Category: Blog

This is not my week.  Today was my day to take my depo prevera SubQ.  So I pull it out, try to follow the directions and then have problems when I go to push the plunger in.  Medication ended up all over instead of in me.

Of course, it’s the Fourth of July and the doctor’s office is closed.  Also, I’m leaving for Pittsburgh tomorrow.  ARGH!  And will be gone for two weeks.

So I call the manufacturer.  They tell me to save everything but can’t give me any answers (trust me, I’ll call them tomorrow).  The answer I want is that they will send me a new Depo Prevera so I’m not out that dose.

Next I call Medco, as the Depo Prevera number suggest they should refund it.  I also want to make sure I won’t have any pharmacy problems.

Finally, I take a chance and call the doctor’s office.  Hours are 7:30 am to 4:00 — that is good — in fact, I might go back to them to get injections as I can do that at 7:30.

So right now, the plan is to call the doctor’s office at 7:30 and see if they have Depo in stock.  If not, I’ll have them call the Walgreens around the corner and order it, I’ll pick it up and let the nurse give it to me.

I am not sure why I wasn’t happy with my second sensor, but I will say that every time I shut it down and restarted it, it became more accurate.  I got a lot of calibration errors with it and I don’t know if it was the sensor, the situation (dog agility trial), or the meter.  It finally stopped working on day 8.  Yes, I stopped getting data from it.  I tried several restarts, but couldn’t get it to budge.

I had the same problem with my third sensor.  Come to find out, I did not insert it correctly.  Dexcom gave me a credit for it, which I’ll be able to receive with my next order.  They are also sending me a return kit for it. 

Needless to say, I am definitely going to call tech support and have them walk me through inserting the next few.  I skipped a step and maybe I’ll remember next time, but a) tech support is very nice and patient, and b) it doesn’t cost me anything to use their resources.

The fourth sensor, which I put in last night is working as well, if not better than the first sensor.  That’s good because I’m driving to Pittsburgh tomorrow.

 I actually DO think Symlin does help me with this — but it just can’t overcome stress eating.  Wish it did.

As many of us know to our dismay, the desire to chow down fatty, sugary food can be very strong indeed. In a recent six-week study of 88 obese, non-diabetic men and women, Symlin, a synthetic hormone currently used to dampen diabetic blood sugar swings, was found to dampen those very desires.

Symlin Curtails Fast Food Binges in Weight Loss Study – Diabetes Health

Interesting — and I certainly believe it is true.  First of all, what doctor wants to be bothered every three days?  I have to adjust boluses pretty often either when I lose or gain weight — or just eat too many carbs for a few days. 

In a real-world study, patients using a dose self-adjustment algorithm had significantly greater fasting plasma glucose reductions (P<0.0001) than those randomized to standard physician-driven adjustments, said Luigi Meneghini, M.D., of the University of Miami, and colleagues.

ADA: Patients Beat Physicians at Insulin Dose Adjustment

Wow!  If this is true — it might be the right med for me.  I STILL think my mother should be on it. 

ing Byetta can reduce our risk of heart attacks and strokes, the most common and deadly complications of diabetes.

Diabetes – Byetta for the Heart

I put the Dexcom sensor in last Friday afternoon.  I swear that it gets more accurate every day.  I am still showering and hot tubbing without a problem.

Yesterday, the system caught three lows.  Once in the morning when I went shopping.  I thought about eating something, but I wasn’t low enough yet, so I just stopped shopping and was fine.

Same thing happened in the afternoon.  I was on the treadmill and was heading for the low (alarm went off), so I just got off the treadmill and let things stabilize.  Same thing happened in the evening.

I can see that the system could help me lose weight — at least I have a choice now.

I’ve actually TRIED the iPort — and still have a partial box.  I’ll save them in case I have surgery again but they aren’t worth the hassle.  You’ll find more about them if you check my archives. 

The other iPort stands for injection port, a little extended-wear doohickey that attaches to your skin for easy injecting, without the need for repeated skin punctures.

Diabetes Mine: The Other iPort

Yesterday was interesting — numbers were really off — missing a lot of night time data but the trends definitely matched what was going on.  Things settled back down in the late afternoon.

I think I saved the cost of an insertion set last night.  Dexcom woke me up about 4:00 am saying I was low.  I was at 101 according to my blood glucose monitor and extremely groggy.  I couldn’t wake up enough to really do anything about it but got up, moved around and I think that was enough to fix this.  Same thing happened about 6:30.

In the past, I think I would have woke up enough to pull the set and roll over and go back to sleep until things got fixed.  I do that two or three times a month. 

Yes, I’m still happy with it.

I got brave and took a shower with out a shower cover, and haven’t lost communications yet. 

Scott Verplank is my athletic hero — he was even before I knew he was a diabetic and an pumper — he is a graduate of my school district (next high school over), grew up at the golf course down the street, etc.  He is having a fabulous year, placing in the top 10 at several tournaments and winning the Nelson this year. 

Former Oklahoma State golf standout Scott Verplank finishes tied for seventh behind Cabrera. Verplank closed with a 2-over-par 72 and ended at 10-over 290 for the tournament. He earned a little more than $194,000.

Angel Cabrera captures U.S. open title – FOX23 News

Okay — Diabetes OC — time to get on the band wagon again.  This one happened down the road from me. 

Waxahachie resident Allen Nelms says a call to 911 to get medical attention for his diabetic seizure got him Tasered by police instead.

Waxahachie Daily Light – News – Man calls for EMS, gets police Tasers