Me

I guess a lot of you have not seen me since graduation day... so... I guess lets do some virtual "meet up"...hehehehe

Me in June 08...at Jill's party

Me...after I left college in August...

Then... in Sept on the way back from Redang...

Then in Nov 08 during graduation convo...

In Jan 09...when i started working in Volvo...

In April 09...

In May 09... Karipap very nice oh!!...want some?? :p

Ok...that's about the latest pic i have... so what's up with you guys out there??? very long didn't see you guys d loh!!! how are you guys????????? we need to meet up lah!!!

Super motivated to blog

hmmm...don't know why...but somehow i feel motivated to blog...but then i have nothing to blog...aiyo...cham lo...want to write...also got "writer's block"...even more weird now is...i wanna put " "...i press Shift + ' = @ ...but i press Shift + 2 = " ...WTH??? must be the website since on DD its ok...

so just ramblings...just thoughts...

work is super free now...although i have things to do...but its not a lot now...because the swedish people is having their summer now...and in july i'll be like SUPER free...cause they have one month off...so nice...how i wish i have 1 month summer holiday...

eh...since i have summer everyday...means i can have summer holiday also right?? ...my boss says...in your dreams... :p

oh...yesterday...before i left work for home...was feeling not right...having headaches...felt like i was going low (hypo la...)...luckily i got my meter with me...not everyday i bring my meter to work except weds since i go straight to meeting...but after Dr. Thye say check more 2 hrs food numbers...i have no choice but to bring my meter lo...to test in the office...

Neway...back to story...thank goodness i got the meter...tested myself...i was at 4.1...hmmmm...2 days ago felt almost the same...i was 4.0...hmmm...technically its not hypo level yet...but the feelings were coming in...the signals...super hungry...headaches...hands cold...no shakes yet cause not low enough...walaueh...faster eat my guava that i didn't eat...then driving time...walaueh...headache...like cannot concentrate...lucky a bit jam...so wasn't moving fast...reach home...EAT AHH!!!!! (called up mom earlier to ask her to make sure food is there for me to eat)

wah...2 hours later...i was 4.7...ok la not bad...but then also that time i was super hungry again...hai....eat not enough i guess

ok la...i have no idea what else to write...when i think of something...then i write la...

Diabetes Daily

ok...so everyone knows i'm super active in a diabetic forum...well...let me introduce you to this forum...the forum is called Diabetes Daily ( www.diabetesdaily.com )

Now...what's so nice about this forum??? sounds like just a whole bunch of diabetics there right?? so boring right?? ok...first part correct...it is a forum with a whole bunch of diabetics there (T1, T2, T1.5, Pre-D, GD), and some rare non-Ds there too...second part...SO WRONG!!!

Boring ah?? so not boring man...if its boring would i be spending the WHOLE DAY on the forum (except when i go out or when i sleep la)??? At home...i go on DD...at work...also i go on DD...go back from work...go on DD...i go tanjung jara holiday also...go on DD...you get the point hoh??

So how did i find DD??

After i was dx...was very sien (bored) playing facebook...so just out of curiosity...go type in diabetes group on facebook...and the first or second link showed DD...but it was not a group...more of like application with a link to the forum...so just click loh...then go to the forum...looks nice and informative...so sign up... (according to my DD join date...it was 11 Nov 08)

what username leh?? try hannahtan and see...wah!! can get woh!!! cannot believe it...ok...so sign in d...where to go leh?? ei...inside there got Live Chat woh...ok...click Live Chat...

It took me to the chat room...and wow...soooo friendly one the people inside there...i cannot remember exactly was inside there...but i know one of them is Casey and Nan...maybe Matt was in there too...but...immediately i felt like at home man...not stranger also...wah...quite fun...they talk about so many things...what also talk...and you know me la...what also talk also...hehehehe

Day 3...i was like a regular in the chat room...i remember the room name...it was called coffee shop...like i go kopitiam (coffee shop in hokkien) and talk only...what pat gua (busybody) news also talk... and from the chat only...i got soooo many tips on how to maintain good bg control...and also tricks to change my meter (that's how i got the tip to change from my bloodsucking Accu-chek Advantage 3 that takes so long to read, to my current Accu-chek Performa and takes 1/5 of what i used to need to prick out and the results come out in 5 sec) ...and made a few good friends in there...

Overtime...i also upgrade sikit (a bit) la...i moved on to the forums...ask questions in there...and also to share what i am doing to get my levels...sometimes answering people's question on D... and sometimes give my opinion on certain issues... (told you lo...they talk about anything and everything!!! )

8 months d i join the forum...so its been 8 months since i've been HOOKED to DD...and i tell you...i'll never regret it...not only i'm getting good advice and knowledge from the members in there...i've also made a bunch of great friends!!...people that understand what i'm talking about when it comes to D...agreeing and disagreeing on things...but 99% of the time just having fun and do discussion...

Friends like Cissa, Drew, Barbra, Jody, Casey, Nan, Kris, Dean, Livinghonestly, DLK, Bruce, Matt, Andrew, Denny...and many many many more...great people with great knowledge...and most importantly...great people that make great friends!! For some of the mentioned...we've even evolved to skype and msn... even phone calls and sms...but most of the time its still back to the forums and chat...or even better...i'm on the phone / skype with one of them...and still on chat (with the other on chat as well)...and we are talking 2 different conversations... LOL ...then hear the beep beep beep...

I do realise...most of the close ones that are close to me in the forums are T1s...but there are a number of T2s as well of course...but i think i'm being brainwashed by the T1s a bit...why?? cause my thinking on the D front is highly like a T1!!! ...like not advocating a LOW carb diet...in the forums...a lot of T2s are pushing this to people...me for one...don't agree to this approach...

Well...not all the posts in the forums is all nice...there are some controversial ones too... from food choices...to what a diabetic should not do...or posts that just keep telling people you're gonna die!!! ...or posts that tells you of miracle cures!!! (drink some magic water can cure diabetes one!!) ... but that's when you see a group of people joining together...fighting against wrong perceptions...and fighting off fakes...

We even have a group that founded the Golden Diabetes Cure & UFO Welcome Center!! (of which i was the President - Asia Pacific) ...hahaha...that time was fun...then you have titles like Chief Curmudgeon (like chief complainer)...or official bottle washer...since the cure center was "selling" miracle tap water...only USD$15 ...even got real paypal link k...hehehe...while the group was growing...too bad some people think we were spamming the forums...although the founder David knew our motive behind the titles...and supported us...so in the sake of harmony...we took it off...but that time was FUN!!!

Talking about great support...now DD is really a GREAT place for support... if you need it...you'll definitely get it...you want to vent out...great place to vent...

So...where will I be when i reach home?? of course la DD!!!

To the readers from DD...YOU GUYS ROCK!!! and am DAMN GLAD that to have known you guys and have become great friends...and are always there to listen to my BS (not blood sugar :p)

p.s) i've learned not to ever talk about my bg levels if all possible...cause my high levels...is actually someone else's low levels...so gotta be sensitive a bit sometimes...and i only talk about my bg levels to those that are close to me...that knows my target ranges...

Went to check my eyes...

So i was seeing blured vision...especially when i look at the com...or any book...getting like my power has increased...and then i blink my eyes and refocus...its back to normal...

Since i have not done a dilated eye exam ever since i was dx...so after the blurring...better go check it out fast right?? especially since my company agreed to pay for it but with a referal letter from Dr. Thye...which of course i got la...like the 4th referal letter from her since i was dx!!

11th June 2009

So finally...just to get it cleared...dad took me to the famous eye specialist in Klang...reach there...walaueh...sooooo many people...fine...register first...put the eye drops...go eat Bak Kut Teh since i was sooooo hungry that time...since i was told to come back at 7.30pm

After dinner...went back to the clinic...next door only...the nurse say doctor doing operation...ask gotta wait how long?? don't know oh...right...don't know...great...dad got a meeting to go to at 8.30pm somemore...and he had to leave...and so he left...and bro will pick me up when i'm done...

The eyedrops they put...the nurse said i'll be seeing blur...but then i was seeing clearly only...i can still watch tv...until i tried to find people to call on my phone to talk cause i was freaking damn bored because the tv channel was only showing Hua Hee Dai (taiwan hokkien channel...on food...)...WALAUEH!!! i can't read my phone!!!!!! AT ALL!!!!

right...so how to call and sms??? i remember people's phone number...but i don't remember all!!! so...cannot see cannot see...totally blur...then it started clearing...when i hold my arms out!!!...like you know how your parents gotta put the book far far away just to read?? i was like that!!! and still cannot see clearly....

anyway... i wait wait wait wait wait...and then wait wait wait...managed to talk to chi cheng for a while...then wait wait wait...you get my point...finally...after waiting for almost 1.5 hours...my turn...

Go inside the consultation room...wait somemore for some ah so (old lady) to get her eyes checked by the doc...then my turn...more eyedrops...doc ask me what's wrong...i tell him...he did the dilated eye exam...shine some light...put some dye...something like poke into my eye...walaueh...the light so bright...he ask me to open my eyes...i was like...cannot leh!!! until he gotta help me hold my eyes open...hehehehe

5 minutes later...doc said..."there's nothing wrong with you"....right...nothing wrong with me...then my blurring vision leh??? he ask...temporary or always there?? i say temporary...his answer?? oh...its just dry eyes...put some drops and you'll be fine...

right...so i waited for soooooooooooooooo long...and then just after 5 mins of some light shining...and some poking (some soft stuff i guess)...my appointment ended...oh well guess i can't complain...especially with the good news of nothing wrong with my eyes...especially after how high my BG was when i was dx...

and what is the total damage to my medical limit?? RM58...wow...that's only 20% of what i was to pay if i've gone to Assunta!!!....phew!!! my limit is still safe!! LOL

So Long for No Meds...

Previous post...you'll read that doc took me off my meds...to try diet + exercise to see whether it works for me...and in the meantime...i have to check my levels 2 hours after food...and if its over 7...i have to call doc immediately and see how it goes...

So...friday night itself...after the appointment...didn't eat dinner...so super hungry...so i ate 2 packs of biscuits...the munchy vegetable small packet that one...and 2 hours later...WALAUEH!!! (aka OMG!!) i was at 8.8!!!! chia lat man (terrible!!)...first time i see my 2 hour after meal reading so high...so quick quick do some exercise (jumping jacks, sit ups and on the spot running)...and then hope for the best...thank goodness the next morning...it did go down...to 5.7

whole of saturday was ok...met up with Ms Koh in the morning after swimming...even went for supper at sriga...still ok my 2 hr later reading...

then came sunday...all was ok until at night!!! walaueh...2 hrs after dinner...i hit my record...9.7!!! hallo?? what happened to cannot go over 7???!!! somemore its 9.7 with after 20 min of exercise!!!panic man...quickly go take 1 pill of metformin...and then wait another 2 hours to test...and this time it came down to 5.6...but because of the big drop...walaueh...i felt sooooooo crappy man...beh tahan (cannot take it)...gotta go sleep...

monday (8/6/09)...call doctor to report...tell her my 2 hours after food hit until 9.7...she said to take half a pill and see...but if still going up...then go back to full pill...so since i don't have pill cutter at home...mon night i took one full pill...then went to get the pill cutter at Caring pharmacy...

Tue came...first half pill taken after breakfast...and then i was feeling SUPER TIRED...don't know whether its the exposed metformin...or just not enough sleep...anyway...i'm still not happy with my 2 hr after food...reduced portion d...still almost 7...although its ok...i'm not happy...

Try wed (10/6/09)...half pill...so far the afternoon ok...then came night...check bg...4.7...very good...ate some mee...went meeting...then missed the 2 hours checking point...by the time i manage to check it was 3 hrs after food...WALAUEH...6.9!!! means my 2 hrs after food was higher!!! chia lat loh (damn...)!!! somemore its shoot from a 4.7!!! worst is...i was soooo hungry at that point!!!...kraft cheese slice to the rescue!!

With all the crazy after food readings...i decided...i'm going back to my old dosage...going back to the full 500mg pill of metformin...i rather stick to eat and be able to eat...and not suffer from not being able to eat properly and still get high bg...

Most of the forum folks said...i went off meds too fast...plus...if ain't broke...don't fix it...since my A1c was not bad...quite good actually...

So...experiment with just Diet + Exercise...backfired nicely... well...at least i tried....

update: called my doc (12/6/09) to tell her i'm back on 500mg metformin...and she's ok with it...she say...looks like i can't escape medication ...and since i know what i'm doing...go ahead...ok...I'm going ahead with it! LOL

Hospital Appointment...5th June 2009

ok...so today...this place gets my attention first on update for my hospital appointment with Dr. Thye...being active in Diabetes Daily has kinda took away my attention from here...so i apologize for not updating you guys on how i'm doing here...

My appointment was supposed to be on 13th June 09...but then i'm starting to have intermitten blurring visions again...something that happened to me when i was first dx (diagnosed)...so i wanted to see the opthalmologist (eye specialist) at Assunta...so had to call up to fix an appointment...but then because i want to only go on a saturday...i can't go back to the #$%* eye doc that saw me last time cause he's only there on monday...so if i see another doc...i have to pay the first time consultation fee (rm100) on top of the consultation fee (rm80-100)...on top of the dilated eye exam and refraction fees (rm55 each)...walaueh...total is about rm300 leh...although i can claim company...i still have a limit of rm1k...i rather save that amount and go find another eye doc in Klang that is way cheaper!! ...and then claim company...

So in the process of calling to make appt for the eye doc...i was thinking on the appt on 13th june...and then i figured out...saturday is so going to be full of people...i definitely would have to wait really long to see Dr. Thye...and then i realised...6th June is a sat...and most importantly...its a public holiday!!! means i have replacement holiday on Friday!!! so shiok (nice)!! no need to rush and can take my own sweet time to see doc!!

So i called up the hospital to cancel my 13th June appt...and changed to 5th june...and then asked Dr. Thye's nurse which column in the form to tick for a complete blood test...and she said some General Screening Profile 2...got stool test one somemore... (in case you don't know what stool is...it means $hit...the ps... :p )...and then set me up for appointment at 9.30am on that day...and then told me to fast from 11pm onwards the day before...and just drink plain water and nothing else...

But as usual leh...before i go for my appointment...i will print out my kiasu charts...and kiasu bg logs...to show the doc

5th June 2009

So i 7 early 8 early (hokkien...7 za 8 za...or mandarin 7 zhao 8 zhao) wake up...although its just my usual time...actually a bit later than my usual time waking up from going to work...then prepare to go to the hospital all...damn hungry but what to do?? gotta do fasting test...

I reach the hospital at about 9am...a bit of jam...but still ok la...park at the 5th floor and walk all the way down...(now when i go to the hospital...or wherever...i try to use the stairs...at least have some mini exercise)...with my heavy laptop...cause the nurse said the lab results will need about 3 hours to come out...so i brought laptop along so that i can go starbucks later to surf and go to the forum...

After registering...went to the nurse to take the specimen container...then she ask me...can ps ah?? i went...errr...no?? (so no stool specimen test...but ewwwww...unless needed no choice only i do man that one...)...went to the lab room to take blood (after giving the urine specimen)...walaueh...this test...4 tubes of blood!!! but the nurse that took my blood super friendly...but hoh...towards the 4th tube...my blood like cannot come out like tht...and the nurse keep saying sorry...but then keep pushing the needle further inside...walaueh...can feel it inside my hand one leh...and the nurse kept saying...a bit more only hah...a bit more...i was like...faster la...you keep pushing more in...i can feel it leh...to make it worse...the nurse then say...sorry ah...later you'll be having some bruise mark...right...so looking forward to it...(thank goodness she put some cotton ball to press it to suppress the swelling she say...and it worked...so only the scar from the needle poking in)...and after the final tube was drawn...wah...can feel my left hand weak d man...like i lost a lot of blood like that...

So...blood test done...now is waiting time...off to starbucks...to go online...and since they have breakfast there...so ate their egg sandwich and drink black coffee americano (shiok!!...and its real black...no creamer...no sugar...but good old black bitter coffee...)...go on to the forum...and hang out there...waiting for the call to come to go back to the clinic (means lab report arrive d)

11.30am...got the call from nurse to go to the clinic...and when i arrived (after packing all my stuff into laptop bag)...nurse told me to go in...this time is my first time i'm going to the appointment alone...normally bro will accompany me to see Dr. Thye...but this time he decided he's lazy and want to sleep...and too lazy to drive all the way up to PJ...so the following is how the appointment went...

D = Dr. Thye
H = Hannah

D = Hannah...what's all these blood test you ask for? why so many? somemore so keng chao one... (sophisticated...in this context)

H = huh? I ask for a complete blood test mah...nurse say do that one...since company pay...i do only lo

D = oh...company pay...anyway...your blood group is B+...and your blood count is all good... (and then she proceeded to explain each category of the blood count and differential count...very complicated...i listen also blur blur...kinda is indicate the different white cell count one...so won't be listing down here...just that i have this Basophils that is a bit higher than the ref range...but she said its ok)...your thyroids are ok...and then your Hep Bs Antigen just need a booster la...

H = what's my A1c??

D = your fasting blood glucose is 5.5 and your A1c is now 5.2% la...very good...and then all your other lab results are good...nothing to worry about... (but then i see 3 * on the lab results...hmmm)

H = nah...as usual...my kiasu charts and logs...you want colour one also got... (hands over my log sheet and charts)

D = aiyo..so small!! i very old d leh...cannot see la!! (i printed 4 months worth of bg log...and cramped it in 2 pages...so it was kinda small...i see also susah (hard)...hehehe )

H = sorry la...want to save paper ma...next time i print big big one...hehehe

D = wah quite good ah...i don't see any 7...wah you exercise 20 min at 5.30pm ah??? you reach home from work so fast?? how you exercise??

H = 5.30pm?? that one is sunday...home got treadmill ma..

D = then swimming also...your house also got swimming pool ah??

H = no lah!!...swimming go outside swimming pool la...gotta go swim tmr d...

D = how la you eat McD without the bun??

H = like that la!! just take off the bun and eat the meat only loh

D = can ah?? enough ah??

H = enough...

D = you ate breakfast already right??

H = about 9.30 lo...so about 2 hours now...or a little bit over (that time was about 11.45am)

D = come lets see what is your 2 hr pp (stands for post prandial...means after you eat)

H = i brought my meter...so can use my meter...

D = aiyo...company pay one...why you worry??

H = oh ya hoh...no la...cause i got free strips ma

D = wah...how you get free strips??

H = oh...from forum friend

D = forum??

H = diabetic forum..

D = wah...you join diabetic forum...very good...you really take your condition seriously...very good

H = hehe...yeah...very fun place... now trying to con some people to send free meters to me...hehehe

D = come...lets see what your bg is... (pricks my finger, and then the optium strip sucks in my blood and then do the count down)

H = wah...why so long one?? i thought optium 5 seconds only??

D = this one 12 seconds...old meter...(bg result appears)...5.4...very good...you took your metformin??

H = yup...

D = ok...now i think i want to stop your metformin...and just try diet and exercise la

H = i still got one strip of metformin at home woh

D = save it first...in case your readings go up...then you can start the met back

H = what reading is the limit?

D = Anything above 7

H = For fasting??

D = No...for pp...after food...if its above 7...then we will start back the metformin

H = so now i have to check the pp more often la...1 hour or 2 hour??

D = normally we do 2 hours la...

H = so don't matter how high it goes up for 1 hour...but see how much it comes down for the 2 hours?

D = yes...

H = hai...my mom keep want to give me juice to drink...i keep telling her juice will make my bg go up...she don't want to listen...keep giving me small glass

D = what kind of juice??

H = beetroot la...carrot la...mix fruits la

D = haha...ya juice can make your sugar go up...but small glass ok la...not too much...just be careful...come let me check your blood pressure...

H = haiyo...everytime i see you sure go up one...

D = why??

H = don't know...white coat kua...see you sure go up (Dr. Thye checks the pressure)

D = 110/70...ok ah...not high also

H = well...i've been registering 90s/60s almost every time i check...

D = oh is it?? hmmm... (checks my lungs with her stethesscope)...come breath in breath out...in...out...(doing the huuuuuuu siiiiiiiii huuuuuuuu siiiiiiiii)

H = btw...is it possible that i'm actually a T1 still honeymooning??

D = yes its possible...but for now your readings are very good...some of my other patients ah...even the young ones...always above 7...no control at all...you're very good la...but i'm very strict with pregnant patients...nothing above 7 for them (hmmm...i wonder why she tells me that...hmmm...)

H = over here do they do the c-peptide test??

D = yes...but have to send to Gribbles to do... (the private lab outside)

H = oh...so the hospital don't have la...means GAD antibody test also don't have lo

D = don't have...have to send to Gribbles or overseas to test it (FYI...the GAD antibodies test is to determine whether you're T1 or T2...and the C-peptide test is to see how much more pancreatic function you have to produce insulin)

H = btw...this lab report ah...what's this phosphate?? a bit high here one

D = its ok la...just slightly high...can be due to you eating oat bran

H = then this AST leh?? (some liver function test)

D = its lower what...don't have to worry...

H = what about my fatty liver??

D = should be no more...

H = oh ya...i need another referal letter from you to see eye doctor...i'm having those blurring visions again

D = which eye doctor?

H = some eye doctor in klang my mom ask me to go to one

D = the one in bukit tinggi ah??

H = no la...near the ayamas there one...some Dr. Kok

D = oh the famous one la...

H = something like that la...need the referal so i can claim the bill on company...(looks at my medical file...)...hmmm...no more in Deloitte la...gotta change my details d here...now working in volvo d la....

D = this swedish motors??

H = yup..that's volvo lo...

D = oh...btw...how much weight you lost?

H = now about 69kg lo...

D = so drop how many kg?

H = err...oct find out that time was 82kg...so now about 13kg lo...

D = wah...how many months ah??

H = err...tmr is exactly 9 months lo

D = wah...9 months d ah...very good...

H = you stay in Klang ah?

D = no la...my husband is from Klang...where you stay in Klang?? oh ya...the tepi sungai place...

H = haha...ya...the tepi the sungai one (...tepi sungai means next to the river)

D = so i put your next appointment in 3 months time...is it ok?? then we do another A1c...

H = no problem...so now do i test pp for every meal? or like i random alternate?

D = no need to do everytime...but do random...but watch the pp numbers

H = the protein value that is high here...for the liver...is it because i'm eating too much protein?? is it ok??

D = no...this is what the body is producing...nothing to do with what you eat...its ok...

H = so i can continue to eat more protein?

D = yes...shouldn't be a problem...i see you in 3 months la...

H = oh ya...if i see you in midvalley...must make sure i say hi to you...the last time my dad and bro saw you in midvalley...

D = yalah...they were staring at me...i also stare back at them

H = hahaha...so you know its my bro and dad la...hehehehe...see you in 3 months!

(the conversation sequence is something like this la...maybe a bit messed up d...or some conversation forgotten d...but about there la...)


So now...i'm officially off medication...but i'm seriously wondering whether it will work...but definitely will be monitoring my bg levels more closely now...and this means more motivation to exercise!!...this dept leh...i super lacking that now...

The bill damage for the blood test was quite bad...about 200+ for just the tests...thank goodness company pay...

So the summary of my lab reports is...everything is good...my cholesterol levels has improved from before...my HDL (good cholesterol) has increased a lot to 1.68 from 0.9...and my LDL (bad cholesterol) has decreased a bit to 2.0 from 2.4...also my triglycerides (the cholesterol floating in the blood stream one) has droped a bit to 0.5 from 0.9...so my total cholesterol is 3.9...and my cholesterol/HDL ratio has improved from 4.1 to 2.4...which is very good...my liver functions...the one that was way high last time...the AST and ALT...has dropped tremendously...until one of them went below the reference range! ...last time my AST was 46...now its 12 (below range!!)...and my ALT was 102...and now its 18!!...see the big drop?? walaueh!! so happy man...

So...tmr is the beginning of a new chapter of life without meds...but then i would have to really watch what i eat and also exercise...and test my bg to see how it is going...if i'm not happy with my progress...i'm taking the meds again...i rather spend 6 bucks a month on metformin...than risk the chance of having high bg levels...

So happy with my lab results!!! ^_^