Freaky stuff

[GreggC]

The hospital where I had my transplant has me taking my vital signs three times a day. Among the medications that they have me taking, is something to make my pancreas work more efficiently. The effect of this medication is to lower my blood sugar. They want it to stay within certain perameters. If it is too high, that isn't good and too low isn't good. The thing that causes it to rise is one of the other drugs I must take-prednesone. When I was in the hospital, they had me on 80mg. When I came home, they cut it to 20mg. Since then, I have had it cut to 15 mg and then 10 mg. By next week soime time, it will be 5mg. Tonight, I had my first experience with blood sugar that is too low. You start to sweat, your pulse picks up and you feel real funny. The wife had to grab a glass of orange juice and let me sit for about 15 minutes before I felt right. I guess I need to call in the morning to see if they still want me to take that stuff. Talk about weird!

[justatypn]

It is freaky when it sneaks up on you. Sounds like your body has found it's happy medium at 15mg. Hope all is well, just listen to your body and it will tell you what is missing and what is needed. Good luck to you, stay well.

[Lagoon]

I agree with Cheryl, listen to your body. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Relax and take good care of yourself - there's only 1 of you

Regards,

[Ross]

My wife's cousin has diabetes and also tracks blood sugar. It can be a real sneaker in that if it drops too low, all of a sudden you are down on the ground. No warning. (At least for him). Follow the regime to the "T" and don't skip anything.

[cb977]

Gregg, you need to stay very aware of the slightest changes you are feeling, as does anybody with diabetes.
My MIL and my husband both have it and they can tell immediately when their numbers aren't right. This is actually a good thing (being able to "feel" it coming on) as some diabetics don't get that warning and just BANG! Out of nowhere, they're out of it.

Other medicinal steroids have the opposite effect causing blood sugar levels to skyrocket, which is not good either.

Please speak to your docs as soon as possible, it's not something to take for granted.

[GreggC]

Coordinator in the morning. I may have finally reached the point that I no longer need the medication which I have been taking to counteract the prednesone, and that is for them to determine, not me. I am not stupid enough to think that I could make that decision. If there is one thing that I have learned since first being diagnosed, it is listen to your doctor. That is their job. Because I have been listening all along and because I have someone who cares about me, I was able to get away from dialysis within about one year, when I know how many people who have been waiting for quite some time. Obviously, this is because of three things: first, there are not that many people willing to give up a kidney, second, if you don't do what your doctor tells you to do, the likelihood of you getting a kidney soon is not good, because if they give you one, they want it to last and three, some folks are just not in good enough shape to get a kidney because of other things that are going on with their health. Sigh! I have many friends I met while on dialysis. When I was going, I used to take in orchids for the nurses, techs and clients to see because I figured they needed something to brighten their day. I have bought all the staff lunch, taken in goodies for all of them and bought candy for them to share. I appreciated the fact that they were doing a thankless job. They had to deal with people who did not want to be there, were grouchy, maybe because they did not feel well. I could never look at the area that they were dialyzing, I just looked away, much as I used to do when I got a shot. As I said, I could not do their job, but I never missed one day when I was supposed to be there.