From: Bancroft, Bev <bev.bancroft@...>
Subject: [ptc] Re:diabetes & glaucoma
To: "'ptc@yahoogroups.com'" <ptc@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Monday, June 1, 2009, 2:46 AM

Hi Janine,

I have had PTC for 10 years now, and I have a LP shunt since 2000 which is *touch wood* still working.

Two years ago I found myself experiencing all the classic signs of diabetes : excessive thirst, frequent urination, etc etc : and I went to the lab and had myself tested. Sure enough it was Diabetes. I was very quickly put onto Insulin ( I had tried the Glucophage a couple of years back for insulin-resistance and found that I couldn’t tolerate it ) and within two or three months, the sugar levels dropped, and everything returned to normal.

I am still on Insulin – I take 15u of Levemir in the mornings, and 18u or Humulin N at night.

 

Vision-wise I never noticed blurredness, but for the first two months – until the blood-glucose stabilized – my eyesight actually IMPROVED a whole lot – to the extent that I was seeing better without my glasses!! – but then as the blood-sugar stabilized, so my vision returned to previous levels….

 

The eyesight problems associated with Diabetes are primarily those of what is known as Diabetic Rentinopathy – basically where blood starts clotting in the tiny capillaries of the retina. Most Opthamologists see these sort of cases on a daily basis, so our regular checkups for optic-nerve swelling will usually check for this condition as well now….

Which reminds me – I am due for a checkup……..;-))

 

Please let me know how you are, and keep in touch!!

 

Huge hugs

Bev B

South Africa

 

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From: Bancroft, Bev <bev.bancroft@...>
Subject: [ptc] Re: diabetes & glaucoma
To: "'ptc@yahoogroups.com'" <ptc@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Tuesday, June 2, 2009, 5:41 AM

Hi Again Janine,

 

A fasting level of 140 is not too serious – it *is* a bit on the high side, but nothing to panic about. It is probably a case of Insulin Resistance or Syndrome X ( which is very common among us PTC’ers for some reason…. ).. The only way to definitely diagnose Diabetes is with what is called an HbA1C blood test – this tests for the AVERAGE blood-sugar levels of the last three months – and not just one or two isolated results..

 

What you can try and do in the meantime would be to try and reduce the amount of carbohydrates in your diet – or even try and reduce the GI of the carbs you do eat – and see if that makes a difference in the blood-sugar readings.

We’re all different ( as Diabetics ) in what our bodies react to, but on the whole, we all benefit from reduced carbohydrates and a LOW GI ( Glyceamic Index ) diet.

 

Oh yes – another thing to bear in mind – STRESS is KNOWN to increase the blood-sugar levels in the body. I know that when I’m preparing for a holiday, I get super-stressed, and my blood-sugar levels go crazy for a while….

I know it’s not easy, but try and take a breather in your preparations, and see if that helps at all….

 

OOOH – I’m so jealous!!!!! I want to go to Disney World tooo!!!!! BOOO HOOO

 

Huge hugs from a chilly, Wintry day in Sunny South Africa

 

Bev B

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The e-mail and attachments are confidential and intended only for selected recipients. If you have received it in error, you may not in any way disclose or rely on the contents. You may not keep, copy or distribute the e-mail. Should you receive it, immediately notify the sender of the error and delete the e-mail.Also note that this form of communication is not secure, it can be intercepted, and may not necessarily be free of errors and viruses in spite of reasonable efforts to secure this medium.

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