The Steel Guitar Forum

Just wondering, in diabetic steelers on here and do you have trouble keeping you blood sugar down when you out playing the honky tonks or whatever. I would think that even the smell of booze would send the count upwards

Kem

I quess if you call the adrenaline pumping or just the enjoyment leval equals the blood sugar leval climbing..then yes..other wise my blood sugar leveal stays about where my evening meal puts it..As for the alchol factor..I've been dry as a bone for over ten years..but I still take one day at a time.
My outlet is playing and listening to pedal steel. I guess I also have a obsesive cumpulsive disorder!!!!
Grouchyvet

-my- problem has been trying to deal with the numbness in my fingers and how to now affects my alledged playing- I have the diabetis (type II) under good control, but my pickin' sure ain't what it used to be.

I've been a type 1 diabetic for over 45 years (since 16 months of age), and have been in good control most of that time.

When I play out I take enough insulin to handle the beer I'll drink (typically 3 or 4 a night)(one beer equals 2 bread exchanges as I recall). I find my blood sugar level the next morning is normal (around 100 mg/dl) if I increase my insulin 2 units per beer but this varies for each individual consult your doctor .

Good luck, and don't let diabetes ruin your life, learn to manage your body, and you can do whatever nondiabetics do.

I guess there aren't too many diabetics on the forum. As long as we take care of ourselves and keep it under control, we can just do the same things as the non diabetics.

Well, I guess I'll join the list here. Type II discovered about 8 years ago by my eye doctor as he discovered something in my eye that points to diabetes. He insisted on calling my doctor right then and there and making an appointment immediately.

He was right of course, which means I had it for some time before it was discovered.

I take a couple pills every day that seem to control it, tho I haven't checked it in some time. No further eye problems or any other problems so far, knock on the bible.

I'm 59 and excersing moderatly to keep the rest of the wheels from falling off, and my weight is about what I was at age 20.

All we can do is encourage each other and hope for the best. And I wish the best to all of you.

Proper treatment for Diabetis is not to be ignored.....I lost a sister to it last year, but not before she had both legs amputated below her knees!

Here I go again: Check out these Diabetes Testimonials. It might be something to try. I'm in no way saying stop taking your medications, but with this, there might be a time where you don't have to.
(I guess I'm single-handedly trying to make everybody aware of the benefits of drinking water. Foolish? Maybe, but if one person is helped by the information/links I've put up, it's worth it to me.)

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

I, probably like all other Diabetics, got to where I didnt think I needed to check my sugar, and ate sweets and stuff I know I shouldnt eat.
My lovely Wife of 2 years kept after me to start taking care of myself.
We both, She has low blood sugar, enrolled in a diabetic class at the hospital and I can tell you that is one of the best things I have done since I ask her to marry me.
We both have lost 13 pounds, my sugar is where they want it to be.
I was checking it 2 times a day, now they have me check it every other morning and every other afternoon before I eat.
The Pizza, Bread and fried foods were hard to leave alone but am doing real good.
I also have a friend who lost a leg because he didnt take care of himself.
Diabetics is nothing to play around with.
Thanks
Jimmy

A couple years ago I was taken to the ER and discovered I had diabetes. My sugar was 988. I also have Cardyomyophia { an incurable heart condition} and a heart function of 21 0/0 percent. Even though I am not supposed to work I put in 12-14 hrs a day 7 days a week. WHY do I do this?? Steel guitars have been part of my live for 60 years. I feel it is my "Calling" to try to help the industry. It is a good feeling to go to bed at night knowing you have helped a 12 yr old learn Steel or help a 92 yr old try to find parts for his old lap steel. Ed

kenny,
lots of my fellow pickers out here are diabetic...just so you don't feel alone!
it's the smell of other things that get me going......take care

Wow ED, 988, I didn't know you could go that high without going into a diabetic coma, Anyway, you made it through and congrats on that. All my doctors recommend lot of exercises...I walk quiet a bit. I live really close to the longleaf trace, that's a forty mile long walking trail converted from an old railroad, which makes it really convient to walk.

Chris, you always said I was sick , now you have proof. I just found out about a one week seminar on diabetic starting this week and now that I have the time I'll be attending and if I find out about any new wonder drugs, I'll post it and let everyone know about it.

Wow 988, I still shaking my head.

It's hard to tell how high it might have been had the Medics not taken away the Milk Shake I was drinking when they arrived. I never lost conscience but I was doing a Foster Brooks imitation. Because of my heart condition I can not excerize and I have to be careful in what and how I lift. With no family history of the disease I was shocked to find I had Diabetes. I urge all Steelers GO GET A PHYSICAL NOW. Ed

I too am a Type II diabetic, diagnosed about 11 years ago.

I also suffer from diabetic neuropathy. It causes pain in my legs and feet which will never repair/go away. This is caused by the diabetes damaging the nerves. You do not want this!

Eating right and exercising IS THE KEY!

Earl

Kenny
I have a history of pancreatitis and, earlier this year, had a severe attack that hospitalised me for two months. This is by far the worst bout of this disease that I've experienced and I'm left with a damaged pancreas (fluid leaks into my abdomen) and diabetes.

Initially (in hospital) my blood sugar was around 300 and was treated with insulin but, since then, my pancreas has partially recovered and, with the help of a daily 2.5mg dose 'Glucotrol', my readings are 90-110. This has been the case for two months or more and I, like Jimmy Campbell (see his 'post' above), have started to get a little lax with my diet. The odd sweet item doesn't seem to affect my readings and I've taken to testing myself every two or three days....

Yesterday, however, I spent all day at the Saluda steel convention and didn't eat or drink from breakfast (beans on dry toast) at 7.00am until, out of desperation, I bought a 'Subway' at 6.00pm (I like 'Subway' - at least there's the illusion that you're controlling what goes into your body!); imagine my fright when I tested myself at 8.30pm and got a reading of 204! Now, I may have been dehydrated (I'm not sure if this affects blood sugar or not) but, whatever the reason, you can be sure - especially after reading this 'thread' - that I'll be 'turning over a new leaf'! Thankfully, this morning's test showed 105 so maybe this is just had a 'wake-up' call....

Alcohol is no longer a factor in my life - I had my last drink on February 12th just before the pancreatitis; the doctors don't know what caused my attack but, although I was never a heavy drinker, the relationship between alcohol and the disease cannot be ignored. I was foolish not to come to this conclusion after previous attacks - for the majority of you who haven't suffered from pancreatitis, the pain is indescribable.

My thanks to Ernie Renn - I'll be reading the 'Water Cure' information avidly, although the salt intake required concerns me; in addition to my other woes I'm hypertensive, so salt levels are an issue.

I believe I've become fully aware of the importance of obeying the rules here. In hospital my weight dropped from 280 to 228 and, while I probably don't exercise like I should, my diet is generally excellent (thanks to Susie!) so I anticipate maintaining, and even improving, my new profile.

I find myself more and more in agreement with the school that believes conventional medicine to be basically flawed but, unfortunately, many of us abuse ourselves to the point where only drug therapy can save us. It's clear that vested interests in the medical community probably don't serve us best and I'm helping to put gas in their BMWs along with everyone else here. I'm in the US (I moved from the UK with its national health network three years ago) with no insurance, and I have medical bills from my hospitalization, surgery and subsequent treatment that I can't imagine will be paid in my lifetime; even the tab to test my blood sugar is around a dollar a time....

I'm sorry if I've wandered a little off the original topic (working in bars with diabetes), but I felt there was sufficient connection to justify a reply.

Roger Rettig

PS: The reason I didn't eat at Saluda was not that they didn't have food - they did, and the hot dogs and hamburgers looked terrific - but that none of it was 'on my list'; after a discussion with my pancreas, we decided to wait 'til later....

I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in October of 1999. At the the time I caught it my blood sugar was 422. It cost me my job 2 weeks before I found out what was going on. Now it is under control and I eat like a diabetic should most all the time and walk a couple of miles 4 days a week. The walking seems to be almost an even bigger factor than the diet. When I walk I just feel much better for some reason. Haven't ever been a drinker (alcohol) so I don't have a problem with that. A word to the wise though...if you start getting cotton mouthed if you drink a soda pop or just cotton mouthed a lot and have go to the rest room every 30 minutes go see your physician soon. The quicker the better. Now if I can just quit smoking cigarettes.

Roger;
Read: Interesting Facts About Salt.
It might hold some information that would apply to you.

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Thank U Ernie! This is the first I've heard of the "water cure/treatment" for Diabetes Mellitus....(some content removed for insurance reasons) All the while I credit my love of music with helping me to maintain some sort of balance and positive outlook on my existance. But then I've read where a performing musicians' job has as much job-related stress as a cardiac surgeon! Water? HAH! It's another Commie plot I tell ya...Fish do things in it, Bartenders use it to cover their mistakes, It rusts pipes, It freezes and expands-cracking foundations-sticks your tongue to the flagpole........Hmmmmm, I think I'll try it! Couldn't hurt.....ree00deeD00 <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Cairo Zoots on 24 August 2001 at 12:13 AM.]</p></FONT>

Cairo;
Sounds like you spend most of your time taking medications. That sucks! Make sure you don't just quit taking your prescribed medications! Down the road, let a Doctor tell you that you apparently don't need them anymore. That would be, as they say, "Way Cool!"

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com