type that put the device into coverage, and my choice is considered elective by Medicare and most insurance. I’ll probably use it for a few months long enough to get the lay of the land and go back to my backslider approach.
    Last edited by wacojoe; 07-02-2019 at 08:23 PM.
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  2. #2
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    Try a little Apple Cider Vinegar each day to help control blood sugar..... I do it every day since I was told many years ago I had elevated blood sugars... levels have been perfect since I started.

    A personal question if you don't mind... are you overweight?

  3. #3
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    Sorry to hear about your diabetes problem. I hope the new monitoring system helps you get a better handle on it.

    Several years ago I thought I might be hypoglycemic and borrowed a testing meter from a friend who had an extra one that they didn't need.

    After sticking myself a few times a day for many days, I learned that my blood sugar was normal.

    Therefore, I understand your aversion to the normal methods of testing your blood sugar. I hope your new monitoring system helps you.
    The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke

  4. #4
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    take care of yourself dammit. this is the last thing you want to see standing over you.


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    "The only thing that we learn from torture is the depths of our own moral depravity"

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phillbo View Post
    Try a little Apple Cider Vinegar each day to help control blood sugar..... I do it every day since I was told many years ago I had elevated blood sugars... levels have been perfect since I started.

    A personal question if you don't mind... are you overweight?
    6’0 - 190
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  6. #6
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    6'4" - 220# and I consider myself overweight. I need to lose about 15 - 20 lbs in my opinion.... Not taking any prescription medications other than allergy shots twice a year....

  7. #7
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    I as well have diabetes. I was diagnosed about 20 years ago--by accident. I had gotten seriously sick on a trip to China---the good news is that I made it home. In trying to determine what was wrong with me they found the diabetes--but never the cause of my illness.

    I do the daily assault on my fingers and maintain a record (and graph) in Excel. I am on oral meds, no insulin. I generally "behave" myself, but at times revolt and eat pasta or other high carb foods. Sweet foods are not a problem for me--I have never had an attraction to them.

    I am also over weight and have been asked if I ever considered gastrointestinal surgery---the answer to which is yes---and no. That is a quality of life issue and in the end it isn't worth it to me. It is not just the food, it is more importantly the social aspects of eating. We go out to dinner with friends at least two nights every weekend.

    So far I have done well in keeping my A1c close to my target which is 0.1 for each year of age--currently 7.4.

    I have an annual eye exam which shows no signs of the disease. My feet are still OK-as verified by the hair growing on my toes---yes that is a fact, the hair is a confirmation of circulation---no hair and there are circulation problems

    I have seen the device you are using but decided having that hanging on my arm would be a poor trade to stop abusing my fingers.
    Last edited by Dave Grubb; 07-04-2019 at 12:41 PM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  8. #8
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    Sounds like you are on top of it, Joe. I hope it goes well.

    Diabetes has run in my family for generations. As a result, I try to keep my weight down. Frankly, the thought of giving myself a shot every day is at the root of it. I do not want to end up there.

    Hunter
    I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. - Creep by Radiohead

  9. #9
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    The thought of future daily shots plus other problems with eyes and circulation issues gives me added incentive to treat the disease.
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  10. #10
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    I have another incentive to not going on insulin. I have seen many people "abuse" insulin and use it as a substitute for self control.
    I had a plant manager that would come to weekly staff meetings and sit there eating pastries. I talked to him about that one day and said "Roy, you can't be doing this". His response was to remind me he had a refrigerator in his office and when he gets back he will just take a shot to "balance" his bad behaviour. I stopped having pastries at staff meetings.

    Unfortunately, with someone else's kidney--Roy passed away,
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    Bad Choices is my middle name. A bit of mitigation is my best effort. I do not expect to make it out alive.
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


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