Good morning,

 
We want your feedback. The winner receives a $25.00 Visa gift card

Contest rules: Must be a US citizen and 18 years of age

Contest dates: All comments must be posted between 8/17/10 and 8/24/10

Comments: All comments must be relevant to the blog content (spam, strictly ad comments will not count). Each comment counts as one entry. Only comments left on http://diabetes-an-insiders-view.blogspot.com/ will count.

How will the winner be chosen?: The winner will be chosen from all comment entrants and announced on 8/27/10 on http://diabetes-an-insiders-view.blogspot.com/

Thanks for commenting, :o)Tina D. Fermin
When you want to be remembered long after the gifts are gone contact TD Gift Solutions. www.tdgiftsolutions.com

Content for this blog will be moved to http://diabetes-an-insiders-view.blogspot.com/

I took ballet for six years up through college and have pretty high arches on my feet. About four months ago I started to develop a pain in my right foot right where the tendons would connect to the heel of my foot, some days I was hobbling or almost crawling just to get to the bathroom the pain hurt so much. Not long after that I started having knee pain to the point I considered having bilateral above the knee amputations. Sitting (yes sitting) for more than a few hours became almost unbearable on my knees. Lastly I was starting to feel depressed, as if I had lost a loved one. I was having trouble sleeping to the point I was almost in tears some nights from exhaustion and not able to sleep.

After one of my routine visits with my Endocrinologist I received a call from her nurse saying I had a severe vitamin "D" deficiency. The normal desired level in the body is 30 - 60 ng/mL. I was informed my level was less than 10 ng/ml. My doctor prescribed both vitamin D3 and D2. 1000 IU daily of D3 and 10000 IU a week for ten weeks of the D2. I began my vitamin "D" therapy at the beginning of April of this year and its now July. I'm now down to 5000 IU monthly and 1000 IU daily still. All symptoms are not 100% gone, however I am now able to sleep at night like a lamb, no worry over imaginary dogs dying, my foot pain is gone and I seldom have the knee pains any more.

If you are in-doors most days of the week, have darker skin or a chronic condition that puts you at risk, be sure to have your vitamin "D" level checked. You'd be surprised at what other ailment you might be able to get right of by having the right level of vitamin "D" on board!



Common Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

Several diseases and health problems are symptoms of a poor supply of Vitamin D. The most familiar symptoms of inadequate Vitamin D are soft bone disorders. Called rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults, and osteoporosis in seniors, soft bone disorders indicate an inadequate supply of calcium to strengthen bones, which is usually a direct result of inadequate Vitamin D sources. This can lead to crippling deformations, easier bone fractures, and diminished bone density.

Other deficiency symptoms may include:

* High blood pressure
* Tuberculosis
* Depression, including seasonal affective disorder
* Type I diabetes
* Periodontal disease
* Low blood calcium levels
* Chronic bone, muscle, or joint pain
* Insomnia
* Chronic fatigue
* Bowed limbs
* Knock-kneed appearance

Drink your D.

While one or two of these symptoms does not necessarily indicate a Vitamin D deficiency, ongoing symptoms coupled with an indoor lifestyle and a personal or family history of osteoporosis or other bone disorders could indicate poor nutrient concentrations. Individuals who suspect a Vitamin D deficiency should seek a professional medical consultation including a blood test to confirm any nutritional problems.

To your health
Tina D.
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I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2001 and for the first five years my A1C stayed under six. When diet alone no longer controlled my blood sugars I tried Metformin and Byetta together for about two years and finally for the last two years I have been on insulin. I have found that insulin, a busy schedule and keeping track of what I eat and my response to the those foods go hand in hand.

I became an IPhone owner just a little over a year ago and have found for a diabetic there are some great tools and applications for us to use to make like just a little easier. Along with running my own business I always seem to be on the go and since I am a creature of convenience, I like being able to easily keep track of how well I am maintaining my blood sugars in a quick and easy manner.

The two tools I use for blood sugar control are:

Track 3 (cost about 7.00, one time fee)
Track 3 allows the user to input medications from your insulin to pills, blood sugar readings with time stamps as well as the foods you ate. It also allows the user to set min and max settings for your own personal lows and what you would see as a high for your readings. Lastly you are able to set tailored daily allowances for you own personal dietary needs. This is a great feature if you are really carbs sensitive like I am or are on a low sodium diet. The best part of all the features is that you are able to see the graphs of how well you are maintaining your blood sugars and email a copy of those results to your self or your doctor.

My Fitness Pal (free software)
This program is great if you are trying to loose or maintain your weight. The user is able to set a goal weight based on your height and age, as well as the minimum amount of weight you'd like to loose per week. It is similar to Track 3 in that you are able to log what you eat and see how much of each of protein, carbs, fats, etc you eat each day.

As a diabetic I have found that both of these tools are ones I can't live with out, :o). Both applications can be found on the Itunes store by searching for the software name.

Happy monitoring
Tina D.

I made that mistake while visiting my parents in Mississippi a few months ago. I figured as long as I brought along 24 hours worth of insulin needles in my carry-on, I would be fine once I was able to unpack my suitcase.... big mistake. My luggage went galavanting who knows where for a day and a half with out me, :o(.

Thank goodness I had packed all of my insulin in my carry-on or my trip would have really been crummy. Just as I was heading out the door to purchase a new box of insulin needles my suitcase finally showed up, :o).

Here is how I plan to pack for future trips via ground or plane:

1) I carry my insulin vial in its original prescription box and 24 hours worth of needles in my insulated cooler ( I purchased mine from American Diabetes Wholesale)

2) I carry all the rest of my supplies ( extra needles, lancets, cotton balls, alcohol prep pads, etc) in a zip-lock bag placed in another small pouch bag I bought at one of the local stores.

Are you visiting a diabetic? Come bearing gifts!

For more tips on flying with diabetes here is another great resource from Dr. Bill Quick

It is alright to party and have a good time, but with moderation. If you are not sure how something is made and what is might contain, take smaller portions or politely abstain. Always have your blood glucose meter handy and make sure that your readings are in the normal range for you.

It is fun to have a good time during the holidays in your home or while visiting someone. No one like spending the holidays in the ER because they didn't take care of themselves when it comes to the blood sugar.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New year.

The first one is to request a session with a registered dietician. You will need to learn how to eat, what you can eat and what you should watch in your diet that can raise blood sugar. Learn as much as you can about how your body reacts to various foods. Test your blood sugar often, at least twice a day or more if your doctor suggests it.

Every three months, you should request an A1c test. This is a test that will tell the doctor how well your diabetes is under control. The A1c test, tests your blood sugar over a 3 month period. A1c is calculated in percentage. The better the control, the reading should be closer to 5.0. Why do you want tight control? The better your control, the less likelihood of complications from diabetes.

What are the possible complications of diabetes?

Retinopathy, Neuropathy, Cataract, Kidney failure, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke are just some of the possible complications due to lack of control. You may also find that with diabetes you may not heal as fast as before the disease. Macular degeneration is also a possible complication from diabetes, which is why a yearly eye exam is recommended for people with diabetes.

If a loved one has diabetes, you should help them with their diet and to make should they take care of themselves. If you are the one with diabetes, follow the doctor's instructions and try to control your blood sugar the best you can.

Thanks to the diabetes, I also developed pernicious anemia. Pernicious anemia happens when the intrinsic factor is lost. This little complication means that for the rest of my life, I will require biweekly Cyanocobalam MDV 100MGC intramuscular injections. I asked the question, why do I need injections? The answer is simple, with the loss of intrinsic factor nothing taken orally is dependable enough to get into my system. For me it is an injection every two weeks for life.

Many diabetics think, I take my insulin, or pills, I can do anything I want. Keep thinking that and you will end up in the hospital eventually; that is if someone finds you.

With time has come some complications. I had to have cataract surgery; there may be a link to my Ménière's Syndrome. Ménière's is idiopathic (of diseases arising from an unknown cause), but neuropathy is not. If you live as long with diabetes as i have, things will happen no matter how good the control.

I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but with Ménière's, that is not easy. Ménière's can cause balance, hearing loss, and vertigo. This is something I have learned to live with.

The hardest condition to handle is the neuropathy. For those that do not know what neuropathy is, it is any pathology of the peripheral nerves; mine is centered in my feet. This makes it difficult for me to walk any distance. Between the Ménière's and the neuropathy, I have to walk with a cane, which is for balance.

Some people might bemoan the fact of diabetes and its complications. I just live with the problems. If possible, the best thing to do is to avoid diabetes as much as possible. This can be accomplished by watching your weight, watching what you eat, and staying active.
I live well with my diabetes, others can also, you need to be careful about things.

Robert Medak
Freelance Writer & Editor