I have spent a lot of time on the computer doing research and filling out information forms to even get to talk to someone about health insurance. While there are many companies out there I am finding high deductibles and high prices per month. I’m not too concerned about co-pays, but I do need to have a decent health insurance that will cover doctor visits, medications, lab work, and testing supplies.

In talking with the office staff at my primary doctor I learned the one company I had hoped to get insurance from was one she never heard of. Now I realize my doctor takes many different insurances, but having one that was never heard of rather unnerved me. I am not about to get involved with a company that could be a fly by night operation.

Calling my doctors’ offices will be my next move. Perhaps one of them can give me some insight as to what companies will be available. I am especially going to contact my endocrinologist as that one might give me a better idea of what health insurance companies will cover me with the diabetes.

I find it very frustrating to not be able to pick and choose like other people can. Having diabetes is bad enough, but to have someone tell me no when it comes to maintaining health insurance is disheartening. When I do find a company that will help me secure insurance I will be sure to let my readers know.

Neuropathy can cause people with diabetes to no longer having feeling the their feet and hands, which can be a huge problem if they suffer a wound or infection. This can lead to amputation of the feet and hands. Diabetic Neuropathy is the second leading cause of amputation.

More testing is needed, but if this is doing so well in mice we may soon see this drug on the market. This is a plus for diabetics.

The 3 part starter kit is the best way to begin. There are 8 different systems all designed to help the type of hair you have. Fine, thin looking hair to chemically altered hair to coarse hair. There are also other products such as scalp renewal, styling, control, and volume.

There are many reasons why you can have hair loss. Acne, seborrhea, genetics, for women a hormonal imbalance, stress and trauma, medication, diet, health concerns, nutrition, and environmental factors. There is no alcohol, formaldehyde or lanolin in the Nioxin products. There is a very pleasant peppermint smell that lingers after your hair has dried.

Check out the website Nioxin System 2 Starter Kit to get yourself started. You should be very happy with the results. We are well pleased with this product and give it ***** ratings.

HDL is the “good” cholesterol. This is a high density lipoprotein because it brings leftover cholesterol in the bloodstream back to the liver to be broken down.

LDL is the “bad” cholesterol. A low density lipoprotein it causes a buildup called plaque along the linings of the arteries. This gradual buildup is called atherosclerosis. This plaque narrows the artery openings and causes a reduced amount of blood to flow.

TRIGS or triglycerides travel in various lipoprotiens. Excess calories, alcohol, and sugar in the body are converted into trigs and stored in fat cells. Excess belly fat is associated with trigs. ‘

Total cholesterol levels under 200 are good unless you have a high LDL and a low HDL. Blood tests your doctor orders will determine what your levels are. Medications can be given to help regulate your system. It’s very important for diabetics to have their cholesterol levels under control. Dangers are heart attack and stroke. Quitting smoking can lower your LDL and raise your HDL, which is good.

Day 1- I was really “out of it” due to the pain medication given. I could barely move, but my stomach wasn’t giving in to the pain, so the vomiting continued off and on. I thought there was nothing left to vomit, but I was wrong. I spent this day mainly in pain along with the vomiting. I had an ultrasound done to determine why this was going on.

Day 2- I learned the ultrasound didn’t show anything that might be causing me to have the pain in my side. So frustrating! I want to know why the pain and what can we do about it. In all this time I was on IV, no food or drink allowed in case they had to operate on me.

Day 3- I learned the blood test done on Day 1 showed nothing new, but the previous pancreatitis was now gone. That was good news, but I still have that nagging pain. It’s a good thing I have some wonderful, caring nurses. I know it’s their job, but they are very concerned for me and expressed it. I was told the doctor in charge of my case, the one who had me admitted, wasn’t happy about not finding the cause of the pain.  She seems to think I am a mystery. Just letting my stomach “relax” and still nothing to eat or drink.

Day 4-I have lost count of how many bags of IV I’ve had. I’m more concerned today about the blood sugar levels I’ve been having, mainly due to the IV which doesn’t come in a sugar free choice. There is 4mg per bag going into my blood system, resulting in high blood glucose levels, none of which have been under 235 since I came into the hospital. The IV connection which was put into my hand on Sunday evening had to be changed today (after 3 days they fear the area will become infected, so it’s a standard rule to change it). The nurse who came to redo the IV connection had a problem with my veins. Seems they are small, but she finally managed to get the connection in place. Now the doctor is talking about possible shingles. Since I did have chickenpox as a child the disease can lie dormant in the body until a time when it may suddenly occur. My back and stomach area were checked for the rash, nothing was found. I was told shingles can take weeks to months to appear. It will be itchy. The endoscopy was done today. Nothing abnormal was found. Another test and no answers! By now I am more than frustrated. I am totally stressed out about this. My blood pressure and blood sugar are elevated.The blood pressure levels are over 250 most of the time. The blood sugar levels are still in the same range as the blood pressure. I know this means there is something wrong with my body and I certainly wish the doctors would find what it is.

Day 5- Today I had a test in nuclear medicine, one that should show if my gall bladder is working correctly. The other tests I had on this area only showed the exterior. This test will show the interior and if the gall bladder is correctly working. I get there and learn the test takes 1 1/2 hours. Getting on the metal table my back began to ache again. The first hour I was injected with a radio active matter that basically made my organs glow, like being a human glow worm. The second part a medication was injected to make the gall bladder contract to see if it was working properly. When it came time to get up off the table, I felt like I was paralyzed and couldn’t move. The nurse helped me up, but when she did I heard something pop in my lower back. When I mentioned this to the head nurse on the floor where I was staying she reported it. So, another x-ray to make sure I didn’t do something really bad to my back. That test showed stretched ligaments, so I was taking pain medication for that and having warm compresses on my lower back.The IV is taken away. A victory for me, but the blood sugar levels are still high.

Day 6- The surgeon came in to let me know I wouldn’t need surgery. All the functions the gall bladder was doing were just fine. He felt my problem would be shingles, but still there is no rash. I am also very stressed out. HA! Of course! Wouldn’t you be stressed having someone poke around your body, taking test after test and still no valid answer? Letting me go home today. Great! It’s been almost a week without a shower, taking only baths with a washcloth doesn’t help me feel better. I call Alex to pick me up at 2. Can’t wait to go home. The frustration of this week has gotten to me. I cry, wanting to hit something. There are two things I learned while in the hospital this week- my organs are all functioning properly and I lost 8 lbs. But after I come home, the pain in my back is still there. I came home feeling worse than when I went in, being in more pain now. I can’t sit or stand for very long with my back beginning to feel the deep pain. Plus I still have the pain left side near my kidney.

First day home- my blood pressure came down to a more normal level, but the blood sugar level is still in the upper 200s. I hope it will go down now that I am on my normal medication for diabetes. I am very weak and tired today. Plus the back pain is still there, no matter what I do.

Second day home- Tired, weak feeling along with the back ache. It hurts to sit, hurts to lay down, hurts to walk. I need to check in with my family doctor. I am just not sure what came be done, but the heating pad helps a bit. All in all, the stay in the hospital was frustrating. The bright spot was the nursing staff who all were so wonderful  to me and concerned, the ones who listened when I complained, who held my hand and told me it will get better, and sympathsized with me about the possibility of shingles.

Kelli A. Sullivan, Ph.D., was quoted as saying, “In our study, elevated triglycerides were the most accurate at predicting nerve fiber loss, compared to all other measures.” She is co-first author of the study and an assistant research professor in neurology at the U-M Medical School.

Neuropathy is a condition in which nerves are damaged or lost with resulting numbness, tingling and pain, often it the hands, arms, legs and feet. Worsening neuropathy is more likely over a period of one year if the patient also has high triglycerides. Higher levels of other fats in the blood or of blood glucose did not turn out to be significant. Patients can reduce blood triglyceride levels using the same measures that reduce cholesterol levels. These are avoiding harmful fats in the diet and exercising regularly.

Neuropathy affects about 60% of the 23 million people in the U.S. who have diabetes. It’s a complication for both Type 1 and Type 2. The condition in the past has only come to light when patients complain of the tingling or pain in their extremities.

Url: http:/www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/1506601php

A type of fat found in the body, triglycerides are a major source of energy and are the most common type of fat in your body. No matter what you eat these things are the leftovers of fat cells stored to be used later if needed. If you eat more calories than you burn up, you can have a higher count of triglycerides in your body. Normal amounts of them are important to good health. High triglycerides are a part of the group of conditions called metabolic syndrome which can increase the risk of heart disease.

If there was a way to flush them out, believe me, I would be doing that right now. Instead I will have to do something that makes me shudder…diet. A normal triglyceride level is between 100 and 150. High levels are over 200. At the time of my hospital stay, my level was 295, something to be very concerned about. So I did even more research to discover what causes high triglyceride levels. Obesity, poorly controlled diabetes, under-active thyroid, kidney disease, regularly eating more calories than you burn, and drinking lots of alcohol. So, I do admit to being overweight (although not too bad), not controlling my diabetes like I should, and eating more calories than I can burn. I don’t exercise like I should. There are also some medications that can contribute to higher triglycerides: Tamoxifen, steroids, beta-blockers, diuretics (water pills), estrogen, and birth control pills.

In some rare cases high triglycerides may develop an inflammation in the pancreas (pancreatitis). This can cause sudden severe abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and fever. While I did end up having pancreatitis, the only symptoms I had were the abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Wasn’t any fun, believe me. So, I will be trying to lower the levels of the triglycerides in my body. First and foremost is another blood test to determine the level now. Being ill can raise levels of blood sugars, blood pressure and triglycerides. For a diabetic getting sick can be more hazardous than a person without diabetes. It’s best to discuss these things with your doctor and plan a “sick” time routine. While I admit that I have been a bit careless with my diabetes and lack of exercise, I know now that I did not do myself any favors. I will be following up with my doctor to see what more I can do to help myself. Why? Because I am the only ME I have and I want to live a long time yet.

This makes me wonder how long Januvia was under scrutiny. Does the public not have a right to know these things? I got this information from a diabetes forum that I belong to. Surprisingly, I did not hear about this on the news on TV. I would have thought this would be something that would be a huge news story. Dare we risk our health with a new drug each time one comes out? I don’t use this medication because I can’t afford it, even with insurance. It’s just too expensive. I do hope people who are using Januvia will take heed and question their doctor about this medication. Do not stop taking it until your doctor approves you to do so.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts inform us that tea and red wine may help regulate blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Both contain natural antioxidants that help slow the passage of glucose through the small intestine, eventually getting into the bloodstream and preventing spikes in blood sugar levels.

There is a vaccine that has prevented and reversed type 1 diabetes in mice. It’s scheduled to begin testing on human subjects by the end of next year. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine are cautious about this as they are not sure this vaccine will work on humans as well as it did on mice. However, they are excited by the results so far.

There is a link between midlife development of type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Doctors doing the study in Sweden suggest that abnormal insulin levels may damage blood vessels in the brain.

Blood testing one day could be replaced by a flash of light instead of the eight to twelve hour fasting and drawing blood. MedStar Research is conducting tests in Washington D.C. Called the VeraLight Scout system, fluorescent light measures the effects of high glucose levels on the forearm’s connective tissue. This takes approximately 3 minutes and won’t require fasting.