Diabetes

[Silver]

Speaking of meters, I expect that someday you'll be able to buy a relatively cheap device that will clip onto your ear lobe, and continuously measure your blood sugar level. You'll download your data to your computer, and get a plot of your levels throughout the day.

That should revolutionize diabetes detection and treatment, and could swing the tide towards low-carb eating ("Wow, look what happened when I ate an apple and a banana!").

I've long thought that diabetics using an insulin pump could use a needle that would provide a continuous reading of BS. But I haven't heard of this being developed yet. Might be helpful for DM's with hard to control BS.

 

[haha]

If being insulin sensitive is considered a genetic flaw then yes these "damaged genes" cause carbohydrates to be toxic when consumed in typical western-diet sized portions.

Remember what Morgan Spurlock did to himself in only 1 month?

I think you have it backwards. Insulin insensitivity is the genetic flaw, and under modern living conditions and under most of settled living conditions for the last 10,000 years or so this would indeed be a flaw. The Neolithic revolution made this true.

Ha

 

[haha]

I've long thought that diabetics using an insulin pump could use a needle that would provide a continuous reading of BS. But I haven't heard of this being developed yet. Might be helpful for DM's with hard to control BS.

I thought that was how the pump worked- not to give you a readout, but to give the pump the information to keep continuous control of blood sugar.

Re: Jenny's invocation of toxics, I suppose it could certainly be true. But I doubt she has anything other than faith to back it up.

Ha

 

[rgarling]

I think you have it backwards. Insulin insensitivity is the genetic flaw, and under modern living conditions and under most of settled living conditions for the last 10,000 years or so this would indeed be a flaw. The Neolithic revolution made this true.

Ha

All depends on how you look at it. There is a 6x difference in humans with regard to insulin sensitivity. In my opinion this is the 'normal' range and is not a genetic flaw at all. Individuals who are the most insulin sensitive store fat easily, easily become obese and eventually diabetic (or at least a large subset of the highly insulin sensitive population do).

 

[Texas Proud]

I thought that was how the pump worked- not to give you a readout, but to give the pump the information to keep continuous control of blood sugar.

Re: Jenny's invocation of toxics, I suppose it could certainly be true. But I doubt she has anything other than faith to back it up.

Ha

From the info I get from a coworker who has a husband on the pump it does not get that info... she said that he has a test meter and takes his reading and it sends a signal to the pump... he also has to inform the pump how many carbs he is about to eat...

 

[GregLee]

Re: Jenny's invocation of toxics, I suppose it could certainly be true. But I doubt she has anything other than faith to back it up.

She gave references on her web page that apparently implicate various environmental toxins. So she does have more than faith to back up her case, unless, I suppose, you take the position that there are so many suggestive experimental studies out there, one could use them selectively to support many different conclusions. (I have no opinion how persuasive her case is.)

 

[haha]

From the info I get from a coworker who has a husband on the pump it does not get that info... she said that he has a test meter and takes his reading and it sends a signal to the pump... he also has to inform the pump how many carbs he is about to eat...

Ah, thank you. No as elegant as I thought.

Ha

 

[haha]

All depends on how you look at it. There is a 6x difference in humans with regard to insulin sensitivity. In my opinion this is the 'normal' range and is not a genetic flaw at all. Individuals who are the most insulin sensitive store fat easily, easily become obese and eventually diabetic (or at least a large subset of the highly insulin sensitive population do).

Sure, I see your point. But I take the position that anything that predisposes one to morbidity and early mortality, under conditions of living that have been around for some time and are very likely to stay around for a long time in the future is a flaw.

Ha

 

[rgarling]

Sure, I see your point. But I take the position that anything that predisposes one to morbidity and early mortality, under conditions of living that have been around for some time and are very likely to stay around for a long time in the future is a flaw.
Ha

The 6x range for insulin sensitivity is surprisingly large, so I guess you could consider the top 20% and the bottom 20% to be 'flawed'. Certainly both groups will have a hard time dealing with the typical American diet. Generally, the most insulin resistant will get hyperinsulinemic quickly if they overeat carbs; however, I think most people in this group find it difficult to do so.

On the other hand, the very insulin sensitive generally find it easy to overeat. Their body packs those carbs away quickly and is ready for more within a couple of hours. After years of that, things start to break bad.

 

[haha]

The 6x range for insulin sensitivity is surprisingly large, so I guess you could consider the top 20% and the bottom 20% to be 'flawed'. Certainly both groups will have a hard time dealing with the typical American diet. Generally, the most insulin resistant will get hyperinsulinemic quickly if they overeat carbs; however, I think most people in this group find it difficult to do so.

On the other hand, the very insulin sensitive generally find it easy to overeat. Their body packs those carbs away quickly and is ready for more within a couple of hours. After years of that, things start to break bad.

This 6x range is something I had not before heard about. Could you tell me more, and perhaps send me to some papers or discussions of this? Was insulin sensitivity measured by the insulin/glucose clamp method? How many subjects?

Ha

 

[harley]

Well, just got the results from an A1c test I took this morning. 5.8, not bad for a T2 who is still overweight (obese, actually. I still need to lose 6 more lbs. to be overweight). I have never had a fasting blood sugar level below 150, but I don't fluctuate beyond normal much at all during the day. An extremely pronounced Dawn Phenomenon that neither my GP or Endo can explain. So I'm going to keep on slowly losing weight, exercising, having fun, watching for symptoms, and I'll probably die some day anyway. Dammit.

 

[haha]

Well, just got the results from an A1c test I took this morning. 5.8, not bad for a T2 who is still overweight (obese, actually. I still need to lose 6 more lbs. to be overweight). I have never had a fasting blood sugar level below 150, but I don't fluctuate beyond normal much at all during the day. An extremely pronounced Dawn Phenomenon that neither my GP or Endo can explain. So I'm going to keep on slowly losing weight, exercising, having fun, watching for symptoms, and I'll probably die some day anyway. Dammit.

Congratulations Harley, great result.

Ha

 

[rgarling]

This 6x range is something I had not before heard about. Could you tell me more...
Ha

I heard it from Dr. Connelly in this lecture: Insulin: Body Weight and Energy Production by Dr. Scott Connelly - CrossFit Journal

(The lecture is broken into 3 parts (30 minutes each) and can be downloaded on the right side of the page.)

I've had to listen to this about 5 times to get all the nuances, but it has been worth it.

 

[Texas Proud]

I heard it from Dr. Connelly in this lecture: Insulin: Body Weight and Energy Production by Dr. Scott Connelly - CrossFit Journal

(The lecture is broken into 3 parts (30 minutes each) and can be downloaded on the right side of the page.)

I've had to listen to this about 5 times to get all the nuances, but it has been worth it.

I have not looked at any of this, but do thank you for the links.... I have to learn more about my problem to understand it...

So far down about 5 to 6 lbs but starving along the way... still working on getting the doc to do something to get my test strips, but decided to buy some online so I can do more testing right now to understand what my body is doing...

 

[haha]

I heard it from Dr. Connelly in this lecture: Insulin: Body Weight and Energy Production by Dr. Scott Connelly - CrossFit Journal

(The lecture is broken into 3 parts (30 minutes each) and can be downloaded on the right side of the page.)

I've had to listen to this about 5 times to get all the nuances, but it has been worth it.

Thanks rg, I am just getting ready to listen to #3. #s 1 and 2 were certainly interesting.

Ha

 

[Zero]

rgarling, adding my thanks for that link, very interesting and entertaining at the same time.

 

[harley]

I have not looked at any of this, but do thank you for the links.... I have to learn more about my problem to understand it...

So far down about 5 to 6 lbs but starving along the way... still working on getting the doc to do something to get my test strips, but decided to buy some online so I can do more testing right now to understand what my body is doing...

Don't starve yourself. That is a guaranteed fail over the long term. At the very least, find things to eat that are filling but non-harmful. When I first got diagnosed, I asked a cow erker that was T2 what we were supposed to eat. He said "salad is your friend". Of course he was eating a slice of anchovy pizza as he said it. But it's true. When I'm doing the right thing (which is only sometimes), I eat a lot of salad and other raw or steamed or grilled veggies. It's not always satisfying, but it keeps the hunger down to the level where you don't lose control and eat a pint of ice cream while waiting for the pizza delivery.

This isn't a disease that will kill you tomorrow if you slip up, so take your time. Educate yourself, develop better eating habits, slowly drop the weight (it took years to put on, right?). If you can identify one or two things that are major contributors and cut them out, you can make a big difference fast whle taking your time getting the details right. Like if you drink a lot of sugary soft drinks (or beer), or eat a lot of white bread or pasta. Cut those things out or way down and you've made a huge step in the right direction.

 

[Texas Proud]

Don't starve yourself. That is a guaranteed fail over the long term. At the very least, find things to eat that are filling but non-harmful. When I first got diagnosed, I asked a cow erker that was T2 what we were supposed to eat. He said "salad is your friend". Of course he was eating a slice of anchovy pizza as he said it. But it's true. When I'm doing the right thing (which is only sometimes), I eat a lot of salad and other raw or steamed or grilled veggies. It's not always satisfying, but it keeps the hunger down to the level where you don't lose control and eat a pint of ice cream while waiting for the pizza delivery.

This isn't a disease that will kill you tomorrow if you slip up, so take your time. Educate yourself, develop better eating habits, slowly drop the weight (it took years to put on, right?). If you can identify one or two things that are major contributors and cut them out, you can make a big difference fast whle taking your time getting the details right. Like if you drink a lot of sugary soft drinks (or beer), or eat a lot of white bread or pasta. Cut those things out or way down and you've made a huge step in the right direction.

I have not stopped eating... in fact I am eating more than before, just not the things I used to eat.... but I think the pills that the doc gave me has increased my appitite... and even after eating a big meal, I am 'starving' (hungry) in about an hour...

I have cut back on the carbs, but am still eating enough of them (I will eat two sandwiches for a meal).... but now I try to get less of breads etc.

My big contributors were candy, ice cream and breads... have stopped the first two and cut back on the third...

Thanks for the post... I do have a lot to learn and do know that this is a long term (heck, for the rest of my life) issue and can not be fixed in a few weeks or months..

 

[Texas Proud]

Another question to anybody that has this....

Does your insurance pay for your test equipment... specifically test strips?


It seems that my insurance does not want to pay... the doc finally got to them and was told that they would not pay for the drug... they did not pay for the test strips when I went to get them, but am hoping that it will change... but so far it has not....

 

[rgarling]

I think you will find a lot of variation in insurance coverage. Many of the co-pays are high too.

On the open market (amazon) you can get a fairly good meter, e.g. Wavesense Presto, pretty cheap and the test strips are about 30 cents each.

 

[rgarling]

rgarling, adding my thanks for that link, very interesting and entertaining at the same time.

I'm glad people are finding it useful. Dr. Connelly plans to publish a book early next year, which I am looking forward to. I hope he does well.

 

[rescueme]

Does your insurance pay for your test equipment... specifically test strips?

Interesting question, since there was a similar situation with a guy I wor*ed with (both T2, same insurance).

He had his perscription filled by a local chain pharmacy (e.g. Walgreens), while I had mine filled by a local (non-chain) pharmacy that also had a "durable medical equipment" department - wheel chairs, walkers, etc.

While he paid full price, mine was always filled with a small co-pay of a few dollars.

It might be a situation of how the pharmacy codes the claim or it might be the way the doctor writes the perscription (and the IDC code).

I don't know the reasoning, other than I always paid much less for strips (and still do)...

 

[FIRE'd@51]

Another question to anybody that has this....

Does your insurance pay for your test equipment... specifically test strips?


It seems that my insurance does not want to pay... the doc finally got to them and was told that they would not pay for the drug... they did not pay for the test strips when I went to get them, but am hoping that it will change... but so far it has not....

Did you check with your insurance carrier as to which part of the policy covers the strips? Some insurance policies cover them under major medical while others cover them as part of the drug coverage. Usually the major medical part has a higher deductible than the drug part. For example, Medicare covers strips under part B (and pays 80%), not part D (drugs).

 

[Texas Proud]

Did you check with your insurance carrier as to which part of the policy covers the strips? Some insurance policies cover them under major medical while others cover them as part of the drug coverage. Usually the major medical part has a higher deductible than the drug part. For example, Medicare covers strips under part B (and pays 80%), not part D (drugs).

No, I have not looked into it... from what the pharmacy said they needed more info from the doc... the doc contacted them and the message I got back was 'they will not cover the drug he prescribed'... I said I was not concerned about the drug right now, but the test strips which I told you about on the last phone call... She said "Oh"...

Still no answer, but I did order some from Amazon and will see what I can do going forward...

 

[haha]

No, I have not looked into it... from what the pharmacy said they needed more info from the doc... the doc contacted them and the message I got back was 'they will not cover the drug he prescribed'... I said I was not concerned about the drug right now, but the test strips which I told you about on the last phone call... She said "Oh"...

Still no answer, but I did order some from Amazon and will see what I can do going forward...

One thing to consider about meters is the size of the drop of blood (sample) that you need to test. I think the range is about 0.3 microliters to 1.0 microliters. This means a lot! My old meter needed 1.0, and it felt like I was pounding a nail into my finger to get an adequate sample. The one I use now is 0.6, and I am going to look into getting a 0.3 microliter drop size. I'm taking aspirin now which makes the stick bleed more freely, but still the smaller drop needed the better, given similar accuracy. (None are very accurate)
Blood Sugar Meters With a Small Sample Size: Nearly Painless Glucose Testers Help People Monitor Their Diabetes | Suite101.com


Ha