[Diabetes-talk] HELP USING THE PRODIGY AUTO CODE METER

Wed May 11 14:54:20 UTC 2016

Anita,

That's what this list is for, smile.

Family health history can be scary. Just do what you're supposed too and be
as positive as possible. A negative attitude can actually hinder health.

Test frequently, follow your medical protocol, take insulin (if you need it)
exercise as much as you can and eat as healthy as possible.

This is not for everyone, and always check with your doctor before doing
anything drastic, but I changed my eating habits and feel really good ever
since. I always ate healthy and exercised, but ever since I had my son, my
body has been out of wack. I did a lot of research and decided to cut out
dairy, wheat, grains, legumes and refined sugars. I know, it sounds super
restrictive, and I was overwhelmed at first and wondered what I would eat.
But like most things in life, once you switch your perspective, implement
some changes, you find things are not that difficult.

To give you an example of what a typical day looks like for me, here's a
menu from yesterday:

Breakfast- 2 eggs fried in coconut oil, 2 turkey sausage links and half cup
grapes
Lunch- green bean and mushrooms sautéed in coconut oil with ground black
pepper and garlic, 1 turkey burger with advacado on top (no bun) and half
cup strawberries
Dinner- lettuce salad with home-made red wine vinegar dressing, baked carrot
fries (carrots drizzled in coconut oil, sprinkled with sea salt and pepper)
sweet mustard baked chicken rolled in almonds and an apple

There's some more preparation in some meals, but I feel full after eating
and don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. Since cutting out dairy,
wheat, sugar and grains, I have more energy, feel less tired and my blood
sugars have really stabled out. I continue to exercise 40 minutes 4 to 5
times a week, if not more, and in fact, my husband and I are currently
training for a triathlon in July.

I don't snack much, but if I feel a bit peckish between meals, I eat things
like fresh fruit and veggies, Larabar bars, nuts, advacados, etc. I keep
lunchmeat on hand when I want a quick protein for meals. It does need to be
lunchmeat with no antibiotics, no man-made preservatives, no nitrates-- we
use a brand called Applegate. We find it at the deli at Target. Applegate
makes a lot of different products that we purchase at home. Its breakfast
sausage, chicken nuggets and corndogs that are gluten-free for my son-- it's
a good product that taste great and is better for you. If I feel like a
sandwhich, I do lettuce wraps and no cheese, but pile on the veggies with
meat. It hasn't been terribly difficult to eat like this.

It has a lot of labels, but a lot of people call this lifestyle Paleo. If
you Google it, you will find a lot of information, plus a ton of recipes.

Again, this is not for everyone, but it has worked for me, and like I said,
I don't feel I'm missing out on much. I also did not eat much sweets or
bread before, so the transition has not been all that major. Dairy has been
the most difficult because I ate a lot of Greek yogurt before. Some people
do this lifestyle but not to its full extent. So you could keep dairy in
your diet, or occasionally have wheat/grains. It all depends on the
individual. But there's a lot of information out there about this type of
diet. Personally, I feel really good, and the fatigue I was experiencing
before is gone.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Anita Ogletree via Diabetes-talk
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 10:19 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Anita Ogletree <aogletree2015 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] HELP USING THE PRODIGY AUTO CODE METER

Hi Kim.

Thank you so very much! I just feel like my body is falling apart with each
birthday. Diabetes and high blood pressure are 2 of the health complications
running rampant in my family.

After watching my mother's health spiral downward and the suffering before
she passed away, I am scared not to help myself.

I hope you don't mind if from time-to-time I reach out to you for answers.

Thanks!

Anita

On Tue, May 10, 2016 at 3:49 PM Ladd, Kim (DBVI) via Diabetes-talk <
diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hi all! I am new to this list. I am not blind, but I am a type 2 
> diabetic and work as a diabetes educator for the blind and vision 
> impaired. I have found great value in being a part of this list serv, 
> because learning from all of your experiences helps to make me not 
> only a better self-manager of my diabetes, but also a better educator.
>
> Anita, I could only locate a pdf version of the Prodigy meter, but 
> below I have pasted the instructions for the alternate site testing 
> for the Prodigy meters.  I hope this helps.
>
> Prodigy Auto Code Alternative Site Testing There are important 
> limitations to Alternate Site Testing (AST). Please consult your 
> healthcare professional before performing AST.
> What is AST? Alternate Site Testing (AST) means you can use parts of 
> the body other than your fingertips to check your blood glucose levels.
> Prodigy(r) meters allow you to test on your palm, forearm, upper arm, 
> calf or thigh.
> What is the Advantage? Fingertips feel pain more readily because they 
> are full of nerve endings (receptors). At other body sites, nerve 
> endings are not so numerous and you will not feel as much pain as you 
> will experience at the fingertip.
> When to use AST? Food, medication, illness, stress and exercise can 
> affect blood glucose levels. Capillary blood at the fingertip reflects 
> these changes faster than capillary blood at other sites. Therefore, 
> if you are testing your blood glucose level during or immediately 
> after a meal, physical exercise or stressful event, take the blood 
> sample from your fingertip only.
> Use AST only:
> Two hours or more after your last meal.
> Two hours or more after taking insulin.
> Two hours or more after exercise.
> During a relaxed and calm state.
>
> Do not use AST if:
> You have reason to believe you have hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
> Your routine glucose results are often fluctuating.
> You are pregnant.
> To increase accuracy when using AST, rub the puncture site before 
> extracting blood.
>
> Kim Ladd, RN, BS, CPHQ
> Diabetes Educator
> Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind & Vision Impaired
> 401 Azalea Avenue
> Richmond, Virginia 23227
> Email: kim.ladd at dbvi.virginia.gov
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Mike Freeman via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 4:35 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: Mike Freeman
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] HELP USING THE PRODIGY AUTO CODE METER
>
> Anita:
>
> Insofar as I am aware, there is no accessible copy of the Autocode manual.
> This isn't surprising as the Autocode is nowhere as accessible as is 
> the Prodigy Voice. You will have to have sighted assistance to set up 
> the Autocode and you won't be able to review readings in memory nor 
> will you be able to repeat the speech of the last reading; reviewing 
> readings from memory requires sight. In other words, the autocode 
> speaks the current reading *Once* so you'd better be listening closely 
> and be ready to write it down.
>
> All is not lost, however. The Prodigy Voice can use Autocode strips so 
> just get a Prodigy Voice and get the Autocode strips from your 
> pharmacy; no one will be the wiser. That's what I do.
>
> As for alternate site testing, I know of no blind person who has 
> successfully done this precisely because one can't feel where one 
> poked. I ran into a diabetes educator once who maintained that it 
> could be done but, as I say, I've never known any blind person who did 
> this because one has to let the blood flow up into the tube when you poke.
>
> So for most people, finger-sticking it is. We can help you with this.
>
> Pharmacies/doctors most often have *no* idea what it takes to make an 
> accessible meter and they tend to think that if it talks at all, it is 
> accessible. Balderdash!
>
> Mike Freeman
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Anita Ogletree via Diabetes-talk
> Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 1:00 PM
> To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Anita Ogletree
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] HELP USING THE PRODIGY AUTO CODE METER
>
> Hello.
>
>
>
> I haven't commented on this list for a while but I believe some of you 
> remember me.
>
>
>
> I was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic, which a lot of folks have 
> suggested that really means that I am a diabetic. At my last doctor's 
> visit and according to the lab results from March, my A1C was down from
6.3 to 5.7.
>
>
>
> I have switched from the Prodigy Talking meter to the Prodigy Auto 
> Code because the insurance I have now uses it's own pharmacy and the 
> Auto Code was recommended.  Other than the fact that the Auto Code can 
> be used to test on alternate parts of the body, does anyone know if 
> one is better than the other? Or is it a matter of personal preference?
>
>
>
> I also am going to confess that when I only had the Prodigy meter with 
> speech that only allowed the testing on the fingers, I was unable to 
> do the testing myself because I could not steady my hand in order to 
> stick my finger. So it has been a long time since I've kept up with 
> testing. I've only recently received the Prodigy Auto Code this past 
> weekend and I have been trying to read the user's manual that is to 
> difficult to scan. I found one online but it seems only to refer to the
one without the Auto Code.
>
>
>
> Can anyone direct me to accessible instructions for the Auto Code or 
> does anyone on the list have an accessible format that you are willing to
share?
> I really want to start monitoring my blood sugar so that there are no 
> surprises when I visit my doctor again. I have experienced a lot of 
> pain in my legs and feet over the past couple of days but that may be 
> due to the fact that I was doing a lot of walking last week wearing
sandals.
>
>
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>
> Anita
>
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