Making Family Understand Your Diabtic Life is Sometimes Worse Than Testing Yourself Daily

Well as you know by now I am a full fledged Diabetic with Complications.  I am sure it is no surprise that daily I am fighting with issues to keep them in check.

I wanted to write about this subject because I know that many families and friends and co-workers, bosses etc., don't understand the whole package of living with this lovely Disease, Diabetes.  I want to share with you how I feel, and what I think needs to happen for the PEOPLE in our lives to really get it.

I love my husband, I love my children, and my friends, but sometimes when things are going crazy for me they do not really get it.  I feel that I have to repeat things to them frequently for them to hear what I am going through, even then it seems like it doesn't sink in. 

My average day is filled with trying to keep my blood sugar down and I have a problem that I am constantly trying to make sure it doesn't drop to low, or it doesn't climb to high.  Either of these two problems can land me into either a diabetic coma, or diabetic shock.  To understand these things let me give you the medical definitions so you can understand better and share them with your loved ones.

Diabetic Coma: 
A diabetic coma is a life-threatening diabetes complication that causes unconsciousness.
If you have diabetes, dangerously high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to a diabetic coma.
If you lapse into a diabetic coma, you're alive — but you can't awaken or respond purposefully to sights, sounds or other types of stimulation. Left untreated, a diabetic coma can be fatal.
The prospect of a diabetic coma is scary, but fortunately you can take steps to help prevent a diabetic coma. Start by following your diabetes treatment plan.
Source:http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-coma/basics/definition/con-20025691

Diabetic Shock:  severe hypoglycemia that is associated with the presence of excessive insulin in the system and that if left untreated may result in convulsions and progressive development of coma.
Source:  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insulin%20shock

Signs and Symptoms: 
Diabetic ketoacidosis signs and symptoms often develop quickly, sometimes within 24 hours. For some, these signs and symptoms may be the first indication of having diabetes. You may notice:

• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Weakness or fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Fruity-scented breath
• Confusion

More-specific signs of diabetic ketoacidosis — which can be detected through home blood and urine testing kits — include:

• High blood sugar level (hyperglycemia)
• High ketone levels in your urine

Source:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/basics/symptoms/CON-20026470

As I struggle constantly to explain just the regular things we have to watch I am constantly trying to explain the complications part of the disease...why?  I have them that is why.  So as everyone else goes about their daily business I live with the prospect of a serious disease that could take my life in a heart beat.

I don't really think about that aspect of the disease though, because I am trying to deal with things like diabetic neuropathy, if I get cuts or scrapes, injuries to my feet or legs, cracking dry skin, dental issues, eye sight issues, kidney issues, liver and heart issues.  These are just my regular everyday things I have to live with and deal with.  Making your family and friends understand is hard.  Especially since they don't have to deal with it in their personal physical life.

Things like stress, illness (cold, flu, viruses, infections etc..) these all affect your blood sugar, even just having a little hangnail or dry skin on hands and feet.  Pressure on your feet from shoes, and socks.  I have to check myself daily for nicks, cuts, scrapes, hangnails, burns, cracks in my skin on my feet, etc. 

I don't really feel pain in the tips of my fingers so when I am cooking if I burn myself I really never feel it.  My feet feel like I am walking on a bed of nails and there is a crazy amount of shooting pain in my toes. 

You have to watch your diet daily not to much salt, protein, fats, because all of these things can damage your heart, kidneys and liver.  Because your pancreas isn't working correctly and your liver isn't either because it is what breaks down your sugars, then your kidneys, filter out the things that make your body toxic, it also plays a part in your hormones, you must be careful of everything that goes into your body.

As a diabetic if you do not get proper sleep as well it can raise those sugar levels in your body making it hard to heal and also making it hard to balance your diabetic life. 

Scheduling a routine of good eating habits, good medicine habits, exercise habits, and sleep habits are all helpful along with good hygiene and proper shoes and socks, wearing things that will not cause pressure sores and making sure you have no wrinkles or folds in your clothing are all really important daily practices. 

So my diabetic life as many of yours is very busy and requires a lot of self care.  It is important for our families and those who are a part of our daily lives to understand what we go through and what to help us watch for.  If we act a little unusual or if we are confused, it is important to understand what could potentially lead to hospitalization and coma or even that D word, Death.

I am adding this article to this blog post so that you can share it and do some reading and remember there are support groups on line and in communities to help you stay on track and to help families to understand better about the disease.  I encourage you to all share information because this is what helps us stay healthy and informed. 

Article:  List of Complications of Diabetes.
Source:  http://www.livestrong.com/article/74433-list-complications-diabetes/

If any of you are interested in being a guest blogger on this blog or if you have any questions or comments regarding this blog please contact me Gwen Johnson at: diabetic.day2013@gmail.com or find me on twitter @DiabeticDay, or Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/gwen.diabeticday

High Ho High Ho or Low No Low No...It matters so much both ways it goes

During the day I find myself having issues both with low blood sugars and high blood sugars.  I find it most difficult to find that happy medium and I am finding for myself that I am constantly trying to adjust my foods and everything else just to control my sugars. 

Have you ever heard of what they call a brittle diabetic?  Here is a Definition of Brittle Diabetics:

Definition: Brittle diabetes is a term used to describe hard-to-control swings in blood glucose levels. People who have brittle diabetes experience frequent highs and lows in their blood sugar levels, even when attempting to control it. These erratic swings in blood sugar can cause frequent episodes of either hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), which is more common and sometimes extreme.

Also Known As: labile diabetes Source: http://diabetes.about.com/od/glossaryofterms/g/brittlediabetes.htm    I often have those issues.

After reading more about Brittle Diabetics  I have discovered that there are many variants that create the difficulties brittle diabetics encounter.  I my self feel that some may or may not be the cause and affects of the problem's Brittle Diabetics have. 

 

Brittle diabetes is more common in people with type 1 diabetes, but it also can occur in type 2 diabetes. Certain medical conditions may be linked to brittle diabetes, such as gastroparesis (a delay in stomach emptying, which interferes with the timing of carbohydrate absorption after meals) and some endocrine disorders, such as hypothyroidism.  Source:http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/diabetes/JohnsHopkinsDiabetesAlert_3541-1.html

 

I personally have the issue with gastroparesis.  I have an extremely slow digestive tract.  There are a few other things that also play into the issues we have as Brittle Diabetics.  They often say we should get checked out psycological as well as evaluate our environmental surroundings.  I think there are a lot of things that cause our highs and our Lows.  These could only be a few.

 

If you think you may have or be a Brittle Diabetic because your sugars are High and Low and you feel it is becoming less manageable you should contact your physician or health care specialists.  It is very Dangerous and if not taken care of can be life threatening.  Both type 1 and type 2 diabetics can be Brittle Diabetics. 

 

I hope this information has been helpful for you, and please share this with others including your own families.  It is important to know about diabetes and to inform others.  We can take control of our Disease better when we work together and share information.  I hope you will all share because we are a large community of people. 

 

If you have any questions about this information or my blog or you just wish to connect  you can find me at:  diabetic.day2013@gmail.com, #DiabeticDay Twitter, Face Book @ Gwen Johnsons Diabetic Day. 

 

I look forward to communicating with you.  Take care of yourself and help us all take care of each other.                                                                                          

Digestive Health and the Diabetic

I can't believe how long it been since I have been able to blog, but I am back with a new machine and some new information.

Somehow the thing that seems to creep up on many of us as Diabetics is the fact that we have slow moving digestive systems.  The cause well...I should say causes are varied and many.

We could attribute the fact that we have slow moving digestive systems to a lack of fiber, fruits, liquids etc.  So our eating habits can be just one of those many things we often think is just fine.

Second we could attribute it to a lack of exercise.  Depending on your Diabetic issues we may have a hard time getting out to exercise, especially if you are having feet issues and even your Neuropathy can get in the way of a good exercise even the basics like walking.

The biggest thing for me has been the difficulty with a Neuropathy but it is Gastro Intestinal Neuropathy.  It causes everything from slow metabolism to hard stools and sometimes even the need to not go to the bathroom.  Its a real pain!

The past few weeks I have been using a new natural product that I believe has helped me after having tried many others.  I have bought live probiotics, many other over the counter ones from the health food store but nothing really did it.  I paid way more money on something I thought was going to work and then didn't. 

The new product that is actually working is a product that at Walmart  cost me $6.95.  Its called Spring Valley Probiotic Multi-Enzymes with Active Acidophilus Cultures.  It comes in a bottle of 200 and you take 3 pills either before or after you eat.  Amazing that is all I can say.  It began working right away and it took only 2 days to regulate my system so it is working again.

Enzymes break down the nutritional components of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. With the addition of Probiotic Acidophilus, this formula is designed to be used as a digestive aid to promote healthy functioning of the intestinal system.

I know as a Diabetic the cost of the things we have to have can be so ungodly to our pocketbooks, we need to share these types of things so we can actually keep some of that money in our pocketbooks instead. 

I would suggest giving this a try those extra digestive enzymes are really worth taking because breaking down and absorption is the key to keeping those beautiful intestines flowing and doing their job.  They are way more important that we give them credit for.

The intestines are a long, continuous tube running from the stomach to the anus. Most absorption of nutrients and water happen in the intestines. The intestines include the small intestine, large intestine, and rectum.

Source:  http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/picture-of-the-intestines

I hope this blog is informational and I hope you share this with the others who are in our community of Diabetics.  We can help and heal each other by sharing what we know with those around us and don't forget to include your family and friends.  A better understanding of what we live with and how we live will change our way of looking at our Diabetes. 

If you would like to contact me or would like to be a guest blogger on this blog contact me at:  diabetic.day2013@gmail.com
Find me on Facebook at:  Gwen Johnsons Diabetic Day.
Twitter at Diabetic Day