Sunday, April 25, 2010

Sunday Posts

BG[CGM]: 177 and trending down. Panera Bread day at Church makes for a very carb-ridden lunch. :D

I've found a simple routine. Posting on Sundays. Though there are times I fret that I can't get into my blogger account to do more, I just can't do too much more!! :)

What's going on in Diabetesworld today?
Though it isn't said when the study was done, success was met for a small trial of an Artificial Pancreas. READ HERE. The article mentions the AP is comprised of a glucose monitor [inserted directly into the vein], insulin pump and use of both hormones, insulin and glucagon. It's an interesting read as it talks about how to make something absolutely personal universal. Though they are able to adust the parameters of the APs function so that the test group as a whole resulted in no hypoglycemia, it does mention that a percent of the group was settling for blood sugars that were slightly higher than the original rate i.e. the rate that cause some of the group to experience hypoglycemic reactions. So the question is... is that satisfactory?

They want to combine this new technology with the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System. Which brings me to another topic. Do they really think the CGM is good enough? Lately, I'm having some doubts that it would be accurate enough to regulate my body without human interaction. Yes, the sensor has been good for me. Yes it helps me see trends, but unless that sensor is in a frickin' vein, it's not enough for me to treat myself. Usually, and this is expected so I'm not complaining, my sugars are already high when the CGM senses the trend up. And I'm pretty darn low when it starts sensing the trend down. Likewise, coming up from that low happens much more quickly than the CGM senses so that I'm often getting alarms when I'm already over 100. CGMS is for the BIG PICTURE, and because of it, my sugars are tighter and my A1C is below six. But that not saying it is all that helpful for warnings... or determing the need for glucagon and/or insulin. I don't know. Show me more!! I'm interested!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Dead Beat Tired

BG[CGM]: 130
BG[meter]: 182

Okay, so pregnancy is beating the you know what out of me. I just woke up from an hour and a half nap. I never nap. Maybe short little 15 minutes of shut eye... but you know.

I'm throwing masochistic regulations out the window and taking my preNatal vitamins pretty close to dinner, before bed and with a snack. That way, I don't spend the first half of the day worshipping the porcelain god, which I did twice this week. :D Not fun! I figure, it's a pill full of vitamins and a bunch of good stuff... it goes, it ought to get absorbed...at least partially. If there are other opinions on that matter, I don't care to hear them. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

Oddly enough, I don't feel my diabetes is too off. Sugars aren't out of whack as can be expected. I've had a couple of weird highs, but otherwise they've stayed on the lower side. A good thing if you ask me. I've also been able to keep up with my exercise regimen except for those two days of worshipping.

Speaking of customer service, even though we weren't, I ended up changing my sensor and having some issues again then talked to another customer service rep. She was nice. It really pays to be nice.

It can be a rotten world out there. Nice gets you farther. Everyone should give it a try... [or get dismissed, anyway!]
Have a great week!!!
Take care of yourselves.
Bethanne

Monday, April 12, 2010

One More

BG[CGM]: 123




Official Test Results are IN.
Darla is on the Way.

Click for TWO PINK LINES... and a little country music smile.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm sharing here, but I've also set up a blog just for baby and pregnancy talk. I'm pretty easy going since I've done this a few times--four actually. I'm looking for a good doctor, and expect that won't take too long. I'm watching my sugars closely, have been for a good while. With two 5.8 HbA1c results in a row, I'm actually looking forward to this. Not that it isn't a surprise! Cuz it is! I didn't realize how comfortable I'd gotten with my life until this popped up. Now I'm like... wow, I thought I was done!!! I really thought I was through with baby stuff and all that. YIKES! I'm not done with it. Um... I better stop thinking about it now.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Customer Service

BG[CGM]: 77
BG[meter]: 148, Don't F with me, customer service representative!!!! I KNOW when my sensor is OFF--and by OFF, I do mean NOT SENSING CORRECTLY.

Okay, I feel a little like swearing right now. Grrr. I just spent 20 minutes on the phone with a telemarketing bimbo. Seriously, she was THE WORST employee of Minimed I have ever had the displeasure of encountering. I wanted to jump through the phone and kick her ass all the way to Taiwan. It was alot like talking to the ATT representative we occasionally need to call and ream a knew one because they have overcharged our bill...again. That's how irritated I was.

I told her my sensor wasn't following with my sugars. That it had been reading in the 70's since 3am. I told her I calibrated at 6am. I told her that when my sugar rose after breakfast, the sensor stayed in the 70's. Do you want to know what she said?

"The sensor is meant to trend with your sugars."

You're kidding me, right? That's the F what I'm saying!! But it's NOT DOING THAT! This was after a very long drawn out conversation about all that had happened that morning... how my calibration at 11:30 was a BAD calibration because it was a low sugar.

So what? My problem started LONG before 11am. You can't blame an 11am calibration--one made in utter frustration--for all the problems that happened prior to it. Besides which.... a 48 isn't necessarily a BAD calibration. She ASSUMED that because the sugar was 48, it was unstable. That's what the book says, on a stable meter reading. It doesn't say, a meter reading between 70-120. IF my suagar had been in the fifties for more than an hour that would be pretty darn stable. NOT ideal, but stable.

I finally told her I was going to fly to California so I could kick her ass....

Actually no. I told her I was going to hang up the phone now, that I was getting too angry to keep talking to her. That I would track my sensor and meter readings through the afternoon and call again later. AND NOT TALK TO HER!

The technology isn't perfect, but I know it can work well. I'm smart enough to realize when something is not quite right.

On a brighter note, did I tell you my April A1c was 5.8! :D

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Finding that special Someone

BG[CGM]: 42
meter: 57, after days of high afternoons I changed my basal rates, but will apparently have to knock it down a bit.


Finding doctors.
I was looking for a doctor, not because mine has fallen short. No, I needed to get a yearly, but my ob/gyn left town in the fall. I didn't really think we'd still be hanging around, so I never bothered looking for someone new. Now, the time has come when I hate to put off a good[for me] thing....


Ugh. Back to the drawing board. This doctor finding process is so tedious! *sigh* Oh well. I shall seek and find. Wish me luck, I might need it. :D

Friday, April 2, 2010

How do I know I have allergies?

BG[CGM]: 121

I know I have allergies--and not some kind of cold--because my sugars have not gone up and stayed there. Being sick will do that, send those sugars up. I've been even keel though even though this AWFUL congestion, which I can't sleep through!! I NEED SLEEP! I need naps! I want to be able to breathe!

Can't wait until next week, I'll get my blood word back. I've got another A1C result to look at. Last one was a 5.8. I'm curious to see how it has changed, if it's changed.

Thank God for normal sugars. That's something, anyway, don't you think? :D
Happy Easter, if I don't get on before then.