I’ve been quite
whiney lately. I’m sorry. Diabetes hasn’t been playing nicely for a while now
and I just can’t seem to get my HCP to pay attention to my concerns because my “A1c
is so good”. I saw him again and my A1c actually went back down a bit. WTF?
Makes zero sense to me, but oh well. He said “no medication changes, see you in
3 months”. No comment about a 198 fasting or a 171 before dinner. I guess I’m just supposed to shut up, not worry and
trust my doctor. Bullshit.
I posted my
concerns/questions on Facebook about something the doctor said: “A1c is a
better predictor of future complications than individual high numbers.” It made
me think that maybe I’m just worrying too much, but some of the answers I
received made me feel a lot better about my concerns. High individual numbers should be a concern and someone ought to
be helping me figure out how to “fix” this. This gave me the desire to stop
feeling sorry for myself and DO SOMETHING! (The old Kate may be back.)
About the only
thing the doctor suggested to me was that I see a dietician. Meh. Although I’ve
never met with one, I have spent the last 12+ years figuring out what I can and
can’t eat. I have been in group meetings with dieticians and the things they
suggest are so far from anything I can do (whole grain, cereals with more
fiber, sweet potatoes instead of white, brown rice instead of white…) that I
was never impressed. I am NOT dissing dieticians, I think they are a valuable
resource, I’m just not convinced one could help me. We’re about to find out.
A very nice
woman called me to discuss my referral to see her. We talked for a bit (I liked
her) and decided to wait a couple of weeks before I see her. The reason? I want
to go armed with data (she liked that). I have spent the last 2 weeks
documenting everything I eat and when I eat it. I indicated amount of carbs (if
it is processed at all) and my pre/post prandial numbers. I have been poking
the crap outta my fingers! I haven’t been avoiding foods, I’m just eating like
I normally do, occasional binges and too many carbs as well. I am going to call her back
tomorrow to set up an appointment. I’m actually excited to meet with her! This
exercise has been eye-opening. I’ve learned a lot about myself and how my body
is reacting to food (spoiler: not too well). Wish me luck. I’ll keep you
posted.
Oh, and I’ll be
making an appointment soon with a new doctor, one who was recommended to me by
a fellow PWD who just happens to be a nurse. Score!
