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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 10:11:54 AM

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Lafayette Lady,I have Type 2 diabetes and I have found out different foods effect me differently than some other people. Potatoes and rice cause my BS to shoot up while pasta doesn't. I use an Embrace reader and buy my test strips on Ebay. I just won an auction for 400 test strips for $44.00 and they threw in a new reader,2 new stick pins with 200 of the needles. You might want to check out EBay's prices or an auction before you buy more...but if you have insurance,I'm not sure if that is workable. I've tested my BS with 4 different devices and the readings are all very similar but I know every person's body is different and the readings can vary a lot in a very short period of time. My maternal grandmother's readings in the last few months before she passed ran from well over 500 to in the low 60's in the space of less than an hour.Just work with your Doctor to figure out why your readings are so varied

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 12:39:26 PM

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I'm not new to this, I was diagnosed in 2009" so have been using glucometer since then. up unitl about 8 months ago, I took oral medication. My BS still sucked, but the readings really didn't mean much in the sense that the medication wasn't contingent on the readings. Eight months ago, I couldn't find any decent doctors with my insurance, and I was fed up with no changes and 20 different pills a day so I tossed it all and took no medication. For the most part my blood sugar didn't changed much from the numbers when on oral meds. There were a couple instances of it going really high (over 500). I actually had one doctor tell me it was ompossible because I wouldn't be up and about and woulld feel worse than I did (just another idiot). Every time my BS has been high, I feel no differrent than any other time.

I had been telling the idiot doctors I could get with the other insurance that my thyroid was causing problems with the blood sugar results as well as my reactions to medications. They all dismissed it as though I just wanted benzos and narcotics. Technically, I do because of my pain levels and anxiety, but they don't work, so I kept trying to get tthem to ttry different things.

It was really a nightmare because no one wants to be treated as a drug addict that isn't. The funny (sarcastic) thing is every time I would be in the ER with a kidney stone issue, they run a tox screen so they can see there are no drugs in my system! Still they didn't believe me.

On January 1st, my insurance changed and I immediately went back to my old doctor and got referrals to specialists. My primary is good, but we have reached a point with my thyroid and diabetes that a specialist was in order. So I went back to the endo who did the biopsy on my thyroid. At first, he refused to even discuss diabettes treatment, only the thyroid issue. He ordered blood work for my thyroid, and the primary ordered evrything else. But evryone got all the results. NOW he is concerned about the diabetes, although I had to have a breakdown in his office to get him to realize how frustrated I was with everthing.

The thyroid and diabetes are connected. I don't know how much, I just know they are. I think it is because thethyroid is messing up the way the oral meds worked. I am hoping that it won't screw with the insulin.

Knowing the difference between ALL. The numbers is important for a diabetic, knowing the basics is all someone in Lynn's position needs to know. A 10-15 point range is not that big a deal. but here's the rub...I'm not talking vast differences over a time period of even fifteen minutes, and yes I know that they can change in that amount of time. I'm talking about one hundred point difference in the time it take to change the strip and poke my finger again, so less than a minute. That is NOT normal.

I have used the control solutions on both monitors, both level 1 and level 2 and they are both working properly according to that, yet BOTH monitors keep giving wildly varying numbers. Not just between each other, but within each monitor.

My insurance only covers the strips for this monitor (I called and asked), even though the price difference is minimal. Sthe is no way I can afford to buy strips on my own, so that isn't an option. I have spoken to my doctor, the manufacturer of the glucometer and a doctor at the ER. Endo said the FDA allows a FIFTEEN PERCENT error rate. Manufactuer confirmed. That's across the board with all monitors. At a reading of 300, that means it could be 345 or 255. Changes the dose of insulin. But if the reading is 100, it could really be 115 or 85 with the latter mean you are heading ffor a crash and that is NOT good.

No one has an answer for me, although I will be calling my doctor and the manufacturer again today. The ER doctor was very nice and told me I could come in and they would run blood work to find out what the actual number was, but my anxiety level in an ER would just make things worse.

So right now, I have decided that I'm going to just pick a monitor and whatever reading, good or bad, I'm going to use and base the insulin dose on.

I would like to here more from punisher and freedomdwarf though regarding food info. You have both talked about how individually different foods react differrently and finding combinations of foods that help balance your levels. I'm very interested in hearing more about that.

(in reply to punisher440)

RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 1:39:13 PM

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quote:

knowing the basics is all someone in Lynn's position needs to know.

Alright there Sunshine.

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 2:50:11 PM

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Look, you seem to think there is a difference in importance in knowing what a 400 difference is as opposed to what an 85 point difference means. Frankly, even the most uninformed know the problem with a 400 point difference. Diabetes is nuanced for each individual. That's why some people don't experience hypo symptoms until they are below 80, while other may experience them at a higher number. An 85 poin range can be the equivalent of a 15 unit difference in insulin dose SUNSHINE. So obviously, you have not much more than the most basic knowledge of diabetes. Considering you don't even know why you would wipe away the first blood drop, you can't really claim to be oh so knowledgeable.

I fully understand what the numbers mean but I also need to trust the number I'm getting are accurate. I don't understand the scientific workings of glucometers, I don't need to. But when they aren't working it is a major problem for anyone who actually has diabetes.

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 3:03:51 PM

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I'll just leave you with this.

You seem to think that all of the doctors, all of the manufacturers, EVERYONE is an idiot.

At some point, you need to step back and find the common denominator.

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 4:25:09 PM

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I. don't think my doctor is an idiot at all. I like and trust my doctor. He had no issue giving me a new monitor when I explained what was happening. Its not his fault that the one he gave me is giving the same odd results.

I DO think the FDA is out of their mind saying that a 15% error rate is acceptable when you do the math on what that means. I also think there is valid reason for concern when within a one minute time frame a glucometer gives a reading of 301 and 198. That's far more than even the 15% difference.

So while you seem to think you have a clue, I really only see two idiots here and one is the FDA. A mirror might help you find the other one.

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 4:48:04 PM

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That the FDA allows a 15% difference does not mean that all machines have that error rate.
Some are much better.

Btw:as I understand it, the 15% difference is actually supposed to be between your lab values and the glucometer reading.
So the thing to do is take your meter with you when you get your labs done and do the finger stick then.
If your meter reading is within 15% of your lab values, it is acceptable.

Also, it is important that you don't squeeze to get the blood droplet.

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 5:03:11 PM

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Also:
http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/hsn/are-all-home-based-blood-sugar-tests-equal

Apparently, the 15% margin for error is new.
It used to be 20%.

And currently the 15% is just a draft guidance document.

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 6:06:43 PM

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It used to be TWENTY?! That's nuts. I have always noted what my monring blood sugar was the day of blood work. I don't get the lab results for at least a week, so it isn't like I can instantly know, but I do tend to make a mental note. In the past, my fasting morning sugar test has usually been within 5 points of the labs.

Like I said though, before when taking oral meds, I tested and whatever it said, it said. It didn't change the meds. Now with the insulin, I look at it differently. The doctor said to test three times a day, right before humalog. Part of this is because my insurance only allows 3 tests a day for type 2. I happen to have a lot of extra strips and because we are just starting the insulin, I know the doctor can get a much clearer picture if the two hour after eating is included, so I'm using the extra strips to do that.

I wouldn't have even thought of re-testing except that I got a reaaly low number before a shot. Now granted that is a good thing (it wasn't dangerous low, just wow, great reading low). That's unusual, so I re-tested to be sure and got a number nearly 50 points higher. The next time I got over 300, which is also unusual, so again, retest. This time the read was 100 point lower. That concerned me more than the other time because that's a huge difference in insulin.

All the monitors my insurance covers are from the same company, Aviva. That's what I have used since intial diagnosis and never had a problem. I understand insurance not wanting to cover the really expensive monitors, but the strips typically are all in the same price range give or take 5 bucks. So it seems silly to not cover all strips within a certain price point. After all, nearly every company wiill send you a free monitor, they make the money on the strips.

As far as the error rate goes... thanks for the clarification. I went by what my doctor and the manufacturuer said, which included nothing about lab work. Even so, I find it to be a far too drastic range when it comes to managing your blood sugar. In the mid ranges not so much, but once it is 300+ or 100, that fifteen percent can be a big issue from my point of view.

I will take a look at the link you included. Hopefully my phone will open it, lol.

(in reply to angelikaJ)

RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 6:34:27 PM

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you have mail

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/7/2014 11:32:56 PM

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Thanks Anjelika, I actually was able to open the link. Sometimes my phone goes wonky with Yahoo stuff (POS, lol).

That led me to several other articles. So I'm not the only one who sees this as an issue, which itself is comforting.

Unlike many people, I don't see going on insulin as a sign that things are worse (not that you or anyone implied that). After 4 years of medication and adding and tweaking with nothing working, this is the natural progression. For me the fact that I take so fewer pills every day is a bonus. I also don't like when you have to take other meds to protect you from possible issues from the first ones.

Honestly, I'm so hoping that once we get this thyroid problem under control, evrything else will naturally come in line. I start the tapazole next Friday, although a very low dose.

The only test that ever was done for the diabetes was A1c, and I've never been comfortable with that. I've consistently thought that c-peptide and the other test (which name escapes me at the momentK should be done to find out exactly how my insulin production is working. To me knowing that information gives me and my doctors better information on proper treatment. I can only assume that insurance issues have something to do with other tests not being done. I know the endo had to push my insurance company for the uptake on my thyroid and beyond blood work, that is the only test for tyroid function, so it isn't like they could have pushes for something else.

I did find a chart that indicated my Aviva is one of the more accurate meters. I find it difficult to believe my BS is jumping that drastically by the minute, but considering the other really weird ways my body tends to respond to things anything is possible.

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/8/2014 4:11:18 AM

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You really might want to consider seeing a switched on OB Gyn, they deal with hormones and side effects all the time, oddly enough my OB Gyn seems to be more switched on about thyroid issues than the endocrinologist, simply because the thyroid influences reproductive organs as well as a number of other things.

You stressing out actually influences the readings A LOT, the adrenaline you release influences all other readings, my friend was told to stop measuring quite so often, because the more he measured the more he stressed and just thinking about measuring got him agitated. You also got to remember that the whole thing is fairly new to you, so it is more stressful and you think about it and subconsciously your body reacts, which might play a major part in readings all over the place.

I checked briefly with my friend who was told to take very little but pure vodka with meals, apparently that does influence the pancreatic enzymes and insulin production, I'm not a chemist, so I don't know how or why, he seems to fair very well with it, but I don't know if his diabetes has the same causes as yours, but it might be worth checking into it (again, it's actually not like a glass of vodka, it's more like measuring it out with a dripper, he was told that taking too much would not be good and he jokes that he's not even getting a decent slug of vodka out of it).

For your own peace of mind, is there anywhere where you could check that your reader is calibrated the right way?

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/8/2014 6:08:57 AM

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I've been testing my blood for 5 years, its only the insulin that is new. There are control solutions that are supposed to tell you if your monitor and strips are working properly and I did do that.

I have to test before meals so I know how much insulin to take. The two hours after is to basically see how the insulin is working. I won't be doing that much longer, just until my follow up (or perhaps sooner). I want to make sure we have as clear a "picture" as possible at that appointment, so we can better plan moving forward. I also only double check when the first reading is higher or lower than I think it would be.

I was surprised at the link Anjelika posted. It seems this is an ongoing problem for a lot of people, and I'm not the only one who thinks a 15% error rate is inappropriate. In any case, Accu Check is sending me a new monitor, which I should have Monday or Tuesday.

My endocrinologist is good, the OB/GYN I went to was nice, but definitely not clued in on diabetes at all. In my opinion, being it was Planned Parenthood, he is dealing primarily with birth control and vaginal infections, not much else. He didn't even tell me that the yeast infection would be difficult to clear up (and likely caused) until my BS was down significantly from where it was at that point. Infact, he told me point blank, my BS couldn't be as high as I said because I would have felt worse than I did. My BS that day was astronomically high at 517 and I went into the hospital later that day. Not because I felt bad, but I knew I needed some help getting it down.

I think a great deal of my stress is too many things starting/being dealt with at once. My new insurance kciked in January 1st, so I have been seeing all the specialist that I needed but couldn't get before. So all in the same week, I started PTT for my arthritis, insulin, new cholesterol meds, and dealing with my thyroid. It would have been better if I could have started each a week aprt, but all are equally important.

When I talked to the endo about my thyroid screwing up the meds and them not working right, he didn't disagree but I think because the appointment was dealing with both my thyroid and diabetes and I had appointments and PT all that week, I wasn't as focused and didn't ask as many questions as I normally would, although I did ask quite a few.

But I know my anxiety has been extreme and I haven't been able to get it under control. I ended up cancelling all my appointment for the week, except Thursday because I had to go grocery shopping and get the cast made for the orthotic insoles for the plantar fasciitis. I hoping that when everything starts back up Monday, I will be a bitt calmer. Oh, yea add to that stress the killer migraine., and the couple mornings where I was hypglycemic (never had that happen) and I was a mess, lol.

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/8/2014 8:56:37 AM

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LafayetteLady, diabetes runs on my mother's side of the family. And for me and my middle brother the same foods are a trigger for our BS to shoot up...potatoes[doesn't matter how they are prepared, rice,corn including anything with high fructose corn syrup. I know grains are supposed to be another trigger but luckily for me since I love Kraft mac and cheese deluxe dinners,the pasta doesn't affect me very much. But the breading on different things can,like fried shrimp and chicken products. My brother has found that eating very small amounts throughout the day is better than eating a more conventional 3 normal meals a day.As for me, I can control mine without doing that by taking my Metformin twice a day and watching what I eat. Also my brother loves sweet stuff...ie cakes,pies,pastries and can eat reasonable amounts and it doesn't affect him but I'm not much of one for sweets so I don't know if this is true for me.I can't say if any of this holds true for you,for each person's body processes foods differently. But I would try eating different things to see how they affected me and try them in different combinations to find out just what works and doesn't for your body.

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RE: for insulin dependent diabetics - 3/8/2014 1:45:32 PM

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I'm going to ask about that at the diabetes ed clas and my doctor at the follow up. Although I think I need to get some steady numbers before I can even attempt it. Right now, they are all over the place.

Thanks for the info though.

(in reply to punisher440)

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