Pain at the Endrocinologist Office.

Endocrinologists have a tough job.

They work with a variety of Diabetics, all with different types of diabetes, all with different preferences of management - Pills, Injections (Pens, Syringes), Exercise, Insulin (Humalog, Novalog, Apidra, Lantus..etc.), Insulin Pumps (Animas, Tandem, Medtronic, Asante, etc.), Blood Sugar Meters (etc. etc. etc.) Not counting insurance companies, non-compliant patients, over enthusiastic patients, parents of patients, and every other type of patient in between.

That is a lot of factors and variables to keep track of, while also making decisions that basically control a persons life, and even closeness of death.

I had a great Endocrinologist. You can see the word and emphasis on HAD.

In May (ish) of 2014, I received a letter from my Pediatric Endocrinologist office, saying that my endo, the one I had had for years, was no longer going to be working at the office, and that the office, would soon be closed entirely. Forcing each of it's patients to find a new endocrinologist office.

They supplied a list of Pediatric offices currently accepting new patients to call and go to, and then we were supposed to tell the old office so they could send records over. Doesn't seem like much of a problem. However, did you see I mentioned Pediatric office? I was 22 years old. I was not going to accepted into another Pediatric office. I was given no leads on what I was supposed to do. After making multiple calls to my old office, they finally gave my mom and myself two names for adult endocrinologists.

So I called the nearest one, to schedule an appointment, and the soonest they could get me in was October. I was angry. I would be going 6 months without an Endocrinologist visit, when I used to have them every 3 months.

So while all the other pediatric diabetics were just getting a new Endo in a Pediatric office, which would follow similar procedures as the one I came from. I was to be getting a new Endo, in an adult office.

I was nervous.
I was scared.

I had read online of multiple people who had horrible experiences when transitioning to new Endos, and even adult care. The trend was that adult Endocrinologists did not take the time as much as Pediatric ones to make sure everything is going okay. Not only was the Endo different, but the office was geared to type 2 diabetics, and no longer was there a nutritionalists, social worker, and multiple nurses to talk to at every appointment.

I was also worried that my new Endocrinologist wouldn't respect me as a Diabetic, and as a person who is very informed about the Diabetic Community. I was also worried about her not understanding my need for staying on injections verses a pump. The only thing that calmed my mind a tad, was that my mother remembered her name as an Endocrinologist who came to the hospital when my brother was diagnosed.


My first appointment arrived. I saw a nurse, and my new Endo and that was it. A big change right there. There was also a sign in the office telling patients to not clip their toenails in the office...1. Yuck. 2. I miss the crayon drawings that used to be on the walls of my old office. My mother went with me, because I wasn't ready to face it alone.

I ended up liking my new Doctor, although she does have a somewhat difficult accent. But I surprised her with my wealth of Diabetes Knowledge....and my last worry- the Insulin Pump. I ended up walking out of the office after putting an order in for a Tslim Insulin Pump. So I guess she semi-talked me into that option...although I think my mind was actually made up to give it a shot before I even entered her office. I was finally ready.

I have now been to the office two times, and have another appointment coming up in April. I am happy with my pump, and the people of the office.

So thankfully I wont have to change endocrinologists anytime soon again! Once was enough for me!

I think I'm cured.

Okay, so I don't actually think that I am cured, but I do think that my Pancreas is up to some funny stuff lately.

The Diabetes Roller Coaster has been in full swing. I go from moments of perfect/almost too low, to untouchable high bloodsugars. We are talking about hanging out in the 65/70 range for two days, and then shooting up to the high 300's for a day.

I was scared last night, and it really hit me, more than normal, about this disease I live with everyday.

I decided to check my bloodsugar as I was getting ready for bed, and realized it was 50. So I drank a juice box. A little later, I gave myself my normal amount of Lantus (25 units). I was really ready to go to bed, so I decided to check that blood sugar before I went up to brush my teeth (I live in the basement currently). My bloodsugar was only at 67, a good hour plus from when I treated my low. So I had 15 more carbs, and waited 15 more minutes. I felt just fine, and proud of myself for following the 15/15 rule. So I checked again, and my blood sugar was a beautiful 57. 57?!!! I was so angry. I went down from before, so I ate two fruit snacks and sat in my bed fuming. Thankfully I had a book (Good Ol'e  Harry Potter!). Fifteen minutes later I checked again, and I was 69. The thing is, i Still felt perfectly normal, and didn't recognize the lows I was having all night at all. I lost track of time while reading, and decided to go brush my teeth. Before putting my book away for good, my final bedtime number was 134. My goal is to be above 120 before I fall asleep. I was so sure though that I was going to by SKY HIGH by this morning at breakfast.

I woke up to a lovely 137. I pretty much did the happy dance. Something finally went right. Lets hope it stays that way for a while.

What really worried me was that, if I hadn't decided to check myself before falling asleep (sometimes it happens), would I have woken up this morning at all? I had to eat 90 carbs last night to cover the stubborn low blood sugar. 90 is about the same amount I eat for lunch and breakfast combined.

Diabetes is a scary thing. I thank the Lord that I had the smarts to check myself before bed, and that I have the means and resources to treat such a low blood sugar, and a good book to distract myself with.