Tag Archives: insulin

Good news…for once

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So I got notified that there is no indications of any stenosis in my artery feeding my new kidney according to my CT scan. This is great news. That means no need to do an angiogram to open up the artery.

Good news for once is great to hear. On a different note…

We went to visit a nurse practitioner the other day to evaluate insulin pumps. Those are ungodly expensive but worth every penny I’d think. They can cost upwards to 5,000 bucks. That’s extreme though. I think with my insurance I would end up dishing out about 800 to a 1,000 bucks. Still pretty costly and it doesn’t include supplemental supplies like the tubing and the catheters.

I also learned I probably wouldn’t benefit too much from using it since I would have to replace the insulin every other day or so. It’s because I use anywhere from 150 to 200 units a day of insulin. Yes it’s quite a bit. Exercise and better eating will help this.

I’m going to see a nutritionist to see what she can recomend. I already know I need to eat more food that has a low glycemic index. I also know I need to become more active. With the neuropathy and back pains it’s Really tough for me but I have to do it.

I think I might pass on the insulin pump only because my case is a bit different. I am very very insulin resistant. And I already spend a fortune on medicine and Medicare. I don’t think I need to add onto that. I should probably talk to my wife about it and come to a final decision. Crazy!

A not so great way to lose weight

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insulin and meterThe other day I recall talking to one of my friends and my insulin regimen. It usually goes like this: long lasting insulin in the morning and bedtime. Short acting insulin before I eat my meals and snacks. All in all, that was about 6 shots a day. So every time I eat something, I have to take a shot. Unless of course I can manage to make a meal or snack that did not have carbs. Such as raw vegetables or pure protein. Of course, honestly, those aren’t too filling. But because of this, I told her it’s a great way to lose weight because I don’t necessarily want to eat because I don’t want to take a shot.

Yeah, that’s not Really a great way to lose weight.

Honestly though, counting carbs in order to calculate how much insulin to take is a Really great tool to losing weight. It makes you more conscious of what you are eating and aware of how much to eat. Portion size is Really important to counting carbs. In many cases, where you think a package is only 1 serving, it’s actually 2 serving sizes. This is a tactic used by food companies to appear their food has lesser calories or fat. It’s not as if they’re lying. You’re just assuming it’s only 1 serving.

Another thing you’ll learn is that 0 does not necessarily mean 0. 0 could easily mean up to 0.5 mg or more! It’s one of those loopholes that seems to appear everywhere. I believe I’ve mentioned this before. Watch what you’re eating! This definitely goes for non-insulin dependent diabetics. Something to think about.