I'm tired of being diabetic!!!

[Melinoir]

I have a problem with b/g when I go below 150 I start reacting I sweat profusely get jittery and weak, the doctors can't figure out why I do this but admit I have to have higher blood sugar to function ... does anyone have this problem or know why this happens???...... .... Melinoir

[paddbear0000]

It is because your body is used to the high blood sugars. It used to happen to me when I first started using an insulin pump. My blood sugars used to run really high and my body just wasn't used to it. Once i was on the pump and my blood sugars normalized (as best they could for a brittle diabetic anyway), the problem gradually got better. It didn't take long. And no, you just think you perform better with high blood sugars. Those high blood sugars damage everything from your kidneys, to blood vessels to your brain. I know you've probably heard it before, but all that damage leads to not only kidney failure, but heart attacks, strokes, burst vessels, liver failure, gall bladder failure (I've got that too) and more. I guarantee that if you lower your blood sugars, you will start feeling better and will function just fine. Are you on dialysis, gotten a kidney transplant or on the list for one? If your blood vessels are damaged too much, it ruins your chance for good accesses (I only had one good vein in my arms for an access, and all I could even get was a graft) and even a kidney transplant. Some transplant hospitals won't even transplant you if you can't get your sugars somewhat better.

[Melinoir]

Thanks for the reply .... makes sense should have had doctors tell me that .... my main doctor is a GP must of slipped up on that one... or maybe I didn't complain enough or to much.. I will get them down and deal with the sweats and jitters as long as there is hope cause I get frantic when that happens .... it's a mental thing... like I lost my mind     I feel I have to get something quick to stop it... I sweat buckets and soak my clothing literally... if I'm in bed all the bedding is sopping wet and I get so cold I shiver uncontrollably... my body temp went down below 95  and believe me I felt COLD... but if it goes eventually I guess I can take it...  .... Melinoir

[paddbear0000]

I have found that a GP doc is the worst doc to have as a diabetes specialist. They have very little training in diabetes. And diabetes is such a complex disease that needs someone with a lot of training and experience to deal with it. You should really find an endocrinologist. Your reactions are awfully severe for 150. How high do you keep your blood sugars? I just read your introduction about all of your complications. I'm sorry about this. I am all too aware of these. I have gone through so many laser surgeries that my new retina specialist (we moved here from out of state a few years ago) says my eyes look like leopards! I've also had a vitrectomy in both eyes and cataract removal in my left. My kidneys have failed, my gallbladder is almost completely non-functional, and I have peripheral and autonomic neuropathy. It takes far longer to sense temperature in my lower legs than anywhere else because of the peripheral neuropathy. The autonomic neuropathy has caused me to not be able to feel my bladder, have gastroparesis and regulate my blood pressure or body temp. From the sounds of your reactions, I believe you may be suffering from autonomic neuropathy too. I strongly advise you to ask your doctor about it, or better yet, find an endocrinologist who has far more knowledge about the subject.

Trust me, it won't take long to start feeling normal at lower blood sugars. I've been dealing with the same thing again myself. For some reason (I'm pretty sure now it was due to 2 bottles of bad insulin) my blood sugars were running really high. I'm talking in the 4 and 500s for weeks and weeks no matter how much insulin I kept taking or how often I would use new infusion sets, reservoirs and batteries, I just  couldn't get it down. Now that I'm on another bottle, I'm going through the same thing. Once you get your blood sugars down, and you start feeling low even when you aren't, just keep checking your bs over and over. The feeling won't last forever during each episode. I find going outside for a few minutes in the cold really helps and drinking some water.

You might want to have your glucometer's accuracy checked. You can do that by taking it with you to  the lab and have them draw blood for a glucose test and at the same time, check your machine with some of the same blood.

Please feel free to PM me if you have more questions!   

[Chris]

Hated the sweating part due to a reaction or waking up to it and feeling cold and drenched. Bad memories there. Although I still get cold easily and body temp on a normal day is 96.7.

Hope it all gets figured out Melinoir.

[Melinoir]

Wow other people with all the stuff I've been complaining of for ages  I sit in my room with a little portable heater and a blanket making a small oasis of heat in a house kept at 68 degrees for financial reasons.  Plus the rest of the family are to hot like I use to be I loved 65 degree temps and felt comfortable at that temp.  Now 85 is more like what I want and I roast everybody out ...   When I go out (I live in Michigan and the temps lately have been at below 10 degrees ) I wear layers upon layers and cover with a blanket I wear a hoodie under my coat and a hat with a scarf and still freeze turn the heater up to broil and the driver rides with the window down for relief    oh to be who I use to be sigh        Thanks for the information ..... Melinoir

[Sluff]

I have a problem with b/g when I go below 150 I start reacting I sweat profusely get jittery and weak, the doctors can't figure out why I do this but admit I have to have higher blood sugar to function ... does anyone have this problem or know why this happens???...... .... Melinoir

The doctor told me that when this happens it is because my body is so used to being around 250-300 on a consistent basis it takes the body time to adjust to lower blood sugars.

[sewerrat4u]

Hey all, I thought I would throw in my 2cents about diabetes. I've had this for more than 20 years and slowly it's progressed to the point where I'm alot like you all, sick and tired,and also having all the same complications I have been reading. High blood sugars in the 300 to 400  A1C = 9.. I'm on PD and I've been using a Dianeal Low Cacium Peritoneal Dialysis Solution (A green Baxter bag) 2 of the with each
eight hour therapy I have. So I have a  question  does anyone else on PD have blood sugars that can't be under control even though you do everything you've been told to do? 

[paddbear0000]

PD solution is full of glucose, that is why you have trouble with your blood sugars. I've been told by several nephs that PD is not a good option for diabetics. It makes keeping blood sugars under control almost impossible.

[Chris]

I read on here and in chat that there is a lower Glucose solution for PD by 2 companies. If I remember right, there is a yellow and a red bag although the other company might be diferent. Something to look into, but some diabetics just can't tolerate the PD solution which Jae Paul statedeither in chat or on the forum, might have been both.

[Joe Paul]

I read on here and in chat that there is a lower Glucose solution for PD by 2 companies. If I remember right, there is a yellow and a red bag although the other company might be diferent. Something to look into, but some diabetics just can't tolerate the PD solution which Jae Paul statedeither in chat or on the forum, might have been both.

This is the stuff I was on Chris, Baxter makes it, it comes in a purple label bag. Here is some info:
EXTRANEAL (icodextrin) PD solution is indicated for a single daily exchange for the long (8- to 16-hour) dwell during continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) or automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) for the management of end-stage renal disease.

 

EXTRANEAL is also indicated to improve (compared to 4.25% dextrose) long-dwell ultrafiltration and clearance of creatinine and urea nitrogen in patients with high-average or greater transport characteristics, as defined using the peritoneal equilibration test (PET).
 
 
 
 
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
   
 
 
 
EXTRANEAL (icodextrin) PD solution is contraindicated in patients with a known allergy to cornstarch or icodextrin or in patients with glycogen storage disease.

 

EXTRANEAL is not for intravenous injection.

 

Since falsely elevated glucose levels have been observed with blood glucose monitoring devices and test strips that use glucose dehydrogenase pyrroloquinolinequinone (GDH PQQ) or glucose-dye-oxidoreductase-based methods, these methods should not be used to measure glucose levels in patients administered EXTRANEAL. Falsely elevated glucose levels may mask true hypoglycemia or lead to the erroneous diagnosis of hyperglycemia and administration of more insulin than needed.  Both of these situations can result in loss of consciousness, coma, neurological damage and death. The manufacturer(s) of the monitor and test strips should be contacted to determine if icodextrin or maltose causes interference or falsely elevated glucose results.

 

Treatment should be initiated and monitored under the supervision of a physician knowledgeable in the management of patients with renal failure.

 

A patient's volume status should be carefully monitored to avoid hyper- or hypovolemia and potentially severe consequences including congestive heart failure, volume depletion and hypovolemic shock. An accurate fluid balance record must be kept and the patient's body weight monitored.

 

Patients with insulin-dependent diabetes may require modification of insulin dosage following initiation of treatment.
* Please note, One Touch strips work with this solution
 

[kellyt]

Question.  Do people who require both a kidney/pancrease transplant only have the option of cadaverous donors?   I mean, can a live donor give one kidney AND their pancreas?   

[jbeany]

Hey all, I thought I would throw in my 2cents about diabetes. I've had this for more than 20 years and slowly it's progressed to the point where I'm alot like you all, sick and tired,and also having all the same complications I have been reading. High blood sugars in the 300 to 400  A1C = 9.. I'm on PD and I've been using a Dianeal Low Cacium Peritoneal Dialysis Solution (A green Baxter bag) 2 of the with each
eight hour therapy I have. So I have a  question  does anyone else on PD have blood sugars that can't be under control even though you do everything you've been told to do? 

My doc said it was a bad option for diabetics.  It makes your sugar a disaster and can make you gain a lot of weight.

Question.  Do people who require both a kidney/pancrease transplant only have the option of cadaverous donors?   I mean, can a live donor give one kidney AND their pancreas?  

You can get a live donor kidney and stay on the list waiting for a cadaver pancreas, but the docs at my transplant hospital said it's not something they encourage.  If you've got a working kidney, and have gotten thru the initial high doses of steroids and anti-rejection meds, then you'd have to start all over with the high doses when you first got the pancreas.  Who in their right mind would risk losing the kidney to get the pancreas?  Better to either get both at once from the same cadaver donor, or not at all.

[kellyt]

Thanks.

[sewerrat4u]

Thanks , I am now confused why wouldn't my neph warn me about high blood sugars on PD?
If I were to switch to hemo it sure would change it all , but then I think of how you all feel rough after
each sesion. On PD I hardley feel anything except when I roll over in my sleep and tangle the cable.
 I hate kidney failure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    

[paddbear0000]

Question.  Do people who require both a kidney/pancrease transplant only have the option of cadaverous donors?   I mean, can a live donor give one kidney AND their pancreas?   

No, you can not get a pancreas from a living donor. If they were to give you their pancreas, then they would become diabetic. Nor could they digest their food properly.

[Joe Paul]

Thanks , I am now confused why wouldn't my neph warn me about high blood sugars on PD?

Good point. My Neph or dietitian didn't warn me either. I went 1 whole week, doing my exchanges and gaining fluid the whole time. I had to go back to hemo for a couple sessions to pull the fluid gains off. It was then that it clicked for me, to check blood sugars more often, and eventually switching from the red solutions to green, and eventually yellow. Keep in mind, its mainly the sugar in the solutions that draw fluid, and if your blood sugar is high, it defeats the purpose, thus the fluid gain (in my case). It is possible to keep your sugar in control though, while on PD. I tested my blood sugars 10 times a day while on PD, and actually brought my blood sugar in control, better then ever.I had to have my diabetes Doctor write a script to justify the extra test strips though, and the extra insulin to control the PD fluid. It wasn't easy, but it can be done. JB mentioned weight gain, which is true, my body loved the PD fluid, I gained nearly 30 pounds before I decided to go back to hemo dialysis. I gave up PD due to poor clearances, and the only option for staying on PD was to do the extraneal overnight, and do 3 exchanges during the day, it became to be too much. If you have any questions, feel free to pm me sewerrat.

[Chris]

Question.  Do people who require both a kidney/pancrease transplant only have the option of cadaverous donors?   I mean, can a live donor give one kidney AND their pancreas?   

No, you can not get a pancreas from a living donor. If they were to give you their pancreas, then they would become diabetic. Nor could they digest their food properly.

At one time they were trying partial pancreas live donors. I have not read anything current about it in the transplant news I get, but I'm thinking that it did not work out either by it not lasting in the recipeint, the donor then devoloped diabetes later or had further complications, or both. Something I will have to remember to research on.

[sewerrat4u]

Thanks Joe Paul:  I'm grateful to you all here at  IHD the personal stories make me realize that what I go through is common with someone having the same problems ,and getting great support here.

[tonks001]

  After 24 years, I"M SICK AND TIRED of being diabetic!!!
Can I not be diabetic anymore?     

Good for you for thinking this way! At least you want to stop becoming diabetic. I guess all you can do now is to practice a healthy lifestyle. Good luck! i salute you!


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[dwcrawford]

Not much other than transplant you can do about being a diabetic is there?  Mine was under control for years with the help of dieting and a small amount of daily Lantus.  Lantus did it I think because I've been using it since the early days of Lantus.  However, something messed up my kidneys.  Perhaps it was the residual effects of diabetis past, or perhaps high bp.  Whatever, its here and far worse the diabetes.  (oh, it always messed up my vision several years ago which may have accounted for my being more serious about dieting.