Comment by Terrie on March 10, 2011 at 12:18pm

Good Heavens Girl! I feel for you. You certainly have been through a lot of injuries and pain. You are a Very strong and determined Person. Unfortunately, I have no secrets to share for pain relief that you don't already know about.

This year will be my 50th year with Diabetes. I was also dxd. with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) when I was about 24 yrs. old. That's one Bad disease. I complain about it as often as I can. :D Severe RA is an autoimmune disease and happens to run in both sides of my Family so there are/were many Members suffering. None of them have Diabetes however, so their sugars are Fine but still the pain is there.

I have been on 16 different drugs for RA and only 4 or 5 put my disease into remission for a few years or so, then the severe pain and ridiculous fatique would start all over again.

I was just telling one of my Friends here that after 1 1/2 yrs. of being on a new drug plus 3 others, that they finally kicked in and I feel much Better. I still have pain but nothing like it was day in, day out. So I am in remission for about 2 weeks now, hopefully leaving behind the last 5.5 yrs. when my other drugs stopped working for me. I am So Happy but still cautious. I see a brighter future ahead. I may even get back into some volunteering again or perhaps a part-time job.

You know, one of my Cousins who was dxd. with severe RA when he was age 10, had told me years ago what he feels has helped him to feel Better. He stopped eating pork. A couple years ago, I stopped eating pork for a couple of weeks but I didn't feel any Better. About 2 months ago little by little, I had started leaving meats out of my diet without realizing it. So now I'm wondering is it the longer span of time of not eating much meat or is it the new drug that has finally kicked in. My Rheumy did say that for a minority of People these drugs can take a longer time before they start working.

Sorry for babbling but I hadn't put my thoughts about the meat in print before. I just thought that it was a Big coincidence regarding the difference in pain. You know all the junk that they put into animals like antibiotics and with genetically modified animals(meats), vegetables, etc. that the governments are allowing, who knows??? Nothing else has changed for me that I can think of. My sugars and A1c's have been decent to Good for many years now. I do the same amount of exercise and so on.

Anyways, I sure hope that you get the much needed relief from your chronic pain. I know that it can do Bad things to a Person's mind and soul. Good Vibes and Best Wishes to you.

Comment by Jackie Warren Demijohn on March 10, 2011 at 2:15pm

Terrie I can not begin to imagine what it must be like to live with RA. My heart goes out to you. So glad you are finding some relief. Who knows, you may indeed be onto something with the no meat diet. Whatever works! The fact that your pain does not effect for bs is amazing and I am happy for you.

When I was a little girl living w/ T-1, I believed because I had diabetes I would not ever get anything else. No cancer, no colds or flue, and apparently no broken bones. I was wrong. But, hey, I have most of my original equipment and at my age and with my lifesyle that's a good thing.

ty for your thoughts on diabetes/pain issues, Terrie. I wish you many more years of success with your meds and diet.

Comment by Terrie on March 10, 2011 at 7:27pm

Thank you Jackie. :) It probably is strange to most but my last inflammation test rate was 27 and the max is 10. But yet my sugars were decent most of the time, unless I ate something I shouldn't or I took my shot a bit late. There is also a minority of us whose blood sugars drop when we are angry or stressed, me included. Many don't believe us since they experience stress and high blood sugar, as is with the majority. I live in my body, so I know what happens to me and Others in my little Group. Richard posted a link identifying this. My Drs. and Pharmacist realize this also. There are about 7 People that I have noticed on this site plus Others on other sites who experience this Stress - Sugar Drop. Our systems are just different than others in that situation. I mean fast dropping sugars are not Fun either when a Diabetic is stressed/upset or angry.

I normally do not eat much but I am not starving. I do my regular exercises and I do not take more than 8 units of Insulin(usually 5-6) in each injection. I also use many different sites, so I do not have absorption problems. That is another reason why I do not pump. I can give a shot in an area where it may hurt but it's only 1 - 6 units and the pain is temporary. I could not leave a cannula in this same area for more than a few minutes because it would be too painful for a longer time. I am not resistant to Insulin or at least not seriously(tw),so high blood sugars are not a problem for me. unless I cause it by eating a high carb item. When I was on high dose Prednisone, THAT was a Big problem but I have been on lower dose Pred. for some yrs. now which helps to control the pain and I take extra Insulin to keep my sugars down. I normally take 40 - 44 units. My weight is Good also for my height. So there is no mystery here.

You have been suffering about 4 yrs. longer than me Jackie but Thankfully I have had a few years here and there with just minor pain when certain drugs have worked. You evidently have not experienced this. That is truly heartbreaking, frustrating and makes me wish someone(anyone) could find something to help you. It's Fantastic that you are able to push through Life. I do agree that being able to laugh makes us feel Better. :) The foreign objects in your body are probably causing the continued inflammation also?

My Hubby was in 2 motorcycle accidents and he was in Awful pain where he couldn't move for many weeks or walk for a long time. I looked after him through both recoveries. I guess him needing me, helped me some. He had herniated discs, many fractures, complex broken bones, crushed bones, muscles torn off bones, etc. He was NOT a Happy Camper. :D He has come through so much. The Good surgeons and Therapists did Wonderful work. YOU and Him both make me Proud that you's can still joke about things in Life. You are both Remarkable!! I've never experienced a broken bone(tw) but I'm sure that I would not enjoy it. ;-) Thanks again Jackie.

Comment by latvianchick on March 10, 2011 at 11:43pm

I do! My spine has crumbled (was crush fractured when my father threw me down the stairs at the age of five though not diagnosed until I was 23!). Sciatica, spondylosis, strained sacro illiac joint, nerve pain ...... Oh, and migraines! And several other conditions that were dismissed as being in my mind - including the pain of a cyst on my spleen (probably from several viruses I had during my teens) for many years, causing much pain and vomiting, and the diabetes for 10 years before I was diagnosed despite having all the symptoms including DKA (I know that now, looking back!) and being dismissed as an alcoholic (smell of ketones) even while I was in hospital with the cyst for 6 years! Oh, and I have sleep apnoea! Triple whammy!

I believe it is a well known fact that pain can affect blood sugar levels and mood. I just have to celebrate when I get the occassional good reading and sigh and inject more insulin when my sugar levels swing wildly! As you say, a sense of humour is a must for a diabetic!

I have been given Pregabalin which has helped me sleep - does make me rather groggy, but when the pain gets bad and I know that there is not much on the next day I will take it. It is good for pain, even though it is an anti-epileptic drug.

Comment by GinaY on March 12, 2011 at 5:56pm

Jackie, I have chronic pain from old injuries, but nothing as serious as you. 20 years ago, while working my way through college I got my dextrous hand crushed and three of my fingers ripped-off by a conveyer belt missing a safety-guard. I was lucky doctor's re-attached two of my fingers. Man, can my fingers and hand hurt sometimes, I even get phantom pain in my missing finger. Having a job that required me type all day for 18 years didn't help much either. I've spent many evenings soaking my hand in a bucket of warm water. Now I work at a dog-boarding kennel, it's physically grueling, my back hurts really bad sometimes, probably from being rear-ended while stopped at a stop-light ten years ago, and recent x-rays revealed I have a slightly degenerative spine.
I don't like pain meds either, mostly because they make me feel loopy. I do take over-the-counter stuff like Aleve or Advil, but I worry about side effects, so I only take them when I'm really hurting.
I agree with you, the best thing I have found is keep moving, and laughter is the best medicine (besides insulin, of course!) Sorry I have no advice to offer, since like you I just plow through it the best I can. But hey, I thought your blog and the responses it generated were interesting.

Comment by Jackie Warren Demijohn on March 13, 2011 at 9:12am

@Terrie. I too experience fast dropping low blood sugars do to emotional tension. Perhpas this is why I am not a gambling woman, each day is a gamble when your blood sugars go where & when they wish. Ah, just another of life wtih The Big D challenges. Hey this disease either makes us or breaks us and I have been told I am one tough cookie. My hubster says I am a marshmallow wrapped in barbed wire. He may be on to something, lol.
@latvianchick I don't know what to say other than, it sucks to be you. I cannot imagine the pain you must endure, back injuries are always difficult at best. The not being able to sleep problem does not help one survive chronic pain which is always nawing on our ability to navigate the world. Some days are harder than others and I guess we all try to do the best we can without giving up. And, don't you just hate it when the men in medicine dismiss a woman's health claims when they can't figure it out! Oh if I was a more dangerous woman than I am, and I was the kind of woman that killed people, I would be taking out these so-called med professionals who dimiss woman out of hand. There I said it, and I feel better. Stay strong latvianchick!

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