My Morning Blood Sugar

Why is it that I wake up with a great sugar reading in the morning, then my sugar shoots up a few hours later and does not come back down?  I like to think that I have good control over my JD, but obviously I don't.  I will wake up at 8am, test my sugar (100), then I will eat, do the correct amount of insulin for my food, then an hour to two hours later, my sugar will be 240.  >:-/ What happened to the insulin that I gave myself for the food?  Who knows.  This problem frustartes my everyday.  I took this problem up with my doctor (the one who has an attitue) and she acted as if she did not believe me or I was not telling her something.  I told her what she needed to know and she did not help me much-I mean she tried, but her advice did not work.  I tried raising my insulin formular for what I eat in the morning, but that caused my sugar to drop too low.  I also tried raising my automatic 'basal' rate in the early hours, but that did not work.  Ugh!  The problems!

What is my personal worry?

I do have a worry.  Secretly, I wonder if JD will shorten my life.  That is why I try to take as much control as possible when it come to my JD.  But, it is hard!  Sometimes things happen that I have no control over.  For example, when I am sick, my sugar is out of whack.  Will that affect my health in the future?  Yes, everything adds up.  I try to check my sugar as much as possible so that I could maintain some kind of balance, but my sugar still is of whack.  It frustrates me!

The other night around 8p.m., I had a dinner at Olive Garden (cannot resist!).  I had some bread sticks, chicken parmigiana,  and some salad.  I did the right amount of insulin for what I ate, had perfect sugar for about two hours, and then I went to sleep.  I wake up at 2 a.m. and my sugar is 380!!  What the.......??  I felt terrible and was so frustrated.  I did insulin to bring my sugar down, woke up an hour later, and my sugar was the same!  What happened to the insulin I just did?  WHO KNOWS...!  Eventually my sugar came down to a normal level, but it was so unnecessary.  I tried to rethink about what I ate that might have caused this spike in my sugar, but nothing I ate could have caused this.  Maybe a few bread sticks, but I always eat 'bread' and that does not happen.   

Frustration is all it is!  I just hope that I am okay for my future!

Thanksgiving for a JD

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  So, today is a day that comes every year when everyone stuffs their faces!  Well, what about the people who have JD?  Are they able to stuff their faces?  Well, I hope so, because I sure stuff my face, hehe!  As long as I make sure that I count the carbohydrates I eat for everything, which will be hard, I will be fine.  The reason why it is hard to count the carbohydrates for everything is because all of the food is mostly homemade, so I cannot just read the back of a food label and see how many carbohydrates there are under 'nutritional values'.  Turkey has no carbohydrates because it is protein.  Potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, gravy, stuffing, apple and pumpkin pie, and everything else is loaded with carbohydrates, so I must be careful!  It seems that when I eat carbohydrates like potatoes, stuffing, pizza, bagels, etc., my sugar goes high hours later; I must check my sugar hourly today.

Have a great Thanksgiving, all!

Future offspring..

So many people think that my future children will have JD, but that is not true!  There is only less than a 3% chance that my offspring will have JD.  Diabetes Type 2 is a different story; that is hereditary.  What I have is not.  Like I said before in a previous post, the way I obtained JD was by CHICKEN POX attacking my pancreas.  Who would have know that CHICKEN POX would have affected me so greatly?!  NOT ME- or anybody around me.  My future offspring will only have a 3% chance of having JD.  This is a bit personal, but people who have JD and want to have children will have to be extra careful.  The first tirmester is the most critical because that is when the baby is developing what is most important.  Also, blood sugar readings must be *PERFECT* before and throughout the pregnancy.   If blood sugars are not *perfect*, the following can happen, miscarriage or an overweight baby with Diabates Type 2. 

Many JD's have healthy children, I will be one of those many woman. :)

Random thoughts!

Ya know, I have had JD for fifteen years and for the last fifteen years that I have gone to my Endocrinologist (JD doctor), they have been so nasty to me.  If I go three times a year to the doctor's for the last fifteen years, that is forty-five times!  Every single time, they give me an attitude as if I do not know what I am talking about with my JD.  Yes, they are the doctors, but I am the one who has been living with this disease for the last fifteen years-not them!  It just aggravates me that they think they know better than me.  Yes, they have had schooling but I have had first hand experience and hands on experience which teaches a person much more than schooling (IN MY OPINION).


If the doctors can just give me a little but more respect and credit, that would be great.  MAYBE I need to change doctors!

Blood Glucose Levels

I have not exactly gone into depth with blood glucose levels.  Now I will!  I have already covered what high and low blood sugar is called:  hyperglcemia which is when your blood sugar level is high and hypoglyciemia which is when your blood sugar is low. 


You might ask: How do you TEST your BLOOD sugar?  Well, I have something called a blood sugar kit that I use to read my blood glucose levels.  In the 'kit' comes a finger pricker, blood glucose strips, and a blood glucose meter.  The pricker is what you use to 'stab' your finger.  It is a small needle that pricks your finger so a droplet of blood can come out.  The blood glucose strips are stuck into the meter.  The strips literally suck the drop of blood off the tip of your finger and the meter reads the amount of glucose in your blood.  I have a blood sugar kit called One Touch Ultra.  This kit is linked with my insulin pump, so everytime I prick my blood sugar and the meter reads it, the number gets transmitted to my insulin pump.  This is great because I can automatically just program my insulin pump to do the amount of insulin for the correction of my high blood sugar level.  I do not have to program what my blood sugar is into the insulin pump.


If my blood sugar is say.... 214, my meter will read and it it ill be transmitted to my insulin pump.  All I have to do is press the ACT (enter) button on my insulin pump and it will pump insulin into me.

HYPERGLCEMIA

Hyperglycemia is when my blood sugar goes TOO HIGH!  It is dangerous for blood sugar to go up.  This can cause more physical problems for the future.  It is one of the major causes in Juvenile Diabetics.  I consider my blood sugar high when it is above 180.  High sugar levels are determined by you doctor.  Once it is above that reading, insulin must be used to bring the blood sugar level down.  Some symptoms are:  high blood glucose, high levels of sugar in the urine, frequent urination, and increased thirst.  Hypergycemia happens when the body has too little insulin or when the body can't use insulin properly. When my blood sugar is high, I do the following:  give my self insulin (how much denpends on how high the blood sugar reading is)or exercise.  When I have high blood sugar, I test my urine for ketones.  Ketones are produced when the body burns fat for energy.  Too much of this is not good and causes ketoacidosis which can cause life threatening problems.  Some symptoms are:  shortness of breath, breath that smells fruity, nausea and vomiting, and very dry mouth.


Future problems from ongoing hyperglycemia include:

• Eye problems
• Diabetic kidney disease
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Nueropathy (nerve damage)
• Slow-healing cuts and sores
• Decreased vision
• Nerve damage causing painful cold or insensitive feet loss of hair on the lower extremities
• Stomach and intestinal

SO, in order to stay as healthy as possible and have good control over your blood sugar readings, one must check blood sugar a good amount of times each day, exercise, and do the appropriate amount of insulin.  

Hypoglycemia

For this blog, I will talk in more depth about Hypoglycemia.  WHEN MY BLOOD SUGAR DROPS, it means that I am 'low'.  When I start feeling low, I immediately check my blood sugar.  If my blood sugar is lower than 70, then I am considered ‘low’.  If so, I have to intake ATLEAST fifteen carbohydrates in order for my sugar to go back up to a normal level.  After I intake the fifteen carbohydrates, my blood sugar SHOULD go back up within fifteen minutes.  So, it is best to wait fifteen minutes, and then retest my blood sugar.  If it seems to be going up, then I am okay.  If it is staying the same or dropping, then another fifteen carbohydrates should be intake.  The process must be repeated until the sugar reading is normal.  Usually, fifteen carbohydrates work the first time.  It is best to drink J U I C E when low.

It is very crucial to take care of blood sugar lows as soon as possible. If not taken care of as soon as possible, one can start vomiting, faint, have a seizure.  If a person has had JD for a long time, sometimes it is difficult to feel symptoms of low blood sugar, so it is best to test your blood sugar regularly throughout the day.  Symptoms of low blood sugar usually include: sweating, weakness, shakiness, and hunger. 

If worst comes to worst, and a person has a seizure or faints because of very low blood sugar, then the Glucagon needle is what should and must be used.  The Glucagon rescue consists of biosynthetic human glucagon, in a freeze dried form within a vial, a sturdy syringe, pre-filled with a sterile diluting solution, and a visible brightly-colored red or orange plastic storage box, which includes instructions.  I have never had to go to this extreme.  This is an extreme and should not have to be dealt with because a person's sugar should be kept good-but anything can happen.

JD (TYPE 1) IS NOT THE SAME AS TYPE 2

I am tired of people thinking that JD is caused by a person eating too much sugar.  NO, -WRONG.  Like I said in a previous post, JD begins in childhood and there is nothing to do to prevent it.  In this blog post, I will explain the DIFFERENCES between JD type 1 and type 2.


Symptoms for JD type 1 are excessive thirst, frequent urination, irritability, nausea and vomiting, hunger, weight loss, weakness and fatigue, and blurred vision, whereas type 2 symptoms include itchiness, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, sores that heal slowly, recurring bladder infections, fatigue, and blurred vision.  


When having JD, there is no insulin reproduction from the pancreas whatsoever, while when a person has type 2, the pancreas still manufactures insulin, but  the body cannot metabolize glucose from the food eaten and turn it into energy.  Insulin must be taken when having JD (insulin does NOT CURE diabetes), but pills must be taken when having type 2.  


While JD typically occurs in children, type 2 typically occurs in adults.  JD is the inability to produce insulin, whereas type 2 occurs in people who are over the age of forty, are obese/overweight, and have a family history  of genetics that consist of diabetes.


Not many differences, but type 1 and type 2 are EXTREMELY different in reality.  


If anyone has any questions I can answer, please comment back and I will discuss the answers too the questions!!

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO TODAY, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH JUVENILE DIABETES!!! IT HAS BEEN A LONG AND HEALTHY JOURNEY!

Insulin Pumps: Your Best Bet!

A very simple and great way of staying healthy is a JD tool called an Insulin Pump.  I have a Medtronic MiniMed, but there are so many other companies that make insulin pumps, such as Roche-Disetronic, Animas, Johnson & Johnson, CozMore (Smith’s Medical), Medtronic MiniMed, Insulet Corporation, and Nipro Diabetes Systems.  Each has their differences so it is best to discuss with your doctor which one is the best for you.


What is an insulin pump?  An insulin pump is another way of giving your body insulin other than injecting yourself with a syringe every time you eat. It is literally PUMPS INSULIN into your body!

This picture is a photo of a Medtronic MiniMed insulin pump (which I have in pink). As you can see, the black beeper-like object is the pump, the white circle is attached to the skin (there is a tiny catheter that is in your skin), and the clear tube is what attaches both pieces.  The buttons are pressed to type in how much insulin you want to pump into yourself for each time you eat.  The insulin pump pumps insulin through the tube, through the infusion set, through the catheter, into your skin.  When the insulin enters the body, it is not felt or even noticed.  This is amazing tool for JDs because having to shoot yourself with a needle every time you eat is such a pain and inconvenience.  Instead of inserting yourself with a needle, you can just press some buttons and BOOM-the insulin travels from the insulin pump itself, through the tubes, through the catheter.  It is amazing, painless, and convenient.

COMPONENTS OF AN INSULIN PUMP:

• Insulin Pump (above)

Reservoir 

Insulin

Injector (injects set into the skin)

Alcohol pads/adhesive 

Infusion Set

Size of catheter

The pump has the reservoir inside, which has insulin inside, which is attached to the infusion set, which is attached to the skin.  Now, I will discuss the process of changing the insulin pump.  First off, it is important to change the insulin pump infusion set every two days.  Every two days is sufficient because it is so easy to get infections the longer a person waits to change the set.  Once I have all of the components, I do the following:

• Take the old infusion set out of skin, disconnect the infusion set from the reservoir, and rewind the pump so that a new amount of insulin an be stored in the pump for the next two days.  
• Once taken apart, take a new reservoir and draw insulin from the insulin bottle.  
• Connect the end of the infusion set to the infusion set.
• Put the infusion set into the pump.
• Make sure you get insulin out of the end of the other end of the catheter to make sure that insulin will properly be going into the skin.
• Load the injector with the end of the opposite side of the infusion set which will be inserted into the skin.
• Press the button and CLICK, the catheter and infusion set are in you before you know it!

That is it-easy and simple.  Sometimes it does hurt when you insert the catheter into your skin but it is just for a quick second.  It is much better then ten injections a day.  Below is the size of the needle versus a catheter.  It is not much a difference; when it comes to needles, any difference is great!

The doctor will assign you two different dosages of insulin:

• basal (an automatic insulin drip throughout the day)
• bolus (a manual insulin dosage for each time you eat)

Now you know what insulin pumps are and how they work.  Insulin pumps are better when trying to manage blood glucose levels to the best of your ability.

How to Stay Healthy!

Are you more interested in how to stay healthy or what issues will happen if you do not stay healthy?  Well, we are going to go over both points, today.  I have explained to you what the healthy standards are for a JD, but you might ask how to maintain your health in order to live a long and healthy life as if you do not even have JD.

When you digest food, your body changes food into glucose, then insulin allows the glucose to enter all of your cells of your body and be used as energy.  For people with JD, their body does not make the insulin needed SO the glucose builds up in the blood instead of moving into the cells.  Too much glucose in the blood can lead to SERIOUS PROBLEMS LATER IN LIFE.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DO NOT STAY HEALTHY AS A JD:

• Eye problems
• Diabetic kidney disease
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Nueropathy (nerve damage)

Yes, these sound like horror stories, but with today's different technologies and by living a healthy life style, issues can be fixed and prevented.

HOW TO STAY HEALTHY AS A JD:

• Follow the doctor's orders:
• If the doctor tells you to take this amount of insulin, gives certain formulas for taking insulin, says to exercise, gives ideas and guidelines on dieting, DO IT.  Do as the doctor says, after all, he knows best.
• Diet:
• Dieting is the key to a healthy lifestyle as a JD.  Watching what you eat and drink will affect your blood sugar.  Fruits and vegetables are best to eat, but people with JD also need a part of every food group.  Protein, fiber, carbohydrates (carbohydrates turn into sugar), sugar, and fat are needed, as well.
• Keep track:
• Keeping track of your blood glucose levels and the insulin you take can help you and the doctor adjust the insulin dosages in order to get blood sugar levels where the are supposed to be (70-120).  Keeping track of what you eat can be a good idea, too.
• Exercise:
• Exercising helps lower blood sugar and keeps you in shape.  When you are a JD, obesity is not good.
• Do the correct amount of insulin for the food eaten:
• For me, I divide the amount of carbohydrates I eat by the number 7.  So, if I have twenty-eight carbohydrates, I would do four units of insulin.  If I did three units of insulin, it would not be enough, therefore my sugar would go higher.  Your doctor will set you up with a formula.
• Test blood glucose level an appropriate amount daily.
• I test my sugar ten times a day!  Testing glucose levels is good so that if your sugar level is high or low, you can take care of it.

• Do not smoke.
• Smoking can lead to problems in the future even if you are not a JD. 

Remember, living a healthy lifestyle is your best bet for living a long life!

Some facts...

Instead of typing 'Juvenile Diabetes' constantly, I am going to refer to this as JD.  As I said in my last blog, JD is managable.  When I was young, I could not understand why I had to obtain this disease.  I was too young to understand that sometimes bad things happen to good people, especially children.  So, I cried.  This actually helped me become a stronger person in life, generally.  I was able to cope with things better.  Since then, I have dealth with this disease as if I was born with it; after all, it is a part of me.  When I was younger, I never wanted anyone to know of my condition, I tried to hide it at all times.  Before lunch time, I had to go to the nurse's office to test my sugar, then I would go to lunch to eat, then I would go back to the nurse's office to do insulin for the food I just ate.  (Do not worry about  when I speak about testing my sugar, taking insulin, etc.  I will explain the important aspects of having JD soon enough.)  When my sugar would go low, I would have to ask permission to go to the nurse's office to drink a juice.  One time, I went low twice in one day and my fourth grade teacher actually had the nerve to ask, "Are you SURE you need to go to the nurse's office?"  That sure drew more attention to myself from my classmates, which I did not want.  Not until about COLLEGE, did I become okay with letting everyone know I had JD.  I was not embarrassed and ashamed anymore. 


What is JD?  JD occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys certain cells in the pancreas.  This organ automatically produces insulin.  Since my pancreas is not producing insulin anymore, I have to manually give myself insulin through injections (I ahve an Insulin Pump now).  I was dignosed with JD right after I got Chicken Pox. As you know, Chicken Pox is a virus.  This virus attacked my pancreas, which ruined it.  No more insulin for me!


Here are the basics for a JD:  A person with JD blood glucose reading should be between 70-120, if my blood glucose level goes too low, (hypoglycemia-low blood sugar) I will have to drink 15 carbohydrates to raise my blood sugar to a normal level.  Symptoms for low blood sugar are shaking, fast heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, feeling anxious, hunger,vision problems, weakness, or feeling very tired.  And yes, I have been through this many times!  If my blood glucose level goes too high, (hyperglycemia-high blood sugar), I have to take insulin to make my sugar go down.  This is life threatening and can cause serious future problems.  Some symptoms are extreme thirst, having to urinate often, dry skin, hunger, blurred vision, drowsiness, wounds that are slow to heal.


Those are the most important points in order to understand JD.  There will be more to come next week!

Welcome to My Blog!

I thought since I have been a Juvenile Diabetic for sixteen years, I could blog about my experience and how I have gotten through it until now.  I have had Type I Diabates since I was in third grade.  Being a Diabetic is not all that bad.  When I was diagnosed at the age of eight, I did not understand what was going on.  My teacher notified my mother of me using the bathroom a lot, drinking a lot, and feeling dizzy before lunch.  My mother took me to the doctor's and then the nurse pricked my finger.  My blood sugar reading was 378, which is extremely high.  My primary doctor sent me to an Endocrinologist and from then on, my experience began. 


My goal for this blog is to inform people about the truths of Juvenile Diabetes and add some tips to lead a healthy lifestyle.  Having Juvenile Diabetes is not terrible.  There are worse diseases for a person to have other than Juvenile Diabetes.  This disease is not fatal and is manageable.  It is important to understand that a person with Juvenile Diabetes can live the same lifestyle a person without Juvenile Diabetes can live.