I'm officially off Symlin. I was on the fence for a while, but I'm definitely done with it. I have a brand-new Symlin pen with pen needle attached sitting in my purse waiting to be used. It's essentially wasted now. I'm OK with that. I don't like to waste money or stuff (I'm such a pack rat), so this is really a big step for me. You'll remember when I did pretty much the same thing toward the end of my Byetta run.

The two main reasons are this: I'm tired of the tummy trouble and I eat even when I'm not hungry. The last roughly month of not taking Symlin have been mostly tummy-trouble-free. And it's been a nice change of pace, frankly, to not be constantly wiped out from having diarrhea. Going shopping -- going anywhere, really -- was also taking a chance on having to find a bathroom in an emergency. With three kids in tow. And did I mention it's not fun to rush to a PUBLIC bathroom? (READ MORE)

ThomasThomas

I met with my bio-identical hormone specialist on Tuesday. They drew blood, so we'll see what physical differences can be seen from my treatment. I've had a lot of success with relief of symptoms (regular periods, acne clearing, less fatigue, more energy, better moods).

I am still on cortisol, progesterone, and several kinds of supplements (one to help me sleep, one to lower my cholesterol/triglycerides, one to raise my vitamin levels). I started out on the thyroid, but had some side effects and went off of it. The plan was to get my other hormone levels stabilized then retry the thyroid.

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The phone rang yesterday morning and I shook The Mr. almost violently to make him wake up and answer so the rings wouldn't wake the kids. It was 6:30 a.m. Something must be wrong, I was thinking, for us to get a call this early.

The Mr. answered as if he hadn't just been sucking the roof tiles off. The conversation was odd and Detective Kowalski couldn't figure out who was on the phone.

Then I started hearing familiar instructions -- put the strip in the machine first... you have to wait until it's done with the numbers then you can let it suck the blood up... no, prick your finger first.

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vancity197 @stock.xchng

I feel like such a mean dad.

I am the father of two very awesome kids. My son is 14 and my daughter is 10. They are both very smart and well mannered kids. My wife and I are extremely blessed in that they are both good kids. We thank God all the time for them.

I am usually considered the "cool dad" with my kid and their friends and as much as I am "cool" I am also pretty strict. I have definite rules with my kids and as long as they do not break them then they have lots of freedoms. Break a rule and freedoms are gone.

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1. I have no issues wearing my pump where everyone can see. I typically wear Toohey on my waistband or on my front pocket. I'm also not a wearer of dresses, so I have yet to encounter a situation where I didn't have a place to put my pump. It's my undergarments I've had to adjust. I've had to stock my unmentionables drawer with heavier fabrics to support Toohey at night. I don't like my pump roaming around in bed; I much prefer to clip it to my undies. Which means that the finer fabrics The Mr. prefers have made their way to the back of
my drawer.

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Greg Woodhouse

On average, I test seven times a day. It can range from five to twelve, depending on activity, emotions, symptoms, and my memory.

Today, I've already tested four times and I'm only half way through the day. Yesterday, I tested nine times. The day before, I tested eight.

Obviously, I go through bottles of strips quickly. Twenty-five to a container doesn't make it very far. Sometimes two days, sometimes four. (READ MORE)