I'm really going to try this time.

[Sluff]

As most of you know I have diabetes TypeII. My Ac1 has been around 13 for a few years and in the past I have not been very compliant at taking my meds and insulin for one excuse or the other, sometimes unintentionally. Well I was at the doctors office today and they went way out of their way to help me out. I received a new glucose meter, test strips, Novalog (2 bottles) and my Lantus all free. They claim they had extras, I am so appreciative for this.  Livecam and goofynina have scolded me a time or two to get this under control, and this time I really will do my best.  I was in awe to get all these much needed items. I just had to share it with all of you.

[MyssAnne]

It's easier to take control when the implementation is THERE. Good luck, Sluff!! You can do it!

[okarol]

My mom keeps a daily log of her sugar tests, 3 times a day, every day. It's a little notebook and she takes it with her for Dr. appts so they can track the effectiveness of her meds.
After seeing all the patients at Jennas dialysis clinic who are blind or missing limbs from diabetes, not to mention kidney failure, I feel very strongly about this!
I am so happy you are going to get more involved with taking care of yourself Sluff!
 

[thegrammalady]

was that a diet pop you were drinking at dinner, hmmmmmmmmm? (you know i luv ya  )

[paris]

Good for you,Sluff!  We all want you to take very good care of yourself because we want you here for a long, long time!  Keep us updated on your numbers and how you are doing. Glad the doctor loaded you up with freebies.   

[Joe Paul]

  You can do it Sluff!!

[Sluff]

was that a diet pop you were drinking at dinner, hmmmmmmmmm? (you know i luv ya  )

I couldn't live without my Diet Coke. 

[angela515]

I'm so happy to hear your going to try your best, we want you around for a long long time and off dialysis as long as possible. 

[goofynina]

Allright Mr. Sluffman,  this is it, i am gonna be on you like white on rice my friend, your gonna get tired of me nagging you but i am going to ask you on a daily (or maybe even more) basis about your sugars and meds and such,  I (we) care too much about you to let you get sick, ok? ok!  Amigo, you were blessed with the tools to help you get better, it is up to YOU to use them.  You will be hearing from me very soon (ANSWER YOUR DAMN PHONE, IT'S ME) lol, ok, maybe not that soon, but i am gonna call you 

[Chris]

Good for you Sluff. Th sooner the better in controlling diabetes is essential. You have the tools and machice, so get crackin If you do not like to carry a log book around, there are fre programs online for keeping track of glucose reading. Some show charts and graphs of progress. Accu Check. LifeScan, Eli Lilly come to mind off the top of my head who offer free programs. Hopefully they went over carb countig, the sliding scale for readings and meals.
Good Luck

[livecam]

Ya know Sluff to use a term made popular by a guy I knew from Tennessee controlling diabetes "ain't no thing" especially when compared to dealing with the damage it does.  If I could go back in time I would have listened 25 years ago when a doc said I was "borderline" diabetic.  Now just what did that mean then?  Not much.  And then 12 1/2 years ago when I was diagnosed as diabetic after I couldn't shake a dose of bronchitis...should have listened then but did I?  Sort of is the answer.  Then when the first neph said adopt a low protein diet and control blood sugars better did I listen?  I was busy, no time for that.  Less than 18 months later dialysis and you know the rest of the story.

Moral of the story here is you have to do it and you can do it! 

[Sluff]

Thanks for all the advice, and goofynina enough with the phone calls 4 x a day geez... JK you know I like talking to ya. Truthfully everyone I felt a little foolish starting this thread but I thought if I made a more public post that it would help me stick with it. So far so good but my appetite has picked up and unfortunately so has my eating. I know I need to not eat as much but it's hard not to. My Doctor even told me I would gain weight but I really don't want to gain any weight.

[angela515]

but my appetite has picked up and unfortunately so has my eating. I know I need to not eat as much but it's hard not to. My Doctor even told me I would gain weight but I really don't want to gain any weight.

I understand this part 100%. I am not diabetic, but one of the side effects of Prograf AND Rapamune is increased appetite.... so.. I can eat, and of course.. I am gaining weight. One thing that helps me eat less, is drinking more water before I eat. I don't know if your on a fluid restriction yet, so maybe you could try that. Another thing that helps is I try to have a salad (healthy salad!!) with lunch and supper.. for me it's no problem, b/c I love salad.

Either way, we need to look at the positives... we either take the meds and have to kind of watch what eat since were wanting to eat more, or don't take the meds and reap the consequences... which are far worse than gaining some weight.   

[goofynina]

You know amigo, you can alway snack on celery and carrot sticks, there are good things out there for you to eat and will help supress your appetite a bit.  WE can do this together amigo, 

[Romona]

You've got a double whammy. The keeping your diabetes in control and protecting the function you have left of your kidneys. I don't have any advice, but I offer encouragement. Following any type of diet is frustrating. I followed low potasium, low salt, low protein, and low phophorous. If I food wasn't on one list it was on another. Good Luck.

http://whfoods.org/foodadvisor.php
This is a great site to tell you about foods! Best Wishes.

[kidney4traci]

Try keeping cut veggies in a bowl with a little water in the fridge so they are immediately available.  Also, consider trading cokes for water or tea.  They lower your alkaline level to dangerous levels and the aspartime has been shown in studies to increase hunger!  You get fatter eating "diet" foods.  Stick with as close to "live foods".  Boring?  Not really, there are lots of spices we can have that help.

[Chris]

The advice I was given when I was diabetic was to eat snacks and smaller meals throughout the day instead of 3 large meals. You just have to space them out, but requires stricter glucose testing and adjustments to insulin dose to the sliding scale if you are using that system of maintenance. Have you talked with a diabetic dietician about meal planning and insulin dosage?

Angela, I wish my Prograf gave me an appetite. I do not have one after my transplant, I miss it, but then again it saves money.

[Sluff]

Thanks everyone for the helpful information.     

[angela515]

Angela, I wish my Prograf gave me an appetite. I do not have one after my transplant, I miss it, but then again it saves money.

Well, like I said, my Rapamune has that side effect also, so it could be both doing it, or just one.. so it may just be the Rapamune.. who knows, as I don't plan on stopping one to find out. 

[Black]

Thanks for the post - nice to know there are still some docs that care and really try to help their patients.

Have you ever taken any brand of metformin (Glucophage, Diabex, Diaformin, Fortamet, Riomet, Glumetza, Cidophage)?  It works for many Type II diabetics and causes weight loss!  My mom's A1C stays around 5.8 - 6.0 and she lost quite a bit of weight the first year she was taking it.

[boxman55]

Sluff, don't ignore this. You know to many people who have, and now have missing limbs, poor or no eyesight, kidney failure and so on. I was like Livecam (ignored the symptoms and lax on the treatments)  and now I am paying the price. This disease will let you go along and along but then out of the blue SHIT hits the fan...Boxman

[goofynina]

Your not alone guys,  my motto is:  Denial got me to Dialysis 

[Meinuk]

Sluff,

I know that you are doing this for yourself & you family but you are also taking care of yourself for US too.  We need you as healthy as you can possibly be.  After all, your wedding was the coolest wedding I have ever been to!  And I get around!!

I am looking forward to sharing more good times with you & Christy.

Best,

Anna

[okarol]

How's it going Sluff? 

[Sluff]

Things are going well. I missed my first dose of Lantus Friday night because I was on the phone at the time I usually take it. I thought about it while I was on the phone but forgot when I got off the phone. My sugars are still upper 200's but I'm gradually upping the dose of lantus until we get a reading of 150 or less. After we reach that goal then we will adjust the novolog.