Yeah right. Was at my 'new' doctor last week. She told me that I wasn't diabetic. Said I might had been but not now. Ah, could it be that I've got my reads down by diet, exercise, portion control etc? Yes, I was 5.4 on last A1C but had been bringing it down wiht all of what I've been doing. Asks me how often I test.Told her in the morning, after last meal(usually the biggest of day), and if I'm testing something new or don't feel right.Kept saying didn't want to waste resources. I talked to my DE. Said that she had told some other patients same thing.Seems she follows in belief that if you don't show high numbers you're not diabetic. I told DE I wanted to swap doctors that I don't feel comfortable with her. She did take me off the cholesterol pils but still her views of diabetes don't go with the norm and we know that if you're diabetic you're diabetic, no cure just control.
She told me that some of the others were doing same thing. But there were some that are staying with her. Hell, who knows. Maybe they actually believe they're cured and will go back to what they were doing before. Wife knows someoen whose husband did that. Now he's in all kinds of trouble with this thing. I'm not going to be in that boat. I'm still maintaining control of my diabetes. Plus the doctor that I had swapped to I'm comfortable with. He actually spent extra time with me to explain things. I like him.Have an appointment for the wife to see him(I had her swapped also).
De did say that I could possible get away with maybe four or five times a week on testing since I have been maintaining so good. Will see. I've got plenty of 'resources' that the other doctor was so worried about wasting. Still have some from my Accu chek meter too. So will see.
Maybe I should refer you to my ex-doctor. If your A1C has been low and your reads in range you just might be cured. ;) Do notice I did say ex-doctor.:)
I keep my A1c's in the 5's. It would be great if he could pronounce me cured. Then I can stop taking all these silly shots. :-)
All joking aside, I'm continually amazed by the level of ignorance in the medical community about diabetes. I read stories on this forum that just leave me dumbfounded. Ignorance about diabetes by the average person I don't have an issue with. My knowledge about other chronic diseases is superficial at best, so why should I expect others to be experts about my condition. Doctors, however, and especially Endocrinologists, have no excuse. You were smart to get another doctor.
Actually she's the first one I have come across in this. The one who dx me told me that he would never pronouce me cured. That I would always be a diabetic even when maintaining my bg's and A1C looking good. That all I have to do is fall out of the car and I'd be right back at it again. I've got taken off of the Metformin in February. She took me off of the cholesterol pills. Was doing good last lab on that. Will see what happens come February when I do full lab again. The one I switched over to is really good and has an excellent view of diabetes. I like him. I went to him twice I think before getting assigned to the one I just left. DE told me that she don't agree with that doctor's views either. That she believes once you've been diagnosed you remain diabetic even when doing a good job at gaining and maintaining control. She knows that it only takes a bit of falling out of car and then you're doing all over again. I have family history of this. A first cousing taking insulin when growing up, an aunt with type2, a sister with type2(I think it's typ2) doing both oral and shots. Also have a niece from one of my brothers both her and her mother are type2. Then I got diagnosed as type 2 back in 2012. I went very tight control. Dropped my weight from 229-230 to 169-172. My A1C's are in the 5's now. BG's are fair game. I'm mostly in ranges but do go over once in a while depending on what I tried out and what I was feeling that day. Glazed cinnamon rolls and pizza knocked me into the dirt. Shot way over.
So when I got that remark from her about not being diabetic, didn't come out and say 'cured' but did say not diabetic I decided to switch doctors. DE agreed with me on that. Said if not comfortable I should switch. She had others from that doctor doing same thing while some stayed.
I have a friend who had the exact opposite reaction when her doctor took the diagnosis off her chart. She knows she has to continue to be vigilant about her nutrition and blood sugar, but she is happy she no longer carries the label "Type 2 diabetic."
Hey Shadow Dragon. That's semantics, I fear. The more I read and learn, the more I'm convinced that once you present the symptoms of insulin resistance to the extent that you cannot normalize your BG easily irrespective of what you eat, you are diabetic. Granted, your friend is doing absolutely the right thing by addressing this through nutrition and lifestyle, but I fear this type of approach has the potential to create a false sense of complacency and illusion of "reversal," and by doing this, Dr's are probably doing their patients a disservice for all but the most determined and vigilant. Sadly, I saw the same with a colleague of mine, who, with an initial burst of dedication also got it removed from his chart but slowly started reverting to his old habits but still believes all is ok because he "reversed" it. In the meantime, the disease slowly progresses in the background. He'll probably be in for a rude awakening after his next A1c, which he could react to with denial, or it perpetuates the myth that T2 is "the patients fault" - while all of this could potentially be avoided with aggressive treatment up front that doesn't' define success solely on the willpower of the patient alone.
Same here. Joslin has come out and said that once you have been diagnosed you're diabetic all the time. That best you can do is to try and maintain control of your bg's. But you'll be diabetic. Hold on. I'm going to try and find that passage.
"Can diabetes be cured?
Currently, there is no cure for type 2 diabetes. There has been speculation about the role of gastric bypass surgery in "curing" type 2, however, a causal link has not been established between the surgery and the cure of type 2 diabetes. "
A couple years ago I was talking to another type2 diabetic. She told me about a friend of hers whose doctor pronounced her 'cured'. Told me that the friend said she could do anything she wanted now. So, one day she was complaining about some symptoms gong on with her. So the girl told her friend the blood sugars was acting up. What was the response? 'But I don't have diabetes. Doctor told me I was 'cured'." I think her friend went back to the doctor and had checked out, can't remember now. Was a couple years back. Hopefully your friend will be smart enough to realize she really is still diabetic and can't go back to the old life style.
I'm lucky at moment. I'm off Metformin. But I pay strict attention to my portions and meter reads. I'll test something I eat three or four times before I put on the 'to eat list'. I know for sure that those glazed rolls and pizza are on the 'do not eat' list. :)
But believe me, I'm diabetic and I know it. That's why I left that one doctor for another. First time I've ever had to do this. Go check out the Joslin site. it's very informative on stuff.
I have heard this from so many of my friends, that the doc told them they weren't diabetic anymore. I'm sorry I believe that unless you had your pancreas replaced, you will be a diabetic forever; or until a cure is found. You may be a well controlled diabetic, but you are diabetic and need to take all the precautions there in. My best GF had gastric bypass surgery, and that doc told her on her way out the door she was cured...and she bought it, for three years. Didn't loose a lb, and her diabetic numbers are off the charts, she is in deep depression, won't see or talk to anyone because she is a diabetic now. It's all very sad and tragic. So I am with you, keep doing what you are doing, aside from using strips each day, and keeping track of yourself,....what do you loose? Good for you!
Thanks. I also know someone who's just had one of those surgeries. Stomach is smaller etc. Told me he's no longer on meds,no more diabetes. Told him good for him. Just hope he's going to continue monitoring hisself. But will see. So hard to see people grasp at straws and just take the word at face value like that. Don't do anything to stay on track because they're 'nolonger diabetic'. Shame when it slams into them like a brick wall with a vengence.
Gong to keep track of self at all times. Keep myself doing what I'm dong and see how long I can last.
I was told, rather strongly, by one of the doctors I've been working with that I am NOT a diabetic because my A1c has never been above 5.4. Funny, because without meds I tend to spike high and fast from minor amounts of carbs, and then I sit there for hours. Since when is sitting above 200 for 4-6 hours after 15g of carbs not diabetes?
I got rather cocky after a couple of years of managing my type 2 diabetes through a strict diet and exercise plan. My Hba1c was down to 5.2 and my 2 hour after-meal readings were all under 120. So one summer day I fell for a temptation and bought - and ate - a full basket of strawberries. After about 20 minutes my eyes started hurting and I felt rather unwell. At that point I took out my BG meter and checked - blood sugar was 252.
Since then I've never entertained the thought of being cured, I am just content with being managed.
Great posting.i am leaving my Endo PA for a C D E. We just are not a good fit. I am not happy with an a1c of 7.3 for 2 years. I have been a type 2 for 20 years. I felt guilty. But after reading this I need to do what is right for me! Thank you for confirming this. Nancy
Same here. I continue to watch mine all the time. i screwed up with the cinamon rolls and the pizza slice/wings that time. 12 and 216. Just had a 207 last Saturday coming back from the Chinese Buffet I always go to. Usually it's around 140-160, have had a 193 once. But that last time got me. Don't know why. Didn't eat any different than usual there. Salad, baby squids in hot sauce, then various chicken etc. Desert wasn't bad etiher. Couple slices of peaches, two small jello cubes and a tad of pudding. Weather was bothering me though I remember not feeling too good. Wasn't sick but wasn't all that good. But not diabetic? Just magically not so? Nah, don't think so. Liked that one statement that I might had been but not now. Sure. Those A1C's back in the fives was from hard work, lot of walking and watching what and how much I eat. I've had down in the nineties after meal sometimes and low hundreds to low 120's at times. But like you it's because I pay attention. I know that if I say screw it and let whatever happens happen I'll be back up there again in no time. Too many fall for that and go out 'hog wild' only to do more damage to themselves.
My DE is great. She's always helping me. I had been doing on own along with Dietitian for two years and only talking to her at times before she realized she had never seen me as a paitent. :) Scheduled me right in and did a comparison of what I knew and what she had to tell me. I had already learned a lot by asking etc. BUT she also had a lot I still needed to know. I like her. Very good. And she was already helping me to get another doctor. I had done one thing she had told me and they weren't able to do so. I called her and she got me and the wife swapped over to a different one. I like him. Had spent time with him before I got the other one that told me all of this. She also don't agree with that statement. She too agrees in that we can gain control and maintain control of ourselves but never cured. That if we let ourselves go we'll be back where we were and worse off than what we were when first diagnosed. She fixed up the labs for my wife and also put her in for a test. Last time the doctor that had left us told her to watch what she was eating, to cut carbs and eat more protein. I had a funny feeling about why. So I was able to get into her labs through her online(we give each other permissions) and saw something. But there was only one test to go by. The DE also knew what I was looking at and put her in for an A1C. Comes out that she's 'pre'. Had that gut feeling but there wasn't anything to compare to, first higher than nromal for her. This one did the trick. So, I'm trying to get her to do a lot of cuts and different stuff. Not as hard as me but still cut. I told her she needs to do so. And she's already starting.
If not a good fit find one that is. Got to be happy or there's distrust there and that's not a good relationship between a patient and doctor. Got to have that trust in between the two.
Expanding on your amazement, I'm dumbfounded every time I come across this topic in one form or another that we have Cardiologists, Neurologists, Nephrologists, Gynecologists, Opthamologists -- I could go on and on and on.
Yet, there is no medical specialty for DIABETES. Diabetics get tossed to Endocrinologists, which are hardly specialized in diabetes. They treat quite a spectrum of endocrine disorders. Further, while diabetes does involved the endocrine system, unlike something like thyroid disease (treated by an endo), it involves so much more in the body that has nothing to do with the endocrine system.
With the seriousness of this disease, the complexity of it, the spectrum of treatments, and the sizable portion of the population that is dealing with it in one form or another, it puzzles me that the medical profession continues to soldier on with this sort of afterthought approach to patient care, failing to specialize in the disease.
This outcome, and those that take it seriously, always makes me laugh.
As long as you can't eat whatever you want in whatever gluttonous quantities you want to without your BG staying rock-stable "normal", you are diabetic. Period.
If not, then, what is the name of your problem/handicap? You can't have Carl's Jr double-western burger, large fries, and large chocolate shake without going into a hyperglycemic storm over 200 mg/dl for the next 6 hours. Again, what do you call this, if you're "not diabetic"?
It's no secret that diabetics can successfully control BG with diet and exercise. So what? Is the measure of "being diabetic" whether or not you use meds to control your disease, or whether or not your BG shoots up in response to a high carb load?
Not sure if it is that simple, that if you "can't eat whatever you want in whatever gluttonous quantities you want to without your BG staying rock-stable "normal", you are diabetic". I know several people who, like me are older (60s or 70s) and who will experience elevated blood sugars after a carb heavy meal. One person I know will eat a large portion of basmati rice and after an hour blood sugar is 150. However, their hba1c is normal (below 6) and so are fasting blood sugars, so no doctor would consider them diabetic spite those occasional post meal highs.
According to a dietician I spoke to this week, as we age our ability to utilize insulin instantly and effectively is slowly reduced, though not to the level of meeting the criteria for diabetic. As well, people who are obese or heavily overweight could also experience elevated post meal blood sugars due to increased insulin resistance, without meeting the criteria for diabetic or even pre-diabetic.
In other words, things are rarely as simple or black and white as we'd like them to be, including the effect that carbohydrate intake has on our bg levels.
That is also why the official procedures for diagnosing diabetes are a bit more complex than random blood sugar readings.
Tor
And that is why I didn’t say anything to her. Knew that it wouldn’t change her views so left and sent an email to the DE and also called her. She was responding to email when she picked up phone. Told me she already had a doctor in mind for me that was more into what goes on with diabetes. That was great news. Got a notification from the insureance that both wife and myself had been swapped over to this other doctor. Sweet!!!
Have talked to this one before. He actually spent extra time with me explaining things and views on this and other things. Really nice individual. Was happy when got swapped over to him. I have a friend that supposedly watches what he eats etc. But when he’s not home being watched he chows down on a lot of things. Will go to a Subway saying that it’s healthy and grab a couple foot long subs with various things, bag of chips etc. Or go elsewhere and do same. So, his weight don’t go down, and has issues with BG’s all the time. He’d be doing okay for awhile and then hit the road to visit various family members for a few months. Come back home and start all over again although they try to watch and help him monitor when he’s visiting. Still though will basically be starting over when gets home. See a lot of people like that. Just go ‘hog wild’ and then not understand why they’re having issues.
Having fun trying to get wife to understand about carbs and how it works. She still at times can't get over the way I'm always monitoring them. But now she's being a 'pre' I've really got to get her into understanding carbs. She does a lot of walking and other things for exercise. She's good in that. But trying to get her to understand carbs is being a lot of 'fun'.
And it's not b/w for all either. What drives me up on reads might not even affect others and vice versa. That's why I'm always giving something a few shots before putting on the list of not eating or the one for eating. Wife has hard time seeing me eat something that will have a low read then next time will give higher reads and back/forth. I keep telling her that there's more involved than what I eat that affects the reads. That even I have trouble understanding some of the reads. But that it happens and something I deal with.
