Re: Bill's Progress

[Guest guest]

Keep us posted.What did the endo have to say?

Bill's Progress

I did have my evaluation with an endocrinologist last week, and tomorrow

will finally see the nephrologist concerning my diabetes management and the

636 microalbumin-creatinine level I talked about earlier.

The endo made only one change thus far, having me take a fourth Metformin,

so now instead of one with each meal it's one at breakfast and lunch along

with one Glyburide for those two meals, then two Metformins at dinnertime,

nothing at bedtime. Though I'm worried about taking so much Metformin, his

idea seems to be working so far, as I get good fasting glucoses and my

two-hour postprandial sugars stay under 115.

He had said that if this did not work, he would consider re-adding a lower

dose of Actos and cut back on the Metformin, but he didn't want to use that

as a first line of defense.

Now I will need to see what the nephro guy says tomorrow though.

Oh, one more thing, I did some checking on the Centrum vs. Diabetes

Nutrition issue I raised recently, and actually, for the most part thw two

are the same, except it seems the Diabetes Nutrition does have more calcium

but it also has green tea, which Centrum Silver lacks. The tradeoff is that

from an economical standpoint, Centrum Silver is one pill as opposed to 5,

and I can buy much more of it for about the same money as a 60-day supply of

the Diabetes Nutrition, but just taking either of these alone would not be

enough vitamins, so if I take Centrum Silver it seems I'd still need some

add-ons and ditto for Diabetes Nutrition. I might try switching to the

Centrum Silver when my curent supply runs out, then take an extra calcium

supplement and extra vitamin C supplement and see how I do on that regimen.

Bill Powers

[Guest guest]

and List,

When I saw the endo last week, the only thing he did thus far was to put me

on a fourth Metformin so that my med regimen would now be one Metformin and

one Glyburide at breakfast, same at lunch, then two Metformin and no

Glyburide at dinner. I told him I had been taking a fourth Metformin at

bedtime to cover for the dawn phenomenon so he simply had me take both pills

at dinnertime instead. So far that's doing fine and sugars are staying even

and I get a nice fasting level in the morning. The endo did say that if the

revised Metformin didn't do the trick he was considering reintroducing Actos

but at a lower dose but was holding off on that just yet. He also checked my

feet which right now seem in good shape and checked to see if he could

measure any neuropathy and I told him that I could feel more in my feet now

than I did a few months ago when I was checked by my podiatrist. But he made

a remark on which I had to call him on the carpet. He said " we kind of look

at the feet as more cosmetic than anything " to which I countered " it

wouldn't be purely cosmetic if a bad infection made me lose my foot or leg

now would it? " He suddenly realized what he had said and recanted, " I guess

I didn't think of it that way. " Score one for me.

I saw the nephrologist yesterday and told him what had transpired. He told

me that my microalbumin-creatinine of 636 indicated that, yes, I have kidney

disease, but no, I don't have kidney failure. According to him, at this

point it's just that I have too much protein in the urine and am not sure

what he intends to do to treat that just yet. I go tomorrow for another

urine sample to see if it's still as high, also he wants to check my

cholesterol and then we can proceed accordingly.

So onward to tomorrow's lab work and then onto the next chapter in the

never-ending tale...

Bill Powers

[Guest guest]

Let's hope the 4th metforman will keep your sugars in the " normal " level.

That is the only way your kidneys will not continue to deteriorate.

I had a nephrologist appointment on Tuesday. All my labs are ths they were

3 months ago and he doesn't want to see me for another 3 month (good news!)

So that is encouraging to me. My creatinine level has been stable at 2.7

for almost a year and I am not having any sweeling (which is aure sign of

kidney failure along with an increased creatine level.).

Re: Bill's Progress

and List,

When I saw the endo last week, the only thing he did thus far was to put me

on a fourth Metformin so that my med regimen would now be one Metformin and

one Glyburide at breakfast, same at lunch, then two Metformin and no

Glyburide at dinner. I told him I had been taking a fourth Metformin at

bedtime to cover for the dawn phenomenon so he simply had me take both pills

at dinnertime instead. So far that's doing fine and sugars are staying even

and I get a nice fasting level in the morning. The endo did say that if the

revised Metformin didn't do the trick he was considering reintroducing Actos

but at a lower dose but was holding off on that just yet. He also checked my

feet which right now seem in good shape and checked to see if he could

measure any neuropathy and I told him that I could feel more in my feet now

than I did a few months ago when I was checked by my podiatrist. But he made

a remark on which I had to call him on the carpet. He said " we kind of look

at the feet as more cosmetic than anything " to which I countered " it

wouldn't be purely cosmetic if a bad infection made me lose my foot or leg

now would it? " He suddenly realized what he had said and recanted, " I guess

I didn't think of it that way. " Score one for me.

I saw the nephrologist yesterday and told him what had transpired. He told

me that my microalbumin-creatinine of 636 indicated that, yes, I have kidney

disease, but no, I don't have kidney failure. According to him, at this

point it's just that I have too much protein in the urine and am not sure

what he intends to do to treat that just yet. I go tomorrow for another

urine sample to see if it's still as high, also he wants to check my

cholesterol and then we can proceed accordingly.

So onward to tomorrow's lab work and then onto the next chapter in the

never-ending tale...

Bill Powers

[Guest guest]

,

I think I will have to have the fourth Metformin thing revised somewhat

because I've noticed the last couple of nights having a rather uncomfortable

stomach ache keeping me up. I didn't think about it the first two nights

this happened because during the day I would be fine and forget about it,

but it happened again last night, and the only thing that has changed is

having the two Metformins at the same time at dinnertime, so will have to

talk to my doc about that. It's probably just too much for me. So back to

square one.

Did the lab tests today so will see next week what the doc says about them.

In the meantime also saw my foot doctor for bi-monthly toenail clipping and

he removed an ingrown toenail that was bothering me, and said I still had an

infection on my left big toe, so we have to treat that. The problem is I

can't tell when it's infected because I can't look that closely at my feet

since I rely on partial vision. Now that the ingrown toenail is removed from

there maybe we can finally get that toe healed up.

Ya know, it's never a dull moment being a diabetic, always something to have

to keep on top of.

Oh and I found out something I was hoping I wouldn't hear today. We're

switching from straight Medicare to Secure Horizons beginning in January,

and when I told the foot doctor this today he said that under SH I'd be

restricted to what type of shoe they would provide for me. Gee, I had

thought that would provide me BETTER coverage than just straight Medicare.

What a thing to learn. But in the long and short of it, we'll get better

Part D med coverage and avoid the 80/20 copays to the docs which we both

seem to visit quite often. If it isn't one thing, it's another.

Bill Powers

[Guest guest]

Yes, bill

Life is a constant challenge-even more so if you are diabetic!

Re: Bill's Progress

,

I think I will have to have the fourth Metformin thing revised somewhat

because I've noticed the last couple of nights having a rather uncomfortable

stomach ache keeping me up. I didn't think about it the first two nights

this happened because during the day I would be fine and forget about it,

but it happened again last night, and the only thing that has changed is

having the two Metformins at the same time at dinnertime, so will have to

talk to my doc about that. It's probably just too much for me. So back to

square one.

Did the lab tests today so will see next week what the doc says about them.

In the meantime also saw my foot doctor for bi-monthly toenail clipping and

he removed an ingrown toenail that was bothering me, and said I still had an

infection on my left big toe, so we have to treat that. The problem is I

can't tell when it's infected because I can't look that closely at my feet

since I rely on partial vision. Now that the ingrown toenail is removed from

there maybe we can finally get that toe healed up.

Ya know, it's never a dull moment being a diabetic, always something to have

to keep on top of.

Oh and I found out something I was hoping I wouldn't hear today. We're

switching from straight Medicare to Secure Horizons beginning in January,

and when I told the foot doctor this today he said that under SH I'd be

restricted to what type of shoe they would provide for me. Gee, I had

thought that would provide me BETTER coverage than just straight Medicare.

What a thing to learn. But in the long and short of it, we'll get better

Part D med coverage and avoid the 80/20 copays to the docs which we both

seem to visit quite often. If it isn't one thing, it's another.

Bill Powers

[Guest guest]

Hi Bill

Please keep a very close watch on that foot. I know how bad a foot

infection can be. My diagnoses of diabetes was a result of my letting a

foot infection get out of hand in 2001, and I have since had to have one toe

amputated and have had a total of six foot surgeries since then and am

looking at another one in January. So good luck.

Becky

_____

From: blind-diabetics

[mailto:blind-diabetics ] On Behalf Of Bill Powers

Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 1:50 PM

To: blind-diabetics

Subject: Re: Bill's Progress

,

I think I will have to have the fourth Metformin thing revised somewhat

because I've noticed the last couple of nights having a rather uncomfortable

stomach ache keeping me up. I didn't think about it the first two nights

this happened because during the day I would be fine and forget about it,

but it happened again last night, and the only thing that has changed is

having the two Metformins at the same time at dinnertime, so will have to

talk to my doc about that. It's probably just too much for me. So back to

square one.

Did the lab tests today so will see next week what the doc says about them.

In the meantime also saw my foot doctor for bi-monthly toenail clipping and

he removed an ingrown toenail that was bothering me, and said I still had an

infection on my left big toe, so we have to treat that. The problem is I

can't tell when it's infected because I can't look that closely at my feet

since I rely on partial vision. Now that the ingrown toenail is removed from

there maybe we can finally get that toe healed up.

Ya know, it's never a dull moment being a diabetic, always something to have

to keep on top of.

Oh and I found out something I was hoping I wouldn't hear today. We're

switching from straight Medicare to Secure Horizons beginning in January,

and when I told the foot doctor this today he said that under SH I'd be

restricted to what type of shoe they would provide for me. Gee, I had

thought that would provide me BETTER coverage than just straight Medicare.

What a thing to learn. But in the long and short of it, we'll get better

Part D med coverage and avoid the 80/20 copays to the docs which we both

seem to visit quite often. If it isn't one thing, it's another.

Bill Powers

[Guest guest]

Bill,

As I take 5 Metformin tablets a day as part of my medication to control my

diabetes.

I am rather curious As to what time do you have your main meal at night, when

you take your two Metformin tablets? as the timing of your last meal of the

day, could give a clue to why you are getting stomach cramps at night.

When I was at one time taking 4 Metformin tablets a day, at that time I was

still going to work, and I was taking two at Breakfast, one at lunch time and

one with my main meal at night. Now that I am no longer working, and my dosage

has been increased, my eating Patton has now changed, so that my main meal of

the day is at lunch time, when I take my second dose of two Metformin tablets.,

and leaving the fifth one when I have my tea, ( what I believe you call Supper

in the States) about 7O'clock in the evening. It is at this last meal of the

day that I give myself the second injection to see me through the night.

Rowe

Re: Bill's Progress

,

I think I will have to have the fourth Metformin thing revised somewhat

because I've noticed the last couple of nights having a rather uncomfortable

stomach ache keeping me up. I didn't think about it the first two nights

this happened because during the day I would be fine and forget about it,

but it happened again last night, and the only thing that has changed is

having the two Metformins at the same time at dinnertime, so will have to

talk to my doc about that. It's probably just too much for me. So back to

square one.

Did the lab tests today so will see next week what the doc says about them.

In the meantime also saw my foot doctor for bi-monthly toenail clipping and

he removed an ingrown toenail that was bothering me, and said I still had an

infection on my left big toe, so we have to treat that. The problem is I

can't tell when it's infected because I can't look that closely at my feet

since I rely on partial vision. Now that the ingrown toenail is removed from

there maybe we can finally get that toe healed up.

Ya know, it's never a dull moment being a diabetic, always something to have

to keep on top of.

Oh and I found out something I was hoping I wouldn't hear today. We're

switching from straight Medicare to Secure Horizons beginning in January,

and when I told the foot doctor this today he said that under SH I'd be

restricted to what type of shoe they would provide for me. Gee, I had

thought that would provide me BETTER coverage than just straight Medicare.

What a thing to learn. But in the long and short of it, we'll get better

Part D med coverage and avoid the 80/20 copays to the docs which we both

seem to visit quite often. If it isn't one thing, it's another.

Bill Powers