My Story

Type 2
1

Hi my name is Laura Ann but my friends call me Ann. I'm 37 years old and live in Lenoir North Carolina. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes almost 5 years ago. I first knew there was a problem back in 1996 when I was in college. I went on a drastic diet and lost 3 dress sizes in one month and with it I lost feeling in my toes. Well I went to the school nurse and she checked my sugar. I remember it was 260 and she told me to go to the doctor that she thought I was diabetic. Well I told my mom but she didn't believe me.

Years later I got a free diabetes meter in the mail and my blood sugar was 170. It ran close to that for a few days and an online friend told me to go to the doctor. My first A1C was 7.0 and my sugar was 190. The very rude doctor told me I lied and she knew I had eaten that day when I hadn't. Then she told me I was fat and prediabetic and all I had to do was stop over eating. Then she sent me on my way with no more explination or diabetes classes.

A year later I went to another doctor after moving and he said 7.0 was diabetic and put me on meds but still no diabetes education, didn't tell me to test my sugars, no target zone, nothing. Then I lost my insurance and went to a free clinic and they changed my meds since the one I was on caused heart attacks, but still no education.

Then I moved to North Carolina and had yet another new doctor. This one likes drug kick backs and in an instant changed my drugs. He's changed my drugs almost every 6 weeks for the past year! But at least he sent me to diabetes classes, not that I learned much. When they found out I had diabetes for 4 years they assumed I knew what I was doing.

I don't like my current doctor. He doesn't tell me when to test just to test, he hasn't sent a target zone, he doesn't do the yearly liver, kidney, etc tests, he doesn't check my feet, and he won't refer me to an Endo. Heck he wouldn't have done what he has done if it wasn't for my insurance. They have a diabetes nurse call me once a month and she tells me what to tell the doctor to do. She even advised changing doctors. So on the 13th I go to yet another new doctor and hopefully they will refer me to an Endo.

To top it all off I'm bipolar and with it comes powerful drugs that affect your sugar levels. To be honest I'm tired of trying new diabetes drugs. I've been on all the popular one and a few unpopular ones. I'm ready to be put on insulin.

2

Wow! It sounds like you have hit a "perfect storm" of horrible doctors? I can't believe that you'd have experiences like that in this day and age but welcome to the site. I have a different story but there's other people in the same boat as you BG wise who have had similar experiences who will probably "chime in" soon? If they don't, I'll think of something.

3

Welcome Ann!!! U've had ur bad luck with Drs huh???? I really can't associate seeing that I was caught at the age of 10 years ago but there are other's here with a story like urs. Ur no longer alone come here and just vent if u need too.

4

hey AR...off subject here a bit (sorry)..but, what pump are you using? thanks!

5

Good grief Laura Ann.........there's gotta be good docs in North Carolina. Call the ADA and the Joslin Clinic in Boston and get a list. Seems to me you have been getting the runaround. A doc who HEARS what you say is most important. An A1C of 7.0 does indicate an average BS of 150 mg/dl, which is not where you want to be. Read as much as you can on the internet, but don't diagnose yourself. An Endo is the guy you need.

6

I echo the comments by the others on the quality of your doctors.

While you search for a decent, competent medical advisor consider a new start at home, using your own meter. Begin here: Getting Started

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.

7

This sounds all to familiar. You show up at the doctors a little overweight and blood sugars running high. The doctor takes one look at you and tells you your over weight and it's all your fault. Now loose some weight and start exercising and maybe swallow these pills. This is good advice but more help is needed.

Now it's up to you and you don't know what to do. Heck if you knew how to be a normal weight you would be, Nobody in their right mind wants to be overweight and diabetic. You go looking for help elsewhere. You find there is plenty of people willing to give advice but not all the advice givers have your best interest at heart some just want to make a buck off of you. There are some folks that really want to help, you have found a lot of them here at Tudiabetes.

Some doctors fail us by not helping us navigate the minefield. It takes more than a more than a few pills and a lecture. It takes resources for help and he/she should point you toward them.

It sounds like had some bad look finding a good doctor but there are good one out there you just have to keep looking. Good luck with your search.

Gary S

8

Thanks! I go see a new primary care phisician in the 13th and plan to ask for a referal to and Endo. The closest Endo to my area that is covered by my insurance is 35 miles away and requires a referal.

As for weighloss that's a problem. I'm also Bipolar and the meds help you pack on the pounds. Alot of them even come with warning that they can cause diabetes. I'm also a closet eater. Have been since I was a kid. I would acually hide in the closet and eat. I still hide and eat away from my husband and eat little diabetic meals in front of him. And then there is my major problem... Mountain Dew... We're not talking the nasty diet stuff. We are talking the good sugar filled, it's going to kill me, caffiene loaded stuff. It's a major problem that I've been fighting for years. The doctor says I'm addicted and need to treat it as such and to stop like a smoker stops. Easy for him to say. I count pennies to get one if I have to. I have however cut back to one a day. In college I used to drink 6-12 a day.

I'm a mental basket case I guess. Bipolar screws with my diabetes and diabetes screws with my bipolar

9

Thank you for all the warm welcomes

10

Minimed 722. Sorry I missed yr 'reply'!

11

Wow! I have never heard of Mountain Dew addiction! I sort of liked it and would chug them when I crashed when my std dev was higher but haven't had one for a while. I'm not sure there's any way to quit but cold turkey? I used to have an older edition of Naked Lunch where Bill Burroughs recommended antihistamines as a cure for addiction. I dunno if that might help a bit?

12

Whoa... memory lane :) Just dug out my copy.

13

As one who is 64, diagnosed back in 1980's, I can sympathize with your plight.

What ever you do - DO NOT GIVE UP and keep asking, searching for a Doctor you are sympatico with and learn every thing you can on web.

Back when I started and attempted to use meter at thst time, readings were all over map and no one had an idea who to chase/resolve. I didn't resolve then and for my mistake got stroke in Dec 2007 and spent 4 years cleaning up mess.

I am not Doctor and CANNOT tell you what to do but here is the ideas and issues I chased:

a) you need to check your BG in the wee hours - midnight to 8 am every hour to see what your dawn effect from liver is doing.

b) Insulin resistance is caused by body being saturated by glucose from leaky liver, your diet and by how much hearty exercise you don't get.

c) being overwheight did not cause the diabetes and anybody peddling shame and abuse needs their wagon wheels straightened out.

d) in todays 24/7 availability of excellent grains, sugars etc, it can sneak up on you.

e) for me liver was killing me and dumping in too much glucose unasked. For me sufficient metformin doses taken in time and right time stopped liver nonsense. Wathc out for the pill jockeys spinning your meds and one large dose is all you need.
f) once liver nonsense stopped, a carbs control diet that limits carbs and a hearty exercise program help get the body back in control and help fend off insulin resitance. Here again for your safety you need solid medical advice and good Doctor.

g) for me that was Diet 1200 calorie diet, 2 miles a day walking and 500 mg doses of insulin.

It needs carefull stating that I was on my diet and exercise racket 2 years before I found how to stop liver leakage. My weight climbed to 330 lbs. After liver excess leakage stopped, then I started losing weight am under 250 lbs.

I was 26 years on that dam pills - glyburide/starlix and earlier.
Today on humalog lispro small doses and metformin with the metformin doing the heavy lifting.

My Doctor's program was such that I was able to get off actos(avandia) and excess insulin pills/liquids.

Do not give up and waive off on this and get help and a good Doctor you trust. That's not easy but - you do not need to get to my age and state to correct the mess. Get started today. Many days of constant high BG readings will rot out your body - eyes, kidneys, blood vessels et all.

In summary my path was:

a) fix liver leakage issues and excess dumping of glucose back on blood stream.
b) carb diet restricted for me was 1200 calories. Balance energy input versus consumption.
c) 2 miles walking or some solid gym program willl help wear off the glucose. Insulin only stores the crap - albeit necessary and only exercise, body process burn the stuff off.
d) local storage in skeletal muscle cells / fat cells is limited and glucose must be burned off to keep space in fat cells and skeletal muscle cells so that when pancrease/insulin shots provide insulin, space in these local storage sites of the skeletal muscle cells ensure ones body can regulate the blood BG level by shifting the glucose from Blood stream to the storage sites. When no room, glucose backs up in your blood stream, your insulin resistance is high and bad.

Good luck in your quest and do not give up.

For more details on my personal case, Please see my Book - At the Precipice by Jim Snell

14

Hi Laura I hope your new doctor is more educated on diabetes then the others. You need a good endo . I hope you find one. Good luck.

15

Thank you for making me feel so welcomed. I went to my new general practicianer on the 13th. She was great and accually listened. She put in a referal for an Endo so I'm waiting to hear back. She thinks it's the correct next move and agrees that insullin might be my best bet.

16

That's good news Laura! Keep us posted.

17

I completely agree with Gary. It sounds very familiar,,your story sounds very much like mine. I've been a diabetic for 9 years, since the birth of my first child. I didn't get proper or appropriate treatment for it until I got pregnant again two years ago. I spent a couple of years before that bouncing between docs and oral meds. I'm on my third pregnancy now at 38 and on a pump with a fantastic Endo.

18

whatever the best move is; that is between your caregiver and you.

Good Luck and best wishes and keep on truckin.

Jim Snell

19

Hi Laura
I just revisited this thread today and I'm so glad to see that you have found a new GP that listens and understands. I don't want to infulence any decision that might be in your future about insulin, this is a decision for you and your doctors, but I do want you to know that it can be a good course to take, it was for me.

Gary S

20

Hi Laura Ann! This is so neat because I actually live in Lenoir too...well Sawmills. I have been a diabetic since I was 12 and now I am on a pump. I love it...so far. I have been through my share of bad dr.'s in this area. I have a really good dr now who keeps a close eye on my diabetes but she is perfect when it comes to letting me "handle" things with my pump. I am 36 years old with two teens. My daughter is also bipolar so I understand a little about that. I would love to chat with you sometime. I don't get on here often but I will keep a check more often. If I can figure out how...I will send you a PM with my phone number. I hope to hear from you soon. Candy