Comments for Diabetes Symptoms Weblog

Comment on Help by Kevin Joselyn

Kevin Joselyn — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:24:20 +0000

I’ve been feeling very lethargic, run down, and I’m having what can
only be described as a form of hot flash. At random times, my face and
neck feel like their burning up.
Felt like this since Wednesday morning. Mom says I’m going through
withdrawal symptoms from bring my blood sugar down.

Comment on Hi by Neva Marjory

Neva Marjory — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:04:32 +0000

Quick bio: I live in the Great Northwest, retired high school teacher
and counselor; married 42 years today! Am fairly healthy and fit
considering my age and habits, just this week getting my weight back
down a few pounds to where I want it.
I was diagnosed with Type-2 just before Christmas of 1996. Two days
later, with new BG monitor kit in hand, I flew with my wife to Belize
for a long-anticipated holiday. I quit obvious sweets “cold turkey,”
but faced the challenge of changing my diet (1) during the Christmas
holidays and (2) in a foreign country. Seemed to work out fine, as
that was the only time in my life that I LOST weight over the
holidays! From that point, I continued to slim down, even though I was
not what most people would think of as particulary fat. (I have the
advantage of being 6′5″, so the extra pounds are not so noticeable.)
Anyway, almost 11 years later, I am on Metformin (850 mg X 3 daily),
Lipitor, and Cymbalta. I remain fairly careful with diet, but do have

a weakness for too many chips and crackers.

Comment on Hi by Berta Shannon

Berta Shannon — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 14:32:45 +0000

Answering roll call

Comment on Good morning by Neva Marjory

Neva Marjory — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:31:25 +0000

My name is Karen, 59 type 2 diabetes identified, newly diagnosed and
I am not on any meds or insulin yet. I went to the doctor because it
was time for my routine check up as I also have fibro, diverticulitis
and lupus. Nice laundry list eh? I weighed in at 257 three weeks
ago. Once I was diagnosed I started at the health club (3x per week)
per doc’s orders to get things back under control, and my husband Rik
and I went through our pantry and frig like detectives getting rid of
every high carb and sugar product.
This week I weighe in at 236 lbs. I am encouraged by that but I am
feeling like this is all a crap shoot. My diet seems so very
different from everyone else I know around here that are also
diabetics. I am very confused and frustrated at not being able to get
a handle on things. Needless to say my BC fluctuates wildly at this
point. I go from 95 (fasting) in the morning to 110 in evening. One
day it went to 178 and I was extremely dizzy so I spent the day in

bed. Next day I was fine. After all this time I finally got up to
one mile on the treadmill then my knee blew out so after my Physical
Therapy appointment I was told to keep walking but to do it in a pool.
I realize I am a newbie to all this and probably not as severe as
many of you long timers with this disease but quite frankly I am
scared. I have learned to manage the lupus and fibro as much as one
can manage. But I just cannot get a handle on this diabetes. I am
confused and scared.
So…other than that…how is everyone’s day eh?
Karen

Comment on New member by Neva Marjory

Neva Marjory — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 03:44:52 +0000

Hello My husband recently has been diagnoised with type 2 diabetes
last April since then we have had numerous sick days trying to regulate
his blood sugar readings .Any advice on this issue?

Comment on Roll call by Ezequiel Daniel

Ezequiel Daniel — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:30:47 +0000

Hi everyone,
I’m one of the moderators of the list and noticed that, although we have
200-some-odd members, the list is very quiet. How many of you out there are
active? I wonder if we can start a roll call and get everyone to introduce
themselves, perhaps with your age, how long you’ve had diabetes and what
type, and what you like to do (work, hobbies, etc.).
I’ll start … I’ve had type 1 diabetes for over 15 years now, since I was
9. I’ve struggled with it a bit over the years, but never really had a
rebellion stage like many teeenagers and young adults do (I’m 25 now, by
the way). Much of my emotions towards diabetes have been frustration and
getting burned out, especially when, after having an A1c of 8% for over five
years, I decided to try and get things under control a few years ago. My
parents worked very hard at managing my diabetes when I was younger, and so
we managed to keep my A1c around 7%, despite the two-shots-a-day insulin
regimen of the time, but of course once I started college things began to

deteriorate, and I occasionally “cheated” or forgot shots, but never got
myself into any major trouble. I began seeing my endocrinologist regularly
again, got off of NPH insulin and onto Lantus, which had just come out in
Canada, and that helped a lot. But no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get
my A1c below 7% where I wanted it — the lowest I could manage was 7.1%, and
I only achieved that once. Almost three months ago now I started using an
insulin pump, and it has lessened a lot of my frustrations and kept my blood
sugars steadier than they’ve been in years. I’m hoping that when I get my
A1c done next week, it will be below the magic 7%! I still get frustrated
when, on days like today, my blood sugar swings from a low of 3.4 mmol/l (61
mg/dl) to a high of 18.1 mmol/l (326 mg/dl) for seemingly no reason I can
find, and the daily grind of testing and bolusing and carbohydrate counting
and record-keeping and testing basal rates and changing infusion sets and
all the rest seems overwhelming sometimes, but I know in the long run it all
pays off. I finished university this past December with a Bachelor of Arts
in English and a Bachelor of Education in elementary education, and am
currently working as a substitute teacher for my local school district,
which proves for an unpredictable schedule just to add in some more
variables to blood sugars!
Anyway, enough of my rambling! I’d like to hear from some of you!
Jen
List moderator

Comment on Newbie by Neva Marjory

Neva Marjory — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:25:11 +0000

Hi Sama,
Welcome to the list. I’m one of the list moderators. I’m 24 years
old and have had diabetes for 15 years.
I know all too well what you mean about being frustrated and worn
out. Unfortunately, diabetes provides no breaks and no times
to “catch your breath” if you feel overwhelmed. I think this aspect
of diabetes is overlooked a lot. Those around us (me, at least)
don’t see how much it affects me. They don’t see me treating lows or
trying to bring down highs or waking in the middle of the night to
test or giving two injections within an hour of one another to try
and curb the blood sugar spike caused by something like pizza. Even
my parents, who managed diabetes for the first eight years or so
(till I was done high school) are forgetting what the grind is like
from the comments they sometimes make.
I find one of the hardest aspects of diabetes is finding that

balance between trying to maintain perfect control and beating
yourself up over every high or low, and not caring at all and simply
riding the rollercoaster that results from poor control. Right now
I’m somewhere in the middle, but I’ve been at both extremes (most
recently at the minimal control extreme that saw about two readings
a day above 300 and none below 200). One of the most important
things I’ve learned is that I will never LIKE diabetes. I don’t
think it would necessarily be healthy to like it. And I will also
never have perfect control short of getting a cure. And it will
always be an emotional trigger for me. I don’t cry often, but seeing
ads to raise money for JDRF, or segments about diabetic children on
TV, can get me on the brink of tears pretty quickly! Diabetes is an
intimate, daily, struggle, and it’s difficult sometimes to realize
that no one who doesn’t have diabetes themselves can understand what
it’s like. Some days are like fighting and uphill battle, and yet
you can’t simple give up for a day or two and start back, you must
always push on even when the scales are tipped against you.
I have heard that gettig an insulin pump makes managing diabetes
much, much easier. Everyone I have talked to has said it’s the best
diabetes-related decision they’ve ever made. I’m currently taking
five or more shots a day, Lantus in the morning and at night, and
Humalog before meals and snacks. I am hoping to go on the pump in
the next few months, though; right now I’m just waiting on whether
insurance will cover one, which I should hear within the next few
weeks and (hopefully) receive my pump and get training sometime in
late December or early January. The idea of the tubing and infusion
set intimidate me a bit, as does the possibility of something going
wrong with the pump and the dangers associated with that, but I’ve
done a lot of research over the past year and have decided that I
think the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
I hope that this list is helpful to you. I feel like I’m rambling
now so will end my introduction here. Feel free to post about
anything diabetes-related, it doesn’t have to specifically relate to
emotions even though that’s the main focus of the list.
Jen
List Moderator
Type 1 diabetes for 15 years

Comment on Newbie by Gus Shawnee

Gus Shawnee — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 04:08:47 +0000

Hello,
I am a 31 year old type 1 diabetic, I have been diabetic for the
last 13 years and currently use Humalog and Levamir. To be
honest…I am fed up, frusterated and emotinally exhaused by my
diabetes and what it takes to control and balance on a dialy basis.
It hurts me emotionally and causes great conflict with those I
love. It becomes a all or nothing situation and I dont always take
the care I should.
I know I and the ones I love may pay a price for this someday and
that is what keeps me from giving up and keeps me constantly
searching for a way to better handle my condition. I am seriously
considering the pump but I am not pleased with the tubing and large
seperate pump associated with the Minimed and the Omnipod is not yet
available in my area. Please if you have any current information on
the new and upcoming technology of pumps or a definate prefrence

please let me know.
Thank you for your time.
Peace, Sama

Comment on (no subject) by Von Delta

Von Delta — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 09:40:36 +0000

WELL i AM BACK IT HAS BEEN 7 LONG MOHTS OFGHTIGN THE GREPM REEPRER
SEE . I had a masive heart
atake becuse of the infection I had that caused me to become diabetic
when they were trying to save my life from the infection they were
pumping masive amoutns of iv flued in to get my blood preser up well
after words when I met all fo you I never felt right and I had problims
breathing well they sent me to a lung doc to see if he had any ideas
what was up come to find out all that flued went into my lungs causing
a phemona well they took 9 litters off 2 times and when they did that
my heart dint know how to handel it it would be like going froma real
thiik blood that your body isnt used to pushing so when it had that
load taken off that it over worked it self into a majo heart akake. so
I wound up in icu for 2 months once they go the heart striong enough to
under go sugery they then rebuilt my heart has good has they could but
they will more then likely have to give me a new heart.

Comment on Hi Everyone by Nellie Donya

Nellie Donya — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 04:42:24 +0000

,
My name is Eileen . My mom has diabetes type II. She been sick with diabetes
since 2003. She been very emotional since the day she was diagnosed . It’s been
very difficult for me to deal with it. I lost my grandmother from complications
from diabetes in 1998. I have to make sure that my mom takes her insulin
everyday before I go to school. I’m also a full-time student as well as my
mother’s caretaker . My dad works outside of the home part-time . Whenever my
mom’s blood readings are too high , she feels discouraged and she wants to die
and it makes me very upset and I start to cry feeling her pain . I keep telling
her that I’m here to help her out even if my dad doesn’t want to help her. I
feel so hurt that the illness has taken over her life . She feels hopeless now
since she became ill . She was in the hospital for CHF back in 2003 . Any help
would be appreiciated . I’m willing to listen since I’m new to the group.
Thank you,
Eileen