Hi. I am a type 1 diabetic and have been so for the last 15 years… I just joined this group because i am hoping that someone else out there has the same struggles that i do… I know my body pretty well and yet my doctors dont want to listen to me about anything i tell them… either they dont believe my blood sugars can be what they are and i can retain consiousness, they routinely drop to the 20’s or 30’s and i can still hold a conversation and walk around… i have been in the hospital and they have done this and the nurtse rechecked me on 3 different monitors. or my idiot doc’s try and put me on a crazy high amount of insulin… i only wiegh about 110 lbs. 7 units of regular insulin in conjunction with my lantus is not a good decision…How do you get your doc’s to listen and respect your opinion? anybody got a story or answer? just hearing from someone else would be helpful right now. Thanks!
Do you see an endocrinologist? That would be my first recommendation if you don’t already. Does he download your meter when you see him? That way the evidence would be right in front of him. Maybe you could post the area where you live, as someone on here might have a suggestion for a new doc for you. Are you wearing a pump or try a continuous glucose monitor? Those might help with the up and downs.
I am seeing an endo… but he swears it is impossible for me to have blood sugars in the twenties and still be able to talk and walk around… while i understand that MOST diabetics can’t it is not the case with me. I dont lose consiousness till my sugar is in the teens. don’t know why its just the case… anyhow he gave me a new meter in response to the download of my sugars swearing that it must be malfunctioning because i have crazy swings in blood sugar… I am a new mom though and so my hormones are not regulated yet… and yes i am breastfeeding… I am on shots right now… lantus and novolog… the pump is in the works for me but i am nervous about that too… argh… so much going on?! : ).
I don’t know about you, but breastfeeding burned sugars in me like crazy. My insulin needs went way down when I was breastfeeding. My doc said it was like running around the block a few times.
I have had sugars in the 30’s and been able to talk and walk around. I believe you!
I remember playing softball once and my sugar dropped so low that my dad and coach had to rush me off the field…I didn’t really know what was going on, but my dad knew exactly what was going on…I went into convulsions apparently. I don’t really remember much after that…
I have kids who talk and are completely conscious while their blood glucose report low. As Toni mentioned you need CGM.You burn lots of calories breast feeding. Your A1c is 9.4%,have you been tested lately for celiac disease? Malabsorption can cause this discrepancy,many lows but high A1C.
I have tested for celiac, which came back negative. at least, during my pregnancy… now I have wild swings in blood sugar. during my pregnancy it was very well controled and my blood sugars ran in the 110’s most of the time… now they are from 550’s to 20’s. i dont like it but thank goodness for the lantus because then i dont drop ketones. luckily i have not had a seizure with a low, i just… lose time. I lose the ability to stand and fall to the ground, or when it has happened during the night or nap times i just wont wake up… i apparently talk… but i dont wake up… very odd. of course i dont remember any of it but my sugar only registers as low during those times. Thanks for believing me!!!
proof for your doctors…just tested and my BS is 29…I can type! crazy!
8095-29.jpg (39 KB)
may i ask why do you think/believe you are taking too much insulin? because of the amount of insulin or the hypoglycemia episodes? i ask because when i get hypoglycemic i get a low level headache which goes away with advil. only if i measure my blood sugars i “know” i am low. so i feel your pain. nevertheless i am happy to say my doctor is not like that. i feel bad for you because i have had similar experiences with other doctors. my diabetic neuropathy gets out of control sometimes and my ex-doctor thought i was may be “exaggerating” pain. with dr. h. we have tried medications and natural solutions and i’ve finally found a combination that works for my pain. nothing fancy or out of the ordinary, it just took time. and she listened. but i had to change doctor’s.
oh libbie that isnt good either. my doctor recommends i go to the emergency if it is too low or too high. and that is too low. what do they say? i understand you because i get lows but not that low.
i think maybe the doctor was trying to say that metformin was safe with the comment about mothers… but it sounds like you werent asking about its safety… a lot of endos want you to do things their way and only their way or you’ll die… I have as a matter of fact heard this speech on more than one occasion, apparently there are a lot of docs who flunked psychology…
I have never had a hypoglycemic headache… i just feel like someone sucked all of the energy from me… and shaky. Thanks libbie for the 29!
Amanda-
Toni is right. The pregnancy and the breastfeeding will completely alter (and lower) your blood sugars. When I was pregnant with my second child I ran in the teens. I had one EMS technician tell me I could NOT be “15” and still be talking. I know what you’re going through.
My suggestion… change doctors. You need a good endocrinologist who can help you get regulated. MORE insulin is not the answer, but continue to check your sugars. You said it best - you know your body better than anyone, but consistent results in the 20’s will not be good for you in the long run. Best bet is to target a consistent result of 100.
I too get lows and completely go around cooking, talking and continuing with the work I was doing. I am unaware of any lows and it is because my body has become so use to them that it does not notify me anymore with shakiness and sweatiness like it use to. My alarm system is much more subtle and I have to consciously keep aware and take notice.
Believe me most of the time I think I’m fine, but really I’m not. And occassionaly it will get really bad.
Find a good Endo, and keep changing endo’s until you find a good one that will listen to you and work with you.
Why going to ER if some glucose drops will handle the low much faster?
Why going to ER if the right application of insulin will handle the high?
There is good reason for Amanda to to something about the awareness for lows. But lows or highs without seizures or DKA do not qualify for ER. This is just diabetic life.
Our doctors have a certain set of medications at hand to address T2. Please be aware that the doctor is just testing out things. For some patients Metformin will work in high dosages for others it will not be enough to reach normal values. He jumps to Metformin first and looks at the effect of different dosages. After one or two weeks he will look at the numbers again. Then he will decide if other medications should be tried…
Do I have problems with doctors? O, let me count the ways…
Personally, I might get the doctors attention by using the words “You’re Fired”. (I hope The Donald doesn’t come after me for using that).
We are responsible for our own health, doctors can only advise. We have to give consent. If you don’t agree, ask about it. If he won’t listen or won’t explain, don’t waste any more time or risk your health any further by continuing to use this person.
I have never seen my sugar below 40, but I am still able to get myself some carbs at that level. I also had a doctor once tell me that wasn’t possible. I showed him the glucometer and told him the cat must have tested my sugar. (sound effect: Laugh like Nelson from the Simpsons) HAHA
perhaps i should tell my doc that until he has proven himself i will assume he is an idiot… hmm so tempting… : P i had no idea i would get so many responses when i started this discussion… WOW… my biggest problem is i dont think my insulin is adjusted properly at all and i am doing what they tell me like an idiot. my bs is high all day while i am eating but during the night i am having crazy lows… i need more short acting insulin but cant take it on my own because i am only allowed so much per month by my medical coverage… so i need my Rx to change but el stupido wont listen… such are the woes of the neww mommy… add to that sleep deprevation and i am soo unhappy… arrgh… again. i will print this page for him. perhaps he will change his tune…
She’s not T2…
if i went to the e.r. for every low or high i would never leave the hospital quite frankly. the hospitals around here aren’t much help anyway… a lot of people working in the hospital dont retain any more info on diabetes but “peanut butter and crackers are good for lows” I have not had seizures or anything like that but i have crazy swings in b.s.