Re: Diabetes--long

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I also have diabetes that my blood sugar goes up with physical exercise and down

with mental exercise such as working on the computer. I had to fire my

endocrinologist because she did not believe me but my gp and the doctor who

diagnosed the MELAS did.

Glucophage has warnings about causing lactic acidosis although I know some with

mito on this and other lists are able to take it.

I was on prandin and before that gluctorol a few years back and it was lowering

my blood sugars from 400 or so but I was stuck at 250 or so every morning. I

then switched to lantus insulin which is a 24 hour type and fast acting insulin

pen for meals. This worked to keep my sugars around 125 during the day but

still stuck at around 250 every morning. The endo just wanted to keep upping

the insulin.

But, last July my endo suggested the insulin pump. I thought it was a surgery

but it is not. I also thought it would be expensive, it is not too bad. The

medtronics person regularly came to the clinic and a nurse practioner who I

could call even at her home to help. I had to wear a 24 hr blood sugar monitor

for 3 days to determine if I was eligible. Since I got the meter in August, my

blood sugars sometimes go as low as 88 in the morning. Sometimes they are up to

200 now but that is when I am sick or have done alot of walking like shopping

and not set a temporary basal. Most of the time my blood sugars are around 116.

My last hac1 done in early December was 150.

The pump gives you a small preset amount of insulin, like 1.8 or 1.4 units every

hour. You program this in. You can also give yourself more for meals and

things like physical activity. There is a small infusion set that comes with

its only inserter and you change this every 3-4 days.

I qualified for financial help from the company and with my Tricare insurance

the total for the pump and first 3 months supplies was $285. That does not

include the insulin. Three months worth of reservoirs and infusion sets are

around $115 for my cost share.

I am now down to using between 65 and 80 units in a 24 hour period depending on

the size of the meals I eat. Before I was taking 40 units of lantus and 15-20

units of insulin for each meal.

My blood sugar is more in control now and I feel better.

If you need more specific info please email me.

Janet Sample in Wisconsin

Diabetes

Hi, I was wondering how many folks who have mito are also diabetic.

I was just diagnosed Monday and I was put on glucophage and glipizide

(pills). I had a bad reaction to the glucophage (severe muscle

cramps, vomiting, dizziness and mixed up speech, low BP) and now I'm

on insulin. The covering endo wanted me inpatient but I managed to

talk him out of it. (Who would take care of ?) Now I'm

feeling better but all my underlying symptoms are much worse

(weakness, vision problems, concentration and memory, cold white

fingers, splitting headache)

Dr. Korson hasn't gotten back to me about how much carnitine to take

and it's driving me nuts. Blood sugar is back down to the 200's (it

had been 400's with large ketones) so I think things are better

overall, but I find myself wishing I could have a saline bolus. We

give them to and I wonder if I'd feel better. I just know I'm

probably dry from the high sugars. Crazy.

It's been quite a week. The endo thinks that the diabetes I have may

be type 1 (but he wanted to test my response to sulfonyureas before

insulin) and he wants to do genetic testing to isolate the gene

defect. He also thinks it's a dominant trait. Ugh. There goes the

gene pool. It's also been a rough week for news about the other

kids: Nick probably has a mild presentation of whatever has,

and Dr. K wants to see in the clinic. Now I can't even console

myself with chocolate.

Heidi

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