No more diabetic Doctor.

[Rob43]

My diabetic doctor charged me $445.00 for one visit and so I'm stopping my doctor visits for now on. Who can afford a diabetic doctor these days? I will be going to my family doctor from now on for treatment. Stopping also my three shots a day because of fear of going into bad lows. I think highs cann't be that bad compared to real lows. If High's are so bad how can my aunt have lived to be 91 years old after 25 years of high sugars. She is been having highs in the 200's though 350 range for past 25 years. Whats worse the treatment of diabetes or the diease?

Rob

[notme]

My family practitioner is an Internal Medicine doctor and she has been doing a good job the past three years of taking care of me and my diabetes needs. I have only recently gone back to seeing my endo. I think if you are comfortable with your doctor and you know what your needs are, then by all means see your family practitioner.

As far as your grandmother goes, she is lucky to have lived so long with high blood sugar. Some people smoke until they are in their 90's and never get cancer. I think these things can just be luck of the draw or good genes.

Everyone needs to make their own choices in their diabetes care. It sounds like you have made your choice and I am sure it will work out great for you.

[barbarac]

I agree with you. Luckily I have insurance that covers most, but go to an endo that has a Joslin Center at the hospital--her office. I not only have to pay the copay to her, but also have to pay 10% to hospital of what they bill. It is like having 2 copays. Why am I paying her rent? I would go to my GP. I trust him completely, he use to run the same tests, etc., but he does not do the pump, so I have to go now to someone else for that.

I cannot see that I get anything from the endo that I didn't get from the GP though.

[JediSkipdogg]

What the heck kind of doctor is that? Mine is an endo with her own practice (although she just recently merged with a few others and is now a diabetic "treatment center") and her office visits without insurance are around $150. I've never heard, besides Berstein, of anyone being that expensive. I'd find another doctor.

[wiseguy]

Stopping also my three shots a day because of fear of going into bad lows. I think highs cann't be that bad compared to real lows. If High's are so bad how can my aunt have lived to be 91 years old after 25 years of high sugars. She is been having highs in the 200's though 350 range for past 25 years. Whats worse the treatment of diabetes or the diease?
Don't fool yourself. Just because one person gets away with sustained high BG levels doesn't mean that you will. It's a stupid risk to take and the odds are definitely not in your favor.

What's worse than the treatment are the complications.

[Rob43]

I still take one shot a day at night. It's that 24 hour insulin. And also walk everyday and have stopped drinking pop with sugar and stopped eating sweets. And I do take my pills also. I just stopped taking the Humalog shots three times a day before eating. What is strange I can work for 12 hours without eating and not get any weak spells at all. Most diabetics get real bad weak spells for not eating.


Rob

[morrisma]

Rob,
Not taking insulin is a bad risk. Whatever experiments you want to do, at least make sure you test often enough that you know what's going on. Sounds like you need to use less insulin for the carbs you are eating rather than dropping it altogether. Test!
Mike

[princesslinda]

Rob, if you don't have insurance, see if your doctor will give you a discount on services. I know our docs charge non-insured patients 1/2 of what regular costs are. I'd call their office and see if they offer something like that.

I have seen really bad complications from high blood sugars in my mother....she was legally blind, had her leg amputated before dying at 54 from renal failure. Don't mess around with high blood sugars, as the complications would DEFINITELY be worse than any treatments out there.

[kgm0612]

WOW your endo is expensive! My endo's office bills my insurance company $140 for each visit.

And also walk everyday and have stopped drinking pop with sugar and stopped eating sweets.

The question is.......... are you limiting your carbohydrate intake?

Although I'm on a pump, I walk almost every night (3 miles), I only drink diet soda, several times a week I indulge in sweets........BUT......... I limit my carb intake to under 100g a day.

Karen

[Jan B]

Rob,

I have a diabetic cousin who is 45 and often in critical shape. She lives a roller-coaster life & has been on a pump for several years. She has been in the hospital near death way too many times. Our diabetic grandpa lived to be 93, but he had amazing self-control. He never took more than one shot daily.

If I were to base my decisions on the only other diabetics in my family, I would take one shot a day and forget everything else. There is no way I am going to take that risk. I've been through some scary lows, but they were mostly my judgement errors, or my lack of knowledge and understanding about the disease. The pump has erased my "scary" lows.

I feel fabulous when my bgs are steady between 85 and 110. Just amazing! I get a lot more work done, and with pleasure and vitality. I also see a GP who has a large vested interest in diabetes. I haven't seen an Endo for several years. I'd be very upset at the 400+ dollars if it only included a regular visit. BUT, do not throw your routine out the window yet! Search for a doctor you LIKE and respect. It's an awesome feeling to like your doctor.

[Kim_in_TN]

Please don't quit completely with a doctor!!! I agree that yours is outrageous in his fees! My doctor who is an Internist, has a full-time Diabetes Educator on her staff and he is who I see regularly for my diabetes. She gives me a thorough check with labs as well every 6 months, so I have all the bases covered. Check to see if there is an office with a DE in your area!

[Cramster]

Ouch, that's a lot of money! I hope you can find your balance from limiting your insulin, just be sure to know where your levels are and adjust to a workable range. Your grandmother sounds like one of the exceptions, not the rules. When I think about how D has changed my philosophy on life, one of the major things is that I am not invincible.

Once again, I hope you find your balance.

[Rob43]

I do also test my BG twice a day I forgot to tell you all that. What got me mad at this doctor is he had drug salemen in his office pulling their drugs. I have a friend of mine that works in a doctor office and she said people wouldn't believe all kick backs they get from the drug companys. Free trips and cash. They know we are life time investment. It's all about money so I'm afraid the cure for diabetes will never happen.

Rob

[Kim_in_TN]

I do also test my BG twice a day I forgot to tell you all that. What got me mad at this doctor is he had drug salemen in his office pulling their drugs. I have a friend of mine that works in a doctor office and she said people wouldn't believe all kick backs they get from the drug companys. Free trips and cash. They know we are life time investment. It's all about money so I'm afraid the cure for diabetes will never happen.

Rob

I hear you on the drug rep thing! I don't think I EVER go to a doctor anymore that at least one, if not a duo, of drug reps come up to the window and either leave something or get to go back and visit with the doctor. One day I was sitting in the GYN office EXAM room and had to listen to my doctor and a drug rep chatting about everything under the sun. I was close to leaving!!! grrrrrrrrrrrrr....