I don't think they'll starve you for a long time. You'll be asked to show up one morning without having eaten after dinner the evening before, and without having had breakfast.

I suspect your insuance will cover test strips if you can get a doc to prescribe them for you.

Syc is right...it hadn't ocurred to me you weren't under care for this. Metabolic disease is no joke; my lifeparter I mentioned earlier was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis many years ago. She's been on synthetic thyroid ever since.

At the time, the doc told her "I'm glad we caught this now, if it had gone on a few months more, I might only have been able to keep you somewhat comfortable until you died."

It's not like there's a cure for it. The only thing you can really do is make sure you eat every 4 hours and change your diet.

The only thing I would get out of going to the doctor would be confirmation of my suspicions, and relief that it's not something more serious. Those are still good enough reasons to go. But I don't really feel like i'm in any serious trouble, since I think I understand what's going on.

Well, like I said, Gwen's had enormous improvement in her sugar swings after she went on that diet for a while--she's been off it for over a year now, but is still vastly improved from hw brittle she used to be. .

While there isn't a cure, things definately can be improved. And it's not a bad idea to rule out anything else being a problem. Even thogh it is admittedly a PITA to do so.

http://comp.uark.edu/~dmorton/images...ose_meter2.jpg

Man, I felt like shit today.

diabetic
 

now, i'm a diabetic and my sugar goes high if i'm not careful...the other day i just couldn't stay awake, and when my mind cleared enough to test, it was 282. (aaah!)

you may be able to go to a campus clinic or the local diabetes association for strips. also, if you call accu check & tell them you have blood sugar issues, you may be able to get a free something... they gave me a free meter.

you can get prescriptions for strips....... they're the most expensive part of diabetes -- besides the operations to get body parts removed -- not that i've had those yet.

i don't know if this matters, or if they do it for hypoglycemics, but in ohio, if you're a diagnosed diabetic, they make you take an "okay to drive" permission slip to the department of motor vehicles in order to get your license. i guess something about driving around in a sugar coma doesn't appeal to the little auto kings. i guess since being overcome with high or low sugar is so much like being drunk.

Hmm... how do they know whether or not you're a diagnosed diabetic? They just ask you, then throw you in jail if they find out you lied about it?

Well, I would suspect that if you slipped into a sugar attack, caused an accident that killed someone, and you had not noted your condition with the motor vehicle folks, you could be charged with something like negligent homicide, rather than it just being chalked up to an accident.

Juju, have you been to the doctor yet? Do I need to make an unscheduled trip to Fayetteville for an ass-whipping?

Oooh! Even better! You're in Directory Assistance! ;)

Uhmm.... well, okay, no not exactly. :} But I will soon! I have a very busy schedule, you see. I work a whole 3 days this week!

Just do it juju. A friend of mine totaled his car two weeks ago after dropping his kid off at school. Diabetes is not something to screw around with.

hypoglycemiers anonymous
 

Juju, I am also self-diagnosed hypoglycemia and have yet to find a decent remedy to the problem besides dropping sugar completely. Although, I admire your scientific approach to the matter. I couldn't do it, myself. I am horrified of needles, not to mention the fact that pulling blood from my veins is almost as easy as pulling feathers out of a pillow without cutting a hole. I would make a lousy heroin addict.

It was a while until I realized that this "feeling" I got was actually called something and didn't affect everyone the way it affects me. The biggest problem with it that I can think of is trying to convince people who don't know anything about that "feeling" what it is like and that I am really not grumpy...just...need...sugar!

Anyway, I have been wandering here for several months and decided to finally post, so hello. :)

~Case

Re: hypoglycemiers anonymous
 

My lifepartner is being worked up for coronary artery disease...she's had what were apparently some ischemic attacks already.

As a reaction to a past trauma, she's utterly petrified of anything that violates her body space, especially needles. . She's currently seeing a hypnotherapist to get past the needlephobia enough so she can have an angiogram and angioplasty.

Worth considering. It's covered by her insurance.

Discomfort leads to anger, anger leads to hate. Hate leads to the dark side....
sorry.

Gotta agree with dave though, leather chairs get on my nerves for that reason. Got a hard backed chair now, wooden, keeps my posture half decent anyway.

Re: hypoglycemiers anonymous
 

Wow, cool! I never expected to garner someone's first post. :) Welcome to the Cellar!

The needle doesn't really hurt that much. At least, I don't think so. Of course, I convinced my wife of this so I could test her blood sugar level, and she shortly thereafter accused me of tricking her. Her immediate words were, "That hurt like shit!! You lied to me!!!". Heh heh. I didn't really lie, I just didn't think it hurt too bad. It's more like a good pinch. It's not a giant needle that draws blood. All it does it puncture your skin. Most times I had to squeeze on my finger before even one drop of blood would come out.

I find that I don't really need to do this test, though. I know myself well enough now that I realize when i'm losing energy and I eat something. It is a fun toy, though.

Also, I don't think I could ever get off sugar. It's the most reliable short-term way of fending off an attack. I quit drinking soda because of the caffeine, and that seems to have stabalized me quite a bit.

I know what you mean about telling other people about it. I kinda prefer not to, because generally they don't understand, and i'd just as soon not be pitied. But on the other hand, I find that I often have to tell people, because there's no other way to explain to someone why you <i>must eat now</i>. I mean, what the hell is the matter with you? Can't you just wait 10 more minutes? NO DAMMIT!! Get out of my way! I HATE YOU! Heh..and then I just to explain my outburst an hour later.

I don't mind the moisture build up. I kinda like the feeling when you get stuck to the chair and have to pull yourself off of it. It feels neat!

.....you sick freak :P
Gah i can't stand that. Stuck ina chair for a few hours on a typical summer day here (35-40c) for a few hours and you need a spatula to disconnect yourself. Needles aren't that bad, even after the first time i went to asia and it looked like i was a herion addict it wasn't that bad and hell i've had my tongue pierced so i think i'm qualified to say even 'painful' needles aren't that bad.