Re: Diabetes--insulin (long)

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

I see just a gp,she has a chemistry and metabolic background. I found her after

searching for awhile since the physician I was seeing at the time was unwilling

to learn about melas or work with the physician who diagnosed melas in Milwaukee

two hours away. I am glad I switched because when my husband took my son

there a couple of years ago because they were open at night he told them it was

all in my son's head--he just did not want to go to school faking his stomach

hurt. We then took him to the gp and she said lucky he came in. They took

xrays and he was so constipated that he could have become very seriously ill.

The other doctor would not even take xrays.

Anyway, she is great. I really felt bad telling her that I could not go back to

the endocrinologist she recommended because she just kept upping the insulin and

did not believe that my blood sugar went up when I exercised. My gp was great

and said that it could be because of the high lactic acid may prevent the

insulin from working. She then suggested I talk to this nurse practioner who

knew alot about the insulin pump.

I was skeptical the pump would work because whenever I have started a medication

in the past my blood sugar would initially go down a bit but I was always stuck

at 257 or so every morning. I had not had a problem till about 1996 although I

have been borderline since late high school around 1980 and was on insulin

during my pregnancy in 1992. My sugars then were never over 200.

The pump is great and in December my gp asked how the pump was working. I told

her that if I take it off for more than an hour or two my blood sugar goes up

into the 200's or if I forget to give myself a little extra before I go walking

around a big store. She was not surprised that what my body needs is just a

little bit every hour. Like I said my morning sugars are now sometimes around

68 although I like to keep them around 100 or 115.

The first few months I was testing my blood sugar every two hours to get some

readings and figure out the amount I needed every hour. Now I just check about

2 1/2- 3 hrs after a meal and sometimes do not do that. Most of the time I

check before a meal though. I have lowered my target blood sugar to 115 and

lowered my hourly amounts from 2.0 during the day to 1.8 and at night from 1.6

to 1.4 units.

At first I would always get dizzy if my blood sugar went below 150, that is

because my body was used to the higher numbers. Now I do not get dizzy until my

sugar reaches around 70.

Even though I still do not like changing the insertion unit, I like the fact I

do not have to take shots and try to find a new place to insert the needle each

time. I only change it every 4 days, more often if I hit a blood vessel or the

site is irritated. The insertion needle is not any longer than the insulin

needle tip though. I also have a one touch ultra meter and their lancet allows

me to test on my forearm, not my fingers.

Well, if you have any more questions let me know or call me at .

Also, the pump I have has a website--minimed.com It has a few question and

answers. If in the future your 2 year old needs insulin this may also be an

option has the pump has features of a strap to keep it connected to the body and

remote control and a guard so the buttons do not get pushed accidently. I know

there are other pump brands out there but not sure exactly what they are called

or if they have websites.

Janet Sample

Diabetes

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> 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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