Living with Diabetes

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  • Dana Pumps have been recalled — Sept 22, 2004 report

    And for a scary reason.

    Enforcement Report for September 22, 2004

    PRODUCT
    DANA Diabecare II insulin pumps. Recall # Z-1451-04.
    CODE
    Serial numbers: AEE001FC – AEE039FC, AEE041FC, AEE043FC – AEE048FC, AEE083FC – AEE132FC.
    RECALLING FIRM/MANUFACTURER
    Dana Diabecare USA LLC, New Orleans, LA, by email, letters and telephone on May 26, 2004. Firm initiated recall is ongoing.
    REASON
    There is a switch malfunction that may cause the unit not to respond when command key is depressed.
    VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE
    37 units.
    DISTRIBUTION
    AZ, WV, PA, FL, WI, MI, TN, and MD.

  • Good news on the weight loss front!

    I currently way the least I have weight in a very long time. I think even since I was diagnosed with diabetes.

    I’ve lost 35 pounds since February and around 10 pounds since school started. My goal is to lose about 1 pound a week, and I think I’m doing a tad faster than that, certainly I have since school started.

    I also got rid of a bunch of old, too big pieces of clothing this weekend.

  • Daytime Trial #2

    Ended up ending this trial after exercising and a bunch of skips. I think I dislodged the watch again.

    The good news:
    I have good data that tells good things.
    The burn isn’t as near as bad as before.
    The watch was not painful, but a bit uncomfortable. You have to wear it in a place that you don’t usually wear a watch.

    The bad news:
    I had to end early when I worked out. I think it will get better as I didn’t lose the watch after I ran up the stairs and got a perspiration warning.

    All in all, I think the watch is okay. I think it is a good choice for me, because basal tests are stressful for me. Keeping an eye on the clock and testing every hour isn’t good, and is too hard to do at school. Wearing the watch works.

    I don’t think the watch is worth $1000. $300 isn’t bad, but the reporting needs to be more flexible. I also think the new price point on the autosensors is much better. I am going to see about having Blue Cross Blue Shield cover the autosensors in the future.

  • Daytime Trial #2

    It is going extremely well. I have good numbers, and good trends.

    However, it’s been a cool day in the classroom and relatively calm.

    It went so well, I went ahead and ordered 2 boxes of autosensors since they are at the reduced rate.

    I think I’ll talk to my CDE about getting them setup with the insurance.

  • Daytime Trial #2

    I think I have the watch in a better location this trip. Also Monday’s burn is healing better and faster than the previous burns from the watch. I still have itching and visible marks.

    Good news, though, Diabetes Forecast came out with a review (clinical trial) that shows that the watch works well at “normal” blood sugars, tracking trends.

    Bad news, it doesn’t do as well as it could with low blood sugars.

  • Type 2 not Immune to DKA

    Another difference between the two types is gone.

    Type 2 Diabetics Not Immune to Diabetic Ketoacidosis

    A significant portion of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) cases occur in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to the results of a review of admissions published in the Sept. 27 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. There are subtle differences from DKA in patients with type I diabetes, but the treatment is the same.
    “An episode of DKA was once considered a hallmark feature that would differentiate individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus from those with type 2 diabetes mellitus,” write Christopher A. Newton, MD, and Philip Raskin, MD, from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. “With the changes in the frequency of DKA and the increased incidence of DKA in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the question may be posed of whether there has been any change in the clinical or laboratory characteristics of the patients with DKA who present to the emergency department.”

  • Glucowatch — Daytime Trial

    I ended up stopping the watch and taking it off. I had dislodged it, and wasn’t getting readings.

    One thing I have learned from pumping — these things take practice and adjustment.

    The good news, is that I did get two hours of good data.

  • Glucowatch — Daytime Trial

    It’s going well, in fact, the values on the watch are actually matching my meter values!

    I’m experiencing some itching, and occasional pain, I’m not sure that the spray has helped much and think I’ll see what the prescription solution is if I start using it more.

    I’m not doing a basal test today, just watching trends for the day.

  • Glucowatch — Daytime Trial

    Today is my first daytime trial of the Glucowatch.

    I put the spray they recommended on first. I can’t decided if it helps yet or not. And I’ve gotten a few perspiration warnings during warm up period, so we’ll see how it goes.

  • Teacher Workshops

    Teacher workshops have always been a problem. Typically they serve food that is guaranteed to throw me off and yesterday was no exception. Plus I have to sit in one chair all day.

    I’m finally realizing that I HAVE to do a 20% temporary basis. And I have to bring and eat my own food.

    All of which I did yesterday and ended up with not only perfect blood sugar at the end of the day, but again the next morning, in fact it was lower than it has been all week.

    I also had more energy and got more out of this one that I have gotten out of a workshop in a long time. Of course, it helped that I learned a new skill and was working with a different application than I have before.