Health Link 2006-11
Diabetic Neuropathy
Airs:  November 14, 2006 at 7:30pm
Repeats:  Sunday, November 19, 2006 at midnight

Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes. Nerves are damaged as a result of hyperglycemia or poor sugar control. This can result in a loss of feeling or painful tingling in parts of the body. On the next Health Link we will examine the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of diabetic neuropathy. Find out what you can do to prevent or delay nerve damage and better manage your diabetes.

Guests:
James R. Storey, MD
In 1992 Dr. Storey helped found Upstate Neurology Consultants. He is a board certified neurologist, holds special qualifications in clinical neurophysiology, and has additional certification from the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine.

Dr. Storey received his medical degree from University of Arkansas School for Medical Sciences in 1981. He then performed an internship in internal medicine as well as a residency in neurology at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, MD. During his final year of residency, he was made chief resident. In 1987 he was awarded a fellowship for further study of neuromuscular diseases, which he completed at Children's Hospital of San Francisco. Dr. Storey was also a member of the U.S. Navy, having attained the rank of Commander and received the Navy Commendation Medal in 1990.

In 1985 Dr. Storey was a teaching fellow in the Uniformed Services University. He was then training officer at the department of internal medicine, NH Oakland, CA. In 1988 he was appointed assistant professor of neurology at Uniformed Services University. In 1990 he became clinical assistant professor of neurology at Albany Medical College, a position he continues to retain.

Dr. Storey has served as assistant head of division of neurology at NH Oakland and later was the director of the EMG lab and head of neuromuscular disease at Bethesda Naval Hospital. He has served on the executive committee of medical staff at St. Peter's Hospital, and is a member of the Medicine/Family Practice Quality Assurance Committee at Albany Memorial Hospital, and a member of the appointments, promotion, and tenure committee at Albany Medical College. He is a fellow of the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and he maintains memberships in several medical societies including the following:
American Academy of Neurology
American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine
American Academy of Clinical Neurophysiology
Association of Clinical Research Professionals
National Headache Foundation
Drug Information Association
Medical Society of the State of New York
American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine

He is the author of multiple publications as well as an investigator in numerous clinical trials with Upstate Clinical Research. His expertise is in the subspecialty of clinical neurophysiology and neuromuscular disease, EEG, and EMG.

Upstate Neurology Consultants
3 Atrium Drive, Suite 200
Albany, NY 12205
(518) 438-0922

Andrew P. Mandell - Mr. Diabetes®
Andy Mandell is the Executive Director of Defeat Diabetes Foundation.  He is a self-made man and entrepreneur who developed several highly successful educational games, notably Quations™ The Crossmath® Game, Crossmath® Puzzles, Micro Magic and others. Andy is also an exercise enthusiast, and a Black Belt in the martial art style:  Shaolin Kempo Karate. He has participated in a number of triathlon activities and was an avid runner.  That was before he was diagnosed with diabetes.

After his diagnosis in 1985 Andy continued to live as he had, working hard, playing even harder, eating whatever he wanted and giving little thought to the severe complications associated with diabetes. His disease continued to quietly progress until the day when he woke up to find that he couldn't move without being in excruciating pain.

As the disease grew stronger Andy grew weaker. His neuropathy became so severe that he couldn't bear to have anything touching his skin.  Finally, he was in bed 20 hours a day, had limited feeling in his feet and legs and had lost 75 pounds. Imagine a runner who could barely feel his legs!  Andy was faced with a choice that all diabetics ultimately face, take management of your health condition seriously or die.

Through aggressive self-management of his condition, coupled with sound medical advice from a group of diabetes specialists he began to rebound from his debilitated physical state. He exercised through the pain, monitored every bite of food he ate, tested his blood sugar as many as 12 times per day, and took regular insulin injections of two different types - putting him on the road to recovery.

Andy thought that if he, a dedicated athlete could nearly die from the disease, imagine what other people must be going through?  He had only one course of action -- do anything and everything in his power to Defeat Diabetes.

In 1990, he co-founded with his brother, Jerry, Defeat Diabetes Foundation to educate and inform the public about diabetes and the dangers that it poses.  Since that time he’s become knowledgeable in the field of diabetes, authored a fitness manual for diabetics, articles for a variety of publications and websites, and developed a screening test that has been distributed to millions of children throughout the United States.

He lectures tirelessly on diabetes to individuals, schools, community groups and organizations and has, to date, delivered hundreds of talks on the subject.  He makes numerous appearances with the media as spokesman for the Defeat Diabetes Foundation.

Andy is currently on his Mr. Diabetes® Wake Up and Walk® Tour - An epic 10,000+ mile journey walking the perimeter of the United States to raise awareness about diabetes.  He hopes to make it back home some time by 2007 and then? He's going to start all over again.
http://www.defeatdiabetes.org/

Molly Noonan, R.N., R.D., C.D.E.
Molly Noonan has been a Registered Nurse Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator at the Diabetes Center at Amsterdam Memorial since 2003. She is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo and Adirondack Community College, and is a member of the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the American and NY Association of Diabetes Educators. 

Molly is co-editor of "The Sweet Truth about Managing Type 2 Diabetes" that was recently published by Prichett and Hull Associates of Atlanta, Georgia. It is a comprehensive guide to managing type 2 Diabetes for consumers. The book will be available for purchase at the Diabetes Center for only $10. The Diabetes Center at Amsterdam Memorial Hospital is located in the Mohawk Valley Medical Arts Building, suite 102 adjacent to the main hospital. For more information about the book or upcoming diabetes education classes at the Diabetes Center, please call (518) 841-3717.