The time has come for me to give my endo all the wonderful data from her experiment in my health. If we do not see eye to eye on the next part of the experiment we will part ways and I will begin the hunt for a new endo. It looks like my best options might be 60-90 minute drives. I know that is nothing for some of you Canadians. :-)
Honestly I don't see what anyone needs an endo for except for the first few weeks of learning about your new permanent life crisis. You basically become your own doctor. Being diagnosed in the 70's I hated my endo's. They had no clue what they were doing anyway. For years no one told me I needed to balance insulin with carbs. Morons!
They are not all morons, my endo and the nurse practitioner and CDEs are wonderful. There are good endos out there stevek!
Hi Steve: Good luck with the visit. Some endos are very good, and I have to disagree with Gary, I think every person with Type 1 diabetes should be seeing an endo. A GP just does not have the knowledge to manage such a complex disease, especially in the early stages as you are. I see my endo twice a year, and she is simply awesome, and she most certainly has been a good advocate for me and given me useful tips. Good endos are out there.
I truly hope that you get on exogenous insulin. Be persistent. Be your own best advocate. And if given exogenous insulin, be sure to get education/training.
Best of luck, and keep us informed!
About the only specific advice I've gotten from an endo was the one who worked with the MM SalesNurse to set up my pump. She slashed her finger open playing with the infusion set but did a really nice job turning my garbled R/N logs (sic...they were really a mess, I wish I'd have saved them to post pics of b/c they were hiliarious but I tossed them when we moved in '09) into a very close approximation of the correct dose. First meal was 3x tacos and I was 85 2 hours later. My GP had also been very useful but I change stuff around so much on my own that it's sort of hopeless for a doctor to keep up with my "shenanigans" or deterimined self-control. As long as the A1C are ok, I get patted on the head. I think that if you want to make a big change, it sort of has to come from within and to do well w/ diabetes you sort of have to be willing to interpret your data and make changes on your own. In between doctor visits, I will usually have changed my settings, etc. at least 2 or 3 times, seeing her every 3 months.
I'm not quite sure I recall your whole story but I am not sure I'd discount endos entirely. I am always pleased to find one who will put up with me.
My point is once you know what your doing so to speak you need them for nothing other then prescriptions. I see a nurse practitioner who specializes in diabetes. She's a sweetheart but I only go to have my A1c's checked and prescriptions when I need them. As far as managing diabetes your your own boss.
Gary we must understand that at the time we took d (back in the 70's) the drs told ppl to count their CALORIES not their carbs like they do now. Things were waaay different then. My 1st cousion took D in the 50's and when I got D in the 70 the 1st thing she said to me then was, "Diabetes care has changed so much since the time I took it" When my daughter took D at 11 in 99 I told her the samething. The improvements in Diabetes care is greatly changed from what I call "The Dark Ages"
Endo called yesterday with the results and said insulin is in my very near future as it is the only thing that will help me since I'm LADA. Somehow I think she has thought I was worried about going on insulin…what we have here is a failure to communicate! We are beginning to communicate more clearly.
This is the first Dr. I've had that is over a decade younger than me. 13 years to be exact. I'm only going to be 46 in March...
Very good news! I can't remember if I or someone else mentioned this to you, but Think Like a Pancreas is a great book to help with understanding insulin use. Good that you are communicating more clearly with your doctor, and good for you for being your own best advocate.
+1 for Think Like a Pancreas. Insulin really isn't that bad....but I agree to some degree that with T1D you have to really be your own doctor. I DO think that having an endo is important, and it's important that you have an endo with whom you feel you can communicate and express your concerns/opinions/desires. It's your body and, at the end of it all, you're the one who has to deal with this mess.
Personally, I would recommend looking into a pump. They are great little tools and because they can deliver insulin in such small quantities, you might find a pump easier than shots because you can make really small adjustments as your insulin needs change. Just my two-cents.
Kaiser won't let anyone see an endo unless their A1Cs are bad. Mine are good, but I have complications up the kazoo. Doesn't matter, no endo.
Ah yes Kaiser, assuring the least common denominator in health care. Everybody should be equally sick, nobody truly healthy.
I have Kaiser, I have good A1Cs, and I have seen my endo multiple times each year for the 10+ years I have had Kaiser. It may depend on location, however?
Well, as my BG is not going down, I emailed my endo. I'll will probably be on insulin shortly.
Thanks for the advice on Think Like a Pancreas. I've read that and Using Insulin knowing that this was definitely in my future.
Insulin starts Friday.