Diabetes Community

Oldgamerchick...it sounds like you're dealing with a lot of different things, but you know what...so are so many other people, so having a good attitude will get you through it.

As far as medicines, doctors normally give you blood pressure and cholesterol medicine, as diabetics get many different things "if" their blood sugar is not controlled.

I myself take Lisinopril(as a protection for my kidneys and blood pressure), 2 heart medicines, calcium for my bones with Vitamin D3, allergy meds, a baby aspirin, and cholesterol meds. I really try not to think about these.

I'm exercising for an hour every day, am 64, feel great most of the time...exercise helps, try to have a positive attitude and do as many fun things as I can in a week, and surround myself with people like myself. The hardest thing for me is food. I force myself to eat very healthy, as healthy as I can. I don't take medicine for my diabetes or my bones. I'm trying to do this the best way I can. There are many who HAVE TO take medicine. That's the best their bodies allow them to be, like taking insulin. Their pancreas needs help.

Yes, you'll have support here with questions on how to be a better with handling your diabetes.

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. I guess watching him kill himself slowly by not taking care of himself has made you realize you can't do the same thing.

You sound like you have to be especially careful. We have a few other posters here that had/have to struggle with insulin and their highs and lows. You learn what to do, just as you mentioned.

Welcome! It does help to ask other people questions that someone who is not a diabetic understands. It sounds like you have good support from your doctors. Some people don't have that, and had to totally do this on their own.

Tylenol /acetometacine(sp) is the ONLY pain reliever I am allowed due to CKD. NSAIDS, that is ALL NSAIDs like IB, asprin etc are a BIG NO NO for me.

I also had BS problems when I was 14 and again at 22, but not formally Dx with diabetes till I was hospitalized for diabetes in my early 30s.

I also have multiple sclerosis which has especially taken a toll on my mobility in recent years. My MS had been minor for many decades. Most evident MS complication day to day was the diplopia since I was 18. My diabetes has been a wild wild ride at times, but the biggest D complication has been extra cataracts, but may, not sure be related to my CKD?

I take Lantus twice a day, 50/50 split Am/Pm and humalog w/meals and in good control. I am now taking Copaxone, 1 shot/day for the MS..and a laundry list of oral meds for MS, BP, heart valves (rehumatic fever damage) and more.....

No matter how bad we feel we have it, there are always others that have it much MUCH worse.

There are TWO ways to ride the merry-go-round of life, one is being a sour kitty, an that ain't NO FUN.

Gomer Cancer survivor and more.........

You are so right and I am very gald I decided to post here. I have been lurking about for a while. I have many things I like to do reading, watching a movie and of course my video games. I also have a ton of plants I am raising. It seems I have found a green thumb that I did not know I had.

When I am feeling good I like to walk. The weather in Austin is really nice this time of year. I love to take short walks when the weather is cool. I have to watch my activities and do a little at a time.

One of the things I find so frustrating is I can tour Wal Mart and my sugar doesn't take much of a hit. Other times I can eat my usual breakfast and sit at my PC just playing a game and when I check my sugar it is below 70 when I have not really excersized at all. I can not figure it out.

The normal for me with the insulin therapy seems to work ok my sugars are between 85 to 110 after a meal. It is just some times for no reason I can tell my sugar will drop.

I really have to pig out to get my sugar over 140 after a meal, it seems rice will spike my sugars. I love to eat rice too. He he he.

Thank you again for your responces it makes me feel better to know I have someone to talk to.

Many of us have the same isolation occationally and ups and downs emotionally with our Diabetes. It is always a challenge and has to be monitored often throughout the day. I have type 1 now for 35 years and did get the rhuematiod arthritus right along with it which has been in remission for years after years of Myochricine injections (gold). My newer Rhuematologist took me off that immediatly in 2001. He said their are plenty of updated drugs if we need to change. I never got the pain back after going off the med. I was on a small maintenance dose that was doing nothing for me. I had been afraid to go off in case you cannot get back on it later.

I find that eliminating table salt sure has helped for swelling. I am going with the lowest sodium possible. That may help your pain and BP.

Do you see a Rhuematologist? They are best at making sure you are on the right pain meds that will not effect your Diabetes. Careful of Prednizone since it spikes blood sugars and also Cortizone for temporary relief in the knees or where the pain is present the most.

Stay on here, we will try to help in anyway possible. I came on here about 8 months ago and since then I improved my diet and increased my exercise and lost 28 pounds at age 54! You are right, we hit 50 and look out. The only good news is that everyone at any age should eat the diet we are on and get the exercise. Our Diabetes gives us more reason that we must do it. It took about 6 months to drop 20 pounds for me. When I just stuck to lean protein, veggies and moderate fruit and big workouts the weight kind of just falls off steady.

Can you do any exercise with the Arhtritus? When my pain was bad before remission, I noticed the bike as better for the knees for the rounding motion rather than up and down. It is true, the more you can move around the better but wow, I know what you must be going through.

How are your blood sugar numbers these days? Stress can drive the numbers crazy at times.Try to work it off with exercise and be careful for to much insulin. With the lows you are having now it could be to much insulin?

How is the Lantus and Novalog doing for you? Is their a way to stop the lows? I had many lows until I reduced the Lantus, my lows were during the night but I had lost weight.When that happens the doses may need adjusting of both insulins.

I carb count meals with Humalog fast acting insulin.1 Unit per 25 carbs.

I am also on the 2 preventative meds for kidney and cholesterol and after 35 years, no complications related to Diabetes. I believe in those for sure.

If you get down a bit, just come on here and the more you learn and get this down pat the better you will feel. Got to fight the depression if you can. Diabetes in itself can be depressing. We will help you uplift!

krhudson

Oldgamerchick,I just read your post about having to pig out to keep from having lows. 110 is a low reading after a meal for a type 1. It is better to be at 140 or so and then hope the drop is about 25 points an hour so by hour 3 you would be at 115 and hour 4 at about 90 and then light snack if dinner is delayed a slight bit. Then when you check before dinner a reading of 100 is good.

Your control may be a little to tight. The numbers sound great and are great but the calories added to keep up with the insulin may slow the weight loss if you really have to pig out
I chased after the insulin with food for a long while and then when I cut out all the bad carbs and reduced the insulin a slight bit it is now pretty good. I have to add a yogurt at times for a lower number. I still carry the tablets and juice in case I was to tight with the control but then I do not want to over correct it either. Talk about a balancing act.

krhudson

I must have said that wrong Krhudson, I don't pig out to keep from having lows, with the way my sugars go I have to eat more than the 45 carbs to get higher than 120 after a meal. I just can not get a handle on what causes me to have lows for not reason at all. It is like my pancreas wakes up for a bit then goes back to sleep. He he he.

Your right Krhudson I am still adjusting my insulin. At first to get my sugars down they had me on the sliding scale. Now I am at the stage I have learned to avoid buffets and some pre-made frozen foods. I still have little treats like Dove sugar free chocolates, or other new foods and snacks I have found.

I can't imagine what my life would have been if I had to start insulin at such a young age.

I can pretty much take any dietary restriction as long as they don't try to take my coffee away, He he he he, I will drink it with fake sugar and no-fat fake creamer or even black. But I will fight for my coffee. It is one of my favorite smells in a grocery store to walk the coffee isle.

Hey, oldgamerchick. Welcome to the forum.

You sound like you have a wonderful attitude. I was diagnosed with Type 2 in '06 while hospitalized for something else. You know how hospitals are, always drawing blood before the sun rises. My a.m. fastings were always above 250, so they immediately put me on insulin. I was underweight when diagnosed and pretty angry that this happened to me.

I take Lantus 40U in the a.m. and Humalog with meals, the dosage dependent on my BS reading before a meal and how many carbs I eat. I have the same routine as you. It seems I'm always feeding the insulin because I go low with nearly any kind of physical activity. Have to be careful with the insulin. I know how you feel, and I was pretty frustrated with all that was going on. Learning how to test, learning how to use those insulin pens, learning how to count carbs, when to exercise, etc.

One thing I found out is if you eat less carbs, the less insulin you need to use. Same thing with being more active. You will need less insulin. It takes awhile to learn how the dynamics of insulin, food and activity work with your own body. I still don't have it downpat, because I go low at the most inopportune times.

I had hypoglycemia once and that was when I was pregnant. My doc told me a donut and a glass of OJ are not exactly breakfast material. LOL. Sugar skyrocketed and then plummeted just as fast, thus the hypo.

I am sorry about your husband. My mother was diagnosed in her mid-50's and didn't take proper care of herself either (also insulin dependent.) She wound up on dialysis and lost some toes due to gangrene. She passed at the age of 68. Mom and Dad had five children, and I'm the only one with diabetes Type 2.

I vowed I would not follow in her footsteps. Glad you're not willing to give up either. Don't even let such thoughts enter your mind.

Sorry I can't help you with the pain relievers. See if you can talk to your pharmacist and ask for suggestions. Explain that you are an insulin-dependent diabetic with arthritis. They are a wealth of information regarding pharmaceuticals and how they react in the body. Most drugs are metabolized through the liver and excreted through the kidneys, so I understand your concern.

Let us know how you are doing and feel free to ask any questions, rant and rave. That's what we're here for.

Wow you sound like me. I am sorry regarding the loss of your husband. You said you have PTSD are you former military? I am a type II diabetic and my blood pressure tend to drop too low at times. I have over 20 medical problems. I took vitamins daily for over 20 years, I kept my weight down with exercise. I had a botched surgery afterwards my whole body crashed along with my life. Yahoo have discussion groups on a variety of subjects if you are interested in communicating and establishing a online support network. My email is miladyrosin777@yahoo.com. I live in a state where I have no relatives or friends, when I do leave my home it's to shop or to a Doctor appt. I lost 3 aunts back to back, it seems like 90% of the people that I grew up with in my life are deceased. I plan on moving closer to my children and grand children, I have to choose between marriage or family, I am moving closer to family the marriage is a nightmare abusive, deceitful I will eave it at that, I recently started having anxiety and panic attacks.

What's CKD? Diplopia is that eye pressure?

CKD is chronic kidney disease. Diplopia is double vision.