Need Advise from Those With Diabetes

Orangeclawhamme · #1 04-04-2008, 06:28 AM

I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I was told that if I lost enough weight, that I might be able to ditch the meds and not have to test every day. In the meantime, I'm paranoid about messing up my fingers and can not get my tester to work on my arm. I know not to jab myself right on the tip of my fingers. I rarely have any pain. I guess I'm the opposite of a hemopheliac.

I'm turning to you because you probably know how to protect your fingers and Wilford Brimley won't return my emails

.

Thanks in advance.

DWBass · #2 04-04-2008, 07:08 AM

Doesn't have to be the tip of your fingers. Try the sides. Plus, it really doesn't hurt that much unless you are using the same finger over and over. On the plus side, yes you can control your condition with diet and exercise. You will still have to test every now and then to monitor. I dropped 40lbs after being diagnosed and my symptoms have literally gone away. I still have high blood pressure which can trigger diabetes so I have to take a statin probably until the day I die.

JKT · #3 04-04-2008, 08:05 AM

Do not screw around with this. This disease is one of the most insidious ever invented. It can kill you by inches or all at once. You need to do what you need to do, and you need to start yesterday.

People lose body parts to this disease everyday. I don't know what your diet is like but it is about to change. One of the scariest things about this is that you can feel fine and yet be well on your way to being very sick. Keep your bass out on a stand so you can see it everyday and imagine what it would be like if you could no longer play it.

Good Luck

JKT

bigthemat · #4 04-04-2008, 10:17 AM

just listen to what wilford brimley has to say about your diabeetus.

Orangeclawhamme · #5 04-04-2008, 02:12 PM

DWBass writes: "Doesn't have to be the tip of your fingers. Try the sides. Plus, it really doesn't hurt that much unless you are using the same finger over and over. On the plus side, yes you can control your condition with diet and exercise. You will still have to test every now and then to monitor. I dropped 40lbs after being diagnosed and my symptoms have literally gone away. I still have high blood pressure which can trigger diabetes so I have to take a statin probably until the day I die."

I've been on statins for years. I had a heart attack 7 years ago and started exercising after that. I needed a double bypass operation. The surgeon threatened me with a transplant if I didn't. I've been rotating fingers. I thought that my arm might be more convenient.

JKT writes: "Do not screw around with this. This disease is one of the most insidious ever invented. It can kill you by inches or all at once. You need to do what you need to do, and you need to start yesterday.

People lose body parts to this disease everyday. I don't know what your diet is like but it is about to change. One of the scariest things about this is that you can feel fine and yet be well on your way to being very sick. Keep your bass out on a stand so you can see it everyday and imagine what it would be like if you could no longer play it.

Good Luck"

Thank you. I have no intention of screwing with this. I've learned all kinds of things about diet that I didn't learn after the heart attack. That education was more focused on fats. Now I understand more about carbs. My bass hangs on the wall behind where the computer is. A stand would be fatal (to the bass) with my dog running around the house. I plan to put off the day that I can't play it as long as possible. After all, I waited until I was 55 years old to start playing. I want ot get as much in as I can.

And bigthemat, I listen to all the advice I can.

Thanks, guys.

i_got_a_mohawk · #6 04-05-2008, 08:45 AM

Erm, just wondering, why do you think you will not be able to play?

My dad suffers from type 1 autoimmune diabetes, has done since he was about 18 (now 56). Always taking daily injections and blood tests. He just uses the tester on the tips of his fingers.

Also, up until last year, he played stringed instruments with no issue at all. That only stopped due to an unrelated incided where he broke one of his fingers and doesnt have the useable range of movement anymore.

Your diabetes is controllable, just do what the doc says, keep taking blood tests from he tip of your fingers if thats the only place you can get it to work. All thats going to happen is calluses will build up, not exactly going to inhibit playing! Just be thankful it is something you can deal with

, it is a scarey condition, one i hope neither my brother nor i contract!

Good luck!

Chrysalis · #7 04-06-2008, 05:27 PM

I wonder if the ear lobe might be an alternate place to get your blood drop for testing.

I know they took blood from my earlobe once at a blood drive, to test for iron levels.

Orangeclawhamme · #8 04-07-2008, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

I wonder if the ear lobe might be an alternate place to get your blood drop for testing.

I know they took blood from my earlobe once at a blood drive, to test for iron levels.

Interesting idea, but I'd need to use a mirror to see where to put the test strip. I'm getting the hang of using my arm, though. I'm finding out that this is somewhat like learning how to play bass. It takes practice.

Orangeclawhamme · #9 04-07-2008, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

Erm, just wondering, why do you think you will not be able to play?

Your diabetes is controllable, just do what the doc says, keep taking blood tests from he tip of your fingers if thats the only place you can get it to work. All thats going to happen is calluses will build up, not exactly going to inhibit playing! Just be thankful it is something you can deal with

, it is a scarey condition, one i hope neither my brother nor i contract!

Good luck!

I think the fact that I am too lazy to learn how to properly include more more than one quote in a post may have made the post you are referring to a bit confusing. I was quoting JKT, who was encouraging me to take my condition seriously and suggested considering not being able to play as a consequence of not doing so. Any inability to play is currently based on the fact that I'm just starting out. I intend to keep plunking away on my bass as long as I'm on this side of the turf..

Thank you for your encouragement.