The Lingering Complications of Diabetes

I want to say that this month has not been a great one.[ As a matter of fact this year]. I have had diabetes for more than 7 years now and still fight with myself on taking my medications regularly. It is a fight for us all I must say.

Just this month when I returned to the doctor they told me that they found protein in my urine. The lab report he was reading was 6 months old so you could imagine my worry. Stress in my life had built up and to make a long story short you could say that I was a wreck about what is going to happen now.

So I do what any pro active person would do…I Google it! To my amazement it just upset and worried me further after all the doctor isn’t going to see me for another two weeks! This is crazy…I think why must I wait so long. His explanation? He wants to start me on my new medications and get my level down some before he does more lab work.

Sitting on my hands to keep from ravaging my nails I wait my two weeks. This time when I go in he wants to run more lab work. He ups my Glucophase to 750mg 2 times a day and my Lantus to 25 units a night. He adds a pain medication called Tramadol 50 mg 1-2 2tims a day for pain and some headache medicine I cant even pronounce! [Amitriptyline] 25mg 1 time a day. And sends me home with a shot for flu, a shot for pneumonia, and a poke for blood…still nothing about my protein.

Now I am crawling with anxiety! What am I to do he doesn’t want to see me for 4 weeks. However the nurse called a few days later saying the doctor wants me to take another medication and I can pick it up at the pharmacy tomorrow! He now says my cholesterol level is high.

So when the stress is building up…what type of things can we do to lower our stress levels?

Stress can raise our sugar levels, or blood pressure and cause our medication to become less effective on our diabetes. Below are a couple of things I am doing to lower my stress level why don’t you share yours as well!

Listen to music- Music always calms my nerves and sometimes helps me burn calories!

Write – Sometimes writing about the problem helps us manage it better or gets our mind off of things

Play a game with your kids- Sometimes playing a game with family and friends helps us re-leave tension.

Take a nice warm bath! Bubble is always best. Since it is not healthy for us to use hot water a mild luke warm bath wouldn’t hurt. Adding bubbles often helps with soothing stressors.

Send in your stress re-leavers and we will add them to our list!

until next time,

Be pro-active in your health!

Symptoms of Diabetes: Self Examination

Though there are no real tests to administer at home to give a diffinative diagnosis you can recognize new symptoms on your own to share with your physician.

Learn what to look for is important when you have Diabetes in your family. knowing your family history can save you from serious complications. Getting help early will save your body from suffering from further damage.

Below are a few symptoms to look for and tell your doctor about:

Frequent Urination

Frequent Thirst

Sudden Weight gain or loss

Blurred Vision

Dizzy spells – feeling light headed

frequent headaches

dry mouth

Diabetes Symptoms Video:

If you are experiencing these symptoms visit your physician. Education is the key to a healthy life. For more information visit:

www.diabetes.org

Until next time,

Stay Healthy….

Dealing with Hypertension

Hypertension affects one in every four Americans in our country each year. It is said that at least 90% of all Americans will have hypertension at some point in their lives. Though there is no cure for hypertension yet it can be controlled by taking steps to change ones lifestyle. Pre-hypertension can be stopped before it is developed into stage 1 or 2 hypertension without having to take any form of medication.

PRE-HYPERTENSION:

Pre-Hypertension means that your blood pressure have elevated slightly above the recommended reading. Pre-hypertension shows no symptoms and is usually detected by routine exams at your doctor’s clinics. During this stage a change of diet and increase of exercise will lower the levels. The doctor may order you to go on a low sodium diet and request that you quit smoking, or drinking alcohol during this time.

Normal levels are < than 120 systolic and <than 80 diastolic.

Pre-hypertension levels are: 120-139 systolic and 80-89 diastolic.

STAGE 1 HYPERTENSION:

Stage 1 hypertension is diagnosed when you have two or more reading of elevated blood pressure.

 

Normal level <120 systolic and <80 diastolic.

Stage 1 Hypertension levels:

140-159 systolic and 90-99 diastolic

The doctor may order exercise regimen or change in diet and medication to lower these levels. Though high blood pressure does sometimes cause symptoms at this stage there are usually no symptoms present and it is diagnosed once again by a routine physical exam.

STAGE 2 HYPERTENSION:

At stage 2 the levels become more serious and though it is possible to have no symptoms without treatment symptoms due occur. Such as: dizziness,Vision changes, headaches with most occurring in the morning hours. As well as confusion. Stage 2 hypertension can cause blindness and heart attack as well as stroke if not treated. If any of these symptoms bother you it is important to be evaluated by a doctor.

Stage 2 Hypertension levels:

160 or greater systolic and 100 or greater diastolic.

It is know that three out of every four women with hypertension are not getting treated properly. High Blood pressure can lead to many life threatening diseases if gone untreated. Heart Disease is the leading cause of deaths in America today, and Strokes are the third leading cause of death.

Though there is no cure yet for this disease it must be controlled. You can still have a full life, with minor changes to diet and lifestyle you can increase you life by many years.

There are several studies today to decrease blood pressure and look for a cure. In Chicago Marshall Dickholtz Sr. DC has started a study to lower blood pressure through chiropractic treatments. Though he has only done a small 50 patient study so far he is working on a new study with more patients. His theory is correct can improve the blood pressure of several patients by adjusting a vertebrae known as the atlas or C-1.

With the technology we have today we hope that soon things like high blood pressure and other eventually life threatening diseases can be cured and we can live long prosperous lives. Until then take care of your bodies you only have one!

Until next time,

Find knowlege and power to Fight!

Diabetes in a Nutshell

Diabetes can be a frustrating disease. In cases some have been diagnosed for as long as they can remember however others aren’t diagnosed until they are adults. This can cause depression and hardship for many involved. So what is diabetes?

Forms of Diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes-

Type 1 Diabetes or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus [also known as Juvenile on-set Diabetes] Is a form of which the body struggles to produce the cells that remove insulin from the body. This causes a build up of sugar throughout the body. This condition can lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, and nerve conditions. 5-10% of the diagnosed in the U.S have type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes-

Type 2 Diabetes is a condition in which the body doesn’t get rid of glucose because it doesn’t use Insulin properly. After a while the body can not produce the insulin and requires insulin injections. This condition is also known as [ Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes] or Adult on-set diabetes. It accounts for over 90% of all diabetes diagnosis in the United States.

Gestational Diabetes-

Gestational Diabetes is a condition when the mother is diagnosed at pregnancy. The insulin is not effectively used and there is also a build up of Glucose in the blood. This condition is usually gone after the baby is born but it can be an indicator of problems with diabetes later in life. Sometimes insulin is require to keep the glucose levels down. Gestational Diabetes is most likely in African Americans, Hispanic Americans, or Native Americans.

For more information on Diabetes and what it is visit the following sites:

American Diabetes Association

Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund

Right Health

Until next time,

Find the Knowledge, and the Power to Fight!