So your beeper pump wakes you up and tells you to eat????
Yikes!
Of course it's hard to get back to sleep. Totally disruptive pump.
Yikes!
Of course it's hard to get back to sleep. Totally disruptive pump.
Diabetes & Chronic Issues Support Group
- Thread starter Twilight Phoenix
- Start date
In a rudimentary way, yes, my infusion pump (which continuously delivers insulin 24hrs a day) is connected to a Continuous Glucose Monitoring device and as the name suggests, it monitors my blood glucose levels and if it drops below 3.9mml, it will let me know given my glucose levels should be in the "normal persons range" between 4mml and 7mml. It just took me a bloody long time to register the noise and the need to increase my glucose levels.
In a way yes, but given I have very few signs that indicate that I am having a hypo, other than a general not feeling good (which doesn't happen when I am asleep) and it has been know for people to die from hypo's, I'm rather glad I have the system in place, plus in general, it does allow me to control my glucose levels almost with in optimal levels.
Cure is too strong a word here, once any type of diabetes is triggered, whether it's type one or type two (or the variants of each type) then it's a case of continuous damage limitation through insulin therapy for type ones (plus watching what we eat through carb counting and exercise and the like) to prevent the complications that can arise from it, including amputations, nerve damage, eye sight loss and a whole list of other fun things.
If you're type two (which around 80% are over weight due to what ever reason, often, but not always adults) and make up 90% of all diabetics and those who are in that 80% who make a concerted effort can reverse (watching what they eat through carb counting and exercise and the like) it with no need for medication and then don't succumb to those fun complications, because who in their right mind would want to lose a limb or their eye sight or feelings in their feet or hands if it can be prevented.
So anyway, as a last ditch attempt to reverse type two diabetes and prevent further, often life altering complications, I'm sure stomach stapling and gastric bypass surgery, although an extreme thing to do, has been used to reverse type two and increased those individuals quality of life from a medical standpoint.
It doesn't cure diabetes, but it can help manage T2 diabetes when it's caused mostly by overweight, as such surgeries cause massive weight loss. That being said, bypass and staples can have very heavy and even life-threatening drawbacks, so it's not the perfect solution at all and should be an educated decision.
I very much agree with that. Such drastic surgeries are very dangerous. And, particularly with people who have an eating disorder they even beckfire because after such a surgery you have to be very conscious of when, what and how much you eat. The patient thinks about eating almost all the time and that's the very last thing someone with an eating disorder should do.
The positive effects of these surgeries on diabetics are propably not just rooted in the weight loss but in the fact that the patients are literally unable to eat much. This way they need only litte insulin at a time which gives their pancreas a break. Their blood sugar levels become lower and more constant.
However, it's extremely difficult for them to get all the energy, amino acids, vitamins and minerals they need. Many of these work only in specific combinations (for example, Vitamin A is soluble in fat and only works in combination with it. Eat it without any fat and it'll leave your body instead of being taken up). Therefore many people who had such a stomach surgery suffer from malnourishment unless they don't plan their meals very carefully.
Marynator, I know what you're going through - parents are the same, all over the world, it seems. But some things our parents (and our children) must do themselves, as much as we'd like to do it for them. Whether he sticks to a strict diet or gradually kills himself is only your dad's decision, as hard as that is to accept. However, sometimes, coincidence is on our side: my dad refused to quit smoking after an almost lethal heart attack. Then he chanced to see pictures of a post-mortem on a smoker. Frankly, had it not been for the anatomic position I wouldn't have recognized that smoker's organ as a lung myself: it was just a black sticky mass. The shock of these pics was apparently deeper than the shock of barely surviving a heart attack: my dad quit smoking the very same day and never restarted.
Perhaps your dad will have such an epiphany, too. Don't give up hope. Maybe he just needs a little kick in the behind by fate.
The diet he suggests seems too radical a change to his present lfifestyle (people tend to drop back into old habits very quickly, hence small alterations over a longer stretch of time are usually more successful - evolution instead of revolution, so to speak). Making some small adjustments is easier than one complete change. In my experience, switching to whole meal bread, quitting softdrinks and alcohol is easiest for a beginner. One step at a time. Once the first few lbs are gone, he'll have a feeling of success and and an incentive to stick to his diet. That's the point where he can alter a little more and cut back on the carbs more radically.
Going vegan is imho not a good idea unless he knows a lot about nutrition. Most people tend to eat too few amino acids and fats with that sort of diet. How about 2 or 3 vegan days per week? That'd be a good compromise and should lead to some weight loss.
The positive effects of these surgeries on diabetics are propably not just rooted in the weight loss but in the fact that the patients are literally unable to eat much. This way they need only litte insulin at a time which gives their pancreas a break. Their blood sugar levels become lower and more constant.
However, it's extremely difficult for them to get all the energy, amino acids, vitamins and minerals they need. Many of these work only in specific combinations (for example, Vitamin A is soluble in fat and only works in combination with it. Eat it without any fat and it'll leave your body instead of being taken up). Therefore many people who had such a stomach surgery suffer from malnourishment unless they don't plan their meals very carefully.
Marynator, I know what you're going through - parents are the same, all over the world, it seems. But some things our parents (and our children) must do themselves, as much as we'd like to do it for them. Whether he sticks to a strict diet or gradually kills himself is only your dad's decision, as hard as that is to accept. However, sometimes, coincidence is on our side: my dad refused to quit smoking after an almost lethal heart attack. Then he chanced to see pictures of a post-mortem on a smoker. Frankly, had it not been for the anatomic position I wouldn't have recognized that smoker's organ as a lung myself: it was just a black sticky mass. The shock of these pics was apparently deeper than the shock of barely surviving a heart attack: my dad quit smoking the very same day and never restarted.
Perhaps your dad will have such an epiphany, too. Don't give up hope. Maybe he just needs a little kick in the behind by fate.
The diet he suggests seems too radical a change to his present lfifestyle (people tend to drop back into old habits very quickly, hence small alterations over a longer stretch of time are usually more successful - evolution instead of revolution, so to speak). Making some small adjustments is easier than one complete change. In my experience, switching to whole meal bread, quitting softdrinks and alcohol is easiest for a beginner. One step at a time. Once the first few lbs are gone, he'll have a feeling of success and and an incentive to stick to his diet. That's the point where he can alter a little more and cut back on the carbs more radically.
Going vegan is imho not a good idea unless he knows a lot about nutrition. Most people tend to eat too few amino acids and fats with that sort of diet. How about 2 or 3 vegan days per week? That'd be a good compromise and should lead to some weight loss.
@rhubarbodendron : I totally agree with everything you wrote 
Bypass and staples cause massive weight loss mostly because they cause starvation by making normal digestion impossible. So that's definitely a last resort surgery and it makes me mad how easily some doctors propose it to obese patients just because they're obese...My husband has been suffering from extreme stomach pains for 3 years and our GP proposed a bypass surgery right away instead of prescribing further examinations...Of course, we refused and insisted to get examinations instead. But I imagine some people would have accepted...
Bypass and staples cause massive weight loss mostly because they cause starvation by making normal digestion impossible. So that's definitely a last resort surgery and it makes me mad how easily some doctors propose it to obese patients just because they're obese...My husband has been suffering from extreme stomach pains for 3 years and our GP proposed a bypass surgery right away instead of prescribing further examinations...Of course, we refused and insisted to get examinations instead. But I imagine some people would have accepted...
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I keep my fingers crossed for your hubby!
Yep, there seems to be a tendency nowadays to take to the scalpel instead of finding the root of the problem. I think it's a the result of the doctors having less time, less funds and sadly less compassion with their patients.
btw, it's totally ok to abbreviate my username. Rhubarb or rhu is a good deal shorter and easier to type
Yep, there seems to be a tendency nowadays to take to the scalpel instead of finding the root of the problem. I think it's a the result of the doctors having less time, less funds and sadly less compassion with their patients.
btw, it's totally ok to abbreviate my username. Rhubarb or rhu is a good deal shorter and easier to type
Thank you
He will have an echography tomorrow. The new gastroenterologist he met thinks it can be gallstones, and we cross our fingers it's the case
Just using that quote as an introduction to say a few things about vegan diet.
As Rhubarb stated, there's no point in rushing towards veganism, especially since switching from an omnivorous diet to a vegan one in just one day can cause intestinal disorders, such as heavy diarrhea. It's better to start slow and let the digestive system get used to the new diet.
Amino-acids are not a problem in a balanced vegan/vegetarian diet. Beans, lentils, peas and all matter of legumes (Fabacea family) are very rich in proteins and will easily cover one's amino-acids needs as long as they're varied throught the day (ie : lentils with rice at lunch, and beans at dinner). Legume by-products like tempeh or tofu, and seitan (made mostly from wheat protein, aka gluten), are also very rich in proteins and can even be used to replace meat in recipes that traditionally need it.
Just give seitan a try in a veggie version of bourguignon beef and you will see
That being said, both vegetarian and vegan diets are at higher risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency because that vitamin is only found in animal products and some unusual foods like...clay. Cattle is supplemented for it, so are omnivores who eat meat and dairy (that doesn't prevent loads of omni to be deficient for it, though). So it's very important to take B12 supplements if you're a veg, no matter what kind of veg you are. Small portion several times a day are preferable, since B12 can only be absorbed when in small quantity at once. There are many tablets and liquid supplemements available. I personally recommend VEG1 : it's well balanced with some more nutrients, like selenium and folic acid, and it's...well...ethically vegan in every way
You can read some more info about that supplement here.
He will have an echography tomorrow. The new gastroenterologist he met thinks it can be gallstones, and we cross our fingers it's the case
Just using that quote as an introduction to say a few things about vegan diet.
As Rhubarb stated, there's no point in rushing towards veganism, especially since switching from an omnivorous diet to a vegan one in just one day can cause intestinal disorders, such as heavy diarrhea. It's better to start slow and let the digestive system get used to the new diet.
Amino-acids are not a problem in a balanced vegan/vegetarian diet. Beans, lentils, peas and all matter of legumes (Fabacea family) are very rich in proteins and will easily cover one's amino-acids needs as long as they're varied throught the day (ie : lentils with rice at lunch, and beans at dinner). Legume by-products like tempeh or tofu, and seitan (made mostly from wheat protein, aka gluten), are also very rich in proteins and can even be used to replace meat in recipes that traditionally need it.
Just give seitan a try in a veggie version of bourguignon beef and you will see
That being said, both vegetarian and vegan diets are at higher risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency because that vitamin is only found in animal products and some unusual foods like...clay. Cattle is supplemented for it, so are omnivores who eat meat and dairy (that doesn't prevent loads of omni to be deficient for it, though). So it's very important to take B12 supplements if you're a veg, no matter what kind of veg you are. Small portion several times a day are preferable, since B12 can only be absorbed when in small quantity at once. There are many tablets and liquid supplemements available. I personally recommend VEG1 : it's well balanced with some more nutrients, like selenium and folic acid, and it's...well...ethically vegan in every way
You can read some more info about that supplement here.
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oh dear! I had all forgotten about legumes! (For social reasons I eat them only in the weekend... )
Gallstones is indeed a possibility. My team mate had that problem. She felt sick and vomited after almost every meal and occasionally had severe stomach pains, particularly at night and after a meal rich in fats. The doctors couldn't find anything and finally decided to have a look inside her with an endoscope. They discovered a huge gall stone and removed it. Now she's perfectly well again =)
I can confirm that radical dietary changes wreak havoc on one's digestion. When I was diagnosed with Diabetes and cut back dramatically on the carbs literally overnight, I felt like a hot air balloon immediately before exploding. I was really tempted to quit the treatment because the pain was unbearable. My pharmacist saved me by recommending herbal drops that worked miracles within a few minutes. I haven't needed them in months - my digestion has adapted to the new diet - but I still keep a bottle each in my desk at work and in my kirtchen at home, just in case.
)Gallstones is indeed a possibility. My team mate had that problem. She felt sick and vomited after almost every meal and occasionally had severe stomach pains, particularly at night and after a meal rich in fats. The doctors couldn't find anything and finally decided to have a look inside her with an endoscope. They discovered a huge gall stone and removed it. Now she's perfectly well again =)
I can confirm that radical dietary changes wreak havoc on one's digestion. When I was diagnosed with Diabetes and cut back dramatically on the carbs literally overnight, I felt like a hot air balloon immediately before exploding. I was really tempted to quit the treatment because the pain was unbearable. My pharmacist saved me by recommending herbal drops that worked miracles within a few minutes. I haven't needed them in months - my digestion has adapted to the new diet - but I still keep a bottle each in my desk at work and in my kirtchen at home, just in case.
If you don't mind sharing, I'd be interested in the drops' composition and name, please. I have irritated bowel syndrom, and the pain sometimes drives me nuts...I have been taking Spasfon (phloroglucinol) for my whole life, but during the worst painful episodes, it doesn't help more than a M&M would >.>
So I thought I'd share a photo of my diabetes stuff:
1 - infusion pump
2 - Insulin for pump
3 - Continuous Glucose Monitor battery, transmitter and old sensor.
4 - insertor for CGM sensor.
5 - Blood Glucose finger pricker and monitor.
6 - Replacement cartridge for the above.
7 - Spare Lancets for finger pricker.
8 - Spare Humalog (short/rapid acting insulin) Pens if Pump fails.
9 - Spare Lantus (long acting insulin) pens.
10 - Inserters for pump.
11 - Reservoirs for insulin for inside the pump.
12 - Spare needles if pump fails.
13 - Spare Libre Flash Glucose devices.
14 - Box to be carried around at all times when away from home containing spare insulin, insterters and reservoirs if pump needs swapping.
15 - Box that most of this stays in.
However, here where I work there have been several people who have gotten stomach surgery and I'd say all of them have gained back the weight.
I think it's so odd that happens.
I wish the smart medical people could figure out why some people become obese and others don't. We're all humans with shared genes and history. It just weirds me out.
Wow, that's a lot of stuff!
I'm pretty lucky, okay well except for the kidney cancer,
but I'm still pretty healthy. I don't take any prescriptions. ( cancer was removed, well, with the kidney,
.) So far no additional cancers. I have my last 5 year check up in a few months.
Indeed it is, compared to a type one, type two is a doddle.
I'm pretty lucky, okay well except for the kidney cancer,
I don't take any prescriptions. ( cancer was removed, well, with the kidney,
That is brilliant.
we must throw a huge party then, Nakita Akita =) I don't know how it's handled in your country but in Germany, if the cancer doesn't come back in 5 years you are officialy declared healed.
@TauCygna: the Drops are called "Iberogast". They are just a number of strong herbal extracts in 10% alcohol. One is not supposed to use them if one has or had liver problems or is pregnant.
I am not certain if they are available in the US. They contain Iberis, Angelica, Chamomile, Caraway, Milk Thistle, Lemon Balm, Peppermint, Tetterwort and Liquorice.
If the preparation isn't available in the US, you could simply mix a tea of all ingredients except for the Iberis and Tetterwort - both are difficult to dose for a layperson and could easily be overdosed, hence I'd leave them away. The other plants are all harmless and can be used in any quantity you find tasty. Such a tea would be almost as efficient as the drops but take slightly longer to work. You might even soak herbs in brandy for a few days and make a sort of liqueur of them. The alcohol would make the effect faster but it'd put additional strain on your liver and will interfere with medication you may have to take, particularly with betablockers, tranquilizers and painkillers. So for safety reasons I'd recommend the tea.
My mom had digestional problems after her surgery for intestinal cancer. She uses a tea made of equal parts (1 tea bag each) of fennelseed, chamomile and lemon balm. While each tea on its own is pretty horrible imo, the combination is surprisingly tasty.
@TauCygna: the Drops are called "Iberogast". They are just a number of strong herbal extracts in 10% alcohol. One is not supposed to use them if one has or had liver problems or is pregnant.
I am not certain if they are available in the US. They contain Iberis, Angelica, Chamomile, Caraway, Milk Thistle, Lemon Balm, Peppermint, Tetterwort and Liquorice.
If the preparation isn't available in the US, you could simply mix a tea of all ingredients except for the Iberis and Tetterwort - both are difficult to dose for a layperson and could easily be overdosed, hence I'd leave them away. The other plants are all harmless and can be used in any quantity you find tasty. Such a tea would be almost as efficient as the drops but take slightly longer to work. You might even soak herbs in brandy for a few days and make a sort of liqueur of them. The alcohol would make the effect faster but it'd put additional strain on your liver and will interfere with medication you may have to take, particularly with betablockers, tranquilizers and painkillers. So for safety reasons I'd recommend the tea.
My mom had digestional problems after her surgery for intestinal cancer. She uses a tea made of equal parts (1 tea bag each) of fennelseed, chamomile and lemon balm. While each tea on its own is pretty horrible imo, the combination is surprisingly tasty.
I'll take that as a compliment about my language skills, as I'm actually French
Thank you for the recipes and advice !
Good news today : my husband has gallstones !! Whoohoo !! It's so much less dangerous than what we were fearing (gastroparesia) !
I'll take that as a compliment about my language skills, as I'm actually French
Thank you for the recipes and advice !
Good news today : my husband has gallstones !! Whoohoo !! It's so much less dangerous than what we were fearing (gastroparesia) !
That's good. I think.
But it sounds better anyway than being in pain. I mean after he can get surgery.
It's good that you guys didn't listen to that other Quack!
In the USA, it's hard to find medical doctors that prescribe herbal remedies.
I had one a long time ago that would write down what you needed and how to take it.
I loved her, but she either moved away or retired or both.
Mostly it seems they want you to take some chemical blah blah blah that has side effects worse than the disease it supposed to treat.
In the USA, it's hard to find medical doctors that prescribe herbal remedies.
I had one a long time ago that would write down what you needed and how to take it.
I loved her, but she either moved away or retired or both.
Mostly it seems they want you to take some chemical blah blah blah that has side effects worse than the disease it supposed to treat.
In many cases, without actual scientific tests to confirm the herbs are really doing what is claimed, it's safest for doctors not to recommend something that could get them sued down the line, much less cause harm to their patients. Though I'm glad some of these remedies make you feel better, for myself, I remain skeptical of taking substances until I know there's some hard science to back up the claims.
Additionally, in the US, the herbal and supplements lobby has convinced Congress to lift all regulation on them. Independent testers have found bottles of supplements on store shelves that contain wildly different dosages than what is claimed on the label, from none at all to dangerously high levels, sometimes in the same bottle! And sometimes there was also a variety of fillers, some unhealthy when consumed. That means many of the manufacturers are either wildly incompetent at quality control, or else downright fraudulent, callously unconcerned about the people taking their product. So even if I was confident that an herbal supplement could help with a condition, I would have ZERO confidence that the bottle I bought would contain the proper dosage. Buyer beware!
Congrats !! I'm very happy for you !don't take any prescriptions. ( cancer was removed, well, with the kidney,
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