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1/1/12 9:02 P

I am glad to see your levels are going down. I would have been scared to find my levels that high. I would definatley keep after them about getting you to a specialist asap not 4 months. Mine wants to see me every 3 months and they got me in with in about a week for my 1st appointment. I wish you much luck

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of the baby will say a prayer for your family.

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1/1/12 2:37 P

I am hoping you have a new and better New Year!

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12/31/11 2:11 P

Sad about the baby... my mom was in the medical profession, and they hate losing any patient--but it's always worse with the littlest ones. My heart goes out to you...

Sad, too that you can't get in to the specialist until April... and I know when your blood glucose levels are that high, it affects your ability to control your emotions--also, the stress with that little one etc, makes blood sugars go UP... but the doctors are human beings too, and even though they may wish they could see everyone right away, there are only so many hours in a day... so my advice would be to first ask your doctor if there's any other specialists available, then call and ask to talk to a nurse (most specialists have a sort of triage set up...) and explain the situation--and ask to be put on a stand-by basis so you can get plugged in to any possible cancellations so they can get you in sooner.

And yes, if your blood glucose levels are over 350, you should call your doctor immediately, and head for the ER... don't drive yourself, get someone to take you or call for an ambulance. It really IS THAT SERIOUS!

Don't exercise when it's high like that, your body can't burn what it's got to make the necessary energy-- and drink LOTS of water: water helps your kidneys flush some of the excess out of your system.

Good luck, m'dear!

Keep us posted!

Kathy

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12/31/11 10:01 A

I wish you continued success in getting those numbers down and gaining a healthier lifestyle.

The loss of your little bundle of joy is just so heart wrenching. I'm so sorry for your loss.

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12/31/11 8:35 A

It is sad and so wrong that your doctor is treating you with such disregard on such a cridical issue! Be proactive and glad your taking a firm stand!

Posts: 1,123
12/31/11 8:34 A

I am so sorry for your terrible loss! Things like that are just horrid! I hope with time you all recover from this loss.

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12/30/11 11:11 P

Oh Johanka, I am so sorry for your loss...very sad holiday.

Godzdesign...you are right I wouldn't want to be in their shoes.


And,Msgrinchyone, I am so glad that you are taking the right path to healthy! You have to be proactive.

Edited by: PYNETREE at: 1/1/2012 (22:01)

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12/30/11 8:44 P

I truly can not believe the crap that is going on with diabetic patients. I have had to not only call my dr but I've went to my dr office. Press them until something is done. April is too long to wait. Are they crazy. Seems no one cares. We are just numbers. Messages left on machines, take a number and have a seat, put on hold. Surely one day all will answer to the higher of all authorities and be asked where did you serve me? and how did you treat my children. I do not want to be in their shoes.

Johanka I am sorry for your loss. Prayers for the family.

Edited by: GODZDESIGN95 at: 12/30/2011 (20:45)

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12/30/11 3:58 P

I just had a niece that was pregnant, got sick and went to the doctor. They found her BS almost to 700. She did loose the baby. It lived four hours. They figure the baby went into a coma and they could not bring her(baby) out of it. So we as a family did not have the best Christmas. The funeral was four days before.

Posts: 11,397
12/30/11 3:47 P

I am so glad you are on the fast track to getting this under control. Your original post was frightening! I wish you well and be SURE to keep doing what you are doing to get things in control.
hugs
chas

Posts: 23,950
12/30/11 3:27 P

OH, that's good that your #'s ARE coming down. I was just concerned! I know my GP told me that my glucose was 330 and my A1C was 12. As you know . . . not good! But started out on ActosplusMet (Actos plus Metformin), changed to Metformin when my A1C fell, then reduced dose of Metformin, til I was completely off it in March 2011.

it kinda is surprising that you'd be a type 1 and so long in being diagnosed, unless I read something wrong. Anyhow, are you in a point-of-service or HMO where you have to have a referral or can you do research and get into a Dr. on your own? I have a plan that allows us to do it either way (by referral or self-referral). That is helpful. We had moved here 4 yrs. ago, so had to start from scratch on finding docs, and some of it was by word-of-mouth and some from hospital based referrals. I feel really lucky to have good docs.

Good luck to you. Keep on posting!

Posts: 35
12/30/11 2:59 P

I have been exercising all along. I started working out back in April. Kinda fell off the wagon when it came to higher intensity stuff (gym, etc) but I have continued walking all along. I have been given the prescription for the insulin so that my sugars are lowering and are now running about 246 (the highest yesterday) to 120 (the lowest yesterday) Each day they have dropped more and more. I had already cut out most carbs from my diet because of trying to lose weight. I have been annoying the first doctor to do another referral and was then told that I could just go to a family physician and get put on all the meds and have my tests run, etc. So that's where I am now, finding a gen prac doctor so that I can get on some type of regimen that will be monitored. I have been logging all of my sugars and now have started keeping track of my food. It just blew my mind that the one doctor that should be screaming the loudest about the numbers and everything cannot "fit me in" til April. I will go to a gen prac that isn't so full of himself (or herself) that will actually be interested in treating me. I will let you know how that goes...(PS, did go to er, that's how numbers got out of the 400's)

Posts: 23,950
12/30/11 2:47 P

Oh my! I think if it were me with a blood sugar stuck in the 400's, type one, I would definitely go to the ER and do exactly what was suggested -- tell them you're type one, sugars in the 400's and can't get in to see the Dr. til April. That would at least hopefully lead to a swift referral to a diabetic specialist (I see an endocrinologist, as I have thyroid issues as well). There would be no way I'd wait til April. No dang way.

That's good that you're testing your blood sugars frequently, but you also need the help of meds.

Exercise can help in controlling blood sugars, too. Do you keep any kind of journal? You know, especially when I was first diagnosed (type 2 insulin resistant), I tested often, recorded the results and correalated it with the foods I ate so I was aware of what would make the sugar spike (or not).

Definitely lean on COMPLEX carbs, NOT simple carbs.

Good luck, and please let us know how it goes. Ridiculous!

Posts: 1,123
12/30/11 1:53 P

The first thing I would do is go to the ER right away. Having BS in the 400's is terrible and dangerous and you can not wait til april to treat this. Demand another doctor right away. You have to be pushy and stay on it. This is to dangerous not to. I can't believe that they would let a type 1 go untreated or even a type 2 with readings that high!

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12/30/11 1:43 P

Is the Dr. you've been referred to an Endocrinologist? Or another type of Specialist?
And a diognosis of Diabetes is one that YOU have a lot of control over...with education.

Your Primary Care Dr. gave you "one insulin"? A Rx for insulin to take everyday?

So you can get valuable knowledge in these next few months..journal everything! What your FBG = Fasting Blood Glucose - was when you woke up, write it, and the time down, note also, everything that you eat, and amount, how you are feeling, whether you exercised, what is going on in your day, BG # 2 hrs after meals, Everything you ate and drank and how much. Any insulin and any other medication and amounts. This info will tell you and your Dr.'s, how YOUR body is handling food, alcohol, stress, illness, medication, exercise. It will let you know what foods spike your Blood Glucose, so you can avoid or limit them.

I'm sure with all your Googling you now have a pretty good picture of what healthy eating looks like. Living well with your Diabetes will be you, in conjunction with your Medical team, eating healthy, testing often, and noting everything down.



Edited by: PYNETREE at: 12/30/2011 (14:50)

Posts: 12,870
12/30/11 12:25 P

You have been given some good advice. Please let us know how you get on. We are care.

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12/30/11 12:12 P

Can certainly understand your frustration but there are things you can begin doing now to get things under control. Take a look at the foods and drinks you are selecting -- any pies, cakes, cookies, candy, soda or regular syrup need to be eliminated immediately in favor of sugar free varieties or other nutrient rich options. You can begin to plan meals that balance your carbohydrate intake using your Spark meal plans as a guideline. Be sure you have signed up for the Spark D program. www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_condit
ions.asp?condition=9

Here are some resources to help you get started so you can get those glucose numbers down to the 200s. The ER is a good option if you don't having testing supplies or instructions to test your blood sugars regularly throughout the day www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_arti
cles.asp?id=1501 or if you are having high blood sugar symptoms such as extreme thirst, seeing spots or feeling groggy or light-headed.

Meal Planning Basics
www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=one_step_
closer_meal_planning_basics

Carbohydrate-Counting Chart for People with Diabetes
A Single-Serving Reference Guide
www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_articl
es.asp?id=882

Eating Well with Type 2 Diabetes
Nutrition Know-How
www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_articl
es.asp?id=881

Coach Tanya

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12/30/11 12:09 P

Truly, if you're type 1 and left out in the wind like you've been, you NEED TO GO TO THE ER!!!

You are in danger of developing diabetic ketoacidosis which is potentially life-threatening. I'm not trying to scare you but you simply cannot wait. Anytime your blood sugar is over 140 you're at risk for nerve damage.

PLEASE at least call your local hospital and explain the situation. DKA can be deadly and this isn't the time for self-diagnosis or management when you're new at this.

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12/30/11 12:05 P

If type 1 is the correct diagnosis (and it sound like it probably is) then you need to get to another doctor and if that can't be done, the emergency room is where you belong. They will get you started on insulin.

Posts: 35
12/30/11 11:57 A

I've been diagnosed with Type 1 actually. Had some other issues occur that led to it, but regardless, I am been eliminating everything. I have "googled" more in the last 10 days than I have in the last 10 years!! We are already aggrevating them to get a different referral. I will go in stalker mode if I have too. It's just so frustrating. I've been checking my sugar 4-5 times a day right now. I was given one insulin from my current doctor who does not specialize in diabetes at all so he was reluctant to load me with different meds. It will get better, just apparently without the help of that doctor.

Posts: 272
12/30/11 11:56 A

With blood sugar at 400, you are in some danger and getting to another doctor as soon as possible is called for.

That said, education might really go a long ways, but you will most likely need medication/insulin at least to start out. The better educated you are, the better treatment you will get since you won't be able to be pushed into bad options.

Posts: 834
12/30/11 11:52 A

I just looked at your profile. You say you were diagnosed with type 1 but I don't think that's correct, because if so, you would've immediately been put on insulin, as that's the only treatment for type 1s.

Are you sure you heard your diagnosis correctly? If you're absolutely positive you're type 1, take yourself to the nearest ER and tell them you're an untreated type 1 with blood sugars stuck in the 400s. You'll be treated until they get your blood sugar in check.

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12/30/11 11:49 A

WHAT?! That's completely ridiculous. I'd push very hard for another referral to another doctor. Become the squeaky wheel; unfortunately that's sometimes what it takes to be your best medical advocate.

Meanwhile, check with local agencies to see about more diabetes education. Personally, I love Richard K. Bernstein's books (I'm a type 1 and I'm assuming you're type 2 but he has books for type 2s also). He's a type 1 diabetic himself. My type 2 husband and I follow much of his advice and both of us enjoy excellent health and very good blood sugar levels.

You can start by testing your blood as frequently as you want to. Because I'm on insulin (a pump) I test about every two hours. Knowledge is power! The more you test the more you know how food and medication and exercise affect your body.

By now you probably know that carbohydrates convert to sugar, which is the last thing your body needs. Restricting your carbs will go a long way to help with your blood sugar and weight loss, if you're interested in that.

Ignore all the BS that's out there about "magic foods" or herbs that'll cure diabetes. You can manage quite well with facts so keep your BS detector in check. A type 2 diagnosis is a wake-up call; it's time to make some serious changes to ensure your long life. Avoiding complications is the goal.

If you're not going to be prescribed anything until April 9th, I'd start with the carb restriction, which people do to varying degrees. My husband and I see no reason for eating empty carbs, they just don't work for our diabetic bodies! You can also start adding cinnamon to some of the foods you eat (or even drink). Cinnamon has been proven to lower blood sugar a bit.

Keep searching for answers and keep posting. Good luck!
Valerie

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12/30/11 11:47 A

My sugars have been in the 400's I don't think just education is going to do the trick.

Posts: 272
12/30/11 11:44 A

I'm sorry for your (very understandable) frustration. There are things you can do without the doctor that will help you get on track. Check out the bloodsugar 101 website (you can find it with google). There's a lot of information there on what normal blood sugar is and how to get there. Also good information about different meds so that when they do get around to seeing you, you will be prepared.

On the plus side, you might be avoiding a lot of bad information that you will have to unlearn since many doctors are using very old information on how best to control diabetes.

Edited by: HYEGEEK at: 12/30/2011 (11:45)

Posts: 35
12/30/11 11:31 A

Ok, I am now completely discouraged! After spending the last 10 days being diagnosed and trying to get educated about Diabetes, I get a call from the doctor's office they are referring me to only to find that I can't be seen until APRIL 9th. I'm being told by my regular physician that I will need CT scans to see what damage has been done and more tests so that I can be placed on the proper medications to help me control everything but now can't see that doctor until April 9th! I am so over it. I pretty much told them to make the appointment and if I'm not dead by then I will be happy to show up. Thanks for nothing. So suddenly this life threatening disease can't seem to be important enough for a realistic appointment.