Diabetic anyone?

[Kenna]

Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly

There is currently a lawsuit regarding Actos and bladder cancer, so maybe look up what signs you should watch out for and just be cautious. I was put on Actos several years ago and i had problems with weight gain and stomache pain.

I am currently on insulin only, as i don't tolerate (or frankly trust) all the new medications touted as the next new "wonder drug".

Thank you, Ma'am. .Good information to know. My coach promoted Actos as "no side effects as like Metformin"...I'll mention this to her during our next meeting.

[Kenna]

Ok....so today was humbling and a bit scary.
Recently Doc put me on a double dose (20 days instead of 10) of steroids. Because it messes with my sugar levels they also increased my Actos.
This past weekend I had a really great physically able time. It was awesome! The steroids help with inflammation, bone pain and the nerves in my legs....
But today, apparently, I paid for it.
I didn't eat right over the weekend... but it wasn't terrible stuff. ...this morning my fasting sugar was 208...the highest I recall it ever being. After breakfast and meds, I got really sick. By noon it was only down 3 points...after that, I had to lay down in a dark room because of my busting headache and exhaustion. Sick to stomach, terrible hot flashes and soaking sweating...got up around 4 or 5....did chores, checked sugar again....237!!! The highest I've ever recorded!
Had dinner of nice salad topped with a bit of chicken salad. Sooooo yummy and fresh. My tummy did finally settle. But I am still feeling like I've been fighting the flu and the damn headache. Thank god the hot flashes and gut cramps stopped.

I took an extra Actos tonight in hopes it will help tomorrow...
I have a big day of chores and working with the new additions to the farm tomorrow...
Thank you for listening...it was really scary and I couldn't reach my health coach.

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Kenna

Ok....so today was humbling and a bit scary.
Recently Doc put me on a double dose (20 days instead of 10) of steroids. Because it messes with my sugar levels they also increased my Actos.
This past weekend I had a really great physically able time. It was awesome! The steroids help with inflammation, bone pain and the nerves in my legs....
But today, apparently, I paid for it.
I didn't eat right over the weekend... but it wasn't terrible stuff. ...this morning my fasting sugar was 208...the highest I recall it ever being. After breakfast and meds, I got really sick. By noon it was only down 3 points...after that, I had to lay down in a dark room because of my busting headache and exhaustion. Sick to stomach, terrible hot flashes and soaking sweating...got up around 4 or 5....did chores, checked sugar again....237!!! The highest I've ever recorded!

Had dinner of nice salad topped with a bit of chicken salad. Sooooo yummy and fresh. My tummy did finally settle. But I am still feeling like I've been
fighting the flu and the damn headache. Thank god the hot flashes and gut cramps stopped.

I took an extra Actos tonight in hopes it will help tomorrow...
I have a big day of chores and working with the new additions to the farm tomorrow...
Thank you for listening...it was really scary and I couldn't reach my health coach.

As you are aware, steroids can really mess with your blood sugar short term...actos is a medicine that takes a while (4-6weeks) to react properly with your body, and will not make up for a higher number simply by taking more short term. Once you stop taking the steroids your numbers should go back down to a more managable level. An interesting side note...you can actually get type 2 diabetes from long term steroid use!

Exercise, low carbs and LOTS of water will help get your numbers back down when steroids are in use. Your kidneys will suffer damage when your blood sugar is over 200 for an extended period of time, so you are right to be concerned if your numbers remain high, especially overnight.

I am not a doctor, nor do i play one on tv...so please get ahold of your coach for help when you can.

Blessings to you

[Kenna]

Thank you very much MsTinkerbelly. You are above awesome! I sincerely appreciate your support.
It's been a tough day. I hurt from pain caused by other disability so in combination with how sick I got today, it was terrible hard to exercise but I honesty did try...especially in the morning and before noon when I had to tend to my new baby goats (that are soooo fun to see play and I enjoyed giving them breakfast)...I did other yard chores, tried to cut tree limbs and honeysuckle for the babies and did 2 loads of laundry until I couldn't take the headache any longer and laid down.

Dinner was refreshing...but damn, I didn't know that about the Actos not helping to bring down a spike. Sigh....
My health coach only works at the clinic part time and as a Pharmacy Professor as her other job. ...I'll call the nurse tomorrow because my head is still splitting and numbers have jumped to 241 instead of going down.
Thanks again! Especially for such a quick response.

[Rockinonahigh]

Being diabetic is a royal pain in the a**,so far I have gone from a 7 in my a1c test to a 5 on the last one I had. Even though I am keeping the numbers way down ...95 to a 100 most times in the morning then the highest I have been is 170 only one time and it scared me to no end that it would really get out of hand. I had baked cookies with splenda but they had fresh coco in it as well, I didn't feel bad just the numbers threw me for a loop, I ate six over the day but was active and did drink plenty of fluids. Today I am going to my first diabetic session at the hospital with a group of folks, my doctor has never set me up with one so I ended up calling the diabetic association to get with these folks...I do hope I get somewhere with this cause where I don't micro manage my meal plan I am careful for the most part, plus I exercise as much as I can without blowing my back. Today was a screwy day when getting out of bed I tricked into muscle cramps that kept on for ever to the point I thought I would end up in the E.R. but I got hold of my Doctors office plus took a 500 mg Robaxin pill ad a couple of pain pills I was due for anyway. I have to much to do to waist a day dealing with this, all I did was roll out of bed then "BAM" it hit, getting out of bed is the only way this starts so far. Who knew getting up in the morning could be such a trick.

[Kenna]

Yes. It is a royal pain in the ass. I do admire you for assertively sticking to your own plan (not micromanagement) and keeping your numbers as low. I can't wait for the day when mine are around 100-120.
I struggle sometimes with my food plan especially on high pain days. And it seems every time I see the Doc, they are changing my meds...recent additions are Neurontin for nerve pain, steroids, Prazosin and the increased Actos. On high pain days I can barely manage to get a decent breakfast to take my meds with. I'm happy the steroids help with a bunch of the pain and inflammation...but I hate the trade off with sugar levels.

[Rockinonahigh]

I'm taking 500 mg of metformin twice a day then working out as much as I dare without doing more damage to my back. If my Doc knew what I ate sometimes she would lay the golden egg. Today I ate a small bowl of honey nut cereal, two slices of whole wheat toast with pnb on it and an orange plus coffee straight up. I keep fiber one bars around of I want a sweet snack only 90 calories and 17 carbs is doable, I check the diet food area for anything that will work. I am a grazer and don't often sit for a meal so several small meals work best for me. Apples and oranges along with low call yogurt keep me going. In case of emergency I keep glucose pills with me right along with my extra test kit.I play on multiple pool teams so I need to keep things balanced as bar food is a touchy thing cause its not something I really need. The only issue I have with metformin is it sqiggs my guts now and again.

[Kenna]

After a huge struggle, I finally got my numbers back down to 147 (recorded at midnight) ...this was several hours after dinner of a no-carb salad with a bunch of meat and eggs for protein and much more water than I'm accustomed to. Since today was a high pain day, I did as much exercise as possible between the cool morning hours of 6:30-7:30...pacing myself as I fed all the farm critters. Then unfortunately I was hurting so bad I had to go back to bed a while after breakfast of block cheese, water and meds....I gave my Cherrios to the baby goats. They enjoyed them as much as I do...but I guess from here on out, I can't have my favorite cereal or hot oatmeal because of how high the carbs are.

I spoke with my Aunt (a medical professional as well as long term diabetic, and she cared for my Gramma for 15 years through her struggle with very chronic, extreme diabetes)...told her about the Actos...she said it seems my body isn't reacting to it like it should and she recommended I ask Doc to switch me to Glipiside...this is another med I've never heard of.

It's been a hard two days...much thanks to those here that helped me cope.

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Kenna

After a huge struggle, I finally got my numbers back down to 147 (recorded at midnight) ...this was several hours after dinner of a no-carb salad with a bunch of meat and eggs for protein and much more water than I'm accustomed to. Since today was a high pain day, I did as much exercise as possible between the cool morning hours of 6:30-7:30...pacing myself as I fed all the farm critters. Then unfortunately I was hurting so bad I had to go back to bed a while after breakfast of block cheese, water and meds....I gave my Cherrios to the baby goats. They enjoyed them as much as I do...but I guess from here on out, I can't have my favorite cereal or hot oatmeal because of how high the carbs are.

I spoke with my Aunt (a medical professional as well as long term diabetic, and she cared for my Gramma for 15 years through her struggle with very chronic, extreme diabetes)...told her about the Actos...she said it seems my body isn't reacting to it like it should and she
recommended I ask Doc to
switch me to Glipiside...this is another med I've never heard of.

It's been a hard two days...much thanks to those here that helped me cope.

Glipiside is a great medication; the brand name is Glucotrol! It is an older medication that i took for YEARS in the extended release form, and it worked really well. The problem with the Doctor's these days is they are focused on metformin and actos...along with a few other new "wonder drugs", and sometimes refuse to prescribe Glipiside.

I'm glad your number was lower at midnight, but what was it fasting the next morning? Our bodies do a "sugar dump" in the wee hours of the morning which can increase those numbers drastically. Also, i am sorry to say that the milk in cheese will sometimes raise blood sugar as well. Try to keep some hardboiled eggs around as a quick source of protein when you are not feeling well enough to cook.

[bright_arrow]

Bumping because this is a good thread (and I feel like I need to post somewhere to try and keep myself in check)

[candy_coated_bitch]

I'm a type II diabetic that has been on long acting insulin (Lantus) for a while now. I'm also on metformin. My sugars were still high on those two meds, so I was put on a short acting insulin to be taken before meals (Novolog).

As a side note, I had been on a medication that had a side effect of high blood sugars. I got off that medication and slowly but surely my insulin levels have gotten out of whack and I am experiencing a lot of lows. I've been in touch multiple times with my diabetes nurse specialist and I thankfully see my primary care Tuesday.

We've lowered both my Lantus and Novolog several times and I'm still having lows every day. Usually at night. Sometimes multiple times. It's exhausting. In the past 24 hours I've had lows of 37, 46, and 59. What scares me most is at 37 I wasn't even feeling symptomatic. I'm afraid of not waking up and going into a coma. We bought glucose tablets, orange juice, and candy today to be prepared and I'm going to set an alarm so I can check my sugar in the middle of the night. Frankly, I'm scared.

I called my mom who is a diabetic and a nurse and her opinion and she said discontinue the fast acting insulin until I can talk to my nurse on doctor. I agree with her. I'm just going to try and ride it out this weekend. I'm feeling incredibly defeated though, like I'm doing everything asked of me and it's just not working.

How do you all deal with lows? What do you eat /drink? Has anyone else struggled with daily extreme lows? Any words of support? I need a boost!

[MsTinkerbelly]

The people that advise stopping the insulin before meals are giving you good advise. Do you test before you take the before meals shot? I have found that if my bs is less than 100 before meals, I get low blood sugar if I inject. I usually inject 2 hours AFTER meals based on a sliding scale. Your doctor can give you a sliding scale, and I have also found them on-line. i've done it so long I just automatically know how much to take.

It is scary, and yes exhausting to have low blood sugar...multiple times a night would be awful. I'm wondering if you even need insulin? Since you are not taking the medication that causes high blood sugar, maybe medication would be enough? My wife got off metformin which never lowered her properly, and is taking a combo of Jardiance and glimiperide that has gotten her well within normal limits without all the stomach stuff associated with Metformin.

Definitely have many small meals, with hi-protein like nut butter or cheese...you need protein to keep your bs on an even level without the highs and lows. Being vegaterian can make it hard to get enough protein, try adding a handful of black beans or chickpeas to a dish to add a little. You can drain a can of chickpeas, coat them with a little cooking spray and your favorite spices, and roast them in the oven for a yummy crunchy protein filled snack.

Just a few thoughts...I'm glad you are seeing your doctor soon.

[candy_coated_bitch]

Thanks MsTinkerbelly.

I had been taking the fast acting insulin before meals according to a scale depending on both my blood sugar and what I was going to eat. But it was just too much obviously.

I think I do need to be on something because since I stopped taking the insulin my numbers are on the higher side. Much safer than sugars of 37 so it's doable for riding out the weekend, but not where I'd want to be long term ideally.

I'm thinking of asking my nurse and doctor about a non insulin option when I speak to them. Both my parents are on bidureon sp? and doing quite well. My mother struggled a lot regulating her blood sugars with insulin as well.

I am trying to eat more often right now, and am doing the cheese and nut butters thing. Beans are a good idea to start adding to my meals.

I set my alarm to check my blood sugar at 5am just in case and it appears stopping the fast acting insulin took care of the overnight lows. I will wait until Monday and Tuesday for a solution.

Thanks for your response!

[candy_coated_bitch]

I just wanted to say I haven't had any lows since I stopped the fast acting insulin!!! THANK GOD.

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

I just wanted to say I haven't had any lows since I stopped the fast acting insulin!!! THANK GOD.

Wonderful news!

[MsTinkerbelly]

Hey CCB, how did your appointment go with your primary doctor?

[DressyFemme]

It's been a very long time since I've posted, but I have good news. I was diagnosed with T2 in March 2011. My mom died in 2006 from complications of type 1. I was on metformin for several years but went on insulin injections in March 2004 when my a1c was 12. I had relapsed in my recovery from binge eating disorder. I went to local outpatient and got back on track with mindful intuitive eating. I since have gone from 12 to 5.8 a1c and from 316 to 246 although weight loss is not my main focus anymore and health is. They have decreased my Novolog from 6 to 4 units and might be decreasing it more come March. I'm feeling better but scared of relapse so I commit to recovery every day. Hey, anyone using a CGM out there? I got the Dexcom G5 Continuous Glucose Monitoring System and have yet to start it but know it will really help because I have ADHD and routinely forget to test....

[Blaze]

This where you phone can help you! There are many apps. Care zone. Health choice. Vitality. Just type in apps ( apps to help remind you to take your meds.) And wahhh lahhh! They have alarms, incentives, some even have group conversations that you can get involved with. Some even give you coupons to help bring down the cost of meds. For my app. Work incentives and bonus points to cut my insurance cost has been a blessing and kept me on track to take my meds on time daily. Which is the key for my success as well as reminding me to eat, grab a snack, and how much sleep I should get. My A1C went from 13.7 to 4.9 with the help of my (New Doctor) I'm not much of a fan for technology. But the world of free apps has been an amazing change on how my health has improved dramatically. Good luck!

[DressyFemme]

Originally Posted by Blaze

This where you phone can help you! There are many apps. Care zone. Health choice. Vitality. Just type in apps ( apps to help remind you to take your meds.) And wahhh lahhh! They have alarms, incentives, some even have group conversations that you can get involved with. Some even give you coupons to help bring down the cost of meds. For my app. Work incentives and bonus points to cut my insurance cost has been a blessing and kept me on track to take my meds on time daily. Which is the key for my success as well as reminding me to eat, grab a snack, and how much sleep I should get. My A1C went from 13.7 to 4.9 with the help of my (New Doctor) I'm not much of a fan for technology. But the world of free apps has been an amazing change on how my health has improved dramatically. Good luck!

I'm using an app from my dr called MyChart that has an area for inputting medical data. My dr uses it to see where my levels are. I was using Diabetes Kit but had tech issues after the iOS upgrade to 10.0.2. Emailed them for support. That's why the CGM is so important, it will send all data to my phone automatically. I need reminder apps though so thanks for the suggestion! Need reminders for testing, checking levels and sending in my data....