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Publications
Diabetes Self-Management Articles
Question and Answers
These articles appeared in the Question and Answers column
of Diabetes Self-Management.
- Jan/Feb 2002
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Q. I am 62 and was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago. For the past two
years I have had very bad stomach gas after my evening meal. Could this be
related to my diabetes? What can I do about it?
- Nov/Dec 2001
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Q. I am a 74-year-old woman and have had Type 2 diabetes for about eight
years. Two years ago, I started to feel a burning pain in my tongue every
night when I went to bed. In the morning, the pain is reduced to a sting.
Could this be evidence of neuropathy?
- Sep/Oct 2001
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Q. I was considering buying a therapeutic spa to see if it would help my
blood circulation. Do you have any information on the effectiveness of this
type of treatment?
- Jul/Aug 2001
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Q. I have had episodes of low blood sugar during which I began jumping around and
punching. While I was aware of what I was doing, I could not control my body.
Why does this happen? And what can I do to prevent it?
- May/Jun 2001
- Q. I take 5 milligrams of glyburide (brand names DiaBeta and Micronase) daily
to control my diabetes. I usually check my blood glucose first thing in the
morning, when it ranges from 106 mg/dl to 120 mg/dI, and then I eat breakfast
an hour later. Lately, I've noticed that when I check about three hours later,
my blood glucose has dropped about 60 mg/dI. Is this a normal response to the
drug?
- Mar/Apr 2001
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Q. I am 73 years old and have diabetes and heart disease. I am able to
control my blood glucose levels quite well with the aid of my meter, but I am
concerned about the level of sodium in my body, particularly since I can't
perform vigorous physical exercise to sweat it out. Is there a way to measure
the sodium in my body and to flush out the extra?
- Jan/Feb 2001
- Q. I have an itching sensation on my hands and feet and burning sensation
on my head and genitals. Because the sensation is under my skin and there's
no visible sign on the surface, my doctor thinks one of the drugs I take, maybe
the cause. I take diltiazem (brand name Tiazac), irbesartan (Avapro), and metformin
(Glucophage). What should I do?
- Sep/Oct 2000
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Q. Recently, in spite of having normal hemoglobin A1C levels, (all under
7%) for the past year, my doctor found protein in my urine and swelling in my
legs. He said these are signs of kidney problems but does not believe my diabetes
is to blame. What could be causing my kidney problems.
- Jul/Aug 2000
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Q. What is the life expectancy for a woman who has Type I diabetes for
34 years? I have seen statistics on deaths per 100,000, but none that show average
age at death.
- May/Jun 2000
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Q. I have Type 2 diabetes and control it with diet and exercise. I exercise
two or three times a day, and I snack every two or three hours to prevent low
blood sugar. I follow a 1500-calorie meal plan that I would out with a certified
diabetes educator. My HbA1C ran 4.4% and 4.6%. My problem is that
I have a horrible time fasting for blood tests, especially lipid profiles which
require a 14-hour fast. I arrive at the lab shaky, and by the time the test
is over, I nearly pass out. Is this simply part of having diabetes? Are there
alternative lab tests that don't require fasting so long?
- Mar/Apr 2000
- Q. I have been taking pills for diabetes since I was diagnosed 18 years
ago; I am now taking four different diabetes drugs. My doctor has delayed putting
me on insulin by having me try other things first. What are the advantage and
disadvantages of switching to insulin?
- Sep/Oct 1999
- Q. I was diagnosed with
Type 2 diabetes about 15 years ago. Recently, I've been reading
promotional material on a product that contains alpha lipoic acid.
Supposedly, the product "increases the burning of glucose"
and has other benefits for people with diabetes. What does this
mean? Will it really help me control my diabetes?
- May/Jun 1999
- Q. When I inject insulin,
I often see a clear liquid rising to the surface of my skin. My
endocrinologist does not believe that it insulin seeping out. He
suggested that I keep the needle in the site a little longer, but
that has not helped. Can you tell me what is going on?
- Nov/Dec 1998
- Q. My fiancé
often seems lightheaded and has difficulty concentrating. He attributes
this is an episode of low blood sugar that occurred two years ago
during which we blacked out and woke up in the hospital. His doctors
told him that he suffered slight brain damage. Is it possible for
low blood sugar to cause brain damage in adults?
- Sep/Oct 1998
- Q. I have had diabetes
for 10 years and I weigh 198 lbs. I read in a back issue of your
magazine (November/December 1994) that the average insulin secretion
in people who do not have diabetes ranges from 30 to 50 Units a
day. I currently take 68 units of insulin a day. Why do I have to
take so much?
- Jul/Aug 1998
- Q. I am retired woman
who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes six years ago. I currently
take the metformin (brand name Glucophage) and glipizide (Glucotrol).
For the past three years, the veins on my legs and abdomen have
become darker and larger, in the appearance of dark spots. Sometimes
the veins in my legs become enlarged enough to burst and bleed and
to cause pain in my legs. Can you explain what is going on? Could
the medicines I take cause this reaction?
- May/Jun 1998
- Q. I am 34 years old
and have had diabetes for 15 years. I have developed low blood sugar
unawareness, and it has caused me to have three car accidents in
six months! As a result, I have stopped driving. Is it possible
for me to regain my low blood sugar awareness? If so how do I do
this?
- Mar/Apr 1998
- Q. I inject insulin
with both standard syringes and with a Novo Nordisk Pen. I am considering
switching from my pen to Novo Nordisk's New Novo Pen 1.5 System
because of it's greater precision. However, I know that the Novo
Pen 1.5 System has shorter needles. Could the shorter needle affect
my insulin absorption.
- Jan/Feb 1998
- Q. I used to have a
battery-powered alarm that was worn like a wristwatch and would
go off in case of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Do you know who
makes these and where I can get one?
- Nov/Dec 1997
- Q. I was first diagnosed
with diabetes 15 years ago. I initially treated it with a strict
diet, later took oral medicine, and now use insulin. My doctor recently
told me that I have neuropathy in my left foot. Are there any other
areas of the body that can be affected by neuropathy?
- Nov/Dec 1996
- Q. I always though I
was someone with Type II diabetes who uses insulin. When I asked
my doctor about oral agents, he surprised me when he said the reason
I cannot take them is that my diabetes is Type I 1/2. What does
that mean?
- Sep/Oct 1996
- Q. After 25 years of
taking 20 units of Lente insulin each morning, I recently had two
episodes of hypoglycemia severe enough to warrant emergency-room
care. My physicians have tried oral drugs, including Glucophage,
but have had me return to taking Lente insulin, but only at 5 units
a day. my question is this: Is this a rare case or is it normal
to reduce the dosage of insulin after such a long period.
- Jan/Feb 1996
- Q. Is diabetes responsible
for the swelling in my feet?
Insulin Update
These articles appeared in the Insulin Update column
of Diabetes Self-Management.
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