Emma Raines

Health Interests

Type 2; diet; exercise; neuropathy; glaucoma; just to be able to talk to people who also have diabetes and who understand what I'm talking about.

Drugs I am Taking

Actos Plus,  Avandaryl. Recently,  my doctor put me on Duetact,  which I think is a new drug. It seems to work better than Actos Plus for me.

About Me

I'm 65 yrs. old and still holding my own.  I'm still working and that will probably be the case the rest of my life.  Of course, I'll retire gladly if I'm given the chance.  :)   

I don't know exactly how long I've been diabetic.  I was actually diagnosed in, I think, 2000 when I had to spend some time in the hospital because of an unrelated condition.  But what with reading about and studying diabetes in general and listening to other people's stories, I know for a fact that I've been diabetic for a much longer period of time.  I remember a blood glucose level quite awhile back in the late 1980's of 140.  I was told then by the doctor that it was borderline high but not to worry about it.  Now, looking back at that reading, which today is definitely considered to be diabetes, I know I've been diabetic for a long time.  I also remember over the past 15 years various symptoms  which today are "give-aways" that one might be pre-diabetic, at least.  When I was 20 yrs. old, I had hypoglycemia and was told that if I didn't watch my diet that I could get diabetes.  I watched my diet for years but developed it anyway.  I've been reading that in order to get diabetes, you must have the "diabetes gene."  Unfortunately, I guess I have it.

I wish I could say my diabetes was under control, but it's not.  Most days when I get up it's way over 200 (no matter what I eat the night before or even if I take medicine at night.  What with reading about different aspects of diabetes, I do understand that sometimes that's the case, and that I shouldn't worry about it, that that's the way my body is.  I'm always tired and sometimes I nod off to asleep "just like that."   I work at home now but when I worked at an office (attorneys) it sometimes was a problem.  People who don't have diabetes don't understand what one goes through, both mentally and physically, and it's tough to explain to a hard, demanding attorney. 

But back to the subject of control.  If I could just get into walking every day and not give myself excuses all of the time (foot pain, lethargy, plain tiredness, etc.) I could get my reading down 100 points or more (it's happened, believe me) and I would not have to take the Avandaryl which brings it down about 100 points.  During the day, I take the Actos-Plus which only brings it down about 50 points+/-).  But as far as exercise is concerned, I'm "on again/off again" depending on how I feel about myself that day.  I sometimes wonder if that "on again/off again" syndrome is a part of "denial."  I really don't know how to combat it and wish I could stick to a schedule.  Also, if I'm feeling good, I sometimes don't take my medicine, although most days I do.

Well, here I am complaining when, to tell you the truth, I am very thankful to at least know about my diabetes.  So many people don't know they have it.  I'm always reminding my sister and my sister's two boys to have a test done every year because I'm not the only person in the family who has this disease.  My maternal grandmother had it and had glaucoma, and my mother's sisters all had it except one.  I myself have the beginnings of glaucoma and have already had two laser treatments.  The second one worked very well, I'm happy to report, but not the first and I'm also told by my regular eye doctor (who I've known for 25+ years) that sometimes that happens.   

I'm thankful to be able to talk about diabetes here.  It's, like I said, a disease that so many people don't even want to know about.  May God bless each and every one of you!