Ask the Diabetes Expert

I told my husband that today I had to pay the bills and get my Meds filled. He says this is the first I've heard you need to fill them. I told him I am tired of poppin pills and such but I know I can't take a vacation from Diabetes but wish I could. Years ago that is just what I did, took 6 Months off and ignored my Drs and everyone else. The weird thing is I do stupid stuff like that and it is Family and Friends that have followed the Drs advice and doing as they should that have had the Complications with toes cut off and eye trouble, It just don't make any sense to me how I keep all of my body parts and sight too with out surgeries and stuff like that. I was told if I keep that attitude up and I am going to lose more than sight or body parts. So this year I am doing as I know I should. No more giving any one trouble on my health team or family and friends tring to help me.

I told my husband that today I had to pay the bills and get my Meds filled. He says this is the first I've heard you need to fill them. I told him I am tired of poppin pills and such but I know I can't take a vacation from Diabetes but wish I could. Years ago that is just what I did, took 6 Months off and ignored my Drs and everyone else. The weird thing is I do stupid stuff like that and it is Family and Friends that have followed the Drs advice and doing as they should that have had the Complications with toes cut off and eye trouble, It just don't make any sense to me how I keep all of my body parts and sight too with out surgeries and stuff like that. I was told if I keep that attitude up and I am going to lose more than sight or body parts. So this year I am doing as I know I should. No more giving any one trouble on my health team or family and friends tring to help me.

what is the est way to learn about carb counting? also how many carbs a day is a woman suppose to have?

RECENTLY I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING WITH A BURNING SHOOTING PAIN IN MY LEFT FOOT. THE PAIN IS EXCRUSIATING. I'VE TRIED IBUPROPHEN, BUT TO NO AVAIL! THANKS.

I try to limit my carb to 3 carb servings per meal. that is 45 grams of carbs at each sitting.

hi do you count carbs i am on a insulin pump i eat 50 carbs per meal my carb ratio is 20 carbs to one unit of humalog insulin everyone is different i too go to a clinic i applied for ss a year ago still waiting the clinic gives me alot of things but i too cant wait to seee a good dr on a reg basis

Lets say you have a meal dose of 10 units of Humalog and then you eat what you want and the dose was not enough after 2 hours check your BG Level and then take another dose to cover your higher BG level.
A better way though is to fix your plate, check your level and then put away the rest of the food before you sit down to eat. I have found doing this not only is my BG level down after I have had my meal it stays down longer and then I usually make my self a small snack and have it sitting in the Frig. now so as not to over eat at snack time and I stay out of the kitchen till the next meal is being made that has helped me alot.

When you test your blood sugar and it is higher than it should have been, if you injected insulin to cover the increase, why wouldn't that be effective and how long would it remain elevated? Specifically, sometimes I give myself insulin to cover what I think I wll eat and then the food tastes so good, I have more than I thought I planned to eat.

Thanks for that info Edie. It's nice to know you're not alone, because it feels that way sometimes, especially since I don't really know any other diabetics personally. I think my biggest problem is I need a better Dr. I'm currently uninsured and struggling to pay for testing supplies and insulin syringes, although I am lucky enough to have qualified for the Patient Assistance Programs for both of the insulins I use so I get my insulin at no cost (a life saver, quite literally!). In an effort to try and be able to actually afford to see a Dr, I had to go to a community health clinic where they would let me pay on a sliding scale based on income. And the Dr there just doesn't seem to know much about diabetes. Her answer to everything is "Just adjust your dose as needed, now let me look at your feet." I'm going to have to find a better Dr before I adjust myself right into a coma.

When I had seen the Diabetic Doctor she told me to use a Meal dose of 10 units. Now depending on how well it controls my bs I don't need another dose after my meals. I use 2 units for a reading of 121-140 of Humalog and just add 2 units for each 20 points of BS. exp. 4 units for 141-160 and so on to 300 being 18 units of Humalog. That was droped from 4 units for each set of BS levels from just 2 years ago. So now I am down to just one vial per month this way. I hope this helps you some. Next time you go see your Doctor tell her that you are not leaving the exam room till she listens to you and make sure she doesn't leave with out answering you first.
When they see you mean business they sit up and take notice of you then and Listen to your concerns more.

I've been on insulin for nearly a year now, but recently started experiencing major changes in my insulin requirements. I started out needing roughly 7-13 units per meal depending on what I was eating, down to only 2-4 units for a week or two, and then back up again. It's causing me to experience BG spikes in the 200-300 range when my needs increase, and extremely scary lows when they decrease again, and worst of all, my Dr has offered me absolutely no explaination for why this happens, she just keeps telling me to adjust my dose as needed!

I just read about the Idaho plate method of eating. What you think of this method?

Thank you
JoAnna

I have a question on sugar level spikes. I have been down with a cold for a 6 days. My sugar level was really good before this cold and now I have spikes that are in 200's. My eye sight is getting blurry and I get the shakes.
The cold medication I did take I stopped and started to drink more liq. and eat smaller meals and more often. I am losing weight.
What do I look for when buying cold medications?

I was taken off of Byetta and put on Metaformin at first it made me want to throw up too, but now it don't. After my body got used to it, it was easier to take and yes it has helped me to lose some weight too but I can stand to lose about 105 pounds yet. I want to be 150 and am 255.6 down from 262.8 just over a month ago.

i was just put on metformin for diabetes.is this med better than insulin and why does it make me nauseated and lose weight?

My shoulders hurt all of the time now too. Bill massages them when I can't rest at all or I use the shoulder massager till the pain lets go and then add lotion to make it more lose and it makes it a deep massage that way too. It helps for about 3 weeks then I have to do it all over again. Is there any thing else I can do to make the relief longer?
Thank You;
Edie

hi i have chronic pain due too frozen shoulder which lead to arthritis frozen shoulder is a disease ive learned that is freq diagonsed in diabetics surgery is is one option to release the shoulders i have no insurance so the best i can do is treat the pain so i can be comfortable any suggestions thanks for your time julie

I am so confused by all of this The ONLY thing I know is that I have hypoglycemia and only found out by an accident that almost cost me the highest price of all. I was always led to believe that my issue was not diabetes it was it's own thing in the past couple of years I have been findin out more/more and I now know that it is. Now is it seperate? or is it a Type? I know some things enough to know that when it drops I notice the difference and what to do when it goes through the roof I also know what to do. but that is it. I just the other day have been hearin alot about a "Glucagon Emergency Kit" how can I get one? I have No Insurance just a prescription card…

I have also given myself shots in my upper Legs when needed for one reason or another. Hope this helps you.

Some materials indicate it is a good idea to inject near the abdomen/stomach area. Due to other medical problems and prescription drugs, I have Lipid Dystrophy and do not have the right kind of fat or adipose tissue in that area. Currently have no insurance and little hope to get additional help from an endocrinologists or other specialists.