Category: Diabetic Issues

The main reason I strive for tight control is that I physically feel better on a day to day basis if my blood sugar is between 100 and 150. I also believe though, that doing so not only makes me feel better day to day, but it will delay the cardio-vascular complications common to my family. This article confirms this.

Diabetes Study Verifies Lifesaving Tactic – New York Times

But the result also gives rise to questions: Does the same effect occur in people with Type 2 diabetes, which usually occurs later in life and involves an inability to respond to insulin? And why would tight control of blood sugar for one brief period have such a pronounced effect later?

Diabetes Mine: Shameless Plug, and Why the OC Matters

Thank you Amy, for the nice mention on your website. Yes, I agree that the OC Choice Awards are kind of neat. For a very long time, I’ve been the only diabetes blog, and one of very few patient blogs.

I will have to admit that my parent blog isn’t a patient blog, but Robert Cantor’s DB Medical Rants. He’s someone I really admire.

I’m with you on the patronizing little pats on the head. Actually I get two different reactions — the figurative pats on the head, and then the people who really admire me for dealing with “really bad” diabetes very well.

Our regional news station — TXCN — has been running a story on Diabetes Discrimination. I haven’t seen a web link to this case, but basically an older man was not hired because the hiring company determined that his diabetes was under poor control. Basically he had sugar in a urine test, couldn’t remember his doctor’s name and didn’t know his last A1C results.

Frankly, that fits my definition of poor control, but the good news for diabetics in Texas, is that the work place can’t discriminate based on that. That makes me feel a bit better, because WHILE I have pretty good control most of the time, I’ve had a few incidents each year since diagnosis where at the moment, my diabetes was out of control and it has disrupted my classroom.

First, I worry a lot. I get it honest. For example, I spent the last few days worrying that my DOTC agility entry wouldn’t get in. It’s a trivial thing, but we only go to a few agility trials a year — just the ones in the local area. Plus they have increased the entry limits, so I shouldn’t worry any more. But I do. First, I’ve screwed up my entries before, and have gotten the wrong address on the envelope. I do that about once a year. There is also the opportunity to mail the entry too early.

But about Animas.

I like dealing with a small company that is committed to one product. For example, Therasense was great. All of their employees cared, the few times I’ve talked with them. Before Abbott bought them, I dealt with customer support about 3 times. I will admit I’ve only dealt with Abbott customer support once, but I wasn’t super impressed at the time. Maybe they are better now.

And maybe Animas won’t change. That’s what I am hoping for, but I haven’t been impressed by the diabetes support by the large companies. I also have not been impressed by the Lifescan meters. But I am going to give both the One Touch and the One Touch Ultra another try when I see my CDE on Tuesday.

Diabetes – How Frequently Should You Test?

My primary care physician and I went around and around on this, and I finally solved the problem by going to a endo who is a pump expert.

If you look at my logs, I tend to test 6-12 times a day. The 6 is on the way low side. I’m having a bad day if I am testing 12.

Here’s my schedule.

I always test first thing in the morning. That’s going to tell me how I did the day before, and tell me how today is going to go. If I am high, I screwed up yesterday. Also, I’ll have high blood sugars all day.

I test 2 hours after each meal, that way, I can adjust any dosage that I was off on, and I often test before my meals — that’s often 2 hours after the last correction.

I tend to test if I am driving and I haven’t eaten recently — that’s usually right after school. I also try to test before I go to bed.

If I haven’t eaten recently, I will also test during exercise, and sometimes after, just to make sure I’m not going too low.

I’m sure my phamarcy service would prefer I tested less, but they haven’t given me a problem over it.

The Diabetes OC Website: Nominees for Diabetes OC Blog Choice Awards 2005

Nominees for Diabetes OC Blog Choice Awards

Please vote! And yes, this site has been nominated for Type 2 blogs.

Animas shares soar after acquisition news

I’d read an article perdicting this about a year ago, and figured it would happen someday, it will be interesting to see what happens.

First Therasense, and that acquisittion sure has not helped the Navigator.

Animas shares soar after acquisition news

Sandra confirmed that this is a nationwide sale (or at least a sample of two so far).

I’m definately going to stock up — be sure you check the expiration dates though!

Sandra confirmed that this is a nationwide sale (or at least a sample of two so far).

I’m definately going to stock up — be sure you check the expiration dates though!

Scott’s Web Log: Novo Nordisk Overtakes Lilly For Leadership in U.S. Insulin Market; Patients Will Likely Benefit

Interesting take on Novo Nordisk.

Lilly lost me, because I am allergic to their preservative. Didn’t realize that until I went on the pump, I thought the burning sensation was just part of the injection.

I find Novolog much easier on the body, and reacts a bit better — I use slightly less insulin on Novolog, though that might be a function of the preservative reaction.