Diabetic Friends Action Network (DFAN)
Electronic Newsletter - September
(Delphi Internet Services Custom Forum 255)


Stress and diabetes go hand in hand at times.  Some even say
stress and trauma might be the reason diabetes comes into a
person's life.

Once a person is diagnosed with diabetes they must deal with a
change in their total lifestyle as well as changes in the way
they must take care of themselves.  If a person is used to eating
pizza and hamburgers every day going to foods that are low in fat
and calories might make bring on tension and anxiety.

Stress can also come from the family of a diabetic person.  There
might be clashes when it comes to the food the family eats. 
There might also be clashes concerning how much time and
attention the diabetic family member is receiving.  These are all
things that shouldn't come between people but it sometimes does.

All in all the life of a diabetic is full of stress.  Waking up
in the morning brings along blood glucose tests, insulin
injections, pill doses, exercise, as well as many other things. 
Stress must be managed since it DOES have an affect on blood
glucose level.  Having a stressful day can have the same effect
that two pieces of chocolate cake can have on blood glucose
levels: they go UP.

If you'd like to correspond with any of the authors of the
articles in this newsletter who have furnished their e-mail
addresses please do so.  They'd love to hear from you.

We're also in need of articles for the next (October issue) of
the newsletter.  As of this date we don't have any articles for
it so if you'd like to tell us your story, even if it isn't full
of success and control please jot it down and send it to us. 
Don't worry about grammar or style...we just want your true
story.  Send the stories to BELVE@DELPHI.COM    If you are on
America Online you can send your stories to BELVE, and on Prodigy
send your stories to XJMV62A

*****************************************
Discipline
By Dave Parkinson

Things have not been going all that well with my diabetes
regimen, or perhaps I should say with my lack of a regimen.  

I've been a diabetic since 1989 when my family doctor put me on 
Micronase (tablet).  Actually I have strong reason to believe I
was a borderline diabetic for a time before that.  Just never
confirmed.  I started taking insulin in June 1994.  I checked my
blood sugar levels as often as 4-5 times per day and kept the
levels below 200 quite a bit, even managing to get down to 70-120
early in the morning a few times.  At first I tried to follow my
diet strictly.  That lasted for 1-2 months.  I started walking
for exercise at lunch time which helped to lose some much needed
weight.

As time went on I started to slip from the discipline I was
trying to maintain.  Went back to some bad habits like eating
poorly, not taking time to plan a menu, purchase groceries,
prepare food, plan, plan, plan.  Exercise became an occasional
thing and most of my time was devoted to working (office type
work much of the time).  

In the last few months the weight came back on, aches and pains
came back too.  For the past year my vision has become
progressively more blurry and the sensation (feeling) in my feet
has become less so than in the past.  Realizing that it had been
2 years since I had gotten an eye examination I decided to make
an appointment.  Not something I enjoy doing at all. 
Nevertheless, I went and received some very good news.  The
Ophthalmologist said my retinas were still very good and that
there did not appear to have been any damage yet.  Also, he said 
the bluriness was caused by the elevated and fluctuating blood
sugar levels.  Well,  I called that a good visit.  

It's not too late to do something about my problem.  A friend has
given me several issues of the magazine for diabetics called
Forecast.
  
In the magazine I've read numerous accounts about people who have
made lifestyle changes and seem to live very normal lives. 
Regulated.  Well disciplined.  Healthy.  All the things I have
struggled with all my life.  I am tired of struggling but I will
not give up.  With God's help (couldn't possibly do anything
without His help) I will have victory.  

I want to encourage others who have continued to struggle and
haven't had too many victories to raise their hopes.  Just like
in AA and OA I will take 1 day at a time.  O God, Grant me the
serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to
change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Thank you for those of you that have published the newsletter and
for those of you that have taken the time to share your own
experiences and encouragement.  I will continue to look forward
to reading the DFAN Online Newsletter and responding to those
that wish to correspond.

If you'd like to correspond with Dave you can reach him at this
e-mail address: MYPJ83A@prodigy.com
***************************************
WE WANT YOUR OPINION

Some people with diabetes have noticed that when they do blood
glucose testing at home their blood seems to appear thicker when
their blood sugar levels are high.  They also notice that their
blood appears to be thinner when their blood glucose levels are
closer to "normal".

We would appreciate some feedback on whether you (or your child,
or family member, or friend) has noticed this or not.  If you've
experienced this please let us know and we'll publish the results
in our next newsletter.

***************************************
DIABETIC WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE
(Including an "unexpected" pregnancy)
By Barbara Chi


Let me start out by saying that it has not been easy....and
it is not recommended to be a diabetic without health
insurance.  I have been extremely lucky and blessed not to
have suffered any "serious" complications as a result of my
lack of medical care over the last five years.  

It all started when I lost my job back in 1990.  Along with the
loss of my job was the loss of my health insurance.  I could
not afford the COBRA payments....so I was on my own! 
SCARY!!!!  I was also putting a husband through school so
our options were very limited.  When it gets down to the
point where you are asking, "Do I buy groceries for my
family or do I buy Insulin", then you know you are in
trouble!

Luckily, I had been a diabetic for almost twenty years when
I lost my insurance so I was well educated and knew what
needed to be done.  I just didn't have the resources needed!
I have learned every possible way to beg and plead for
diabetic supplies and services.  An option for others in my
situation is to contact doctors in your area (look in the
phone book under Internal Medicine or Endocrinologists).  A
lot of time these doctors have excess supplies of insulin,
blood pressure medicine and thyroid medicine sitting around.

I have doctors who have told me that they have had to throw
away insulin because it sat around in their refrigerators
for so long they expired!   They are more than happy to give
these "samples" away.  One doctor told me, "If pharmaceutical
companies are stupid enough to think I will prescribe their
medicine to my patients just because they left me a
sample they deserve to have their products grow old in my
pharmaceutical closet!"  Wow...what an eye opener!  From
then on, he was the first one I would call for supplies.

I was also lucky that my husband worked in a hospital part
time while going to school so he knew a lot of doctors. 
Some of them would write me prescriptions for medicine that
I needed but couldn't get over the counter such as blood
pressure medicine, and syringes.

Getting pregnant was another obstacle.  I contacted a local
teaching hospital who put me into their high risk OB clinic
and charged me weekly based on my income.  When I went on
disability at 6 months gestation, I FINALLY qualified for
medicaid for the last three months of my pregnancy.  The
baby and I both made it.....thankfully.

As far as eye exams, if you don't have insurance, try
contacting your local lions club who have doctors that
perform eye exams for free and also give glasses!  You'd be
amazed at the free care that's available out there!  The biggest
thing you can do to help yourself is read, read, read!  Go to the
library and see if they have any diabetic magazines.....or stop
by doctor's offices and ask to read their copies. You have to
stay educated to win this war!

Now for the good news......I will have insurance soon because my
husband finally graduated with his nursing degree and will work
full time....hopefully soon!  I consider myself lucky because I
know there are a lot of other diabetics out there with no
resources and nowhere to turn!  We need to become vocal about
passing legislation that will mandate diabetic care and supplies
to all diabetics....not just those fortunate with great
insurance!  If we don't help ourselves....no one else will help
us either!
********************************
A Life With Stress
By Gary Matuck

I was diagnosed with type II diabetes about three years ago.
After dietician counseling and trying to change my diet and
beginning a more or less regular exercise program I was able to
control my blood glucose level to stay in the 120-145 rage from
an initial diagnosis of 220.  I was able to sustain this 
level until this past February.  On February 5, 1995 my
son-in-law was killed in a skiing accident.  My daughter, who was
pregnant with her second child lived about 3 hours distance from
my wife and I and her first child is mentally retarded.  My
daughter could not live alone and we suggested and she readily
agreed to move in with us.  

My wife's mother who had been living with us was in the hospital
with a minor stroke and was going temporarily into a nursing home
for recovery.  Needless to say the stress on everyone during this
ordeal was tremendous.  In a couple of weeks I went back to my
doctor for a blood test and my glucose level was at 330 (higher
than it had ever been).  

I am sure that the stress of the recent events had a tremendous
effect on my diabetes.  My doctor suggested going on oral
medication but I thought that I might be able to get my levels
down by exercise and diet again so he waited for three months to
see the results.  My blood glucose is now running between
140-220.  This is better but not good enough so I have just
started taking Gluconage to reduce it to normal levels.  I still
hope that I will be able to resume diet and exercise control
without medication, but that will probably take some time to get
our lives back to normal.  We are still adjusting to all of the
recent changes in our lives and our new little grandson is
expected to be born next week.  This just shows how much effect
stress can have on blood glucose levels.        

I hope that this can possibly help some of the diabetics to
understand the effects of stress on blood glucose levels.  This
of course is only one of many things which effect blood glucose. 
*********************************
DEALING WITH STRESS

Stress plays an important part in diabetes management.  Since the
presence of stress in a person's life can make blood glucose
levels rise the reduction of stress in a person's life can have a
positive effect on blood glucose levels.

Use your common sense to figure out what are the sources of
stress in your life and do whatever you can to reduce their
impact on you.  You can't eliminate stress altogether but you can
get rid of as much of it as possible.

The emotional weight of diabetes alone can bring stress into a
person's life.  Not knowing what to do for yourself to help
control your diabetes might make you nervous and uneasy.  To help
with this type of stress you might try reading and learning about
diabetes.  Knowing the facts about diabetes can sometimes quash
some of the fears you might have.  If you don't know what to do
if you have an insulin reaction that can bring stress, but if you
know exactly what to do and are prepared for an insulin reaction
that anxiety might go away.

Thinking about the complications of diabetes can also be a source
of stress.  You can't predict whether or not you'll get a
diabetes complication so try to keep this worry to a minimum. 
Try to do your best to help control your diabetes and
complications might stay out of your life.  There are no
guarantees but you can do your best to keep them away from your
life.                                                             
                                          
Try not to turn to food or alcohol to cope with the stress.  Both
of these won't work.  You'll just be modifying your metabolic
balance and doing something detrimental to your diabetes
management plan.

It's hard to reach out for help when you're stressed out but if
you can find someone to talk to take advantage of it.  If you
can't talk to your doctor or someone in your family you might be
able to find a friend (with or without diabetes) that might
empathize with you and hear your thoughts. 

*If you have any special tips for coping with stress and diabetes
send them to us and we can include them in a future issue of this
newsletter.
*************************************
BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE

There are six  other issues of the DFAN Online Newsletter
available.  If you'd like to receive any of them just send us an
e-mail (BELVE@DELPHI.COM) and we can send it to your e-mail box. 
Or stop by our forum on Delphi Internet Services (Custom Forum
255).  Here are the other issues that are now available for
upload to you.

Fall Edition: DFAN Online * Official Flower Seeds * Article - The
First Day/Diagnosis * Article - A Mother's Dilemma * DFAN
Hottub/Biographies

February Edition: Article - Good Old Days/Part 2 * Article -
Coping As An SO (Significant Other) * Article - The Joy Of A
Transplant * Member To Member Advice * Article - Sorbitol/Is The
Harm Worth The Benefit

March Edition (Special Children's Edition): Interview With Ten
Year Old Diabetic Child * Article - D* At School/Time Of
Diagnosis * Article - Getting Ready For School Beyond Notebooks &
Erasers * Wordsearch Puzzle

May Edition: (Special Significant Other Edition): Looking At The
Glass Half Empty Or Half Full *  S.O.B's (Significant Other
Brothers) * Poem - "The Lesson Needed To Be Learned" * SO
Appreciation * Getting Involved * Meal Planning - The Key To
Success * Diabetes Mystery Story

June Edition: Article - Diabetes In Teens * Article - My Life
After Diabetes * Article - Who I Am * Article - All It Takes Is A
Little Time * Poll Results - Driver's License Suspension *
Article - Traveling With Diabetes * Diabetic Study Announcement *
Finish The Story - Tara's New Beginning

July Edition: Article - Cerebral Palsy & Diabetes/The Nexus And
The Nudge * Article - Life As An Ex-Diabetic (From a Triple
Transplant Recipient) * Article - What Supplies Should You Buy * 
Article - Getting Involved

(This newsletter is e-mailed to everyone who visits our online
forum and to everyone who requests it.  If you would like to be
removed from this mailing list of if you'd like to receive any
back issue please send an e-mail to BELVE@DELPHI.COM


