Re: -RA & Diabetes

[Guest guest]

on 10/22/02 3:05 PM, /Celine Kossart at kozys@... wrote:

> I've been off the Pred for almost one year now and as a

> result have been able to reduce the amount of insulin I've been taking. GP

> started me on Glucovance in a.m. and eliminated insulin injection at that

> time a few months ago.

, I also have RA and type 2 diabetes. Prednisone really can do a number

on blood sugar. While I was on prednisone, I was able to control my BG by

adding Prandin to my regimen of Glucophage. I tried Glucovance once, but

didn't like it at all. The glyburide in it can cause lows because it keeps

on working when it doesn't need to anymore. I take the Prandin 30 minutes

before a meal, and it works for a couple of hours and then stops.

If I weren't such a coward, I'd switch to insulin because it's a natural

hormone and probably doesn't have as many side effects as oral medication.

Did you hate to inject it? Is that why you're switching to orals?

Sue in NC

[Guest guest]

At 05:59 PM 10/24/02, you wrote:

>If I weren't such a coward, I'd switch to insulin because it's a natural

>hormone and probably doesn't have as many side effects as oral medication.

>Did you hate to inject it? Is that why you're switching to orals?

>Sue in NC

Hi Sue. Sorry for the late response but I am in the middle of what I am

calling Hell Week because my disability hearing is scheduled for Friday, I

have heard some distressing allegations about medicare while being on

disability, and I am STILL waiting for my so-called

" representative " /attorney to call me back. I'm sure I've missed posts from

others I should be responding to as well. If so I apologize and at least

now you know the reasons why. I'll get caught up eventually -

promise! Keep this situation in your prayers please.

I have been so upset and hyper about it all that I have had to finally take

the attitude F@#$ It! - I'ze duns all I cans and I cant's do no more! I

didn't make up my disease or symptoms. I have done everything I was told

to do in trying to get this " help " which I had been assured was practically

my right to receive, as far as I am concerned I meet the criteria for

receiving it, I didn't even want to apply for it yet when all this started

but was repeatedly assured that this was there to help people in my

situation and that I have been paying into to it for over thirty

years. Piece o' cake, right? HA!

Anyway, concerning the use of insulin, Sue. I have been off of it for just

over a week now while taking the Glucovance only and my " numbers " are the

same or a bit higher than they were while using the insulin. But you know

what, I actually prefer taking the insulin because I have more control - If

I know I am going to have an unusually big meal or something special for

desert that I will probably eat too much of, I can just take more

insulin. In a way, this isn't supposed to be how you " manage " your

diabetes, but occasionally it is very convenient.

You asked, " Do I hate to inject it? " and my answer is firmly NO. In fact,

I consider the finger sticks to be more painful than the insulin

injection. That statement is a bit mis-leading as it sounds as if I am

saying the injections ARE painful, I would say that maybe 19 out of 20

times they are virtually pain-less. I think that on that 20th painful

occasion it is either due to just hitting the " right " spot, and/or some of

the alcohol got into the puncture site - and then we are only talking a

stinging sensation, not any real pain.

As to your question WHY I am getting off of it . . . My doctor believes

that I should be weighing less than I do and he says insulin cause you to

tend to gain weight, or keeps you from losing it, or some such, I didn't

really understand what he was saying. He said my " numbers " were pretty

good and would I be willing to try and get off the insulin. I said it

doesn't really matter to me one way or the other. I did mention that in

certain rare occasions, like going out to eat or being at a family or

public gathering at meal time, it would certainly be a LOT more convenient

to not have to basically go and find a place to hide to take my blood sugar

reading, figure how much insulin to take, inject it, and then hope I can

eat within about 20-25 minutes. So he said why don't we give it a try.

By the way (weigh?), no pun intended lol a couple years back when I was

first diagnosed with the diabetes, I had basically gone from somewhere

around 190 pounds plus to 155 pounds. I should mention that I am a little

guy, no let me rephrase that, I am a short guy at only 5 foot 6 1/2 inches

tall. I know the 190 plus figure is too heavy, but the 155 was too

low. My wife always said my arms were my best physical feature, but they

looked too thin and wimpy looking, that when I saw a picture of me wearing

a sleeveless tank top shirt, I got rid of all my tank tops! To this day,

people tell me that when I was down to 155 I looked really BAD and

sickly. And at the time, the doc wanted me to lose another ten pounds or

so! Now I am 183 pounds but at my last visit the doc said he would like to

see me lose some weight. I told him the above so he pulls out a chart,

asks me how tall I am, and says well the chart says someone my height

should weigh between 135 and 155! I told him I'm surprised they still have

those charts because years ago I recall reading the one size fits all

charts, like that one, are unrealistic as they don't take into account a

person's, build, bone structure, etc. The example I gave him was a close

to seven foot tall, skinny basket ball player from Nairobi, and Hulk Hogan,

who is also somewhere around 7 feet tall, Hogan and this guy are around

the same height, but man, what a difference in their builds, and therefore

their weight. The doc just grinned at me and said, " Well try and lose a

few pounds anyway. "

Kossart - RA, Type-2 Diabetes

[Guest guest]

,

My RA started in January of 2001, and I'd already been retired for several

years, so thank goodness I don't have to worry about going to work. I'm

thankful that it didn't strike me when I was young, as it does so often. I

wish you good luck in getting on disability.

I manage to keep my diabetes in check with diet, exercise, Glucophage, and

Prandin. My last A1c was 5.0, and I would like to get it into the 4's at

least once. I have read that use of insulin can cause weight gain, but I

guess it's only if you eat too much, too. Glucophage, which is in

Glucovance, is said to enable you to lose weight. At least it doesn't cause

weight gain, as do most diabetes medications.

So maybe you could lose a few pounds to please your doctor. Are your

cholesterol and blood pressure normal? If not, maybe that's why he wants you

to lose weight. I was able to lose my excess pounds and have kept them off

for a year. Exercise helped, as did cutting carbs and portions.

I don't have high BP, but my last cholesterol was 232, up from 199 six

months ago. I had been making a special effort to get it down, too. Then I

read that Arava can raise cholesterol, and I've been taking it for several

months. I'm not about to quit taking it, since it's helping my RA so much.

I'm going to start taking Zocor when I get the prescription filled.

Wishing you a pain-free life.

Sue in NC