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#17
07-26-2022, 10:01 PM
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Emerald X20 Emerald X20-12 Fender Robert Cray Stratocaster Martin D18 Ambertone Martin 000-15sm 
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#18
07-27-2022, 01:02 PM
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I was seeing an endocrinologist for other issues, and she said I wasn't even pre-diabetic. She took me off steroidal medications for my asthma and one of the substitutes resulted in a huge spike in my blood sugar from which I never recovered. I mean put me in the hospital high, though I didn't go to the hospital. Hopefully your elevated blood sugar was just from eating more sugar than normal for you and it's going to return to normal with time. I don't take insulin, but I was on Victoza for a long while which also helped me lose weight. Now I'm on Ozempic once a week and a good chunk of the lost weight is back. It's pretty depressing.
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#19
07-27-2022, 02:08 PM
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Randy, I just wanted to wish you the best in your treatment. Let us know how things (hopefully) progress.
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#20
07-27-2022, 02:15 PM
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Emerald X20 Emerald X20-12 Fender Robert Cray Stratocaster Martin D18 Ambertone Martin 000-15sm Last edited by RP; 07-28-2022 at 04:16 AM.
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#21
07-27-2022, 10:08 PM
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Two years ago I show up at my MD for a routine visit. I love my MD, I'm 72, male, 5'9" 140 lbs. , trained physician, nutritionist, clinical lab tech over 40 yrs.
A lady comes in, takes my vitals, gives me a finger stick and I wait in another room. 10 min. later, a portly woman who cannot speak English clearly and two other assistants invade the room. The female in the lab coat proclaims loudly, (within 6 feet of an open, crowded waiting room: "You have Diabetes, you are a Diabetic"! I'm embarrassed, shocked and upset, and ask "How you can make such an irresponsible statement in public without performing a physical exam, a neuro exam, multiple blood tests, and most importantly a thorough history"????? Especially when you can't communicate effectively in English. This really seemed more like a staged performance to achieve patient compliance, than any kind of scientific endeavor. ' I kicked the lady out of the room and got back in a room w/ my dr. who completely agreed with me and said she has never seen anything so unprofessional in this clinic. We never really discussed endocrinological testing, not even a glucose tolerance test. She referred me to their Endocrinologist, who was Chinese, charming, intelligent, and could not answer a single question I asked with certainty. So I agreed to take a tablet for glucose control, then an injectable (small) level of insulin, called Levemir, because the abnormal A1C result scares the patient. Then, there's the medieval technique of multiple finger sticks during a given day, just what a guitar enthusiast doesn't want to do. I took the insulin for a month, felt exactly the same, energy, sleep, digestive functions. I took the tablet for 2 days and got violently ill. So I discontinued. When I returned they repeated the finger stick for type II diabetes (A1C) and my result went from 7.1 to 5.8. I mentioned to the Endocrinologist that I had been binging on licorice for days prior to my previous doctor's visit, but none of your trained dieticiians nor G.I. specialists bothered to take my history. And that I wouldn't take !insulin, and that I don't have diabetes. 2 to 3 years later, nothing's changed. Medicine used to be excellent, doctor heal thyself!
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#22
07-30-2022, 05:35 AM
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I have both diabetes and RLS. Very severe RLS. I have been going to the Sleep Clinic at the University of British Columbia for 35 years. They use me a lot to teach new GPs what to look for in patients.
I never sleep more than 90 minutes consecutively, that is, in a row. I always wake up. Just had another colonoscopy and they use leather straps to bind me, as even heavily sedated my legs can kick around. For my cataract surgery two nurses literally held my legs still. Do check your ferritin. This is NOT the same as checking iron levels. You can have low ferritin and not be anemic. I too am curious regarding going on insulin without (it seems) any trying of oral meds. It is hard keeping to a proper diet. I was first diagnosed with diabetes at 8 years old (more than 60 years ago) and I can certain attest to how hard it is keeping a diet. I have had moderate success. But like manic-depressives who are also notorious for "forgetting" to take meds once you feel better, even after all these years I still eat stupid things. Even though I know it will make me feel yucky. I have noticed that I can sneak less and less. Things that I used to be able to have "just a little bite", now make me feel horribly ill. Part of the problem is that I am on sleep meds that make me feel forgetful. I am up at all hours and I "forget" that I should not be eating whatever. So there can be a connection. There is good stuff in the responses here. Keep an eye on your a1c. If possible consult a dietitian regarding food. GP are not often really up on that. Maintaining some sort of exercise is very important as it helps both the diabetes and the RLS, but also any depressive leaning. Unfortunately there is little serious research on RLS. It does not get the funding as no one dies from it. I am kidding; that is not why. It does not get funding because there are so many other things that need funding. Fortunately, RLS does get side bar research from Parkinson's. Virtually all the medication suggested for RLS came from studies on Parkinson's. But only because someone said, hey this works (sort of) for Parkinson's, maybe it will work for RLS. There are little actual clinical studies specifically aimed at RLS. Eat as best as you can. Follow ideas for dealing with the RLS, and I hope you have ideas. Of the two (diabetes and RLS) the RLS has, for me, hit with greater mental distress than the diabetes. I have been with the same woman for 18 years and have never slept together. That is, actually going to sleep. My movements are so strong (I have holes in my wall from my kicking) and so often (she timed me at around every 7 seconds) that she flatly refuses. When we have gone away, she gets the hotel bed, I "sleep" on the floor. Or a different room. I find this VERY distressing. Good luck, and I hope you have good support. Oh, and I am glad the Valium was limited. It is awful stuff.
__________________
guitars: 1978 Beneteau, 1999 Kronbauer, Yamaha LS-TA, Voyage Air OM Celtic harps: 1994 Triplett Excelle, 1998 Triplett Avalon (the first ever made - Steve Triplett's personal prototype)
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#23
07-30-2022, 05:58 AM
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Thanks for sharing this instructive post, Fumei. I was wondering if Randy might visit the sleep clinic. He’s fortunate to be close to UVa hospital.
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Peace, Jimmy Optima dies, prima fugit
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#24
07-30-2022, 06:03 AM
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To answer some questions and bring interested folks up to speed. My blood sugar was so high that the doctor went straight to insulin injections, kind of like "shocking" a swimming pool that's in bad need of chlorine. My doctor is part of the University of Virginia Health system and so all of her decisions are subject to several levels of oversight. Both myself and the doctor will closely monitor blood sugar levels.
This week was a difficult week in terms of miscommunications between the doctor and my non-UVa affiliated local pharmacy. However, I was able to pick up the last of my diabetes supplies at the pharmacy. The doctor arranged for me to meet with a UVa pharmacist and she met with me yesterday so that I could better understand both my diabetes and how to properly use my diabetes supplies. Will start today. In the meantime I've been a pretty decent job of watching my daily sugar intake and that will help immensely. RLS seems to have subsided (knock on wood), but I'll get leg/foot pain at night that I can massage and return to sleep. Pharmacist said that through weight loss and double-dosing one of my antidepressants, decent sleep should return...
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Emerald X20 Emerald X20-12 Fender Robert Cray Stratocaster Martin D18 Ambertone Martin 000-15sm
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#25
07-30-2022, 06:42 AM
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Randy, if they are sure you are diabetic, ask to be sent to a diabetic education course. In my case they sent me to "Diabetes University" at a local hospital. This consisted of four weeks of group lectures with nurses and nutritionists. My wife and I went and discovered the latest info regarding the physiological effects, the diet needed, and treatment options. Mine was covered by my insurance. There is a certain amount of black and white needed - you either treat and manage or most likely will die horribly. I'm nineteen years in on a diagnosis of Type II, I'm disciplined, and have it reasonably managed.
Bob
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"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website)
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#26
07-30-2022, 06:43 AM
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I too wondered about starting insulin as a first treatment, but I have heard that it is often used to get high blood sugar under control in newly diagnosed patients. Hope it works for you.
My diagnosis happened nearly 20 years ago in the doctor's office after a glucose test came back in the mid 300s. I ended up able to take control with diet and exercise for a few years and maintain an a1c in the 5.8 range. It has progressed over the years and these days I'm heavily medicated. I discovered that one word, "diabetes," is used to cover an incredibly wide range of conditions. My advice is simply this ... No health care provider will ever care about your disease as much as you. Learn everything you can and work to develop an understanding of how your body reacts to diet and exercise as well as the medications you've been prescribed. Bring this knowledge to your appointments and be ready to actively participate in your care. Patients that visit their doctor with a "fix me" attitude will never get as good a result. One note ... You have referred to sugar intake many times. Sugar is a carbohydrate, but ALL carbohydrates are converted into sugar after entering the body. Bread, pasta, potatoes, rice etc. and sugar are the exact same thing in your blood after being processed for an hour give or take. Best of luck, it's quite a journey but the best treatment for your particular condition is out there waiting.
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Goodall, Martin, Wingert Last edited by Mr. Paul; 07-30-2022 at 06:50 AM.
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#27
07-30-2022, 04:40 PM
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Every food that is processed is loaded with chemicals like MSG, salt, and either sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Best to buy fresh, non-packaged food.
The glycemic index of a food indicates how much sugar each food dumps into your body. Try to eat foods with low glycemic index. The foods with the worst glycemic index are “the whites”: white sugar (ok, any sugar) white rice, white flour or pasta. Whole grain rice and whole grain breads / cereals have a capsule around the sugar that takes the stomach longer to digest, so the sugar is released more gradually into the bloodstream. When you eat “the whites”. You are basically just injecting sugar directly into your blood. Here’s a chart on the glycemic index of different foods: https://www.doctorshealthpress.com/g...ndex-and-load/ Most of our ancestors before 1700 put less sugar in their bodies in a year than most Americans put in their bodies in 1-2 weeks. When your blood sugar spikes from high sugar intake, the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas kick into gear to secrete insulin to convert the excessive sugar into fat. After decades of doing way more work than it is designed to do, the pancreas eventually becomes less able to produce insulin, causing type II diabetes, where the blood sugar is permanently elevated. Elevated blood sugar causes the endothelial cells in the walls of blood vessels to become leaky, causing internal bleeding in the organs that have a high demand for oxygen delivered by blood. Since blood is not getting to those organs, new, leaky blood vessels develop in a failed attempt to get needed oxygen to the internal organs. This is why diabetes is a leading cause of blindness from bleeding in the retina. Blood sugar level fluctuates throughout the day, which is why the hemoglobin 1AC (H1AC, or A1C) is a more accurate way to measure the overall average of blood sugar level. Try to have your A1C below 6! I’m an optometrist. I see patients with bleeding in their retinas from uncontrolled diabetes too often. I also see 1 - 3 patients a year that say “hey doc, I lost 50-100 lbs, and my A1C is so good that my doctor took me completely off of meds”. Wishing you the best!
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#28
07-30-2022, 06:15 PM
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Many RLS patients need absorbable magnesium, B vitamins, and regular exercise.
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#30
08-01-2022, 08:02 PM
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Think about it. What would anyone do if there was, say, a mouse darting over your leg (or arm)? You would instinctively move. So you do. I can, with great effort and intense concentration, separate the sensation of something biting with tiny teeth, and volition. That is why opiates are one of the most prescribed meds for RLS. Opiates do not really stop pain. They make a person not care about the pain. Early on the sleep docs had me on opiates. So when those wee army ants were biting, I did not care. However, as we all know, this class of meds is very effective for pain management, but horrible horrible horrible for life management. That is why I am with the woman I am with (if not sharing sleeping arrangements...). I had stormed into an appointment at the Sleep Clinic. I asked them straight out: "do you guys know what you are doing???" They answered" Uh, not really". So I went cold turkey. She was a neighbour and for two months as I went through major withdrawal, she would come over and calmly hold my head and stroke my head as I vomited, screamed and writhed on the floor. I would not have made it without her. She saved my life. That was 20 years ago and I am still deeply grateful. OP: ok, yeah, I get it. If your glucose was WAY into the danger zone, I can see that a serious intervention was needed. They are talking about me going back on insulin. Diet and oral meds are not quite enough. Glucose is not quite being managed. So, again, keep an eye on your a1c AND your daily glucose monitoring. Very high glucose is dangerous. As I am a raconteur, a story.... A 12 year old girl, not feeling well. Really not well. Parents doc sent her for the routine blood work tests. At 10:30 the evening of tests family is surprised by lights flashing and an ambulance rushing up their driveway. Paramedics come to the door, saying to parents: "We need to take your daughter to the hospital NOW." When the lab tech did the measurements on the blood sample (about 9:00 pm) glucose was at 35. They immediately sent an ambulance, without phoning or asking the parents. A 35 is breath-taking number. The girl went into unconsciousness on the way to the hospital. Don't know for sure, but it is quite possible that if that lab tech had not made that call immediately, on their own decision, that girl would have died. As it is, when she woke up, her life had changed. Type I, and very advanced. Suddenly that young person had to move to a very restrictive diet. No more going out and having a soda with her friends. Have to inject every day, for the rest of her life. Heartbreaking. On the other hand, it was determined early enough (a 35?? Yikes, why was this not discovered before??) that she can have a life. But can you imagine, as a parent, seeing an ambulance come that you did not call for, and them saying we are taking your daughter to the hospital NOW. I had coffee with the dad about a week later and he was still shaking. Anyway, to the OP, I am glad that you seem to have a doc paying attention. If your glucose was so high you went right to insulin, this is very serious stuff. Diabetes can affect so many things when uncontrolled. It is the leading cause of limb amputation. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR FEET! Check them daily. I once had someone say, what the heck is wrong with your foot? I felt nothing. When I checked the under side of my foot, I had a wound about 3/4 inch big. Nasty looking. I had no idea it was there. Check your feet - daily. Do anything you can to reduce stress. It can make RLS worse, not to mention all the other stuff it messes up.
__________________
guitars: 1978 Beneteau, 1999 Kronbauer, Yamaha LS-TA, Voyage Air OM Celtic harps: 1994 Triplett Excelle, 1998 Triplett Avalon (the first ever made - Steve Triplett's personal prototype)
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