tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76824122024-02-20T08:40:47.947-05:00My Diabetic LifeA journey of sugar-free discoveryRayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-17653692193825074382007-04-19T15:49:00.000-05:002007-04-19T21:30:00.467-05:00Disposable Insulin Nanopump on the Horizon?<a href="http://www.debiotech.com/debiotech.html">Debiotech</a> and <a href="http://www.st.com/">STMicroelectronics</a> have <a href="http://www.medadnews.com/News/Index.cfm?articleid=433574">announced</a> a strategic cooperation agreement whereby STMicroelectronics will manufacture Debiotech's Nanopump technology on their solid state manufacturing lines. This may mean the mass production of disposable pump/patches at affordable costs.<br /><blockquote>Today, existing insulin pumps are about the size of a pager. The new ST- enabled Debiotech miniaturized <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MEMS">MEMS</a> device is about one quarter the size of these existing pumps and can be worn as a nearly invisible patch on the skin. The small size frees the patient from concerns with holding the pump in place and concealing it under clothing.</blockquote><br /><blockquote>The insulin Nanopump, developed by Debiotech and industrialized by ST, represents the first use of microfluidic MEMS technology in diabetes treatment. Functional samples have already been produced and the two partners expect that a fully industrialized product, in the form of a disposable cartridge, will be available in selected markets in 2008. Debiotech will remain responsible for the commercialization of the product through its licenses with major players in the medical device market.<br /></blockquote>The press release states that the Nanopump can control it's output down to the nanoliter level and has capabilities of detecting occlusions, bubbles and other malfunctions. A browse through their website shows that this is not the only innovation they're working on that affects diabetics. They're also developing a micro-needle array built using MEMS technology to allow for improved hypodermic drug delivery.<br /><br />via: <a href="http://www.medadnews.com/News/Index.cfm?articleid=433574">Pharmalive.com</a><br /><p class="post-footer">Technorati Tags (<a href="http://beta.technorati.com/help/tags.html">?</a>): <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/diabetes" rel="tag">diabetes</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/debiotech" rel="tag">Debiotech</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/nanopump" rel="tag">Nanopump</a><br /></p>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-65903724544885904052007-04-19T09:31:00.000-05:002007-04-19T10:42:52.388-05:00Living On<span class="fullpost"></span><br />I realize it has been a very long time since I added new content to this site. I got complacent and haven't been doing what I should be doing in order to control my diabetes. Reading <a href="http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/04/living_with_it.html">Amy's blog</a> has made me want to pick this up again and make my voice be heard.<br /><p class="post-footer">Technorati Tags (<a href="http://beta.technorati.com/help/tags.html">?</a>): <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/diabetes" rel="tag">diabetes</a></p>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1133364097532391482005-11-30T10:10:00.000-05:002005-11-30T10:21:37.546-05:00Generex to Launch First Oral Insulin<a href="http://www.generex.com">Generex</a>, a small independent pharmaceutical company, is set to launch the first ever commercially available non-injectable insulin in Ecuador in the beginning of 2006. Oral-lyn, as the insulin spray is branded, is applied to the mouth by the company's proprietary RapidMist delivery system.<br /> <br /><blockquote><br />For years, the big pharmaceutical companies have been chasing the holy grail of diabetes therapies – non-injectable insulin. A range of such products are set to explode on to the market in the next few years, ensuring a bitter grapple for market share.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />The company is launching in Ecuador first due to their more relaxed drug trial requirements and they expect to use the revenue from the sale of the drug in South America to fund more expensive phase III trials for the US and Europe.<br /><br />via: <a href="http://www.in-pharmatechnologist.com/news/ng.asp?n=63967-outsider-prepares-to">In Pharma Technologist</a><br /><br /><p class="post-footer">Technorati Tags (<a href="http://beta.technorati.com/help/tags.html">?</a>): <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/diabetes" rel="tag">diabetes</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/insulin" rel="tag">insulin</a>, </p>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1118762033132043622005-06-14T09:54:00.000-05:002005-06-14T10:13:53.163-05:00Inhalable Insulin May Be Delayed by FDAAnalysts estimate that Exubera, <a href="http://www.pfizer.com/pfizer/main.jsp">Pfizer's</a> inhalable insulin, may be delayed by the FDA due to what some analysts claim is insufficient long-term testing testing on the effects of the drug on smokers and children.<br /><br /><blockquote>Exubera is a dry, fine-powdered insulin that is inhaled into the lungs and then absorbed into the bloodstream.<br /><br />Dr. Bill Canovatchel, senior medical director for Pfizer and the company's team leader for worldwide diabetes, acknowledged that Exubera does not have long-term testing that specifically addresses the drug's effect on smokers and children. But he noted that Pfizer has still done considerable testing.<br /><br />"We have submitted a rather extensive and comprehensive submission," said Canovatchel.<br /><br />Dr. Jay Skyler, a University of Miami professor of medicine and an associate director at the Diabetes Research Institute, said that Exubera and other inhaled insulin products could benefit from longer-term studies.<br /><br />But Skyler said that Exubera still deserved FDA approval. "Inhaled insulin is effective, has no serious health issues and should receive regulatory approval," said Skyler. "I suspect the FDA will examine [Exubera] carefully because it's the first of its kind to go through there, but I think it meets the regulatory hurdles." </blockquote><br /><br />via: <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/11/news/fortune500/exubera/">CNN Money</a><br /><br /><p class="post-footer">Technorati Tags (<a href="http://beta.technorati.com/help/tags.html">?</a>): <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/diabetes" rel="tag">diabetes</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/insulin" rel="tag">insulin</a></p>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1118759651238456642005-06-14T09:16:00.000-05:002005-06-14T09:38:39.783-05:00Palm Proposed as Alternate Testing SiteAs far as I'm concerned, the most painful part of this whole diabetes thing is not the actual insulin injections, but the finger pricks necessary to check blood sugar levels. That's why I was excited to hear that a new study presented at the <a href="http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp">American Diabetes Association's</a> 65th Annual Scientific Sessions reports that the palm can be used as a suitible alternative to finger prick testing.<br /><br /><blockquote>The palm has plenty of blood capillaries and fewer pain receptors than the fingertips. Other body parts -- such as the forearm and thigh -- have also been proposed as alternate sites. But the palm is easy to access, say Schwartz and colleagues.</blockquote><br /><br />via: <a href="http://my.webmd.com/content/article/107/108475.htm">WebMD Health News</a> <span class="fullpost"></span><br /><br /><p class="post-footer">Technorati Tags (<a href="http://beta.technorati.com/help/tags.html">?</a>): <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/diabetes" rel="tag">diabetes</a></p>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1117817764045399632005-06-03T11:49:00.000-05:002005-06-03T11:56:04.053-05:00American Diabetes Association Launches Online Risk Assessment ToolThe <a href="http://www.diabetes.org">ADA</a> has just launched a powerful new tool called <a href="https://www.diabetes.org/phd/profile/default.jsp">Diabetes PHD</a> to determine your risk factors for diabetes and various related conditions. The tool asks you to enter your personal health history information and presents your risk factors with related explanations graphed as you age.<br /><br /><blockquote>"DIABETES PHD or 'Diabetes Personal Health Decision,' provides personal health profiles to help people understand their risk for diabetes or its serious complications. The program creates a whole set of personal clinical trials enabling users to see what might happen in the future based on health behavior changes."</blockquote><br /><br />via: <a href="http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050601/nyw022.html?.v=12">Yahoo News</a> <span class="fullpost"></span>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1117809373852573812005-06-03T09:36:00.000-05:002005-06-03T09:36:13.900-05:00Caffeine Helps Control Nocturnal Hypoglycemia in People With Type 1 Diabetes<blockquote>"Researchers from Bournemouth in the United Kingdom studied 19 people with long-standing type 1 diabetes. All participants were given a low-caffeine diet (less than 50 milligrams/day) for two weeks. Some also received caffeine capsules (250 milligram) two times a day while others received a placebo. Researchers say the capsules are the equivalent to the average daily caffeine intake in the United Kingdom. Blood sugars were monitored using continuous glucose-sensing technology.
<br />
<br />Study results show caffeine reduced the duration of nighttime hypoglycemia with an average duration of 49 minutes vs. 132 minutes."</blockquote>
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<br />via: <a href="http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=11401">Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs - Caffeine Benefits People With Type 1 Diabetes</a>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1117120444969604052005-05-26T10:09:00.000-05:002005-05-26T10:14:04.976-05:00Diabetes Drug Sales to Double Industry PaceA report published by Bernstein Research states that diabetes drug sales will outpace the industry average by two to one.<br /><br /><blockquote>Diabetes-related drug sales are expected to jump 12 percent annually through 2011 worldwide, compared to industry-wide drug sales growth of 6 percent, said the Bernstein report. U.S. sales of diabetes drugs are expected to jump 15 percent annually.</blockquote><br /><br />via: <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/25/news/fortune500/bernstein/">CNN Money</a> <span class="fullpost"></span>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1117119849412590002005-05-26T10:00:00.000-05:002005-05-26T10:04:09.420-05:0038 Minutes to Better Diabetes HealthIf you didn't know, ading a modest amount of excersice drastically improves your diabetes health. This is a nice article that explains a study that proves that the best results come from adding at least 38 minutes of excersice to your daily routine.<br /><br /><blockquote>Increasing physical activity by 38 minutes a day helped people with type 2 diabetes improve their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, even without losing weight. Those who walked a little longer (about an hour a day) made even more progress and shed some extra pounds, too.</blockquote><br /><br />via: <a href="http://my.webmd.com/content/Article/106/108209.htm?pagenumber=1">WebMD</a> <span class="fullpost"></span>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1116812868864107372005-05-22T20:34:00.000-05:002005-06-03T11:56:53.726-05:00Pancreas Not Working? Liver Coaxed to Take OverWork being performed by scientists in Israel's Sheba Medical Center may eventually lead to the use of a patients' own liver cells as a treatment for their diabetes. They have found that by treating adult liver cells with a substance that controls pancreatic cell development during gestation, these cells start behaving the same way as pancreatic cells and begin to secret insulin when transplanted into dibetic mice.<br /><br /><blockquote>The Sheba team hopes that their work will avoid the need to rely on donor cells - or controversial alternatives, such as the use of stem cells taken from foetal or embryonic tissue.<br /><br />They treated adult human liver cells with a factor that controls pancreas development in the embryo, called PDX-1.<br /><br />This stimulated the cells to behave in the same way as insulin-producing pancreatic cells.<br /><br />Not only did they start to produce the hormone, they began to secrete it in response to blood sugar levels.<br /><br />When the cells were transplanted into mice with symptoms of diabetes, the animals' blood sugar levels gradually decreased. </blockquote><br /><br />via: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4550745.stm">BBC News UK</a><span class="fullpost"></span>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1116811522126049572005-05-22T20:22:00.000-05:002005-05-22T20:25:22.130-05:00Diabetes Drug Based on Gila Monster Saliva Approved by FDA<blockquote>Byetta (exenatide) is the first among a new class of diabetes drugs called incretin mimetics -- synthetic medications that mimic action of a hormone that spurs insulin production after a person eats and blood sugar levels rise above a certain threshold. Traditional diabetes drugs that promote insulin production do so even if glucose levels aren't high enough, which could cause a dangerous low blood-sugar condition called hypoglycemia.<br /><br />Byetta, derived from the lizard's saliva, mimics that action of the human hormone GLP-1, which prompts the body to secrete insulin and is also thought to play a role in deciding when a person feels full. </blockquote><br /><br />via: <a href="http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=106150">PakTribune</a>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1116349370866179322005-05-17T11:54:00.000-05:002005-05-22T20:28:52.796-05:00Rats Cured of Diabetes by Precise Transplant of Pig CellsI know what you're thinking... "great, rats can get cured by pigs, just what we need!"<br /><br />It seems that scientists at the Washington University of Medicine have been able to cure rats of diabetes by transplanting embryonic pig pancreas primordia. Primordia is are not like stem cells that can become any type of tissue, but instead can only become certain types of cells or group of cells that will eventually become a particular organ or tissue. The researchers found that rats would accept these transplants without the need for immuno-suppression drugs to prevent rejection as long as the cells were less than 35 embryonic days old.<br /><br /><blockquote>In their earlier studies, Hammerman and Rogers had shown that transplantation of pig pancreatic primordia into diabetic rats cures their diabetes permanently without the need for immune suppression. The pig primordia are transplanted into the omentum, a membrane that envelopes the intestines and other digestive organs. When the primordia mature, they replace the missing rat insulin with pig insulin, returning the rats' blood glucose to normal levels.</blockquote><br /><br />via: <a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-05/wuso-pte051605.php">EurekAlert!</a><span class="fullpost">The next step in this research is to test the transplant procedure with primates. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has provided funding to facilitate these tests with the hope that, if successful, pig-to-human transplants would be next.</span>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1115920076891421702005-05-12T08:33:00.000-05:002005-05-22T20:30:02.746-05:00Insulin Found to be Antigen for Type 1 DiabetesResearchers at the Harvard School of Medicine have identified insulin as the trigger for Type 1 Diabetes, the genetically inherited form of the disease.<br /><br /><blockquote>For reasons that remain unclear, in patients with type 1 diabetes the body's immune T-cells react against insulin-producing cells in the pancreas -- effectively shutting them down and triggering disease onset.</blockquote><br /><br />via: <a href="http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2005/05/11/hscout525637.html">Forbes</a>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1115525338595478242005-05-07T23:06:00.000-05:002005-05-22T20:31:12.410-05:00Make that Type 1About 4-1/2 months ago, my doctor let me know that it seemed that my body was no longer making any insulin and that I would have to start insulin therapy. She started me off on Novalog 70/30 twice per day. More on why this has happened and how it's going to come in future posts.Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1091116087432946032004-07-29T10:07:00.000-05:002004-07-30T09:19:42.363-05:00New One Touch Ultra Meter<div style="float: left;"><A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000059S7G/mydiabeticlif-20?ref=nosim"><IMG SRC="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000059S7G.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0" alt="cover" hspace="3" vspace="3"></A></div>Last week, in preparation for my journey to get my diabetes back in check, I bought myself a new blood glucose meter. After speaking with a couple of nurse friends, they recomended that I get the <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000059S7G/mydiabeticlif-20?ref=nosim">OneTouch Ultra Blood Glucose Monitoring System</A> from <a href="http://www.lifescan.com/">LifeScan, Inc.</a> They said that it is the quickest to return a reading and needs the smallest amount of blood in order to work.
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<br />This meter is great! My old meter took about 28 seconds to return a reading and i practically had to cut an artery to get enough blood for the test strip. Actually, the reason I stopped testing was because I got really trigger shy with my old meter. The lancet that it uses was very painful so I would hesitate to "pull the trigger." The One Touch Ultra, and the <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00008O2XL/mydiabeticlif-20?ref=nosim">OneTouch UltraSmart Blood Glucose Monitoring System</A> (I presume), takes 5 seconds to render a blood glucose reading. It also uses very little blood, making it work with "alternate site" testing. This basically means that you can check your forearm instead of your fingertips.
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<br /><span class="fullpost">At first, getting the forearm reading wasn't easy. I'm not the type of guy that reads instructions, so I just opened up the box and went at it using the Ultrasoft blood sampler with the regular tip. I must have looked like a junkie with track marks, but I couldn't get enough blood out of my forearms for a valid reading. I thought maybe it was that I just didn't have enough capillaries there until I talked to my nurse friends again. They asked if I was using the clear tip or the blue tip. Huh? I did notice that there was a little clear tube-looking thing in the case when I got it, but I never paid it any attention. It turns out that this other tip is designed to push down on the skin and bring up blood to the surface capillaries. Then when you press the trigger and the lancet pokes the skin, you're supposed to leave it there for a few seconds to apply pressure on the area. When I tried it with this tip, it worked like a charm. I was able to get a good blood sugar reading right away.
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<br />I also learned that you're supposed to use alternate sites like the forearm for basal readings like in the morning or before meals (I think that's the term). This is because the fat under the skin in these areas take a bit longer to change in glucose level. I still use the finger tip for instant readings, but I've managed to knock out most of these by using my forearm.
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<br />LifeScan also has <a href="http://www.lifescan.com/products/otdms/software/">software</a> that you can use to track your blood glucose levels over time. They even sell a <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00007J6DG/mydiabeticlif-20?ref=nosim">9-Pin Interface Cable for LifeScan Blood Glucose Meters</A> that connects your meter to your PC so you can download your readings and not have to enter them by hand. I've downloaded the software and I ordered the cable. I'll report back with my impressions when I receive the kit.</span>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1090530393887334772004-07-22T15:50:00.000-05:002004-07-22T22:59:04.356-05:00Type 2 - So Now What?At first, I remember being really upset about learning that I was diabetic. I really didn't understand why I got it either. It wasn't like I fit the typical characteristics of somebody that would be prone to diabetes - the closest family member that has diabetes is my grandmother's brother on my mom's side; I didn't eat a lot of sweets; I wasn't extrememly over weight; I wasn't sedentary; I just didn't understand.
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<br />When I first told my wife, I remember that she got really worried. The same happened when I told my familly. I remember that in the begining, I was very strict with my diet. So strict that I sometimes had hypoglycemic episodes (the first of which really freaked me out). I started to run or walk on our treadmill regularly. I would check my sugar four times per day. I even wrote a web application that let me log my blood sugar levels, chart them and then print them out for the next visits with my doctor. All in all, I was very good.
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<br />As time went on, I lost weight. I think this was a combination of the change in diet and the fact that my thyroid was now working. I'm now weighing 175 lbs. which may be a little too low for my 6'2" height. This is the thinnest I've been since early high school.
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<br />After about two years, however, I started to slack off. First, I stopped checking my sugar at night, then all together. Then my diet got closer to what I was eating prior to my diabetes diagnosis. <span class="fullpost">You have to understand, bread and pasta were the cornerstone of my diet. I love bread! I started to have more of it than I should and my blood sugars started to climb up bit by bit. The insurance company that we're under forces me to use mail-order prescription for anything that's long term. This led me to be out of medicine on several occasions. What would happen was that I would run out of the 90 days supply they gave me and the three refills and then have to work in time to go to my doctor's office for a prescription that I could mail to AdvanceRx. It was a royal pain and it caused my blood sugars to get a little high during these times.
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<br />My wife has been trying to get me to eat better lately, so I decided to start this blog. I hope that it will help me (and anybody that happens to stroll by) to keep my diet, excercise and medication plan on my mind. I hope to be posting pointers to articles and news about diabetes, links to diabetes related resources and maybe even a book review or two. If you would like to contribute in any way, be it in the form of comments or by writing articles, please do so. You can contact me by sending a note to rdevarona -at- gmail.com.</span>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7682412.post-1090466208687308652004-07-21T21:56:00.000-05:002004-07-22T15:28:24.096-05:00Diagnosed With DiabetesI guess the best way to start off is by describing how I found out I was diabetic. So here goes...
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<br />Back around August of 2001, my wife and I took a cruise with my parents. During this cruise, I noticed that I was building up quite a thirst... an incredibly strong thirst that wouldn't go away. I also noticed that I had to get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom; something I never had to do before. Several weeks went by and the thirst continued. I also realized that I could see a lot better if I used my wife's glasses, which were about twice as strong as mine, instead of my own. On September 17th, 2001, I went to my doctor's office for my insurance companiy's mandatory physical and happen to mention to him that I was always thirsty. He asked a couple of questions and told me that they would check my blood sugar to see what was going on. I didn't even realize they were checking for diabetes at the time. Our doctor happens to be related by marriage to my wife's familly, so while the nurse was checking my blood sugar, I was chatting away with him and his wife, also a physician. When the reading was done, the nurse blurted out 287 and my doctor's wife yelled "<span style="font-weight:bold;">Ohh my God! You're diabetic!!</span>"
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<br /><span class="fullpost">At that moment, I had absolutely no clue what was happening. My doctor threw his wife out of the consultation room and started to explain to me that there were several other things that could be happening that would cause my blood sugars to be so high.
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<br />"What's high?" I asked.
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<br />He said that normally, since I had fasted for my lipid panel test, my blood sugars shouldn't be any higher than 105-110. A reading of 287 was fairly high, but it could be caused by a temporary infection or several other things. At this point, it felt like my doctor started checking off additional tests like there was no tomorrow. He ordered everything on the sheet and had the nurse administer an EKG, gave me prescriptions for an eye exam and several ultrasound exams. He also gave me a prescription for glucotrol along with a bunch of samples so that I could get started right away. This may have occured during the following appointment, but it all sort of blends together. It turns out that I am a Type 2 Diabetic which means that my pancreas makes insulin, but my body is resistant to it and doesn't process sugar the way its supposed to.
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<br />During this series of appointments and tests, I also found out that my thyroid wasn't working properly. I had a hypo-functioning thyroid. I didn't even know what the thyroid did! It turns out that one of the things it does is to regulate metabolism. I wasn't an obese person, but I did notice that it was very difficult to shed any weight. I am 6'2" tall and back then I weighed 235 lbs. For the thyroid, my doctor prescribed Synthroid, and for about three months, I was changing my dosage to come up with the right amount for me.</span>Rayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00204447718810424903noreply@blogger.com0