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[Roy J. Tellason]

I'm looking for online resources on diabetes,  if you folks can point me toward some.

Without getting into details,  I've arrived at the conclusion recently that I don't have enough of a handle on what we're trying to cope with here,  and that needs to get fixed,  ASAP.

Any recommendations for sites would be much appreciated!

[GreenArrow]

Roy- There is a Diabetes forum/chat room at www.healingwell.com. Sorry I'm not computer savvy enough to link it here.  It has some good info on the site and you can ask questions on the board. There are forums for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
My wife has fought with this disease (Type 1) for 23 years, and it can be discouraging, like any other chronic disease. I wish you the best.  Please feel free to PM me and we'll try and help out any way we can.        GA

[Roy J. Tellason]

Roy- There is a Diabetes forum/chat room at www.healingwell.com. Sorry I'm not computer savvy enough to link it here.  It has some good info on the site and you can ask questions on the board. There are forums for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
My wife has fought with this disease (Type 1) for 23 years, and it can be discouraging, like any other chronic disease. I wish you the best.  Please feel free to PM me and we'll try and help out any way we can.        GA

The link works (I haven't tried it but mousing over it shows the URL in my status line).  If you want to get a bit fancier what the board offers in the message editor is that little button with the globe on it?  Says "insert hyperlink" when I mouse over it.  That gives you a couple of tags like [ url][ /url] (only without the spaces).  What I do is left arrow once,  type in an equals sign,  and then the URL.  Then right arrow once,  and between the two sets of brackets insert what text I want to show up on the screen when the message is viewed,  typically something like "linky".  So you'd end up with this:

[ url=somesite.html]linky[ /url]

and the software inserts the "http:" stuff in there for you.

I'll check out the link,  later.  Right now I'm in the middle of a bunch of other stuff,  though,  and we'll perhaps see if any of the other folks in here want to chime in.

My sweetie has type 2,  and is currently taking a couple of different meds to cope with it,  and several others to cope with other (perhaps related) conditions,  and things are not as smooth as they oughta be,  with some fluid consistently oozing out of her lower legs,  among other things.  I don't mind discussing it here,  if it gets to something I don't wanna kick around in here I'll take it private from there.

Thanks for the link,  anyhow.

[kiddo]

Check out www.diabetes.org .

[Ade]

You already have a link to the A.D.A--they're the people to talk to.

Alternatively, you can call your local health department and ask for a reference to a C.D.E.  (Certified Diabetes Educator).

Not knowing any important details (type I or type II, adult or pediatric patient, anything else going on, etc...), it's hard to advise.  I will say that the single most important thing (in general) is TIGHT control of blood sugar.  This can be hard with kids, and other "brittle" diabetics, but maintaining TIGHT control is the single best way to avoid both the long and short term complications of the disease (some of which are immediately life-threatening, all of which suck).  It is tough, and there is a lot to learn, but it can be done if you're willing.  There is a lot of help out there if you ask for it.

BTW, I'm a nursing student, about a month from graduating, in eastern Kentucky.  I'm no expert, but I have already done a lot of diabetic teaching.  I'd guess that 75% of the patients I've helped care for are diabetic.

Good luck,

Andy   

Edit:  I just read past the first post--sorry.  Is your sweetie being seen by a doctor?   

[Roy J. Tellason]

You already have a link to the A.D.A--they're the people to talk to.

Alternatively, you can call your local health department and ask for a reference to a C.D.E.  (Certified Diabetes Educator).

Not knowing any important details (type I or type II, adult or pediatric patient, anything else going on, etc...), it's hard to advise.

Type II, adult, post-menopausal, and other stuff -- she's also taking meds for cholesterol control and hypertension.

I will say that the single most important thing (in general) is TIGHT control of blood sugar.  This can be hard with kids, and other "brittle" diabetics, but maintaining TIGHT control is the single best way to avoid both the long and short term complications of the disease (some of which are immediately life-threatening, all of which suck).  It is tough, and there is a lot to learn, but it can be done if you're willing.  There is a lot of help out there if you ask for it.

Which is why I'm asking for some  pointers here.  Sugar control sounds good,  but she _can't_ deal with the tester that requires her to stick herself (couldn't deal with the other type that involves needles,  either,  if it were to come to that) and it finally got to the point where I said that I'd do it if I had to.  There are ongoing issues with "wounds" and "weeping" on her lower legs where I'm changing dressings twice a day or more,  this yellow fluid that irritates what skin it ends up on and causes further problems.  I'd thought this was getting better for a bit but lately it seems to be getting worse.

BTW, I'm a nursing student, about a month from graduating, in eastern Kentucky.  I'm no expert, but I have already done a lot of diabetic teaching.  I'd guess that 75% of the patients I've helped care for are diabetic.

Good luck,

Andy   

Edit:  I just read past the first post--sorry.  Is your sweetie being seen by a doctor?   

Yep.  It's an ongoing thing,  and in fact we have an appointment tomorrow.  His way of dealing with it is to prescribe the meds,  even providing some when not covered by insurance as samples,  and to order a blood test every so often to see how the numbers are doing long-term.  I'm thinking that a bit more than that is probably needed at this point...

[Ade]

Roy,

Bottom line--find a new doctor.  If he is ignoring weeping edema, you need a new one.  If he isn't referring you to a CDE or other educational source, you need a new one.

The ADA site has lots of info re: control of blood sugar (diet and exercise, medications, etc), and should have info regarding the insulin pumps, which I think you should look into.

http://www.diabetes.org/type-2-diabetes/tight-control.jsp

http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/insulin-pumps.jsp

http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/healthyfoodchoices.jsp

Not the ADA site, a good one:

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/article.cfm?aid=639

Good luck,

Andy

[Gus]

Hi there, Roy- Sorry to learn of the difficulties you all are having to cope with. There is a guy in Boulder CO by the name of David Mendosa who appears to be quite knowledgeable on the subject of diabetes- just Google the name and you'll find his website. Also, I can't recommend enough the writings of Richard K Bernstein whose book entitled 'Dr. Bernsteins Diabetes Solution' has assisted me tremendously in managing my own Type II diabetes. Best of luck! Gus

[nurseflo]

That sticking your fingers gets old pretty fast.  First, has someone knowledgeable shown her how to do it the right way?  There is a wrong way to do it, and it causes more pain than necessary.  Can she test on her arm instead of the fingers?  If so this site generally is less painful.  And if she just can't bring herself to do it, look into a meter call the SofTac.  You load it, gently press it on the arm, push a button and the meter does all the work.  It lances and draws the blood sample onto the test strip and gives a reading in about 60 seconds.

[Roy J. Tellason]

Roy,

Bottom line--find a new doctor.  If he is ignoring weeping edema, you need a new one.  If he isn't referring you to a CDE or other educational source, you need a new one.

He's not ignoring it,  mentioned a vein condition that he ascribes as being connected with the problem,  and today upped the water pills from 2 to 3 a day,  for a week.  We shall see where that goes.

The ADA site has lots of info re: control of blood sugar (diet and exercise, medications, etc), and should have info regarding the insulin pumps, which I think you should look into.

I have that and the one other site referenced a bit upthread open in other tabs,  just haven't dove into them for research yet...

http://www.diabetes.org/type-2-diabetes/tight-control.jsp

http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/insulin-pumps.jsp

http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/healthyfoodchoices.jsp

Not the ADA site, a good one:

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/article.cfm?aid=639

Good luck,

Andy

Links noted,  and I will surely follow up on them.  Just in checking out that last one,  I notice that it's among other things listing a cause as being Actos,  which she's taking -- the doc just cut the dosage a while back from 45mg to 15mg,  but attributed that cut to one of the other side effects being weight gain -- which she didn't need to have happen in the first place but which did happen over a period of some months...

[Roy J. Tellason]

That sticking your fingers gets old pretty fast.  First, has someone knowledgeable shown her how to do it the right way?  There is a wrong way to do it, and it causes more pain than necessary.

The whole thing where the tester was first offered was so long ago that I don't even recall the specifics any more.  I don't know where the testers we had are at this point either.  Or whether the "supplies" are maybe outdated?

Can she test on her arm instead of the fingers?

Doesn't this depend on the tester being specifically made to work this way?  As I understand it this is the more recent variety.

If so this site generally is less painful.  And if she just can't bring herself to do it, look into a meter call the SofTac.  You load it, gently press it on the arm, push a button and the meter does all the work.  It lances and draws the blood sample onto the test strip and gives a reading in about 60 seconds.

If we could get a sample of that somehow that might work,  might not -- I still might end up having to do it.  I'll look into that name,  anyhow...

Also,  any specifics about how to do this right or pointers to where that info might be found would be cool.

[Pagan]

Here’s a couple of sites listing different glucometers. Instructions on using them usually come with each product. Most of them are quite simple to use because their computer chips and techniques are constantly being competitively updated.   

http://www.advantagerx.com/a-meters_new.htm

http://www.americandiabetes.com/supplies/meters.htm

[MamaLiberty]

Sugar control sounds good,  but she _can't_ deal with the tester that requires her to stick herself (couldn't deal with the other type that involves needles,  either,  if it were to come to that) and it finally got to the point where I said that I'd do it if I had to.

Unfortunately, until she is ready and willing to completely take charge of her own life and deal with this herself, there isn't much anybody can really do for her. Healing must come from inside, and no amount of medicine can change that.

I worked as a home health nurse for many years, and had 14 years in hospice, so I've done my share of diabetic teaching and nursing. Those who did not personally OWN their lives and situation did not do well... and I saw a lot of healing and hope for those who did.

But there is a way to help her change her mind and attitude toward all this! It's easy, painless and free! I'll be glad to coach her at no charge as a TCF friend. PM if you want more information. S. Callaway, RN (AKA MamaLiberty)

[Roy J. Tellason]

Sugar control sounds good,  but she _can't_ deal with the tester that requires her to stick herself (couldn't deal with the other type that involves needles,  either,  if it were to come to that) and it finally got to the point where I said that I'd do it if I had to.

Unfortunately, until she is ready and willing to completely take charge of her own life and deal with this herself, there isn't much anybody can really do for her. Healing must come from inside, and no amount of medicine can change that.

I think that things can be gotten to that point...

I worked as a home health nurse for many years, and had 14 years in hospice, so I've done my share of diabetic teaching and nursing. Those who did not personally OWN their lives and situation did not do well... and I saw a lot of healing and hope for those who did.

But there is a way to help her change her mind and attitude toward all this! It's easy, painless and free! I'll be glad to coach her at no charge as a TCF friend. PM if you want more information. S. Callaway, RN (AKA MamaLiberty)

Email has been sent.

[OLD TIRED RN]

Roy, sorry I'm late to the thread AGAIN.  I'm very glad to see that Nurseflo and MamaLiberty have already been here and helped you along with the others.  Should anything else arise, I'd help you any way I could, and I'm sure the other nurses here would as well.  Nurseflo and Mamaliberty are both better at it than I am anyway so good thing they saw this before I did.

              All The Best/Respectfully, RN