Dr. Appt The Good, The Bad and Cool, no Ugly!

[raffi]

I saw the Dr. today. 6 months post DX 3 months post stopping my meds. I had blood drawn on Tuesday and was talking to the Dr. today to go over the labs and let her know I had stopped the meds.

The good:

The Dr. was thrilled with my progress and take charge attitude. She thought I had lost enough weight (touching the normal/overweight line on BMI), I think I should keep doing what I'm doing and not worry about more weight loss for a while yet.

The labs were within normal ranges right down the line (LDL slightly up for normal but good for someone with D).

A1c: 5.7
Fasting: 89
HDL: 50
LDL 119 (VLDL: 11)
Trig: 53

After looking at me and talking over what I had been doing, she said I should be teaching a class. She really wanted to know some details since few of her patients have had this kinds of success.

She was quite surprised when I said I was not trying to loose weight. I had just started eating right and the weight was coming off. With that, she did not finish the warnings about many people who loose weight and put it back on again.


The Bad
All three of my meters registered lower than the lab taken just before my blood was drawn.

Contour: 82
Wavesense: 85
TrueBalance: 88

OK, this is actually not too bad, all three were close to each other and within 10% of lab.

I'm a little disappointed with my a1c, not that it is bad, just that it is higher than expected from what I have seen with my meter and higher than the Bayer a1c I took that morning to see how close they were (Bayer was 5.3). Still, I'll take it.

Looks like I could bring up my HDL and lower my LDL more.

OK. looks like I'm having to reach to find something bad, should have tried a different subject line.

No Ugly
I had no idea how the Dr. would react to my going off meds without talking to her first. The long and short of it was after hearing I'd been off for 3 months with an a1c of 5.7 was she said you proved you could do it.

I also found out that she is as annoyed as I am about the high carb diets pushed by the D educators and ADA. She also seems to be up to date on news in this field.

It was a very good appointment.

[janice21475]

Hello raffi,

Thanks for such a detailed report. By the way, you have done great work. Kudos!!!

Loved the "No Ugly" part.

Janice

[Granny Shanny]

Isn't it nice to have your doc recognize your intelligence & diligence in managing your own disorder?! Way to go, raffi . . . and kudos to your doc too - she sounds like one in a million!

[raffi]

Yep. After reading some of the other people's stories about doctors, I gained a new appreciation for mine.

[RobertIA]

Congratulations - good to have a doctor that understanding!

A word of concern for those using A1c home testing kits. For many I suspect the tone of the article may turn some off, but the information presented is needed and needs to be understood by all.

Read:http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/.

Hope this helps in the kits selected.

Bob

edit to change so that it can be copied and maybe work

[raffi]

I got a page not found on that link.

[RobertIA]

Hopefully it will work now. The forum deletes a word.

Bob

[raffi]

Yep. The link works. Interesting read.

[jtausch]

also interesting about weight loss surgery how they are saying it cures type 2 diabetes and why that statement is wrong.

[foxl]

Nice job, Raffi!!!

[sumi]

What a great post Raffi. Your efforts rewarded AND a thoughtful Doctor!

[nita355]

My first appointment after Dx is Feb 1 Wish I was going to see your Dr.
Great job.

[davef]

Raffi,

Well done you!!

Sounds like a really great visit and your Doctor sounds like a keeper.

Really great results, keep doing what you are doing so well.

Congratulations,