Diabetes Part II

This is the second blog during Diabetes Awareness Month.  And as I promised, I am going to relate my own personal story.  My father passed away in his 80's from complications with insulin controlled diabetes and my mother had diabetes when she passed several years before.  Since diabetes has environmental as well as hereditary components, my primary care physician knew I was a candidate for type II diabetes.  Up until two years ago I was doing okay with a fasting blood sugar tested annually that was consistently in the 100 range.  Then one day I started getting symptoms of rather severe dry mouth, as well as prostate issues (you men know what I mean!).  I also suddenly developed a large cavity on the lower left 6 year molar, to put that into prospective, I had not had a cavity since 1972, so it was a little weird.  I called my primary care physician and he immediately ordered a fasting blood sugar test and my reading was 396, basically ready to die.  He immediately started two diabetes medications and now with some effort my blood sugar is consistently less than 100 and all my other symptoms have passed.  I have a new crown that Dr. Naten placed for me on that broken molar and it’s been fine.  I have lost 50 pounds and the diabetes is primarily diet controlled with regular increased exercise.  I am only on one medication that is 1/8 the dosage that I was on originally, and I feel great!  I can now keep up with my wife on all of her crazy hikes (my kids call them “MKH's” or Mom's killer hikes).  With all the potential complications of diabetes, obviously it is very beneficial to get the situation under control.   Therefore, speaking to all you guys out there, do yourself a big favor and if you have a problem get tested, get treatment and feel better.

 This is me after losing 50 pounds.