[Diabetes-talk] Fw: Good News?

Fri Sep 4 11:39:33 UTC 2015

Hey gang! Burn here! Yeah, I know. It's been a long time since I've posted. I have been reading things on and off, and have found this to be the most loving, relaxing, and informative. I too, for many years, have felt like my A-1 C was a forecaster of doom and gloom. I feel better, not worrying about that, quite so much. I have been started on Invokana at the beginning of the year. Since then, however, it's very seldom I see a 200 number. One of the things I do, it may sound crazy. However, it certainly indicates anything one way or another. When ever I feel unusually thirsty, tired, or just not right. No matter how many times I have tested throughout the day, I test. That, for me, is usually an indication that I need to take some action.

Everett, I'm so thrilled for you. This is great. As for Veronica, and Bridget, and Mike, I feel like this is old – home week for me, once again, all of you, and your own way have reaffirmed my conviction. And that is, we must all take every advice for what we here, and some of it, needs to be taken with a grain of salt. What we must do, is really listen to our bodies. For it is we, who know our bodies best. Yes, there are some medical professionals with great expertise. However, they don't live with us. And they don't spend time in our bodies. We, here. Our our own experts. Not that we shouldn't listen to anyone else. But, we still know ourselves best. I thank you guys for being so wonderful. I appreciate everyone's candor. This is great. I, too have been on other lists. But I always come back to this one, when I need true, blue, advice, insight, and expertise. Thank you guys!! You are absolutely phantabulous!!!

Bern.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 3, 2015, at 10:40 PM, Veronica Elsea via Diabetes-talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I am really enjoying all of the kindness and wisdom on this list. Very well stated, Bridgit. And after reading all of these posts, hahahaha, let's see, I tried five times before dinner to do a stick and get a number. No luck! But I knew I was running high because I could feel it. No surprise though. Earlier today I was threading my way through a bunch of obstacles on the sidewalk when this branch just jumped out and clobbered me below my left eye. My prosthetic eye flew out, hit a pole and I spent the next fifteen minutes crawling around looking for it. My dog finally pointed it out with his nose. But boy tonight that eye is really hurting. And I do find that pain above a certain level just makes my numbers crazy! This is one thing diabetes did teach me. Stress hormones are not nice to the system. Not at all! I now treat pain I might have tried to tough out 30 years ago because I can see the results of it when I test. Well, that is, succeed at testing! Sheesh! 
> And Dar, even something like an increase in oxygen could help even out your numbers. Please don't be afraid of taking care of that nice body you have. <grin>
> Thanks again, all of you.
> Veronica
> 
> "Guide Dogs, First Hand", Veronica Elsea's classic album is now available on iTunes, along with other music from her and from the Guide Dog Glee Club. 
> To learn more, visit:
> http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
>                Veronica Elsea, Owner
> Laurel Creek Music Designs
> Santa Cruz, California
> Phone: 831-429-6407
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mark Tardif via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2015 6:05 PM
> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
> Cc: Mark Tardif
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Fw: Good News?
> 
> Thank you, Bridgit.  And I will certainly be seeking those resources and I 
> want to read the entire book, "Bridging the Gap."  Thank you very much, and 
> this is very much what I need to be aware of.
> 
> 
> 
> Mark Tardif
> Nuclear arms will not hold you.
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2015 9:01 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Fw: Good News?
> 
> There's a lot of great resources out there for diet and exercise, and by 
> diet, I mean meal plans, of the lifestyle variety, smile.
> 
> Bridgit
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
> Mark Tardif via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2015 7:58 PM
> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Mark Tardif <markspark at roadrunner.com>
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Fw: Good News?
> 
> And if it becomes necessary and my doctor recommends it, I will test 3 or 4 
> times a day and become stricter about exercise and diet.  Actually, my 
> exercise routine is good, (a lot of walking, and in this neighborhood we 
> have a lot of hills,) but my food intake certainly needs modification.
> 
> 
> 
> Mark Tardif
> Nuclear arms will not hold you.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2015 8:50 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Fw: Good News?
> 
> Mark,
> 
> That's one big difference between ones and twos: two's tend to remain more 
> consistent than type one's, and that's why two's can usually test less 
> frequently. Personally, I think two's, regardless of A1-C's, should test 
> four times a day, but as long as you're managing things and are healthy, 
> what works for you is what works. One's have much more problems with 
> inconsistencies, and that's why it's important we test as frequently as 
> possible. At 200 and higher, I can definitely feel it, and I don't like how 
> I feel in these ranges. Even if bolusing correctly, one's still tend to have 
> more potential problems with inconsistencies.
> 
> Bridgit
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Mark Tardif via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2015 6:51 PM
> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Mark Tardif <markspark at roadrunner.com>
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Fw: Good News?
> 
> I think what you said here is very important.  I have type two diabetes,
> don't take insulin yet, just metformin, and my last A1C level was 5.9, and I
> felt perfectly fine and my doctor thought that was very appropriate in my
> case.  Even though I like ice cream, my glucose readings rarely go above
> 200, and I can test once or twice a day with no problem.
> 
> 
> 
> Mark Tardif
> Nuclear arms will not hold you.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2015 11:53 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Fw: Good News?
> 
> Eileen,
> 
> Diabetes is an individual disease, at the end of the day. Some regimines
> work better for some, and not so much for others. So many variables go into
> the equation, and while there are some constants, so much more is variable.
> 
> What's an acceptable A1-C depends on a lot. For me, going below 7 means I'm
> running too low. For others, they can go below 7 and be totally fine. Type
> two's can usually have lower A1-C's too. There are differences between type
> one and two, and people don't always understand that. My grandma is a type
> two, and I'm a type one. She typically has A1-C's 6. 5 and lower. She
> doesn't understand why I shouldn't have mine lower, but the difference
> between one and two can be varied enough to create such differences.
> 
> Like Veronica, I need to get my daily work-out in. As a teen and in my early
> 20's, I ran three to five miles a day, and I danced-- ballet, tap, jazz--
> and while I still incorporate ballet barre exercises into my work-out, I
> like to either power walk outside or use my elliptical at home for cardio. I
> do my ballet barre exercises and stretches afterwards. Sometimes I jog on a
> mini-trampoline too. In total, my work-outs last an hour to an
> hour-and-a-half. I usually have to disconnect during cardio then hook back
> up an hour afterwards. I test before working out then an hour-and-a-half
> after the work-out. Have you tried exercising at the same time each day?
> This can help with consistency, and you can usually judge what your sugars
> will run before and after since doing it at the same time. You could also do
> it after a meal, adding a little more carbs to that meal. I have a
> three-year-old, so I tend to work-out late at night, like between nine and
> ten, since that's usually when I can get a lot done without distractions,
> smile. I tend to run higher at night, mid to upper 100's, so this actually
> works out. I also don't eat much during the day, mostly grabbing what I
> can-- Greek yogurt, Clif bars, salads-- and I usually don't snack unless
> low, so I try to make supper the one meal I sit down and have a full course
> with all the wonderful foods you are suppose to fit into each meal, smile.
> 
> But it's really individually based. You can't always judge your treatment
> and effects of by how others are treated and their results. I can eat a
> candy bar, bolus and remain at 120, while a friend of mine will eat candy,
> bolus and have crazy, inconsistent sugars all the rest of the day. If I do
> run high, say 300 or higher, which happens during my lady time, when I
> correct, I can drop in an hour. The same friend will take all day to come
> down from a high sugar. For breakfast and lunch, my carb/insulin ratio is
> one per 22, while at supper, it's one per 15. And this ratio can also change
> depending on the carb I'm eating. Like if pasta, no matter the time of day,
> I usually do one per 15, though I eat pasta sparingly. My friend always
> needs to do one per 10, regardless of time of day or carb.
> 
> So what works for one, doesn't always work for another person. Do what works
> for you and what your doctors recommend, and as long as you achieve results
> you're happy with, it's okay. And if you want to try to get your A1-C below
> 7, try. If you start running low frequently, then you likely are good
> staying in the 7 to 8 range.
> 
> Bridgit
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Eileen Scrivani via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2015 6:40 PM
> To: NFB Diabetes Talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Eileen Scrivani <etscrivani at verizon.net>
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Fw: Good News?
> 
> 
> Hi Veronica and all:
> 
> This for me has been a really interesting topic.
> 
> I too have been using a pump for a year and a half now.  While my numbers
> are certainly better than what I had been experiencing, they are in my mind,
> still not perfect or the perfect I’d like them to be.  I’ve found that
> getting rid of the long acting Lantus in my insulin regiment has totally
> eliminated extreme highs.  That’s not to say I don’t have highs & lows, but
> the highs are at least contained to being no more than the high 200’s which
> I can live with and fix.
> 
> Usually, when I go high  its due to poor estimating of my carb
> intake/insulin ratio.  I’ve been a diabetic since I was 5, and I have had
> good control with really good A1C’s.  However, weird things started
> happening to my control in my 40’s.  When I was using Lantus I would see BG
> numbers that could be in the 300’s, 400’s and even higher!  I found it
> really stressful and was constantly fretting over the numbers.  Its not like
> I wasn’t watching my diet or not exercising.  .  .  Making the change to the
> pump and only having Novolog in my system has made a big difference and
> leveled out the numbers.  The only thing I have been left questioning has
> been my A1C results.  I’ve pretty much been around 7.4 to 7.8.  Last year
> when I first started the pump I did get the A1C down to 6.3, but that’s
> because I was having far too many lows while adjusting insulin rates.  My
> doctor and Diabetic Educator have told me over and over that the numbers I’m
> running are fine and they don’t want me down around 6.something because that
> would leave me having too many low BGs and could be damaging to the heart
> and heart function.
> 
> I’ve been questioning the advice, because I’ve heard other diabetics always
> insisting that the closer to a 6 you can get the A1C the better your control
> and the less the chance of complications.  This just has left me feeling
> like I was doing something, somewhere so wrong by having a 7.whatever A1C
> number.
> 
> So, bottom line is I feel a lot better after reading the posts by Bridget,
> yourself & everet today.
> 
> As for exercising for a full hour – I wish I could! Even after a short
> workout of 20 or 30 minutes my BG level crashes.  I disconnect the pump
> during and then leave it off for another half hour to a full hour.  Still, I
> can sometimes have horrible lows.  I wish I could get a better handle on
> getting that leveled out so I could exercise with a bit less worry.
> 
> Thanks for the great topic today and we’ll all just keep striving together
> to improve control.
> 
> Eileen
> 
> 
> From: Veronica Elsea via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Wednesday, September 2, 2015 5:22 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: Veronica Elsea
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Good News?
> 
> Hi Everett!
> Oh how I loved reading your post. Congrats and bravo for you. When I was
> first diagnosed at age 34, for the first couple of years my A1C ran between
> 13 and 16 no matter what I seemed to do. NPH insulin just didn't obsorb
> consistently and no amount of fiddling seemed to sort me out. Within two
> months on a pump, I had my A1C down to 7 to 8 range, where I seem to spend a
> lot of time. I seem to go from being really on top of things to phases of
> burn out, then back at it again, then burn out. So what I really like here
> is that ability to be, well, human, knowing that sometimes it's okay to ride
> the ups and downs with a supportive group. The sanity for me is exercise. I
> feel really weird if I don't walk at least an hour a day.
> My biggest struggle right now is blood testing. My callouses are really a
> problem and the swollen fingers from rheumatoid arthritis don't help much.
> But as you said, just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. <grin> Oh wait!
> Striving! <laughing!
> So go for it, all of us!
> Veronica
> 
> "Guide Dogs, First Hand", Veronica Elsea's classic album is now available on
> iTunes, along with other music from her and from the Guide Dog Glee Club.
> To learn more, visit:
> http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
>                Veronica Elsea, Owner
> Laurel Creek Music Designs
> Santa Cruz, California
> Phone: 831-429-6407
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Mike Freeman via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2015 12:55 PM
> To: 'Everett Gavel'; 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: Mike Freeman
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Good News?
> 
> Hey Everett! Bravo, my man! Glad your attitude adjustment is working! Keep
> it up!
> 
> Mike
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Everett Gavel via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2015 11:56 AM
> To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Everett Gavel
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Good News?
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I just realized that, while I've recently begun sharing a little more about
> my personal situation with my diabetes publicly on some 'blind diabetic'
> lists, I've yet to share it here on my original and most favorite, most
> read, bestest list of them all for blind diabetics. Please forgive me for
> that.
> 
> I do have some good news to share. Good for me, at least. A week or two ago,
> my doc told me my a1c was 8.0. Now, that may not be all that great, but try
> to understand, I'm pretty sure it's not been that low, personally, since I
> was a young teenager, and possibly even before that.
> 
> I got diabetes when I was 10, and all through my teens and 20's, and I'll
> admit, even into my 30's truly, I was as stupid, er, stubborn as they come.
> At least in regards to my diabetes. I pretty much ignored it as much as I
> could without bringing on a quick death. About all I did for the first
> couple of decades (I'm 45 now) was to take my insulin once and for a while
> twice a day. That's it.
> 
> I never cared what my a1c was on those 3-month appointments I sometimes kept
> with my docs. But a few years ago I started smartening up a bit.
> Little by little I tried taking better care of my diabetes. I finally gave
> in and got a Medtronic pump about 1.5 years ago.
> 
> Today, I can say I finally made the mental switch and gave into the need,
> the smarter choice, to actually monitor my glucose levels regularly.
> Nowadays, if I don't test at least 4 times a day, I feel wierd. Maybe it's
> some kind of guilt or something, I don't know. But I *like* that it feels
> wrong to not test at least 4 times a day, these days.
> 
> So, all that being rambled on about, while I realize it may be along the
> lines of too little too late, I'm hoping for the other cliche to be more
> true, where it says, better late than never.
> ;-)
> 
> So my BS levels are 8.0. Well, okay, my 'BS' (and
> sarcasm) levels are often far higher than that, but, my blood sugar levels
> are now most often under 200, and for me, that's great. For decades, my
> average has been between 300 & 400 when I'd test it. I've been clocked more
> times than I can count, back in the day when the Joslin Diabetes Center was
> where I went for my 3-month check ups as a teen, at over 700. These days, I
> can't seem to find a monitor that doesn't quit counting around 599 or 600,
> seems like. But I don't test em out like that too much anymore either, so
> who knows? I'm glad I can say I don't know that for sure, actually.
> 
> Anyway, I'm newly inspired by my 8.0 a1c. In 3 months, my new goal is 7.0.
> I'm not just counting carbs and taking insulin to cover, now. It's a
> challenge, and I love a good challenge. So I'm actually (gasp) paying
> attention to what I'm eating, and not just counting carbs. I'm actually
> focusing on, go figure, EATING BETTER.
> 
> So, I just wanted to share my small bit of good news and new inspiration.
> You all, here, have been inspiring to me over the years, and I truly
> appreciate all that you share.
> 
> 
> Strive On!
> Everett
> In Colorado Springs, USA
> 
> 
> 
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