Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in 1mdj's LiveJournal:

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Saturday, February 16th, 2008
6:03 pm	Flu day 6 After yesterday, this day was a relief. Although little pain, I'm now just tired, and fighting some congestion, stuffy nose and thankfully that cough has died down enough to let my diafran heal. It doesn't hurt like it did. Been trying hard to keep my water intake up drastically so that's giving me a tiny bit of water intoxication - leaving me a bit dizzy, and unable to concentrate or focus at times. I have however figured out what is the cause of the tingle and numbness in my hands. It apparently is just nerves and muscles getting overworked in my shoulders again. Its' a problem I've dealt with before, and all I need to do is stretching exercises to get rid of the tightness. Other than that, it's been another healing day. Current Mood: sick (Comment on this)
5:58 pm	Flu day 5 This day was the worse for pain. Everything hurt! Thankfully Tylenol (325mg) helped out a lot, so I could function.   Current Mood: sick (Comment on this)
Friday, February 15th, 2008
10:54 am	flu day 4 Well, nothing major happened yesterday it seems. I actually felt better all day, and for the first time I got some good sleep going to bed at 10p. I was feeling some fatigue still. Woke today at 8a, with a BG reading of 87. WHOA!!! I immediately went off and ate to keep it level, so hopefully I'll have good readings today. Right now I'm hurting, probably need to take a couple of Tylenol (325mg) There's also a slight annoying sensation on my left hand. Slightly tingle, in the palm area. Maybe a bit of nerve damage from the 200+ and then day long high readings :\ Just have to let it heal itself I guess. I'm thinking I'm over the major problems, now just cleaning up. Note of info: I am keeping my water intake at a high level, in order to keep myself hydrated, and flushed out. It seems every time I do that when I get a cold/flu/illness, I'm over it a lot faster. Not sure if that's right, or just the placebo effect, or wishful thinking but it's a pattern. Current Mood: sick but healing (Comment on this)
Thursday, February 14th, 2008
9:51 am	flu day 3 Day 3: Feeling better, although I still feel like I've went 10 rounds with the orc, and uruk-hai armies of Mordor. After yesterday's nasty day I'm taking it easy, and eating and drinking right. If anything really severe happens. I'll write up an addendum Right now although sore from my diafram (thanks to a vicious cough), back, shoulders, head. I'm seemly in ok spirits. I did a reading of my BGs: 6:58a - 112 9:17a - 118 A bit high, but in safe range - especially after yesterday. I suspect I'm still somewhat dehydrated, but those numbers seem to indicate that I'm over the worse of it. Now I'm just recovering. More as time warrants. Current Mood: sick (1 Comment |Comment on this)
9:40 am	flu day 2 Actually this should read day 3, but I wanted to add my Day 2 info anyway. Day 2 was the worse I've had so far. Awoke at 7a, feeling sick, light headed, etc. I sort of suspected I was in a hypo reaction, since I went to bed at 11:30p with a 112 level. I thought that was safe enough so I didn't eat. Big mistake. Although I did eat at 5a as I normally do, I tried a few nuts not the protein snack since I was so fatigued. Not a smart thing. I went out to another room, and tried to eat, but the nausea was hitting me like a ton of bricks. Think you can eat during a severe hypo reaction?  I couldn't eat. Not only did things not taste right but the act of eating made me feel like I'd toss it immediate. Well sometime after that, I lost time. I suddenly felt my neck hurting and it was cause my head had rolled over to the back over the chair. Thankfully I was sitting. I'm not 100% if I fainted, or just dozed off but the way I felt, I think faint. I had to go to the bathroom too, had a bit of the diarrhea. So for the next 2 hours, I fought a dangerously low hypo (BG 45!) with too much OJ. I tried the first 8oz, started feeling better, but then it hit me again, so had another 8oz. First time I ever tried that since I became diabetic. Shot my BGs to 250! then had to spend an hour biking it down, till it stopped at 136. It wouldn't budge then, felt hungry though. Ate, and 15 minutes later, it'd crashed down to 116. - classic liver dump. BGs stayed in the 130s all day, but afterward I was just exhausted. I started drinking water all day. At least 1 16oz glass every hour, and about 8p I started urinating regularity. I really think that day one I dehydrated myself, (word of warning Use an alarm! 1 glass of water ever hour when your sick like this) then didn't eat well enough. More on day 3 Current Mood: sick (Comment on this)
Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
8:49 am	Flu day 1 Well, lucky me. I've got the flu! whooo! yeah. Felt it coming on yesterday, but today it's it. Full time. My head, shoulders and back ache, I have that light headedness, and of course, the odd tactile hypersensitivity I sometimes get. Where putting on socks, or touching things is annoying at best, and actually painful in some areas. I just got up enough to eat a bit of protein to keep my BGs under control, take some ibuprofen for the pain, and of course, type this up. We'll see how it goes. Apparently it's not a severe flu. Mother had it first, and the pain was expected, now I got fatigue, and extreme hoarseness in the throat to look forward too. But it seems to go quickly. That's what I'm counting on. More as it warrants. Current Mood: sick (Comment on this)
Sunday, February 10th, 2008
8:16 pm	Important test -021008 I've been wanting to do a full re-test of of all the foods I like, and see what they actually do to my BGs. Just got done with dinner, and biking (30 minutes afterwards) and tested my BG.  The first is after 2 days of breakfasts, the 2nd is my latest test I spoke of, above.      It looks like I can safely eat beans - that is high-fiber beans. Black, brown, kidney (My favs), and chili beans. The high fiber makes them a high glycemic type of bean. Right now I'm only trying them for breakfast, since my insulin resistance is already lower then. To help with the spike, I started putting in Kretschmer's wheat germ (toasted, not the sweetened type.) Which gives me 1g of fiber p/tablespoon, (but also 2g of BG spiking carbs too :( ) There is another type of fiber I can add, which I'll try after this bottle. The last time I checked, it was 2 days before expiring, but gives 6g of fiber per tablespoon.    I just tried Dreamfields Pasta. I tried this early on, and it raised my BG unacceptably. Now that I have my bike, I could safely test it again. Looks like - well, I think I need to do more tests. After doing the math, it raised me about 25 points in 30 minutes. But that's with 5g of 'digestible carbs' (from it's package, 1 serving), 3g carbs from the tofu, and 2g from the green beans. So this means I might be able to eat some of dreamfields pasta safely.  I still have to bike however, but I've already resigned to that fact. After biking, I was 95 - which is perfect. More tests to follow. One major reason I'm doing a re-test, is not only I've got a bike to help, in case this goes out of control (which I didn't have, when I first started) but also I need to expand my diet. My blood fats is starting to creep up, and also reading Prevention Magazine's book "The complete book of Natural and Medicinal Cures" has given me some ideas on how to improve my health. Of course, if you read this, take all in the book with a grain of salt. But the things I'm trying is things I can test, and is safe; like increasing my fiber intake. If it does lower blood fats, then I'll see it in three months. I know at least it DOES help BG spikes. Will post about my tests with Dreamfields tomorrow. I think I'll have my first pasta dish for breakfast :) (Comment on this)
Friday, November 30th, 2007
10:20 pm	Interesting revelation I finally figured out the cause of some odd things that's happened twice in the last 3 years. I at times awoke feeling sick, and chances are I'll be very dizzy, light headed. Well the last time I had such an attack, I checked my BGs and it was 72. I think that's a night-time hypo attack. I was at a friends' house on vacation, and he said several times I was 'restless' and one time I awoke exactly how I discribed above. That makes serious sense. For I know that night I went to bed eating just a chunk of cukecumber, instead of a normal small meat or protein snack. Another thing I had to learn. Isn't diabeties fun? :( (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, June 15th, 2007
9:51 am	New articles about diabeties drugs... Suddenly I got 3 articles about diabeties (T1 and T2), today. So I'll post them all here at once. Also the last one has info about diabeties wound treatments. -- Diabetes drug to get 'black box' warning in US  IT HAS taken a while, but on 6 June the US Food and Drug Administration announced the diabetes drug Avandia will soon come with a prominent "black box" warning about the risk of congestive heart failure. Experts reviewing the drug for the FDA first called for one over a year ago. Some say the delay is another example of industry versus science, with science the loser. “Some say the delay is another example of industry versus science, with science the loser” An oral drug that lowers blood sugar, GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia has been used by patients with type 2 diabetes since 1999. Concerns over possible heart-related side effects were raised by diabetes specialists in 1999, and again last year by FDA reviewer Rosemary Johann-Liang, who says the FDA ignored her proposal for a stronger warning. The FDA is investigating her claims. With drug makers pushing for speedy approvals, science is often sacrificed and reviewers' opinions stifled, says Francesca Grifo, director of the Scientific Integrity Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington DC. Legislation to boost the evaluation of drugs' safety after they go on sale is being debated in the US House of Representatives this week. From issue 2608 of New Scientist magazine, 16 June 2007, page 7 -- Sugar supplement may treat immune disease A sugar supplement may sweeten the overactive immune cells responsible for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and type 1 diabetes and stop them attacking the body's tissues. Autoimmune diseases are triggered when receptors on the outside of immune cells called T-helper 1 (Th1) cells start binding "self" antigens rather than pieces of foreign invaders. Anything that decreases the amount of binding should suppress the autoimmune response. Previous studies suggested that glucosamine, a dietary supplement commonly taken by people with osteoarthritis, has some immunosuppressive effects. This led Michael Demetriou and colleagues at the University of California, Irvine, to investigate a similar but more potent compound called N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). A large number of proteins in the body are modified by the attachment of sugar molecules to their surface through a process called glycosylation, and altered glycosylation has been implicated in some autoimmune diseases. Demetriou's team found that naturally occurring GlcNAc molecules attach to T-cell receptors and these GlcNAc "branches" form a lattice on the cell surface that prevents the receptors from clustering near where the antigens are located (see Diagram). Less clustering means less antigen binding, and less activation of Th1 cells, reducing the autoimmune reaction. Mice given oral GlcNAc supplements had twice as much GlcNAc branching on their T-cell receptors as untreated mice. The researchers also found that T-cells engineered to cause the mouse equivalent of MS failed to do so if they had been incubated in GlcNAc first. A daily oral dose of GlcNAc also prevented type 1 diabetes in mice genetically engineered to develop the disease (The Journal of Biological Chemistry, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M701890200). “T-cells engineered to cause the mouse equivalent of multiple sclerosis failed to do so if they had been incubated in GlcNAc” "I'm astounded by their outcomes," says Nick Giannoukakis, a pathologist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania. In 2002, he showed that glucosamine worked as well as standard immunosuppressants in increasing the amount of time transplanted hearts lasted in mice. However, he warns that evidence is still needed that glucosamine or GlcNAc can reverse symptoms in animals with autoimmune diseases, rather than just preventing them from occurring in the first place. There is some preliminary evidence to support this. In 2005, Abdolmohamad Rostami's team at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, showed that glucosamine can suppress MS symptoms in mice that had recently developed the disease. Meanwhile, a small study of 12 children with autoimmune inflammatory bowel disease, suggested that GlcNAc lessened symptoms in eight of them. Rostami also cautions that, as they are immunosuppressive, more research is needed to prove the safety of glucosamine and GlcNAc supplements in humans with autoimmune disease. Also, the blood-brain barrier is open in MS patients and little is known about what these compounds do in the brain, he says. From issue 2607 of New Scientist magazine, 07 June 2007, page 20 -- Bugs struck down by 'super-oxidised' water WATER washes away many things, but could it be used to kill harmful viruses, fungi and bacteria in wounds? The developers of a form of "super-oxidised" water certainly think so - and they claim it may do so more effectively than bleach, without harming human tissue. Information on the product, called Microcyn, was presented last week at Global Healthcare, a biomedical business conference in Monte Carlo, Monaco. It revealed that wounds of patients with diabetes treated with the product and an antibiotic healed within 43 days on average, compared with 55 days for patients given the standard treatment of iodine plus an antibiotic. Oxychlorine ions are the key ingredient, rapidly piercing the walls of free-living microbes and killing them. Human cells are spared because they are tightly bound together in a matrix, says Hoji Alimi, founder of Oculus, the company in Petaluma, California, that developed Microcyn. "Microcyn only kills cells it can completely surround," he says. “Oxychlorine ions are the key ingredient, rapidly piercing the walls of free-living microbes and killing them” Ordinarily, water consists of hydroxyl and hydrogen ions as well as H2O molecules. However, by exposing purified water to sodium chloride through a semi-permeable membrane and then using electrolysis, various oxychlorine ions are formed too. These kill microbes and viruses, but are present in much lower amounts than in bleach, which also contains a slightly different combination of ions, including large amounts of the highly reactive hypochlorite ion. Despite containing 300 times less hypochlorite than bleach, Microcyn killed 10 strains of bleach-resistant bacteria, according to a study by Eileen Thatcher of Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California. "It may be that other, unusual ions [that are] in Microcyn but not bleach are instantly lethal to bugs," says Thatcher. Alimi has also found a way to stabilise the ions by making them react with and regenerate each other during storage, so that the fluid remains active for up to two years. While Microcyn was officially approved in the US for cleaning wounds around two years ago, some physicians have also been using it "off label" to accelerate healing by repeatedly applying it to the wound. "When you spray it on, you see the treated tissue 'pink up' and go beefy, which is good because it means the oxygen supply has resumed," says Cheryl Bongiovanni, director of wound care at the Lake District Hospital in Lakeview, Oregon, who has used Microcyn on around 1000 diabetic patients with leg and foot wounds over the past 18 months. Official phase II trials to test the product's wound-healing potential are currently taking place in the US and Europe. "It does seem promising," says Andrew Boulton of the Manchester Royal Infirmary in the UK, who is conducting one such trial. "Hopefully it will confirm our initial good experience." Tracy Kelly of Diabetes UK says that 15 per cent of people with diabetes who develop foot ulcers eventually suffer amputations. "We would welcome any safe, effective treatment which could help hasten recovery," she says. Current Music: Kenny G - Songbird (Comment on this)
Sunday, April 22nd, 2007
1:21 pm	Day of steady I had to go to class, and I got up at the crack-ass of dawn; 5am (ug) What was surpising is that disipte only getting 6 hours of sleep, I managed to stay awake the entire class, until right afterwards, when I *crashed*. Thankfully the super was driving this time so I just slept till home. Then went to bed at 7p and slept till 9am. Also what was surpising, is that my memory, and speed of thinking was much better too. What I did, it seems is by drinking all day; the caffene free diet pepsi (the only diet drink I can drink long-term) I kept my BGs steady. Which according to doctors is one of the reasons for the crashes we get. Of course, it still kept rising; (sigh) but it seemed more steady. I've been hitting far too high on my maximum insulian resistent periods (MIP) - 125 or so lately Too dammed high. I'm getting it back under control though. I think I'm finally fully hydrated, I've started a cinnimon regiment. Found that the 1/4 teaspoon of cinnimon in yogart is really good. I could never find anything to put it in, on a daily basis. It will NOT mix with water so tea's out of the question. Anyone have any good ideas for this? If it takes about 30 days to fully kick in, then it'll be about the 15 or so of May before I can see a real result. If it does kick in, I'll use it for the MIP to cut that back. I'm also going to start eating more regularly. I've now set my alarm to ring at 12noon, 2:30p, 4:30p, 6:30p, 8:30p, and 10:30p. That is the 6x a day, plus one (10:30p) for the 'protection' of hypog, and dawn effect. What I found with drinking diet, caffene free pepsi is that it helps. Water, and tea will just go right though me. But it seems that DCF Pepsi is slower. Maybe it has to be digested, I'm not sure really. But it doesn't go though me as fast, and keeps my BGs lower, or steady. At least it's not the caffene that kept me awake :). I do need to try others. I know that A&W rootbeer, 7-up, sprite also are caffene free. But sprite when it gets hot has a 'pasty' feel to my mouth. diet cafeene free mt. dew is nearly impossible to find anywhere outside of big stores. ahhh good. This may be of help : http://www.energyfiend.com/the-caffeine-database/ JEZZZ...some are insane! One I saw had 320 mg of caffeine! That'd kill me! I know what to stay away from now :) Current Mood: accomplished (Comment on this)
Monday, April 16th, 2007
1:22 pm	ick, sick Ugly sick last night. Thought I'd get to bed early, to help with the BGs. No such luck. At 11:30p last night, I started getting the trots, and for 3.5 hours, I was running constently to the bathroom. Finally doing nothing but lots, and lots of gas. I thought I passed enough gas to go to Pittsburg (old joke.) Finally at 3am I could sleep, and slept till 11:30p. Not going to fight my BGs today, I'm sure I had a high dawn effect base, so I'd be wasting my strips. Just do better tonite. In bed at at least 11p. Tomarrow will be better, I'm setting the alarm for an 8am test. Then 9am. See which gives me the better reading. I remembered finally the 4 things that'll affect my BGs normally. (Being sick isn't normal) 1) dehydration 2) Caffene 3) carbs 4) Dawn effect base: What ever I awake with, is what the lowest my BGs will normally be at all day. Control those 4, and you'll have no problems. Ug...hate getting up early. 2) Current Mood: tired (Comment on this)
Tuesday, March 20th, 2007
1:06 pm	Successful Islet Cell Transplant Without Immunosuppressive Therapy In Mice With Type 1 Diabetes Successful Islet Cell Transplant Without Immunosuppressive Therapy In Mice With Type 1 Diabetes Science Daily — Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College may have reached a breakthrough in the search for a lasting cure for type 1 diabetes. Reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team greatly boosted the number of immune T-cells able to shield transplanted pancreatic islet cells from attack by the immune system. Insulin-producing islet cells are deficient in type 1 diabetes. "If we can replicate this in humans, we might someday do away with the lifelong use of powerful immunosuppressive drugs that patients must take after islet cell transplant -- drugs that we believe also do harm to islet cells over time," explains the study's senior author Dr. Manikkam Suthanthiran, chief of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at Weill Cornell Medical College and chief of the Department of Transplantation Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Type 1 diabetes is an inherited disorder in which the body's immune cells attack islet cells in the pancreas, reducing or eliminating the body's ability to produce the blood-sugar hormone. It is distinct from the much more common type 2 form of diabetes, where obesity and other factors cause a gradual decline in cells' sensitivity to insulin. Scientists have sought to reverse type 1 diabetes by transplanting new islet cells. The procedure has met with some success -- in fact, Dr. Suthanthiran's team at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell performed the first successful islet transplantation in the tri-state area in patients with type 1 diabetes in 2004. However, problems remain. "To stave off the destruction of transplanted cells, patients must be placed on lifelong immunosuppressive therapy," Dr. Suthanthiran explains. "Besides having powerful side effects, we're learning that these drugs can be toxic to islet cells, too." Now, an innovative biochemical manipulation of immune cells may get around that problem. Working in collaboration with researchers at The Rockefeller University, the research team focused on immune system regulatory T-cells (T regs). These cells help the immune system decide which entities are "enemies" and which are "friendly" and should be left alone. "Specifically, there are a subset of T-cells with cell-surface proteins CD4 and CD25, which are called natural regulatory T-cells," Dr. Suthanthiran explains. "These cells express a key factor called Foxp3, and the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T-cells suppress the runaway immune response to islet cells. Without Foxp3, the suppression of the islet destructive response cannot take place." Unfortunately, Foxp3-positive T-cells make up a paltry 2 to 5 percent of the total T-cell population, so they have little impact in shielding transplanted islet cells from harm. However, working with the standard mouse model for type 1 diabetes, the researchers were able to convert the much more common form of CD4+ CD25- T-cells into CD4+CD25+ T-cells that did express protective Foxp3. "We did so by a two-pronged approach," Dr. Suthanthiran says. On the one hand, the research team exposed the much more common form of CD4+ CD25- T-cells to transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-b), which helps switch the T-cell over to a Foxp3 expressing cell. But TGF-b on its own is too blunt an instrument. "If we turn all of these T-cells into random immune suppressors, that could lead to more cancers and other problems," the researcher explains. "So, we used another immune system signaler, the dendritic cell, to target Foxp3 activity much more specifically and shield only the islet cells from immune system attack." Study co-researcher Dr. Ralph Steinman of The Rockefeller University actually discovered the dendritic cell and its role in immune system signaling, and was instrumental in this research, Dr. Suthanthiran says. Dr. Steinman's group has shown that dendritic cells are highly efficient in turning on natural regulatory cells into islet protective cells. "When CD4+ CD25- T-cells came into contact with both TGF-b and the specific antigen-presenting dendritic cells, they switched over to the immunosuppressive Foxp3 variety," he says. "The dendritic cells made sure that this protective immunosuppression was targeted to islet cells, specifically." The result: successful islet transplantation in diabetic mice without any pharmacologic immunosuppression; the transplanted islet cells stayed healthy and produced insulin over the full nine weeks of the study. And there was a bonus: "We also determined that this approach shields the pancreas' own islet cells from harm," the researcher says. "That's important, because newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes patients often have some percentage of working islet cells remaining. This strategy might protect those cells, as well as the transplanted cells." According to Dr. Suthanthiran, there's no reason to believe this approach wouldn't also protect other types of transplanted cells or organs, including lung, kidney and hearts transplants. "It's also important to note that we were treating established diabetes in this mouse model," Dr. Suthanthiran says. "Most of the success so far has been in preventing disease before it sets in, but this is akin to going into a house and putting out the fire after it has already started." Of course, it remains to be seen if success in mice will translate to success in human type 1 diabetes. But Dr. Suthanthiran says he is optimistic. "We want to create a transplant situation where we don't have to deliver any outside immunosuppressive drugs," he says. "That would truly be the best kind of cure." This work was funded by the American Society of Transplantation, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Co-researchers include lead author Dr. Xunrong Luo, formerly at Weill Cornell Medical College, now at Northwestern University, Chicago; Dr. Hua Yang and Dr. Ruchuang Ding of Weill Cornell Medical College; Samantha L. Bailey and Kathryn Pothoven of Northwestern University; and Dr. Kristin V. Tarbell (co-lead author) and Dr. Ralph M. Steinman of The Rockefeller University, New York City. (Comment on this)
1:05 pm	New Biosensor Capable Of Almost Real-time Detection Of Glucose New Biosensor Capable Of Almost Real-time Detection Of Glucose Science Daily — Researchers at the University of Arkansas have fabricated and tested a novel biosensor that detects glucose close to real time and with much greater sensitivity than other comparable, biocompatible sensors. Carbon nanotube coated with platinum. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Arkansas) "To manage and control diabetes, patients must continuously monitor blood-glucose levels," said Jining Xie, research assistant professor of electrical engineering. "So they understand the importance of a device that provides rapid response." The UA sensor, designed and developed by Xie and researchers in the department of electrical engineering, is made of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, which are coated with platinum nanoparticles between 1 and 5 nanometers in diameter. The researchers tested sensors with and without the platinum nanoparticles, and discovered that the carbon nanotubes with platinum exhibited a substantially higher sensitivity than those without platinum. "At this stage of the research, we believe that the improved electro-chemical performance is due to the platinum nanoparticles," Xie said. "We are currently investigating mechanisms to optimize this performance." Conducted in the university's Nanomaterials Research Laboratory, the research was performed by Xie and Vijay Varadan, Distinguished Professor of electrical engineering. Shouyan Wang, post-doctoral fellow, and Lavanya Aryasomayajula, graduate assistant, also contributed to the project. Tests revealed that for every square centimeter tested, a typical platinum-coated nanotube-based glucose sensor had a sensitivity of around 50 micro Amps per mili mole. Micro Amps refer to levels of electrical current. In this case, mili moles are units that describe molecular concentrations of glucose. The sensitivity value of the researchers' device is among the best results reported for glucose biosensors. Xie said their goal is to further increase the sensitivity value of 52.7 micro Amps per mili mole. Equally important, the UA biosensor has a response time of 15 to 30 seconds, which renders it capable of providing glucose screenings close to real time. The researchers attributed the improved sensibility to various factors related to the application of platinum to the multi-walled nanotubes. Most importantly, the platinum nanoparticles created a larger electro-active surface area on the carbon nanotubes. Xie said the larger surface area allowed the carbon nanotubes to act as a glucose-oxidase reservoir, which helped create uniform immobilization and high loading of glucose oxides for sensing. In addition, the platinum nanoparticles enhanced electron transfer and facilitated better physical and chemical bonding between glucose oxides and carbon nanotubes. The researchers' findings were published in the February issue of Nanotechnology, an Institute of Physics Publishing journal. (Comment on this)
Thursday, March 8th, 2007
2:12 pm	Insulin -- In Need Of Some Restraint? Science Daily — Knocking out the gene for a peptide associated with insulin secretion protects mice against the harmful effects of a high-fat diet, report researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Their findings, detailed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that urocortin 3, a new peptide recently discovered in the insulin secreting cells of the pancreas, plays a role in the increased production of insulin in response to high caloric intake in animals. "Many normal mice eventually develop some signs of type 2 diabetes as they age," explains Wylie Vale, Ph.D., who conducted the study in collaboration with Kuo-Fen Lee, Ph.D., both professors in the Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology. "Interestingly, the mutant mice missing the urocortin 3 gene did not develop the age-related insulin resistance and high blood sugar we observed in the normal control mice," adds Vale. more here (Comment on this)
2:05 pm	How A Specific Fat Type Can Protect Against Weight Gain And Diabetes Science Daily — A new study from Joslin Diabetes Center may shed light on why some people can eat excessive amounts of food and not gain weight or develop type 2 diabetes, while others are more likely to develop obesity and this most common form of diabetes on any diet. The study, which used two strains of mice with differing tendencies to gain weight and develop diabetes on a high-fat diet, identified genetic and cellular mechanisms that may prevent certain mice on a calorie-dense diet from gaining weight and developing metabolic syndrome. More here (Comment on this)
Monday, November 27th, 2006
9:40 am	Panic Attacks Linked To Poor Outcomes For Diabetic Patients, Study Finds Panic Attacks Linked To Poor Outcomes For Diabetic Patients, Study Finds There is a strong link between panic episodes and increased complications from diabetes, according to a study conducted at Group Health Cooperative, a Seattle-based nonprofit health care system that coordinates care and coverage. The work appears in the November issue of General Hospital Psychiatry, The researchers surveyed patients with diabetes about their symptoms, disability, social and emotional function, and quality of life. They also collected data on the patients' blood sugar levels, diabetic complications, and other illnesses. The team had previously reported a strong link between diabetes and depression, which often goes along with panic disorders. They were interested in examining panic independently, however, to see whether patients who have panic without depression would also have poor diabetic outcomes. "Panic attacks can mimic episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), so we need a better understanding of how the two conditions are related," explained Evette Ludman, PhD, lead author of the article and a research associate at Group Health. "We don't want people adjusting their blood sugar thinking they are having hypoglycemia when their symptoms are actually caused by a panic disorder." Of the 4,385 patients surveyed, 193 reported experiencing recent episodes of panic or fear that caused them to change their immediate behavior. After accounting for the effect of depression, panic episodes were associated with higher blood sugar levels, increased diabetic complications and symptoms, greater disability, and lower self-rated health and functioning. About half of the patients with panic also reported having major depression. By contrast, only 10 percent of patients without panic episodes had major depression. Panic episodes may be a consequence of the diabetes itself, the researchers explain. Also, panic may interfere with patients' self-care and ability to follow their treatment plans. If you have diabetes and you know that anxiety is an issue for you, you should talk to your doctor about possible treatment for your anxiety," advised Ludman. And doctors should carefully assess their patients with diabetes, looking for signs of depression or panic disorders, she added. The study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. Founded in 1947, Group Health is Seattle-based, consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system that coordinates care and coverage. The Group Health Center for Health Studies conducts research related to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of major health problems. It is funded primarily through government and private research grants (Comment on this)
Thursday, October 26th, 2006
1:29 pm	Interesting findings on my last doctor's visit Well today, I got my first visit to my new Doctor, Dr. Galenstein. Here I will list what we determined: a) The acne, is probably caused by a bacterial colony that has gotten in me someway. The majority is concentrated on the hips, and groin, but a few have found on the shoulder, and back. Today I just found 2 more "cysts" starting. (I use the term 'cysts' for lack of a better term :\ He's got me on tetricycline (phone) again, and now a nasal antibotic as well. b) the cold hands problem? It apparently is: Raynaud's syndrome (google) a disorder causing discoloration of the fingers, toes, and occasionally other extremities. Not life threating, but could be a problem in the future. At least now I know what it is, and treatment options, that's cheap. (thank goodness! :) I'll be taking some new suppliments: Magnesium with taurine in the following amounts: magnesium, 200 mg. three times daily, and taurine, 250 mg. three times daily, during the cold season, if no relief after four weeks, discontinue use. Vitamin E: 400 I.U, daily Fish oils: 1,000 mg. three times daily. (I'll start the magnesium/Taurine around Monday. I'll post here when I accually start so I can keep track.) NATURAL PRESCRIPTION FOR RAYNAUD'S SYNDROME Use the warm water and arm twirling techniques described above to enhance circulation and prevent spasms. Avoid smoking, alcohol, and caffeine; all will constrict the blood vessels and promote spasm. Dress to ward off cold and perspiration. See the list of tips above. Eat hot, regular meals. Ingest adequate iron by eating fish, poultry, lean red meat, lentils, and green leafy vegetables. Do not take iron supplements unless indicated by blood testing. 3) The ears? Had him check to make sure they're doing ok. The left has a history of stopping up with wax. He said it was clear all the way to the eardrum, so the swab w/achohol is doing the job. 4) Athridus (phone) - 2 things here. After I lost all my weight, I noticed the pain was getting worse. Not dibilitating, but annoyance. He said you can take some anti-inflammatories, like advil, but I said I'm biking and that helps a lot. He then said that exercise is the best for athridus, so I'm doing the right thing. 5) Bursidis: He said probably that was what happened. That I developed a bacterial burstis from that cyst, and it's moved down into my arm. But if the pain is going away, he won't worry too much about it, just give it more time and it'll go away on it's own. Note: He was impressed at how much I lost, (100 lbs), keeping it off for 2 years, and my A1C was a 5.1. A lot of patients want bariatric surgery and such. He will perscribe it at times but prefers a lifestyle change. He asked about what I did; (low carb), and I said how it just fell off. I said also that I think that's why I developed that nasty heart infection, because I was under a termendious stressful time, and also loosing all that weight so fast too. He pretty much agreed. I'm going to get blood work done on 10/30/6, and I'll post results here. (Disclaimer) I use this log only for my personal use. Nothing here can be used to harm me in the future. It's also here, instead of my main log to keep from irritating others, adn friends who doesn't want TMI :). (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, April 17th, 2006
12:42 pm	Finally - keeping safe Well, I seriously think I finally broken the code in order to keep my BG in a safe A1C5 range. Along with 20 minutes of biking everytime I have a meal, (meaning at least 2 sessons a day), keeping hydrated to the saturation point is the other. In the last month or so, I've finally got the disiplin to keep saturated. With that point, I no longer pee constently, and I don't have the dizzy spells that come from drinking lots at one time. I keep a big resuable waterbottle around and drain it over 30 minutes or so while I'm working. I also keep up with the sodas, and tea too, but the water bottle is the step I needed. Now I need to buy a couple of new ones too. This one is a bit old, so it may start breaking soon. Also I need a spare when the other's in the dishwasher. No need to get infections from disentary or septis! (eek!) Getting to this point, is a royal pain in the ass. Lets say I'm dehyrated to the point my BGs start going into the 110s, 120s and staying there. (that's yellow pee folks.) pasty and/or dry mouth, etc. It'll take a week of intense drinking (10 - 12 16oz glasses of water a day) to end this. At the same time, I'm dizzy, and staying in the bathroom peeing. It can't be good to go like that, so I have to be careful to eat lots of foods with high iron content, and other electrolytes. Once I make it, keeping saturated takes disipline. I have to drink enough to stay that way, but thankfully that can be done. Just have to make sure I do it. So there you have it. My BGs stay in the 90s, low 100s almost daily. I'm getting a 400 strip order in soon. I'll see if I can't do a good number of tests in a day and post them here. (I don't test much, because I know how certain foods bother me anymore.) But it's good to see how it's doing once in awile. Hopefully too, before the end of this month, I can get my blood work done. I need too, before my insurance refuses to pay. :\ Current Mood: calm Current Music: Vanessa Mae ear worm (Comment on this)
Friday, April 14th, 2006
12:21 am	Brain stem cells to cure diabetes Brain stem cells to cure diabetes </td></tr><tr><td width="416" valign="top">US scientists believe they could use brain stem cells to cure diabetes. Although the work is not yet ready to be tested on human patients, results in animals have been promising, say the Stanford University researchers. They were able to coax the immature brain cells to develop into the insulin-producing islet cells that are lacking in diabetes. Eventually, these could be used for curative transplants, the scientists told the journal PLoS Medicine. Stem cells Scientists have already been looking at using stem cells taken from embryos to treat diabetes. These are primitive "master" cells that can be programmed to become many kinds of tissue. However, there have been concerns that these cells can turn cancerous, are difficult to work with in the laboratory. Dr Seung Kim and colleagues looked at whether stem cells taken from the brain might work just as well and avoid some of these issues. Dr Kim said: "When you look at islet cells you realise that they resemble neurons." In some insects, such as fruit flies, the cells that produce insulin and regulate blood sugar are also neurons.  Chemical cocktail Dr Kim's team found that when they added a cocktail of chemicals to brain stem cells, taken from aborted fetuses, the cells changed and, although they were not identical to islet cells, they were able to produce insulin in response to blood sugar levels. To find out whether these cells would work, they transplanted them into a cavity in the kidney in mice where other types of insulin-producing cells have been found to survive before. When the blood sugar went up in these mice, the transplanted "mature" brain stem cells again released insulin. Four weeks later, the cells were still alive and producing insulin and none had turned cancerous. Dr Kim said, although it was early days, the work suggested that stem cells could be used to replace islet cells and free people with type 1 diabetes daily insulin injections. Some patients have already received transplants using islet cells taken from living relatives or dead donors.  Dr Angela Wilson, director of research at Diabetes UK said: "This is an interesting result and may provide another avenue to explore in our search for a cure for diabetes. "However, the work is in the very early stages of development and has yet to be reproduced in humans.  "We'll certainly be following the progress of this research with interest." (Comment on this)
Sunday, March 5th, 2006
4:30 pm	2 entries I try to post all my medical info into this journal so I can have an easy to find log. Forgot these two from my other journal, but here they are: --- 2006-03-03 23:15:00 Boy something has got me, for I hurt. The bronc. tubes in my lungs - the top where they divide hurt like crazy, and it's hard to breath. My shoulders are absolutely killing me, and to lay down is agony as well. At least for awhile Once it's over, it's ok. It seems if the blood pressure changes, it hurts. I'm going to take some OTC pain meds to see if that helps. This is a shit-bad time for the weekend to come, for it'd be almost impossible to get to the doctor, and I definitely do not want to go to the ER unless it's all I can do. I cannot afford this again. If you can, keep me in your thoughts, for I'm hurting. -- 2006-02-27 21:46:00 The Doctor's visit I finally made an appointment with my doctor. I've been reluctant to do this, since the first time I ever made one, after getting my insurance, I got Rxed with diabetes. But this was fine. Basically I let him know of some very mild problems that's come up lately. A slight scratchiness in the air passages of my lungs, and the very slight nausea I had for a week about 2 weeks ago. He wasn't a bit concerned about them. I told him and showed him the boil problem. He said that some people are prone to either acne, or 'subacious cysts' basically the same problem. The cysts however, I think tend to get infected and are a lot worse. So he gave me a prescription I fill whenever I have an outbreak which will clear them up. It's just a pain in the arse that I have to deal with. Especially if one lands right on the ass-cheek. Making it hard to sit :) I also had a mild problem with one toe. Turns out it's probably not diabetic, or athridic but maybe just a banged toe, a 'stoe' so to speak. I asked him about the neropithy; (Nerve damage) and he said what I've experienced (bouts of numbness, in my hands and feet) isn't consistent with neropity. That would involve a painful burning, or tingle constantly. Mine probably is just mild blood circulation problems. Maybe from sitting a certain way, or having my arm in the wrong position. So I'm not too concerned about it. However, I was so fixated on some things, I forgot the anemia problem it seems. I kick myself for that, but I'll make sure it's on my list when I go see him again about my blood work. By that time however, it should be cleared up, since I'm now aware of it, I'm really eating more iron rich foods; especially spinach salads. Fresh spinach, I might add, not shiver!!!! cooked. Funny how something is so great fresh, can make one sick if it's cooked. Know what the great thing about spinach is? I can eat a pound of it, and barely get any carbs from it. While iceberg lettuce, I can only eat about 85g and get 6g of carbs. :\ What blew him away, is how well I've done. This was the first time in a year since I saw him, and he said basically that most of his diabetic patients revert back to their old ways within a year. I've actually improved in his eyes. I lost even more weight, and now stable. My A1c, (the 3 month test) should be in a 5, or LESS range. Meaning basically as long as I keep my blood glucose this low, I'll never have complications from diabetes. It's a challenge to do so, but worth it. He was blown away I was able to get my a1c so low with diet and exercise alone. Most people can't do that well. He also tends to agree with me, we caught this fast. I suspect I started about 2 or 3 years before my Rx; probably no earlier than 2000. What a way to start the new century :\ [hehehs] What surprised him too, was how I got into the a1c 5 club. I told him I do a general low-carb diet, and stick with it. He asked if I had any problems, tiredness, any problems? None. I told him that there is people on the mailing lists that have been on such since the 60s, and not have a problem. He said he'd look into this. I think I taught him something :) While I was waiting for him, I saw the A1c/average daily blood glucose chart. For my 11.7 a1c reading in Oct of 04, I would have been running around 350! Now I'm running around 90s, low 100s I think I'll easily be in the A1c of 5! When I first ran to the usenet for help, I saw the 'A1C 5 club' A set of diabetics who achieved the holy grail of 5. Meaning they're blood glucose levels are non-diabetic. Something all should hope for! I plan onto submitting my newest tests, once I get them in April to that club. It's been my goal since my RX :) It's funny, while I'm thinking of it. At times, it seems that things happen for a purpose. I got Rxed with diabetes, just a 4 years after I decided to become healthy, and do what I can to live as long as possible. Well diabetes was just the thing I needed to do that, AND to keep healthy. It's forced me to loose 100 pounds, keep it off, get my blood fats, to normal levels, and to exercise. Now I remember something too. Just months before I was Rxed, I read in a Discovery Magazine about the eskamoes diet, and their low to 0 carb diet. The have nearly a protein/fat only diet, they're perfectly healthy...so why do you need lots of carbs? Doesn't make sense, and that too was making a lot of scientist scratch their heads as well.. When I was Rxed with diabetes, I had that article still in mind, when I ran to the usenet, and yahoo groups to help me fight this problem. Both told me basically the same thing; go *low carb* because your taking in less of the poisons that was causing the problem. Diabetics can't process sugar well (or at all with T1 - insulin dependents) so why keep dumping more sugar into your body, if it does nothing but cause problems? But yet the ADA recommended nearly 300g of carbs a day. I couldn't do that even IF I wasn't a diabetic. I tried the first few weeks, and the best I could do, is about 100g tops. That was with eating pancakes, and other things I normally ate! Basically I determined, the idea you have to eat high-carb is a myth perpetuated by the food industry. Carbs is cheap, and addictive which means high profits to the food industry. What's worse, the American Diabetes Association perpetuates this myth by their high-carb, high meds/insulin plans. Although the ADA is bringing their recommendations of the a1c down from a high of 8, to 7. it's still basically too high. Soon it's estimated that an a1c of at least <6.5 will be the norm. Of course, that means even MORE medication/insulin for many. The idea you need carbs for energy too doesn't make sense. Everything you eat is converted to sugar, even protein. Carbs is faster of course. But I prefer to have a more balanced diet of protein, and carbs, with watching my fats. That I will agree with. So...why keep on a high carb diet? The only problem, due to the insurance payments, I'll have to wait till April to get my diagnosis done. That's fine. I shouldn't have much problem, just want to make sure. It'd also allow me to build up my funds so it won't be such a kick to the wallet. So anyway, once I hear from the labs in April, I'll know how my body is been, especially with the blood-fats. Something I can't measure. That's one thing that's been concerning me. Oh, BTW insulin converts carbs into blood fats, so I *should* be fine, since I'm on a low-carb diet. but until I know, I can't be sure. Current Mood: calm Current Music: Huey Lewis & the News: Power of Love (Comment on this)