NetWellness Diabetes

Too much sugar

Robert Cohen MD — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:11:00 EST

Question: By eating too much sugar over a person`s lifetime cause diabetes later on in life?

Answer: It is pretty well accepted that undue weight gain increases the risk of diabetes and eating too much sugar is one way to get there. Apart from that, eating too much sugar probably doesn't cause diabetes unless the person has some predisposition or other reason for increased risk for diabetes.& . . .

Ask an Expert: Robert Cohen MD, Diabetes

Blood sugar too high

Robert Cohen MD — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:11:00 EST

Question: all of a sudden i started having heart palpations and trembling . i started a dance aerobics class , i had a 175 sugar before class and a 298 after class . lately since i started a reg exercise program my sugars have been extremely high for me. heart paklpations are not allowing me to sleep at times . . .

Answer: Thank you for visiting NetWellness. On this site, we try to answer general questions about diabetes but cannot diagnose or recommend treatment. You appear to have some very, very specific questions about your exercise and blood sugars, which can only be answered properly by a physician who is famili . . .

Ask an Expert: Robert Cohen MD, Diabetes

Non-diabetic individuals with elevated blood

Robert Cohen MD — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:11:00 EST

Question: I am an RN who completes cholesterol testing in workplaces and community. Frequently individuals who have not had any elelvations in blood glucose readings will have elevations after 12 hours of fasting. Most individuals will say that they have never had an elevation before. Is the elevation related . . .

Answer: I don't think i can give a one-size-fits-all answer to that one. It depends on the testing methodology, the circumstances of testing and a certain amount of chance. If there is an abnormal result, the best approach is to see whether it is reproducible when tested under "ideal" circumstan . . .

Ask an Expert: Robert Cohen MD, Diabetes

Microalbumin/Creatinine Level and Metformin

Robert Cohen MD — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:11:00 EST

Question: I am 50 yr old female w/diabetes since 2004. My fasting BC=170H; A1c=7.7H; LDL=134; HDL=58; TriGly=177; BP=106/67; Micro-albumin/Creatinine level=32.51 (1st time). Diabetes was mainly controlled by diet. Doctor has prescribed Metformin. Can Metformin damage kidneys further? According to my research . . .

Answer: The concern with taking metformin in people with kidney damage is that the kidney damage reduces the metabolism and removal of metformin, increasing the risk of toxicity to other systems from metformin - a rare metabolic problem called lactic acidosis. I am not aware of evidence that metformin . . .

Ask an Expert: Robert Cohen MD, Diabetes

Do I have diabetes

Robert Cohen MD — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:10:00 EST

Question: Hello There, I recently went to my doctors office and this is what I`ve been told. My overall readig is 96. My 90 fasting blood work was 65. I have been taking Meforium for a while but she doesn`t think at this time I need a meter. I have started back excercising hot and heavy. What do you think?

Answer: I am not sure of the units of all the measurements and I can't make a diagnosis from the information provided on NetWellness. However, if you are either at risk for type 2 diabetes or have had the diagnosis made, a steady exercise program within the constraints of assuring that you are able to . . .

Ask an Expert: Robert Cohen MD, Diabetes

How soon changes fasting glucose levels

Robert Cohen MD — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:10:00 EST

Question: When tested three weeks ago, my fasting glucose level was 113, pre-diabetic. I immediately cut out all added sugar and sweets, and substantially reduced my carb intake. How long should it take before these changes reflect in my fasting glucose level? This will determine when I return to the lab for . . .

Answer: It is hard to give you a very specific answer since there are multiple factors at work here - some changes are fast, some slow, some depend on how aggressively you make changes, and those all interact with your own physiology - what the alterations are in your response to insulin, in the ability of . . .

Ask an Expert: Robert Cohen MD, Diabetes

How to lead a normal life with type 1 diabetes

Nancy Morwessel CNP, MSN, CDE — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:10:00 EST

Question: how can we prevent long term effects and lead a normal life with type 1? is it possible?

Answer: Yes it is possible! The important thing is to refuse to be "diabetic".
A person with Type 1 diabetes is a normal person - having diabetes is only one part of life. Life is different with diabetes, but it can still be normal. Everyone has a choice - you can be in control of diabetes - or y . . .

Ask an Expert: Nancy Morwessel CNP, MSN, CDE, Diabetes

Pancreas

Robert Cohen MD — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:10:00 EST

Question: Does a person die when the pancreas stop working?

Answer: The pancreas has a number of different functions which are essential for life. When individual functions fail, that person very likely would die if they didn't have either mechanisms to make up for the failure of those functions or treatments that can replace those functions. People can . . .

Ask an Expert: Robert Cohen MD, Diabetes

Sulfa/sulfur allergies

Robert Cohen MD — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:10:00 EST

Question: like the individual on the home page, i, too, react 2 bathing or showering in sulfur treated water.i am allergic to anything containing sulfur,sulfa, topically & orally. am diabetic on insulin & metformin but have never felt well on metformin. sugar uncontrollable lately with novolog & l . . .

Answer: Thank you for visiting NetWellness. On this site, we try to answer general questions about diabetes but cannot diagnose or recommend treatment. You appear to have some very, very specific questions about your blood sugar management, which can only be answered properly by a physician who is familiar . . .

Ask an Expert: Robert Cohen MD, Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes & blood alcohol by weight

Robert Cohen MD — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:10:00 EST

Question: will type 2 diabets inter fear with blood alcohol by weight. started my day at 7:30 am with a blueberry smoothie and cup of coffee cream sugar did yard work came home at 4:30 drank a 12oz bud lite fast then had breath test of .101 /.083/.093 / then one in half hours later had blood test of .08 can d . . .

Answer:

I don't think I can give you a simple straightforward answer to this question. On the one hand, I would be more concerned about the effect of the alcohol on the blood sugar than the other way round - but I understand that is not your question.

Ask an Expert: Robert Cohen MD, Diabetes

Keeping Diabetics' Feet and Toes Healthy

Jeffrey Robbins DPM — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:11:00 EST

NW Article:

Apart from people who have injuries, diabetes is the leading cause of amputation.

Diabetic neuropathy occurs when the body is not able to manage the sugar levels in the blood properly. Having high concentrations of glucose can cause secondary problems for the blood vessels that provide nutri . . .

Ask an Expert: Jeffrey Robbins DPM, Diabetes