SueSue

I envy your snow. I lived in Michigan growing up and loved the snow. I am in the south now and we get very little. I really miss it. Of course I do not want the electricity to go off but there is nothing prettier than a snow coming down.

When I was put on insulin the nurse showed me how to use the pen. This was a different doctor than I have now. The doctor started me on 5 units and told me to increase the amount if it did not bring down the numbers. It took awhile of slowly increasing the amount of insulin for the doctor to discover I was insulin resistent. After they discovered that it was like they did not know what to do with me. I can take much more than the average person and it will not lower my glucose levels. My mother is a diabetic and has taught me what I know but she is not insulin resistent so she is puzzled over the amount I have to take. I have studied and learned a lot about diabetes and do try to manage it, but I think this is where the problem is. Diabetes is a very complicated desease and is not the same for everyone. The last few years I have had such enormous cravings. I feel like a drug addict when they hit. I am glad I have lost actually 26 lbs. if you count the 5 I gained back but 26 is not a lot for 16 weeks considering I lost 18 the first two weeks. I think what is the most frustrating for me is that I still want to eat and I still have strong cravings and I do not know how to get away from them. When I do not have them I manage faily well. I wonder if it is my blood sugar going up and down that causes the cravings and if it is how in the world do I control it? I have found doctors do very little to help. They dispense the medicine and draw the blood and if your numbers are too high they do not know what to do. I know there is no one in the world that understands and has answers like another diabetic. We live the desease. I guess that is why I came here and posted the above message. You guys know more about eating habits than any doctor unless he/she has been through it themselves. Thanks for all your responses. Please understand I do not plan on giving up. This is my way of trying to find help. How do you all stay away from food? How do you fight the urge to snack?

May I say one more thing. I have never been taught how to use insulin.

Jack, thanks for your response. I tried to PM you and it will not let me get the drop down menu when I click on your name or anyone elses. I will try again later. I really appreciate your response. I do not know why I have so much trouble with food and yes I would gladly appreciate any help you can give. Please PM me once you get this and maybe I can respond back. I have read the diabetes creates cravings as your blood glucose bounces around. I beleive that as my eating has been different the last few years. Before this surgery I had gained 10 lbs. from one doctor appt. to the next and they weren't that far apart. I too was taking 150 units of 70/30 at night, 60 short acting with each meal and 80 70/30 in the mornings. When I told my doctor how much I was taking she refused to write me a prescription for that amount. I left that day knowing I had to do something. Your thought of how I was almost half way there was englightening to me. Maybe that thought will help. I am very happy to hear you are off the insuling. Maybe that will help too. I have been a diabetic for 10 years. It gets harder to control each year. Once again, thanks and any help is greatly appreciated.

Shortgal, I know what I should not be eating. I think that is the problem. I think that is also how I got overweight, eating things I shouldn't.

Well, guess I can't do simple math. I have only lost an additional 13 lbs. Now I really am discouraged.

Go Lorghorn, I couldn't of said it better.

My doctor puts the same size band on everyone. Stomach size was never mentioned.

I have no comment as I am still reeling from your other name calling post ...But conveniently duck behind the "free will" bullshit anytime anyone asks about why six million Jews were slaughtered by the nazi's? Or why a perfectly innocent baby is allowed to get murdered by it's drugged out/psychotic/sadistic parents? If I hear one more brain dead turd thanking "god" for their accomplishments at an award show I think I'm going to vomit. Perhaps the saddest part of all is that these brain, dead poor excuses of protoplasm have the right to vote. Ughhhhhh

Thank you for sharing this aritcle. I needed it toay. I have type II and I have lost 31 lbs. but have slowed down lately my weight loss and I am still on insulin. I am going to a heart specialist today because I have a heart murmur so your article was encouraging.

I am one too although I just gained 5 lbs. so at that rate I may move up group.

Oh Crazycat, that was too funny. When I read the title I thought "multi-tasking easier?? You got to be kidding so when I read your response I laughed.

I suppose everyone has different symptoms. I was hot all the time!! I had four fans in my classroom. I did that so I wouldn't freeze the kids. During the winter I still used the fans and could only wear light blouses. It was awful. My periods got farther apart and then left all together. I do not remember having cramps but still feel I have a touch of PMS. About once a month I have a few days of depression. This is the first winter I have felt the cold in a long time. I do not know if it is the 31 lb. weight loss or coming out of menopause but it sure it nice. Hang on. It will go away.

I am craving sweets real bad. I did not do this for the first 3 months after surgery. My blood sugar has been high lately and I suppose that is why. A 31 lb. weight loss has not dropped by need for insulin yet. I am disappointed in that. Can anyone share similar experiences with me or people with knowledge of high glucose?

I have read where many people are struglling and so am I. I have lost 31 lbs. in 4 months. 18 the first two weeks. I just gained 3 back. My biggest fear is to get another fill. I have read where people cannot swallow their own spit, threw up constantly, couldn't sleep and the sound of that scares me. My doctor does blind fills. I have had 3 fills so far and I know I am not restricted. I can still eat more than a sandwich, I can swallow 6 pills at a time and I can drink several swallows of liquid at one time and it flows well. I was going to continue this way as long as I lost but wonder if I am making it harder on myself. I have heard the sweet spot makes it easier. So far I can eat anything and as much as I want. I do stop before I overeat partly because I am satisfied but I have always been able to eat more than I should. I can eat a full tray at school. My question is: Is there really a sweet spot? How do you get it? Will another fill help me?

Another thought. Once a doctor has done hundreds of bands I do not think it matters who taught him. Research the doctor you are thinking about. Experience does not always mean good.

I had mine in the US and I was self pay. I would not have gone to Mexico for reasons of possible complications. That is the main reason. One of the good things about using my doctor is that I have free fills for 18 months and support groups every month. If you choose Mexico you should consider adding up the costs of the fills and adding that to your cost of the surgery. You may not save as much as you thought. If your US cost is going to be about the same after your insurance pays I would consider all the after surgery appointments, research doctors and choose a good one in the US.

Illegal Aliens are entering our country at a rapid rate. How do you feel about this and what should be done?

I did not realize this topic had been discussed. Sorry. Thanks Wheetsin. I went to the pages and read.

No, the question should be why are we allowing them to enter our country illegally? Why are they receiving free medical care when I have to work to pay for mine and it is not cheap. Why are they breaking the law by entering and what other laws are they willing to break? Why are they entering our schools at a rapid rate and cannot speak English? The teachers are now taking their teaching time away from your children in order to prepare them for the state tests. Why are they getting free lunches when I had to pay for my children. Why are they getting free schools supplies and mostly why are some of protesting against the United States and carrying their own flag? I keep hearing they work so cheap and are willing to do jobs our citizens are not willing to do yet housing here in my city is not any cheaper if Mexicans do a lot of the labor compared to one that they are not. Am I the only one bothered by this behavior? I don't care if it takes 6 years to get in this country do it legally!

April, how cool is this to be in Conway too? Do you work in Conway? What part are you in. I am in the Southwest part. I am excited for you. Tell me all about you. When you may get surgery too. I think most doctors that do lapbands are fine.

Crazycat, I know just how you feel. My head does not feel 55. I still have wants and thoughts that I have had all my adult life so when I see wrinkles or bags for a minute I am aware of my age. Also when the following happens: When I call someone that is 36 young, when young people cut me off in the middle of my sentence because they are clearly not interested in what an old person has to say, when my 3rd graders tell me I look like their grandma, when parents ask me if I am going to retire soon, and when the waitress at Kentucky Fried Chicken asked me if I wanted the senior discount.....All of these make me aware I must not look 30 anymore. It feels kind of strange but as they say, consider the alternative.

I am on my fourth day of bad nausea that comes and goes. I have gone to the bathroom numerous times to gag, wretch,but nothing comes. I have gas and mild feelings of diarrhea. A persistent pain in my back on the left side. Now, the strange part is that when I lay down the nausea goes away. I go my regular doctor and she is out for the day so I see her partner. I tell his nurse all of the above. He comes in and says rather snotty you were just here Friday. I wish I would of said, yeah and your point is. But instead I said yes for a regular routine checkup. He then says well how long have you had these symtoms, 2-3 days? I said 4. He says well I can't diagnose you on just 4 days of these symtoms. And I can't explain why it goes away when you lay down. I am not going to run any tests or scans because you have felt nausea for 4 days. So he sent me home with Nexium. I think what bothers me the most about all this is how he made me feel. I did not want to go to the doctor but have hated missing work and felt I needed to do something to find out what it was. I do not go to the doctor often at all. I have taken off work 2 full day and two days early. I cannot continue to do that. Have any of you ever had some of these symtoms?

Thanks, I will do that. I think finding a good doc is very hard!!

My rings were getting loose also. One way to take care of that is go to Wal-Mart and they have plastic little things that can be put on the band of your ring to make it smaller. Ask the jewelry department. Next, I went to a jewelry store because I was going to go ahead and have it taken down in size. She told me they could put a metal piece inside the band for the cost of six dollars. Both worked great but I prefer the metal band.