[gregtheswiss]

I'll probably always remember my diagnosis date: 9/11, well not 2001 - just eight years later, 2009, that is. Retrospectively, I recognize there might have been clues to diabetes for some time. I don't want to attribute everything to diabetes. Yet, doctors could have seen more, probably, after some of my liver values have been unusually high some 10 years ago. At the time, I was told to reduce certian food and avoid living like god in France (a metaphor actually used by my Swiss doctor, as I used to live in France at the time ;-) Well, some years ago I started to develop funny sensations in my fingers and arms. I attributed that to poor ergonomics at work. In summer of 2009 it got worse and "radiated" to toes and lower leg. I was worried - especially after my dad developed a post surgical heart attack and was diagnosed severe arteriosclerosis. So I definitively wanted to check what was causing these sensations. Bad blood circulation or some sort of neuropathy - or whatever. Since my weight went from 200 lbs (90kg) to 165 lbs (75kg) in about noine months my doctor though it could be a lack of vitamin due to reduced intake. I thought I attemted to substitute food with water as I really wanted to lose weight badly. 200 lbs was that alarming level to me. And I was happy to eventually lose weight after many unseccessful years. Everything as planned - I thought. Well, 30 minutes after my visit to the doctor I got a call from tehm asking when the same day I could see them again. My glucose level was around 25 mmol/l (I guess that is 450 mg/dl). And I got basal insuling, low dose (6 units per day) in the beginning, increased by 50% a few days later and doubled from that by my endocrynologist a few weeks later. Besides these 18 units of Lantus, I got Humalog, typically another 18 units a day, depending on glucose level before meals and on carbs before snacks.

The good thing about having been diagnosed diabetes and thus injecting insulin is that my energy came back. I did not a single time fall asleep in the afternoon on my office chair anymore. Which is something I attributed to poor sleeping quality or simply not enough sleeping. My "dead" weekends are gone, too. Typically, I spent most of my weekends on the couch - sleeping most of the time or without energy to do anything. So I am very happy to have found the cause of that and enjoy again a more active life.

Overall, I consider quality of life much better despite the three to four typical glucose measurements and at least four injections. Neither blood sampling not injection usually cause pain (unless I am stupid enough to dial the stinger to go as deep as the device allows or I hit a blood vessel or nerve with the injection needle (31 gauge)).

In the beginning, I did not know I could inject through my clothes on and I did go away from the table in restaurants to perform my duty. Meanwhile, with the acquired routine, this is going much quicker and almost invisible for people who do not know what I am doing. Goes unnoticed most of the time. So, anotehr piece of normality conquered back ;-)

A thought I had in the beginning: Am I now permanently ill? Or is it mor eof a disability? Technically it is a "medical condition", which is why health insurance in this country pays for everything. So that is a good thing. On the other hand, my doctor explained, insulin is not strictly a drug - it is a hormone, something more or less natural and there shouldn't be side effects. I'm reassured ;-)

I found glucose buddy pretty soon after my diagnosis. And I stuck with it for it's unbeatable price, functionality and usability (which was temporarily impaired in one update since). I am convinced of it's value despite the low price (there is a saying that things things without a price don't have a value - though, I prefer to think of it as priceless). I am convinced and I would like to promote its usage on this continent. One way of doing would be by translating (I can help for German, French, and possibly Italian). Another way is by mentioning on respective forums. Glucose buddy was completely unknown to my doctor. The website should allow doctor access, i.e. to allow a GB user to open his/her data to their doctor, one registered on the system. This might cause some concern about data privacy, which are certainly not unresolvable. My doctor would like to see some enhancements e.g. in the graphical representaion and readability.

[dano]

Greg;

Welcome to the Forum!

Your write up was an interesting read and well said. Thanks!