New guy here with some questions

[mhyman]

Hi everyone,

I am having a very hard time with my diabetes these days. I had a bout of 3 kidney stones which got me to a new doctor, which has been the only positive. I found out that my kidneys are failing and have been for a few years without my dr. telling me.

She changed my meds and yet my sugar is off the charts. I now take 2 glypizide and 2 actos during the day and my blood sugar is never lower than 300.

I hadn't taken the sugar control very seriously until recently but now that I am, I'm a bit scared that I can't get these numbers down.

Anyone have some advice or similar situations?

Thanks...Michael

[shockme]

hi michael! byetta? symlin? insulin? it gets to a point where if oral meds and diet/exercise aren't doing it-time for something else....trish

[slipperyelm]

Is neither doctor talking to you about insulin?

How long ago did you last have good control and what was your A1c at that time?

What else are you doing for control? What kind of diet? Are you in need of weight loss? Are you trying very low carb eating yet? Are you able to get regular exercise?

How much glipizide and actos are you taking?

Are you on a special diet for your kidney trouble?

Are you trying any supplements such as alpha lipoic acid?

[slipperyelm]

Hey, Michael, its slipperyelm again. I just read your introduction post in which you explain that not only do you have kidney stones, but 3rd stage kidney disease. Sometimes people who have both kidney disease and diabetes have a pretty narrow selection of foods they can choose from to eat to not aggravate one condition or the other. If you've got a good kidney specialist, I hope she will give you some counseling on how best to eat for your special circumstances. I think you are probably in a really tough position. I hope that for your family life and for those wonderful little twins that you will be ready now to give your most earnest effort to your health.

[princesslinda]

Hi Michael, missed your intro as I was off over the holiday weekend. Glad you found the forum. Sounds like you've had a lot of stressful things going on lately.

I hope you're seeing a good nephrologist regarding your kidney function. Sounds like you have a good relationship with your doctor regarding your diabetes...it may be time to talk with her about starting insulin, at least until you manage to get your numbers to a more manageable level, to avoid further complications.

Sounds like you've got great incentive to keep healty for the sake of your wife and twins. I think once your blood sugars reach normal level (by whatever means necessary), you'll feel much better and hopefully your other health problems will stabilize.

I work in a urology office, and we see SO MANY kidney stone patients, esp. in the summer....I sure feel for you in dealing with that. Hopefully, you can do some lifestyle/diet modifications and possible oral meds to reduce the amount of kidney stones you're making as well.

Keep us posted on how you're doing.

[volleyball]

you may have to wait a little while longer to see results from the medication. diet, exercise and a healthy attitude will make the results come faster. Your admission of a long time not controlling means it will take longer for your body to come around

[jerryn]

Mike.... it's time to find another Dr. If you smoke, quit, if you drink liquor.. stop. Your filtering system is shot. Now, I hope you are on some sort of ACE inhibitor.. if you find a new Dr. that knows what they are doing you will be on one, this will protect what kidney function you have left. Next, drink at least 8 glasses of water / day... don't drink 15... stick to 8 - 10. Next... get the cranberry pill supplements, highest dosage.

The kindney is an amazing organ, and it can heal, even from third stage kidney disease. I rememeber someone posting here that they only had around 10% kidney function but they bounced back to 85%. So, hand in there, but you gotta take extra care of yourself now. Once the kidneys bounce back get some walking in.

Good luck!

[mhyman]

Hi guys,

I've been so busy that I haven't checked in for a while.

Some good news, my kidney lab numbers are all much better, so hopefully the stones caused the big drop and now I'm back to a better situation.

Sugar concerns me still. I am on Glypizide, Actos and 30units of Lantus and I am really paying attention to diet, yet my glucose numbers are worse.

What's next? I have a dr. appointment on Wednesday, but I'm interested in some feedback before then.

Does this mean I'm not making insulin, or very little? Does it mean I will need to start taking insulin throughout the day now?

Thanks in advance for the input, its highly valued by me!

Regards...Michael

[muddy]

Hello,
I had very high numbers too. Nothing worked for me but the Metformin. I started out with 500 mg. twice a day but was upped to 1000 mg twice a day. It went from 300 plus to around 100.( I tired Amaryl and Januvia with no change in BG readings) Though you take the meds your daily routine I am finding can change those numbers drastically. I had extreme lows tonight.
I didn't think I could get that low. I think I need to add some snacks into my routine. I am not a snack eater but I believe this may be my problem.
You numbers are too high, You need to go back to your doctor and ask for help. My eyes were blurry after my BG came down to 100.. scared me to death. It was such a sudden drop in sugar for me that my eyes had to adjust to it. I was scared and thought I was going blind. Finally got the nerve to call a eye doctor who ask me if I had a drop in sugar. I guess I had it so long my body had to adjust.

[thomasfriedman]

Try going vegan for a few days. That's what my doctor told me. I mean just veggies for 1 week. No bread, no potatoes, no rice, no meat, no eggs. Just veggies.

[Real4]

You need to get on insulin as soon as possible to get your BG under control at or near normal levels. Then you might look into other suggestions here. You do not want to go on dialysis; taking futher damage to your kidneys from those high levels will leave you no other choice.
The only sure way to get those levels down rapidly is insulin.
Get them down first.

The best of luck to you.

[mhyman]

Wow, that's pretty emphatic advice...

Is that the only way to lower BG when other things aren't working?

[Harold]

A fast acting insulin would do it. When people go in the hospital with high bgs that is how they do it. Your going to feel bad when you do get them down, but it should only last for a week or so. The Actos you are taking will take several to a few weeks to become fully effective. The glypzide does not seem to be doing much for you. So yes you may not be producing enough insulin to overcome your resistance even your basal requirments.