My Diabetes (day 2)
Steph and I were scheduled to drive to Boston, because her stepmom was having a medical procedure, and before we left, I had a routine work physical exam scheduled.
Well, the doctor mentioned in passing that I had “trace glucosuria”.
Since I’ve got a family history of diabetes, and had been fasting (except water) for way too many hours, it wasn’t hard to put two plus two together. Sure, I have had symptoms. And like everyone else, I had enough excuses that I didn’t have to think of the big D as the reason why.
So, Steph (who’s a diabetes nurse educator) and I stopped at our friendly chain drugstore on the way out of town, and bought an A1c test-at-home kit, and a meter and strips. And, while I was driving north from NJ to Massachusetts, she doublechecked the instructions, and stabbed my fingers (more than once!) for A1c and BG.
My A1c was 11.1 (high in anyone’s book) and the initial BG was
293. Subsequent rechecks overnight have continued in the 200′s.
Oh well. Such is life.
I’ve starting insulin on a basal/bolus program, checking zillions of BGs daily, and planning to see my new endocrinologist (who doesn’t know I exist) sometime soon. He comes highly recommended by a nearby relative who has T1DM. Wonder how long it will take to get a new-patient appointment? But it really doesn’t matter, I’ll have the numbers down to normal (and probably a few hypos too) by the time I see him.
Bill the diabetesdoc
wwq@diabetesmonitor.com
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Wow, Bill, did you really not know before that you had diabetes? All those years as an Endo yourself, and now you’re one of us?!
And you’re going to see a new Endo yourself? I can’t wait to hear about that!
Anyway, what I mean is, I’m sorry. Diabetes sucks! But at least we’ve got each other…
Best,
Amy
Welcome to our world Bill. I have watched many health care providers specializing in D crash when it gets them. Don’t become a statistic.
48 years and still going strong.
Dr. Bill the Doc,
I also dx’d myself more than 4 years ago with diabetes. My FBS was 234 when I first checked it and my A1c was 11.1. I was started on glucophage 500 mg then it was increased to 1000 mg daily. I went on a relatively low carb diet and lost 30 lbs in the first few months. I have remained well contnrolled and only recently had the dose of metformin XR 500 mg. increased to three tablets a day.
I don’t understand why you didn’t go from the simple to the complex..i.e. pills before starting insulin. My understanding is that we have plenty of insulin, it just can’t be utilized by the cells. Metformin helps that plus decreases the production of glucose by the liver.
Your life would be a lot simpler taking pills and going low-carb. Sounds like your life revolves around controlling this condition, not fun, and not very modern.
I also read Richard Bernstein’s book and Gretchen BEcker’s which to me were life-savers.