[volleyball]

I went to a set of classes over 6 weeks shortly after my diagnosis. Because of them I purposely lost no weight and still improve my numbers dramatically. The people were really nice but they were just teaching what they were told. I was there most frustrating student but the only one with a clue. One guy in one breath drove an overweight fuel truck saying he did not have time in the day to eat right and test and then in the next said how he did twice the work of the younger guys. I suggester he cut back to 50 % more and take the time to test. I wonder if he is still alive. I heard people who had it ten years and yet knew nothing. The class was a waste for everyone IMO.

[Hammer]

The Gastroenterologist's office called to tell me I have a small amount of yeast in my digestive system, so I have to take something called Fluconazole for 7 days. I'm reading the fact sheet that Wal-Mart gives you with every prescription, and it cracks me up when I read about the precautions and side effects. They always use capital letters when they want to grab your attention to something.

It's as if they're saying, "WAIT! Taking this medication can cause DEATH! Or possibly even more serious side effects like a FATAL HANG NAIL! Oh wait, it's just aspirin....even so, if you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately....An uncontrollable urge to watch Gilligan's Island.....if you're a woman, the ability to drive a car without using a cell phone.....if you're a man, being able to let your wife have the remote....or if you feel happy at your workplace. These are symptoms of a serious condition."

Sorry, I got sidetracked there. Back to the education classes. I guess it's possible that my doctor gets a kickback on the class, but he himself never actually recommended that class in particular. He just said I should take a class. The other people in his office suggested this particular class, as they've heard from other patients that it's a good class.

I would think that for a newly diagnosed diabetes patient, the class would be good, since they have no idea what to expect. The class is for 8 weeks, and it's 2 hours a week. For the first class, they take you aside and find out what your needs are on an individual basis. The thing is, having been here, and having studied nutrition on my own many years ago, plus being a bodybuilder for 10 years, I know what my body needs. That's not saying I might have missed something, but being here has helped me fill in the holes, so I think that I know everything I need to know.

Yes, I still might come up with questions, but for $540 I think I can find the answers somewhere else. My insurance might pay for it, but I don't want to chance it. My insurance has shafted me so many times by saying that something was covered, only to find out after I had used the service, that they didn't cover it and I had to pay for it.

[Alice]

I think most likely they are hoping to collect insurance money...if the market was based on out-of-pocket...their seats would be empty.

I have excellent insurance and I still say "no" to many procedures that are recommended to me just because someone in the doctors office commented "but your insurance will pay for it..."

We have to understand that "WE" are the insurance companies...we all pay.