No More Misdiagnoses!

One thing that I see on social media sites. that I wish I did not is that there are a lot of deaths here lately of children who are dying from type one diabetes misdiagnoses & suffering from DKA (Diabetic Kytoacidosis). I am going to share with you the post about the latest death, of an 11-year old &what can be done to stop this from happening.
Here is the pst from Test One Drop--Type 1 Diabetes Awareness's Facebook page:

"Tragically, the ‪#‎DKA‬ at ‪#‎Type1‬ ‪#‎Diabetes‬ onset death rate continues to climb. We are saddened to learn a beautiful little 11yo girl passed away over the weekend.

Angela Elizabeth Robinson's mother Darla, who is a mother of five, told Reporter Larry Flowers of WKRN the story of her daughter's diagnosis. "She was a normal healthy 11-year-old, up until Monday [03-21-16] of this past week,"¹ when she began to have muscle spasms.
The next day, Angela's doctor prescribed some medication and told Ms. Robinson to hydrate her daughter with plenty of fluids.
By Wednesday, the child's condition had worsened, and she was unresponsive when her mother checked on her. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and Diabetic Ketoacidosis.¹
Angela's blood sugar was 1600 at diagnosis.¹ As the result of the extremely high blood sugars, the resulting DKA, and "pulmonary shock,"² she died suddenly three days later on Saturday, March 26.
The middle school student had hoped to one day to become a doctor to help others. "Even though she won’t fulfill her dream of being a doctor, she did fulfill at least that part of the dream, to help some other child out there who may have been in need,” Robinson told the reporter. “One of her organs, her pancreas was donated to a doctor who is doing research in the area to hopefully find a way to fix the problem.”¹
We at Test One Drop offer our condolences to the Robinsons and will hold them close in prayer during this difficult time. Furthermore, we thank them not only for donating life, but for sharing their story, so that others may learn the signs and symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes and Diabetic Ketoacidosis.
RESOURCES:
1. Flowers, Larry. "Mom Plans Funeral for Daughter Days after Being Diagnosed with Diabetes." WKRNcom. WKRN, 30 Mar. 2016. Web. 31 Mar. 2016. <http://wkrn.com/…/mom-plans-funeral-for-daughter-days-afte…/>.
2. Taylor, Maria Wilson. "Click Here to Support Angela Elizabeth Robinson by Maria Wilson Taylor." Gofundme. 27 Mar. 2016. Web. 31 Mar. 2016.
FOR MORE ABOUT TYPE 1 DIABETES AND DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS: www.TestOneDrop.org
Our vision at Test One Drop is that no child or adult will be diagnosed with Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) as a complication of delayed or missed diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes.
www.TestOneDrop.org ‪#‎testonedrop‬"

We at Diary of an Insulin Addict would also like to send our condolences to the Robinson family during this very difficult time.

WHY CAN BE DONE?
There have been many kids over the past months like Angela, have flu-like symptoms & are diagnose with such. I am not going to bash doctors or anything, but anytime a child comes into the doctor's office/ER, they should check their blood sugar just to be safe.What can be done to help stop misdiagnoses? one word, CHECK. If you have a child with flu-like symptoms & end up taking your child to the ER/Doctor, insist on having your child's blood sugar be taken, just to be safe. A lot of parents think that their kids won't or can't be diagnosed & go off of that. Like I said, this should be done just to be safe & you can catch type one diabetes before the blood sugar gets too high.

Hope this article was insightful & if you have any questions about Type One Diabetes, its symptoms, etc.. visit www.TestOneDrop.org

Being Sick with a Cold or the Flu AND Diabetes

Since it's that time of year, and some pretty rough stuff is going around, I figured this kind of post could be useful... Especially since the doctor offices and pharmacies in my area have been slammed for weeks with no sign of it letting up any time soon, and I've become infected *zombie groan, raspy breathing*.

Being with a cold or flu is no fun for anybody, when you add being Diabetic into the mix... Well, it complicates things, to say the least.

It's a good idea to have a game plan hashed out with your Endo(or GP) for such things as the common cold or Flu. Even if it's been a while and you seem to be immune to what's going around, or you're not sick yet, talk to your doc about it beforehand so you have an idea of what they would like you to do just incase you can't get ahold of them when the inevitable happens(witching hour, anyone?).

When any virus strikes, it can throw BGs all over the place(UP or down), so testing is an uber importante key to keeping things in control(heh... kinda). Many OTC medications can and will affect you're blood sugars, whether upping them or downing them(YDMV), thus it is important to know which ones your doctor recommends for you specifically, beforehand preferably, and what their opinion is to how it might affect you(no guarantees it'll stick to the script, but having direction helps). While sick, testing more frequently helps you know where you're at and how any medications you've taken might affect your BGs - even if you don't feel you have the energy to do it, it's important! Also, some medications might affect the accuracy of CGM readings(a few meters, too), so it's best to test and not rely solely on your CGM. Get a pregame plan set up with your doc about what to do if you're running higher or lower than your normal range, they might hook you up with some basal or carb/correction ratio adjustments just for the special occasion.

As with any virus, especially if a fever is involved, dehydration becomes a real possibility - even if you don't quite feel up to it, it's important to get as much fluids as possible into your body(unless due to other health issues your doc states other wise). Sugar-free sports drinks, like Powerade Zero, are often highly recommended because they also contain electrolytes, but sometimes the sugared variety is also good to have on hand, too. Bouillon Cubes and chicken broth are great standbys for sick days, as are popsicles, honey, and Jell-O. Coffee, believe it or not, can be good for you when you're sick and it's trying to take hold in your chest, as it's a natural broncial dilator - unless your doc says otherwise, try to enjoy your joe. Unless you're allergic, Vicks on the bottom of your feet can help, too(just remember to put on socks after applying it).

Ketone Strips, preferably the blood kind like the Precision Xtra, are highly recommended to have on hand, as well. With any viral infection, the body can for various reasons decide to cannibalize itself, so it's important to test your ketone levels, especially if your viral infection is in any way preventing you from eating and drinking which can provoke such an onslaught. Talk to your doc to see what range they want you to call in about or go in for.

Getting rest while infected is vital, the body needs to be able to divert all power necessary to fight off the invaders, so taking time off is recommended(you don't want to be the zombie bitting and infecting others either).

Even with being prepped for a cold, find out what time frame your doctor recommends for you to be seen during your cold if decides to linger or worsen. If your cold seems more than just the normal run of the mill sniffles, call and get an appointment. If you have a high fever(102 or higher for adults), wheezing, chest pain, dizziness, be seen ASAP.

Diabetes Winter Checklist

I wanted to wish you all a late happy new year! I apologize for the absence, I have been very busy. This post is late for some,  I live in Virginia & it is currently snowing here, but here is my MUST HAVE checklist for managing diabetes in a snow storm.

1. The essentials (Insulin, strips etc..)
2. Make sure your electronic devices are fully charged in case of power outage. Make sure your meter, dexcom & pump i charged. Would hate for either or to die!
3. Snacks in case of lows. 

Quite a short list, but the above are what we need to survive a storm. I will be posting as regularly as possible. If you have a topic you want me to talk about tweet me or comment below thanks for reading!

Hi, my name is Derek Bottoms

Funny problem Livongo Health has ran into. About a week ago, Livongo is sending those of us who use the Livongo In Touch BG meter, a lancing device that resembles the Accu Chek fastclix. I reviewed it in the In Touch In-Depth review that you can check out HERE. Apparently, I got another one. That's not the issue. The issue is that Livogo or whomever ships the device put wrong (& pretty funny) names on the hipping label. I've read where people got a name like Buttz & things like that. My name is now Derek Bottoms. Now a lot of us users of the meter are not angry or upset over this. I find it quite humerus. It is probably just a glitch in their system & will be fixed soon. Though I'd share this funny situation with you all. Quest for you is, How would you feel if this happened to you
Tweet me @Insulin_Junkie9 ; @Insulin_Diary & let me know!

Finals & Diabetes

Today's entry is about something I thought of today: How to manage Diabetes during Finals week at college or SOLs/SATs. I’ve been A type 1 diabetic since age 12, so I got to deal with all the above while managing my diabetes.

The most important thing to do during this hectic period of time is to watch your blood glucose levels like a hawk. I test quite a lot currently, but I check probably 9 times a day during these stressful times. The stress & worry of upcoming finals or whatever can cause your levels to elevate. Just make sure you check, check, check & correct accordingly & try not to stress if possible.

Next suggestion is to watch what you eat. No, not a diet. Just don’t eat too much or too frequently, because there’s nothing more agonizing than trying to study while feeling sluggish & tired. Either eat lighter or spread your meals & snacks apart.

The last thing I do (depends on your religious affiliation) is pray. I am very religious & I pray about everything that goes wrong in my life & let God handle it.

When it comes to the day/s of the finals or SOLs/SATs, make sure to test before you start the exam & have water & a low BG snack just in case & be vocal with your professors.
I hope this blog has helped & good luck on your upcoming exams!

You can hear this in audio format by clicking HERE

Thanksgiving Being A Diabetic

    First off, Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers! I hope you have a great time with your loved ones & that your BGs don't suffer too much. With Thanksgiving comes food, SO MUCH FOOD! And with such food comes family members who "Have your best interest at heart" & do things that drive you mad, like watching you [the diabetic] as you get your plate (well plates for me) or stare at your pate as you chow down. Kind of looks like the above picture right? This article is to tell you how to keep calm & enjoy Thanksgiving.
   
    First off keep in mind that they actually have your best interest at heart. Most are afraid that their diabetic loved on/s will end up on dialysis like their friend's sister's husband's grandfather or believe eating right will cure diabetes. They do care about you, just have a hard time with the fact you're diabetic. If you have one of both of the instances mentioned earlier, just try your best to hold your tongue. I know how hard that is trust me.
 
  Second,  If you expect glaring glances or eyeballs watching what you eat or put on our plate, probably indicates that you are eating too much & know it. I've been this way at times & know how hard the temptations are to pass (sweets etc...) & all diabetics have times where they cave in & have a piece of pie or something. Now, I don't eat sweets hardly ever & if I do, it's delicious! Just have to keep an eye on my BG. But just know when enough is enough.

Lastly, if you know the people that are like I mentioned, have a talk with them before the event (when you're not upset at them) & tell them how you feel. I always assure my relatives that do this that I am the diabetic & I know the do's & don'ts & if I under-bolus/over-bolus for the feast, I will handle it & appreciate their love & concern for me. Talking beforehand may ease the tension for some.

How do you overcome these types of relatives?
Comment below or tweet me @insulin_junkie9
follow me on Twitter, Instagram (insulin_junkie9) YouTube & make sure to subscribe to my blog.
Starting next semester of college I will have more time to blog, so expect more!
Again, Happy Thanksgiving everyone & God Bless!

Livongo In Touch Blood Glucose Meter In-Depth Review

Last week I (FINALLY) received my In Touch meter by Livongo health that I had been very anxious for. i posted an unboxing/Initial review video which you can watch here. This video is about the meter & all the goodies that came with it. I will leave no stone unturned! I will be giving my review (opinion) on every  undividual item & the pros/cons & a 1 (worst) to 5 (best) rating. So let us begin! I will not include the control solution or lancets.

packaging impressions

The packaging of the meter was nicely done. It felt like I was opening an Apple product. No Pros/cons here.

RATING: 5/5

Carrying Case

The carrying case is the standard black case. It has a lot of room in it [for me anyway]. I could even fit an insulin vial in it! I'm not one who likes designed cases, so I like this case. I liked the compartments where the lancing device, strips & meter goes. However, the place where the lancing device goes had to be stretched before it would fit. It took 5 days to get that darn pricker in there!

PROS:
~ Roomy

~ Easy to maneuver. 

CONS:

~ Lancing device place.

RATING: 4.7/5

Lancing Device

The worst component of this meter was its lancing device (AKA pricker). This this was rubbish! The pricker is designed to auto-eject lancets to avoid accidental puncture. I tested it out & it ejected nicely, but got stuck & would not go back in so I had to throw it away :,(. So now I have 3 boxes of lancets I cannot use.  I got the Fastclix so I am happy. I LOVE the Fastclix. Very well designed device.

RATING: 0/5 (5/5 for Fastclix)

TEST STRIPS

BOTTLE:

I like the bottle the strips come in. Very sturdy. 

STRIPS:
I love the strips size. I always have trouble grabbing strips out of tiny bottles. So the extra room in the bottle & bigger (length wise) strips makes it easier to obtain them. My only (minor) complaint is that they came in a better sorted variety of colors.  The strips come in different colors. I would like to see a cyan or red strip. & I tend to get the same 2-3 colors in every vial of strips.  I have had very few strip errors (Knock on wood!)

RATING (Bottle): 5/5

RATING (Strips): 4.9/5

MYLIVONGO SOFTWARE

I love the customer service! Always nice & helpful. The software is easy to use.
RATING: Customer Service: 5/5
Software: 4.8/5

Livongo Health has pretty decent customer service reps. All the ons I've dealt with were nice & considerate. 

RATING: 5/5

 

UPDATE 2 (4/27/16): I found out that Livongo is no longer offering the $25/month deal. Their statement can be found HERE. The statement says:
"Thanks for your interest in our Early Access Program. We are no longer accepting new applicants to our program at this time.". 
Sorry for the hype on this & the other article. I suggest if you are really interested in this meter to put your e-mail address down.