Category: Diabetes

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I received an important package via FedEx on Monday: my Medtronic 670G insulin pump kit. For any non-Diabetics who may not be in the know, an insulin pump is a prescribed, electronic device that holds insulin and delivers it automatically based on your requirements and how many carbohydrates you consume.

There are a number of different brands, models and types, depending on what you’re looking for. Some are pretty straightforward and simply delivers the insulin based on simple calculation. Others have an additional feature called CGM, or Continuous Glucose Monitoring. This allows the user to have their pump track their blood sugar trends on a minute-to-minute basis and the pump makes adjustments accordingly.

There are many benefits to this new pump system. The included CGM system checks interstitial blood sugars every five minutes and makes adjustments accordingly. According to new math, that’s 288 time a day! Even with the FreeStyle Libre, I still can’t test that frequently. This allows for better overall control and time in range. The pump has the ability to automatically deliver insulin if your blood sugars are starting to rise, and can halt the delivery of insulin should they begin to drop.

The pump is said to be waterproof up to 12 feet of depth, although the manufacturers still recommend removing it before swimming. The pump uses fast-acting insulin (in my case, Humalog) and eliminates the need for long-acting insulin, acting much more like the pancreas would.

Although it’s hard to tell from the photo, the new pump is all shiny and it feels like opening up a new smart phone. There’s a backlit LED screen and a belt clip that attaches directly to the pump as opposed to simply clipping onto the body of the pump.

I have a lot of “homework” to do before I can begin reaping the benefits of this device. There are a number of manuals to read through, some online videos and learning to complete and then I have two sessions with a certified pump trainer before going on automatic mode and letting the pump take control. However, considering this pump has been out for a number of years in the U.S., it’s well known for helping you to maintain an increased amount of time “in range”. I’m looking forward to taking full advantage of this system in the weeks to come. ☯

Anyone who has done even a minute amount of research into the history of Diabetes is aware that insulin was first discovered in 1921. What some, if not most people are not aware, is that it was first used on a dog called Marjorie in that same year. Marjorie had been diagnosed with Diabetes and had her pancreas removed. It was found that she could survive by receiving daily insulin injections. This discovery led to it being administered to the first human recipient in January of 1922. The rest is history.

There are many animals that can contract Diabetes. For the most part, the reason behind their getting it is similar if not identical to how humans get it. These animals include, but are not limited to dogs, cats, apes, pigs, horses, the occasional cow and some rodents.

For the more “popular” household pets, such as dogs or cats, a diagnoses of Diabetes can mean many of the same effects and complications as a human who has Diabetes. Organ and vision problems, obesity and circulatory issues are prominent in pets with Diabetes. For this reason, it’s important to maintain a good exercise regiment for your pets and feed them a veterinary-approved food that will help control their weight and blood glucose levels.

Administering insulin to your pet can be difficult and even intimidating. But once you’ve gained the knack for it, your pet will certainly be appreciative (Unless it’s a cat! They’ll make your life a living hell for the audacity of giving them an injection) Your pet’s vet should be prescribing the insulin that will best suit your pet and provide instruction on its proper administration. That being said, there are tons of instructional videos online that will show you how.

The interesting challenge when dealing with Diabetes in pets, is that they are mostly unable to explain what symptoms they may be feeling or what may be ailing them. This is why it’s important to learn and recognize some of the physical signs that things may not be going well for your pet and how to deal with them.

For most households, their pet is part of the family. So while the treatment of Diabetes and the administering of insulin in pets may seem daunting, one needs to consider that you would do no less for one of your children. Educate yourself, obtain the necessary medications and learn how to provide for your pet. Even though they may not be able to express it verbally, you can believe that they’ll be grateful. 🐶

There are currently more than 12.5 million Canadians with some form of Diabetes at this very moment. Although I wasn’t able to find a source link, this information can be found on Statistics Canada’s website. Given that large number, this means that roughly one out of every three Canadians have some form of Diabetes or pre-Diabetes, with more being diagnosed every day.

One of my biggest pet peeve is hearing or reading about someone with Diabetes who ignores their condition. Although denial is a common and almost expected reaction for some people, there’s enough information and literature out there that no one should just roll over and let this condition take them. But even now, I often hear of people with Diabetes developing serious and severe complication and even dying.

The light knows that I’ve often written about the complications associated with Diabetes. And although I’ve usually focused on Type-1 (because that’s what I have), the complications are usually shared across the board. The reality is that untreated or undiagnosed Diabetes can easily and quickly become fatal.

The most common complications you hear about involve the nervous system, heart, eyes, kidneys and digestive system. Believe it or not, you can even gain complications related to your teeth and gums. Even the strictest control won’t prevent some of the symptoms or complications one can get, making it all the more important to keep a tight reign on your condition in order to mitigate them.

Limb amputation is a common thing you hear about in people with Diabetes. This is because poorly controlled Diabetes will cause blood vessel or nerve damage, leading to the death of certain extremities. Toe and foot amputation is generally the result

Eye and vision issues are also very common, and often for the same reasons when one considers Diabetic Retinopathy. Other issues include, but are not limited to Glaucoma, Cataracts and Diabetic Macular Edema.

Believe it or not, your teeth can even cause issues. Gums and teeth in someone with Diabetes will have a greater tendency towards sensitivity and bleeding, which can lead to increased chance of infection and complications.

Uncontrolled blood pressure and glucose levels will cause damage to the kidneys, ultimately leading to kidney failure. Your cardiac system is twice as likely to suffer complications as someone without Diabetes. Your blood sugar levels are what can cause the most symptoms, complications and issues. Extreme high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia) can lead to the advent of all these complications and can also put you in a coma, if left unchecked. The same can be said of extreme low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). Once your blood sugar levels drop below a certain level, unconsciousness is almost a sure thing. If you’re unfortunate enough to live alone or not be woken by your drop in blood, death is usually the result.

It’s not all bad news! Although I often write about complications, this is mostly for awareness and to hopefully PREVENT such issues. I often feel that some people simply become overwhelmed by their condition and give up. Some people are just lazy and don’t want to take themselves in hand. But the reality is that the changes required to prevent and repair some of these complications are pretty simple and easy. Eating a healthy diet, testing your blood sugar often and exercising regularly is a big start. Avoiding things such as smoking, drinking alcohol and gaining excess weight will also go a long way towards helping. The bottom line is that there is no excuse for allowing Diabetes to control your fate. Only you can do that. ☯

I think we can all agree that pregnancy can be a wondrous thing. Although I can sympathize but not relate, there’s a certain magic behind knowing that you have a little version of yourself on the way; buying baby clothes, setting up a nursery and trying to explain to your 5-year old why he won’t be the sole child in the house are all challenges that can be as much fun as they can be stressful.

Pregnancy carries its own batch of potential complications, and the light knows that my family has experienced a good number of them through the births of both my sons. Having either of my children contract Type-1 Diabetes has always been a concern of mine, given that I have Type-1 myself. But ladies, you have a Diabetic concern all your own to worry about while carrying around your little bambino for nine months. I’m talking Gestational Diabetes…

I’ve covered the different types of Diabetes in previous posts, but this one is more common than most people think. Gestational Diabetes, or Maternal Diabetes as it is sometimes referred to, is a condition in which the body does not allow insulin to be processed properly during pregnancy. According to a post by WebMD, “During pregnancy, your placenta makes hormones that cause glucose to build up in your blood. Usually, your pancreas can send out enough insulin to handle it. But if your body can’t make enough insulin like it should, your blood sugars rise, and you get Gestational Diabetes.” (https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/gestational-diabetes)

As though there isn’t enough to worry about during pregnancy! One of the big issues with Gestational Diabetes is the fact that the symptoms often aren’t noticed or are attributed to the pregnancy and ignored. This can obviously be a big problem and can pose a risk for mom and baby.

So how common is it? Well, the best I could find was on the Government of Canada website, Canada.ca, which provided that approximately 54.5% of women in 1,000 pregnancies developed Gestational Diabetes between 2004 to 2011. This is an incomplete number, since the Province of Quebec does not contribute to the pertinent database required for a total National average. That being said, the percentages vary from Province to Province and Territory. This is likely due to differences in Provincial Health Care, environment and available resources. (https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/maternal-diabetes-canada.html)

Depending on the circumstances, Gestational Diabetes has two sub-types: one where it can be treated with diet and exercise and the second, which will require insulin injections or medications. Screening for this condition is usually done by your doctor once you’ve reached certain points n your pregnancy, but don’t be afraid to ask your doctor about it. Even if it isn’t time to test for it, they should be able to put your mind at ease.

Prevention involves the same golden toolbox that just about everything else does. Exercise (yes, even during your pregnancy), eat a healthy diet and make certain that you’re getting the pre-natal care you require. Exercise should be moderate at most and your doctor will be able to recommend/refer you accordingly. Ultimately, it’s just one more way that Diabetes affects the lives of many people and is one more hiccup in an otherwise happy experience. When the time comes to tell your child, “Do you know what I had to go through to have you?” hopefully Gestational Diabetes isn’t on the list! ☯

Obesity is fast-becoming one of the biggest problems in North America. According to a report written by Stats Canada, “In 2018, 26.8% of Canadians 18 and older (roughly 7.3 million adults) reported height and weight that classified them as obese. Another 9.9 million adults (36.3%) were classified as overweight – bringing the total population with increased health risks due to excess weight to 63.1% in 2018.” That’s a pretty horrible statistic! That means that more than half and almost three quarters of the Canadian population falls under a category associated with obesity. Scary.

There are some obvious problems and exceptions with this total, however. As I’ve written about before, the first problem is with a tool known as BMI. BMI, or Body Mass Index, takes a person’s weight and divides it by the square of the person’s height. Unless assessed by a health professional, the readings can provide a false shadow on an otherwise healthy person.

For example, I happen to have a BMI of 32.1, which falls under the obese category. Anyone who has ever seen me in person could definitely confirm that I am not obese! BMI fails to take body mass, age, muscle and pregnancy or bodily changes. This means that if you visit Dr. Google for your BMI calculations, you’ll likely starve yourself into depression thinking that you’re obese!

The reason I bring up obesity is because I read a post by a fellow blogger who discussed this very thing. I took note of the fact that he wrote that obesity can be a cause of Type-2 Diabetes and I sincerely appreciated the fact that he took the time to make the discernation. Especially since obesity DOES NOT cause Type-1 Diabetes. You hear that, world? OBESITY DOES NOT CAUSE TYPE-1 DIABETES!!!! (Takes deep, calming breaths…)

Just to clarify, even if I’ve done so multiple times before, Type-1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body destroys the insulin-producing cells in one’s body, preventing the processing of glucose. It can have a genetic component and has often been referred to as “Juvenile Diabetes” due to the fact that most sufferers are diagnosed quite early in life. That being said, it is possible for a person to contract Type-1 Diabetes much later in life. My father is an example of this.

Type-2 Diabetes is essentially an increased form of insulin resistance where the body still produces insulin, but the body is either “less” able to use it or unable to do so. Obesity has been directly linked as a factor behind this insulin resistance, which is why people so readily associated obesity with Diabetes.

Although there have been some studies related to wether or not obesity has any effect on someone with Type-1, it’s almost the opposite for the two types… Type-1 Diabetes can LEAD to obesity, of a number of different reasons. Obesity is one of the direct causes of Type-2 Diabetes. Make sense?

One of my biggest pet-peeves is how many times I’ve told someone I have Diabetes, only to have them look me up and down and say, “But you’re not fat!” One does not necessarily have anything to do with the other. It’s important to make the discernation between the two types and use them correctly.

Last but not least, here’s the page to Stats Canada and WebMD, if anyone wants to check them out ☯:

• https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-625-x/2019001/article/00005-eng.pdf
• https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20030926/obesity-linked-to-type-1-diabetes#1