Diabetes galore!

[Katetype2]

Sigh.

This diabetes lark really does require a lot of time and attention, eh?!

Had my first foot check this morning. There were two, which was a good start. Deemed low risk, but need to sort out hard skin. Prescribed flexitol.

Have to pee in to a farcically tiny cup tomorrow morning, then extract some of it was a syringe and take it to the surgery. Testing for protein and blood traces in the pee. I’ve never given a sample yet without peeing on my hand, so that’s something to look forward to at 5 am when I inevitably get up to go to the loo.

My blood pressure is high. It’s been high for a quite some time. Need to take my measurements at home for a while, which I hate as it hurts/bruises my bingo wings! Really need to get the numbers down. Hoping further weight loss will help. Also need to cut back on salt - I’m a terror for salt. Back to the nurse on a couple of weeks with my readings.

Getting the pneumococcal jab. May as well!

10.5lbs down as of this morning. Tired. Diabetes admin is a lot.

 

[Lucyr]

I’ve never given a sample yet without peeing on my hand, so that’s something to look forward to at 5 am when I inevitably get up to go to the loo.

Me neither given the tiny size of the cup but luckily as I always wash my hands after using the loo it’s not an issue!

 

[Alan44]

@Katetype2 well done on the weight loss and yes, losing weight will/should help your BP to come down.
My BP has always been around 130/75 ish, having lost well over 2st its now averaging 117/62. I have an apt with my doc after Xmas so hoping I can reduce some of the BP meds which I have been on for years. (I too monitor at home)

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

This diabetes lark really does require a lot of time and attention, eh?!

Yes some times it can feel like an extra full time job you’ve been given!

Hope the flexitol helps your feet - several forum members seem to find it very effective.

Good luck in getting your BP into line, and well done on the weight loss!

 

[SB2015]

As you say @Katetype2 , there is quite a bit to do in managing our diabetes, but it is good that the checks are there to monitor any changes. I think of it as my MOT.

The Flexitol is great. I just need to remember to use it regularly.they get better then I forget, then ….

I now monitor my BP at home the week before an appointment as these readings, taken in normal situations, are much lower than those taken at the surgery/hospital. They are happy to take the average of those readings for their records. I hope that that helps you.

Well done on the wieght loss.

 

[zuludog]

Hello @Katetype2, here are a few random comments, probably not in perfectly flowing English, but I'm sure you'll manage

I was diagnosed years ago, and I've never had problems with my feet, not neuropathy nor hard skin, nor anything else
The DSN suggested that problems or not, I should use foot cream or moisturising cream regularly.
I hadn't heard of Flexitol till now, but I have used other types of foot cream; Boots, and no doubt other chemists have various types, some quite expensive
But mostly I use general moisturising cream that I scrounged off my wife & daughter - like most women they had gallons of the stuff that they'd tried and discarded
There are several YouTube videos about Flexitol and other foot creams
After I've applied the cream I wear Crocs for half an hour or more so that instead of the cream being wiped off by slippers, shoes, or socks my feet are sort of bathed in the cream and it is absorbed and dries up
I expect any similar plasticky flip flops or sandals would work as well

How's your cholesterol level? I suspect you might have been prescribed a Statin
When I was diagnosed I was also prescribed a Statin, but after a while I developed Statin Ache - Search YT for Statin Ache or Statin Side Effects
So I stopped taking Statins and made more of an effort with my diet and exercise

Now my diet is more or less a Low Carb Mediterranean type, and the only fats I eat are olive oil, butter, and naturally occurring in meat, fish, dairy etc, and with very little processed meat

I also try to do some exercise -

Tai Chi & Qi Gong in the morning. Find them on YT or a local class.
They are martial arts, but not as aggressive as things like karate or judo, it's more about stretching, balance, & coordination
There is also a mental/meditation/motivation aspect that helps to keep me on the straight & narrow.
General indoor exercise late afternoon
Whatever walking I can fit in, usually just short walks around the local streets & lanes

This means that -
my weight has gone from about 96kg to 81kg
my cholesterol level has been below the desired level of 5 (forgotten the units) for month & months, without taking a statin
my BP is typically around 120/55 though I do take a low dose of Lisinopril; my DSN has suggested I try stopping or reducing that for a while and see what happens

At a recent review the DSN used a blood pressure meter that I hadn't seen before; instead of an inflatable cuff it had some sort of electronic sensor? connected to a meter that was placed over the blood vessels in my arm - perhaps you could ask about this; she said it had been developed especially for people who don't like the inflatable cuff.
It is probably expensive though!

Nothing in the body acts in isolation - everything affects everything else
So often after people have been diagnosed and have their blood glucose under control and start to lose a bit of weight they feel brighter, and find that odd minor aches & pains & skin problems and so on are reduced
And all this has a sort of rolling or combined effect - as you lose weight so you can do more, so you lose more weight & feel better, so you lose more ..... and so on.

When I took more care & notice of my diet & exercise I also reduced my salt intake - not overnight, but over a few weeks, say a month.
I cut back so that now I very rarely add salt, and then only a small amount, and I don't miss it

 

[helli]

With regards to "Diabetes Galore", I find a lot of the additional tests, etc are things that should probably be available to more people.
If I didn't have diabetes, I would have no idea of my blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney function, etc. I am sure there are many people without diabetes who would come out of those tests with worse "health scores" but they don't know.
The way I try to see it is the tests are one of the few benefits of having diabetes - I and the doctors look after me better.
Ok, I did write that "I try to see it" that way. Like you, I often get frustrated with all the extra effort and time that goes into it.