[du42568]

My Mother has Type 2 Diabetes. She lost a considerable amount of weight but is still obese. Her family Dr. told her that she doesn't need to take medication any longer but to watch her food intake. She had to have surgery today on her shoulder and when the blood was drawn it showed that her glucose levels were extremely high. The orthopedic surgeon believes that she should still be on the medication. Which Dr. should we trust??? My mother is very naive when it comes to her medical conditions.

[JediSkipdogg]

I'd find a 3rd doctor. Does she have a blood glucose meter that she can test herself with at least once a week? If not, she should get one.

Generally once one starts medication for diabetes, they should never be taken off. If they are, then once it completely wears off (which for some takes weeks) then they will be right back where they were.

I'd truely find a 3rd doctor but if her levels are high before surgery (and I'm assuming that was after a fasting) then she needs to take control back now.

[xMenace]

I agree. Losing some weight can get you off the meds, but you usually need to lose LOTS of weight. Go back on and keep trying.

High sugar levels is bad. She needs to test at least once a week to know if they are or not.

[princesslinda]

I think you mom should probably see an endocrinologist if her blood sugars are out of control and her family doctor isn't doing anything about it. I see my family doctor to help manage my diabetes, but he basically writes my prescriptions and orders my A1c, the rest is up to me. If your mom doesn't know how to take care of her diabetes, she won't get good control.

There are those who have been on meds and due to being extremely disciplined with diet and exercise have been able to decrease or even stop medications, but this takes a lot of work, and some T2s may never get off meds. If she's off meds, she definitely needs to test her blood sugars often, so she can see how different foods affect her blood sugar and make smarter food choices.

Bottom line, she needs to do or take whatever steps necessary to get her levels under control, to avoid complications. Her #s may also be up some due to pain and stress, and also after her surgery.

[du42568]

I did just find out that she's been using a meter from 1998! It's ridiculous that her family doctor didn't know this and make sure it was new and update. I think that he's become oblivious to her because he's getting older himself and perhaps not really "listening" to his patients any more. I am going to push her to see someone else as soon as possible. Thank you to all who responded so quickly. I'll be passing all your good information on to her.

[Real4]

Originally Posted by du42568

I think that he's become oblivious to her because he's getting older himself and perhaps not really "listening" to his patients any more.

Standards in Diabetes treatment have changed significantly over the years. The goal used to be just keeping a person alive as long as possible. Today it is recognized that good blood control will not only keep you alive but also reduce, postpone or eliminate complications so the goals of treatment are more ambitious.
A blood glucose level that a doctor trained 30 years ago would find perfectly acceptable, say 200, would today be seen as being not controlled by most modern specialists.

[Alice]

My experience with friends has been that those who try to go the "diet alone" route rarely stay on top of their care...in regards to seeing a doctor regularly.

There is more to diabetes than just blood sugar. Cholesterol and blood pressure are other factors that all relate to the success rate of living a long life without complications.

When one of the major factors gets "out of joint" it's generally felt somewhere else. The kidneys and the heart are so closely related...and that's where the long-term affects are seen, generally.

So, good luck...and find an endo who's on top of things. They don't all over-prescribe meds...but will be aware of what needs work.

[slipperyelm]

If your mom is using a 10 year old glucose meter, she might be pleasantly surprised by the newer meters. They tend to use less blood, so you don't have to prick the finger as deeply. Therefore it hurts less and there are fewer times when you have to repeat the prick due to not getting enough blood the first time. Probably she is finding that out in the hospital when the nurses test her.

Also the meters are faster now. Her old one may have taken one minute or 40 seconds to give a reading. Now meters might take only five seconds.

Meters are often given away free, either in doctor's offices, diabetes clinics, diabetes classes (which maybe you and your mom could benefit from), and drugstores. Walgreens seems to have a free meter of one brand or another about once a month. I got a meter there with 100 test strips included for free after rebate by mail.

All this is said to encourage your mother to test more often. She really should know how her blood sugars are running. In this day and age, there is hardly ever not a good reason to test less frequently than once a day (other than not being able to afford it.) Many of us here test multiple times a day and use the information to help ourselves. You can read on these forums more about how a Type 2 can use their frequent tests to help themselves.

Personally I test five times a day. Never would a surgeon be the first to know that my levels were high. I would have known as soon as it started happening.

What have her blood glucose numbers been in the time since the surgery? In the hospital they usually go straight to insulin when glucose is high. High glucose can make healing very, very slow and danger of infection goes up when healing is slow. So they will be putting emphasis on controlling her blood glucose, as they should.

I imagine when your Mom is released there will be a "prescription" for her to meet with a doctor not only for follow on the surgery, but follow up on her diabetes.