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I haven't been around much the last couple of years, which have not been very good ones for me. Apart from the car accident I have already said about on this forum, I have had some quite bad health issues these last couple of years. I developed Ulcerative Colitis (very messy and unpleasant) but for weeks while I waited for the test results, the doctors told me that it could be bowel cancer. As you can imagine, it was not a good time for my family. When they finally confirmed that it was not cancer the relief was immense. So they started treating the colitis with high doses of steroids to which my body had an extreem reaction, I gained about 40 pounds and my blood sugar level jumped from a fairly mormal 6.4 to a dangerous 37.2 and I developed type 2 diabetes and went blind. It took months to recover my sight and to get my blood sugar down to a reasonable level. Apparently I am one of the minority of people who can't tolerate steroids and develope steroid induced diabetes, lucky me! Things finally started looking up, the colitis was under control, the diabetes was in remission and all seemed right with the world. Then our National Health Service decided on a cost cutting exercise and changed the drugs I was being treated with for the colitis (non-steroid now) for cheaper drugs which nobody noticed included a side effect of raising blood sugar levels. Bingo, back comes the diabetes!

Stress levels go up as the new National Health Service systems means that instead of my consultant prescribing drugs for me directly, she now notifies a clerical department that I need them, the celerical department notifies an outside contractor that I need them, I have to phone the contractor to arrange delivery to my door. Great if the system worked but it doesn't and I end up ringing the contractor who says they haven't been notified by the clerical department who I can't contact so I then ring the consultant's secretary to ask that the consultant chases up the issue from her end and get the clerical deaprtment to get off its butt and does the jobit's supposed to do. This happenes every bloody month, meanwhile I am without the drugs I need and my health is deteriorating. Finally it all gets too much and I collapsed this December 2nd with a heart attack. After being rushed to hospital I had 3 more heart attacks within 36 hours. Three weeks later, after 2 Angio procedures on 2 of the 3 major arteries to the heart, a stent, a ballon treatment to force an artery open and a 'burning wire' to clear a blockage in another artery, I get out of hospital just in time for Christmas, with a large bag full of drugs to keep me going, taking 11 different drugs multiple times a day for my Colitis, Diabetes and heart!

My wife decided that I should get away for Christmas, different surroundings, relaxation and a stress free holiday, so we hired a small caravan on the coast for Christmas week. Arriving there on Christmas Eve we decided to just get a takeaway and relax so we did from a local takeaway we always use when we are in that area and were surprised to find it under new ownership. We then spent Christmas Day thowing up and Boxing Day with diarrhea! The weather was abysmal with gale force winds and driving rain all through the Christmas and as we packed the car to drive home on the Friday, the sun finally deigned to appear!!!

All in all, I look forward to the New Year in hope, despite the fact that I have miutiple appointments with multiple doctors and nurses for weekly blood tests, diabetic reviews, dieticians, stress counseling, heart monitoring, pokings and proddings for the foreseeable future. Because optimistically things can only get better ...... can't they?

 

I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope the coming year is a good one for all of us!

Edited by podgie_bear
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Prost Neujahr / Happy new year

We did same as all years before: The fire fighters of our village and the neighbour village build a big 1000 people tent on a hilltop mid between the villages. Then we move the firefighting equipment to the hilltop , the rockets, the drinks and food, the instruments of the firefighter band, ... Big party with dancing, fireworks, ...

And because nearly everyone is on the party there was no emergency call.

@podgie_bear

Ulcerative Colitis: My niece wrote her exam on using animals to fight allergic reaction - mite cheese against house dust allergy. Her department also works on using bandworm eggs to fight UC. Clinical test phase so costs not covered by insurance but with luck by a company who does the tests. A patient of my wife is using Mutaflor (bacteria mix) and has to pay it himself. Health insurance is sometimes weird, because the bacteria work in his case better than the more expensive medicine they pay ...

Health insurance are run by three different sorts of people:

Doctors or economes who want a good paid desk job and look mainly for a short time win optimization to gain job positions quickly. Who cares if in 10 years the cheap treatment backfires resulting in hire costs, they have their new jobs.

Mathematics who have no plan about short time economics or how to climb the job ladder quickly and who say that often the more expensive cure is the cheaper one in a span of 10 years considering follow up costs. I have the luck that I studied maths and know many mathematicians in insurance companies. Economes come and go, good maths stay ;)

 

 

 

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Hello podgie_bear

Did you try "intermitting fasting" already? Several medical studies have proven that it greatly helps against Diabetes. Gentle, but efficient weight reduction included. Less weight leads to a lower blood pressure too which always comes in handy. Especially if the heart is affected. Ask your doctor, before you start.

I know it can be very difficult to get back on your feet if you lay battered on the ground. The best technique is to stabilize first. Frome free fall to curbed fall. You also have to be honest to yourself. What are you still able to do? Answering unpleasant questions, facing them, can crash a whole week, but you´ll feel better later, especially if you focus on something. Concentrate, make small steps, climb up the ladder again. Slowly, but constantly. You set the pace.

Good luck and a happy new year to you and your family too!   

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Good luck Podgie! I know you can make it through this all! Just be strong and persist. And check what you eat, try to exercise a little bit each day and drink lots of water... It helps(or atleast for my type 1 diabetes it does.

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9 hours ago, podgie_bear said:

I haven't been around much the last couple of years, which have not been very good ones for me. Apart from the car accident I have already said about on this forum, I have had some quite bad health issues these last couple of years. I developed Ulcerative Colitis (very messy and unpleasant) but for weeks while I waited for the test results, the doctors told me that it could be bowel cancer. As you can imagine, it was not a good time for my family. When they finally confirmed that it was not cancer the relief was immense. So they started treating the colitis with high doses of steroids to which my body had an extreem reaction, I gained about 40 pounds and my blood sugar level jumped from a fairly mormal 6.4 to a dangerous 37.2 and I developed type 2 diabetes and went blind. It took months to recover my sight and to get my blood sugar down to a reasonable level. Apparently I am one of the minority of people who can't tolerate steroids and develope steroid induced diabetes, lucky me! Things finally started looking up, the colitis was under control, the diabetes was in remission and all seemed right with the world. Then our National Health Service decided on a cost cutting exercise and changed the drugs I was being treated with for the colitis (non-steroid now) for cheaper drugs which nobody noticed included a side effect of raising blood sugar levels. Bingo, back comes the diabetes!

Stress levels go up as the new National Health Service systems means that instead of my consultant prescribing drugs for me directly, she now notifies a clerical department that I need them, the celerical department notifies an outside contractor that I need them, I have to phone the contractor to arrange delivery to my door. Great if the system worked but it doesn't and I end up ringing the contractor who says they haven't been notified by the clerical department who I can't contact so I then ring the consultant's secretary to ask that the consultant chases up the issue from her end and get the clerical deaprtment to get off its butt and does the jobit's supposed to do. This happenes every bloody month, meanwhile I am without the drugs I need and my health is deteriorating. Finally it all gets too much and I collapsed this December 2nd with a heart attack. After being rushed to hospital I had 3 more heart attacks within 36 hours. Three weeks later, after 2 Angio procedures on 2 of the 3 major arteries to the heart, a stent, a ballon treatment to force an artery open and a 'burning wire' to clear a blockage in another artery, I get out of hospital just in time for Christmas, with a large bag full of drugs to keep me going, taking 11 different drugs multiple times a day for my Colitis, Diabetes and heart!

My wife decided that I should get away for Christmas, different surroundings, relaxation and a stress free holiday, so we hired a small caravan on the coast for Christmas week. Arriving there on Christmas Eve we decided to just get a takeaway and relax so we did from a local takeaway we always use when we are in that area and were surprised to find it under new ownership. We then spent Christmas Day throwing up and Boxing Day with diarrhea! The weather was abysmal with gale force winds and driving rain all through the Christmas and as we packed the car to drive home on the Friday, the sun finally deigned to appear!!!

All in all, I look forward to the New Year in hope, despite the fact that I have multiple appointments with multiple doctors and nurses for weekly blood tests, diabetic reviews, dieticians, stress counseling, heart monitoring, pokings and proddings for the foreseeable future. Because optimistically things can only get better ...... can't they?

 

I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope the coming year is a good one for all of us!

podgie, I was hoping you'd make it over to us for Christmas.. happy to see that you've made it for New Years... and we're proud to tote that skin you so love.. was hoping you'd come to see it :heart:  awww, POdgie, that christmas getaway sounds like murphy's law had been invited and he pretty much played all his tricks.. It must have ben so frustrating :(  I'm however happy that the sun did pop out and that you have gone through the procedures and should be well to better soon... Im sending good vibes mate! and Hugs

:hugs:

gogo

 

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Theuns and Dax, and Chattius, I wanted to with you all a Happy New year friends! I got back from a new years party last night...where... are...those...tylenols...  :crazy: A great meal with just a touch of alcohol....

Happy 2020 Folks!

 

:)

 

gogo

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@ podgie_bear

--- Please ask your Doctor if workouts are allowed ---

Last but not least, a very, very light training might be useful too. Gymnastics/Stretching while sitting on a chair, or, if you feel better one day, a very slight cardio-training using the Thera-Band. (Buy the original, not the cheap chinese copy and some talcum powder)

I´ll link some videos, they´re in german unfortunately, but it isn´t necessary to understand a word. Warm up before starting the workout, stretch the muscles before and after the training to prevent muscle-injuries. (Stretch a muscle for 20 secs, repeat three times.)

Gymnastics while sitting on a chair:

 

 

 

Light Cardio-Training while sitting on a chair:

 

Edited by Dax
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Thanks all.

Dax, My wife has a home gym that I am using (carefully) but exercise and fasting will not help my diabetes while the other drugs I have to take every morning and evening are raising my blood sugar level. My diabetes specialist is considering adding further drugs to the metformin I am taking, but is unhappy about doing so as they could cause further complications, especially with my heart meds.

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5 hours ago, podgie_bear said:

Thanks all.

Dax, My wife has a home gym that I am using (carefully) but exercise and fasting will not help my diabetes while the other drugs I have to take every morning and evening are raising my blood sugar level. My diabetes specialist is considering adding further drugs to the metformin I am taking, but is unhappy about doing so as they could cause further complications, especially with my heart meds.

I've had Diabetes for 10 years  Podgie, or at least been diagnosed with it, type two  First few years intense exercise, weight loss and strict adherence to proteins, veggies and small amounts of starches and I was able to keep the levels amazing.  years later its become harder, so my metformin has gone up, about 4x 500 a day plus a cool new pill that only makes my pancreas make insulin when I eat food.  Really dont want to start using Insulin, not a fan of needles so we'll see where this goes... I guess its easier for me as I dont have to balance heart meds in it... are you happy with your GP

:)

 

gogo

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13 hours ago, podgie_bear said:

Thanks all.

Dax, My wife has a home gym that I am using (carefully) but exercise and fasting will not help my diabetes while the other drugs I have to take every morning and evening are raising my blood sugar level. My diabetes specialist is considering adding further drugs to the metformin I am taking, but is unhappy about doing so as they could cause further complications, especially with my heart meds.

I hoped I could help a bit. I understand it is very difficult for you currently, getting battered by bad news without a break is hard to endure, but it is important to leave this "hole" where you are in at this moment. To be stubborn and to refuse to break, combined with a goal you want to reach, is a good start.
There will be setbacks, be assured. Shake them off and move on. Nothing remains but to clench you teeth! Go get them, podgie_bear!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Living in France I can still dish out Happy New Year greetings till the end of January, so in case I have not already done so...HAPPY NEW YEAR TO SID and THE BOSS.  I just wish you would stop giving me a guilt complex about being healthy and too far away to be much use.

You haven't mentioned the therapeutic value of intermittent spasms of Lotro, EQ2, and the reviving Vanguard but these are unfortunately not of much permanent value. Whatever else may be happening to you laddie, I know that the old grey matter is still very alive and well.

Ciao

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