Act Acting » Acting School » Recent Diabetic

Recent Diabetic

Question:

see a podiatrist (foot doctor) annually also

Response:

Hey everyone! I just got type 1 diabetes last week. I’m 25 and have a twin brother who got it when he was 10. I’ve spent the last 15 years chasing after him so it came as a real shock. In some cases, if caught super early, type I can be reversed.  If you still have some beta cells left (beta cells are where insulin is produced), and if you take insulin, it is possible to give your remaining beta cells a chance to rest so they do not burn out.

Illogical argument, because **if you take insulin** you have not **reversed** type 1, just controlled it. And type 1 nearly always comes in so fast that there is no such thing as **caught super early**. If it comes in slowly, it is almost certainly not type 1, but type 1.5, aka LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adulthood) which is a whole different kettle of fish. Go to Dr Bernsteins site http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com, he wrote the bible on diabetes control.

There is no **bible on diabetes control**, there IS lots of confusing and conflicting evidence which will probably take another 100 years to sort out. It is only 4 generations since Banting, Best, Collip, McLeod, and Scott discovered and refined insulin. Before that t1 meant certain death. Al.

Response:

A couple of suggestions for the non-insured 1) Use a WalMart Relion Meter ($9) and strips -$42/100. 2) Tell your doctor to take you off of Insulin Analogs, and put you on normal human Insulin.  The doctor takes the position that cost is no object, as long as you pay it.  "R" and a long acting "Lente or Ultralente" is the best – again, WalMart will sell Novo to you at a LOT less than anybody else, or than Lilly – to get the full discount on the long acting, you need a discount card – email me for info if you go that way.  The Analogs are SLIGHTLY better than the regular insulin, and almost three times the cost. 3) If you are taking any oral meds – do not buy them in the US – if you are ready to buy overseas – email me, and I will give you some sources to check out. 4)There are LOTS of studies going on about diabetes.  Look for them, check them out.  If you find one you like, you will get free exams, usually free test strips, and sometimes free meds. Then there is the general advice 1) Test often 2) Beware of frauds – MILLIONS of scammers will have miracle cures for you. If they say "cure" "natural" "supplement" "organic" "miracle" "amazing" "millions use", "used in Japan (China, india…)" don’t read further – they are frauds. 3) Beware of the diets – most claim everything.  Some people have good luck low-carbing, others do better on the ADA.  Disregard all claims that any way is the ONLY way .  ONE way is best for you, and despite it’s claims, may not be best for me. 4) Beware of "sugar free", "low sugar", or similar – it is CARBS, not sugar we watch.  if you don’t know the carbs, look at the calories – not perfect, but low calorie will be low carb (High calorie MAY be low carb),  Many "sugar free" items have more carbs than raw sugar. 5) YOU, not your doctor treats your diabetes – ask LOTS of questions. If you know WHY you do or do not do things – you will do a LOT better. 6-8 EXERCISE.  All doctors ALWAYS say "get more exercise" so we tune them out.  For diabetics, it is important that we actually DO it. 6) See an eye doctor at least annually. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hey everyone! I just got type 1 diabetes last week. I’m 25 and have a twin brother who got it when he was 10. I’ve spent the last 15 years chasing after him so it came as a real shock. Based on my brother’s advice (he has a pump) and since I don’t have insurance I stated off taking Lantus and Humlong. Since I was never actually diagnosed by a doctor it was a real pain in the rear to find a doctor who would even write me a prescription. In case you were wondering my blood sugar was 600, and lost 18 pounds.  The first doctor told me to stop taking insulin until Monday (it was Friday then) so I could get a lab test. What a bonehead!!!…. I thought you have to be smart to get in med school? This guy didn’t speak English to well, sounded like he was from the Caribbean or something. Anyways I ended up going to this shady med clinic and the guy basically wrote me a prescription for whatever I wanted. Real cool… anyways no hypo episodes yet and my blood seems to be really good. I notice in the morning I had to take about 4 more units to cover breakfast. What really pisses me off is the cost of these strips! These things couldn’t cost more than 50cents for a box to manufacture. With all these companies out there it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of price competition going on. I actually have to ration my testing?! Then the other day I noticed on eBay people bidding on these things! Is that screwed up or what? I’m bidding on test strips so I won’t go blind in 10 years! and here we are pissing off another 87 billion on IRAQ!!! We should have just thermo nuked the whole country and spent the other 86 billion on research.

Response:

Hey everyone! I just got type 1 diabetes last week. I’m 25 and have a twin brother who got it when he was 10. I’ve spent the last 15 years chasing after him so it came as a real shock.

In some cases, if caught super early, type I can be reversed.  If you still have some beta cells left (beta cells are where insulin is produced), and if you take insulin, it is possible to give your remaining beta cells a chance to rest so they do not burn out.  Go to Dr Bernsteins site http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com, he wrote the bible on diabetes control.

Response:

Hey everyone! I just got type 1 diabetes last week. I’m 25 and have a twin brother who got it when he was 10. I’ve spent the last 15 years chasing after him so it came as a real shock. In some cases, if caught super early, type I can be reversed.  If you still have some beta cells left (beta cells are where insulin is produced), and if you take insulin, it is possible to give your remaining beta cells a chance to rest so they do not burn out.  Go to Dr Bernsteins site http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com, he wrote the bible on diabetes control.

No, Bernstein didn’t. The ADA writes that. It may well be possible to *extend* the duration of the honeymoon phase of Type 1, but reducing the insulin load does not address the immune problem that typically causes Type 1 diabetes. Is there a more specific reference on that site or elsewhere to actually *reversing* Type 1, rather than improving treatment? I’m not aware of *any* Type 1’s who don’t require at least a little insulin, and there’s a lot of material to search through there. Are you sure you didn’t mean Type 2 diabetes, which is usually a resistance to insulin?

Response:

One would hope that this first break in the strip cartel would have some long term effects.   I think, but don’t know for certain, that LifeScan at least has come down a bit.    I used to see their strips at $74/100 and now am seeing them in the $60’s.

But do look around since different pharmacies price differently.  The other day I went to get strips and the bill was over $100 (for 100 Ultra strips).  I gasped and the clerk said "was this supposed to be billed to your insurance?"   Oh yeah, you better believe it was!  Yowch! — Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love. remove "spamtrap" for e-mail

Response:

Welcome to the land of free enterprise!  Sorry about your diagnosis.  I don’t think you "just got type 1 last week", however.  Maybe you got the NEWS last week… My (my insurance) spends over $450 a month for my strips.  When I used to use the visual strips (no meter required, but recommended) I used to cut them lengthwise into 3 strips to conserve my co-pay amount (20%).  I agree that the mfgr’s probably don’t spend more than 1/2 a buck to produce each box of strips.   They’ve got us where they want us–a captive audience.  One company came out a few years ago with cheaper strips but IIRC they got sued out of existence.  Someone jump in here to correct me if I’ve got that wrong. Your brother is smart to be using a pump.  By pumping insulin instead of MDI, I’ve dropped my A1C’s from over 11 to around 6.  And my lifestyle has returned to closer to normal. Keep checking your blood, and FIND A DOCTOR YOU HAVE A BETTER RAPPORT WITH!  Good luck! dave – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hey everyone! I just got type 1 diabetes last week. I’m 25 and have a twin brother who got it when he was 10. I’ve spent the last 15 years chasing after him so it came as a real shock. Based on my brother’s advice (he has a pump) and since I don’t have insurance I stated off taking Lantus and Humlong. Since I was never actually diagnosed by a doctor it was a real pain in the rear to find a doctor who would even write me a prescription. In case you were wondering my blood sugar was 600, and lost 18 pounds.  The first doctor told me to stop taking insulin until Monday (it was Friday then) so I could get a lab test. What a bonehead!!!…. I thought you have to be smart to get in med school? This guy didn’t speak English to well, sounded like he was from the Caribbean or something. Anyways I ended up going to this shady med clinic and the guy basically wrote me a prescription for whatever I wanted. Real cool… anyways no hypo episodes yet and my blood seems to be really good. I notice in the morning I had to take about 4 more units to cover breakfast. What really pisses me off is the cost of these strips! These things couldn’t cost more than 50cents for a box to manufacture. With all these companies out there it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of price competition going on. I actually have to ration my testing?! Then the other day I noticed on eBay people bidding on these things! Is that screwed up or what? I’m bidding on test strips so I won’t go blind in 10 years! and here we are pissing off another 87 billion on IRAQ!!! We should have just thermo nuked the whole country and spent the other 86 billion on research.

Response:

Granola Bar wrote Hey everyone! I just got type 1 diabetes last week. I’m 25 and have a twin brother who got it when he was 10. I’ve spent the last 15 years chasing after him . . .(snip). . . What really pisses me off is the cost of these strips! These things couldn’t cost more than 50cents for a box to manufacture. With all these companies out there it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of price competition going on. . .(snip). . .

    Wal-Mart wormed their way into that cute little cartel and convinced one of the manufacturers to relabel their strips as a house brand and sell them at a discount.    The Relion brand is about half the price of the others. I tested a Relion head to head against my very good Accu-Chek (my particular meter is dead on according to the hospital lab)   and found that the Relion looked good.    Very accurate up to 150 or so, then reading 5-10% low at higher sugars. One would hope that this first break in the strip cartel would have some long term effects.   I think, but don’t know for certain, that LifeScan at least has come down a bit.    I used to see their strips at $74/100 and now am seeing them in the $60’s. The very best legitimate price I know of is at Hocks http://www.hocks.com/diabetics/teststrips.htm The EBAY deals are by people who are mostly defrauding their insurance companies. Er. . .no way $0.50 per box.  I’m a retired chemical engineer and recognize the difficulties in making them, especially for a pharmaceutical market.   I would guess their liability insurance is more  than that. FWIW,  LifeScan will wholesale at $56/100,  Accu-Chek at  $48/100 but both will give rebates to the volume customers to favor their brand.   Rebates of this type are called "kick-backs" in many industries and can produce jail time for both parties.  However, the medical industry seems to be able to pull it off. I normally give new folks a long dreary lecture on basal/bolus and adjusting your own dosages but it looks like life and your brother have already attended to your needs.   Carry on. Remember, AACE says your HbA1c target is 6.5% but the docs are looking at 6.0% as a new target. Keep coming back and reading the two diabetes newsgroups.  We are loaded with smart folks, some of whom have some really good docs.   The newsgroups give us a chance to share the advice of the best docs in the field. Regards   Old Al  (Humalog + Ultralente,  last HbA1c = 5.7)

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hey everyone! I just got type 1 diabetes last week. I’m 25 and have a twin brother who got it when he was 10. I’ve spent the last 15 years chasing after him so it came as a real shock. Based on my brother’s advice (he has a pump) and since I don’t have insurance I stated off taking Lantus and Humlong. Since I was never actually diagnosed by a doctor it was a real pain in the rear to find a doctor who would even write me a prescription. In case you were wondering my blood sugar was 600, and lost 18 pounds.  The first doctor told me to stop taking insulin until Monday (it was Friday then) so I could get a lab test. What a bonehead!!!…. I thought you have to be smart to get in med school? This guy didn’t speak English to well, sounded like he was from the Caribbean or something. Anyways I ended up going to this shady med clinic and the guy basically wrote me a prescription for whatever I wanted. Real cool… anyways no hypo episodes yet and my blood seems to be really good. I notice in the morning I had to take about 4 more units to cover breakfast. What really pisses me off is the cost of these strips! These things couldn’t cost more than 50cents for a box to manufacture. With all these companies out there it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of price competition going on. I actually have to ration my testing?! Then the other day I noticed on eBay people bidding on these things! Is that screwed up or what? I’m bidding on test strips so I won’t go blind in 10 years! and here we are pissing off another 87 billion on IRAQ!!! We should have just thermo nuked the whole country and spent the other 86 billion on research.

Hi Anonymous (Granola Bar just doesn’t sound right – too many carbs:-) Welcome. I suppose if you’ve gotta join us, you may as well come in angry.  You obviously learnt a lot from your twin – is he a poster/lurker here? I’m T2 so I won’t give any medical advice, there are experienced T1s here who can answer nearly all your questions. Enjoy the discussions and don’t get put off by the occasional other angry poster – we all have days where we remember how we felt when we were first diagnosed, or wish again that we hadn’t been. You’ve come to the right place – welcome again. Cheers Alan, T2, Oz

Response:

Hey everyone! I just got type 1 diabetes last week. I’m 25 and have a twin brother who got it when he was 10. I’ve spent the last 15 years chasing after him so it came as a real shock. Based on my brother’s advice (he has a pump) and since I don’t have insurance I stated off taking Lantus and Humlong. Since I was never actually diagnosed by a doctor it was a real pain in the rear to find a doctor who would even write me a prescription. In case you were wondering my blood sugar was 600, and lost 18 pounds.  The first doctor told me to stop taking insulin until Monday (it was Friday then) so I could get a lab test. What a bonehead!!!…. I thought you have to be smart to get in med school? This guy didn’t speak English to well, sounded like he was from the Caribbean or something. Anyways I ended up going to this shady med clinic and the guy basically wrote me a prescription for whatever I wanted. Real cool… anyways no hypo episodes yet and my blood seems to be really good. I notice in the morning I had to take about 4 more units to cover breakfast. What really pisses me off is the cost of these strips! These things couldn’t cost more than 50cents for a box to manufacture. With all these companies out there it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of price competition going on. I actually have to ration my testing?! Then the other day I noticed on eBay people bidding on these things! Is that screwed up or what? I’m bidding on test strips so I won’t go blind in 10 years! and here we are pissing off another 87 billion on IRAQ!!! We should have just thermo nuked the whole country and spent the other 86 billion on research.

Response:

Related Posts

Leave a Reply