tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78983670203375231392024-03-25T14:58:56.771-07:00dbMePersonal Experiences, Thoughts, and Lifestyle Solutions as a Type 2 DiabeticDavid Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-56929048194726693962018-04-14T16:36:00.002-07:002018-04-15T10:44:40.422-07:00Filling Your Own Cartridges for a Reusable Insulin Pen<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've mentioned in a previous blog entry about how to <a href="https://diabetes-me.blogspot.com/2018/03/refilling-lilly-disposable-insulin-pens.html" target="_blank">refill the Lilly®</a><a href="https://diabetes-me.blogspot.com/2018/03/refilling-lilly-disposable-insulin-pens.html" target="_blank"> brand of disposable pens</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">As discussed, this method was based on the groundwork that was done by Eric, co-founder of the <a href="https://forum.fudiabetes.org/" target="_blank">FUDiabetes</a> online forum. You can read all about that original groundwork by <a href="https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/refilling-the-lilly-kwikpen-disposable-pen/1725" target="_blank">visiting this link</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">But, in addition to his excellent method on how to refill disposable pens, Eric has also provided all of us with an excellent method on how to <a href="https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/filling-your-own-pens/1111/3" target="_blank">fill your own cartridges for use with a reusable insulin pen</a>, <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">such as the Lilly</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Luxura</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and Luxura H</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">D</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Eric's idea was to re-use the original Humalog<span style="background-color: white;">®</span> 3ml cartridges, and refill them with Humalog<span style="background-color: white;">®, Lantus</span><span style="background-color: white;">®, Apidra</span><span style="background-color: white;">®, or any other brand/type of insulin you might wish to be able use. The quite valid premise for wanting to do this is pretty simple. The most cost effect pricing on insulin is by purchasing in vials, but the most convenience is obtained when using a insulin dosing pen device and an appropriate cartridge.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">So, once again, following up on Eric's excellent groundwork, I decided to see if I might be able to have similar success with refilling my own cartridges, but with a twist. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I wanted to be able to use the supply of salvaged cartridges from the empty Lantus</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Solostar</span><span style="background-color: white;">® or empty Levemir</span><span style="background-color: white;">® </span><span style="background-color: white;">pens that I had on hand, instead of refilling a Humalog</span><span style="background-color: white;">® cartridge. The big question is, would it work? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The first step would be to place an order for some Lilly</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Luxura HD</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> pens. Eric had mentioned that these reusable insulin dispensing pens were available, at very economical prices, from <a href="https://www.canadadrugs.com/" target="_blank">Canada Drugs</a> in Winnipeg. So, not sure if my idea would even work, I made an order for one Luxura HD</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> pen. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Now, right up front, I will admit that, even on my best of days, I am not too terribly patient on waiting for online purchases to arrive. I'll shamelessly blame that character trait on Amazon Prime and look anyone straight in the eye without flinching. This being said, when I still had not gotten a confirmation that the pen had been shipped 10 days after I placed the order, I impulsively placed another order for the same devices from <a href="https://rxcanada4less.com/index.html" target="_blank">Mike's Marine Pharmacy</a> in Vancouver as well. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The folks from MMP called me on the phone the same day that I placed the order, to confirm the details of the order, and a second call a few days later to tell me that the order had been sent to their shipping department. 2 days later I received a confirmation that the package had been shipped. </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Ironically, the very next day, I received the confirmation that the original order from Canada Drugs had also been shipped. So now, I had not just one, but FOUR Luxura HD</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> pens headed my way. It was then that I decided that, if I could not get the Lantus</span><span style="background-color: white;">® or Levemir</span><span style="background-color: white;">® cartridges to work in the pens, I had already invested too much money into this endeavor to just walk away from it if the salvaged cartridges didn't fit. I would just have to ask my PCP to switch me over to the Humalog</span><span style="background-color: white;">® brand of insulin, so that I could get some cartridges to use in those pens. Either that, or I would have to go the out of pocket route, and buy some Humalog cartridges from Mike's Marine Pharmacy, just to have something to refill.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">When the pens arrived, it was time to get to work. In the picture above, you can see the two different cartridges that I had to work with. The one on the left, is from a Lantus</span><span style="background-color: white;">® Solostar</span><span style="background-color: white;">® pen, and the one on the right is from a Levemir</span><span style="background-color: white;">® Flextouch</span><span style="background-color: white;">® pen. Even a casual glance is all it takes to see that there are noticeable differences between the two cartridges. The Lantus</span><span style="background-color: white;">® cartridge is shorter, and with a larger diameter. The Levemir</span><span style="background-color: white;">® cartridge is a bit longer, and a slightly smaller diameter. It was as simple as trying to insert them both into the pen barrels to see which cartridge might be the correct size.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite the diameter differences, both cartridges will fit into the barrel, and the pen plunger will also fit inside either cartridge. But what about the length?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">And that's where the final decision comes in. As you can see, on the Levemir</span><span style="background-color: white;">® cartridge, the pen barrel will not screw down completely like it should. The cartridge is just too long to let that happen.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">But the Lantus</span><span style="background-color: white;">® cartridge fits just like it was made for this Luxura HD</span><span style="background-color: white;">® pen. Apparently the cartridge used in the Solostar</span><span style="background-color: white;">® pen is the same size as the Humalog</span><span style="background-color: white;">® cartridge</span><span style="background-color: white;">, or at least, close enough that they are interchangeable in the Luxura</span><span style="background-color: white;">® pens.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">And from that point, by following Eric's excellent instructions on how to clean, rinse, and fill the empty cartridges, it only takes a short while to set up two of the new Luxura HD</span><span style="background-color: white;">® pens to dispense Lantus</span><span style="background-color: white;">® and Novolog</span><span style="background-color: white;">®, using insulin from a much more affordable vial instead. Which is a double bonus for those folks that have insurance that will not cover the disposable pen delivery devices for their insulin needs, but will cover insulin in a vial. In fact, even if you have no insurance, you could still use these same pens, and cartridges, and fill them with the very affordable Novolin R</span><span style="background-color: white;">® and Novolin N</span><span style="background-color: white;">® brands of insulin available at your nearest Walmart to get pen convenience without paying the obscene out of pocket costs of other brands of insulin!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">In an upcoming blog post, I will share a similar method on how to refill your own Novolog</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> cartridges for use with the Novopen</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Echo</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> device, as well as a way to put those Levemir</span><span style="background-color: white;">® cartridges to good use in the Novopen</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Echo</span><span style="background-color: white;">®, making it every bit as flexible for dispensing whatever insulin you want to fill it with, just like the Humapen</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">®</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"> Luxura</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">®</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"> devices.</span>David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-43338039024880783132018-03-31T10:48:00.001-07:002018-04-14T14:06:58.152-07:00Refilling LIlly Disposable Insulin Pens<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">As promised, here is the blog entry on how to refill the Lilly brand disposable insulin pens, for those of us that prefer the convenience of a pen vs. a traditional insulin vial and syringe, but may have issues with the increased cost of these units when compared to the much lower pricing of insulin in a vial.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Right up front, I want to acknowledge that I did not personally originate this concept. That credit goes to a diabetes forum user named Eric, who is a co-founder of the <a href="https://forum.fudiabetes.org/" target="_blank">FUDiabetes</a> forum. Eric originally worked up a method for refilling the Lilly produced Kwikpen<span style="background-color: white;">®</span>, which is a disposable insulin pen which contains either Humalog<span style="background-color: white;">®,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> or Humilin</span><span style="background-color: white;">® insulin. Eric demonstrated a method whereby one of the Lilly Kwikpen</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> devices could be refilled with insulin from a vial, and re-used numerous times, which results in a substantial cost savings over purchasing the </span><span style="background-color: white;">Kwikpen</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and then tossing them away, and buying new ones. This cost savings is particularly significant for folks that are in the dreaded "doughnut hole" on their prescription coverage, or for folks like me, whose insurance will not cover the more convenient Kwikpen</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;">, or it's Novo Nordisk equivalent, the </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Novolog</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">® FlexPen</span><span style="background-color: white;">® for their daily insulin needs. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rather than detail those steps on how this process is accomplished, I will refer you to Eric's excellent write up on how this can be done. You can find that solution by visiting his original forum post at <a href="https://forum.fudiabetes.org/" target="_blank">FUDiabetes </a>by following this link: <a href="https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/refilling-the-lilly-kwikpen-disposable-pen/1725/1" target="_blank">Refilling the Lilly Kwikpen disposable pen</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So what, you might ask, did I add to Eric's excellent idea? Basically that boils down to two things:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">1) On the <a href="https://forum.fudiabetes.org/" target="_blank">FUDiabetes</a> forum where this procedure was discussed, there were numerous inquiries and speculations as to whether or not it would be possible to do the same refill process on other brands of disposable insulin pens. Since I did have access to several of these devices, from personal use, or from empty donor units from family members, I began to experiment with trying to do the same refill process with those pens, instead of a Lilly Kwikpen<span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;">. For my experiments, I used several Lantus</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Solostar</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> disposable pens, a couple of Levemir</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> FlexTouch</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> pens, and a Novolog</span><span style="background-color: white;">®</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Flexpen</span><span style="background-color: white;">®.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">And try as I might, even resorting to attempts to completely disassemble and reassemble them, I could not, in any way shape or form, get these disposable pens to permit anything other than the single use application they were engineered to deliver. There is something in the internal workings of each of these pens that absolutely will not reset the way that the Lilly Kwikpen</span><span style="background-color: white;">® units will permit. </span><span style="background-color: white;">At best case, the only thing that I was able to do with these disposable pens was to scavenge the emptied dispensing vials from the pens, on the off chance that they could be converted for use in a non-disposable insulin dispensing pen device. More on that in a future blog entry!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">2) I did, however, manage to successfully refill a couple of the newly released, Lilly produced Basaglar</span><span style="background-color: white;">® KwikPen</span><span style="background-color: white;">® units. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">To be honest, I did this project as a proof of concept more than anything else, plus the fact that I had two Basaglar pens on hand that my PCP supplied, but inadvertently gave me pens that were 4 months past the expiration date on the pens. Since his office advised me to not use them, I first ejected some of the contents, and tried turning them backwards as described in Eric's post on refilling the Humalog® disposable pens. Once I determined that this could be done, I finished emptying them out, syringed out the residual, flushed a bit with the new insulin, and then refilled them both completely, one with Lantus®, the other with Novolog®, both of which I had on hand in vials, since my insurance company refuses to cover these medications in a disposable pen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I do plan to use some colored tape on each, blue for the Novolog®, and red for the Lantus®, around the body, to make it glaringly obvious which is which.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And when my current supply of Lantus® in a vial is used up, my PCP has me switching over to the Basaglar® pens anyway. Hopefully by that time the Lilly Luxura® and Luxura HD® pens that I have ordered from Canada will have arrived, which I plan to use for my Novolog® going forward. I also plan to have these reusable pens set up for use with the OTC available insulins, Relion® Novolin R® and Relion® Novolin N®, in the case of an insulin supply shortfall, which can, and does, happen when my insurance company decides to implement one of their arbitrary "re-certification" paperwork pushing sessions with my PCP. When this happens, it can sometimes take weeks to restore their approval for coverage of my insulin. Now that I am no longer using a combination of oral meds and insulin, and am completely dependent upon insulin for treatment of my diabetes, not having the insulin I need can become quite deadly, to put it bluntly. It was the ability to use this alternate source for insulin that helped me in my decision to agree to the use of an insulin only therapy, since I know from experience that it's not a matter of IF my insurance company will do this, it's only a matter of WHEN.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">At this point, with the success of these efforts, I’ll be more than happy if the one Novolog® refilled pen is all I need to get me by until I can start using the reusable pens with refillable cartridges instead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">But until that time, it’s nice to know that these pens, like the Humalog® disposables, can be refilled, if that is what you have to work with. Certainly a less costly option than the proposed alternative of purchasing a box of Humalog® disposable pens out of pocket, simply to gain some refillable pen options for those of us that have insurance companies that won’t cover the disposables.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"><br /><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small; font-style: italic; text-align: -webkit-center;">All logos, trade names, trade marks, and photos of the same belong to their respective owners.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small; font-style: italic; text-align: -webkit-center;">The use of such material in this article falls under the Fair Use provisions of intellectual property laws.</span></b></span></span>David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-30585546925737253552018-03-30T14:40:00.000-07:002018-03-31T14:28:28.611-07:00Easing Myself Into the New Routine Takes More Time Than I AnticipatedI am starting to suspect that my PCP made the changes from oral meds to insulin therapy because they FORCE me to become much more actively involved in dealing with my diabetes. <br />
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And, if so, then kudos to him, because it's working!<br />
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I've just finished my second week of switching from oral meds / insulin to only insulin for treatment of my diabetes. A couple of obvious facts over this initial phase.<br />
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a) Switching from a somewhat lackadaisical glucose testing routine to a consistent, tightly regulated testing schedule 7-8 times a day is, quite literally, a pain. There are only so many times a day you can draw blood from your fingertips before you absolutely must start researching alternate site testing methods, and implementing them<br />
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b) Trying to make sense of the different insulin medications, the various delivery device options for each, plus wading through page after page after page of conflicting info on what the insurance company will or will not cover is, quite literally, mind numbing.<br />
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c) Despite tons of guidelines on dosage ranges for every conceivable situation, the bottom line is, proper dosing is at best, a guessing game, due to the wide range of variations on how any one individual's body reacts to insulin, as well as carbohydrate consumption. It takes a ton of trial and error, as well as meticulous notes, to work up an effective individual dosing range.<br />
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d) Surprisingly enough, the glucose testing is almost always more painful than the subsequent insulin shot, about 80-85% of the time.<br />
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e) Doing my glucose testing, as well as subsequent insulin shots, in front of a curious group of Cub Scouts and their parents, explaining what I am doing and why, is turning out to be a great way to deal with my initial self consciousness on doing these activities in public<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJYOIqEVXMF3x4mqEliewS-7stG5oAdooKg8iRuIhQPCMew1GDaIOX_uMDFBcodHButDNlX1gIgGbmjMmK1xkAYxA3z4oF9rxULSZs9rFkTglM3y4UBQb4jzyn4UHwvXIt0_TKvNYqgg/s1600/ScoutWatchers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJYOIqEVXMF3x4mqEliewS-7stG5oAdooKg8iRuIhQPCMew1GDaIOX_uMDFBcodHButDNlX1gIgGbmjMmK1xkAYxA3z4oF9rxULSZs9rFkTglM3y4UBQb4jzyn4UHwvXIt0_TKvNYqgg/s320/ScoutWatchers.jpg" /></a></div>
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f) At this initial stage of things, it seems like testing, dosing, testing, dosing, over and over again, is taking over my entire life. Ironically, this is pretty much the same effect as when I was first diagnosed, and was using oral meds and diet as a therapy regimen.</div>
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g) It's patently obvious that, although I am starting to get a feel for how many units of insulin I need for carb coverage, as well as the number of units I need to use to deal with high glucose levels, I really need to address the testing routines needed to determine the correct basal insulin dose levels.<br />
My plan is to follow the steps for basal insulin testing using the method, guidelines, and using this tracking form from Acu-Check. <a href="https://www.accu-chek.com/sites/g/files/iut341/f/accu-chek-aviva-expert-how-to-test-a-basal-rate.pdf">Testing a Basal Rate</a> Technically, these are instructions for basal rate testing for pump users, but I suspect that the same method can be used to help my PCP determine the correct basal dosing for Manual Daily Injection (MDI) therapy.<br />
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h) My first change to my approach to basal insulin dosing is to go back to my previous dosing schedule that I used when pairing Lantus<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> with oral meds. I had switched to a 7:30am / 7:30pm schedule when the change to insulin only therapy started, but find I have consistent high fasting glucose levels. I've long suspected that Lantus<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> does not last the entire 24 hours in my system, which was one of the reasons I originally went to a 2 X day dosing schedule. If true, then that 7:30am dose is not longer helping to keep those fasting glucose levels where they need to be. So, with that in mind, I'm going to revert back to a 10am / 10pm dosing schedule, which, even if I'm not getting a full 24 hours from Lantus<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span>, should provide extra coverage for fasting glucoses levels, as well as additional dinnertime coverage. Any possible lags in coverage at breakfast, or in the evening before bedtime, can be adjusted using the routine Novolog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> injections.<br />
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Next up, the promised blog entry on how you can refill certain brands of disposable pens, using insulin from a vial, to save money, or simply because, like me, your insurance won't pay for the disposable pens. Here's a sneak peek:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: italic; text-align: -webkit-center;">All logos, trade names, trade marks, and photos of the same belong to their respective owners. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: italic; text-align: -webkit-center;">The use of such material in this article falls under the Fair Use provisions of intellectual property laws.</span><br />
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David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-63848160468574756192018-03-29T10:56:00.000-07:002018-03-31T14:26:32.748-07:00Big Changes in Diabetes Therapy for This GuyIt's been quite some time since I've made any entries on this blog, but recent changes definitely call for a update.<br />
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After having a long talk with my PCP about my ever increasing blood sugar levels, and the fact that the progression from Metformin/diet, Metformin/Januvia<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span>/diet, Metformin/Januvia<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span>/Lantus<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span>/diet, and even Metformin/Januvia<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span>/Lantus<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> 2X daily/diet over the years still delivering HbA1C levels in the 9-10 ranges, we needed to take a good hard look at making substantial changes in my diabetes therapy. Added to these poor results, my insurance company had decided to "push back" against escalating insulin costs by dropping coverage for the Lantus<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span>. At first, it was only for the Solostar<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> pens, and it appears that in 2018, they won't even cover Lantus<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> in the vial any more. And to further complicate things, they were also dropping Januvia<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> from the 2018 Formulary<br />
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So the decision was made to go off the oral meds entirely, and go to an all insulin therapy approach. In my mind, this, in effect moves me into that "insulin dependent" Type 2 diabetic category.<br />
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So my PCP gave me some sample pens of Novolog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> and Basaglar<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span>, a dosing chart, and some new prescriptions, and it was decided that the best approach would be to just jump in headfirst, and paddle like mad. And so I did.<br />
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Right off the bat, there was a problem with the Kwikpen<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> script for the Novolog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span>. Apparently in conjunction with the push back on rising insulin costs, any sort of disposable insulin pen is only covered if you are a juvenile. This meant an immediate change in my prescription to Novolog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> vials and insulin needle/syringes was required. So about a week into the change, when my sample Novolog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> pen is all used up, it's time to do my fast acting insulin dosing the old fashioned way, with vial and needle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsoXnWknGgPgS8FwZD-ulyUnPJYFjF84BuDLTvPV6UiCHrVtK0vTo5GpZRTHwVJZ64I8suD1wfGxszKANW2GJ09BmaTiNiw2PxtmWo7GD4_HIqYYplZ4j0cPgLuxEfaiJ22mmuIFxLkU/s1600/insulin_vial_syringe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsoXnWknGgPgS8FwZD-ulyUnPJYFjF84BuDLTvPV6UiCHrVtK0vTo5GpZRTHwVJZ64I8suD1wfGxszKANW2GJ09BmaTiNiw2PxtmWo7GD4_HIqYYplZ4j0cPgLuxEfaiJ22mmuIFxLkU/s1600/insulin_vial_syringe.jpg" /></a></div>
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Not nearly as convenient as it was to use one of the Lantus<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> Solostar<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> pens or the Novolog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> Kwikpen<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span>, and don't get me started on the debacle of trying to choose between 1ml, .5ml, or, .3ml syringes!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9W5KrODH9bcAN0Jl0dEYlEkFECK_Su68FBiPYZRKWEsfVkAdEW1xK3F3p04gS4Hn3k3vRtkJbOTa_VFC_dym4tc7j47G5AhavtOoSERQhLrXzvl2NlZpkpJUzYQObts932LHUkORCFbQ/s1600/LantusSolostarPen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="522" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9W5KrODH9bcAN0Jl0dEYlEkFECK_Su68FBiPYZRKWEsfVkAdEW1xK3F3p04gS4Hn3k3vRtkJbOTa_VFC_dym4tc7j47G5AhavtOoSERQhLrXzvl2NlZpkpJUzYQObts932LHUkORCFbQ/s320/LantusSolostarPen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As luck would have it, I ran across a couple of articles about using refill cartridges and reusable insulin pens, which are a big deal in countries like Canada and all over Europe. And as it turns out, it does appear that the Novolog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> refill cartridges are on the Formulary list on my insurance. It's not really clear if the pen itself is covered, so the the current plan is to send in a script for Novolog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> refill cartridges and a reusable dispensing pen next month when it's time to refill my insulin prescription.</div>
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And it may be that the script may have to be changed to a different brand, Humalog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> vs Novolog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> as well. Both refills are listed on the Formulary, and the Humalog<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> Luxura HD<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> reusable pen can be purchased for less than $11 from <a href="http://www.canadadrugs.com/">www.canadadrugs.com</a>. So even if the insurance company won't cover the cost of the dispensing pen, purchasing one or two at this price would definitely be an option. Not so much buying a Novopen<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">®</span> over the counter with no insurance here in the US, which can easily run over $100 or more. Adding in the cost of a pen to a backup pen, and that's some serious money around my household!</div>
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More on how it all works out next month when the new scripts go into the pharmacy!<br />
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And, in the meantime, I'm working up a new blog entry on how to refill your own insulin cartridges, and some disposable pens, thanks to the excellent DIY efforts from some awesome folks at <a href="https://forum.fudiabetes.org/" target="_blank">FUDiabetes</a>.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: italic; text-align: -webkit-center;">All logos, trade names, trade marks, and photos of the same belong to their respective owners. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: italic; text-align: -webkit-center;">The use of such material in this article falls under the Fair Use provisions of intellectual property laws.</span>David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-62233134254330004372015-04-08T13:37:00.000-07:002015-04-08T17:58:51.215-07:00Diabetes and CPAP<div style="text-align: justify;">
Its no big secret that many of the things that lead us to developing diabetes also play a significant role in other health related issues as well. And one of those correlations is shown in how many diabetics are also affected by sleep apnea. In my own case, I was aware that I had, un-diagnosed and untreated, sleep apnea for many years prior to the onset of my type 2 diabetes. But escalating risks, with my diabetes, and cardiac issues, forced me to finally seek help for my sleep apnea, which resulted in my doctor putting me on a CPAP machine.</div>
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About a week into my CPAP usage, there was a problem. It wasn't a problem with the use of the machine, or nasal mask, or even dealing with nightly bathroom visits. In fact, I don't believe I have ever had a better night's sleep than these first nights, and I awoke more refreshed and more energized that ever before, with only minimal adjustment issues. So what was the problem you might ask?</div>
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The problem, was a <i>software</i> problem. It seems that the SleepMapper software for my Philips Respironics® CPAP machine is only supported for Windows or Mac computers. Which is fine, as long as you are a Philips customer, and own one of those types of computers. But in my case, my computer runs a LINUX operating system, and Philips wasted no time in letting me know that I was 'out of luck' as far as software support goes. (You can see more about this, and my rant about how corporate America treats LINUX users as if they are not important in <b><i><u><a href="http://endlessmonologue.blogspot.com/2015/04/dont-you-hate-it-when-linux-users-are.html" target="_blank">this blog</a></u></i></b> entry)</div>
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Because I do have a fundamental knowledge of computers, and enjoy a good challenge, I set out to attempt to find a solution to using the Philips SleepMapper software with LINUX. And along the way, not only did I discover a solution, I also discovered a much more comprehensive software solution for use with my Philips Respironics® CPAP machine called Sleepyhead. The solution that allows the Windows version of SleepMapper to run in LINUX also allows the Windows version of Sleepyhead to run in LINUX as well. If you are the owner of a Philips Respironics® CPAP machine, and are also the owner of a LINUX computer, feel free to check out my solution on <b><i><u><a href="http://selfhelptechadvisor.blogspot.com/2015/04/how-to-run-sleepmapper-or-sleepyhead.html" target="_blank">this blog</a></u></i></b> entry.</div>
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And if you are a diabetic, you probably already know how important it is to get an adequate amount of high quality of sleep each night. Are you taking the steps to insure that you are getting 8-9 hours of sleep every day? As a diabetic your body needs it's rest to help combat your diabetes. And if you have not been screened for sleep apnea, and have any of <b><i><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/basics/symptoms/con-20020286" target="_blank">these</a> </i></b>symptoms, you owe it to yourself to seek the appropriate medical advice.</div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Jarrett © 4/08/2015</span></span></div>
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<br />David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-41300089690169906302015-03-06T18:58:00.001-08:002015-04-08T15:25:19.537-07:00Premier Diabetes Site thinks we all should use iPhones?<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.4559993743896px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Well over a year ago I contacted <a href="http://www.dlife.com/" target="_blank">dLife</a> and asked about the availability of an Android version of the dLife app, which was only available for the iPhone at that time. </div>
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I received an email reply and was told by dLife that it was being worked on. </div>
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Over a year later, there is still no Android version of the dLife app, and a current article on dLife about mobile apps for diabetes mentions ONLY iOS apps, NOTHING for Android.</div>
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So what's up dLife, are diabetics only supposed to be iPhone users?</div>
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<a href="http://www.dlife.com/dlife_media/mobile" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/information/system/modules/com.gto.cms/images/iphone/stay.png" height="320" width="162" /></a></div>
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BTW, for those <u><b>Android using diabetics</b></u> out there, there <b>IS</b> an excellent diabetes tracking app available from Medivo called <a href="http://www.medivo.com/ontrack/" target="_blank">OnTrack Diabetes</a>.</div>
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It can be downloaded here on Google Play</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gexperts.ontrack&hl=en" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.medivo.com/wp-content/themes/medivo3.0/medivo3.0/images/google-play2.png" height="104" width="320" /></a></div>
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David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-37306053462654761112015-02-22T09:50:00.000-08:002015-06-08T19:16:08.290-07:00No Sugar Added Chunky Pasta SauceEasy No Sugar Added Chunky Pasta Sauce<br />
-Ingredients-<br />
4 Tbsp Olive Oil<br />
3 Tbsp Minced Garlic<br />
2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning<br />
1 Medium Onion Coarsely chopped<br />
1 can (or fresh) mushrooms (optional)<br />
1 to 1-1/2 lbs meat of your choosing<br />
2 28oz cans diced Tomatoes<br />
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes<br />
3 Tbsp Cream/Neufchatel Cheese (optional)<br />
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Into a 6 quart saucepan add the olive oil,<br />
italian seasoning, minced garlic, chopped onion,<br />
and meat. (In our house we like diced chicken the best!)<br />
Saute until the meat is done through and through.<br />
Add the diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes, cover and<br />
simmer on low heat until cooked through. If you prefer<br />
more of a Vodka style saucee, add the Cream/Neufchatel<br />
Cheese and blend in evenly.<br />
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Serve over your pasta of choice. For an extra low carb meal,<br />
serve over spaghetti squash or a vegetti style pasta.<br />
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This recipe is approximately 1 carb serving per 3/4 cup of sauce.<br />
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<br />David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-56279226320379559672014-11-09T09:14:00.000-08:002015-04-08T15:26:03.720-07:00OTC Cold Remedies - Diabetics Beware!<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;">For Crying Out Loud!</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">I've been Fighting a Cold for the last 7-10 days, and so, of course, have been taking OTC Cold medicines. Daytime & Night Time Cold Caplets, and a 'Sugar Free' Vitamin C & Zinc drink additive.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">For the past week, my blood sugar has been spiking like mad, even with the low carb diet and careful glucose monitoring that I've pretty gotten down stone cold solid ever since I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">It's been driving me crazy all week trying figure out why my blood sugar was going crazy, when I have had it completely under control for quite some time.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">On a hunch, I checked the ingredients list on some of the stuff I've been taking, and discovered they ALL contain maltodextrin. For those that slept through chemistry class, maltodextrin is a complex sugar that the human digestive system breaks down into simple sugars very quickly. And BTW, how do you get away with listing something as 'Sugar Free' that contains maltodextrin?</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Apparently the pharmaceutical & nutritional supplements industries doesn't consider this worth a specific notation on their labels pointing out that taking these types of products will have adverse side effects on your blood glucose levels if you are diabetic!</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-style: italic;">All logos, trade names, trade marks, and photos of the same belong to their respective owners. </span><span style="font-style: italic;">The use of such material in this article falls under the Fair Use provisions of intellectual property laws.</span></span></div>
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David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-19157771637181098602014-11-07T07:27:00.002-08:002015-04-08T15:26:24.208-07:00Diet and Nutrition - Be careful who you get your advice from!One of my biggest rants is the staggering amount of 'dietary disinformation' that is dispensed to diabetics by professional dietitians on a regular, consistent basis.<br />
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On a recent hospital stay, I was advised by a hospital nutritionist that I *needed* more carbs in my meal choices, even as a type II diabetic. After enduring the same argument over and over for multiple meals, I did finally cave in (against my better judgement!) and followed the advice given, and increased my carb intake for one of my meals. Needless to say, my after meal blood glucose level shot up to almost 300, instead of the typical 120-140 ranges I was accustomed to seeing, and required a substantial shot of insulin to correct.<br />
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The sad fact of the matter is that all too many certified dietitians and nutritionists are dispensing advice to diabetics that can/will undermine any chance of establishing effective dietary management of their diabetes.<br />
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For an excellent source of 'real' dietary advice for diabetes management, check out Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution. Not only informative, it's also an entertaining look at the dietary lifestyle changes involved in effectively managing your diabetes. Here's an example-<br />
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<i>"The fallacy that eating fat will make you fat is about as scientifically logical as saying that eating tomatoes will turn you red."</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.diabetes-book.com/">http://www.diabetes-book.com/</a><br />
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David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-70663054636186330352014-10-20T15:57:00.001-07:002014-10-20T15:57:51.506-07:00Better Choices, Better Health for Diabetes<div style="text-align: justify;">
For the next six weeks I will be participating in a workshop from Stanford University on managing chronic health conditions. The free Better Choices, Better Health Diabetes workshop is designed to help diabetics take control of their diabetes. Check out how to sign up here! </div>
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<a href="https://diabetes.selfmanage.org/bcbhds/hl/hlMain" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKANgXTyIHIbFFZCYVbJipXHEnQB1dKvj-Zesozx7sv4dL3o-__f3sJDhkgEEHTQ1JGVlp9w0m5XfUZGwPOs43geStij_pHGQlqs6ME13nZKrmZzx5efMnaq-Sb_8nLhBuKCJtM2-2iQ/s1600/BCBHDbackground.jpg" height="122" width="400" /></a></div>
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From time to time, I will add updates here on my experiences with this program</div>
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<br />David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-36024392938598531672014-10-18T08:43:00.000-07:002015-04-08T15:26:44.808-07:00Salad - It's what's for dinner!<div style="text-align: center;">
A recent <a href="http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/polls/poll.html-pollid-141-standalone-true?utm_source=Update-20141017&utm_medium=eNewsletter&utm_content=Update-newsletter&utm_campaign=dLife-eNewsletter&" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">dLife poll</span></b></a> reports that roughly 74% of respondents use either low carb or carbohydrate counting as their dietary control method. Like these respondents, I learned very early on in the evolution of my diabetes lifestyle that sticking with a low carb menu plan gives me the optimal results that help keep me motivated and on track with maintaining my targeted glucose levels. </div>
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One of the key elements in my dietary arsenal is the inclusion of a low carb dinner salad 2 or 3 times each week. Long regarded as a dieter's staple, the lowly salad can be transformed from the ill regarded 'rabbit food' to a gourmet feast with ease. And the possibilities are virtually limitless!</div>
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<i>(my current favorite base of greens)</i></div>
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The key to salad nirvana is to start with a fresh, crisp base of greens. My current favorite mix is a combination of iceberg lettuce, spinach leaves, thinly sliced napa cabbage, shredded carrots, shredded red radishes, and shredded celery. Feel free to mix in whatever strikes your fancy, or whatever is in season. Other options include romaine or other varieties of lettuce, sprouts, different greens, virtually anything from the garden can be incorporated into your base mix.</div>
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The next step in your quest for a satisfying salad meal is what I refer to as embellishments. Some of my favorite embellishments are diced tomatoes, cucumbers, sunflower seeds, and slices of yellow, white, or red onion. As in the base mix, feel free to add in whatever strikes your fancy here, but keep in mind that the ultimate goal is a low carbohydrate count. Add in whatever you like, but keep amounts in line with their effect on the total amount of carbs. </div>
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The next phase of your salad extravaganza is the dressing. And this is where many folks tend to stumble, if not completely fall down. The key here is to select an enjoyable dressing that has a low carb profile. If you are watching your sodium levels (and you should be!) this is also something that should be taken into consideration. For the most part, I opt for dressings of the olive oil/vinegar or balsamic vinegar varieties. Here again, portion control is important. On a large dinner salad, my preferred dressing is less than 5 carbs for 3 tablespoons. Always measure your salad dressing! Despite your conviction that you can 'eyeball' it accurately, chances are you really can't, and even if you can, over time you will slowly start adding more than the desired amount. You can't keep your human nature from asserting itself, so always measure the dressing. I personally like to sprinkle my salad with a variety of salt free seasoning mixes before I add the dressing, to really pump up the flavor profile.</div>
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Last, and by far not the least, is the topping phase. As with every other step, here you are limited only by your own creativity. Obvious choices are a seasoned grilled chicken breast, seasoned grilled salmon, seasoned grilled tuna ( a George Foreman grill makes these options very easy!), some tuna salad, egg salad, or tuna and egg salad (substitute tangy plain greek yogurt and green olives in the recipe for an added flavor punch!), a chefs salad with sliced meats and hard boiled eggs, or even a taco salad with a topping made from spiced ground meat, tomatoes, and fiber rich red beans (skip the dressing here and garnish with salsa and sour cream. Sliced jalapenos are even an option!) </div>
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<i> (a completed grilled chicken salad)</i></div>
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Dinner salads, served 2-3 times a week, provide an abundant source of fresh vegetables, essential nutrients, healthy vitamins, minerals and fiber, plus an endless variety of taste sensation in a low carb package that is satisfyingly delicious. And they will also help keep your glucose meter showing you those numbers you really want to see!<br />
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David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-49520730916768413422014-10-16T12:20:00.000-07:002015-04-08T15:27:09.815-07:00A Pat on the back for me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I finally got the results back from my HbA1c test on Sept 26.</div>
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The test came back at 6.9%, down from 10.5% three months earlier. </div>
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I'm taking credit for a win on this one!<br />
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David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-8745060042262044342014-10-08T13:27:00.000-07:002015-04-08T15:27:29.710-07:00The Vegetti Report - Use scores a 5, Tastes Scores a 10!So I have been using the Vegetti® for a couple of months now, and decided it's time to share my experiences with it. I typically use it about once a week. I did try a hand held julienne slicer instead of the Vegetti®, which was a total waste of time. And I'll be honest, I'm still looking for the 'perfect' solution. But until I find it, the Vegetti® does get the job done.<br />
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Despite the advertising claims, the Vegetti® really only excels at cutting zucchini. Yellow squash cuts somewhat less effectively, mostly due to the shape and the larger concentration of seeds in the center of a typical yellow squash. Carrots and parsnips are much more difficult to get started, but once the Vegetti® finally does settle down and starts cutting them, they do cut nicely. In my experience, cutting the squash items on the thick blade, and the carrots and parsnips on the thin blade, yielded the best results.<br />
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My favorite dish is a mixed combination of zucchini, carrot, and yellow squash. Once you have shredded out the desired amount, you have two cooking options. You can saute the strips in a pan with a bit of non-stick spray, butter, or olive oil. Feel free to spice them up with anything you prefer. You can also dip them in salted boiling water, like you would real pasta, for about 5 minutes. Both methods have their merits, and do result in a slightly different taste profile. My personal preference is to saute with olive oil, minced garlic, and a bit of crushed red pepper flakes.<br />
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At this point you can serve as a delicious side dish, or use as the base for your favorite pasta sauce. I've enjoyed Vegetti® pasta with my own low carb traditional pasta sauce, made with ground turkey. I've also served it with a low carb tomato sauce with grilled shredded chicken. And it also makes an excellent base for a low carb chicken marsala entree.<br />
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So for those of you that love pasta, and are looking for a way to enjoy pasta without blowing your glucose levels out of range, you owe it to yourself to give the Vegetti®, or other similar device, a try. These shredded vegetable strands have a low carb, low glycemic nutritional profile that lets you indulge your 'pasta' cravings to the fullest and still keep your glucose meter happy!<br />
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Vegetti® is a registered trademark of the Ontel Products Corporation</div>
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<br />David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-15014709339651477752014-09-29T07:41:00.001-07:002014-09-29T07:41:05.606-07:00A Great Lunch Time Option!<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;">Today I'm going to talk about one of my favorite low carb lunch choices.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;">The turkey wrap. It goes as follows:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;">1 Flat Out Whole wheat soft flatbread</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;">2 slices turkey (2oz)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;">Shredded lettuce (sometimes I use shredded spinach instead)</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;"><br />1 Shredded baby carrot<br />1/2 shredded red radish<br />tomato slices<br />cucumber pieces<br />mild banana pepper slices<br />black olives<br />sprinkle with your favorite no salt seasoning blend<br /><br />Hint: Build your wrap lying on a piece of foil wrap.<br />After you fold up your wrap, wrap the entire thing in your foil.<br />I prefer foil because you can easily peel it away as you eat your wrap!<br /><br />Mix up your toppings according to your own tastes. Use avocado, sprouts, or anything else you like! Just remember to fill it FULL of fresh veggies, and enjoy! </span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898367020337523139.post-91471384695772229462014-09-26T05:59:00.001-07:002015-04-08T15:27:51.430-07:00Eggs are a great Low Carb Breakfast Choice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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All too often, eggs get a bad rap for healthy nutrition, but that's just not true. They can be a major component of a low carb lifestyle! I typically do an omelette for breakfast every other day.</div>
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My recipe for a great veggie/cheese omelette goes something like this. Into your favorite non-stick pan, coated with your preferred nonstick spray, add liberal amounts of the following ingredients-</div>
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Diced green, red, and yellow peppers</div>
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Diced onions, mushrooms,tomatoes, zucchini</div>
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Shredded fresh spinach.</div>
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Season liberally with your favorite no-salt seasoning blend.</div>
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For the egg portion, you can take either of the following options.</div>
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If you are using large eggs, take 1 whole egg, and two egg whites, mix together with 3 tbs water.</div>
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If you are using jumbo eggs, take 1 whole egg, and one egg white, mix together with 3 tbs water.</div>
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Or you can use 1/2 cup of 'eggbeater' type egg substitute.</div>
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Since I limit myself to two whole eggs per week, I can do two omelettes with real eggs, and the rest are done with eggbeater products</div>
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Once your veggies have cooked the way you like them, pour in your omelette mixture, and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid.</div>
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Just before the eggs are cooked to the desired doneness, sprinkle about 1 ounce of real shredded cheese on top. I prefer sharp cheddar, but colby or even mozzarella works just as well. Note: no reduced fat or non-fat cheese products, Use the real stuff, or skip the cheese entirely!</div>
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Recover, melt the cheese, slide the omelette onto a plate, and fold. Add a couple of tablespoons of salsa if that's your style.</div>
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You can add a slice of low carb bread, with 1 tbs of no sugar added jam/jelly, and still have a delicious, nutritious, 1 carb breakfast!<br />
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David Jarretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115907451649378446noreply@blogger.com0