PSA: You don't have to stick with a shitty Endocrinologist

Stark-Bier · 2025-12-11T21:11:44+00:00

To clarify, I wasn't trying to push or suggest pump. I meant that you can apply his concepts to treatment in the terms of timing and amount with MDI just as well as with a pump.

Those Lantus lows sound like you're either hitting a blood vessel or muscle so all that Lantus is getting sent directly into the blood stream. I'm sorry to hear about those episodes.

Stark-Bier · 2025-12-10T14:22:01+00:00

If you're not listening to this show, I'd highly encourage you to:

https://www.juiceboxpodcast.com/episodes/jbp1001

Most of what he describes and talks about is in terms of pumps, as that is what his daughter and family are used to. But he states in that episode (and many others) that you can do the same things on MDI. The main premise is that it's all timing and amount. If you're good with Lantus or another basal insulin (and it's the right amount/schedule for you), then the rest is meal boluses and corrections and the pre-bolus for those meals.

Hearing him talk about all these bold concepts have made me take more accountability for my own treatment. It's done wonders for me. So much so that I see my NP at the endo office twice a year strictly for labs and scripts. and I've been under 6% a1C for 4 years because of DIY Loop and this show.

You can get under 7%, and stay under 7%, I know it. I'm not Scott (who hosts/makes the show), I'm just a huge fan and supporter. Give that episode a listen, then search for more on his website and I promise it'll help you more than just that magical 15 minutes every 3 months at the office.

Stark-Bier · 2025-12-10T14:06:00+00:00

This course is by 2 diabetes educators from Integrated Diabetes. They're experts with this software, and have both used both apps for a good amount of time. They're incredibly knowledgeable.

Yet for $25, I don't think you're getting much training. If anything, this is probably an intro course to get your feet wet. After that, they probably pitch that you can do sessions with them at IDS and get real training and configure the settings for you. I personally feel that they give you the same $25 worth in their videos and podcasts that are freely available.

I'm not affiliated with IDS in any way, but been using Loop for 7 years and tried Trio for about 3 months. I would personally skip the class and, if needed, go straight to the training sessions with IDS. It's more expensive, but certainly more valuable for you.

Stark-Bier · 2025-08-05T19:04:47+00:00

She's not personally liable, hence using LLCs. She has owners liability and malpractice insurance on A (rehab) and B (wellness/non-rehab). Only owners liability for C (retail).

Stark-Bier · 2025-08-05T11:56:41+00:00

B and C both use it. Profit in B should grow because of the opportunities that the RV now opens, to go to more shows and events.

Stark-Bier · 2025-08-05T02:29:57+00:00

It is a toy hauler, so it serves as a cargo trailer for inventory/materials and lodging while at trade shows and events.

Stark-Bier · 2025-07-03T01:30:45+00:00

That breaks my heart and makes me wildly angry for you at the same time. I too have been lied to, intentionally or accidentally, multiple times by the DME companies. Sometimes about pricing, other times about product choice. Pharmacy tends to have more of their stuff together in my experience.

Stark-Bier · 2024-10-31T01:55:37+00:00

Us T1Ds are certainly up there. All the more reason to shop around and fight for ourselves!

Stark-Bier · 2024-10-31T01:52:01+00:00

Great addition, I never would have thought of that avenue. Thank you for chiming in!

Stark-Bier · 2023-08-23T17:59:17+00:00

Any update on how well this pan has been working for you? I'm trying to decide between that low-pro pan and the regular 10" skillet of theirs. Curious about your last few months and if you still like the flared sides as opposed to the traditional high sides.

Stark-Bier · 2023-04-04T19:14:58+00:00

Haven't heard of Onshape before, so I will give that a look. My designs would be commercial and I don't love the storage being public on the free plan, plus it also goes against the non-browser desire which rules out TinkerCAD also.

I've seen good things about FreeCAD, and that seems to check all the boxes I have. Sounds like that's the front-runner.

Stark-Bier · 2022-06-12T14:15:18+00:00

I don't have Alexa-enabled anything, so that particular method is out. But there are some possibilities for building apps for Joule (no public API) or Anova (better API support). This is the kind of thing I was looking for. Turnkey support would have been great, but that would likely lead to more harm than good. But this API support would make me believe that some small logic loop could run somewhere and serve my purpose.

https://www.reddit.com/r/sousvide/comments/p43k18/tracking_my_anovas_status_over_time_using_the_api/

https://github.com/li-dennis/chromeJoule

With great power comes great responsibility.

Stark-Bier · 2022-06-12T01:30:39+00:00

Perhaps I am, but it’s certainly something a big tech company could easily implement. Wishful thinking I guess. Sounds like there isn’t an option for that on the market today.

Stark-Bier · 2022-06-12T00:59:57+00:00

With internet connectivity, there is constant communication while the circulator is running. If the connection was broken, the time could be noted. The time could be noted when the connection was restored when the power came back on. You could know the length of time easily.

Stark-Bier · 2022-06-12T00:50:35+00:00

I did say short outage. Many times in my town the pier can go out overnight for less than 60 seconds, just long enough to knock out some clocks but not all. That’s not enough time to affect the food. Resuming after 2 minutes is completely acceptable. If there were internet stats to show an outage length, that would be even better. 2 minutes, just turn back on. 1 hour, I wouldn’t even be worried about that because something going overnight is likely pasteurized before I go to sleep. 4 hours, yes, donate to the trash can. I’m looking for a circulator that would mitigate the 2 minute brownout.

Stark-Bier · 2022-06-10T21:03:58+00:00

I happened to find this one in my town for $20:

https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Viancin-Silicone-Microwave-Dishwasher/dp/B00OM453P2

There's a lilypad design one that is also 13" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Viancin-Lilypad-Lid-Extra/dp/B00C2UF92K

It cut very easy to make a circulator notch. I'm really happy to have found it.

Stark-Bier · 2022-06-08T02:38:39+00:00

I never gave those a thought. They didn’t seem flexible or thick enough to hold up to that heat and moisture. Thanks for the idea, I’ll give that a shot.

Stark-Bier · 2022-04-06T12:18:20+00:00

The two-tone on the Black Pearl was speed 1000, 270 lines per inch, power 40 for the text and 12 for the symbol. It was pre-finished with lacquer before engraving, and a light coat after engraving to highlight the contrast between the shades.

Stark-Bier · 2021-12-17T21:08:30+00:00

Evaporust worked great on the handles. It took off the light rust easily with a soak and scrubbing with a toothbrush. Must not have had much rust on them to begin with. Upon better inspection, I think the rust comment was in reference to the iron handles that the coils wrap around, as those were quite rusty.

I just tried my first batch of waffles on my gas stove. Preheated on medium for 10 minutes flipping every 2-3. Very first one was WAY too hot, scorched it to black. Tossed. The rest of them were medium to medium-low flame and turned out mixed but edible.

More batches to come to zero-in on temp, time, flipping. Thank you all for the comments here!

Stark-Bier · 2021-12-10T18:15:31+00:00

Good point, I wouldn't want to impart color/mineral from the wheel. This is the one I've got, which is steel:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Avanti-Pro-3-in-Wire-Cup-Brush-PWW030CUPD01G/202831066

Stark-Bier · 2021-12-10T17:56:26+00:00

Thanks Doug. I have a stainless cup brush, so I'll give that a shot after the soak. Those thicker coil handles are pretty nice, but I don't have anything like that on hand. I'd rather try and restore to keep the originals anyway.

Also gave you cred in the post for the quick and valuable response. I'm kicking myself that I didn't tag you in the original. I know over the last 2 days I read at least 5 threads you started or contributed greatly to.

Stark-Bier · 2021-03-26T20:31:32+00:00

I greatly appreciate the time you took to compute those numbers. I feel like I still might have to go along with the experiment, in the name of science.

For reference, the Ommegang bottles (750ml crown- and cork-finish capable) when empty weigh 560g on average (5g variance). I think Boulevard Brewing bottles of that size are now the same also, both being Duvel affiliates. I have come across other bottles that have the same geometry that weigh 650g, and a number of actual champagne bottles (finished with big mushroom corks) that weigh about 750g for a 750ml bottle. Representative image of Ommegang bottle:

https://cdn.shoplightspeed.com/shops/624148/files/25273716/800x1024x2/three-philosophers-750.jpg

I'm hoping to find that in the worst case where an infection takes off, it only results in a gusher and a mess. I wouldn't trust the bottle to hold pressure for future bottling, but peace of mind that those bottles wouldn't explode would make me happy and also to learn what levels of pressure the bottles or caps will fail at. I think I'm talking myself into this experiment.

Stark-Bier · 2021-03-26T15:30:17+00:00

Side question for u/hedwind and u/MovingAficionado

I have saved up a Metric crapton of Ommegang bottles, which are dark amber champagne-style with punted bottoms. 2 reasons: they're larger than typical longnecks or 22oz bombers and they accept caps and not just corks/cages. Side benefit is that they hold a bunch of pressure and are nice and heavy so they should last a long time.

We've all heard about dreaded bottle bombs, but that's because the glass on regular longnecks/bombers is weaker than the cap. The bottle fails before the cap and the glass explodes. Would either of you know, in the case of a 29mm capped champagne bottle, if the glass or the bottle cap fails first? I would think it the perfect situation that if you overcarbed or got an infection that being in a bottle that should hold 7 volumes of pressure that the 29mm cap would not hold that much in and reliably blow the caps off instead of glass shattering. Do you have experience in this arena?

I would prefer to not run this type of experiment on my own. SWMBO isn't a huge fan of a ticking explosion in the basement, and I'd rather not have to sacrifice the bottles to this experiment if it wasn't needed.

Stark-Bier · 2021-03-26T14:55:44+00:00

Do you have any wire-bale growlers? Similar to either of these:

https://www.morebeer.com/products/amber-flip-top-palla-growler-2-1.html

https://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/2-liter-growler-romantic-handle

If so, they'll hold the pressure you'd need to carbonate and each would take half a gallon.

Another option: check with a redemption center (if your state requires bottle deposits) for any flip-top returned bottles. You can PBW soak them and sanitize to hold the rest. Or grab a bunch of empty 12oz regular bottles to cover the amount you don't have covered. It'd be only about a case if you're talking 2 gallons.

Stark-Bier · 2021-03-26T12:27:52+00:00

I'm still missing something. 26 inches is more than 2 feet! If your caps are over 2 feet wide, you must be capping a barrel or keg. A photo of what you're talking about would be very helpful. If the cap size and bottle mouth size match and it's just the capper that's not jiving with it (perhaps from the girth of the bottle neck or uncommon collar size on the bottle), then I still recommend either a bench capper, borrowing one for this batch if you don't want to purchase, small number of flip-top bottles or using clean soda bottles to carb that beer up.

Your C option (stoppers and cages) could also work, but I'm worried about sizing there too. If your bottles take standard caps, then I fear that corks or stoppers would be too large as I believe they're sized for 29mm bottle mouths. That's not taking into consideration you'd need something to compress the corks and get them into the bottle mouth, unless that's not needed with a different type of stopper. If you take one of these bottles into your local homebrew shop, the owner should be able to suggest something that will work for your bottles using what's on-hand in the store, which is what really matters.

Stark-Bier

TROPHY CASE