[Diabetes-talk] why I don't test myself

Tue Sep 3 19:54:54 UTC 2013

Also, from what I understand, pre-diabetic means you are starting to
exhibit symptoms that could lead to diabetes. Usually your A1-C is
elevated enough to cause concern. Most diagnosed as pre-diabetic can
diet and exercise, lower their A1-C back to a normal range and are no
longer in the *danger zone* for diabetes, though it's something checked
periodically.

My father-in-law was diagnosed as pre-diabetic after his A1-C went up.
For a type 1 or 2 it would have been a great range, but for a currently
non-diabetic, it was elevated. After diet and exercise, he lost about 30
pounds and his A1-C came back down. He currently has no problems or
symptoms.

I think it's kind of like how women can develop diabetes during
pregnancy, gestational diabetes, but usually once baby arrives, the
diabetes *goes away*. Not quite the same, but similar.

Basically, pre-diabetic means you have an elevated A1-C and may be
exhibiting other minor symptoms of diabetes, and if action isn't taken,
it will lead to a diagnosis of type 2.

I'm sure others are much more educated and knowledgeable on this topic.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of d m gina
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2013 11:03 AM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] why I don't test myself

Something I don't understand,
how can one be a pre diabetic.
Either you are a diabetic or you are not.
I don't know how mine climbed in the seven range, where I do watch. It 
is near seven now, but was higher.
I used to be in the six range. I am hoping to get there again. I have to
say I am salad out, I just get plain tired of salads all of the time. I
also was told I need to get more weight off by Janurary. I shared that I
am getting a pound off a week, where I wasn't going to 
go any faster.
At no time I will refuse to take the shot I did to have my heart rate 
go so fast in the middle of the night, waking me from sleep. Shaking so
hard that I thought I was cold. Even with the blanket on. I see no
reason to go to the hospital when I don't have to. Now maybe that was to
strong for the doctor to hear, where I take pride 
to make sure I don't have to go into the hospital.
I am doing everything else the doctor has asked, except for the shot. I
am doing the half a cup of food, or a cup if I don't have to many 
carbs for that meal.
My diabetic coordinator says I am doing well.
We work closely together, that is something I am pleased about. My
doctor is a diabetic, just because this shot works for him, it 
didn't work well for me.
Just some thoughts.

Original message:
> A close friend was diagnosed as *prediabetic*, and she refuses to 
> follow anything the doctor has recommended including taking a 
> medication. Her A1-C was 6.0, which is great for diabetics but not so 
> much for non-diabetics, but she won't believe me. Go figure.

> My brother-in-law was recently diagnosed with type 2, and after 
> incorporating some exercise and better diet into his routine, his A1-C

> has significantly dropped, but he's now thinking he can not test, or 
> test very infrequently, as a result of the lower A1-C.

> One of the reasons an A1-C gets better is because of frequent, 
> consistent testing. It allows us and our doctors to track and catch 
> trends in sugars and make necessary changes based on those trends. The

> goal is to achieve a certain A1-C, but the testing is a part of 
> continueing to have lower A1-C's, and without this tracking, it can be

> difficult to know why sugars, and when, they are causing problems. The

> A1-C gives an over-all idea of what sugars run in a three month time 
> period, but it can't tell a doctor what trends are and where changes 
> may need to happen. Daily testing, among diet and exercise, are what 
> determine this.

> And I should mention that we are all commenting on this topic not 
> because we think we have the answers, or all of them, or are trying to

> tell people how to live, but we are just concerned when we hear things

> like someone not testing and want to help.

> Bridgit

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Bernadette Jacobs
> Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2013 10:25 AM
> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] why I don't test myself

> Hey Gang:

> Bern here!!  Everyone here has a valid point and even as for Julie:  I

> can see where you're going.  However, listen to everyone else here 
> because you've got advice here from absolutely the BEST!  And I do 
> mean the VERY BEST!!!  When I first read over your message Julie, I 
> don't mind telling you, it sent chills up and down my spine for the 
> very reasons Bridgit, Mike, and Veronica all raise here.  My other 
> huge, huge gripe here is now people are coming up with this "pre" 
> diabetes garbage. And, of course, my mother-in-law was just diagnosed 
> with... of course... "pre" diabetes.  Has anyone heard of being "half"

> or "Pre"-pregnant??? Sure would like to find out who the first quack 
> was that ever came up with this hogwash!  I'd like to hang 'em!  I'm 
> with Mike here because, even at that point, diabetics need to be 
> taught and practice frequent testing.  We diabetics all know we can't 
> be too cautious.

> I'd be lying to all of you if I didn't admit that I've had my own 
> testing woes.  But that's why I do test very, very often; maybe even 
> moreso than I need to because I don't want to get out of practice. I 
> too, feel that testing is vital!!

> Have a great day everyone!!

> Bern
> On 9/2/13, Julie Kline <julie.kline at rochester.rr.com> wrote:
>> Hello all,

>> I don't mean to sound like I am gloating here, but I'd like to share 
>> my thoughts of the messages I have seen over the past few days. 
>> Reading over these messages, this is exactly the reason why I don't 
>> do

>> testing for my own blood glucose anymore.  I have had nothing but 
>> trouble with both talking meters and I'm sorry I spent the money on 
>> either one.  Even having people from the diabetes centers we have 
>> here

>> watching me, I haven't been able to get enough blood to get enough of

>> a sample, while the meters at the diabetes center work just fine.  I 
>> feel that with a 20 point plus or minus
> accuracy
>> that seems to come with the talking meters, I'm not willing to
> continually
>> sit there and poke my fingers for the 20 minutes it takes to finally
> get
>> enough blood.  And yes, I have done the hot water thing, massaged the

>> finger, held it to the lancet on maximum setting, stayed hydrated, 
>> the rubber band thing . but testing with a talking meter just hasn't
> worked out
>> for me, so I don't bother with it, and these messages just confirm to
> me
>> why.  I still do whatever lab work or tests my doctor or diabetes
> center
>> ask
>> me to do, and I stay on top of these tests every 3 months.  However, 
>> I found that I've lost enough weight now and that weight loss that 
>> came from
> eating
>> better, combined with exercising an hour 5 days a week walking 4 
>> miles
> a
>> session, and my medications, have given me 2 a1c readings of between 
>> 6
> and
>> 6.2.  When I first learned I had diabetes, I was 83 pounds heavier 
>> and
> had
>> an a1c reading of 8.6.  I know that the approach I take won't work 
>> for everybody, especially for people who have to take insulin.  But 
>> for
> myself,
>> I have type 2 diabetes and am not at that point yet.  At least for
> myself,
>> it has been possible to turn things around and I'd be willing to
> recommend
>> exercise DVDs that I use and found helpful if anyone is interested.  
>> I recognize, or at least people tell me, that diabetes is a 
>> progressive illness.  I hope that when it does come my time where 
>> things get
> worse,
>> that
>> they will have perfected these meters more and maybe they can work
> better
>> with people who can't generate enough blood, but for now I have much
> better
>> use of my fingers for other things, like reading Braille.

>> Just my thoughts on the whole thing.

>> Julie

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