A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

Living with Diabetes

Living with Diabetes: Showing awareness during November

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month.

I’ve known this for several years, dating back to when I started geocaching. Though the campaign was actually a couple of years old, Groundspeak (the owners of geocaching.com) partnered with Unite for Diabetes to manufacture and distribute 20,000 trackable tags. When I see these, I still pick them up and move them.

In 2007, a geocoin to commemorate the first United Nations World Diabetes Day (Nov. 14) was released and there were many of these coins delivered. You can now actually purchase these coins (of which I own one).

Back then, though, I never took my own diabetes seriously.

diabetesmonth

It’s been a while since I’ve updated here about my battle. I’m doing this on the blog and in a more public setting, as I’ve noted in past posts, to keep myself honest and to have accountability about taking this a tad more serious than I’ve done in the past.

So far, it works out well.

In fact, at my last doctor’s appointment, my A1C, which is the long-term look at my numbers was a 5.9, which is extremely solid compared to what I had been in the early part of the year. That allowed my primary physician to lop off one of my medications, which was super awesome to me.

However…

It’s changed a little recently and I’m wondering where to go with it. As I read more and more about daily numbers and things like that, it seems like the goals doctors give patients differs. I have  a hard time finding definitive numbers to aim for, so I can only go by what the diabetes educator I see says, as well as my primary. Those numbers are basically an 80-140 before a meal, and anything below 180 a couple hours after eating. That should, theoretically, get be to 7 or below on my A1C.

Now, that being said, there was a sign at the place where I go for my appointments that showed the following:

Fasting: 80-120

2-hour post meal:

  • Age 50 and younger:  <140
  • Age 50-60: <150
  • Age 60 and older: <160

What this didn’t say, however, was if this was for a person without diabetes (who might be on the border) or if this is what diabetics should aim for. Because if these numbers are where I need to be, then I may have to go start taking that other medicine again.

See, my goal always has been to avoid any thought of insulin. So, if I need to try that other medicine again to keep me level, so be it.

As of the last day or so, according to my glucometer, I’m about 80 percent in range, and 20 percent high. That is alarming to me, as I had been in the 100 percent in-range category. My average reading is 126, which is higher than it was a month or so ago, when I was down in the 110-115 range. Now, these are also the numbers averaging the past 14 days, so it can and will go up and down, depending on the day and week.

The mornings have been the real culprit. I’ve been as high as 155 (Nov. 3), and I’m not eating a ton of stuff the night before. I’m keeping within my dietary limitations and following what I am supposed to be doing. However, the past week or so I’ve been pretty sick. So add some cold medicine and everything else into my body, and it’s possible that is playing games with things. But that’s for the past week.

If you go back to Oct. 1, I’ve been high (so above 140) at my morning check 18 times. That’s way too much for my liking.

It’s not that I haven’t been high in the mornings before. Look at Aug. 10-Sept. 10 and there were six instances of having a high count in the morning. However, they were not bunched with others and seemed to be kind of abnormal hits.

Now, when I get them, they are a bit more grouped, say 3-4 days in a row of high counts.

I’ve discussed this with my health care folks and they’ve explained different aspects of why this can – and does – happen. It has to do with some things I don’t fully grasp, but basically it’s something your body does to get glucose when you go an extended time (so sleeping) without eating etc. I am on a eating six times a day thing now, so I have breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, a mid-afternoon snack, dinner, and an evening snack. I count the carb servings and all that.

A few things to note – as softball has ended, my activity level is OK, but not as much. So I need to start getting more and more active, even if that means just going out for more walks.  Also, if you look at the rest of my readings (I usually check 3-4 times per day), and starting at Oct. 1 again, I had one number that was out of the normal range. So it seems like I am staying on the right path, but need to figure out the morning readings a little better.

I plan on having a few more posts about diabetes this month as I have been figuring other things out. It’s all a learning process for me and as I continue to push forward, I know there will be things I continue to work on. I won’t be perfect, that’s for sure, but I have goals and things I know I need to work on. The best I can do is keep plugging along and working toward a better result.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Living with Diabetes: The road is long, but well worth it

For those of you following along, you know all about the trials and tribulations I’ve had since finally coming to grip with having diabetes, and knowing I had to take care of it.

Earlier this month, I had a post talking about how my A1C had dropped to 5.9 – which is amazing, considering where I was when this really hit rock bottom back in March and April.

Needless to say, I’ve been pretty happy.

Not bad overall, but at times I've had some odd spikes.

Not bad overall, but at times I’ve had some odd spikes.

But all of this doesn’t come without some ups and downs – and a bit of good news.

I’ve had three lows with my blood sugar, and allow me to say it’s pretty scary. When I was consistently high with my counts, I realized how I felt. I dragged and was tired, but could still seemingly function.

The first time I had a low, I was stunned, but thankfully I had symptoms.

What happened was I got really hot and started sweating. I couldn’t cool down no matter what, and felt a little light-headed. Sure enough, I checked and I was in the 60s.

After speaking to the diabetes educator I see, she noted it is good I have symptoms as some people don’t. Now that’s downright scary. She also noted it might be because of one of the meds I was taking.

Now, realize that to avoid insulin all those months ago, I needed to have a second medicine added to my arsenal. She told me it’s possible this second one was making me have the dips. I’ll have more on that in a moment.

I had a couple of lows this month, including this scary one. But I got out of it fast enough.

I had a couple of lows this month, including this scary one. But I got out of it fast enough.

Since the initial dip, I’ve had two more. One was in the 60s and the other was a scary 55. That one came when I was driving home from a game, so I knew something was up. Thankfully, it was near the exit ramp I was using, so I went to a nearby store and got some orange juice to help me out.

Allow me to tell you how out-of-control I felt with low blood sugar. I didn’t think I had control of my body and it’s an extremely awkward feeling. In all three situations, though, I was close to a place where I could get what was needed to get me back to normal.

It’s also made me come up with two things I needed to do from now on:

Get a second Glucometer that can travel with me so I don’t always have to remember to bring mine.

Carry glucose tablets/shots, in case of anymore low times.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve also had a couple of bumps, mainly during fasting times. It confused me, too, as I couldn’t figure out why I would be having dips – especially when I had been in bed and not eating,

Was I sleep-walking and eating?

Turns out that theory probably wouldn’t hold any water.

It seems that if you go that period without eating, another part of your body (the kidney or liver, can’t remember which) releases some insulin or something … basically, your body is trying to help you, but it gives too much, Or something like that.

One trend... hopefully it disappears.

One trend… hopefully it disappears.

The downside of all this is me not being 100 percent in range over the past 14 days. I’m not, however, as worried about it as I keep learning more and more about my body and what certain foods and drinks do to it.

But out of this, comes good news.

Remember a few months ago when my A1C (long-term blood sugar numbers) was in the 9s? Talk about crazy. That deal to stay off insulin was to lower that and all. But at the same time, I was put on a second medicine to help.

Do you remember all that?

Well, either way … that second medication? It’s gone. My primary provider said he thinks I’ve made strides well enough and that medicine wasn’t a high dose, so he pulled me off of it. I still have them, just in case over the next week to 10 days I see a bad reaction. If not, I still have them if the doctor wanted me to get back on them.

Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that.

I’m also losing weight at the right pace. I don’t believe in getting off through fads and such. I need to do it the best I can. It seems like I am averaging about a pound a week. But more than that is around the waist. It might not be full pounds, but I am losing that. My pants don’t fit anymore and my belt is slightly too big. That’s a good thing. I foresee some shopping in my future, but holding off as long as I can!

One thing is for sure, I’m heading in the right direction. It takes a lot of work and I know I need to do more (now that softball is over, for example, I need to do more with physical stuff), but I am going in the right direction. It’s totally worth it as I feel 100 times better than I have in the past year and I know I’m way more healthy than I was before.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Living with Diabetes: Hard work nets good results

As I look back over the past few months, and as my health gets better after several battles, I look at April 24 as a turning point.

If you read my blog, you may have seen my proclamation of being diabetic not too long ago. It took me several years and the threat of insulin to really wake me up and take responsibility for it. I’ve always been one who says people need to take responsibility for their own decisions and I am no different.

See, I was once told I was borderline, then diabetic … but I never took it too seriously. I checked and all, but never did the right thing to get educated.

If you match this up with my original post, this is an insane improvement.

The April 24 came.

The morning started with a reading of 328. Then before lunch, I was at 398. Over the next 60 minutes, two more readings went 391 and 364. In the middle of the afternoon, I was 361 and then down to 274 before dinner. But at night, I was 325.

That scared me quite a bit.

I panicked; I didn’t want to eat to stay away from everything.

Let’s turn back time a little though. In January, as all of these foot issues were taking off, my A1C (long-range blood sugar) was 7.8. Not great, but workable. On February 3, it was the same. Then all hell broke loose. On March 19, I was up to 9.4.

Then – after this April 24 scare – I had my blood taken on May 1. My A1C was up to 9.8. My fasting glucose that day was 318.

If you read my initial post, you know the practitioner I go to wanted me to go on insulin. I fought it and bought myself some time. I am glad I did because I proved a person could really push forward and do it right.

This is my first – of likely many – updates. It helps me by keeping me accountable and I’m sure there are plenty of others out there in this situation – or have been.

Since this all happened, I’ve really improved. I watch what I eat. I check my blood. I make sure I see what things do to me.

So, I was somewhat excited to see what a new blood test would do. I got blood taken on June 10 and the results were amazing.

Believe me, I still have work to do, but to think where I was a little over a month ago and where I am now is truly amazing to me.

My lowest number over the past couple of weeks came before lunch on June 12.

My A1C is down to 8.2, which is a solid drop. I want it, obviously, to keep dropping. But with it being a long-range test, it still is taking some of the crap that was in my system over the past few months. My fasting glucose, though? 130. I’d even like that lower, but I realize it takes time.

My diet hasn’t changed a ton in what I eat, rather how and when I eat. I definitely don’t eat as much bread as I once did, and I haven’t had a candy bar in more than a month. I found some low-carb wraps that I use and am trying to make sure I eat better and smaller servings.

I’ve also extended to eating six times a day and I understand why and also what it does to me. On days I miss the “in-between” meals/snacks, I have seen the numbers actually bump a little. When I am eating on the right schedule, it works out well.

Here’s the thing, too — I’ve lost about five pounds over those six weeks. I know it’s not a ton, but it’s losing. That, to me, is key. That shows something I am doing is right. I understand what things are doing to me and what I can do. I also have made sure my serving sizes are much lower than they had been. And I feel better because of it.

This improvement is awesome. I’m definitely stoked and excited. But there’s plenty of work still to be done and I don’t anticipate me going off this path anytime soon, outside of adding more exercise.

What I’m seeing, though, is amazing. I feel better. I have more energy. I have more stamina. I’m sleeping better, too, which is really nice. And, it seems others notice as I’ve had people note a seem to have more pep and my face seems to be looking better and not drawn out.

That’s good.

I also, since doing this, haven’t eaten any candy and I’ve avoided a lot of other things. After the initial shock to the body of not having these items, I’ve been quite fine with it.

I was at the doctor’s last week and got two thumbs up, also knowing I had to keep working. I’m not out of the water. But, the improvement has shown I am serious and I am trying to make things better. Now I don’t have to be back there for two months — though a blood test is needed in one.

As I’ve noted before, however, this is a long-term thing. It’s not going away. So I need to continue to work and keep trying to get healthier. I’ll keep posting updates here every three or four weeks, which is a way for me to make sure I am keeping myself accountable for everything I am doing.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!