Blog

  • Glucowatch – Tech support

    For some reason, I decided to try the self test — I DID use it when I first got the watch, and well, I have had it for a month.

    Got "FAIL" every time.

    So I called tech support today and while I'm on the phone … you guessed it … got a PASS both tries. 

    I figured they would say hang onto it, but they said we'll send you another one anyway.  So it's on the way.

  • Of course, I’m always interested

    Of course, I’m always interested in anything like this.

    I’m STILL not sure I want to do gastric surgery, though if I do, I need to start getting things together now, if I want to do it, as I would want to do it sometime after the AP Computer Science test.

    Bariatric Surgery use in Type 2 Diabetes

    Non-randomised observational studies show that bariatric surgery has a highly beneficial impact on diabetes. Bariatric surgery leads to remission of diabetes in at least two thirds of patients, and reductions in drug therapy for many others. Those with more recent onset diabetes, fewer treatment requirements, and able to achieve most weight loss are more likely to achieve remission. Therefore, bariatric surgery is an attractive treatment option to consider for selected more severely obese patients with favourable characteristics. Although data on bariatric surgery in subjects with diabetes are provocative, all recent clinical studies have been uncontrolled or otherwise flawed. Moreover, bariatric surgery has yet to be compared either with medical treatment for weight loss, or against standard medical treatment for diabetes in any randomised controlled trial with diabetes-specific end points. There remains a need for long-term randomised controlled trials before bariatric surgery is used more widely as a first-line treatment for obese patients with type 2 diabetes.

  • Insets

    I've used my first box of insets and man or man do I love them.  I've only yanked out two accidently which isn't too bad, especially for me.

    I'm able to move my sites better with them, because the inserter lets me put the site where I can't see it.  I also have fewer failed sites, because of the inserter. 

    And I love not having to see a needle!

  • Good news: Still not gaining weight

    I gritted my teeth and got on the scales this morning.  I'm not gaining weight.  Not losing it though.

    The last three weeks have been REAL hard.  I've been tired and as a result eating has been hard to control and even getting to working out has been hard too.

    The new mask seems to be helping, but it takes a while to put the sleep back in the bank.  Every time I have disrupted sleep it seems to take longer to recover.  Age probably has something to do with it.

    Splitting my cario workout has helped too.  Getting up and doing 30 minutes is daunting, but doing 15 minutes in the morning and 15 in the afternoon is doable.  Though this week I've gone to 15 in the morning and 20 in the evening — except I overslept yesterday and did 35 in the evening.

     

  • The mask helped…

    Blood sugar is virtually the same as yesterday morning, so that's not it.

    But I definately had a better nights sleep last night and was able to wake up early.  Still didn't get on the treadmill any faster, but once on, I think it was better.  I actually considered doing the 20 minutes iShape suggested, rather than the 2 sets of 15, but I think I'm better off at that.  Even considered strength exercises, but I do have a site change today.

    I'm dropping basal rates again and doing the glucowatch again today.  And the weight is going down, not up.

     

  • Duh!

    When I had my carpel tunnel surgery last year not only was I careful to make sure that the Anesthesiology knew I had sleep apena, I also told him HOW I have it.

    I really think that knowing that the patient goes into REM sleep and then within 5 minutes stops breathing might be a good thing to know. But gee, I’m just the patient. I also think dentists need to know this as I tend to go to sleep in the chair in between procedings.

    Ivanhoe’s Medical Breakthroughs – Sleep Apnea Linked to Anesthesia Risks

  • I love my Treo!

    While I REALLY want a Treo 650 — I’ll probably skip that number and wait for the one after.

    But I live and die by my Treo. I have EzManager by Animas installed, TakePhone — mostly save on phone bills since my long distance is not completely free, 2Day, Today+ and Snappermail. Also have a few games, music, etc.

    Here’s how my day goes — I check my Treo, because it tells me when I need to change my site (through ToDo and 2Day). I warn myself the day before, and have a note to do it.

    Whenever I eat, I enter my food and let EzManager calculate my insulin. I also have Butler setup to remind me to check my blood sugar 2 hours after I usually eat breakfast and 2 hours after our lunch.

    I also enter my blood sugar when it is too high so I can get a correction. I do wish it would do an Insulin on Board Correction, but maybe someday. I should also sit down and figure out how to do that myself.

    I use Snappermail and the web interface to take brief breaks from the real world to check email and what is happening on the web.

    I’ve even gone so far as so get a portable keyboard and I use it to take notes.

    And yes, I use the phone … it is SO nice to have it all in one package, wish it would actually DO a blood sugar test.

    Wireless-Doc (the Weblog)

  • Things are better…

    I managed to get a new CPAP mask during my planning period today.  I'm hoping that solves the sleeping problem.

    I ended up spending the evening help another teacher install software, so I didn't get to dinner until 8:00 pm, so that might be a problem.

    The glucowatch did well, showing trends, and was close to the meter sometimes — again, the secret seems to be using forearm testing rather than finger sticks.  I'm not sure they studied that, since they sure don't recommend it, BUT it's working for me.

    Breaking up cardio into two sessions is working.  It doesn't affect the blood sugar as dramatically, but I'm planning to increase the sessions as the weeks go by.  As it is, I've done 30 minutes in two 15 minutes sets Monday thru Wednesday.

    Keep fingers crossed!

     

  • This is another one of the issues I have with the surgery

    One of the things I want to know, is why doesn’t the skin go back after obesity suervery AND is this a problem I’m going to deal with no matter which way I go?

    An answer from one of the medical doctors would be nice.

    MSNBC – After stomach stapling, more surgery