Happy Easter.

Ah the holidays again and it is another important one for many people. As it is when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, rose again and ascended to heaven. We must all keep this mind when we are eating our eggs on Sunday.

there are a lot of people I think who have forgotten why we celebrate this holiday, but I also respect other cultures who may just see this as a bank holiday. Thats ok too.

I am just making sure that my fellow Diabetics are being careful and looking after their diabetes over the weekend. If you are having a lot of chocolate eggs then you can just please have something substantial with it and check regularly I wouldn’t anyone ending up in the hospital.

I love you all too much to see anyone get hurt. To see what I have got up to over easter please check out my Facebook page.

God Bless and have a safe weekend.

Hospital Again.

On Tuesday 4th February 2014, I got up had breakfast and went to Uni like it was any other day. the only problem I had was the my Blood Glucose meter wasn’t working but I thought I could go without it for one day its no big deal… Oh how I was wrong.

I was in my lecture and I started to get warm so I asked if i could go to the toilet, so I went and I had to pass the main desk to get there and that was it I hit the deck. When I came round the ambulance crew was amazing but my sugars were 2.3 I was not coherent and you could not get a sentence out of me. I took 2 glucose tubes, 4 peanut butter sandwiches, a Rice Crispy Square and a Kinda Surprise to bring me up to a level to which I could walk.

After giving the ambulance crew my details they brought me to St James hospital in Leeds, to the A+E department where I had to go through everything again. But once again my sugars drop and I passed out again the Doctor on call at the time had to push on my Orbital Arch for the Nerve (the bone above the eye), because I was in my confused and in a very upset state I was crying and acting like a three year old the very nice doctor that was very understanding and smiled he just kept on going with his information. After he gave me all the checks to make sure there was no damage. There wasn’t.

Once this had all happened I tried to tell all the doctors that I didn’t need to stay on the wards but they had to make sure that I was ok they wouldn’t let me leave in case anything happened to me which in honesty I can understand. But I really didn’t want to stay in. But my bloods were just not coming up.

After spending three nights in hospital they let me go home… Well back to my nana’s anyway. Then I got the strangest of calls. It was the hospital they told me that my pancreas had started back up again but they were unsure if the affects were permanent they said they will run more tests but the prognosis looks good, they just needed more samples taking one a month should be ok they said. I was more then happy to obliged.

It’s been just over a month now and my pancreas has failed again which was to be expected I think if my body was going to be “normal” again God would have told me but at the end of the day I am happy the way I am… Well for now anyway you never know tomorrow I may hate it again haha.

Happy New Year.

I hope that everyone has had an amazing New year and things have gone well for everyone. 

I spent Christmas with my partner and his mum which was really fun. We the n went to my mums for boxing day… gosh I love my mums Yorkshire Puddings. She has to tell me how to do them. mmmmm love them so much. 

Chat to you all soon, I will be not on my laptop as much as I am decorating the new house with my better half. 

There has been some developments thought which is good.

Self Checking

This post is not so much about Diabetes but about something that is equally important for both men and women. It is about self checking yours Breasts and Testicles on a regular basis, you have probably heard this all the time but it is something that is really important.

It is something that is very easy to do and this is how you do it if you are a woman:

1) IN THE SHOWER
Using the pads of your fingers, move around your entire breast in a circular pattern moving from the outside to the center, checking the entire breast and armpit area. Check both breasts each month feeling for any lump, thickening, or hardened knot. Notice any changes and get lumps evaluated by your healthcare provider.

2) IN FRONT OF A MIRROR
Visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides. Next, raise your arms high overhead.

Look for any changes in the contour, any swelling, or dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples. Next, rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Left and right breasts will not exactly match—few women’s breasts do, so look for any dimpling, puckering, or changes, particularly on one side.

3) LYING DOWN
When lying down, the breast tissue spreads out evenly along the chest wall. Place a pillow under your right shoulder and your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move the pads of your fingers around your right breast gently in small circular motions covering the entire breast area and armpit.

Use light, medium, and firm pressure. Squeeze the nipple; check for discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps for your left breast.

breast self exam

Self Checking for men is done like this:

1) Most lumps found on the testicles are benign but any changes in size, shape or weight should be checked by your GP.

2) Support the scrotum in the palm of your hand and become familiar with the size and weight of each testicle.

3) Examine each testicle by rolling it between your fingers and thumb. Gently feel for lumps, swellings, or changes in firmness.

4) Each testicle has an epididymis at the top which carries sperm to the penis. Don’t panic if you feel this – it’s normal.

Regular self examination will help you become more aware of the normal feel and size of your testicles so that any abnormalities can be spotted early on.

http://www.everyman-campaign.org/Testicular_Cancer/Testicular_cancer_self_examination/

It is from self experience and experience with friends that I now realise the importance of checking. If you have any concerns then please go see your doctor. Don’t leave it too late.

I Asked for Diet.

When it comes to me and my food I love it but I have to start checking everything if it hadn’t have been for my sister Antoinette who knows where I would be today… Not attending my classes for one. I would have probably been back in hospital.

What happened was we went to our local shopping centre food court and ate at one establishment (for legal reason I cannot mention the name) and the manager took my order. The same order I always get if it is only me eating. Then it came to me ordering my drink, which was diet; of course I don’t drink anything else. I sat down with my sister to eat and everything was normal.

About three quarters of the way through my meal Antoinette asks if I got diet because the push button was not down. My reaction was that I had but I have a sore throat so things do not taste right anyway.

Antoinette said that she hates diet so she would know the difference so I handed it over after a couple of drinks she said the three words I dread to hear “that’s not diet”. I calmly said its ok I’ll go get it swapped. My sister was so angry at the store that she said No I’ll go deal with it.

At this point you learn not to stand in my families way when they are not impressed with something. I just sat at the table and watched, it was like watching a silent film, I found it quite funny but wouldn’t tell her that.

After a few minutes she came and sat back down with a fresh drink and said there you go. She then sat herself down and was… I’d say fuming but she had past that point ages ago. The reason that she was so mad was the excuse that they had given. The person who she had spoken to said that they had run out of diet so they just gave me normal. They had just done this without asking me first.

The thing is though this is not the first time this has happened and they always treat you as if it your fault for not saying your order right but if they spent less time chatting behind the counter or even if they practiced their English a little more we wouldn’t have things like this happening.

I am fortunate to have had my sister there with me but I can’t say the same for so many other diabetics who are hospitalised because of the negligence by people who are supposed to be trained.

If this happens again I am so close to naming and shaming.

Hot Hot Hot

With this glorious weather springing out of no where and its going to be staying here for a while we should all get prepared. Over the past week hospitals around the UK have seen on average of 16% more diabetics coming in with Lowe sugars, high sugars and as really bad dehydration.

I have been talking to some of my diabetic friends and two of them have had the symptoms but only one of them ended up in hospital. Because of the heat everything needs to be taken more seriously, like checking sugars more often even if you feel “fine” as this is a term that crops up a lot when talking to medical professionals.

There are three simple steps to survive the heat:
– Check blood sugars more often.
– Drink lots of WATER. This doesn’t mean drinks with water in them like diet pop. This means WATER.
– Rest occasionally don’t stay in the sun all the time. I know you may want a tan but health comes first.

If you stick to these then you will be cool during the heat.

I am curious as to what you guys do during the heat so feel free to comment and let me know.

Day Out

This post is about an amazing day out that I had on 6/6/2013. It was brilliant a work friend text me a couple of days before and asked me if I was free and I was so we met up and went to Flamingo Land.

I was a superb day out and is something that I would do again in a heart beat. As you all know I am petrified of Roller Coasters so my friend Tom said that he was going to get me on some to get me over my fear and I think it work in honesty.

The day started off a little rocky we went for some breakfast as both of us slept in and hadn’t eaten, we had enough time so we stopped in a little Café in Leeds, ate and then hit the road as it were. Me like an idiot though forgot to do my insulin for what I had just eaten and ended up going up to 26+ (uk measurements) on the bus, I corrected as normal and started to come down that’s always good. I did keep an eye on my sugars through out the day as well.

On the way there I was talking to Tom and say how scared I was about going on all these rides he had planned for me and I thought that I would chicken out as always but I didn’t I was very brave. The pictures can be seen on my Facebook page at a later date.

Once everything was done and we had eaten my sugars had come down and it was a pleasant journey home well I fell asleep but it was a really fun day out I cant wait to do it again. 

How Januvia Works and Its Known Side Effects.

This was sent to me and I think that it is really interesting it is about a new drug that is used to treat Type 2 Diabetes and it is amazing:

When food enters the body, the level of blood sugar rises. Rising blood sugar levels signal the intestines to release incretin hormones (GLP-1). These hormones signal the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin balances blood sugar levels by converting glucose into energy, and it signals the liver to stop producing glucose. DPP-4 breaks down incretin, once blood sugar has been stabilized, stopping the release of insulin.

That is how the process works in someone without type 2 diabetes. But for people who do have type 2 diabetes, blood sugar levels are too high and they often require medication to help control blood sugar.

Januvia and Byetta

Januvia (sitagliptin) is an oral prescription medication that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It quickly became Merck & Co.’s fastest-growing medication, and is only now starting to see sales numbers flag. It belongs to a newer class of drugs called DPP-4 inhibitors. Januvia, similar to drugs in its class, prevents DPP-4 from breaking down incretin hormones—meaning incretin stays in the bloodstream longer, continuing to stimulate the pancreas to release insulin and lower blood sugar.

Januvia can be used alone, but is also used in conjunction with other medications or insulin injections. Januvia is often prescribed with an injectable medication called Byetta (exenatide), which was approved by the FDA in 2005 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Byetta is a synthetic protein that is similar to incretin, the hormone released from the digestive tract that regulates insulin. It is also known to slow the appetite and digestion, contributing to weight loss.

In 2007, a combination of Januvia and metformin was released called Janumet. Metformin has a long history in treating type 2 diabetes, with minimal risk of adverse side effects.

Side Effects of Januvia

The FDA has received hundreds of reports of severe side effects associated with Januvia and Byetta. The most serious side effect is the heightened risk of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, which can be fatal.

Using Januvia and Byetta doubles the risk of pancreatitis, which is the painful inflammation of the pancreas. The condition causes the body to attack the pancreas and other nearby organs and tissues. Its symptoms can include nausea or vomiting, fever, increased heart rate and abdominal or lower back pain.

Acute pancreatitis, also called sudden-onset pancreatitis, constitutes a medical emergency. Necrotizing pancreatitis describes the unfortunate event in which the body’s digestive enzymes actually begin to digest pancreatic tissue.

Pancreatic risks increase the longer these medications are used. Pancreatic lesions form, and tumors can grow. Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose without removing the pancreas, so tumors can grow hidden from patients and doctors.

Because it is seldom diagnosed in stages early enough for treatment, pancreatic cancer is almost always fatal. The American Cancer Society reports an average survival rate of less than two years after diagnosis, and only 4 percent of patients live longer than 5 years. Merck now faces lawsuits filed by patients or families of patients who developed pancreatic diseases after using Januvia. The FDA is investigating the link between Januvia and Byetta, and pancreatic complications.

Linda Grayling is a content writer at Drugwatch.com. She enjoys researching the latest studies and news from the medical field. To learn more about medication safety updates by checking out Drugwatch.com on Facebook.

I hope you liked that as much as I did. I anyone has any questions then please feel free to ask and if I dont know the answer I’ll pass your question on to someone who does.

Thank you Linda Grayling for writing this piece it is amazing.

Its OK to have emotions.

I am writing this blog today to let people know that it is OK to have strong emotions about the way you are and it doesn’t make you a weak person. It makes you human, after all you can’t love everything all the time.

This may be an unusual thing coming from me people I am always saying that I love the way that I am diabetes and all. Which I still do but I went to the hospital on the 10/04/2013 and my doctor asked me how I have been feeling and I thought for a bit and I looked at my mum with the “I’m sorry” eyes. And I just exploded.

All the thoughts that I had had that just lay dormant in the back of my mind just kind of came flooding to the front and I couldn’t take it. It was for the first time in a long time that I felt that it was ok to come out and say that I hate “what” I am. But the diabetes doesn’t define me. I define me.

It wasn’t just hatred towards myself either it was towards other people and I wasn’t meaning it in a bad way it was just eating it away at me. I couldn’t feel that I could really tell anyone because I am suppose to be the strong one people can trust me to do things for them and they know that I am going to be fine. I still feel a little bit the same but I know that I am going to pull through. People have said some things to me that made me feel a little bit better:

• If someone thinks and calls you a freak because of something that you have they are not worth your time.
• If you can share a problem with one person then then you know you have support.
• You can’t change who you are but if you can look at it as who rather then what, then things are going to be easier.
• Don’t be ashamed. Be proud of who you are.

You may have realised that I haven’t put down fully what I was feeling and still am to an extent and that is because I haven’t got the strength to do that yet. But I have been referred to a few different people to get help and things will get better I hope.

We need to stand together.

Things are not what they appear.

Hello there every one this is just a quite post whilst I am in Uni and had my lunch. Sounds strange but it got me thinking about drinks and foods that are supposed to be good for you and have way too many sugars in them to be considered “healthy”.

The first one that springs to mind is these new drinks that are around, normally I am not supposed to give the name of anything that can upset people but I feel like you should all know about. And that is this new Vitamin Water which is supposed to be very healthy and very good but when in fact it is full of sugar rubbish that is not very good.

How do you know this? You may ask. Simple my sugars where rising and not coming down as I was still drinking it and not knowing what was going on. I have stopped drinking it now and I will be doing a sugar test to attempt to prove my theory.

Anyway my class is starting I will post the results on my Facebook page later on.