Thought I'd start a new thread about this since it would be buried under the 'newbies' thread.
I have fibro and diabetes as well. Some doctors are starting to see a link between the two because of the way energy is utilized in the cell's mitochondria. I'm trying some new things myself so maybe we can help each other.
If you don't have medical insurance you can get an inexpensive meter called a prestige IQ meter online. I found a site where the meter and 300 strips was only $104 with free shipping. A lot of places want to give you a free meter but they will kill you on the price of your test strips.
I'm going to start eliminating almost all of my starches from my diet for a while and just live on vegetables and meat. Maybe I can get my fibro and diabetes under control with the same diet. The only starch I will be eating is old fashioned oatmeal. I'll keep you posted on my sugars as well as my pain levels.
~ Jeannie
"As one goes through life one learns if you don't paddle your own canoe you don't move."
-Katherine Hepburn
"Madness takes its toll.
Please have exact change."
jeannie hi,
i'm ok on my fm but really new to the treatment of my diabetes. i welcome any help at all and hope to be able to provide a little. I don't know if it will work or even if i should but for the first week i'm going to try to modify my current diet to see where my numbers fall.
if this isn't a good approach please let me know. i'm truly in the dark here
thanks for the meter tip. warren has been giving me some really good pointers too. i had been going thru threads trying to see what everyone was using. I don't have ins. so will probably go with the one you suggested. been really sick lately so may get out this weekend to get meter so as to begin the testing.
i'm really sending myself into a panic over the finger prick. last time i did it it really hurt for a while of course that was a long time ago. does it hurt you that bad. the site of my blood kinda does something to me too. i guess i'll get use to both issues
how did you learn about the numbers and the levels? is the meter hard to use? sorry i know i'm just panicing i feel really overwhelmed.
can i buy a meter and the strips at a store or do i have to get online? probably a dumb question but i just don't know.
Post Edited (2day) : 1/19/2006 3:27:11 PM (GMT-7)
Hi,
You can usually buy a meter at most drugs stores or at the pharmacy in walmart or costco, etc. The strips are where they get you, they are soooo expensive. They should give the meters away for what they make on the strips! Let us know when you get your meter and we'll take it from there with more hints and suggestions for you
Warren- It's not that some people have willpower and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not. - James Gordon, M.D.
2day,
I bought mine online from a place called DiabeteStore (I think...) Do a search for the Prestige IQ meter and it should come up in the list. Just compare the different prices at the different online stores. The ones you find at the drugstore (the ones that have all the ads in the magazines) have little electronic stuff in each strip, hence the high cost of replacement strips. They market them like Kodak did the camera.. Cheap camera and get them on the film. The Prestige meter has a small light source inside that records the drop of blood. The test strips are just basically small blood holders instead of being part of an integrated circuit.
I have never had a problem with my own blood and the meter comes with a little 'pokey' thingie that does the poke for you. Then you can just squeeze and massage the finger a bit until you have the right size drop of blood and gently plop it on the little test stick in the circle. You prick on the sides of the tips of your fingers because there is less pain there. When I first started I thought of all those little kids in the hospital that get iv's and tests and never squawk... I'm a grown-up... I can do this. If you look at it as a test, not as 'getting some blood' and focus on the numbers you are getting it will help. Your doctor should be able to give you booklets on testing, diet, rest, foot care and a lot of other stuff. You can educate yourself online, also.
I'll have more time next week to chat and maybe we could set up a time in the chat room to fix some of your worries?
~ Jeannie
"As one goes through life one learns if you don't paddle your own canoe you don't move."
-Katherine Hepburn
"Madness takes its toll.
Please have exact change."
I bought mine online from a place called DiabeteStore (I think...) Do a search for the Prestige IQ meter and it should come up in the list. Just compare the different prices at the different online stores. The ones you find at the drugstore (the ones that have all the ads in the magazines) have little electronic stuff in each strip, hence the high cost of replacement strips. They market them like Kodak did the camera.. Cheap camera and get them on the film. The Prestige meter has a small light source inside that records the drop of blood. The test strips are just basically small blood holders instead of being part of an integrated circuit.
I have never had a problem with my own blood and the meter comes with a little 'pokey' thingie that does the poke for you. Then you can just squeeze and massage the finger a bit until you have the right size drop of blood and gently plop it on the little test stick in the circle. You prick on the sides of the tips of your fingers because there is less pain there. When I first started I thought of all those little kids in the hospital that get iv's and tests and never squawk... I'm a grown-up... I can do this. If you look at it as a test, not as 'getting some blood' and focus on the numbers you are getting it will help. Your doctor should be able to give you booklets on testing, diet, rest, foot care and a lot of other stuff. You can educate yourself online, also.
I'll have more time next week to chat and maybe we could set up a time in the chat room to fix some of your worries?
~ Jeannie
"As one goes through life one learns if you don't paddle your own canoe you don't move."
-Katherine Hepburn
"Madness takes its toll.
Please have exact change."
hi, i've gotten the meter and i read the latest post about information. i compared my numbers, thought they were okay. they go over the scale just a little. i've only been testing for two days. how does this look so far:
Sat 1-21, fast-137 one hour after first meal 188; two hours later-139; before dinner- 121; one hr aftr- 157
Sun 1-22, fast 128 @9:30am before meal 81; one hr. after- 103; 2hr. later 103 (wasn't sure i did it right felt pretty bad)
Mon 1-23 fast 111; 9:31am 2 hrs after 1/2C coffee-146; before meal 11:30am -105; one hr after 96
i've tested when i not eaten generally varies between 75 and 86. i know i'm not test ing often enough nor eating enough. I don't have an appetite and when i do eat feel worse. I'm working on it though. is this enough information to decide if its getting worse or still borderline
Hi 2Day,
Well those numbers are all over the place. For fasting we look for you to be 120 or less, so you're a tad high, probably because of late night snacking or the "dawn effect" where the liver release excess glucose into the blood stream. But your after meal numbers (postprandial 2 hour readings) are great!! Whatever your doing, its not so bad. Try not to eat late at night and see if that makes a difference.
All in all, your morning number say you might be pre diabetic but your after meal numbers are not bad at all. Watch your diet, exercise and keep tabs on your numbers and you may not be a candidate for any medication whatsoever. And isn't that a good thing!!
Warren- It's not that some people have willpower and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not. - James Gordon, M.D.