Does your doctor have a clue?
Gonna rant now, your choice to read or ignore me :-)
In July, I was dx'd T2. My A1c was 6.8 and I failed the fasting glucose test pretty badly. My fasting numbers were 100-120, but my life being a total wreck, had me eating nothing but junk food, which was really comfort food for a depressed man. Still, I felt lucky that 6.8 was not so bad, and maybe it was caught early.
So, I buckled up, and dropped all the junk food instantly, and haven't looked back. Only thing I have had to drink since that day in early July is water. No candy, cookies, ice cream, pasta, bread, etc as I was determined to see how far I could move my A1c. After three months, and my very best effort, along with a whole lot of reading, and testing, testing testing, lost 21 pounds, and A1c is 5.5. Morning numbers are low 80's, sometimes high 70's. No meds, just diet and exercise.
Now, this made me feel good, but I also don't think I can maintain it because of circumstances in my life, not that I am going to go back up into the 6's. I was depressed before the diabetes came to light, and all the changes haven't really done much for that problem, but one thing at a time.
Here is the rub. My doctor was very pleased, and as we talked, he acted like I was cured, which is silly
I asked him if there was a way to tell if a person was insulin resistant, or simply not making enough, and he said no, but that based on my 5.5, I am making plenty of insulin.
I thought that a kind of stupid observation, since I have been so low carb for three+ months, my body isn't necessarily making a lot of insulin.....
Originally, I had to fight him to get enough strips to test four times a day, and with careful planning, I tested just about everything I ate in order to find foods that wouldn't spike me. I found food I could eat safely, and that was all I ate for the three months, over, and over, and over. No restaurants, no untested foods, just the same boring rabbit food for the most part. The testing was incessant. When I was hungry, I would test my BG and see if I had "room" for any carbs, and often noted I should not eat or I would go above 140, which is my ceiling, in my mind.
So anyway, my doctor said he was going to cut my strips down to one a day. He said someone with an A1c like mine, should only have to test a few times a week, so it was like he was doing me a favor to give me one a day. I fought him about as hard as I thought I should, since at my age, I am due for some uncomfortable, embarrassing tests, and I really don't want my doctor mad at me :-) I have a psuedo insurance that doesn't give me any choice of physician beyond him, so it was a mild fight. He said he would leave me with four a day, but if January showed an A1c like this 5.5, he would basically cut me off of the strips.
What does it take to convince someone that the reason I am 5.5 is from testing and testing and testing? He thinks its a waste of money, and this healthcare crap in DC seems to have trickled down into the clinic and all the doctors. I told him I think all the testing now, would help me avoid meds and even insulin down the road, and without the testing, I would end up with higher numbers, and then a real need for test strips, and major health issues.
I guess after January, I will have to go and buy my own strips. Ouch! but by the same token, if my A1c is still down, or even better, I may just buy my strips, and do the home A1c tests, and forget about my doctor. Its wrong to have all this research and technology at our fingertips (pun intended ) and not be able to use it to keep ourselves healthy unless we are willing to spend $100 a month on strips. I don't want free medical care, but I do wish doctors, especially GP's would realize that they cannot know everything, and that many of us use the information available to us to treat and control our diseases, and all we need from them, is the allowance to use the tools our insurance is willing to pay for. He kept saying the insurance company would eventually come after him because of my 5.5, but when I called them, they said they routinely allow up to 200 per month, for anyone diagnosed as diabetic.
So, I am kind of upset, and frustrated, and backsliding a bit because of it. On the other hand, I have lost over 20 pounds, and feel better from having kicked up my exercise routines. Still, not all the problems with healthcare are listed in the 2000 pages of "solution" we are being threatened with.
That's my story, and I am sticking to it :-) If you read this far, wow, you must really be bored lol!
John
In July, I was dx'd T2. My A1c was 6.8 and I failed the fasting glucose test pretty badly. My fasting numbers were 100-120, but my life being a total wreck, had me eating nothing but junk food, which was really comfort food for a depressed man. Still, I felt lucky that 6.8 was not so bad, and maybe it was caught early.
So, I buckled up, and dropped all the junk food instantly, and haven't looked back. Only thing I have had to drink since that day in early July is water. No candy, cookies, ice cream, pasta, bread, etc as I was determined to see how far I could move my A1c. After three months, and my very best effort, along with a whole lot of reading, and testing, testing testing, lost 21 pounds, and A1c is 5.5. Morning numbers are low 80's, sometimes high 70's. No meds, just diet and exercise.
Now, this made me feel good, but I also don't think I can maintain it because of circumstances in my life, not that I am going to go back up into the 6's. I was depressed before the diabetes came to light, and all the changes haven't really done much for that problem, but one thing at a time.
Here is the rub. My doctor was very pleased, and as we talked, he acted like I was cured, which is silly
I asked him if there was a way to tell if a person was insulin resistant, or simply not making enough, and he said no, but that based on my 5.5, I am making plenty of insulin.
I thought that a kind of stupid observation, since I have been so low carb for three+ months, my body isn't necessarily making a lot of insulin.....
Originally, I had to fight him to get enough strips to test four times a day, and with careful planning, I tested just about everything I ate in order to find foods that wouldn't spike me. I found food I could eat safely, and that was all I ate for the three months, over, and over, and over. No restaurants, no untested foods, just the same boring rabbit food for the most part. The testing was incessant. When I was hungry, I would test my BG and see if I had "room" for any carbs, and often noted I should not eat or I would go above 140, which is my ceiling, in my mind.
So anyway, my doctor said he was going to cut my strips down to one a day. He said someone with an A1c like mine, should only have to test a few times a week, so it was like he was doing me a favor to give me one a day. I fought him about as hard as I thought I should, since at my age, I am due for some uncomfortable, embarrassing tests, and I really don't want my doctor mad at me :-) I have a psuedo insurance that doesn't give me any choice of physician beyond him, so it was a mild fight. He said he would leave me with four a day, but if January showed an A1c like this 5.5, he would basically cut me off of the strips.
What does it take to convince someone that the reason I am 5.5 is from testing and testing and testing? He thinks its a waste of money, and this healthcare crap in DC seems to have trickled down into the clinic and all the doctors. I told him I think all the testing now, would help me avoid meds and even insulin down the road, and without the testing, I would end up with higher numbers, and then a real need for test strips, and major health issues.
I guess after January, I will have to go and buy my own strips. Ouch! but by the same token, if my A1c is still down, or even better, I may just buy my strips, and do the home A1c tests, and forget about my doctor. Its wrong to have all this research and technology at our fingertips (pun intended ) and not be able to use it to keep ourselves healthy unless we are willing to spend $100 a month on strips. I don't want free medical care, but I do wish doctors, especially GP's would realize that they cannot know everything, and that many of us use the information available to us to treat and control our diseases, and all we need from them, is the allowance to use the tools our insurance is willing to pay for. He kept saying the insurance company would eventually come after him because of my 5.5, but when I called them, they said they routinely allow up to 200 per month, for anyone diagnosed as diabetic.
So, I am kind of upset, and frustrated, and backsliding a bit because of it. On the other hand, I have lost over 20 pounds, and feel better from having kicked up my exercise routines. Still, not all the problems with healthcare are listed in the 2000 pages of "solution" we are being threatened with.
That's my story, and I am sticking to it :-) If you read this far, wow, you must really be bored lol!
John
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Brush on -
Hi Billy,
I use a One Touch Ultra Mini. I also have a Bayer Contour, and Freestyle Lite which I got just for the asking. My insurance made me get the one touch.
Do you sell strips or something? I am always interested in sources, as its obvious I will need to be buying my own not to far down the road.
John
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Stamey on -
John, as I mentioned in an earlier reply, check out healthwarehouse.com. That is where I buy my strips for my Aviva. I believe the strips for the Aviva tend to be on the more expensive end of the available meters and if I bought them through a pharmacy using my insurance, the would cost me about $100 for 100 strips. By buying them online, I get 100 for $48 with free shipping. Sames ones they sell in the stores in the same packaging and everything. But I get them for more than half price. My insurance pays all of $10 towards my strips for the Aviva so I don't waste my time using my insurance and my doctor doesn't have to write me out a prescription.
I don't know about the cost of the strips for the meters you have but I can't imagine they would be more expensive than what I pay.
Check them out. I usually get them within 3-5 business days after I order.
Dan
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Stamey on
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I just checked healthwarehouse.com and for the Contour strips, they are $25 for 50. For the One Touch Ultra they are $28 per 50 and for the Freestyle Lite, they are $33 per 50. So, all are slightly more expensive than my Aviva strips but a heck of a lot cheaper than getting them at Walmart or some other retail store.
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Permalink Reply by Dori S on -
Check out Amazon. I was able to get 100 strips for my ultra for around $75.
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Permalink Reply by Gerri on -
Realize this is off topic, but I get syringes from healthwarehouse. Cheaper through them without using insurance then it is with my insurance co-pay buying from a pharmacy.
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Permalink Reply by Billy Williamson on -
I don't sell strips but I got full coverage aswell as my job allows me to get free stuff for diabetes aswell... icould probaly get a fewhundred strips for the onetouch
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Permalink Reply by Wanda Pullen on
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Well I hear you on test strips I found cheap ones $25.00for 50Healthwarehouse.com contour assentia brand really saves me I am trying to control my BG after 3yrs on med`s Eatting raw rabbit food juicing vegs.Right now it`s working finally losing weight take care,Wanda
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Permalink Reply by Cathy Jacobson on
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My CNP is for the most part wonderful. I go to a Native American Clinic, being the token white woman as I say. They have a wonderful diabetic program complete with education, diagnosis, testing, counselors, dieticians, exercise rooms....I can't find a better place for me and my diabetes in South Dakota, I don't believe. I have a team, that I have hand picked and they for the most part work together, and when they don't, I get ornery. I think it's vital that we find a team of people who will be there to answer questions, support, educate, and tolerate us. If not, then they shouldn't be on your team; it's your body, ultimately, and your choices to make. Use them as guides, not superior beings. For as I have found out, this isn't rocket science, and each of us are different. They aren't in our bodies, we have to tell them how we are doing...and they can and should take the time to listen and respond.
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