August, 2007, I was tested and didn't even have pre-diabetes.
January, 2008, I was placed on prednisone for 5 months straight for prep, during and after 2 surgeries to fix a multi-broken nose's septum and bridge (bad surgeon). I gained almost 10lbs/month and pleaded with my primary physician to do something, could hardly put my socks on or walk a block. By August, 2008, I had diabetes II, from 5 months of prednisone, the liver dumping kind. I'd already tweaked my diet from gaining weight from 5 months of premarin (estrogen hormone replacement) in 2003. Those 2 drugs are the ones listed as causing fatty liver/liver dumping diabetes.

Diet and exercise do not help this kind. My pancreas makes plenty of insulin, my cells take it right up. My screwed-up-from-prednisone liver thinks it's starving after not eating for 12 hours (nighttime) and kicks out the stored sugar AND even makes its own sugar. The only thing that helps is the drug Metformin. I asked our diabetes resource center about alcohol: Alcohol keeps my liver busy getting rid of the toxin (booze), so it doesn't make/kick out sugar. I asked if I should get up at 3 am and have a couple shots of Smirnoff. The dietician said, "Well, we can't recommend that..." LOL

Don't get me wrong, I am keeping to the diet (just tweaked the carb counting, eating mostly whole foods, etc.) and am moving a lot more since I've dropped 40 lbs on Metformin since November. I know diabetes is a degenerative disease, and don't want it to escalate for as long as possible. Most exercise puts me down for days/weeks due to my disabilities (long/boring story), when my chronic pain management goes haywire.
Does anybody out there know of a good, Tai Chi DVD? Think I could do that even in the MN winters...

The funny thing is, GalwayGirl's doggy ALSO got Diabetes from taking Prednisone. GG - do they have doggy Metformin? Quincy's a lucky dog to have you!

PS I don't have to look at/handle needles with my AccuCheck Aviva BS Meter, and it tests on the palm of hand, arm just great for you guitarists out there. Testing ain't hard, just gotta remember to drag the case with you when leaving home...

Hey GG,
Tell Quincy I understand totally. Good boy!!!
Blundering Boo, or BB

Ouch. That's rough, Boo. I'm taking five days of prednisone every three weeks as part of the chemo treatment and the fact of the diabetes freaks out my oncs. I hate the steroids. Werewolf medicine without any of the fun.

I'll skip the details. The good news is the numbers are good, my hair is hanging in there so far, and I've made it through four of six with number five coming up this Thursday. Folks here know and kindly disregard my posts on the bad days. This list has been a godsend as far as support and blundervibes, so you've landed in a sweet piece of the web possibly because these guys were a community before there was a web and because the folkslinger sets a good example. They love each other and that's grand.

For grins because your nickname is what it is and is also my daughter's nickname, you might enjoy this. You might not. It's free. It's fresh.

http://home.hiwaay.net/~cbullard/mp3/BeautifulBoo.mp3

Hey Len,
Thank you so much for "Beautiful Boo"! Who does this? I have AfricanAmerian friends in Seattle, they use the nickname often with their kids. I guess my grandma was way before her time (nee 1953)and a different culture (HeinzEuropeanAmerican). She also taped a quarter on my bellybutton so it would be a nice "inny." I love my grandma forever.

It's all about love. Everything. God. Friends. Family. Everything that means anything or makes you rich. And yes, it's grand. That's why I 'm a forever fan/friend of Arlo's, even if we never meet.

Eeuw, chemo, my friend? Now, that's TOUGH. Know you don't want pity, just as much "normalcy" as possible. Good thing we weren't normal to start. You'll be in my prayers on Thursday and so on.

Putting you as my "friend" here, hope you don't mind.. by the way, what's your daughter's given name?

Love, Boo
PS I always sign off with "Love", cuz I've learned that you never know if you'll get the chance again...

Hey Boo:

a) Chemo ain't that bad. Medicines have improved. I'm fine.
b) Her name is Kelly. I wrote that for her while a hurricane was passing over head several years ago. Luvs my baby I do.
c) Every note in the song is me. I've been sort of sequestered so I'm catching up on the song backlog. It sounds slightly texmex but it is an afro-cuban rhythm. Several of the folks here are musicians and share. As I said, Arlo is a great example to follow. I learned from his work when I was a kid and I hang out here because I still can. Not in his league of course, but I don't Dylan on a list telling us how he played certain songs. The 'slinger does.

Love is what made us. Love is what keeps us. Love is what we are.

Pompous but so.

cheers,

len

So sorry to hear about your diabetes. It's an aggravation for me. I test about every 3 days cuz the strips are so expensive. But I test more often now I can get them for a $4 co-pay from the hospital pharmacy. My parents both have diabetes. On dads side of the a late Uncle & late step uncle had it. On Moms side there was Grandma, a 2nd cousin and Pepper Aunt Hattie & Uncle MT's scottie dog. And then there was my Mike. On his side of the family his late grandpas and maybe a late grandma and a coupla late aunts & some cousins, and a nephew have it. So far I am keeping my sugars under 200. Everyone needs to get tested for it, cuz Mike had it evidently for yrs without knowing it & it made him legally blind. They didn't catch it until he started having vision problems & was declared legally blind. He drove us all the way to Ohio in 1994, blind and we didn't know it. Scary.

Cheryl, my wife Sandy is a "brittle" diabetic, and has to test 5-6 times a day. She also has to give multiple injections daily, which sucks. Fortunately, we have good medical insurance or we would have been totally wiped out by now. She has no vision problems, but is now developing a painful condition called neuropathy in her legs and feet. It's a tough disease; I'm trying to be her "coach"; I hope she doesn't fire me for nagging her so much about watching what she eats.


mikey

Sorry to hear about your wife. I'm not brittle yet, but I do have the neuropathy in my feet. It feels like shooting pains going thru your feet. Fortunately those haven't been bothering me here lately. Just achy legs...

Boy, do I feel lucky (as one can when hearing diabetes diagnosis), that my Diabetes was caught immediately.
Cheryl: I have the beginning of neuropathy in my feet. Thought it was arthritis (got almost everywhere else) or degenerative joint disease (ditto) or one of my breaks that didn't heal right, or the fibromyalgia. Good news, it comes and goes, and is better with the weight loss. I feel for you and for your wife , Mikey.
Cheryl, get checked for P.A.D. Peripheral Artery Disease. My legs ache but my internist says it's only PAD if it hurts in your calves after walking. Mine hurt all over on their bad days, walking or not - no PAD.
Blessings to all of you and yours,
Boo

To all my new friends here:
I'll be out in the country 10 miles from town.
No Cell service/ no WiFi so I'll be away for a bit.
One of my fave cousins from Seattle is here, haven't seen him for over a decade...
Take good care until we meet again!
Blessings, Boo

Good to know that you are feeling well Len . Peace , Luc.

I'll keep that in mind about the PAD. The aching in my legs is just like a headaceh in them. I think it probably the neuropathy or uncle Arthur visiting. May dad sometimes says his friend Uncle Arthur has come to visit...

That's funny Cheryl......when I was a kid, my grandfather said something like that. When his neck was hurting him, he'd say uncle Louie had come to visit......'cuz uncle Louie (who had been dead for years) was always "a pain in the neck"!

Thanks Guitarman. Today is a treatment day so six hours in the chair and the attendant folderol. I'll check back in this evening post pageantry. Five of six. Almost there.

Pray for the people of Iran. While the news is celebrating Twitter here in the States, they are yelling from rooftop to rooftop to keep the Guards censors from tracking them. The whole "We Gave Them TWEETS!" news cycle at CNet and ABC disgusts me beyond belief.

Hey Len, Best wishes for your treatment today......get yourself through into the celery time portal and maybe it'll be over before you know it Good luck, Kevin