Lazy Bones

As I watched the live feeds for Ironman Canada and tracked fellow Triabetes members Casy Boren and Sebastien Sasseville I realized that I have not competed (officially) in any event's since the Ironman last November! I have kept regular workouts, although not on the level of Ironman training all this time, and my fitness level is still reasonably good. I have my excuses for not competing, financial mostly, but none that make me very happy about the situation. This may sound odd, but I want to pay off my credit cards before I sign up for another race. The exception being the Carlsbad Marathon which I plan to run with the Glucomotive crew again next year.

In the mean time maybe I can help others attain their athletic goals. With this in mind I am volunteering for a Special Olympics triathlon taking place near here on Sept. 11th. As a self professed triathlete I am part of a group well known for wielding a fair bit of conceit and self importance. So it's only fair that I let someone else give me some of my own medicine, and who better than a Special Olympics athlete? This should be interesting for sure, and I can't think of a better way to spend my birthday. Gone are the days of going on a week long bender for my birthday it appears.

A new Pump!

I have got some incredible friends out there, and with their help (Thanks Jim, Jerry, and Denise) I now have an affordable option for using a pump. I received a Medtronic 712, sadly due to the untimely death of another diabetic. I used it for a good month and in that time was able to lower my A1c from 7.4 to 7.1. This has sold me on the benefit of an insulin pump.

With this I was motivated to see what other options are out there. So for the first time since being diagnosed with diabetes I visited an Endocrinologist. His knowledge was enlightening and suggested that a newer pump would benefit me. Financial constraints and limited insurance make this an unlikely scenario for the time being.

Lisinopril

I don't know how many diabetics are prescribed this drug. From my reading this drug is primarily a blood pressure medication, but is often prescribed as a preventative medicine to protect your kindey function from fluctuating blood sugars. As with any ydrug there are many potential side effects, and I must be one of the 5 percent. Here is my story:

I started taking Lisinopril at a 5mg dosage last Monday night. Friday afternooon I began to have cooncern because my chest was feeling oddly tight, and my breathing was a bit restricted. Not making any connection at this point I took my pill after dinner and things got difficult. My chest tightened up more and breathing become more restricted, so much I slept very little that night and was wiped out in the morning. I had to skip my Saturday long run as I felt I had no wind in me.

My concern was very high. These symptoms are often attributable to heart problems and since Lisinopril was the only difference in my routine I stopped taking it and called the doc to let them know. Within 2 days I was completely fine. I have another appointment with the doctor in 2 weeks so I plan to go over this thoroughly and get his comments on my experience.

My belief is that I was suffering a side effect of the drug, and if I had continued it would be dangerous to my health. I guess my kidneys will have to take a beating.

Well, I know I have been lax in my blog posts as of late, but I do hope all of you blog readers out there are doing great.

Don't forget to test!