Leafbear
02-03-2008, 11:27 PM
Hi, All --
Like many here, it seems, I am new to the site but not new to diabetes, as you can see from my signature. I AM new to the level of care I'm embarking on, and could use some reassurance, words-from-the wise, validation of fears... I guess I just need to talk about it. I've been lurking for a little bit, and you seem like a good group.:)
There's nothing much in my Profile yet, but here my (too-long story): I was dx'd at 15, no hospital stay, probably because my dad is a nurse practitioner. No endo in our small town. I saw a dietitian once to learn the exchange diet. It felt like my family took the dx in stride, but maybe they were sort of ignoring it. As a result, I didn't freak out about it, but probably mostly because I didn't know enough.
I took myself to an endo while in college. For a couple of weeks before the appt I logged all my bGs, food, and activity. And he never looked at it. I remember nothing else from the appt. In my college-age "wisdom" I decided specialists were a waste of time.
Since then I've had my PCP look after my D. I've been pretty okay, too, though I certainly can't attribute it to expert self-care. My A1Cs were 7.1 or less. A trace of proteinuria once, which went away. Two years ago the eye doc saw a spot that she said would probably resorb, and last year it was gone. My cholesterol has been admirable, but I'm sometimes prehypertensive.
This past November I decided to "get serious". My PCP of 10 years had left the practice ,and I found an internist close to my work. I wanted to switch from HumR to Humalog, which she agreed to. She found my A1C at 7.3 and my thyroid and Vitamin D (??) low. She has been wonderful, having me fax my numbers to her every week and calling me and adjusting my insulin dosges. We were SO CLOSE to great when my body decided it didn't want to play anymore. No apparent reasons for the highs, and no patterns. The doc has lots of D background, but said let's refer you to an endo and also a diabetes educator/nutritionist.
So, those appts are coming up, and I'm not sure how I feel about that! On one hand I WANT to know more; on the other hand -- and this sounds haughty and childish to me -- I don't look forward to hearing how "bad" I've been. I must've done a COUPLE of things right!
My questions are: (and please tell me if I should ask the question on another forum) what should I expect at the endo (some of you seem to really dread them!)? And, is anyone else in this "want help/reluctant to get it" struggle? If you've been there, what advice do you have?
Thanks a million for reading this long post. I'm glad to have found you.
Like many here, it seems, I am new to the site but not new to diabetes, as you can see from my signature. I AM new to the level of care I'm embarking on, and could use some reassurance, words-from-the wise, validation of fears... I guess I just need to talk about it. I've been lurking for a little bit, and you seem like a good group.:)
There's nothing much in my Profile yet, but here my (too-long story): I was dx'd at 15, no hospital stay, probably because my dad is a nurse practitioner. No endo in our small town. I saw a dietitian once to learn the exchange diet. It felt like my family took the dx in stride, but maybe they were sort of ignoring it. As a result, I didn't freak out about it, but probably mostly because I didn't know enough.
I took myself to an endo while in college. For a couple of weeks before the appt I logged all my bGs, food, and activity. And he never looked at it. I remember nothing else from the appt. In my college-age "wisdom" I decided specialists were a waste of time.
Since then I've had my PCP look after my D. I've been pretty okay, too, though I certainly can't attribute it to expert self-care. My A1Cs were 7.1 or less. A trace of proteinuria once, which went away. Two years ago the eye doc saw a spot that she said would probably resorb, and last year it was gone. My cholesterol has been admirable, but I'm sometimes prehypertensive.
This past November I decided to "get serious". My PCP of 10 years had left the practice ,and I found an internist close to my work. I wanted to switch from HumR to Humalog, which she agreed to. She found my A1C at 7.3 and my thyroid and Vitamin D (??) low. She has been wonderful, having me fax my numbers to her every week and calling me and adjusting my insulin dosges. We were SO CLOSE to great when my body decided it didn't want to play anymore. No apparent reasons for the highs, and no patterns. The doc has lots of D background, but said let's refer you to an endo and also a diabetes educator/nutritionist.
So, those appts are coming up, and I'm not sure how I feel about that! On one hand I WANT to know more; on the other hand -- and this sounds haughty and childish to me -- I don't look forward to hearing how "bad" I've been. I must've done a COUPLE of things right!
My questions are: (and please tell me if I should ask the question on another forum) what should I expect at the endo (some of you seem to really dread them!)? And, is anyone else in this "want help/reluctant to get it" struggle? If you've been there, what advice do you have?
Thanks a million for reading this long post. I'm glad to have found you.