Tuesday, November 27, 2012

What I Meant to Say

Sometimes my own stupidity truly amazes me.

Over Thanksgiving I was talking with someone about diabetes and the other person, let's call them Pam, told me her doctor had asked her to check her blood sugar once a month just to watch out for high blood sugar.  Pam is probably slightly at risk for Type 2 but has other health issues so I think the doc doesn't want diabetes sneaking in.  I asked her when the doc asked her to check and she told me once a month.

Now, I don't know jack about Type 2 diabetes but something happened to me.  I got really pissed off.  I asked Pam if the doctor had told her to check first thing in the morning or 2 hours after eating?  Nope - just anytime, once a month.  I told her she should check at those times.  She said the doctor said anytime works. 

Here it comes.....

My absolute best moment of spreading diabetes education...

So exciting....

Ready?

I said:

"You should listen to me about diabetes. (finger pointing repeatedly to my chest)  A lot of doctors don't know much about diabetes."

I. AM. A. MORON.

What I meant to say was:
"That's really great your doctor is watching out for diabetes!  You might get more information from a fasting reading or maybe two hours after you eat.  Readings from those times could give you an earlier indication that something is going on.  Maybe you could ask your doctor about that.  And if you do see some high numbers be sure to ask for an A1C test and see an endocrinologist.  They would be more experienced with diabetes.  Diabetes is nothing to mess around with."

That's what I meant to say.
(and have since)

9 comments:

  1. But you were so right. She SHOULD listen to you. We all should.

    Everyone at our T-giving wanted to test their blood sugar as a sort of a party game/let's make the sick boy feel good about his expertise with a lancing device. 80, 103, etc. Ho-hum. But then! My dad's was high--170 or so. And his mom had Type 1! I told him that was kind of high for an ordinary person. Then I said this regrettable sentence:

    But you're old enough that you will be dead before it can do any major damage to your organs, so your doctor probably won't want you to do anything about it.

    Charming.

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  2. Oh! I am so glad that I have found you ladies' blogs! I think we all have our moments of stupidity, (I am type 1, I don't have kids... yet?) and reading your posts makes me feel like it isn't totally hopeless. We are all human and fight this fight everyday so sometimes we can get cocky I guess.

    At my last doctors appointment my doctor pointed out that one day I had tested fairly soon after eating and asked why. I told her that I was trying to teach myself to time my doses better (I do injections, no pump) so I wouldn't spike so high right after eating. She told me not to waste the test strips... I didn't like this answer and had to work very hard to bite my tongue (perhaps I even made it bleed a little). I mean I should rocket up to nearly 300 after I eat every meal! But that is what happens unless I don't eat ANY "concentrated carb" (i.e. bread, potato, etc.) and I feel like I should be able to time my insulin better so it doesn't...?
    I really wanted to say, "What the hell kind of doctor are you?! You tell me blood sugar over 140 causes organ damage in one breath and then tell me not to waste strips on making sure that doesn't happen?! What a bitch!" (She is actually a very nice lady who takes pretty good care of me). I am glad I bit my tongue (I think) but now find myself mad that I didn't ask more questions about it... Where do I draw the line?! (Obviously it's before calling my doctor a bitch :P) When do I accept her explanation and when do I demand more? (I've only been diagnosed for a little over a year)

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    Replies
    1. maybe she means it's inevitable that you will spike right after eating, so you might as well not take a look until later? but from what i understand that would be wrong--i mean, people DO prevent that spike, just like you're saying. but maybe she never met anyone who was able to avoid the spike, so she wants to spare you the agony of seeing the high number, the expense, and the pokepain.

      not to be all "bookbookbook" but have you read gary scheiner's THINK LIKE A PANCREAS? he has a lot of strategies about spikes. that book has way more information than any endocrinologist i've ever heard of will give any of us.

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    2. Thanks Katy!
      I call Scheiner's book my "Bible". I have read an older version and now have a newer "revised" copy... it was his lead I was following by testing after eating, I read something where he talks about testing after eating in small intervals to see exactly how and when the spike happens and learning to time the insulin more accurately. I think I am going to stick to it, if I have the strips why not?! Doc. doesn't have to pay for them, I do, so I guess next time she asks I will tell her exactly why, I think if I sound more confident and assertive she might not feel the need to protect me from those high readings... Well I guess we will know in February at my next appointment! Thank you SO SO much for the feed back... I don't know any other type 1's so my resources are limited a bit!

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    3. Our very beloved educator told me something similar about breakfast spikes...something like just don't look at that number. I worked on it anyway for awhile and found that a lower carb breakfast worked best for Pink. Now she has solved it completely by skipping breakfast completely because of tummy trouble. *sigh* Still lots to work out.
      Keep doing what you are doing!

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    4. Thank you Laura!
      It is quite an "adventure" (roller coaster) isn't it? I often feel like I am just set up for failure, then something great happens (like a perfect day with NOTHING out of range) and I feel a lot better... But I think you ladies are right, it's my disease so I need to treat it how it feels right for me. Sometimes you just need to have a little confirmation from someone who fights the same fight!
      Thank you!

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  3. that was supposed to say "shouldn't rocket up to 300".... dumb, sorry

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  4. One of my coworkers just told me she might have diabetes today. She hasn't been to the doctor to confirm the initial lab work yet, and it was everything I could do not to completely overwhelm her with "all my knowledge". We started with - there is no diabetes diet. I think that is a good first step, right?

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    Replies
    1. So sorry about your coworker. Yes - impressive first step! I'm still working on my verbal diarrhea.

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