Diabetes & Byetta

I used to have a One Touch, which died, and am currently using the
Freestyle. I choose the Freestyle because, at the time, it required a
much smaller blood supply than the One Touch. I’m impressed by both.

My new endo gave me a BD Logic Monitor. The refills strips were so
expensive even with insurance ($70 for 300 strips). Today I received a

The past few days I’ve been carrying out a massive housecleaning attack
on my apartment. Consequently, I’ve been exposed to a lot of dust
mites, and my dust allergy has kicked in big time. My morning blood
sugars have been very bad. Since allergies and Type II diabetes are
both autoimmune conditions, I’m beginning to suspect that having
allergic reactions can make diabetes worse. Anyone experienced
anything like this?

c.
Even though it has been a godsend as far as my bgs are concerned, I
feel sick all the time, have heartburn, and the diarrhea just don’t
work too well with my ability to work at my job.
I cannot take the 10 MCG dose, just the 5 and it really keeps me sick
feeling most of the time.
I was checking on the other drug called Symlin and it seems to have
the same side effects, so that does not appear to be an alternative.
I never have an appetite, but have only lost about 5 pounds in the 2
months I have been on it.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to stay on the Byetta
apart from living on Prilosec OTC for the heartburn and something for
the diarrhea the rest of my life.

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It’s National Folic Acid Week, so it’s a fitting time to give this
essential vitamin the attention it deserves! Folate, the natural form
of folic acid, is a B-vitamin found in many foods, including leafy
green vegetables, beans, and asparagus. Folic acid, the synthetic form
of the vitamin, is added to fortified foods (such as cereals) and is
found in supplements. Both play a key role in healthy cell growth and
also help in the production of red blood cells, which are important
for fending off anemia. In addition to their other roles, folate and
folic acid may improve cardiovascular health by teaming with vitamins
B6 and B12 to lower homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood. An
excess of homocysteine is linked to an increased risk of coronary
heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and stroke. Individuals
with high homocysteine levels may also develop atherosclerosis, a
buildup of plaque that causes the arteries to narrow and harden.
"Meeting your folate requirements by increasing your intake of
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Ruby posted an article a little bit ago that is part of a series about
diabetes. Yesterday the New York Times started the series of articles
about the diabetes epidemic. These articles a just riveting, so if
you haven’t read them yet, you can click here. This site requires you
to register to get in, but I’ve been registered for at least 5 years
and I don’t ever get any spammy stuff from them. Also, there is no
charge for the service.

Sharing a tidbit of information:

Take a look at their updated privacy statement:

or

About half-way down the page, in the section on cookies, you will see
a link that says web beacons.

In this section you’ll see a little "click here to opt out" link that
will let you "opt-out" of their new method of snooping.

Once you have clicked that link, you are exempted.

Notice the "Success" message on the top of the next page. Be careful
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Bad Blood
Diabetes and Its Awful Toll Quietly Emerge as a Crisis

By N. R. KLEINFIELD
Published: January 9, 2006

Begin on the sixth floor, third room from the end, swathed in
fluorescence: a 60-year-old woman was having two toes sawed off. One
floor up, corner room: a middle-aged man sprawled, recuperating from a
kidney transplant. Next door: nerve damage. Eighth floor, first room
to the left: stroke. Two doors down: more toes being removed. Next
room: a flawed heart.
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Vincent Laforet for The New York Times
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