Cpap may not be to blame

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:49 pm

Hi all. I just wanted to encourage those who don't feel better even after working the kinks out of equipment woes and getting good numbers to not assume their therapy isn't working. So many symptoms overlap so it's hard to know when to look further. I know I have been so fixated on "fixing" my multiple sleep disorders that I've not been in tune with other possible causes for some of my symptoms. Yesterday I got a clue about my nighttime tinkle trips and episodes of feeling like I could just lay down and die - had my blood sugar checked and it was 467 (non-fasting). Who knows how high it has unknowingly been! Not that I wanted one more diagnosis, but now I can work on the whole me and hopefully see better results.
Kathy

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 11:09 pm

Excellent point, Kathy. There can always be other underlying health issues throwing a kink in the works, even when OSA is well taken care of. Thanks for bringing that up.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 11:52 pm

I just checked mine with the One-Touch Ultra it was 164 (non fasting had dinner several hours ago). I don't have diabetes as far as I know and that is the highest I've ever gotten it is down near 104 range most of the time.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:18 am

Rested Gal - Would hate for all the effort everyone puts into trying to be better to be sabatoged by those underlying health issues.

Snoredog - Mine was checked during a physical last month and it was smack in the middle of normal range. Have spot checked it occasionally and it has been "borderline" and creeping up, but not consistently. Just went back thru the machine's history - had a 357 a few months ago, but I remember thinking it must have been an error because it was in the middle of a bunch of near normals. Silly me.

I guess if we looked up the symptom "tiredness" there could be a dozen medical causes, everything from anemia to hypothyroid to more serious issues. I'm afraid many of us have delayed a diagnosis in thinking our apnea bore all the blame. But it sure deserves most of it, doesn't it!

Kathy

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 7:13 am

I have a question, and then some comments, then another question;
Question---Why did you check your glucose level?

Comments---If you are like me-on CPAP I'm gradually losing weight-but I know I'm still overweight and at risk for diabetes-so yes I check my glucose level randomly (sometimes fasting & sometimes after meals).The body usually sustains the glucose level below 110 even after meals. It takes a whopping sugar load to raise a nondiabetic's glucose level and then it is only for a couple hours. 120 is my "red flag number" Anything over 110 is suspect but the home meters can be off so I make it 120. At 120 it is time for me to go see a doctor and have a Hemoglobin A1c test (HgA1c). The test measures the amount of glucose attached to your hemoglobin. That happens when glucose levels are higher than normal and once attached-the glucose stays there for the life of the red blood cells. So the meter checks just one spot in time-but the HgA1c can tell if you have had a high glucose level in the past 3-4 months. They have lowered the criteria for a diagnosis of diabetes. Check out the diagnostic criteria here http://www.diabetes.org/about-diabetes.jsp. You will find other sites with less stringent criteria, but this is the most reliable source of up to date info.

Last question---what will your "red flag" be?

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mister_hose · Post by **mister_hose** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:10 am

Kathy and others who are diabetic, or pre-diabetic... I read recently of a placebo-controlled study done in Pakistan on, if I remember right, diabetics who weren't being treated for their condition. One group got a placebo, the other got a small amount of cinnamon daily (1 gram, I think?). After awhile, the placebo group had no change, but the cinnamon group had very significant drops in total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholsterol, triglycerides AND BLOOD SUGAR. Google for it, I can't recall the specifics offhand.

Cinnamon's been found to help with insulin resistance and Type II diabetes, supposedly by helping cells take in sugar from the blood and use it. Check with your doctor first, but it probably can't hurt to take a small amount daily.

I read that the effects even happen if the cinnamon is brewed into a tea, instead of directly eaten. Hence I'm now mixing cinnamon in with my coffee grounds each morning, before brewing begins. Result is cinnamon-flavored coffee that not only has coffee's huge amount of antioxidants, but also has the cinnamon benefits too.

No, I don't work for the Cinnamon industry. Just something I saw recently. =)

Recently I ate a big dinner, waited 30 minutes, had a substantial snack, waited 10 minutes, used a relative's machine to measure my blood sugar. Even after all that food, 102. Yay. Guess I don't have that problem (yet).....

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 9:42 am

I have been trying the cinnamon caps, the last week, and haven't noticed a difference, I fight bloodsugar levels 24/7. I wish I could control it as easy as my XPAP treatment. XPAP is a breeze compaired to diabetes, pun intended. When I think about food my blood sugar levels rise. Jim

mister_hose · Post by **mister_hose** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 10:03 am

Goofproof wrote:I have been trying the cinnamon caps, the last week, and haven't noticed a difference, I fight bloodsugar levels 24/7. I wish I could control it as easy as my XPAP treatment. XPAP is a breeze compaired to diabetes, pun intended. When I think about food my blood sugar levels rise. Jim

My Mom's diabetic Jim, and she has the same opinion you do. Just a huge 24/7 pain in the rear. Her experiences are inspiring me to eat a lot better, exercise daily, and stay on CPAP (OSA's implicated with helping cause Type II diabetes). I don't want to deal with that stuff, I'd rather have the body self-regulate like it should.

To anyone out there who's overweight and has a family history of Type II diabetes, eat better and exercise and stay on CPAP. Just do those things, all of them. The alternative is a lot worse... those things HAVE to be done, no matter how much you may not feel like doing them. =)

Jim, keep with the cinnamon. I think the study was for 60 or 90 days. One week may not be enough to do anything. I hope it helps you!

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 10:44 am

Sam's Club is now stocking cinnamon caps, I got a second bottle yesterday,I'm in it for the long haul. After years of using insulin, I am now trying different types, some work faster than others, it's a juggling act, I'm pretty good using kentucky windage. Im up to 140 units daily, I think that's getting into the scary range. Jim

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 10:55 am

Thanks all for some pointers and things to think and read about.

I bought the glucose monitor a year ago to monitor my sugar levels when exhibiting symptoms (frequent urination, increased thirst). Checked it from time to time, but hadn't in a while because I kept getting normal or near normal results. My feeling bad had worsened the last 5-6 months, but didn't think of that as possible cause. After three trips to the bathroom within a couple hours, it dawned on me to check it. (Diabetes is in family.)

When visiting family out of state last week, I mentioned to a neighbor that since I last saw her my sugar had crept up and was borderline at least. She's a "live off the earth" kind of gal and returned with a baggie of homemade cinnamon capsules. (Glad I didn't have to explain that baggie to police.) Didn't think to take them till I saw it was high. We'll see about results. She said it assists those pre-diabetics who are eating right with their insulin resistance, but wouldn't "cure" diabetes. I'll take them - need any help I can get.

As far as weight loss with xpap - I started last fall, ends up my cpap was not set at a therapeutic level. Been using apap couple months, can't say I'm compliant - still wake up with mask off. Although I use a Breeze, can't say it's been a breeze. Weight loss is minimal, if any. My fluid retention fluctuates so much it's hard to tell. Until now I ate what I wanted. Party's over.

Have dr's appt in the morning. I'm sure he'll want to run the HgA1c (if not, I'll mention it) and come up with a game plan. I want to take this seriously. Don't have a good track record on compliancy issues.

I appreciate the input.

Kathy [/quote]

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 10:59 am

Last "Guest" was me.
Kathy

Bonnie · Post by **Bonnie** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 8:00 am

cinnamon caps....hmmm....would treatment benefit from real cinnamon like in cinnamon cookies?

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:12 am

It is the same, the caps just make it easier to go down, 500 mg per cap. You could put it on a batch of cookies, but I think it would be counter-productive, but with a pot of Coffiee, it would be good. Jim

Bookbear · Post by **Bookbear** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 10:07 am

Interesting idea, and there are lots of ways to get cinnamon into your diet. It's a very versatile spice. Sprinkle on cereal or oatmeal, in coffee as has been suggested, with splenda on toast, mixed with applesauce, in teas, in all kinds of baking, etc.

Here is a link to the study mentioned:
http://www.pjbs.org/pjnonline/fin158.pdf

Cpap may not be to blame

Cpap may not be to blame

Sneaks up on you

Snoredog

Try Cinnamon

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