From FatCatAnna

I don't watch daytime TV that often as I'm a working stiff, but yesterday I recorded the Oprah show - which was all about diabetes.  I had read during the week from other PWD bloggers that they were abit disgruntled that probably the show would dwell on Type 2 diabetes.  That doesn't bother me, as I still clump all the different versions of diabetes as being one, we all are having to deal with living with diabetes whether it be with just pills/diet/exercise/insulin.  Below is a comment that I posted at one of the many diabetic forums I belong to which I find seemed to be highly critical of how Oprah / Dr. Oz brought it to the public viewers ...

I found it pretty good.  You have to remember, it's aimed at the average viewer, who may not have much knowledge of diabetes, and what they have is usually based on incorrect info (e.g. you get it if you're fat, yadda, yadda, yadda). Because of it only being an hour show (with LOTS of ads - not used to day time telly) - they could only really cover the basics, but I personally felt the info put forth was well done.  I think it helped my husband understand about what sugar in our systems does to us with the video that Dr. Oz showed on how the food breaks down in our bodies. Seeing how the "shards of glass" aka "sugar" go thru' our blood vessels if it's not been converted correctly due to our pancreas not squelching out the juice made me cringe (I will never look a broken glass in the same way again).  It didn't help that I was sitting down nibbiling on cookies and an espresso (with sugar) for my evening snack.  Yes, I had taken insulin to cover the carbs aka sugar - so hopefully less "shards of glass" will enter into my blood stream, but still I felt abit uneasy.

What got me crying, and I'm started to well up here as I type thinking about it, was Laureen, a 44 year old Type 1 diabetic who agreed to be on the show (bless her heart) telling us what bad management of diabetes can do to you (and she is a nurse).  It was when Dr. Oz started to remove the bandages from her legs that I really started to sob uncontrollably, and I'm not one to cry that often (I think diabetes makes some of us tough to emotions).  Besides that ordeal, she is also on kidney dialysis, which is something that all diabetics hope to never have to face.   It was so hard to watch, and of course, because of of a PWD friend of mine, Lois, having her leg amputated a few days ago due to mismangement of her diabetes (and she admits she f##ed up), it hit me hard.

So, yes, some of you Type 1's maybe disappointed that not more info was done on " our " type of diabetes, but as we've always known, we are a small majority. In the 60's/70's when I was diagnosed Type 1 was only about 1% of the diabetic population - now it's 10% - crikey.

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Just a footnote - the video link above of Laureen may not be for the faint of heart.  I know I found it very difficult to watch as Dr. Oz removed her bandages ... BUT ... it might  jolt you into realising how serious diabetes is and how if left uncontrolled can lead to life threatening conclusions.  

From FatCatAnna

I went to see my endo yesterday - of course - like we all do - wondering what my latest A1C was going to be.  Well, it was 5.7% - down abit from 6 months ago plus I've lost some weight.  Whoo! Whoo!  Though that "whoo, whoo" - quickly changed to a state of shock when the endo told me he had noticed protein in my urine.  I'm in good control of my diabetes - how could it happen?  I mean blood sugars are good and I've never had high blood pressure. So, after over 40 years of being diabetic - are complications of having it for so long starting to creep up on me - just not wrinkles around the eyes???? 

He was pretty busy that day (it was a 1 hour wait to see him) - and I didn't really get to get down to the nitty gritty with him like we usually do.  When he said he was going to hike up the Avapro  from 150 mg to 300 mg - my brain became alert.  I was honest with him and told him -  "Uhm duh, I take it when I remember - like ... not that often".  Shaking his head - he said - "you take insulin - take your pill!".  In the medical world these meds are called ACE inhibitors that help relax your blood vessels so blood flows more freely and lowers blood pressure and puts less work on your kidney.  He had prescribed it to me many moons ago - as a preventative for having kidney problems.   Fine and dandy - but even before going on this med - I had perfect blood pressure results - so even despite one of my friends telling me to "take it" - well - I've fallen off the wagon as far as taking the Avapro.

When I got home I went and did abit of research on Avapro (http://chealth.canoe.ca/drug_info_details.asp?brand_name_id=88&rot=4) - and what's got me even more confused was when I read a paragraph saying this medication  may not be good if you have kidney problems already.  Yikes!!!!

 So of course, I'm worried now - wouldn't you be?  Is it because I've been eating low carb diet?  I didn't have time to tell my endo this.   If it is, I'm going back to my way of eating before. Oh joy, OJ in the morning again and how I have missed your sunny smile in the morning!!!  The one thing I'm going to try to find out is what the number was for the protein found in my urine - was I on the edge, middle ... ???  I completely forgot to ask the endo this in my shock - which is not usual for me.  Of course, office is closed today - so I'll have to wait until Monday - then consult a chart I've come across as to where I stand.

From administrator

A study by the University of British Columbia indicates that the anti-rejection drug sirolimus, often given to kidney transplant patients, increases the risk of diabetes.

From Pastprovider