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Ok, I've been passed around for years by various docs who said my BS was "a little high". It varied from "normal" to 175, etc. They always looked for reasons, like, oh, I'd just eaten, under stress, etc. finally I got one doc to prescribe Metaformin, but I kept throwing it up. she was a nasty b****, just kept saying to take it with food, never offered anything else. We were in the process of moving, so, I let it go.
Then, today, I had an appt with a new doc. She had pre-ordered some blood work, but the same old stuff, your fasting BG is ok, etc. Well, this time, I came with my own data. I had been testing myself, my average was 418! My highest was 598, fasting around 275! She then looked at the blood work, A!C was 16.1 !!!
Well, she ordered gloubrib (sp), discussed diet at length, and made me promise to come back in a week. I take the first dose tomorrow. Doesn't it seem with such a high BG they should do something more? Don't get me wrong, I really like this new doctor, but, well.....what else should I expect?
She said my BG is erratic---well, I know that. My point is, if I hadn't done my own testing, we would never have known. A funny thing about the testing----
I was testing a few years ago, then we moved. In the move, I lost my glucose testing kit. Ok, a few weeks ago, my kitty somehow found it. She likes dragging stuff around the house, like socks, strings, etc, but this kit is bigger than she usually carries. she brought it right to me and dropped it at my feet. Hmmm....I didn't know I still had that. Ok, maybe use it---I was 598! Repeat tests were all in the 500+ range. I called the new doc, she pre-ordered some labs. However, those labs were not too alarming. But when I brought in the "kitty tests" they were off the roof! She got the same readings with her own meter in the office.
Ok, well, I'm dedicated to whatever I must do, diet, meds, etc! Strange, how I found out via my kitty's efforts---they say Torties are good luck! Whatever, just I'm on the right track now! No wonder I've been having so many problems, dizzy, fatigue, balance issues, depression, dry mouth, etc..
Well, thank goodness for your smart kitty! Those are very high numbers. I myself was just diagnosed a few months ago. thankfully, the Metformin doesn't bother me; sometimes it bothers people at first and they get used to it. It is the easiest and cheapest to take. I was in denial for awhile and tried to manage by diet and exercise and natural supplements, but it didn't work; A1C shot up again, so I am faithfully taking my meds. I had a lot of weird/bad symptoms too, before I was diagnosed, that is why I went to the doctor.
Not sure what your diet/lifestyle is like, but it will be IMPERATIVE for you to eat clean and healthy and do some kind of exercise at least 30 minutes every day. You will feel much better when that blood sugar starts to come down. Glad you are happy with the new doctor, that makes a big difference.
Your A1c is a much better indicator of glucose levels than any individual reading. There is a new medication, still not generic, Janumet, that I was taking b/c I could not tolerate metformin when it first came out. Even with the waiver for insurance, it was costing me $60/month. I got tired of paying that and tried metformin again. This time I had no trouble with it but my control is not as good as it was on Janumet.
I am not sure what the difference between Janumet and Januvia is, both are newer meds. Maybe your insurance will cover Janumet and you won't get the same effects.
You should be seeing an Endocrinologist with readings and A1c like that. I started getting much better control and better answers to my questions. And if your doc isn't an endo, she should have immediately referred you to one. you definitely have uncontrolled diabetes and it ain't pretty!
Ok, well, I'm dedicated to whatever I must do, diet, meds, etc! Strange, how I found out via my kitty's efforts---they say Torties are good luck! Whatever, just I'm on the right track now! No wonder I've been having so many problems, dizzy, fatigue, balance issues, depression, dry mouth, etc..
I am glad you are now aware that your "numbers" were very high, and you need to do something about it.
The funny thing is a lot of people - like myself in the past - are in denial, and can't believe we actually have diabetes.
With knowledge and effort you will be on the road of completely controlling your blood sugar, and improving your health. I'm wishing you good luck and hope you'll keep us posted on your progress.
be careful guy. the alarm on my glucose monitor will sound if your glucose reaches 500, it will tell you to seek medical assistance. it's never happened to me but i remember that from reading the manual when i first got the monitor. that's dangerous
I've been taking glyzopide (sp) for 4 days now, and really watching my diet. My numbers, while still high, are going down. tonight it was 309, a week ago it was 590+. I see the doc next Tuesday, we will go from there. She will probably increase the dosage, perhaps add something else, but we don't want to add so much so fast we go backwards, like with metaformin.
Also, I am feeling better, not so tired, and my mouth isn't so dry. Last week I couldn't leave the house without a bottle of water! I tried that Biotene stuff, it helped some, but not enough. I first started reading my levels last week and found them extremely high. However, who knows how long they were like that? At least it was caught in time!
I still find it frustrating doctors passed me off for years. Oh, your BG is "somewhat" high, probably stress....well, that was around 175, 200. Then, oh, well, guess you just ate, it will come down. Then, well, lets order some labs. Then, they never even bother to look at the labs. You really do need to close the loop. For any test, ask how will you get the results---will they call you, whom should you speak with, do you need to make a followup appt? How long does it take for the lab to process these tests? when should I expect to have results?
Don't just assume "they" will follow through. Don't assume "no news is good news". And don't just talk to whoever answers the phone. They WILL lie to get you out of their face. I've been told everything is fine when its not! Also, I've started a new policy---I ask for copies of every test---I want the whole test, not just a little note, everything's ok. Look , many doctors are primarily motivated by bringing in $$$ for their business. I went to an endocrinologist a few years ago who was let go from her group practice because she wasn't bringing in enough revenue. Not because her patients were getting better! She was a real b**tch with me, and kept ordering tons of tests, and never giving me the results, nor basing any treatments on those tests. I was there to serve them, not them to serve me. The patient is the lowest on the food chain in the medical industry. All she did was give me metaformin, ignore my complaints I couldn't tolerate it, wouldn't order enough lancets----hey, shouldn't the number of lancets = the number of strips for the number of times per day? I ended up pricking my fingers with a sterilized needle. I have arthritis in my hands. The meter she "gave" me was too difficult for my hands, she refused to order another, easier to use brand. I ended up buying my own equipment, she wouldn't even write an RX so I could get reimbursement. Then, they didn't file my insurance and kept billing me for about $5000, and refused to see me until I paid up. They wouldn't give me the paperwork to file the claim myself, so I was stuck. Finally it was referred to collection. I told the collection agency (who probably bought the debt for 50%), if they could get the paperwork and file the claim, I would assign benefits to the collection agency. Hey, that's perfectly legal. Turned out the doc office was trying to "balance bill" me---that's charge me the managed care disallowance. Well, it didn't work! But all I got was the runaround and bills
You really don't need to run to an endocrinologist until you've given a PCP a try. I'm getting more results with this doctor, and not all the hassle for nothing I received from that "specialist" Also, this doctor spent a LOT of time discussing diet, like about 45 min! Other doctors just said oh, I suppose you could try cutting out sugars....as they walked out of the room
Not all doctors are good but certainly few are as bad as MaryLee had. I have always gotten a copy of all reports.
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My PCP is Internal Medicine. Many go to a family practice doctor, or take their kids to a pediatrician, as a PCP Some insurances require a PCP to act as a gatekeeper, to insure you don't self-refer inappropriately. Our insurance doesn't require a PCP, however, I'm finding it helps to have one. My doctor is in a large multi-speciality clinic, which makes referrals easier.
Well, continue to "improve" This morning, my fasting blood glucose was 209. Ok, I know, that's quite high, but, its on the downhill trend. Last week about this time it was around 280+. We're looking at an almost 30% drop!
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