need help

[stel2006]

hy.

On january 4th 2007 I was diagnosed with type 1 DM:( , secondary form (???). I am 30 yo and 3 mos b/f the diagnosis was made, all blood tests had been normal except the triglyceride levels of 220. Even the OGTT had been normal:rolleyes: .

On january 4th the fasting bloood sugar levels were 333 mg/dL
My doctor put me on insulin 4 times a day. I did rapid insulin 3 times a day, 6 units each time for 1 week, than I had to take it out since I started to develop low blood sugar episodes. Since January 4th, I have been using Glarcine (?) insulin (the slowest one - acts 36 hrs), 20 units daily at 9 pm.

The problem is like this: my fasting blood sugar levels are now b/w 90 and 110 (rarely more than 110 - on only 2 occasions). My 1 hr after meal levels are b/w 120 and 155 mg/dL and my 2hr after meal levels are b/w 80 and 108 mg/dL; at 3 hrs after meals, the levels are b/w 65 and 106 mg/dL; the random levels vary now b/w 70 and 130 mg/dL (rarely above 120 mg/dL). Is it possible for my blood sugar levels to decrease so rapidly w/o rapid insulin or pill administration? I follow now a weight-losing diet of 1600 calories daily. I avoid the food that a diabetic person is not supposed to eat.

Here is another mistery for me:I interrupted the insulin therapy for 48 hrs and I did a standard 75 mg OGTT; my doctor was shocked to realize that the levels were incredibly normal at 2 hrs (103 first day and 104 second day. How is that possible?

Another mistery: 6 yrs ago I was found having a high cortisol levels in blood. I had all the symptoms and signs of high cortisol levels (skin stretch marks, high BP, headaches, low eosinophil counts, repeated respiratory infections although mild but very annoying etc etc); I visited two doctors and they told me it's because of overweight (I must admit that I reached in 2005 the incredible weight of 290 pounds at a height of 76 inches); On january 10, I had an ultrasonography of my adrenal gland that showed an enlarged left gland; On january 15, I than had a CT scan with contrast that showed normal glands and no tumor or other abnormalities; however, the cortisol levels kept to be upper normal; surprisingly, the BP levels returned to normal, the stretch marks almost disappeared, I have no symptoms of diabetes anymore and no ketones in my urine; I lost 50 pounds in 4 weeks. And that's since I started the insulin therapy.

Now I'm doing only the Glarcide insuline and the blood sugar levels are in 95 % of cases as they should be in a non-diabetes person. However, my doctor did not tell me to interrupt the insuline therapy.

What do you advise me to do? What happened in January? Is that pre-diabetes or full-blown diabetes type 1? Is it reversible? Do I need to do further tests?

Please offer me some assistance. I have been reading a lot abt. this disease and my head will explode soon.

[Team Diabetes]

hy.

On january 4th 2007 I was diagnosed with type 1 DM:( , secondary form (???). I am 30 yo and 3 mos b/f the diagnosis was made, all blood tests had been normal except the triglyceride levels of 220. Even the OGTT had been normal:rolleyes: .

On january 4th the fasting bloood sugar levels were 333 mg/dL
My doctor put me on insulin 4 times a day. I did rapid insulin 3 times a day, 6 units each time for 1 week, than I had to take it out since I started to develop low blood sugar episodes. Since January 4th, I have been using Glarcine (?) insulin (the slowest one - acts 36 hrs), 20 units daily at 9 pm.

The problem is like this: my fasting blood sugar levels are now b/w 90 and 110 (rarely more than 110 - on only 2 occasions). My 1 hr after meal levels are b/w 120 and 155 mg/dL and my 2hr after meal levels are b/w 80 and 108 mg/dL; at 3 hrs after meals, the levels are b/w 65 and 106 mg/dL; the random levels vary now b/w 70 and 130 mg/dL (rarely above 120 mg/dL). Is it possible for my blood sugar levels to decrease so rapidly w/o rapid insulin or pill administration? I follow now a weight-losing diet of 1600 calories daily. I avoid the food that a diabetic person is not supposed to eat.

Here is another mistery for me:I interrupted the insulin therapy for 48 hrs and I did a standard 75 mg OGTT; my doctor was shocked to realize that the levels were incredibly normal at 2 hrs (103 first day and 104 second day. How is that possible?

Another mistery: 6 yrs ago I was found having a high cortisol levels in blood. I had all the symptoms and signs of high cortisol levels (skin stretch marks, high BP, headaches, low eosinophil counts, repeated respiratory infections although mild but very annoying etc etc); I visited two doctors and they told me it's because of overweight (I must admit that I reached in 2005 the incredible weight of 290 pounds at a height of 76 inches); On january 10, I had an ultrasonography of my adrenal gland that showed an enlarged left gland; On january 15, I than had a CT scan with contrast that showed normal glands and no tumor or other abnormalities; however, the cortisol levels kept to be upper normal; surprisingly, the BP levels returned to normal, the stretch marks almost disappeared, I have no symptoms of diabetes anymore and no ketones in my urine; I lost 50 pounds in 4 weeks. And that's since I started the insulin therapy.

Now I'm doing only the Glarcide insuline and the blood sugar levels are in 95 % of cases as they should be in a non-diabetes person. However, my doctor did not tell me to interrupt the insuline therapy.

What do you advise me to do? What happened in January? Is that pre-diabetes or full-blown diabetes type 1? Is it reversible? Do I need to do further tests?

Please offer me some assistance. I have been reading a lot abt. this disease and my head will explode soon.

First, relax! You are under a doctor's care, so that is at least a step in the right direction. You are not in a coma from undiagnosed diabetes! Yay!

First, you need some more tests to determine what kind of diabetes you REALLY have.

Some doctors (the ones who don't really understand diabetes) use the term "Type 1" to mean a diabetic who takes insulin. That is now incorrect. Type 1 means autoimmune diabetes. Do you have antibodies? have you been tested for Type 1 genes? These are very different from the genes for Type 2 (the common kind liked to obesity).

If you DO have Type 1, then 2 things may be a work here. Many Type 1's experience a drop in their insulin requirements shortly after diagnosis and treatment, called the "honeymoon". This is TEMPORARY and insulin needs will increase again.

Addison's Disease, another autoimmune disease more common in Type 1's could also explain your cortisol levels. You may be in the very early stages, and your levels may be fluctuating back and forth. Also have your thyroid levels checked.

Now, if your tests for Type 1 come back negative, I suspect you have diabetes induced from an adrenal disorder, like Cushing's Disease. This is not really Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. It is called secondary diabetes. This should go away when the underlying disorder is corrected.

Please see your doctor for further testing. I don't think you have typical Type 1 diabetes.

[stel2006]

this is the problem. My doctor does not yet have a clear picture of what's going on in my body:( .

According to him and the many medical textbooks he has consulted (!!!!!) for me, I don't really have diabetes but I still need insuline:eek: . He said that a person with diabetes, once diagnosed with this disease, cannot have a normal OGTT (this will contradict the very principle of diagnosis of diabetes) nor his/her blood sugar levels decrease, sometimes very rapidly, much as in a non-diabetes person, 1hr and 2 hrs after meals and that without rapid insulin or pills.

The only issue now is my a jeun (morning) blood sugar levels, which sometimes (very rarely although) fall b/w 110 and 120;

Interestingly enough, he had the idea of testing my cortisol blood levels when I was very tired (several days ago at 8 pm) and he found increased levels:confused: . However, he gave me no answer about that. Even my troublemaker left adrenal gland was a bit larger than normal, still, the right gland was perfectly normal; how is it possible that only one of the two glands to react abnormally? Shouldn'd both of them react simultaneously?

So, you surely understand that I do not know what I am supposed to do now. I have been reading a lot about this freaky cortisol and I can tell that it's the worst hormone in our body; once it goes uncontrollably wild, you are doomed.

So, do I have to change my doctor? Because he does not want to tell me anything about this freaky reaction in my body. The first time my gland was found larger than usual, I was suspected of a tumor. Don't need to mention how much I spent from my insurance to have this freaky diagnosis ruled out. Than, nothing. Are there other tests to 100% diagnose what is going on with me? Because it seems that I cannot leave this freaky cortisol to go wild in my body. Is there also a treatment for that? And how would you name my condition?(I don't have a clear diagnosis given to me yet)

[stel2006]

I saw that you mentioned the thryroid tests. Ok, I have done all the tests that could be imagined by my doctor:D (I am giving you a list of them below):

1. Ultrasonography of thyroid gland and parathyroids: normal
2. Thyroid / Parathyroid function tests (don't ask me, pls): says normal
3. CT scan of head - normal pituitary gland & hypothalamus (???)
4. Liver tests: normal
5. Ultrasonography of liver: normal
6. CT scan of abdomen (with and w/o contrast): normal
7. OGTT (no insuline for 48 hrs): at 2 hrs: 103 and 104 on 2 separate occasions;
8. C-peptide levels - upper normal levels (???)
9. insuline levels - upper normal levels (???)
10. cortisol levels: once it was upper normal, than it was increased
11. my blood sugar levels (since january 15):
a jeun: 85-108 (3 times: 112, 117, 120; once 143) - mean: 104
1 hr after meal: 120 - 155 (variation) - mean: 135
2 hrs after meal: 80 - 115 (variation) - mean: 104
random: 85 - 118 (3 times: 123, 134, 147) - mean: 103

No tests with the antibodies:confused: (??? - pls explain)

Sorry if I bothered you with the above tests, but I would like a second opinion:) . The diagnosis of diabetes is like that of cancer: you cannot play with it (deny it later):( ;

[stel2006]

Ok, guys. Some more weird things that happened to me; I mention them here hoping that some day, somebody may tell me what's going one to me:( ....

Yesterday (now it's 1.24 am here) I was scheduled by my doc for another OGTT. I was reluctant at the beginning where to take it or not, but in the end I said OK. And I went to his office. He gave me a 75 g load of glucose (I say here the terms he used) and he checked my blood sugar levels at 5, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min intervals (the 5, 15, 150 and 180 min values were chacked with the Accu-Check Aviva; for the rest he took blood from my arm and he gave me the results 1hr later). Here are the results:

5min: 205
15 min: 187
30 min: 184
60 min: 141
90 min: 123
120 min: 95
he also continued with the checking
150 min (2hrs 30 min): 82
180 min (3 hrs): 96

Are the above values normal:confused: ? My doctor did not give me a table/chart to see if they match the normal values for this test, except that I know that at 2 hrs after the test the values must be below 140 to say that you don't have diabetes;

So, I asked him whether I should interrupt Insuline and he said: "Let's feed your body with insuline for a bit longer to make sure you don't overuse your pancreas". Yes, I said, but is my pancreas normal? (the CT scan, Ultrasonography, blood tests, C peptide and insulin levels said that it really is); Than, why am I supposed to take extra insuline:eek: ? No answer from my doc.:confused: ...

[stel2006]

I am sorry if I give you all these details, but since my doc is so confused:mad: , I hope I might get an answer here:) .
And I've been reading a lot abt this disease since January ... and my head is full of medical terms, tests and all the stuff.. and that made me really confused:confused: ; and when both the doc and the patients become confused, the winner is the Insurance Company:p .

[Team Diabetes]

I personally think you may have some form of Cushing's Disease. You may also have a tumor in your adrenal gland, as suspected, and it was missed, or it may also be a chronic infection. Either way, you need a doctor who is more informed.

You need to get an Endocrinologist. This is a special doctor who specializes in hormonal disorders, including adrenal disease and diabetes. Ask for this now.

Most GP's are not well-informed in this area. If you are on any steroid medication, this can also cause these results.

Antibody tests are one of the tests used to diagnose Type 1 diabetes, as it is an autoimmune disease. It doesn't sound like this is what you have, but your doctor should run the tests anyway. ICA is one of the antibody types. In early stage Type 1, blood sugars may sometimes swing between normal, low, and high.

Look up "Cushing's Disease" on Google. Everything you describe sounds like this. I am curious why your doctor is not looking into this?

[stel2006]

I personally think you may have some form of Cushing's Disease. You may also have a tumor in your adrenal gland, as suspected, and it was missed, or it may also be a chronic infection. Either way, you need a doctor who is more informed.

You need to get an Endocrinologist. This is a special doctor who specializes in hormonal disorders, including adrenal disease and diabetes. Ask for this now.

Most GP's are not well-informed in this area. If you are on any steroid medication, this can also cause these results.

Antibody tests are one of the tests used to diagnose Type 1 diabetes, as it is an autoimmune disease. It doesn't sound like this is what you have, but your doctor should run the tests anyway. ICA is one of the antibody types. In early stage Type 1, blood sugars may sometimes swing between normal, low, and high.

Look up "Cushing's Disease" on Google. Everything you describe sounds like this. I am curious why your doctor is not looking into this?

Hmm...That's exactly the disease I was suspected of having but nobody gave any importance to the proper diagnosis:mad: .
Look, I'm going to tell you here how my so called "type 1 DM, secondary form" was diagnosed and you will understand why I am so disatissfied with my doctor.

Everything started 15 years ago (age 15) when I was found to have high blood pressure levels (155/95) for my age on a routine checkup:( . The doctor assumed that because I was a bit chubby, the high blood pressure levels were induced by obesity. Normally, that's true. But she missed the fact that I also had some weird symptoms which she completely ignored.

Until last year in november, I had problems with controlling my blood pressure. In november that reached a climax when I decided to go to Kroger's (they have a free BP reading device) and have my BP taken: 187/107:p . ****, I said !!! But I was feeling bad, really bad when happened: severe headaches, some blurred vision, severe weakness, breathing problems; I could not sleep at night; I was sleeping like a dead body during the day; I had 3 minor respiratory infections over a 2 month period etc etc. And there were some red stretch marks on my shoulders and my belly; I went to my doctor and he recommended me to sleep better, eat helthier and be less stressed; but no further testing :mad: !!!!. I've read on the internet that when you find high BP in a person below 40 yo, it must be further investigated since most cases are caused by what's called "secondary hypertension". But did my doctor do sth in this regard? Nopeeee.

The problem is that I had such high BP levels since the age of 15 but they went away everytime when I was relaxed, did physical exercise daily and lost weight (more than 30 pounds); the problems reappeared when I was very stressed, didn't do any exercise at all and put on weight.

In 2001 when I visited some friends in Australia, I was very very sick: severe headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, severe weakness; my friends thought I had a stroke and they took me to the hospital; there I met a very good doc who looked at me and than said: "You've got Cushing". Say what? Anyway, he ordered a blood cortisol which was skyhigh and a MRI (hope I don't spell the words wrongly) that showed a large left adrenal gland; he wanted to give me some pills but I refused and I got back to my doc with this freaky diagnosis in my pocket; he laughed and he said:"Don't worry, it's because you are overwighted and stressed". And he did nothing back in 2001.

So, here are again the symptoms, signs and the lab tests that were ordered when the doc found a high blood sugar level:

symptoms: episodes of severe headaches accompanied sometimes by mildly blurred vision and nausea; sleeping problems sometimes; multiple but minor respiratory infections during winter;

exam:high BP readings on multiple occasions; eye exam normal; pink-red stretch marks on shoulders and belly; central obsesity; excessive hair on my body (I am giving them as they were written in my records)

Lab:

in 2001: high blood cortisol levels at 10.30 am; MRI - large left adrenal gland;

at the time of diagnosis in January, the tests were all normal except:

Blood:

sugar levels (glycemia?) = 336 mg/dL,
Triglycerides (????) = 260,
total cholesterol = 190,
LDL cholesterol= 110;
HDL cholesterol (????) = 46,
cortisol at 8am = 210 (normal up to 150), low eosinophil (????) count

Urine: positive for glucose (4+) and ketone bodies (3+)

plus the above investigations (with CT and Ultrasonography);

Now, what am I supposed to do? My doc told me there was no tumor or anything likely. But he did not order other tests. I've read on the internet that when you find high cortisol levels in a person you should order other tests. Why didn't he do that?

Please offer me an answer. I am desperate now since I am looking for a clear diagnosis.

[stel2006]

I personally think you may have some form of Cushing's Disease. You may also have a tumor in your adrenal gland, as suspected, and it was missed, or it may also be a chronic infection. Either way, you need a doctor who is more informed.

You need to get an Endocrinologist. This is a special doctor who specializes in hormonal disorders, including adrenal disease and diabetes. Ask for this now.

Most GP's are not well-informed in this area. If you are on any steroid medication, this can also cause these results.

Antibody tests are one of the tests used to diagnose Type 1 diabetes, as it is an autoimmune disease. It doesn't sound like this is what you have, but your doctor should run the tests anyway. ICA is one of the antibody types. In early stage Type 1, blood sugars may sometimes swing between normal, low, and high.

Look up "Cushing's Disease" on Google. Everything you describe sounds like this. I am curious why your doctor is not looking into this?

By the way, I don't take steroids and my doc said I have no infection (he said that the ESR and CRP (???what are these) were normal and the blood cultures came back normal)

As for type 1, as you can see above, he ordered no tests:mad: (antibodies??). He simply made the diagnosis, like that:eek: .

Don't be curious, doctors are no longer doing their job today as they used to do in the past; now they ask you first what type of insurance you have:mad: ...

[stel2006]

I would like to ask you all on this site how it is possible to make a diagnosis of type 1 DM based on the following:

1. no antibodies (?pls clarify me what this means)
2. fasting blood sugar levels (7 -7.30 am) falling b/w 90 and 110 (rarely above 115)
3. normal OGTT
4. 1hr and 2 hr blood sugar levels w/n normal limits (by the way, I measured my blood sugar levels 1h20 min after dinner and it's 114; I use Accu Check Aviva; I ate a 2 1/2 pound bowl full of salad - tomatoes, carrots, letuche, brocolli, onion, lots of cheese and lots of chicken inside plus 4 glasses of milk and 4 apples):confused: ?

I wonder how many people who have been diagnosed as having diabetes really have it:) ?

What are the most accurate tests to diagnose this disease:confused: ?

[stel2006]

Hy guys. I see that my call for help is not getting any feedback:( ; so I thought to post here some things you might find more than interesting:

NEVER interpret your blood sugar levels (regardless of the meter you use) if you:

1. are very stressed or sth bad happened to you;
2. did not sleep the night before or slept very poorly;
3. you have an infection;
4. you are about to go for an interview (job)
5. you consumed fat-rich foods (those that have more than 5% fats - saturated fats !!!) or sugar-rich food;

I am telling you that based on my experience. Here's what happened to me: I bought from Kroger the so called County Fresh Sour Cream; it has low sugars but very high fats (especially saturated ones); I heard that is good for people who are trying to avoid too much sugars in their food:) ; that's a BIG LIE !!!!. And they say that's for dieting.:mad: ....I measured my blood sugar levels at 1 hr, 2 hrs and 3 hrs after meal and I was shocked: 1hr = 170 (normally it's never more than 145), 2 hr = 140 (normally it's never more than 108) and 3 hr = 104 (normally it's abt 91-98):eek: ; So, what happened, I said? When I used to eat the almost similar food without the so called diet-cream, the values used to be excellent; I understand now that these creams and high fat foods are actually absorbed from the stomach in our blood very very slowly forcing the pancreas to release insulin at a higher rate and killing it in time.

So, please be careful what you eat. Whether you have diabetes or not. It's the food that kills us slowly but very effectively...

[Team Diabetes]

I am sure you have Cushing's, or some form of adrenal disorder. PLEASE ask for a Endocrinologist (specialist) ASAP!!!!!

Do not delay. Your doctor sounds useless. Although it is fairly rare that a disease can directly cause obesity/weight gain, you are most likely the rare case in which this happens. Your weight gain is most likely due to Cushing's and nothing you did wrong. You need to fix this before it becomes life-threatening.

PLEASE switch doctors and get re-tested for Cushing's!!!!!

[jimmys devoted]

be tested for Cushings really?.. Unless there are other markers its a bit of playing doctor dont you think?

One thing I remember the Drs. at Joslin pounding into our heads was that most so called " good for you" foods those that are supposed to be healthier are often laden with hidden starches or thickeners.
what you shoudl be really careful of is when looking at the ingredients and the nutritional breakdown.

emulsifiers, thickeners, carageenan artifically made and some other items that they use to make the item better for you actually have an impact on gastric problems( colitis, IBS etc) and impact blood sugars.
its like beans for me one tablespoon of plain cooked benas nothing else but salt and I am over 300 for the day.

it really is a matter of what triggers a bad response in you.

As to checking your bgs when ill, regardless,, you shoul check when ill to give you a ball park of how to compensate diet and meds.

[stel2006]

be tested for Cushings really?.. Unless there are other markers its a bit of playing doctor dont you think?

One thing I remember the Drs. at Joslin pounding into our heads was that most so called " good for you" foods those that are supposed to be healthier are often laden with hidden starches or thickeners.
what you shoudl be really careful of is when looking at the ingredients and the nutritional breakdown.

emulsifiers, thickeners, carageenan artifically made and some other items that they use to make the item better for you actually have an impact on gastric problems( colitis, IBS etc) and impact blood sugars.
its like beans for me one tablespoon of plain cooked benas nothing else but salt and I am over 300 for the day.

it really is a matter of what triggers a bad response in you.

As to checking your bgs when ill, regardless,, you shoul check when ill to give you a ball park of how to compensate diet and meds.

Jimmy, this diagnosis was not established by me but by the head of Endocrinology & Metabolic Diseases at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, Australia:) . I believe he had some long proven experience to give me such a diagnosis:p .

By the way, here's what happened to me yesterday and today: from yesterday at 2 pm I have not been able to control my blood sugar levels - they have been crazily fluctuating (random: 170, 134, 121, 118, 164, 162, 134, 129) and some normal values (103, 100, 92, 108, 110); I also head some mild headaches; I could not sleep last night and I felt a bit weak; I went this afternoon (3 pm) to my doc's office; he took my BP and it was 143/85. Normally it's 120-130 / 75-82; I asked him why this sudden crazy changes? I must say that I have been fasting for two days (no animal proteins - meat, cheese, milk, eggs etc) and I have been eating only fruits, vegetables, little bread, margarine, soya sallamy and the combination; So, why these abnormally high blood sugar levels? The doc took a cortisol test from my blood at 4.20 pm and he insisted that the results be available ASAP; BINGO! High levels:D . He then told me that's because of stress:mad: . Can you believe that? No matter how much I tried to convince him that sth else was going on, he seemed deaf.

YES, I'M GOING TO CHANGE MY DOC !

[stel2006]

I would like to share with you from my experience with measuring blood sugar levels and my so-called diabetes:

I've read on the internet that there are several hormones in our body that can potentially increase our blood sugar levels: epinephrine, cortisol, growth hormone, thyroid hormone, glucagone and just one hormone that decreases our high blood sugar levels: insuline

I mentioned in one of my previous postings on this site why it is not reliable to measure your blood sugar levels in those settings; here is what a doctor from Mayo Clinic told me: all those settings lead to an increase of the above mentioned hormones which in turn will increase our blood sugar levels; also all except glucagone will increase our blood pressure as well; so guys, when you are stressed, your blood sugar levels and your blood pressure levels will be higher than normal:eek: . Good to know:) !

However, the same doc told me that a random blood sugar measuring (b/w meals) should vary in non-diabetes people b/w 4 mmol/L (70 mg/dL) and 8 mmol/L (144 mg/dL); it is still recommended that a random blood sugar level should not be more than 115 mg/dL in normal people and 120-125 mg/dL in people with diabetes.

Here are below the values recommended by that doc to me (please don't ask me questions):

morning (7 am) / a jeun levels:

no diabetes:

excellent:70-99 mg/dL
acceptable 70-109 mg/dL
bad: 110 mg/dL and more

diabetes:

excellent: 70-110 mg/dL
acceptable 111-130 mg/dL
bad: 131 mg/dL and more

random levels (more than 2 hrs after the last meal, b/f meals)

non-diabetes:

excellent: 70-115 mg/dL
acceptable 70-144 mg/dL (aren't these a bit high?)
bad: 145 mg/dL and more

diabetes:

excellent: 70 - 115 mg/dL
acceptable: 70 - 130 mg/dL
bad: 131 mg/dL and more

2 hrs after meal:

non-diabetes:

excellent: 70-125 mg/dL
acceptable: 70-140 mg/dL
bad: 141 mg/dL and more

diabetes:

excellent: 70 - 140 mg/dL
acceptable: 70 - 179 mg/dL
bad: 180 mg/dL and more

before going to bed at night:

non-diabetes:

same as random levels

diabetes:

excellent: 70-130 mg/dL
acceptable: 70 - 150 mg/dL
bad: 151 mg/dL and more

now, the problem is like this:

what if you find a random level of 185 mg/dL, I asked that doc?

He said that it could be a reaction to a very low blood sugar level before (60-70 mg/dL);

So, can it be interpreted, I said?

No, he said. You must follow it in time. If it decreases, it's a reaction to low blood sugar; if it continues to stay high or decreases very slowly, you must see a doc immediately.

What if I find a high level in the morning at 7 am, I asked?

You must check the levels at 3AM and 5AM; you must talk abt your doc abt this.

Than he said that I should never interpret the values if I am very tired / stressed, I didn't sleep the night before or I slept very little, I am going for an exam/interview etc etc. I should however discuss them with my doc (who by the way is blaming stress and fatigue for all the abnormalities he finds.....)

[stel2006]

my doc is an indian doc:o :p .....needless to say more:o ....

[jimmys devoted]

either of these are widely used for cushings and consequently will cause pancreatic rebound. These two meds are used for Diabetic pr pancreatic coplications in response to cushing ACTH elevations. HAs your doctor even dicussed with current high Vitamin K and protein intake to balance out or suport as it were cortisol and supporitve therapy?
or the use of dexamethasone to control excretions?


I as not reponding to you perse" i was simply responding to Team Diabetes comments.

[stel2006]

either of these are widely used for cushings and consequently will cause pancreatic rebound. These two meds are used for Diabetic pr pancreatic coplications in response to cushing ACTH elevations. HAs your doctor even dicussed with current high Vitamin K and protein intake to balance out or suport as it were cortisol and supporitve therapy?
or the use of dexamethasone to control excretions?


I as not reponding to you perse" i was simply responding to Team Diabetes comments.

Hugh:confused: ? What you tell me here is a bit too much for my "medical background":o . Although I have read quite a lot abt. my disease, I find this medical info quite "interesting". So, you say there is a treatment for my condition?

Isn't Dexamethasone like cortisol? Why do I need extra cortisol-like drugs when I have plenty of it already:confused: ?

My protein intake is normal; in fact it's been 3 days now since I haven't eaten any animal protein; I'm trying to follow an animal protein-free diet for 6-8 weeks to spare my kidneys (I've read on the internet it's good and to eliminate my toxins from my liver).

But I don't understand what's with the Vitamin K. Why do I need it?

Even of you did not answer to my message explicitly, that was still an answer and I thank you:D .

[stel2006]

be tested for Cushings really?.. Unless there are other markers its a bit of playing doctor dont you think?

One thing I remember the Drs. at Joslin pounding into our heads was that most so called " good for you" foods those that are supposed to be healthier are often laden with hidden starches or thickeners.
what you shoudl be really careful of is when looking at the ingredients and the nutritional breakdown.

emulsifiers, thickeners, carageenan artifically made and some other items that they use to make the item better for you actually have an impact on gastric problems( colitis, IBS etc) and impact blood sugars.
its like beans for me one tablespoon of plain cooked benas nothing else but salt and I am over 300 for the day.

it really is a matter of what triggers a bad response in you.

As to checking your bgs when ill, regardless,, you shoul check when ill to give you a ball park of how to compensate diet and meds.

Look man, I am not a doc so I cannot explain myself many things I read on the net, but there is one thing I know **** well: once diabetes, always diabetes:cool: .

And the best way to avoid long term complications is, according to all sites I have visited, a very strict control of your blood sugar levels;

sometimes I test 8-9 times my blood sugar daily:D ; think I am crazy? Might be, but since I don't have a clear diagnosis yet (for which by the way I have been struggling to find an answer:mad: ), I must monitor my blood sugar and blood pressure levels as often as possible to make sure they stay within normal limits (remember, I have a silent killer in my body - cortisol, that showed its teeth and know I am trying to find a way to kick it down for good); Until I have a clear diagnosis, I must behave as if I had full-blown diabetes, right:confused: ?

[Team Diabetes]

Hugh:confused: ? What you tell me here is a bit too much for my "medical background":o . Although I have read quite a lot abt. my disease, I find this medical info quite "interesting". So, you say there is a treatment for my condition?

Isn't Dexamethasone like cortisol? Why do I need extra cortisol-like drugs when I have plenty of it already:confused: ?

My protein intake is normal; in fact it's been 3 days now since I haven't eaten any animal protein; I'm trying to follow an animal protein-free diet for 6-8 weeks to spare my kidneys (I've read on the internet it's good and to eliminate my toxins from my liver).

But I don't understand what's with the Vitamin K. Why do I need it?

Even of you did not answer to my message explicitly, that was still an answer and I thank you:D .

Jimmys Devoted meant to say that Dexamethasone (supression test) is used as part of the test to diagnose Cushing's Disease.

An ACTH test, CRH test, and a urine cortisol to creatine test can also be used in addition to serum (blood) random cortisol.

A good doctor will also notice if your lymphocyte counts are low. This often occurs in Cushing's.

Surgery/radiation is the treatment choice in Cushing's, depending on if the pituitary gland is involved. If there is a ACTH secreting tumor on the adrenal glands, that can be removed to treat the disease. If your pituitary gland needs to be removed, you will need to take replacement hormones for life. These are things you need to ask your new doctor about.

While the internet is good for support, you need to talk to your DOCTOR about medical advice and dietary support. It *can* be dangerous to add dietary supplements when you have untreated hormonal disorders without first consulting your own doctor. I am sorry your past doctor was such an idiot, I will pray that you find someone who can help you.

Take care and warm wishes!

[Team Diabetes]

be tested for Cushings really?.. Unless there are other markers its a bit of playing doctor dont you think?

One thing I remember the Drs. at Joslin pounding into our heads was that most so called " good for you" foods those that are supposed to be healthier are often laden with hidden starches or thickeners.
what you shoudl be really careful of is when looking at the ingredients and the nutritional breakdown.

emulsifiers, thickeners, carageenan artifically made and some other items that they use to make the item better for you actually have an impact on gastric problems( colitis, IBS etc) and impact blood sugars.
its like beans for me one tablespoon of plain cooked benas nothing else but salt and I am over 300 for the day.

it really is a matter of what triggers a bad response in you.

As to checking your bgs when ill, regardless,, you shoul check when ill to give you a ball park of how to compensate diet and meds.


Yes. She does have other symptoms, of which high blood sugars is only one of them. In fact, her previous doctor once already said she DID have it. Her current doctor has no clue. Makes you wonder how some people get through medical school, huh?

[Team Diabetes]

Jimmy, this diagnosis was not established by me but by the head of Endocrinology & Metabolic Diseases at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, Australia:) . I believe he had some long proven experience to give me such a diagnosis:p .

By the way, here's what happened to me yesterday and today: from yesterday at 2 pm I have not been able to control my blood sugar levels - they have been crazily fluctuating (random: 170, 134, 121, 118, 164, 162, 134, 129) and some normal values (103, 100, 92, 108, 110); I also head some mild headaches; I could not sleep last night and I felt a bit weak; I went this afternoon (3 pm) to my doc's office; he took my BP and it was 143/85. Normally it's 120-130 / 75-82; I asked him why this sudden crazy changes? I must say that I have been fasting for two days (no animal proteins - meat, cheese, milk, eggs etc) and I have been eating only fruits, vegetables, little bread, margarine, soya sallamy and the combination; So, why these abnormally high blood sugar levels? The doc took a cortisol test from my blood at 4.20 pm and he insisted that the results be available ASAP; BINGO! High levels:D . He then told me that's because of stress:mad: . Can you believe that? No matter how much I tried to convince him that sth else was going on, he seemed deaf.

YES, I'M GOING TO CHANGE MY DOC !

First of all, your blood sugars are NOT fluctuating that much!!! Nor that bad! Everyone, diabetic or not, will have some fluctuations in their BG. Also, there is up to a 20% variation in your results each time you test due to inaccuracy in home blood glucose monitors, so the changes may not be as noticeable as you think.

Also, you need to avoid testing within 2 hours after you last ate, unless you feel low, to get the big picture of your control.

Try eating lean protein (protein is NOT bad unless you ALREADY have kidney damage and I do not even think you have diabetes), complex whole grain carbs, and good fats to stabilize your BG's. Avoid simple sugars.

Eat fish, olive oil, chicken breast, whole wheat bread, brown rice, beans, oatmeal, apples, and veggies.

This is the kind of diet that can help anyone stabilize thier BG's.

I think a three things are going on:

1.) If you are still using insulin, you may be having low blood sugars are rebounding. This will lead to fatigue.

2.)You may be experiencing symptoms from your high cortisol levels. Cortisol levels may also increase due to low blood sugars. Follow the above diet to stabilize your BG's and follow up with your new doctor regarding your abnormal cortisol.

3.) Fasting will also put much stress on the body and increase cortisol levels. Add some lean protein and start eating frequent and small meals. This will also help stabilize BG.

You need to follow up with a good doctor.

[Team Diabetes]

Look man, I am not a doc so I cannot explain myself many things I read on the net, but there is one thing I know **** well: once diabetes, always diabetes:cool: .

And the best way to avoid long term complications is, according to all sites I have visited, a very strict control of your blood sugar levels;

sometimes I test 8-9 times my blood sugar daily:D ; think I am crazy? Might be, but since I don't have a clear diagnosis yet (for which by the way I have been struggling to find an answer:mad: ), I must monitor my blood sugar and blood pressure levels as often as possible to make sure they stay within normal limits (remember, I have a silent killer in my body - cortisol, that showed its teeth and know I am trying to find a way to kick it down for good); Until I have a clear diagnosis, I must behave as if I had full-blown diabetes, right:confused: ?

I test 10-12x daily as a Type 1 diabetic and adjust my insulin pump accordingly. Not crazy at all! You do what you have to do!

[jimmys devoted]

IN a section in endocrinology treatments for hyper pititary syndromse.....
it is suggested through low doesesthat RU486 w even though its a cortisol based med can prevent secretion and block further secretions. While teh article doesnt go further more passing bibliography its an interesting note.

For yaears they thought I had chushings, even wantng to go through and do an open brain exploration. NO MRI, CAT or PET scan.

I dint have teh round plethoric moon face, I didnt havethe levated levels or depressed levels, I didnt have chyubby clubbed fingers or any of the other problems.
yet they were sure I had it, and this doctor who said I had it wrote a number of books.
Turned out I had MODY causing LUPUS.
Now that the diabetes is under control I have only afew signs of lupus. But I didnt need meds for it.
I think what happens is so many times its a cionundrum loop of one disease affecting another and trying to figure out which is triggering what can cause even more frustration for the patient than for the doctor.

I wish you lots of luck in finding anew doctor where you are that will of all things listen.............

j.

[stel2006]

IN a section in endocrinology treatments for hyper pititary syndromse.....
it is suggested through low doesesthat RU486 w even though its a cortisol based med can prevent secretion and block further secretions. While teh article doesnt go further more passing bibliography its an interesting note.

For yaears they thought I had chushings, even wantng to go through and do an open brain exploration. NO MRI, CAT or PET scan.

I dint have teh round plethoric moon face, I didnt havethe levated levels or depressed levels, I didnt have chyubby clubbed fingers or any of the other problems.
yet they were sure I had it, and this doctor who said I had it wrote a number of books.
Turned out I had MODY causing LUPUS.
Now that the diabetes is under control I have only afew signs of lupus. But I didnt need meds for it.
I think what happens is so many times its a cionundrum loop of one disease affecting another and trying to figure out which is triggering what can cause even more frustration for the patient than for the doctor.

I wish you lots of luck in finding anew doctor where you are that will of all things listen.............

j.


You think guys my doc is an idiot? That's very nice to say for his not carrying about me or what I say:mad: ....

By the way, I am a he, not a she:p ...but that's ok, I have discovered my feminine side with that.:p ..

My doc recommended me to increase the dose of insuline to 26 units at night before going to bed:confused: ; he justified that by saying that we have to suppress cortisol secretion very well. Hm, say what, I said? As I know, cortisol also protects you against stress..right? So, what the **** is going to protect my body if I am expossed to sudden stress??? (Please tell me if I am wrong)

The problem is that today I had severe headaches, a terrible hunger (severe gnawing pains in my stomach), severe muscle weakness and dizziness; I checked my blood sugar levels and they were 62 mg/dL !!!. And that's 1hr and 30 min after I ate...What the **** happened? My BP levels were 120/70. Is that kind of serious?

I think that I take too much insulin. Instead of doing more tests (by the way, the doc at Mayo clinic did not understand why I have not had the following tests done for me --see them below), this doc decided to give me more insuline...

At 7.20 am my levels were 96; last night I woke up at 3.45 am and I was so hungry that I could eat the walls..no kidding. I took my blood sugar levels and they were 84 mg/dL; then I ate 3 oranges, 3 apples and 1 potato with salt and garlic (I love garlic); I stayed awake for the next 40 mins then I took my blood sugar levels again: 111 mg/dL, then I went to bed again.

Please offer me some advice now.

Here are the tests I was told to have been done for me (pls offer me some assistance):

24 hr urinary cortisol levels
serum ACTH land ACTH-like peptide (?????) levels at 5 am
CT scan of head (why?)
Cortisol challenge test (?????)
MRI of adrenal gland - if negative, PET of adrenal gland (????)
Urine Ca, K
Repeat OGTT (why?)

[stel2006]

First of all, your blood sugars are NOT fluctuating that much!!! Nor that bad! Everyone, diabetic or not, will have some fluctuations in their BG. Also, there is up to a 20% variation in your results each time you test due to inaccuracy in home blood glucose monitors, so the changes may not be as noticeable as you think.

Also, you need to avoid testing within 2 hours after you last ate, unless you feel low, to get the big picture of your control.

Try eating lean protein (protein is NOT bad unless you ALREADY have kidney damage and I do not even think you have diabetes), complex whole grain carbs, and good fats to stabilize your BG's. Avoid simple sugars.

Eat fish, olive oil, chicken breast, whole wheat bread, brown rice, beans, oatmeal, apples, and veggies.

This is the kind of diet that can help anyone stabilize thier BG's.

I think a three things are going on:

1.) If you are still using insulin, you may be having low blood sugars are rebounding. This will lead to fatigue.

2.)You may be experiencing symptoms from your high cortisol levels. Cortisol levels may also increase due to low blood sugars. Follow the above diet to stabilize your BG's and follow up with your new doctor regarding your abnormal cortisol.

3.) Fasting will also put much stress on the body and increase cortisol levels. Add some lean protein and start eating frequent and small meals. This will also help stabilize BG.

You need to follow up with a good doctor.

I don't have kidney damage..that was the mistery when I was diagnosed with diabetes. My doc said that "even albuminuria (????) was absent and the kidney function tests (???) are perfectly normal";

I mentioned in one of my previous posting the values that were not normal; the rest were normal, that's what I was said; however, the eosinophils were low (???) and my doc said that this might be due to stress (????).

[Team Diabetes]

I don't have kidney damage..that was the mistery when I was diagnosed with diabetes. My doc said that "even albuminuria (????) was absent and the kidney function tests (???) are perfectly normal";

I mentioned in one of my previous posting the values that were not normal; the rest were normal, that's what I was said; however, the eosinophils were low (???) and my doc said that this might be due to stress (????).

I know you don't have kidney damage, that's why I am confused as to why you would cut out protein! You need protein to help keep your blood sugars stable. I was trying to tell you that protein is NOT bad, unless you DO have kidney disease. Then you should cut down! In your case, since you do not have kidney damage, keep the protein!

Eosinophils can be low due to increased cortisol levels, which you already know you have. This alone doesn't tell us much, or the reason why you have high cortisol levels. It could be from simply stress, or disease.

[Team Diabetes]

You think guys my doc is an idiot? That's very nice to say for his not carrying about me or what I say

By the way, I am a he, not a she:p ...but that's ok, I have discovered my feminine side with that.:p ..

My doc recommended me to increase the dose of insuline to 26 units at night before going to bed:confused: ; he justified that by saying that we have to suppress cortisol secretion very well. Hm, say what, I said? As I know, cortisol also protects you against stress..right? So, what the **** is going to protect my body if I am expossed to sudden stress??? (Please tell me if I am wrong)

The problem is that today I had severe headaches, a terrible hunger (severe gnawing pains in my stomach), severe muscle weakness and dizziness; I checked my blood sugar levels and they were 62 mg/dL !!!. And that's 1hr and 30 min after I ate...What the **** happened? My BP levels were 120/70. Is that kind of serious?

I think that I take too much insulin. Instead of doing more tests (by the way, the doc at Mayo clinic did not understand why I have not had the following tests done for me --see them below), this doc decided to give me more insuline...

At 7.20 am my levels were 96; last night I woke up at 3.45 am and I was so hungry that I could eat the walls..no kidding. I took my blood sugar levels and they were 84 mg/dL; then I ate 3 oranges, 3 apples and 1 potato with salt and garlic (I love garlic); I stayed awake for the next 40 mins then I took my blood sugar levels again: 111 mg/dL, then I went to bed again.

Please offer me some advice now.

Here are the tests I was told to have been done for me (pls offer me some assistance):

24 hr urinary cortisol levels
serum ACTH land ACTH-like peptide (?????) levels at 5 am
CT scan of head (why?)
Cortisol challenge test (?????)
MRI of adrenal gland - if negative, PET of adrenal gland (????)
Urine Ca, K
Repeat OGTT (why?)

I think anyone with half a brain can see just how "helpful" and "caring" your doctor is! Which is why you are getting a new doctor, right? :cool:

The problem with simply jacking up your insulin dose to suppress cortisol is that it also increases your risk for hypoglycemia and feeling unwell. Since your cortisol is high, you should not be able to suppress it to dangerously low levels via insulin alone. HOWEVER, it IS dangerous to have low blood sugars, and these alone can increase cortisol levels and decrease immunity, leading to illness. You are not any further ahead if this happens. It sounds like you need to *reduce* your insulin dose. Increasing the dose may have helped the cortisol issue, but that means nothing if you die anyway from insulin shock (low blood sugar).

You are 100% correct in that your doctor is wrong here. He should NOT be giving you that high of an insulin dose without making sure you are not running low, and he should be testing and treating the underlying problem that is causing your high blood sugars. You have secondary diabetes. Yours may be the rare case in which your diabetes CAN go away. In secondary diabetes, the diabetes will go away when the disease that caused it is corrected.

All of those tests you listed will check for Cushing's and/or any adrenal/pituitary problems. That doctor that suggested these seems to have a clue. Can you see him/her again?

You need to reduce your insulin dose. It is dangerous to go low at night. You can go into a coma. No one on this board can safely suggest exactly by how much to reduce your dose, you will need to call your doctor for that. However, you could try reducing it by 1-3 units to start. That's probably enough to get you out of the severe low blood sugar danger zone, but not enough to cause you to have immediately dangerous high blood sugars either. Don't forget that exercise will also lower blood sugar (in most people), so you need to reduce your dose for exercise.

[stel2006]

Unfortunetely I cannot change my doc so easily:( ...it's hard to say, but I have not told him that I have already contacted that doc at Mayo Clinic (I've heard they are the best) and I have been told what I should do.

My doc does not want to go deeper into diagnosis since he is a doc from India:o . If only he were an American doc;) ...To change him with another will take some time, that's for certain;

In the meanway, I will continue to monitor my blood sugar and pressure levels (by the way, my BP today at 11 am was 118/75; that's supergreat) and try to reduce the insuline dose by myself; I would like to say that I do Galrcine insuline (Lantus = trade name) that is a very slow acting/releasing insulin (24-36 hrs) and I do now 26 units at 9pm each night;

My question is this (pls give me an answer): If I had true diabetes, would the insuline I do every day be able to decrease my blood sugar levels so rapidly much as in non-diabetes people? I mean, if this insuline is released so slowly, can It however decrease the blood sugar levels so rapidly (187-205 - 5 mins after eating to 90-108 at 2 or 3 hrs after eating?); Does this mean that my pancreas is still functioning:confused: ?

my random blood sugar levels have been so far b/w 80 and 120 in 90% of cases and very rarely b/w 121 and 140 and exceptionally rarely above 140.

[stel2006]

by the way, my doc recommended that I should cut down protein intake:confused: . At the beginning I was very confused, but I had to accept his medical judgment; he said:"By cutting down your protein intake, we will delay the occurrence of diabetic nephropathy and will give us some time before going with dialysis":confused: . I simply cried heavily when I heard that:( . Are my kidney so badly damaged now:( ?

[stel2006]

I would like to change my doc...but now I work very hard:( ..and it's difficult to look for another one:( ; and I would like very very much to have the above tests done for me:( ; unfortunately, without a referral (??) letter from my doc, I cannot have the tests done for me.:confused: ..

[Team Diabetes]

Unfortunetely I cannot change my doc so easily:( ...it's hard to say, but I have not told him that I have already contacted that doc at Mayo Clinic (I've heard they are the best) and I have been told what I should do.

My doc does not want to go deeper into diagnosis since he is a doc from India:o . If only he were an American doc;) ...To change him with another will take some time, that's for certain;

In the meanway, I will continue to monitor my blood sugar and pressure levels (by the way, my BP today at 11 am was 118/75; that's supergreat) and try to reduce the insuline dose by myself; I would like to say that I do Galrcine insuline (Lantus = trade name) that is a very slow acting/releasing insulin (24-36 hrs) and I do now 26 units at 9pm each night;

My question is this (pls give me an answer): If I had true diabetes, would the insuline I do every day be able to decrease my blood sugar levels so rapidly much as in non-diabetes people? I mean, if this insuline is released so slowly, can It however decrease the blood sugar levels so rapidly (187-205 - 5 mins after eating to 90-108 at 2 or 3 hrs after eating?); Does this mean that my pancreas is still functioning:confused: ?

my random blood sugar levels have been so far b/w 80 and 120 in 90% of cases and very rarely b/w 121 and 140 and exceptionally rarely above 140.

I am going to say it is likely you are making your own insulin. If you have secondary diabetes, you would be. It is hard to say how much without a c-peptide test. 26 units Lantus daily and no fast acting insulin for meals suggests that you still have insulin production. However, I cannot tell for sure without that c-peptide test. You seem to be on too much insulin period.

Too much basal insulin (the Lantus) can cause lows throughout the day.

[Team Diabetes]

by the way, my doc recommended that I should cut down protein intake:confused: . At the beginning I was very confused, but I had to accept his medical judgment; he said:"By cutting down your protein intake, we will delay the occurrence of diabetic nephropathy and will give us some time before going with dialysis":confused: . I simply cried heavily when I heard that:( . Are my kidney so badly damaged now:( ?


From what you have said, your kidney function tests are normal. There is no real evidence to suggest that a low protein diet will help prevent kidney damage in diabetics with normal kidney function. The 2 known ways to help prevent kidney damage are good control of blood sugars and blood pressure.

Your doctor sounds like a) He is only used to treating standard Type 2 diabetics (who generally have had diabetes and diabetes complications undiagnosed for a long time), and b) Really has no idea how to treat your case.

If your tests have come back normal thus far, your kidney function is normal. Don't panic. Kidney damage generally needs years of high blood sugars to develop. If your blood sugars are currently in good control and you have no damage, you are ok for now.

[Team Diabetes]

I would like to change my doc...but now I work very hard:( ..and it's difficult to look for another one:( ; and I would like very very much to have the above tests done for me:( ; unfortunately, without a referral (??) letter from my doc, I cannot have the tests done for me.:confused: ..

3 options:

Can you see a doctor at a Walk In Clinic and get a referral from there?

Can you contact the doctor at the Mayo Clinic and ask if he will take you back as a patient?

Can you threaten your current doctor with a malpractice suit? Tell him that if he refuses to help you, it is his job to find a doctor who can.

[stel2006]

malpratice suit:) ...easy to say, hard to do when you don't have too much time to look for another doc.

As for that doc at Mayo clinic, I contacted him online to ask for another opinion and, as you, that doc is puzzled abt my diagnosis.

I'm going to give you below how my diagnosis of DM was established (watch and wonder):p :

1 morning fasting blood sugar levels of 330 mg/dL - my doc said when he saw this value: "Get used to this; you've got Diabetes Mellitus type 2 and you must live with it for the rest of your life". What a jerk!!!!
Then he gave me insuline 4 times daily. And that's how my diagnosis was established:confused: .

Seeing that, I insisted on having more tests done for me; my doc did not agree initially, but I read on the internet what tests I needed, so I insisted to have those tests done. My doc then asked me why I challenged his diagnosis since I had no medical knowledge:mad: ; I said: "I might not have medical knowledge, but I have good knowledge of my body".

So, after the tests became available, my doc changed the diagnosis in type 1 DM without any of the tests needed for that; 1 week later, only after I had told him 12 times (!!!) that my BP levels were very high since a kid and abt the skin stretch marks, obesity and all the other symptoms, did he decide to go with further tests !!!!. Then he changed the diagnosis with type 1 DM, secondary form !!!!

And you are telling me to sue my doc? For incompetence? Or for being more concerned abt my so-called DM than he is?

The problem now is that I cannot have the above tests done for me since my doc is not writing a referral letter for me; he said:"we have done too many tests for you; you must accept the idea of having DM"; "YES, I said, but what if there is sth in my body that can be fullly treated and thus get rid of your DM?"; He then looked and me and told me to come in 1 mo for a checkup.

[Team Diabetes]

malpratice suit:) ...easy to say, hard to do when you don't have too much time to look for another doc.

As for that doc at Mayo clinic, I contacted him online to ask for another opinion and, as you, that doc is puzzled abt my diagnosis.

I'm going to give you below how my diagnosis of DM was established (watch and wonder):p :

1 morning fasting blood sugar levels of 330 mg/dL - my doc said when he saw this value: "Get used to this; you've got Diabetes Mellitus type 2 and you must live with it for the rest of your life". What a jerk!!!!
Then he gave me insuline 4 times daily. And that's how my diagnosis was established:confused: .

Seeing that, I insisted on having more tests done for me; my doc did not agree initially, but I read on the internet what tests I needed, so I insisted to have those tests done. My doc then asked me why I challenged his diagnosis since I had no medical knowledge:mad: ; I said: "I might not have medical knowledge, but I have good knowledge of my body".

So, after the tests became available, my doc changed the diagnosis in type 1 DM without any of the tests needed for that; 1 week later, only after I had told him 12 times (!!!) that my BP levels were very high since a kid and abt the skin stretch marks, obesity and all the other symptoms, did he decide to go with further tests !!!!. Then he changed the diagnosis with type 1 DM, secondary form !!!!

And you are telling me to sue my doc? For incompetence? Or for being more concerned abt my so-called DM than he is?

The problem now is that I cannot have the above tests done for me since my doc is not writing a referral letter for me; he said:"we have done too many tests for you; you must accept the idea of having DM"; "YES, I said, but what if there is sth in my body that can be fullly treated and thus get rid of your DM?"; He then looked and me and told me to come in 1 mo for a checkup.


What I an saying to you is that at your next visit, THREATEN him with a lawsuit if you do not feel you are getting proper care. That may be all it takes to listen to you. You do not need to start a lawsuit perse, but let your doctor know you are not happy with your care. Of course, this can work against you, but what choice do you have if you feel he is not listening?

If you have previously been diagnosed with an adrenal disorder (i.e. Cushing's) by a doctor at the Mayo Clinic, and still have symptoms, it would only make sense to say that your doctor is being negligent by ignoring this diagnosis.

There are other options, but you have to be willing and able to do them. Can you go to another clinic or a Walk-In clinic to get a referral? Can you see another GP in your doctor's clinic? Perhaps you can get a referral to see that doctor at Mayo Clinic and have it paid for by your insurance. He may not have all the answers, but at least he seems willing to help.

The problem is, unfortunately obesity and Type 2 diabetes are commonplace nowadays. Doctors are used to diagnosing this without investigating further.

If you really are stuck with this doctor, then treat yourself as though you have Type 2 diabetes (the weight related kind). Exercise 1 hr/5 days a week, eat small, frequent healthy meals, and take your insulin. Focus on trying to lose the weight, even though it may be impossible if you have Cushing's. There is nothing else you can do for now if you are really stuck with him as you say. Maybe this will help.

You will need to learn how to adjust your insulin to your blood sugar levels. It is your doctor's job to explain this or send you to a diabetes nurse who can. Explain to him that this is his job.

Some insurance companies and/or states may have a toll-free health hotline that can connect you with a nurse 24-7. That may be some help when you need it.

What confuses me is that your doctor seems clueless. For instance, there is no such thing as "Type 1 Secondary Diabetes". You either have Type 1 OR Secondary diabetes. They are 2 totally different diseases. See below:

"Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body's own immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas (called beta cells).

Normally, the body's immune system fights off foreign invaders like viruses or bacteria. But for unknown reasons, in people with type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks various cells in the body. This results in a complete deficiency of the insulin hormone.

Some people develop a type of diabetes – called secondary diabetes -- which is similar to type 1 diabetes, but the beta cells are not destroyed by the immune system but by some other factor, such as cystic fibrosis or pancreatic surgery"

If anything, you have a form of secondary diabetes more like Type 2 diabetes, because you have insulin resistance due to high cortisol levels. Type 1 diabetes is not caused by insulin resistance.

Good luck!

[stel2006]

I have already threatened him with a malpractice suit, but he told me: "I don't care; I've got nothing to lose; You may chose another doc, I don't mind":mad: . His attitude seems normal for a doc that did not attend the Medical School in the USA....He came from India and frankly, he does not give a **** on his patients:mad: . I had to search on the internet what investigations I was supposed to have been done for me. Is that normal:mad: ?
I will try to find another doc; I tried at an Walk-In Clinic, but two of them told me that they did not do some of the tests:confused: . It seems it's kind of difficult to have all those tests done for me in one place.

[Team Diabetes]

I have already threatened him with a malpractice suit, but he told me: "I don't care; I've got nothing to lose; You may chose another doc, I don't mind":mad: . His attitude seems normal for a doc that did not attend the Medical School in the USA....He came from India and frankly, he does not give a **** on his patients:mad: . I had to search on the internet what investigations I was supposed to have been done for me. Is that normal:mad: ?
I will try to find another doc; I tried at an Walk-In Clinic, but two of them told me that they did not do some of the tests:confused: . It seems it's kind of difficult to have all those tests done for me in one place.


You need to ask the doctors at the Walk In Clinic to refer you to an new endocrinologist. The new endocrinologist will help you to find out if you really have Type 2 diabetes, or if you have secondary diabetes and Cushing's.

You are right that most doctors will not be able to do all those tests and may need to send you to a specialist. Luckily, most endocrinologists will be able to do those tests.

Unfortunately, it is not rare for patients nowadays to have to be their own doctors. I had to demand my doctor test me for Celiac Disease, which is very common and under-diagnosed in people with autoimmune (Type 1) diabetes. For a year, she told me it was "normal" to feel tired after the age of 18!!!

I was very ill. I had lost 15 lbs (and I was a size 7 to begin with, so I looked anorexic), and I could not keep my blood sugar above 4.0 mmol.l (72 mg/dl).

My antibodies came back off the charts positive, and my biopsy showed I had no intestinal villi left to absorb nutrients.

If my doctor had just stopped to realize that Celiac DOES appear in adults, and that it is common in Type 1's, then I may not have had to suffer.

Take care of yourself and push hard for proper care. If you don't do it, no one will.

[stel2006]

the disease you mention was unknown for me until I have consulted the net; and it's a serious disease and I hope that you will be ok. I wish you stay healthy and happy:) .

As for my "everything is due to stress in you" doc, I have to say that I am not a stressed person at all:confused: . In fact my doc has been trying to find a trustable explanation for his not having the slightest idea of what he is supposed to do:mad: ;

That is why I started to gather as much info as possible abt my disease and see if I can get through with my suspected diagnosis; I will need however some time and good doctors to make sure I have a correct diagnosis;

It's a real pitty to have secondary diabetes that can be fully treated and not treat it accordingly; as I read on the net, the secondary diabetes can become real diabetes, right:confused: ?

[Team Diabetes]

the disease you mention was unknown for me until I have consulted the net; and it's a serious disease and I hope that you will be ok. I wish you stay healthy and happy:) .

As for my "everything is due to stress in you" doc, I have to say that I am not a stressed person at all:confused: . In fact my doc has been trying to find a trustable explanation for his not having the slightest idea of what he is supposed to do:mad: ;

That is why I started to gather as much info as possible abt my disease and see if I can get through with my suspected diagnosis; I will need however some time and good doctors to make sure I have a correct diagnosis;

It's a real pitty to have secondary diabetes that can be fully treated and not treat it accordingly; as I read on the net, the secondary diabetes can become real diabetes, right:confused: ?

Not necessarily in your case, if you have Cushing's. While it's true that secondary diabetes from something like Cystic Fibrosis is almost always permanent, it doesn't mean it will be in your case.

The problem is, the longer you have the high cortisol levels and insulin resistance, the higher the risk that your body will lose beta cells (insulin secreting cells) due to this. High blood sugars are toxic to beta cells. This is one reason why many Type 2 diabetics (especially those with very poor control and/or very high insulin resistance) will go on to need insulin.
Some Type 2 diabetics become insulin dependant permanently due to this. Others can stop the process by gaining good control and following their diet, losing weight, etc.

If you maintain good blood sugars (and it seems you are), you should be okay. Begin working on getting the help you need, but also focus on good control and weight loss for now to protect the beta cells you have.

Hopefully you will be able to get a good doctor, and there may still be a very good chance your blood sugars will return to normal if you do have Cushing's and it is treated.

Also, many Type 2's are able to go off insulin and/or meds if they lose weight and follow a strict diet and exercise plan for life. This doesn't work for all though, and the longer you have had diabetes, the less likely this is to happen. Keeping your blood sugar in a good range will increase your chance of doing this.

Do what you can with the "doctor" you have, and remember that you know your body best. Take care of it, and I hope you can get a good doctor who will help you.

Another option is to use the ER to your advantage. If you feel like your cortisol levels are extremely high (shaking, lightheaded, high BP, etc.) go to the ER complaining of your symptoms. They will run needed tests on you, and will further investigate if your cortisol IS high. At the very least, you can ask that they refer you to a new Endo (hormone specialist).

[stel2006]

here's a new decovery I've just made and I want to share with all of you; some of you might actually have my disease, in a very early stage, and have no idea abt that.

I could not sleep last night; luckily, I did not have to work today so it was ok. I went to sleep at 7 am and I slept until 2 pm; weird, huh? Never happened to me:confused: .

But, before going to bed, at 6.30 am, I decided to measure my blood sugar and pressure levels just in case; I was shocked; my blood sugar was 153 and my pressure was 143/87:mad: ; higher than ever (usually the random blood sugar is b/w 85 and 110 and the BP are 120-135/62-80); I also had some headaches and I was feelink kind of weak; I waited until 7 am and I measured again my blood sugar: 123. Never been that high.

I went to bed and I measured again the same values at 2 pm:
blood sugar: 92; BP = 132/72

I then decided to ride my medical bike for 30 mins at speed 7-8; 15 mins after I stopped riding the bike, I took my values again: blood sugar = 103; BP = 125/65; pulse = 84 (I have a manual BP monitor from Kroger); so, that's nice, I said;) .

Now, here's my question for you: Why my BP and sugar levels were so high in the morning since I ate at 9.30 pm last night and my BP at 10 pm were 128/79 and my blood sugar levels were 107 at 3 am:confused: ?

[stel2006]

as crazy some of you might think I could be:( , I still believe that my cortisol is to blame for all my troubles:mad: ; and I have no idea how to kick it down (as if I could do that safely...)

Until however I have access to a good doc and time for tests, I will share with you my experiences hoping to find, someday, a good cure:D .

[stel2006]

This is a warning for all those using Accu-Check Aviva meters; they display bigger-than-normal values !!!!. I've just realized that and I was very disappointed. Here's how I found out this:

I visited my doc this morning to check my meter (I use Accu -Check Aviva, Accu-Check Go and One Touch Ultra; I have 3 meters just in case one shows a weird value). Here are the values after 3 different measures:

time: 7.10 am

labvalue: 86 mg/dL

OneTouchUltra; 92mg/dL

AccuCheckGo: 91 mg/dL

AccuCheckAviva: 108 mg/dL


time: 9.30 am (2 hrs after eating)

labvalue: 102 mg/dL

OneTouchUltra; 106 mg/dL

AccuCheckGo: 108 mg/dL

AccuCheckAviva: 148 mg/dL (!!!!!)


Random: 10.30 am

labvalue: 84 mg/dL

OneTouchUltra; 92 mg/dL

AccuCheckGo: 90 mg/dL

AccuCheckAviva: 121 mg/dL (!!!)

So...you will make the judgment.

I'm telling you this because sometimes I had symptoms of low blood sugar (headaches, svere hunger, stomach pains, muscle weakness, difficult walking, dizziness) and the Accu-Check Aviva was showing 102, 108, 112 mg/dL; however, at 1 pm today I had the same symptoms and the Accu-Check Go showed 80 mg/dL and the One Touch Ultra 72 mg/dL. So, I leave you to decide abt that.

However, take care abt that: Some of the Accu-Check Aviva meters were taken back from the market because they showed abnormal values; I don't have one of the faulty meters (they gave the series of the meters online) but it seems that all have the same problem, huh?

[Team Diabetes]

here's a new decovery I've just made and I want to share with all of you; some of you might actually have my disease, in a very early stage, and have no idea abt that.

I could not sleep last night; luckily, I did not have to work today so it was ok. I went to sleep at 7 am and I slept until 2 pm; weird, huh? Never happened to me:confused: .

But, before going to bed, at 6.30 am, I decided to measure my blood sugar and pressure levels just in case; I was shocked; my blood sugar was 153 and my pressure was 143/87:mad: ; higher than ever (usually the random blood sugar is b/w 85 and 110 and the BP are 120-135/62-80); I also had some headaches and I was feelink kind of weak; I waited until 7 am and I measured again my blood sugar: 123. Never been that high.

I went to bed and I measured again the same values at 2 pm:
blood sugar: 92; BP = 132/72

I then decided to ride my medical bike for 30 mins at speed 7-8; 15 mins after I stopped riding the bike, I took my values again: blood sugar = 103; BP = 125/65; pulse = 84 (I have a manual BP monitor from Kroger); so, that's nice, I said;) .

Now, here's my question for you: Why my BP and sugar levels were so high in the morning since I ate at 9.30 pm last night and my BP at 10 pm were 128/79 and my blood sugar levels were 107 at 3 am:confused: ?

It's VERY common to have a higher blood sugar in the am. It's due to hormones. This is called "dawn phenomena". These same hormones can cause an increase in BP, especially if you were up all night. This is a normal function of the human body.

I can't stress enough that some fluctuations in both blood sugar and blood pressure will occur. This is normal. Although your blood sugar and blood pressure are sometimes outside of normal range, it is not the majority of the time, nor are they severely elevated. Just today my blood sugar was 23 (414 mg/dl) after my exam due to the stress of writing my exam! In Type 1 diabetes, this can happen, even if you test lots and do everything "right". There is no way injected insulin can replace a pancreas!

You are doing great! Don't worry!

Since you DO have diabetes (of some form), you can expect to have out of range results from time to time.

[Team Diabetes]

as crazy some of you might think I could be:( , I still believe that my cortisol is to blame for all my troubles:mad: ; and I have no idea how to kick it down (as if I could do that safely...)

Until however I have access to a good doc and time for tests, I will share with you my experiences hoping to find, someday, a good cure:D .

My best advice to you is:

-Diet
-Exercise
-Weight loss
-Control of blood sugars

No matter what happens, at least trying to do all of the above will make you that much healthier. It's a win-win!

[stel2006]

The reality is that people with diabetes (whether type 1, 2 or secondary, reversible or not) do much better than people without the disease:) ; why? WE SIMPLY CARE MORE.

By checking the blood sugar levels regularly, by making sure that the blood sugar and pressure levels stay within normal limits most of the time, by having been done tests for us regularly, by dieting, exercising and avoiding stress, we have a bigger life expectancy that people w/o diabetes:) .

I'll give you a simple but valuable example: let's take a 45 yo guy who does not have diabetes but is eating like a pig, doing no exercise, smoking and drinking (to have the full picture of disaster); is that guy healthier and risk-freer than us? This "healthy" macho can cash in any second (heart attack, most probably, right?:D )

The doc in Australia that suspected my disease also told me that I might develop some for of diabetes in future; I was curious enough at that time to ask him 3 questions about diabetes; but one answer struck me: "people with very well controlled diabetes should live complication-free life for at least 30-35 yrs and should visit a doc every 3 months or more";) .

So, secondary or not, one thing I do now better than I used to do in the past: Take care of my body and health and be more careful with what I eat and do

[jimmys devoted]

I know at times it can be an uphill battle. But what I found was that my grandparents lived an emmensly long time with diabetes, my great grandpa did too. theer were a few articles in Diabetes Health about these two gentlemen( twins) who are still living proof of control. they were diagnosed back in the 1920s and use insulin daily. they just celebrated their 101st birthdays.

I found that though I have some secondary complications
(lupus) Insulin is the best weapon in teh arsenal.
It gives me freedom to keep healthy. because I test often and I inject using sliding scale when needed, and watch my diet but boost with viatmins, I am healthier than ever before in my life.

Nomatter what the catalyst or any disease that anyone gets, a positive outlook is your best defense t and key to a happy life.
I found after reading enumerable articles and interviewing people, that so many give up and dont see past the words of their conditions.

so.. like teh song says dont worry be happy take your meds or your shots eat as well as possible and enjoy life!

[stel2006]

I know at times it can be an uphill battle. But what I found was that my grandparents lived an emmensly long time with diabetes, my great grandpa did too. theer were a few articles in Diabetes Health about these two gentlemen( twins) who are still living proof of control. they were diagnosed back in the 1920s and use insulin daily. they just celebrated their 101st birthdays.

I found that though I have some secondary complications
(lupus) Insulin is the best weapon in teh arsenal.
It gives me freedom to keep healthy. because I test often and I inject using sliding scale when needed, and watch my diet but boost with viatmins, I am healthier than ever before in my life.

Nomatter what the catalyst or any disease that anyone gets, a positive outlook is your best defense t and key to a happy life.
I found after reading enumerable articles and interviewing people, that so many give up and dont see past the words of their conditions.

so.. like teh song says dont worry be happy take your meds or your shots eat as well as possible and enjoy life!

Yes, you are perfectly right, but remember this: life today is not the life of your grandparents or even your parents:confused: .

And we eat today garbage food - food that is "technologically' developed:mad: ; in other words, food full of growth hormones, antibiotics and all the craps:mad: . So, is that healthy food:confused: ? And the growth hormone increases your blood sugar levels, right?

Insuline is the key but unfortunetely there are other problems we have to face which insulin cannot solve.

[Team Diabetes]

The reality is that people with diabetes (whether type 1, 2 or secondary, reversible or not) do much better than people without the disease:) ; why? WE SIMPLY CARE MORE.

By checking the blood sugar levels regularly, by making sure that the blood sugar and pressure levels stay within normal limits most of the time, by having been done tests for us regularly, by dieting, exercising and avoiding stress, we have a bigger life expectancy that people w/o diabetes:) .

I'll give you a simple but valuable example: let's take a 45 yo guy who does not have diabetes but is eating like a pig, doing no exercise, smoking and drinking (to have the full picture of disaster); is that guy healthier and risk-freer than us? This "healthy" macho can cash in any second (heart attack, most probably, right?

The doc in Australia that suspected my disease also told me that I might develop some for of diabetes in future; I was curious enough at that time to ask him 3 questions about diabetes; but one answer struck me: "people with very well controlled diabetes should live complication-free life for at least 30-35 yrs and should visit a doc every 3 months or more";) .

So, secondary or not, one thing I do now better than I used to do in the past: Take care of my body and health and be more careful with what I eat and do

I agree with you, especially when it comes to adult onset/ lifestyle related diabetes (Type 2).

You can be so much healthier than if you were not diabetic! By eating right and exercising, you will be fine! Your BG levels are so good!!!

However, I will say things are not so lucky for me. Autoimmune (Type 1) diabetics usually automatically lose at least 15 years of of their lifespan. And since many get it as children (I was a baby), many have serious complications by their 20's and 30's. Dana Hill, an actress with Type 1 diabetes, died when she was 28. Of course, taking care of yourself will help, but unfortunately, insulin is not a cure for Type 1 diabetes. :(

Oh well...I'll keep on trucking....

[Team Diabetes]

I know at times it can be an uphill battle. But what I found was that my grandparents lived an emmensly long time with diabetes, my great grandpa did too. theer were a few articles in Diabetes Health about these two gentlemen( twins) who are still living proof of control. they were diagnosed back in the 1920s and use insulin daily. they just celebrated their 101st birthdays.

I found that though I have some secondary complications
(lupus) Insulin is the best weapon in teh arsenal.
It gives me freedom to keep healthy. because I test often and I inject using sliding scale when needed, and watch my diet but boost with viatmins, I am healthier than ever before in my life.

Nomatter what the catalyst or any disease that anyone gets, a positive outlook is your best defense t and key to a happy life.
I found after reading enumerable articles and interviewing people, that so many give up and dont see past the words of their conditions.

so.. like teh song says dont worry be happy take your meds or your shots eat as well as possible and enjoy life!

Glad to hear you are doing better. The brothers from the DH article are actually 86 and 91 years old, not quite 101...YET. ;)

Either way, they still have lived the longest with Type 1 diabetes of anyone on record. Good genes in that family!!!

With a little effort, many with diabetes can live long and healthy lives. It doesn't change our need for a cure, though. This disease is a full time job and a half...just to have even somewhat decent control.

[Team Diabetes]

Yes, you are perfectly right, but remember this: life today is not the life of your grandparents or even your parents:confused: .

And we eat today garbage food - food that is "technologically' developed:mad: ; in other words, food full of growth hormones, antibiotics and all the craps:mad: . So, is that healthy food:confused: ? And the growth hormone increases your blood sugar levels, right?

Insuline is the key but unfortunetely there are other problems we have to face which insulin cannot solve.

Try to avoid most processed foods. Even if it says "diet", if it comes in a box, most likely you should avoid it!

MAN created bread, and packaged wheat products like crackers. These for the most part are not healthy. And they contain bad trans fats. And yet dietitians suggest them for snacks!

Eat as many organic veggies as you can.

I also follow a gluten free and casein free diet. In Canada, cows cannot be given hormones like in the US, but I still don't eat or drink any kind of dairy at all.


You are totally right that our food has changed. And it's not for the better.

[stel2006]

Here's what I believe I think about diabetes (this is what my brain could "process" without the knowledge of a doctor but with the "experience" of a person with the disease; remember, doctors know many things about this disease, but only people having it actually master the knowledge;) ):

1. you must keep your blood sugar levels as closest to normal as possible (I've seen many "normal" values given on the net; but I noticed that even the fasting blood sugar levels are not universally accepted; for instance, some say that 70-99 is OK, some that 80-106 is OK and some that 80-110 is OK; that's in case of people w/o diabetes; in people with diabetes it's recommended however to keep the values within the interval 80-130; that's what the doctors call a good control)

2. you must do physical exercise at least 30 mins every day;

3. you must stop smoking

4. you must stop drinking alcohol

5. you must keep your blood pressure levels as closest to normal as possible; I read that in people with diabetes they are 110-134 / 60-84; values equal to or above 135/85 are NOT ok;

6. you must avoid food very reach in carbohydrates (juices, cakes, chocolate, candies) and fats (especially "bad" fats: pork meat is a good example)

7. you must inform your doctor abt any change in your symptoms / values and discuss with him/her abt any change that must be made to ensure the best control of your disease; remember: YOU MUST CONTROL THE DISEASE. I have however some "communication" problems with my doctor so maybe you guys are luckier.

8. you must avoid the stress (trust me, it blows out your values; and the readings are not to be interpreted safely); however this is only a hardly reaching target; in reality, it's quite difficult to do that since you have to pay bills every month and take care of your family.

This is what I have understood from what I have been reading on the net; I hope I'm not wrong. If so, please correct me.

[Team Diabetes]

Here's what I believe I think about diabetes (this is what my brain could "process" without the knowledge of a doctor but with the "experience" of a person with the disease; remember, doctors know many things about this disease, but only people having it actually master the knowledge;) ):

1. you must keep your blood sugar levels as closest to normal as possible (I've seen many "normal" values given on the net; but I noticed that even the fasting blood sugar levels are not universally accepted; for instance, some say that 70-99 is OK, some that 80-106 is OK and some that 80-110 is OK; that's in case of people w/o diabetes; in people with diabetes it's recommended however to keep the values within the interval 80-130; that's what the doctors call a good control)

2. you must do physical exercise at least 30 mins every day;

3. you must stop smoking

4. you must stop drinking alcohol

5. you must keep your blood pressure levels as closest to normal as possible; I read that in people with diabetes they are 110-134 / 60-84; values equal to or above 135/85 are NOT ok;

6. you must avoid food very reach in carbohydrates (juices, cakes, chocolate, candies) and fats (especially "bad" fats: pork meat is a good example)

7. you must inform your doctor abt any change in your symptoms / values and discuss with him/her abt any change that must be made to ensure the best control of your disease; remember: YOU MUST CONTROL THE DISEASE. I have however some "communication" problems with my doctor so maybe you guys are luckier.

8. you must avoid the stress (trust me, it blows out your values; and the readings are not to be interpreted safely); however this is only a hardly reaching target; in reality, it's quite difficult to do that since you have to pay bills every month and take care of your family.

This is what I have understood from what I have been reading on the net; I hope I'm not wrong. If so, please correct me.


Yep, you've got it all right! You have a very excellent chance of living and full and healthy life if you make the right choices.

Those of us with Juvenile Diabetes (autoimmune Type 1 diabetes) have a bit of a bleaker outlook, but we do our best. For many of us, it is very hard to have stable and normal blood sugars, no matter what. My A1c ranges from 7-7.5, and I am OK with that. I wear an insulin pump and test 10-12x a day. I can't do much more than that! I also am also very insulin sensitive and prone to lows (I have seizures), like many Type 1's, so I can't run too low. So of us also have other autoimmune diseases as well.

Exercise makes my BG's go crazy (I spike really high, and sometimes I drop low later), so lately I have cut it out until I can stabilize myself. I'm pretty thin and try to eat really healthy though, so I'm not too worried. My main thing is trying to keep my BG's in a safe range.

I know you will do great with your outlook! I know you are willing to work very hard, and you have very good control. Keep it up and you'll be celebrating your 100 b-day no sweat!!!I know you'll do great!

Cheers!

[stel2006]

Yep, you've got it all right! You have a very excellent chance of living and full and healthy life if you make the right choices.

Those of us with Juvenile Diabetes (autoimmune Type 1 diabetes) have a bit of a bleaker outlook, but we do our best. For many of us, it is very hard to have stable and normal blood sugars, no matter what. My A1c ranges from 7-7.5, and I am OK with that. I wear an insulin pump and test 10-12x a day. I can't do much more than that! I also am also very insulin sensitive and prone to lows (I have seizures), like many Type 1's, so I can't run too low. So of us also have other autoimmune diseases as well.

Exercise makes my BG's go crazy (I spike really high, and sometimes I drop low later), so lately I have cut it out until I can stabilize myself. I'm pretty thin and try to eat really healthy though, so I'm not too worried. My main thing is trying to keep my BG's in a safe range.

I know you will do great with your outlook! I know you are willing to work very hard, and you have very good control. Keep it up and you'll be celebrating your 100 b-day no sweat!!!I know you'll do great!

Cheers!


As weird as it might appear, you have however a very clear diagnosis that has been scientifically documented and established. And that counts immensely since you know, at least, what you have to do.

That's not my case unfortunately; until I have a serious diagnosis established, I will live "in the fog". Not to mention that my latest two OGTTs (while I Interrupted the insuline administration) were normal:confused: . That should have ringed some bells in my doc's head (if OGTT is normal you CANNOT have diabetes 1 or 2).

And my diagnosis of type 1 was given from my doc's belly not head:mad: ....Frankly, I don't know what to do now. The doc at Mayo Clinic offered himself to perform the tests but the problem now is the lack of time; Incidentally, does anyone have any idea how much the tests might cost:confused: ?

As in your case, I wish you to stay healthy and happy as long as possible. Relax, docs will find a cure for diabetes type 1 sometime in near future:) ; afterall, there was no cure for tuberculosis at the beginning of the 20 th century, right? And now this disease is regarded as a mere infection. So, let's hope together that things will change soon.

[jimmys devoted]

while so many processed foods are bad, you can eat bread if you choose rthe rigt flour and make it yourself.
Flaxseed flour works great for bread soy does not, It eats up yeast.
shopping in a unadulterated food mart is makes chices of foodss easy.
I think one of the keys to great management and eating wonderful is learning to cook.
A good cookbook and some time makes the difference.

I think that also reduces stress. Actually enjoying food versus worrying about it. I know when I am worrying about howmuch salt, fat and carbs versus proteins and fiber can ruin a nice meal.

in teh US the use of hormones is readily available. being farmers and eventually get some mini cows for milk, cheese butter we are going to avoid even antibiotics. But like us all if an animal gets ill you ahve no choice but to give it the best care.
the use of hormones is for backbreeding and production that we see as useless and stressful on the cow.

I do beleive having that choice to grow our own and rais eour own creates a healthier food source.

[stel2006]

whether you have diabetes or not, avoid potatoes and rice at all costs. Here's the reason why:

boiled and smashed potatoe meal:

my blood sugar levels:

1h after meal: 204
2hrs after meal: 187
3hrs after meal: 134
4 hrs after meal" 114
4hrs 30 mins after meal: 104

normally it's around 108 2 hrs after meal and 90-104 3hrs after meal

fried / boiled rice meal:

my blood sugar levels:

2 hrs after meal: 167
3 hrs after meal: 128
4 hrs after meal; 111

Did anybody else obtain my values? Is it just me? Do the potatoe and rice absorb slowly? How can the above values be justified?

[Team Diabetes]

whether you have diabetes or not, avoid potatoes and rice at all costs. Here's the reason why:

boiled and smashed potatoe meal:

my blood sugar levels:

1h after meal: 204
2hrs after meal: 187
3hrs after meal: 134
4 hrs after meal" 114
4hrs 30 mins after meal: 104

normally it's around 108 2 hrs after meal and 90-104 3hrs after meal

fried / boiled rice meal:

my blood sugar levels:

2 hrs after meal: 167
3 hrs after meal: 128
4 hrs after meal; 111

Did anybody else obtain my values? Is it just me? Do the potatoe and rice absorb slowly? How can the above values be justified?

LOL! Rice and potatoes are about the only thing I can still eat because of Celiac! ;) That said, I do have issues with rice. I have to spread out my insulin, or I will go low, and then rise over 5-8 hours. I also have to change my insulin to carb ratio for rice, meaning I need more insulin than usual for that amount of carbs, or I will go (and stay of course) high.

The good thing is, now most diabetics (Type 1's in particular), can eat anything if they know how to adjust their insulin. Everyone is different. Some foods that some have trouble with, others don't. In fact you are the only other person that has mentioned rice! I just went to a conference where every other diabetic there (Type 1) said that rice didn't spike their BG at all!! :confused: LOL!

There are also different types of rice. Make sure you are only eating brown if you want to reduce spikes.

You can either avoid these foods if you want, add some after meal exercise when you eat them, or talk to your doctor about adding some meal-time insulin for when you eat these foods.

The absorption of the food depends on how you cook it, it's glycemic index, and what you add to it. Normally anything cooked or eaten with a lot of fat will have slowed absorption.

[jimmys devoted]

Ok,,
So heres my findings.
I can eat potatoes they dont impact me at all. neither does rice.
I make a killer rice cake, and fried potatoes is great with sour cream and applesauce.

When I eat beans, corn of any type, some wheats bread, rye breads, oatmeal I can honestly say I dont metabolize it well at all and I spike and stay there.

Not everyone metabolizes or uses food sthe same way. theer are many things that affect this. genetic heritage for one is a big factor. Digestive complications or diseases is a second.
Insulin, Metabolic syndrome, medications etc all have effects on how the body handles foods.

I can drink glass after glass of milk and it doesnt affect me...... but two teaspoons of beans and I am on continual shots.

I prefer jerkey to bring me down to another shot.
I prefer B vitamins to Actos for sensitivity

So for you the foods that srigger spikes you shoudl stay awa from at allcosts, but they may not impact another.
Chinese food and I geta long great but others it may send them through the roof.

[stel2006]

****! It's now very very clear in my weird medical stuff-full head; I've just read on the box of the margarine I have been using for smashed potatoes (I boil them, smash them good, mix them with salt and margarine and it's delicioso) that this unsalted margarine contains 11% fats; huhhh:mad: .

Sometimes I use olive oil for the rice...and this oil also contains fats:mad: ;

So, it's good to know that if you mix carbs with fats, the carbs will be absorbed more slowly:p . ****, you are smart guys. Wish I were a doc or a nurse now.

[stel2006]

I eat white rice...and white/yellow potatoes. Yes, I know, I'm stupid, but I've just found out they are not OK, even for a normal person. People are learning while they are living...

[stel2006]

I have recently read on the net that a good way to estimate of you control your blood sugar levels effectively is to measure the so called HbA1c ?. Ok, I don't know much abt that, but I have 2 questions for you:D :

1. what are the desired, randomly measured blood sugar levels to keep HbA1C below 7%:confused: (some say that it should be maximum 6.5%)

2. how much is allowed for the blood sugar levels to stay high after eating:confused: ? Normally (no diabetes), when does the pancreas insuline bring the blood sugar to normal levels and what are they:confused: ?

for instance: If sb's blood sugar is 160-170 2hrs after dinner but gets to 110 4 hrs later, does that person have to inject a short-acting insuline after 2 hrs so that the levels get normal faster?

[annadannadanna]

Okay, I'm really new to this, but I just read your thread and a few things have occurred to me.

1. Testing -- I'm a newly diagnosed PRE-diabetic, type 2. My primary care doc told me not to test constantly because blood sugar rises and falls and I'd drive myself crazy. I have friends who are full-blown type 2s and they test on rising, before a meal, and at bedtime. They don't do post-prandial (after a meal). My own doctor said that she didn't put much stock in PP testing because it varies widely. So, maybe you're testing too frequently and seeing normal swings?

2. Referral -- I can't agree more with the people who have suggested you get a referral to an endocrinologist. I don't know how your insurance works or how your doctor's office works, but with my primary care doctor, getting a referral doesn't mean changing doctors, it means going to a specialist for specialist treatment. For example, we suspected allergies. She sent me to an allergist where I was tested and the allergist made recommendations. That was the only visit I had, and the only visit I needed because the allergies were mild and nasal sprays and removal of allergens is all that's needed and my primary care doctor can handle that. When I was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, she referred me to a hepatologist (liver specialist) for diagnosis and treatment. After the post-treatment visits were finished, I had no more visits to the hepatologist because my primary care doctor can do the regular monitoring. So now I'm pre-diabetic (and possibly this is an extra-hepatic problem related to the long-term Hep C infection that I had). I feel my doctor has it under control, but if I didn't, I'd have no problem saying to her, "Look, this is a little different than regular Type 2 diabetes. I'm not overweight and have no family history. Something else is going on. Can I see the hepatologist again or an endocrinologist for a second opinion?" Unfortunately, it sounds like your relationship with your primary care doctor has deteriorated at this point, but often one can ask for a referral and the doctor should take it well. If not, one needs to reassure the doctor that it's not a slight. I had only one instance where that didn't go well and that was with a veterinarian for my cat! I trust his judgement and have continued to reassure him of that and now I feel we're back to our good relationship (and the cat is fine now, too.)

3. Foreign doctors -- I have an Indian dentist and eye doctor. I have no problems with them related to their training. My brother has an Indian primary care doctor and seems to have trouble getting through to him, but it's not a matter of language issues, but of reassuring the doctor that one doesn't mean to insult and that this is normal and doesn't reflect on him. Any time he's had to play that card, it's worked out well. So, yes, maybe sometimes one has to work with cultural differences, but I've heard this complaint just as often from friends with American born, bred, and pedigreed doctors, so I don't think it's just due to a doctor being foreign.

Just my opinions, and as I said, I'm really new to this, so I might be missing something. It sounds like you're doing great. Yeah, I gave up potatoes completely. Chocolate is another story ;) , but I find I can get away with an occasional treat if I watch my overall carb and sugar intake.

Good luck with your progress!