Please Help Me If You Can!!!! - Diabetes Message Board

lovemy2girls · 05-20-2007, 07:08 AM

I need help, I know that my a1c level has gone down but not enough. 4 months ago it was 12, now 2 weeks ago it was down to 9.8 I know this is still too high. I have tried everything to get it to come down.
Everyone says exercise well I try but it is hard for me to do since I have heart problems and asthma.
I have been waching my diet very carefully but I still can not get my levels to come down.
I have not checked my level in over 3 weeks as I cannot afford to buy the strips for my meter!
I am at my wits end now last time I checked it my level was 419. I know this is way too high. I need some help. I had to make an emergancy visit to dr. 2 weeks ago because I could not breath very well. I was suffering with congestive heart failure. I wonder if my kidneys are functioning properly because of all the swelling.
my husband thinks that I might have had a slight heart attack last tuesday night. I thought I was dying. I need some help here. I have insulin novolog 70/30 and lantus that I take daily. My eyes are getting so blurry now days that it is hard sometimes to focus on anything.
when I pee there is white foamy stuff in the comode, I know that this is a sign of protein in urine.
I am very desperate. A friend suggested that I get some kind of cinnamon pills and take it along with my insulin.
I have a few vials of simulin that my sister in law gave me and I was thinking about taking a little of it to see if it would help get my numbers down.
I can't go to the dr. everytime something comes up because I cannot afford it.
yes I am overweight but I had lost 17 pounds just to have 12 come back in a little over a week. dr. said this is due to fluid retention.
PLEASE someone can you help me out here?
If I do take some of the similin how much? I know I need a dr. to advise on this but how can I if I cannot afford it? I hope someone will understand. I have no insurance , no job and no income except what little my husband brings home and it takes all of it to pay bills, and buy groceries. I mean ALL of it. he just brings home a little over 400.00 2x a month.
Do not qualify for medicade because he is the father of our kids and I am not pregnant. That is what the state tells me anyway. I need help!!

brandilew · 05-20-2007, 10:40 AM

Don't you just love medicaid? useless piece of crap they are! And the diabetic supplies companies charge way to much for supplies! How can someone with low income pay 100 dollars for strips? and then 300 dollars for 2 bottles of insulin?! Its unreal. I feel your pain.

You do need strips tho. You need to find a diabetes educator at the local hospital; she can hook you up temporarily with strips for your glucometer and then get you referred to social services to help find funds for you! Having blurry vision is a bad sign! Drink plenty of water when your sugar is high! (If your CHF permits so)

Another thing- what asthmas medications are you on? Some asthma medications cause hyperglycemia. I know thats frustrating! trying to fix one thing just to screw up another illness. Have you pointed that out to your dr? I would bring that up if it hasnt already been. Changing your meds may cause the blood sugars to go down.

I honestly think you need to find a diabetes educator. They are trained to help with situations such as not being able to afford supplies. You have to have glucometer strips. You need to be using ketone strips to check for sugar in the urine. And if you know you are spilling proteint these are a must!

I will pray for you. I hope you get to feeling better soon.

brandi

blondy2061h · 05-20-2007, 12:50 PM

You can switch to the ReliOn meter from Wal-Mart. Those strips are half as much as other ones. There's also the TrueTrack brand that is sold via chain pharmacies.

jenavive · 05-20-2007, 02:54 PM

If you start taking Symlin start out low doses like 4 u before meals, slowly increase. You should end at 10u 3 times a day. I was on it but now I have a new Dr. and she isn't crazy about it. Good luck...also start walking and cut out as much carbs as you can, plenty of vegis and fruit. Jen

__STRIKER__ · 05-27-2007, 07:47 PM

Oh sweetie....I was shocked to read your thread....This is the USA and there has to be help out there for you to be able to get your strips! Have you talked to your Doc about this??? I test sometimes 8 times a day..I ended up newly Dx with a BG of over 1000 and a A1C of 19 ( so I know how terrifying high A1C's can be) go to the American diabetes association website and look for URLS ..post what the prob is. This is the USA and there has to be help out there for you!!! testing so little can be so dangerous! plz let me know how things are going! STRIKER_Out