Re: I need help

May 9, 2002

Hello all,

I want to describe an incident in my life and want you all to tell me if you

have any explanation for it.

Yesterday I woke up with a scratchy throat. It got worse thru the day with

my ears itching and my throat sore. Nothing unbearable though. I laid down

on my couch in the evening to rest before I went to church and I covered up

because I was freezing. When I woke up, I had curled up like I usually sleep

and I couldn't straighten my legs out. I also couldn't get up. I couldn't

raise my arms or legs. I just couldn't move. SCARY for me but worse for

. She pulled me into a sitting position and after a while I could rise

and " walk " to the bathroom. That 20 foot walk took several minutes and

would not have been possible without items to hold on too. I made it back to

the couch and called my mom. I curled up, still freezing and waited. By the

time my mom and dad got there I once again could not get up. I had NO muscle

control at all. My poor mother would pull me into a sitting position, but I

couldn't sit there by myself. If I tilted I was down. I just flopped. Not

a good feeling. Anyway, I had to once again use the bathroom. After a while

my mom and I got me into a standing position and somehow we made it to the

bathroom. My right side was completely dead. I couldn't even lift my arms.

I also couldn't pull my pants down or up. Total humilitation!! By then I

was no longer freezing. I took my temperature and it was 101. Normal for me

is 97.6. I took ibuprophen and as my temp started to drop, I could move

somewhat better. I continued to improve, but the mental damage had already

been done. I'm not sure me or my child or my mom and dad will ever get over

it. ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING!!

My take is that fevers make normal people weak and just wiped me out totally

because of the PLS. What do you all think? Has any of you ever had a

similar experience?? Please let me know. I think it would help my whole

family to know someone else had experienced this and then returned to normal.

Poor little just kept saying " mommy are you ok? It won't always be

like this, will it? You will get better won't you? "

I tried to reassure her but it was kind of pointless when all I could move

was my eyes.

Thanks for listening and please share if you've got any ideas. Jeanne Ann

Neff

May 11, 2002

Hi Jeanne anne and all,

this was exactly the experience I had several months ago when I had

a bad reaction to taking codeine. My experience wasn't nearly as

bad as yours, jeanne anne, but also scared the bejeebes out of me.

It took several people to get me to my car...I was at work....I some

how instinctively knew I needed to get some zanaflex in me. It took

several hours before I started to unfold......and I still have not

returned to the " normal " that I was before this incident.

My one hand tightened so much that I popped a knuckle out of place.

It still sticks up as a reminder to me.

I'm grateful that you came out of this ok and know what to " TRY " to

avoid from now on.

Thank God we have this list to compare our experiences with so many

others. I can only imagine how terrifying and alone we would be

without others to take this PLS ride with us.

take gentle care.

maggie

December 17, 2002

In a message dated 12/17/2002 10:07:20 AM Eastern Standard Time,

JEEPNUTZ3@... writes:

> I have two kids so we have goodies in the

> house. I know I shouldn't but I can't control myself

Hi Mike,

It is hard for some people to give up " goodies " . You are the one that has to

make the commitment to give them up or at least eat them in small portions

and not on a regular basis. It was easy for me to give them up. My health

and my family was more important than that cookie or candy bar. I keep ice

cream and cookies in the freezer all time for my hubby. I'm not going to

tell him he can't eat the sweets just because I can't. I bake lots of cakes

and cookies throughout the year. That doesn't mean that I have to eat them.

It is a matter of what is more important - eating the " forbidden " foods or

living a healthy life and watching your children become adults.

Eunice

December 17, 2002

My suggestion would be to get rid of the goodies. It is just as advantageous

for your children to eat well and healthy as it is for you. Being a parent

with this disease, your children are already at risk to get the disease as

well. Start them off right so they don't have the trouble down the road.

Better you be there for them than some goodies.

a

December 17, 2002

I am not a real goodies person but last week my kids made some chocolate

chip cookies and I dug into them one day with vigor :-)..This week I

made sure that I had my " goodies " ...My favorite time to have something

sweet is after dinner so I made up some sugar free cook and serve

chocolate pudding and put it in old yogurt containers and now its ready

for me !! its one carb serving and full of milk and it really helps. I

also put a little lite cool whip on it...

I am going to experiment with sugar free / fat free cheesecake soon and

freeze the portions ...sus

-----Original Message-----

From: JEEPNUTZ3@...

Hello all, I am new here but I have been diabetic for about 8 years. I

cannot

control my desire for goodies! I have two kids so we have goodies in the

house. I know I shouldn't but I can't control myself. YES I've tried

every

type of sugar-free everything out there. My doctor hates me.

Mike

December 17, 2002

> Hello all, I am new here but I have been diabetic for about 8

>years. I cannot control my desire for goodies! I have two kids so we

>have goodies in the house. I know I shouldn't but I can't control

>myself. YES I've tried every type of sugar-free everything out

>there. My doctor hates me.

Howdy Mike,

What are your avg blood glucose readings? Do you even test after you

gobble your goodies? When you do eat them, do you exercise? I'd say

start adding more fruit and less goodies out of a box or bag.

Also remember just because it's sugar free, does not mean it's not

carb free. More often than not the sugar free version, will have more

carbs that the sugared version.

Also you are right, you can't control the desire for wanting

something, but you can control the elbow that bends the arm to move

the hand towards your mouth. If you can't eat just one, don't eat

any, until you can eat one. One way to help start this. start buying

thing just for you. Example. Pie or cake, buy ONE PIECE, not one

pie, no one cake, one piece of pie or cake. NOT several pieces, just

one period. That way, if you want more, you have to go to the store

and buy it. And if you want it you will walk to the store to get the

extra piece. Too cold? Too rainy? Too bad, you want it, you'll have

to work for it. The goodies you and the family get for the kids are

now off limits. Mike now has his snack Cupboard/Box/Place and the

things Mike can eat (goodies wise) are to be placed there in single

serving portions. So Mike's place should have extra fruit (canned is

fine in light syrups or plain water).

What is your personal blood glucose goal two hours after a meal? I

picked 130 when I was first DX, and would never have dessert, until

my two hour reading was under it. Now it's 115 for dessert, and I

normally will have fruit, but if I'm out maybe pie or cheese cake.

But I'll also walk before and often after dinner, especially when

dining out. See a movie and have dessert after the movie. Do I ever

eat a " goodie " if I'm over 115? Yup, but never if over 130. Do I

cheat some days and eat a cookie & a grab bag of BBQ corn chips? Yup,

but I work it off. Is it cold out? Is it wet out? Yes it is, but if

I want the goodies I'm willing to walk and lift weights to allow

myself the option, while keeping my personal bg goals as close to

normal as possible.

Mike, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you it's going to be easy

to make changes, but you did say you have kids. Is it worth risking

problems that could maime you and worse, take you away from your

kids, to not make a few changes?

December 17, 2002

JEEPNUTZ3@... wrote:

> Hello all, I am new here but I have been diabetic for about 8 years. I cannot

> control my desire for goodies! I have two kids so we have goodies in the

> house. I know I shouldn't but I can't control myself. YES I've tried every

> type of sugar-free everything out there. My doctor hates me.

> Mike

>

I would suggest you review the Carbohydrate Addicts program -- you can

probably find copies of several of the different books at a used book

store. It describes the physical side of the addiction to carbs, and

how to break out of it. I broke out of my carb-binging around July and,

once I got through that, I don't usually have much trouble having one or

two goodies and then stopping.

I'm also managing my diabetes without medical input -- no insurance, and

not much money. So I don't have anybody else there to be my discipline

for me. If I don't keep this under control, the complications are

severe and certain and I don't want them.

I now eat about three meals a day, take an herbal blend that's supposed

to help control carb craving (might be this more than my self-control,

because I don't show much anywhere else in my life) and some other

supplements to help keep me healthy, and I'm trying, very slowly, to

integrate exercise into my life more (because when I go too quickly, I

hurt myself and it takes a longer and slower start the next time).

I'd wish you luck, but luck isn't going to help you. Good choices will,

and nobody can make them for you but you.

Take care,

Blain

December 17, 2002

Blain - could you please share what vitamins/supplements you are taking? Thank

you.

Deanna

I now eat about three meals a day, take an herbal blend that's supposed

to help control carb craving (might be this more than my self-control,

because I don't show much anywhere else in my life) and some other

supplements to help keep me healthy, and I'm trying, very slowly, to

integrate exercise into my life more (because when I go too quickly, I

hurt myself and it takes a longer and slower start the next time).

Blain

December 18, 2002

Mike, here is what my mother told me... Ps I am almost 60 and my mom is almost

80 and my kids are now between 30 and 40. If you love your kids you will do

what you need to do, to be there for them. sometimes that helps me to leave the

treats alone. The biggest help beside this group is seeing the dietitian and

getting my self set up with a plan of action. I was only diagnosed in August.