You may recall that back in March 2011, there was a huge recall on IV Prep pads that many people with diabetes used to prep an infusion site location.  Since that recall there was a substitute that my supplier recommend that was just OK.  The Skin Prep pads were just too thin on the liquid that would make it drip when taking it out of the package.  I think the Skin Prep was somewhat effective, but I didn’t notice much difference than simply not using anything.

Fast forward to today when I called my supplier to get a re-up (“The Wire” reference) on insulin pump supplies and just happen to ask if they had IV Prep back.  Here’s how it went:

Me: “Do you have IV Prep again?”

Her: “Yes, we have it back and it’s safe to distribute.”

Me [thinking]: Uhh yeah, I don’t need to know if you have unsafe supplies just to taunt customers.

Me: “Oh great!”  “How many can I get?”

Her: “You are allowed to order 100?”

Me: “SWEET JESUS 100 BOXES????”

Her [laughing]: “Uh no, 100 or two boxes of 50.”

Me: “Yeah, that probably makes more sense huh.  Sign me up for 100.”

So there you have it.  IV Prep is back and I’m stocking up STAT.  I’m totally out of Skin Prep and IV Prep, so it comes at a great time.  I actually called my supplier simply to get more Skin Prep and came out with IV Prep.  Sweet!

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

IV Prep Is Back! is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Vitamin D

For about 4 years now my doctor has been checking my vitamin D level and has me on supplementation to keep my level as close to optimal as possible.  For those that spend the majority of our day indoors, there is typically a vitamin D deficiency.  My doctor wants my level between his preferred range of 40-70 ng/ml.  I find my levels are best during the summer months when I tend to get more sun – obviously.  I’m not a doctor, but would recommend you discuss this area with your regular physician because it could help you too.

Here are some recent articles that support optimal vitamin D levels:

[Men's Health] According to the July/Aug issue of Men’s Health, a study suggested that people with low blood levels of vitamin D are 47% more likely to develop prediabetes.

[Reuters] “Lower levels of vitamin D circulating in the bloodstream are tied to a higher risk of developing diabetes…[type 2]”

[Yahoo News] “For every 5 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) increase in vitamin D levels, the risk of developing diabetes [type 2] dropped by 8%.”

Some Possible Benefits of Vitamin D

• Improved balance
• Stronger & healthy bones
• Improved muscle strength
• May lower risk of some cancers
• Decreased risk of osteoporosis
• Less tooth loss
• Better thinking
• Boosts immunity
• Improved Insulin sensitivity

Some of these claims may be stronger than others, but there is evidence of each to some extent.  Do a simple Google search and you will see for yourself.  With all of these possible benefits and almost no downside, why not take vitamin D supplements?  I simply take 1 pill twice a week and it brought my level from the 20s to 50.  With an Rx from my doctor I get a strong dose that is a generic and very low cost.  Seriously, I can’t afford to NOT take more vitamin D.

Tip: Vitamin D supplements are much better than ultraviolet rays (sunshine/tanning booth)

Blood Test: You can suggest to your doctor to test your vitamin D, by checking your 25-hydroxy D

What have you heard about vitamin D?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Playing Defense Against Diabetes is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

My Medtronic Pump

I have been using a Medtronic Minimed 715 insulin pump for the last 5.5 years.  I believe the warranty is only for 3 or 4 years, which means if mine breaks now I need to pay for a new one (insurance copay).  If it was under warranty I would probably be able to get a new one from Medtronic at zero cost.  The Rep for Medtronic told me that it’s beneficial to have the pump under warranty in the event it breaks I can get a new one a little quicker due to paperwork that will be needed.  I get that and haven’t wanted to spend the money on a new pump since mine works perfectly fine and it’s over a grand for a new one.

Decision

I am starting to plan for 2012 and potentially using my Flexible Spending account to get a new pump.  I’ve really been thinking through what pump I want to get and it hasn’t been easy.  For the record, I’m still undecided and don’t know which way I will go at this point.  Here are the features that I like/dislike about each that are factoring into my decision.

Animas Ping

I’ve really been looking hard at the Ping.  The big features I like about the Ping is that A) It’s waterproof – like really waterproof to the point where I could jump in a pool fully submerged without issue. B) It’s pretty cool looking with a color screen (lower on my priority list) and finally C) They are working on integration with DexCom a leader in the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) market.  I might take the plunge down the road on a CGM and I think I would prefer a Dexcom over the Medtronic CGM.

I know it sounds weird, but the waterproof feature is almost a game-changer for me.  I don’t go on vacation or to the pool often, but it would be SO NICE to not have to disconnect my infusion set each time I went in the pool.  That also means more checking, tweaking of bolus/basal for time disconnected.  The waterproof feature is big to me.  Note, the Medtronic Rep made a good point to combat the fact that their pump is NOT waterproof.  He said, do you really want to take the chance with a $6,000 medical device?  They focus on features that will help patients manage their diabetes versus making it waterproof.

Medtronic Revel

Now with Medtronic, I get a company that is focused and built a strong reputation with it’s insulin pump.  My pump has worked very well for 5+ years and when I did have an issue, Medtronic responded quickly and resolved the situation perfectly.  I also have CareLink, my web-based program that has tracked my diabetes data for a long time now and works well.  My doctor likes the reports it produces and I like studying them for potential changes.

I have all the infusion sets and reservoirs that are for Medtronic, which isn’t a huge issue but a pain for timing a change.  The downside is that the Revel and CGM from Medtronic is not as good as the Dexcom from what I’ve heard.  They are working on changes and making the sensor more comfortable for insertion, but not there yet.  With a somewhat lean body type and goal of getting leaner, the size of the needle can be an issue.

Summary

As I previously wrote, it’s difficult to get an unbiased comparison from a pump manufacturer.  This is a pretty tough decision because it’s one I will have to live with for probably at least 5 more years.  Which company do I think will be better over those 5 years, what product will have better support and what will I be happier with?  Basically I am weighing the waterproof and change aspect of the Animas Ping against the proven support and product quality of Medtronic.  It’s a tough decision that I will continue to think through over the coming months.

Ping

+ Waterproof, CGM Integration coming and looks

- Untested/unknown customer support, change from what I’m use to, 2 devices if I want a CGM now

Revel

+ Proven performance, customer support, Carelink reporting, CGM integrated with pump

- Not waterproof, CGM inferior

Any suggestions, info or thoughts would be greatly appreciated – please leave your thoughts below.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Medtronic or Animas Insulin Pump is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

• Blogging Diabetes
• Me totally losing my thought
• My diagnosis
• Sponsorship on the blog
• Life as a husband and father with diabetes
• My podcast
• My error in saying that I’ve had this website since ’98 instead of ’08
• Shoutouts to: Kerri, Pat and Cliff

Just Talking Podcast <—– Click on the link to listen to Chris’ interview of me on his podcast/site.

I’ve been listening to Chris’ podcasts for some time now and enjoyed being his guest.  It’s also great to catch up live with Chris who I’ve talked to on Twitter for a long time now.

Check out his podcast and leave him a comment if you enjoyed the “episode” as much as I did recording it with Chris!

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Interviewed by Chris from Just Talking Podcast is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

This past January I hit my 5 year anniversary for being on an insulin pump.  Yes, there are advantages and disadvantages to being on an insulin pump, but I don’t want to get rid of mine anytime soon.  I’m starting to think about my next pump as mine is currently out of warranty and I’m dedicating some time to really thinking  through what company I want to go with.  For the purposes of this post, I’m only considering three companies: Animas, Medtronic and OmniPod.  I’m not making my final decision for some time as I will probably use my flexible spending account in 2012 to get my next one so I save about 1/3 of the cost through tax savings.

Not About Me

This post isn’t about what I want for a pump or what company I’m going to go with in 2012.  This post is about the biased representation that each of the three companies below show when trying to sell their pump.  Let me give you my two cents, there is no perfect pump or perfect CGM.  It really comes down to personal preference and what’s the most important feature you need and which one provides it for you. 

Medtronic Revel

The first comparison I looked at was on Medtronic’s Minimed site.   At first glance, the Revel pump looks amazing, especially if it’s for a child or teenager because you get the “Pediatric Friendly Features”. What the heck does “limited” actually mean for the Ping pump in this category?  For the OmniPod, this comparison looks like they don’t offer much, right?  If you click on the source below the image you can scroll to see some additional comparisons.  One that made me laugh is where the Revel and Ping are approved for active lifestyles, but not the OmniPod, which is ridiculous.  I know a few young adults/kids with this pump and it works out great for them.

Question – Why doesn’t Medtronic list if their pump is waterproof? That’s because it isn’t and the others are.  Biased and not objective.

[Source: Minimed site]

Animas Ping

The next site is Animas who makes the Ping pump.  Look at their picture to the left where they SELL the fact that their pump is waterproof.  Let’s look at the other two pumps in terms of waterproofing.  Minimed is splash resistent.  What the hell does that mean?  Can it get rained on?  What if I get squirted by a water gun?  Can I jump in the pool? Can I shower with it on?  I really have no idea and still don’t know the limitations of my pump after 5 years.  For OmniPod, it says it’s “watertight up to 25 ft for 60 mins”.  Isn’t that the same thing as waterproof?  What happens if you’re in the pool for 61 minutes?

I can’t speak to the Revel, but my Minimed pump runs on super lithium batteries and they last for at least 6 weeks.  Yet this comparison shows only the Ping taking Lithium batteries. Huh?

[Source: Animas site]

OmniPod

The big plus to OmniPod is that it’s wireless.  Trust me, if you’ve ever been on a pump before you will know that doorknobs attract infusion set tubing like bees to honey.   But now let’s look at the “Auto Insertion” option.  Again, I can’t speak to the others, but my Minimed pump comes with an auto inserter that pushes the infusion set into my skin with the push of a button.  I guess you do actually see a needle and have to somewhat handle it, but it’s a little misleading.   Another interesting comparison is the last one where I guess only the OmniPod is small and lightweight.  How do they actually define what is considered small and lightweight?  That seems to be pretty subjective in my opinion.

[Source: OmniPod Site]

Conclusion

The point here is that each company is going to market their best options and show how their pump is “better” than the others who do not have these great options.  The reality is you may need to talk to actual people who have the pump and see what they like and dislike.  The only word of caution there is that those people may actually be biased based on what they own.  I know a few people who are the type that everything they own is the best.

QOTP (question of the post) – What resource would you use to help pick your next or first insulin pump?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

The Truth About Insulin Pump Comparisons is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Hypoglycemic (Low Blood Sugar) Incident

Just last week I was up in the middle of the night with a 48 mg/dl (low or hypo) and headed for the pantry.  During the next 20 minutes I came up with the idea for this post when two things collided.  These two things are what I would call the “Perfect Storm” with diabetes.  It’s actually not the first time this has happened to me and I’m sure it won’t be the last.  In the diabetes community, they will probably say that a low blood sugar is the worst feeling in the world and something that scares the heck out of me.

Lowest Low

I can vividly recall my lowest blood sugar ever that was around 8-9 years ago.  When I tested I was in the 20s and thought I wasn’t going to make it.  I was literally crawling on the floor and hyperventilating to the point where I thought I would pass out.  That was scary and something I don’t want to happen again, yet it probably will.  To get that low I think I got complacent and took 20 units of Humalog (fast acting insulin) when I meant to take Lantus (slow acting).  At the time I was pretty much in range, so that much fast acting insulin was a VERY BAD thing.  Needless to say I never made that mistake again and I strongly urge you to highly differentiate between the insulin bottles.  So what could be worse than a low?

2 Things Collide

Whenever I wake up in the middle of the night with a low there’s usually something else present.  That thing is: HUNGER!  When you are experiencing the scariness of a low and the shakes from lack of sugar in your bloodstream, it’s super scary.  BUT, when you are low AND hungry at the same time it usually makes for the dreaded: ~40 t0 300 rollercoaster.  This means you wake up low or let’s say 40 and starving.  You head to the pantry with a laser-like focus on treating the low and getting rid of the hunger.  Problem is that it can take 20 minutes or so for your body to absorb the sugar you ingest.  That translates to about 15 minutes of gorging.

In talking to others with diabetes, I know I’m not alone here.  It’s called over treating a low.  I usually don’t have a problem treating a low without over doing it unless… I’m starving.  Some in the Diabetes community refer to this as:

Treating a low while simultaneously treating the upcoming high blood sugar.  This means eating/drinking carbs to correct the low and then taking insulin to correct the over correction.

Ever done this before?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Something Worse Than A Low (Hypo) is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

[source]

Almost a month ago now, I wrote that I was a little disappointed in my first 90 days with P90x as it relates to my A1C.  I definitely saw results in my weight, body fat loss and all around health.  However, this is only half the battle, right?  Not only was my goal to lose some pounds and look and feel better, but I wanted to improve my A1C.  You know, the dream to hover in the 6′s.

Challenge

With P90x or Insanity, they are both intense workouts that push you to the limit and burn calories.  Don’t believe me? Check out youtube or search the internet for either and you will find a massive amount of videos showing great results and people soaked in sweat.  When I would get ready to do a workout I would always check my sugar before starting.  My optimal blood sugar was  around 180 if I was going to do a more cardio intense workout.  Now from one of my last posts, that 180 would translate to around a 7.4 A1C.  If my goal is to get into the 6′s then bringing my sugar up to 180 isn’t helping.

My A1C

I posted the last 10 years of my A1C numbers in a recent newsletter article and got some great feedback.  Most recently, I dropped my A1C by .2%.  The frustrating part is that I literally busted my ass for nearly 3 months of working out around an hour each night.  Sometimes I would be working out doing P90x at 11:30 at night.  I could have done a bit better on my diet, but I was fairly strict.  So to only drop my A1c by .2% with all that effort was definitely discouraging.  Again, if your goal is to lose weight/body fat and gain muscle, then the programs are excellent.  If your goal is to lower your A1C, maybe these workouts aren’t for you or at least the way I approached it.

Exercise <>Lower A1C

We all know exercise is good for us in terms of our overall health in so many ways.  But killing ourselves to drop 10 lbs in 30 days will not help your A1C, I almost guarantee it.  In order to burn enough calories, you have to simply run high on blood sugars too often, which I don’t recommend.  A regular routine of moderate exercise is probably much better for staying healthy and maintaining a good average blood sugar or A1C.

Learning

Instead of me starting my exercise a little high, I think I would have done much better to add carbs during my workout.  I could have done this by adding some regular sports drink, like Gatorade instead of drinking water.  This way the sugar from the drink would help me maintain a level blood sugar instead of dropping low or starting too high.   Remember, a smooth line (in range) is always optimal when it comes to diabetes.  That line would have little dispersion unlike the image above and would look more like a line.  So just because you may be hitting the gym hard, don’t expect to see a dramatic drop in your A1C just because you’re putting in the time and burning calories.  Show me an extremely fit person with washboard abs and I could show you an A1C in the 9′s.  So just because someone is in shape doesn’t necessarily mean their diabetes is in excellent control.

Final Word

Don’t let this article discourage you from working out, trying an extreme workout or exercising in any way.  The benefits of regular exercise are just too important.   I feel so much better about myself after working out and while maintaining a regular workout schedule.  When I feel better and have more energy, I tend to eat less garbage, sleep better and be less irritable.

When you think of someone with excellent blood sugar control, do you immediately think of a very fit person?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

More Exercise Doesn’t Always Mean A Lower A1c is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

[Source]

The A1C

Most people with diabetes or those that have a friend or family member with diabetes probably already knows that the A1C percentage is a measure of the average blood glucose over the last 2-3 months.  In the diabetes world, an A1c is the most prevalent measure of blood sugar control that most doctors routinely measure.  This test is typically done a few times each year for those with type 1 diabetes.  The American Diabetes Association relates the A1C test to a Baseball Player’s batting average, if you are a baseball fan.  It’s the one objective measure that is scientifically based to see how someone with diabetes is doing.  A patient can lie and say their blood sugar has been 120 every day, but the A1C will bring out the truth or at least be more accurate and unbiased.

My Last A1C

I dropped .2% in my A1c, which probably translates to an average blood sugar difference of 10 MG/DL over the 3 month period.  I worked quite hard and was a bit disappointed as I recently discussed in my newsletter.  I was doing P90X and started up my new site: www.eatcleanstayfit.com that came from my motivation to keep eating healthy.  I did have some slip-ups and wasn’t monitoring my blood sugar via CareLink like I should have been.  Below I share the translation of what each A1C percent is in terms of average blood sugar.

[Source]

Blood Sugar Alternate View

Here’s a challenge for you.  Click on the image above and print it out.  Maybe even laminate it and keep it where you mainly test your blood sugar.  Whenever you test, translate the MG/DL number to what the A1C percentage would be.  I guarantee that if you look at a 350 as a 12% A1C, it will help motivate you to do better.  If you are like me and want an A1C in the 6′s, that means your average blood sugar needs to be less than 170.  So any blood sugars that come back 170+ are going to push my average up and cause for much dissatisfaction at my next doctor’s appointment.

Warning

This is where I temporarily get on my soapbox.  Be careful of getting obsessed with the A1C.  It’s pretty common to hear that most people with diabetes want an A1C in the 6′s.  My goal is to be in the high sixes each and every time I get tested.  I’ve said this before and want to say it again.  It’s near impossible to have a perfect A1C with diabetes.  In order to average out your blood sugar to <6% A1C you will probably have too many dangerous lows.  So BE CAREFUL.  My doctor says that an A1C below 8% is “good” control.  Anything over 8% is where the chance of complications start to climb dramatically.  I would say anything under 7 is Excellent control.  <– Again, my opinion.  Many recommend an A1C that is 6% or lower, which, quite frankly, is bullshit.  I think they recommend 6% because they know it’s a stretch goal and many are around 7%.  If they recommended 7%, then people would be happy at 8%.  Though everyone is different.  Someone who has already started with complications would do better to have a lower A1C.  I’ve heard that kids are safer to run a little higher.  Though, they have the longest runway with diabetes so any improvement could mean a big difference way down the road.

Want to Know More

I’ve decided to post my A1C trend over the last 12 years in an upcoming newsletter article.  I sifted through all of my old medical records and recorded each A1c, cholesterol, Kidney, etc. results in a spreadsheet.  The data is very interesting and I would think that many can relate to my results.  So if you haven’t already, sign up for the FREE newsletter where I share tips, ideas and data that isn’t available anywhere on this site.  The subscribers are amazing and I’ve had some awesome feedback and shared information with many folks on a personal level.

My Opinion

Over the last 13 years I’ve noticed a trend when I get my A1C tested.  This is purely my observation and not based on facts or anything scientific.  Ever notice that your A1C seems to be lower when your blood sugar is almost perfect at the time your blood is drawn for the A1C test?  I’ve notice this over the years.  Has anyone else noticed this?  I always try to have a near perfect blood sugar when I go for my test just in case.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

A1C: Some Key Facts You May Not Know is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Magic Kingdom

If you’ve never been to Disney’s Magic Kingdom, I highly recommend it.  Don’t have any children.  I STILL recommend it.  Children are all grown up and it’s been decades since you brought them there.  You guessed it, I still recommend going back.  I can honestly say it is truly a magical place.  Not to get all dramatic, but watching my young girls react to the events, rides, fireworks, animation show and characters was an awesome experience.  Some think the ticket price is high.  I would have paid triple what I did without even blinking to bring my girls back.  I can’t put a dollar value on the moments we shared, fun we had and smiles that will be imbedded in my head forever.

I would never admit this in real life, but I got choked up a bit watching my oldest daughter be in absolute awe during the fireworks/animation show. The show was amazing and better than most 4th of July fireworks I’ve seen.  The whole theme is about dreams coming true and the magic of Disney.  As a child the world is pure, life is fun, there are no bad things/people in the world.  We adults know better, yet we still dream.  Everyone should dream and Disney reminded me that life is bigger than a job, house, car, Rolex, jewelry (my wife may disagree with this one) or other “stuff”.  Life is about happiness, passions, family and living the dream.  I give kudos to Disney for recognizing this and reminded me what’s REALLY important in life.  Thankfully, I had 3 of the best decisions in my life with me that night enjoying the fireworks and magic of it all.

Best Tip I Ever Received

Over on facebook, Fiona gave me one of the best tips I’ve ever gotten before I left.  She told me to go directly to Guest Services at the Magic Kingdom to get a pass that avoids having to wait in long lines at the rides because someone in my party (me) has T1 Diabetes.  I was reluctant at first because I’m not one to take shortcuts, handouts or freebies and never cut a line.  I want to EARN it.  After being talked into it by my wife, I went in and asked what they could offer.

Without question the girl gave me the card below that provided me with an “Alternate Entrance” to each ride.  I basically went up to the handicap entrance for each ride and was put on the very next one without ever waiting more than 5-10 minutes at most.  This was a HUGE benefit because some of the lines were probably an hour long for a ride that lasted a few short minutes.  I felt funny using the pass, but with each use it became easier and easier.  This saved me and my party a TON of time and allowed us to enjoy almost all of the rides.

My advice to anyone who has T1 or T2 in their party is to get one of these passes.  After seeing how valuable it was, I’d probably pay a few hunj to buy one of these if it was offered.   I guess diabetes does have some perks, which reminds me of the Desperate Housewives episode where Susan uses her failed Kidney to get out of a speeding ticket and cut lines – not that I watch the show; it’s just what my wife told me.

Funny Story (Now)

As promised in my last post, I wanted to share a story that almost led to my wife beating my ass.  We leave Orlando after our flight was delayed about 2 hours due to weather.  So our little girls are exhausted and an airport is not a fun place for them nor a cramped plane.  We land in Baltimore and sit on the tarmac for 30 minutes because there wasn’t a gate available to park the plane.  We waited till all the luggage was out only to find our car-seat must have arrived early and was sitting in a different area looking abandoned.  Lot’s of irritation at this point and 3 extremely exhausted girls.  So the stage is set, right?  Approx. 10PM and tired.

We take the shuttle to the parking garage that is about 8 stories and decent size.  We go up to the 4th floor and as we exit the elevator, I proceed to tell my wife, “I have absolutely no idea where the car is”.   I hit the panic button on my keychain . . . Nothing.  I start walking the 4th floor hitting my unlock button over and over… and over.  No car.  I get a little panicked and go to the 3rd floor, nothing.  5th floor, nothing. I hit the 6th and 5th floor again.  NOTHING.  My wife is calling my cell phone and literally screaming.  I’m pissed, she’s pissed and the girls are beyond the tipping point.  A nice Police officer patrolling the garage picked me up and I explained what happened.  He nicely took me to each floor going up and down EACH row starting on the 8th floor or top.

Guess where my car was…

On the 4th floor about 150 feet from where my wife, the kids, a million bags, stroller and car-seats were impatiently waiting for me.  The kicker is that I prepaid my parking and when I went to leave they charged me another 3 dollars for the 1.5 hrs I spent looking for my car.  I quietly paid it and looked at it like an idiot tax.  Then she told me I should have called the help phone because they take images of each parking spot and could locate my car in minutes.  I grumbled something along the lines of “it aint ever happening again” and sped off. I only felt slightly better when the police officer told me it happens ALL THE TIME.

Learning: I’m going to take a picture with my phone of my car in it’s spot before each trip.

Would you have used the pass to skip waiting in the long lines?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

How I Went to the Front of the Line and Made a Fool of Myself is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

What goes up….usually comes DOWN [read on...]

Baltimore Airport

Last week was my first air travel since all the new security measure were put into place as the family and I went to Disney for a week.  As I went through security with my 5 year old and 2 year old the only thing they did was ask if I had a phone in my pocket.  I politely told them that it was my insulin pump and they waved me through.  No questions asked, no “step aside”, no fondling, nodda.  I passed through the metal detector and whisked away my children.  There wasn’t even any sign of a body scanner.  Oh well, seemed to be business as usual to me.  Maybe since Bin Laden has been dead they eased up a bit.

Orlando Airport

I have a new love for the Orlando airport after having to travel with my family, a bazillion bags, stroller, diaper bag, 2 car seats, and backpacks.  It’s a nightmare to go even 100 feet with all this stuff because my wife and I just don’t have enough hands.  So when arriving to Orlando to find the car rental area attached to the airport and not a shuttle ride away, was a pleasant surprise.  I gladly paid the $4 for a cart and piled it up like a circus show.  Easy in, on time via AirTran and on our way to the resort.

Arriving at the Resort

We get to the Marriott resort that was right up the street from SeaWorld and start unloading the bags.  Out comes a nasty low that caused me to run to the vending machine because we hadn’t gotten groceries yet and the snacks I had weren’t going to cut it.  Our friends arrived shortly after and I felt like an ass because I didn’t offer to help them bring their bags to their suite because I was low.  Not wanting to get into it with them, I just took it easy until my sugar was up.

Enjoying Vacation

Almost the entire vacation I found myself going from 50 to 30o.  I was eating a lot of garbage food including high fatty foods that can caused delayed absorption and highs.  So I would test and be in the zone and a few hours later I would be 300.  It was frustrating.  On top of that I was visiting parks and spending obscene amounts of time in the pool and at the water-park on slides.  So I had long durations of disconnect from my pump.  The lack of true waterproofing from Medtronic is almost enough for me to want to change.  The parks had me doing a lot of walking and totally off my diabetes/eating routine.  I ran a little high not wanting to pass out in the park and ruin the trip.  Plus, it was in the mid 90s most of the time so dealing with the hotness and kids was enough work.

Leaving Orlando

I had much of the same experience leaving Orlando with going through security. Although, I did get to use the employee line when going through security where they helped me with the kids, stroller, bags, etc.  No scanner, no pat down, not even a question about the pump in my pocket this time.  Maybe this isn’t a good thing, but I was relieved that I didn’t have to deal with 2 young kids and a fiasco getting through security.

I guess I’m probably not alone in that traveling with diabetes is a challenge because it takes you out of your routine and comfort zone.  Routines and consistent meals are definitely key when it comes to diabetes management.  Fo’ sure.

More to come on Thursday – I pay it forward by passing on one of the greatest tips I’ve even gotten by a reader!  I’m also going to share a rather funny story (not funny at the time).

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Traveling with Diabetes Sucks Because… is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

The longer my tenure with diabetes goes, the more I think about the point when it’s all going to catch up to me.  Besides the finger pricks, highs/lows, Endo visits and pump/syringes, I’ve led a pretty normal last 13 years or so with diabetes.  I haven’t let this disease take away anything that I’ve wanted to do.  Each visit with my doctor I hear things like, you’re doing good.  You’re young and have no problems or complications.  I haven’t lost feeling in my feet or lost any sort of vision, which is normally really good.  Nothing so far, nadda, zip.

Eye Exam Tech

A few months ago I went for my regular yearly eye exam.  I’m really not happy with the place I go to, but they seem to do a good job and it’s close and convenient.  It’s the technician that needs to go.  She flat out sucks.  Wouldn’t doubt it if she sucks at life either.  Miserable person who has zero patient manners.  She puts the numbing drops in and then proceeds to put that blue halo thingy directly into my eye ball.  THEN, she gets exasperated when I flinch because something bright and foreign is physically touching my eye.  Go figure, right?

Eye Doctor

The actual doctor that checks my eyes is very good and pleasant.  Year after year, I’ve prided myself on having maintained good eyes and vision.  To me that’s my barometer on how I’ve been managing my diabetes and blood sugars besides my A1c.  This visit was no different in that I have slightly better than 20/20 vision and absolutely no signs of complications in my eyes.  Me = Winning.

Then the doctor drops the bomb… He says right after telling me there’s no problems at this time, “but you’ve recently crossed the 10 year mark with diabetes.”  Me: “Um, what does that mean?”  He said that there usually aren’t any signs of issues with diabetes in the first 10 years of being diagnosed in the eyes for most cases.  It’s more the long term effects that add up over time and will gradually get worse.

What I Heard

I left this exam feeling good that I made it another year (kinda like my 6 month dentist visits) with no issues (cavities).   But this time I was thinking that everything so far didn’t really matter anyway and my honeymoon period was over.  The shit could hit the fan anytime now and it would be all downhill with no way to reverse the effects.  All those visits that I left feeling good were all erased with this one statement by the doctor.

So this begs the question

At what point do all of those 200s, 300s and 400s catch up to you and there’s no turning back?  At what point do you realize and accept the fact that the damage is done, there’s no turning back and you are now a patient with “complications“?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Diabetes Day of Reckoning is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Back in March, I relayed important information about the IV Prep recall by Smith & Nephew.  I had been using the pads for the last 5 years since being on an insulin pump without issue.  I

really liked them because not only did they disinfect the skin, but they also added tackiness/adhesive so the infusion set stayed attached for 3 days regardless of activity.  My supplier told me that there wasn’t a supply of these pads left that wasn’t recalled.  Their message was to use plain old alcohol wipes to disinfect the site, which was only half the battle.

What I Did

I was very tempted to continue to use the IV Prep pads until my supply was gone.  I mean if nothing happened so far, what were the chances anything would happen?  I actually used my better judgement and went with straight alcohol pads without issue.  My sets stayed put for the 3 days and I didn’t have any issue.  It took me over a month to finally throw out the opened box of IV Prep pads I had left over.  Is it me or are these recalls getting a bit out of control?

Substitute

When I talked to my supply company the other week, I asked about a new supply of IV Prep pads or a substitute.  They told me about the Skin-Prep pads made by the same company.  I asked for a box and have been using them for the last 5-6 site changes.  They are just OK.  The pads seem to do the disinfecting part pretty good, but I don’t find them helpful for the tackiness part that I loved about the IV Preps.   So I will continue to use these bad boys until S&N figure it all out and start making IV Preps again or something else better comes along.  My rating would be 3 out of 5 stars or a B-.

Tip: If you are having issues with the infusion set staying attached, there is a good adhesive called Mastisol that you’re supplier or pharmacy might carry.  Only downside is this stuff STICKS, obviously, right? Don’t go too heavy or you might need an adhesive remover to take it off without taking off a layer of skin.  I’ve used it in small amounts and have never had an issue.  The stuff works really good.

Question: Are you still using the recalled IV Preps, going straight alcohol or tried something new like Skin-Prep?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

IV Prep Pad Substitute is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

The last 5 weeks have been as close to what I imagine hell to really be like.  I exaggerate, but probably not by much.  As of late yesterday, my youngest daughter was fever free for the first time since around March 22.  Seriously.  The past 5 weeks have looked like this:

(Flickr)

• Stomach virus went through the whole house, at once.  To the point where all four of us were in misery.  To kick me more while I was down, even one of my cats was throwing up.
• Pneumonia with my 2 year old along with an ER visit.
• Another round of stomach virus with my two little girls
• Pneumonia with my wife and 2 year old
• Last 2 weeks of fevers with my 2 year old that the doctors kept calling “a virus that needs to run it’s course”.  Just yesterday, I took her in to the doctor when her fever was 106.5 (yes, there’s no typo there) and they finally found it out to be Strep.  That was after 2 ER visits and 2 Ped Doctor visits.  They actually told me to go straight to the ER again, but I went to them and thank goodness they found out what it was.  Within hours of taking antibiotics she was 100 times better.

So if you’ve noticed a shortage of posts here over the last month or so, you now know why.  My posts and exercising took the brunt of the hit.  Yes, the last stretch of P90x got derailed a bit.

Sugar Low From Being Sick, Really?

I have had my share of days with a cold, flu or some illness that has kept my blood sugars high without apparent cause or resulting from food intake.  Those days are to be expected every so often and it doesn’t surprise me at all anymore.  I can almost use it as a barometer to tell me when I’m getting sick for real.

When I was down and out with the stomach bug mentioned above, it was all I could do to keep my blood sugar up to 70.  I’ve never experienced the constant lows that come from an illness before with diabetes.  It was scary because I wasn’t eating ANYTHING and had a fairly empty stomach, if you know what I mean.  I was popping glucose tablets like popcorn and drinking juice with sugar in it just to keep from passing out.  I had all but suspended my pump for almost a day because I wasn’t bolusing (taking insulin) at all.  It was really scary.  I just can’t believe that I’d never had this happen in the last 13 years.

Has anyone else experienced lows from being sick?  The highs seem fairly common…

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Opposite of a Diabetes Sick Day is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Expired Glucagon

I had a second thought that was probably a no-brainer to you, but didn’t occur to me until after I posted last week about the Glucagon.  My Earth shattering idea is that since the Glucagon expires after only a year or so, chances are you dispose of them often.  Here’s a novel idea.  Once you get the new one, USE the old one.  Let me be very clear here so no one gets into trouble.  Go through a test run with your partner, family, wife, husband, friend, etc. who will be the person administering glucagon in the case of an emergency.

Test Run

What a great opportunity to learn with the real thing (without actually injecting it) and potentially save precious life-saving seconds in the event you need it, as my daughter would say, “for really real”.

I’ve never actually injected Glucagon (not that I could in the event I’m unresponsive) and neither has my wife.  I could just imagine her pouring a glass of wine (swirling gently to properly aerate), kicking her feet up in the recliner and reading the directions like it was the “Great Gatsby” or something while I am passed out cold.  This way, if it were to really happen there’s no excuses why I shouldn’t have that injection within a minute or so.

Opportunity

Don’t waste an opportunity to be prepared – it doesn’t cost you anything now and could be the difference that saves your life!

Your To Do

1. Get a Glucagon kit that isn’t expired
2. Do a trial run (without injecting) with the expired kit or when your new one expires

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Don’t Throw Out Your Glucagon Just Yet is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Glucagon

Don’t Be Like Me

Yesterday I went to my doctor for my regular diabetes check up and A1c test.  I made it a goal a week or so ago to get a new prescription for Glucagon.  Why?  Because the address of the pharmacy on the kit I have is from Richmond, VA where I use to live almost 4 years ago.  Also, the expiration date on the case is 1/30/2007 or roughly 4+ years ago.  It’s something that I don’t think of often because I have never had to use Glucagon in the 13 years of having T1 diabetes.  But, you never know when you might need it.  I’m a planner and wouldn’t want to have my wife crack this bad boy open and shove the needle halfway through me only to find out it’s not effective anymore.  That would suck because I’d probably be dead and wouldn’t be able to write for you anymore.

I talked to my doctor and got a new script for it so I can throw out the old one.  Knock on wood, I hope it expires again and I never need it.  But, I’d better be safe than dead.  Yes, it’s kind of blunt, but that’s the reality that people with diabetes live in.

So don’t be like me and wait over 4 years to have a non-expired emergency glucagon kit.

Glucagon

Glucagon is usually given by injection beneath the skin, in the muscle, or in the vein. It comes as a powder and liquid that will need to be mixed just before administering the dose. Instructions for mixing and giving the injection are in the package. Glucagon should be administered as soon as possible after discovering that the patient is unconscious from low blood sugar. After the injection, the patient should be turned onto the side to prevent choking if they vomit. Once the glucagon has been given, contact your doctor. It is very important that all patients have a household member who knows the symptoms of low blood sugar and how to administer glucagon. (source)

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Don’t Be An Idiot Like Me – Glucagon is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Effective this past Monday I learned that Medtronic’s Carelink (Diabetes Management System) was going to be supported on a Mac operating system/Safari (browser).  I haven’t uploaded my data in quite some time because of compatibility issues and getting a new iMac last fall.  So hearing this news rekindled my drive for better reporting and being able to analyze my blood sugar numbers.  The issue I have yet to see solved by them or any company to my knowledge is the issue of having multiple glucose meters.  My mini doesn’t update my pump like my UltraLink does and therefore leaves out critical pieces of data.  How nice would it be to have the ability to use SMS or Twitter to upload data to CareLink? So Carelink isn’t perfect, but I do like some of the reports you can generate and print quite easily.

The CareLink system is 100% web-based and you don’t have to download a thing outside of maybe having the latest version of Java or something.

Here is a screen shot of the log-in screen where it shows the last uploads and what device I used to load the data.  Right now I use a CareLink’s wireless USB to get the data from my meter/pump to my computer without any wires.  As you can see there are tabs across the top for: Home, Upload, Logging Data and Reports.

Log-In

Below you will see the report options under the Report tab.  The two that I’ve circled are the ones I use the most and have great information as long as there is a good amount of samples on your device to load.  A small number of samples may lead you down the wrong path…

Reports

When you select the upload option, it will ask what device you want to upload from with the options being: Pump, CGM or Meter.

Upload

The Logbook option allows the user to load an entry manually such as carbs, exercise, A1c, etc.  This is a nice area to keep track of past A1c results or to add in exercise to explain why there may have been a low.

Logbook

The Summary report option can give a nice snapshot of readings by showing the average/high/low readings per day.  The color coding represents what is in an acceptable range (green) and what is above or below.  As you can see, I’ve got some work to do for improvement.

Summary Report

The distribution section below (Modal Day Hourly Report) shows a nice breakdown of what is in range (white), the numbers above (yellow), those below (orange) and the ones dangerously low (red).  On the right side, the report shows the average, high, low and Std. Dev numbers for the time period selected.  For those that may not know, St. Dev is a statistical term used to show variation from the average (mean).  For the purposes of managing diabetes, you probably want the Std. Dev number to be low meaning there isn’t much scatter like you might see in my reports.  An example of this would be a 200 and 20 that averages out to 110, but the variation from the 110 average is high.  The Std Dev of these two numbers is 127.  I would much prefer to have 120 and 100, that average out to 110 with a very low std. deviation.  If you want to know more about this just drop me a message using the contact page.

Modal Day Hourly

This report below, Modal Day Periods is great because it segments out time periods throughout the day and provides the average, high, low and standard deviation for each segment.  For example, you could have lunch set to any reading between 11AM and 1PM.  The report will calculate the measures for any readings during that time.  Really, it’s a nice way to see where problem areas may be and where you may want to focus.  This is my favorite report and the one I use the most.

Modal Day Periods

This report below, Modal Day Periods, shows the range in a bar of all the readings that fall into that time slot.  The top of the bar is the high, bottom is lowest and the circle is the average.  If the circle is black that means the average for that time slot is in a good range.  If the circle is not filled or white in the center that means the average is out of the good range.  Again, this is a great way to see what times of the day may be the best or most challenging.

Finally, the chart below show the Hourly Readings as a scatter plot.  The Modal Day report will visually show you all of the readings for the time period selected.  Many times, this report frustrates me because the numbers are truly scattered all over the place.

Modal Day Hourly

Does this look familiar? I would hope that your numbers are better than mine, but they may not be.  All of this data and reporting just gives me more information to start to dig deeper into.  I may quickly see that dinner time is a problem for me to control before and after.  Or I may see that I’m killing it at Breakfast and should keep doing what I’m doing.

I’m definitely not the expert here and wanted to share a real-life view of the reports I use and how powerful CareLink can be.  If you can add anything, please do in the comments.

Coming Soon – 12 years worth of A1c results that I am trending out and will share in the newsletter along with the unedited version of these charts.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Diabetes Management: Medtronic’s Carelink Reviewed is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Website: Diabetic Living Online

Editor: Kelly Rawlings

Twitter: @KellyRawlings

On Facebook

While I was doing my weekly shopping I picked up this magazine because it caught my eye.  I thumbed through the first few pages and found the editorial page listing Kelly Rawlings as the Editor.  How cool is that, I actually know Kelly from twitter.  Kelly is an avid tweet’er and I already felt like I could benefit from this magazine without even going on to the meat of it.  The magazine is well put together and has great articles, recipes and information related to diabetes.  Best of all is that it’s all about Living with Diabetes, which is similar to my blog’s purpose: all about real-living with diabetes.

I posted a link to the Diabetic Living website, but I need to warn you.  The website is a bit overwhelming at first because it’s so busy. Personally, I think Kelly could greatly benefit from a site redesign to make it easier to navigate.  But nonetheless, there is a ton of great information on the site and I recommend you check out the magazine and website.  Even easier would be to stop by twitter and say hi.  Lastly, check out the facebook page and join the conversation.  I’ve found some great people through facebook who have provided a great deal of feedback, tips and information I didn’t know about.

Am I the only one hooked on recipes lately?

I could browse All Recipes, William Sonoma, Diabetic Skillet and Clean Eating for hours just printing out new ideas for healthy meals.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Top Resource for Living with Diabetes is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

I am on Facebook just about every day like the majority of their users.  There are a good number of useful pages and information mixed in with time-sucks like farmville/mafia wars (I’ve totally blocked those types of games).  This post is all about diabetes related pages on facebook.  There are many people that are fans of my Blogging Diabetes page that I have learned a great deal from.  Unlike many fan pages, I don’t simply repost my RSS feed from my blog. I really try to interact with the “fans”.  Seriously, you should check it out if you haven’t already.  In browsing Facebook, I’ve come across the following influential pages related to diabetes in no particular order.

1. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) (54,791 Likes)
2. American Diabetes Association (ADA) (69,945 Likes)
3. Diabetes Reserach Institute (DRI) (3,665 Likes)
4. Faustman Labs (1,842 Likes)
5. Diabetes Daily (13,376 Likes)
6. Diabetes Hands Foundation (7,587 Likes)
7. Children with Diabetes (3,977 Likes)
8. Diabetes Warrior (1,223 Likes)
9. Diabetic Skillet (937 Likes)

I know there are probably thousands out there.  I did exclude many pages that consisted of 95% posts from an RSS feed from a blog or website.

Did I miss any that you find influential? Please share them here so I can incorporate into this or future posts.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

9 Influential Diabetes Pages on Facebook is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

I mentioned on twitter and facebook about the Avery – Smith & Nephew IV Prep recall.  I would venture to say that this recall affects most of those with diabetes on an insulin pump.  I’m not even sure there is a substitute.  I use these pads with each new infusion set without fail.  Not only does it help disinfect the site, it also helps the infusion set stick for the 3 days I wear it.  So here is the information:

Click HERE for recall info.

The specific lot numbers involved in the recall are: 9K141, 9K142, 9K143; 0F131; 0F140; 0G249; 0G255, 0G256; 0G259; 0K139, 0K140, 0K141; 0K193; 0M180; 0M216; 1A212, 1A213

The Unexpected

It’s so tragic what is going on in Japan and I can’t even imagine what it must be like to live through an event like that.  The videos I’ve seen online just make me gasp and wonder what’s next.  The worst part about diabetes is the unexpected like getting a low and not being prepared.  Most of the time it’s OK because something is relatively close by to treat with.

What happens if you were in the middle of that earthquake/disaster and had a very short supply of insulin? I think about what it must be like to have zero insulin/food and that it probably wouldn’t take long for it to be over.  At best, I would have a 3 day supply to insulin in my pump.  The reality is that it would probably be closer to 1-2 days.  That’s not that long when there is widespread devastation like there is over there.

I always try to have at least one vial of insulin on hand at all times.  I never let is get down to only having a few days left and zero backup.  I suspect that most of us with diabetes do this because it’s our lifeline.  No insulin = no life, plain and simple.  My suggestion is to have a backup plan especially if you live in an area that could have a natural disaster.  Have a safety pack or emergency stash that can be accessed in less than a minute.  I guess it’s one thing that just might save your life.

Do you have an emergency diabetes pack?

My thoughts and prayers are with those people and families impacted.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

IV Prep Recall and the Unexpected is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

What happened was that she was on a germs kick, probably related to kids being sick at school and strep going around.  After getting ready to leave I asked her for a kiss.  She said and I quote, “ewww, I can’t kiss you because I don’t want to catch diabetes”.  I chuckled to myself and immediately said, “I don’t blame you because Diabetes sucks”.  I then educated her that diabetes isn’t a germ and you can’t catch it like you can a virus.

I love that she’s thought about it and her brain is expanding, but it also goes to show the very basic thinking many people have when it comes to a chronic illness like Diabetes.  I bet there are adults that think you could catch diabetes by swapping saliva or touching the blood of someone with diabetes.  As the number of new cases of diabetes continues to grow exponentially diabetes will be in the headlines and people with start to become educated.

Later that evening after my wife heard the story, she turned to me with an icy glare and asked, “So who were you kissing when you got diabetes?”

Are kids the best or what?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

What My 5-Year-Old Taught Me About Diabetes is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

This past week was a good one even though I continue to be very busy, which translates into limited time for posting.  I thought this image was a perfect fit for this post because it’s all about going against the grain.  Life keeps me so busy with diabetes just being one part of everyday happenings.  It’s easy to get caught up in the tide and continue on the current path.  Those that can find make time to do the important things are the ones that are WINNING (like that Sheen quote?).  There are certain milestones throughout the year that someone with diabetes needs to make time to do like:

• Regular visits with doctor to check A1c
• Annual eye exam
• Foot exams (if needed)
• Diabetes Reviews (more on this in an upcoming post)

Shoulder

There was one very nagging issue that I’ve talked about here over the past 9 months and that’s my shoulder.  After 2 cortisone shots, an MRI, spending all last summer and the past 2 months in intensive physical therapy, I’m happy to say that my shoulder is doing much better.  No surgery needed, for now.  I have full mobility and am virtually pain free.  There will be a few more PT sessions to continue to build up on correcting my imbalances and more home sessions for the long run.  Doctor said he may not be able to get me to where I am now even with surgery.  So this was pretty good news.  I just need to keep working on building up my strength and do the PT exercises at home.

Eyes

The other good news is that I had my annual eye exam this week.  Ophthalmologist said my sight is near perfect 20/20 to 20/15 with zero signs of “Diabetes” in my eyes.  I know at some point it may catch up to me, but it wasn’t this year.  So for that I am happy and grateful.  Funny anecdote…

Exam Tech came in and asked, “have you recently lost a lot of weight”.

Me: Thinking she was referring to all my working out, P90x, cardio  and trying to cut some weight, nonchalantly said, “just a little bit.  Um, why?”

Tech said, “you seem pretty fit for a type 2 diabetic.”

Me: “Yeah, that’s because I’m type 1, insulin dependent.”  Chuckling to myself and thinking that they don’t know their ass from their elbow.

Tech: “Open your eyes really wide” as she sticks a really bright blue circle (get the irony there – blue circle: symbol for diabetes) up against my eye.  Then she seems to get annoyed when I pull back and blink a few times because I don’t like objects touching my eyeballs.  Call me crazy, right? In the end, they were thorough, but lacked some basic doctor/patient etiquette.

The point here is to make sure you take the time to schedule and go to the appointments you need to each year or quarter.  In hindsight/reality it’s only a few hours at most and can definitely help for the long haul.  So go against the current and make it a point to check these things off.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Things Are Looking Up is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Do you train in the morning or evening? If in the morning, do you eat before or after your workout, and how do you adjust your basal/bolus levels?

Since my daughter was born, just over 5 years ago, I have fully worked out from my home gym.  I invested in a bunch of equipment because I knew that time would be the barrier to being able to workout with young children.  So I have a Life Fitness treadmill, Elliptical, BowFlex Ultimate, Power Block dumbbells up to 90 lbs, TRX, Bosu ball, exercise ball and medicine ball.  Now I workout in the evenings because of the kids and needing to get them ready for school in the mornings.  Even before kids, I would work out after work at around 6PM.  When I workout now it’s after the kids go to bed and more like 9 or 9:30.  If I was to workout in the morning, I would probably eat first.  I’m usually starving when I get up and like to get some energy.  If that was the case I would eat and bolus.  I have a higher basal rate set for mornings anyways (7 days a week).  Before working out, I ALWAYS check my sugar and make sure it’s on the higher side of normal and all the way up to about 180.  My optimal starting blood sugar is probably 160.  I will either eat or bolus to get to that number.

If you workout on the P90X (which I assume is similar to the bodyweight training of the TRX) do you bolus before you exercise, and if so, how much? How much does your bg rise after a P90X workout?

Since late December I’ve been on my first round of P90x.  Actually, I’m 2/3 of the way completed as of this post.  When I finish, I have a round of Insanity to get through that lasts 60 days.  Both are similar in that there is little to no equipment needed and most of the workout is using movement and body weight.  Because these workouts are pretty intense, I try to keep my blood sugar a little high because it always comes down quite a bit.  If I started at 120, I’d end up having to stop to treat a low, which can really kill a workout.  I don’t really find that my blood sugar rises more than 20-30 mg/dl after working out.  Since my workouts are pretty close to sleep time, I always make sure I’m around 110 before going to sleep.  If I go to bed lower, I’ll end up low in the middle of the night.

Do you snack before you workout on the P90X?

I’m typically not that hunger because I’ve eaten dinner about 2 hours before my workout.  If my blood sugar is 110 or below, I will usually eat something like a Kashi or granola bar.  If it’s between 110 and 140 I might take a few glucose tablets or have them handy during the workout.  Another secret is to substitute a sport drink for water while working out.   This way the energy you are burning is somewhat replaced by the carbs of the drink.  This is probably what I might do if I was working out at a gym.  It’s easy for me right now because a refrigerator or snack is just a room away.

Do you drop your basal after a P90X workout?

This is one of my little secrets that I’m happy to share with you.  Whenever possible, I will set a temp basal rate of 50%-80% instead of treating like I might go low.  This is key for working out right at bedtime and not wanting to go low during the night.  So lets say I am 90 at bedtime right after my workout.  I would probably set my temp basal to 75% for 3 hours or so.  This also helps when I am trying to restrict calories and don’t want to be treating with food all the time.

These secrets and things that work for me may or may not work for someone else.  Always do what’s best for you and your body because everyone is different.  Also, it’s important to work with your doctor overseeing your diabetes treatment when starting an exercise program.  I doubt anyone really does this, but it needs to be said.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Secrets on How I Exercise with Diabetes is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

I am on the computer all day long for work and many times when not working.  What I have found is that the times when I’m off the computer are my best for managing diabetes.  So my point is get active and put down the ipad, mouse, phone, mac, twitter and facebook and DO something.

Now you might think this is counter intuitive if you are reading this post or visiting my site, ONLINE.  But one of the two main reasons I have this site is to help YOU.  By helping you, I’m telling you to turn off technology for at least 30 minutes and move.  Get a Wii, go walking, bike, exercise, swim, take your dog for a walk, whatever. Your blood sugar isn’t going to go down by typing or surfing the internet.  To my knowledge Twitter doesn’t lower blood sugar.  So instead of tweeting for an hour about how much diabetes sucks or facebook chatting with people you don’t want to talk to anyway, do something that’s going to improve your blood sugar and health today.  Just push the OFF button, it’s that easy.

/rant

P.S. Now that I’ve found Angry Birds, it’s even more difficult to get offline.  I set aside at least an hour each night for exercise and I don’t go to bed until I get it done.  I’ve quickly found what’s critical and what can be turned off.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Step Away From The Computer To Improve Diabetes Control is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Exclusive VIP Access is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Q1. Does exercising help you manage your diabetes better?

Absolutely.  I said it before a while ago, that I think exercise is the holy grail for those with diabetes. Even for healthy people, regular exercise has so many benefits like, increased life expectancy and a lot more energy to name a few.  It also helps for those times that you need to throw on a bathing suit for that vacation or kids pool party.

Q2.  What motivates you to exercise?

I would say there is three equal parts to my motivation for exercising:

1. Health Benefits (non diabetes related)
   
2. Vanity
3. Blood sugar control

There are obvious long term health benefits to keeping in shape, lowering cholesterol, having a healthy BMI and controlling blood pressure. I don’t think anyone could argue these points. Yes, some healthy people drop dead for whatever reason, but for the most part leading a healthy lifestyle has many long term benefits.

I have become even more critical of my body as I get older.  I want to look and feel good.  When I’m with my kids, I want them to be proud of their daddy and be in good shape to stand as a role model to them as they get older.  So this is part vanity and part feeling good too.

Regular exercise has been THE MOST beneficial thing I’ve done to manage my diabetes/blood sugar in the last 12 years.  PERIOD.  There isn’t even a question here.  When I’m exercising all the time, my stress levels are down and my blood sugar just cooperates.

Q2.5  How do you stay motivated?  What is the hardest part of staying motivated?

Staying motivated is the hardest aspect to exercise.  Everyone is busy and exercise takes a big chunk of time.  It’s hard to carve out and hour a day plus shower/clean up time.  It also gets old after the novelty wears off of doing something new.  I try to do different things and mix it up.  Also, I’ve found friendly competitions with friends or coworkers to be good.  My latest purchase back in December was P90x, which has been phenomenal.  Just last week I ordered Insanity and can’t wait to try that after P90x. If you want to see how P90x is going or the before/after pics, sign up for the VIP Newsletter. Finally, a partner also helps to keep each other motivated.

Q3.  What is your favorite type of exercise?

Historically, I have been a major muscle group type of person – bench presses, squats, bicep curls, etc.  Now, since realizing that stabilizer muscles are very important (See shoulder injury), I have been doing much more of a variety of exercises. The idea of variety has been one reason why I like P90x so much.  Plus, you can do it all at home with little to no equipment.

Q3.5. What is your least favorite type of exercise?

I despise running and would never be a long distance runner.  It’s just not fun for me and can really wear out the knees. Plus there are better exercises to lose weight like interval training with a lower impact exercise like an elliptical.

Q4.  Do you prefer to work out at home or the gym? Why?

I use to go to Gold’s Gym for about 15 years and loved it.  Ever since my first daughter was born 5 years ago I invested in a full home gym.  I just don’t have the extra time to have to go somewhere to workout.  Having the home gym is an absolute must for me even though I think there are benefits to going some place.  For me it’s all about time and convenience.  I have a top line treadmill, elliptical machine, full dumbbell set up to 100 lbs each, Bowflex, exercise ball, medicine balls and bosu.  Lately, all I really need is a dvd player, tv and some dumbbells for the P90x or Insanity workouts.

Q5.  How do you carry all of your supplies when exercising? Do you carry anything with you-in case of a low blood sugar?

I don’t, it’s that easy.  The huge benefit of having a home gym is that all my supplies are not farther than a room away or up some stairs.  I don’t have to worry about the “looks” when testing in public.  If I was going to the gym, I would take a backpack with supplies and items to treat a low blood sugar.

Q6.  What is the most difficult thing about managing diabetes and exercising?

The obvious answer is dealing with a low blood sugar.  I hate when I’m working out to try and lose weight and I have to eat/drink calories to treat a low blood sugar. That part of exercising is frustrating the most to me.  I may even go a little higher than I normally would if I’m going to exercise so I don’t go low and miss a workout or have to treat it.  This could jeopardize my A1c in the short run.  Finally, getting my tubing caught on something or having my pump constantly fall out of my pocket is kind of annoying.

There you have it – my take on exercising and diabetes.  I could literally write a book on this topic, but I tried to keep it short.  I’d be happy to answer any questions that you can post in the comments or email to me.

Tip: It’s harder for me to start exercising than to keep exercising.  It’s almost addicting…

What has your experience been with exercise?  Why don’t more people exercise when the benefits are so well known?

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The Missing Ingredient to Beating Diabetes (DSMA) is a post from: Blogging Diabetes