How often do you see your endo?

[shades9323]

I was diagnosed on 8/16/07 and have been going to the endo every 3 months since. I am starting to feel like I don't need to see him that often. It is the same speil every time. You are doing a great job, have you cosidered a pump. Then I remind him at this point I have a 50/50 copay on dme so a pump is a no go. Seems like I am wasting my time and $35 every three months to hear the exact same thing. Anyone go every 6 months?

[art]

I started out in my first year every 3 months.
After that It went o 4 months and now it's 6 months unless something happens.

You may want to ask if the 6 month interval is ok if you get an A1c every 3 months. That way you're covered and you know that you're under control.

Art

[Subby]

Two things that this question sets off for me. It's good to stay in contact, but if you have a handle on things and know you have no slippage or denial issues, you should be able to trust your gut as to how often you see an endo. What I tend to do is, if I have had enough of my endo for the 3 month thing (and I know what you mean about it seeming pointless at times) I go to my GP/family doctor to run my tests and have a basic chat about how things are going. If there is anything out of the ordinary or we come up against issues, I might then get in to see my endo. If my bloods come back ok, no surprises, and I have a clear course of action for anything required, and my control is where I feel it should be, I reckon I'm good for a few months. This also helps when you are between endos (which has occurred quite a bit for me!)

This tactic depends a little on if you have a good, thoughtful family doctor/find them less stressful/cheaper.

The other thought is, if you are not getting anything out of your endo, why not consider a change? I have to say that I've ome across a few endos who really are quite limited in their outlook. Perhaps someone else would bring more to the table, given an uneventful visit.

[shades9323]

The other thought is, if you are not getting anything out of your endo, why not consider a change? I have to say that I've ome across a few endos who really are quite limited in their outlook. Perhaps someone else would bring more to the table, given an uneventful visit.

The thing is that I doubt I would get anything else out of any endo. My most recent A1c was 5.2. At diagnosis I was 7.6. I haven't had anything higher than 5.5 since diagnosis. I don't have many highs or many lows so my BS is pretty steady.

[IrishJoe]

I go every 6 months.

[Subby]

The thing is that I doubt I would get anything else out of any endo. My most recent A1c was 5.2. At diagnosis I was 7.6. I haven't had anything higher than 5.5 since diagnosis. I don't have many highs or many lows so my BS is pretty steady.

Yes, this seems a fair position to take. Well, as I said, if you've got a handle on things (and clearly you do), I'd trust your own judgment and go to longer stretches of time if you wish.

[SueM]

I avoid them at all costs.
Never see one just my GP if I want/need anything :)

[kgm0612]

The thing is that I doubt I would get anything else out of any endo. My most recent A1c was 5.2. At diagnosis I was 7.6. I haven't had anything higher than 5.5 since diagnosis. I don't have many highs or many lows so my BS is pretty steady.


Seems to me like you're in full control and every 6 months would be fine for your situation.

For the past 6 years, I've seen my endo every 3 months and will continue to do so. It seems I'm always on a roller coaster ride.......A1c is up, it's down, my BS is up, it's down,....... I can't seem to have 2 or 3 straight appointments that are the same.

Karen

[notme]

I go every three months, but I really push it up to more like four. I find it kind of redundant and useless also. I know what I need to do. I keep going because I know that the blood work and tests need to be done. Now I have to see a retinal specialist every three months also. eeeesh.

[Olidus]

I get bloodwork every 3 months, where every 6 is a fasting full on work done. Does not cost me anything as I am in Canada =D but I like knowing where my HbA1Cs are at for my file.

[jenb]

I've found that my GP provides all the assistance I need right now. As I seem to be operating in a steady-state mode, I see her every 6 months. If she finds that something has changed and it's outside of her comfort zone, I'll see an endo.

[shades9323]

I have access to my medical records so I can check my own results. Maybe I'll see if the doc will give me a couple of lab slips and I can see him in 6 months(or earlier if need be). I see him at the end of the month.

[Cassini]

I have never been to an endo at all. I keep in tight contact with my FamDoc, about once a month, as I have underlying issues starting to surface all the time.

I get copies of all my lab results from him each time A1C time is around again, every 3 months. I have a CDE appointment at the hospital this week, at which time I will sign some kind of privacy act paper in order to get my results directly from the lab.

I wanna know before the doc as there have been a couple of inconsistencies in what he tells me and then what I later read on the labs. Last one in January he tells me it is 6.0, and keep working on it, when I get the report it actually read 4.9...just a couple more notches like that and I am switching docs.

Helen:T

[cherokee_psh]

At first I saw mine every 3 months, now its every 6 months. That is unless I get bloodwork he doesn't like then back to every 3.

[sable_032592]

i go every 4 months or so... sometimes, it's 5 months, like i saw my endo at the very beginning of december and now i won't see him until the end of april... so it's like 5 months...

[gettingby]

Seems to me like you're in full control and every 6 months would be fine for your situation.

For the past 6 years, I've seen my endo every 3 months and will continue to do so. It seems I'm always on a roller coaster ride.......A1c is up, it's down, my BS is up, it's down,....... I can't seem to have 2 or 3 straight appointments that are the same.

Karen
I'm the same way Karen. I see my endo every 3 months and will continue to do so until I get my problems straightened out.

[rotcoddam]

I was diagnosed on 8/16/07 and have been going to the endo every 3 months since. I am starting to feel like I don't need to see him that often. It is the same speil every time. You are doing a great job, have you cosidered a pump. Then I remind him at this point I have a 50/50 copay on dme so a pump is a no go. Seems like I am wasting my time and $35 every three months to hear the exact same thing. Anyone go every 6 months?
In the famous DCCT trial (of type 1 diabetes), clinic visits in the standard treatment group were every three months. In the intensive group clinic visits were weekly until treatment goals were met, then at least monthly.



Whether this single intervention had anything to do with the dramatically better outcome in the intervention group you can debate (the groups were treated differently in other ways as well), but clearly close follow up is helpful. People do fall prey to inertia, depression, boredom, busy lives, etc., etc., etc.

I would be hesitant to go more than three months between visits for diabetics unless they have a normal glycohemoglobin with no medication. Then I might add a month to the interval at each recheck, out to a max of maybe 6 months. A rise in the a1c (or other treatment goal) would indicate a need for a visit in a month.

IMO, FWIW.

Rotcoddam, general internist, USA

[Jules49]

I see my endo every three months. He is also an internist.

[yannah]

hi there, my endo has me coming in every six weeks for a few reasons. 1)he took me off actos 2) I was having wierd symtoms and he found out I had some questionable hyperthyroid fynction along with hypercalcemia due to lithium.
I quit the lithium (OMG) and we are seeing if it resolves itself.
3) He was concerned about my numbers rising a bit last time but as it turns out I had a UTI and after 3 days on an antibiotic they plummetted into normal range.

[retired60]

Every six months is often enough if you have good control. Should you want to know where your a1c is every three months buy a home test and send it off. I tell my doctor where my a1c is before he does his. Treatment is one thing, a visit to bulge their pockets is another.