Time for a second opinion

During the last few weeks, it's been hard to have the bedes.  The medication that I take doesn't seem to be working, and some of it makes me very sick.  I've been struggling to manage my numbers, stay at an even keel, and feel "healthy" every day.  Because things just feel a bit out of control I did something I never do and last week called the doctor for an extra appointment to get some help, some guidance, some instruction on what I should do.

I got to my appointment yesterday, checked in with reception, and sat down in the waiting room.  Not five minutes later the nurse took me back, put me on the evil scale, and ushered me into a room where I would wait.  Apparently I'm too good looking to sit in a waiting room (or too ugly!) so I had to sit and wait for 35 minutes in an unused exam room.

After the appropriate time of waiting was over - I could hear everyone who was supposed to be helping me, the nurse and my PA in the hall chatting about what pharm. rep was bringing them lunch today - I was taken into another room to have my blood pressure checked, answer a few questions, and yes, sit and wait some more.

Finally my health care professional came into the room.  He's sort of a frantic Kramer-esque guy and though I don't particularly like him much, he's consistent.  In 5 years of visiting the same office I've been through 5 such professionals and this guy has stuck with me for over a year so I keep going back.

I tell him my issues:

1) The insulin Lantus that I am taking is no longer working properly or effectively.  If I do more than 45 units at night, I bottom out in a few hours (talking 30's people, that's real bad) and then have very high numbers in the morning (150 or higher, also bad).  If I do less than 45 I sleep through the night, but awake to numbers around 170.  

2) The oral drug I take, metformin, makes me sick.  He wants me to take 4 tablets a night but 4 is beyond my threshold and I wake up with stomach problems you wouldn't wish on an enemy.  It's pretty awful stuff and I cannot stand up straight, live in the bathroom all day, and say prayers that I can make it to preschool drop-off and pick-up without dying.  Seriously, I cannot explain to you what that medication does to me.  I can tolerate 3 tablets with a terrible episode every 4-6 weeks but if I take 4, I'm miserable within about 12 hours.

3) I've lost weight.  Not a lot of weight, but enough that I am seeing changes.  I actually went shopping for a size smaller pair of jeans on Saturday because mine are all falling off of me.  I haven't lost a ton of weight, only 10 pounds, but my jiggle is less jiggle and I have new muscles where I haven't had them for years.  This weight loss however has stalled.  It's like my body is a hoarder of poundage and won't let anymore go.  Some days I practically starve and sweat myself just to see a loss of some ounces and I'm not getting anywhere.  

These three things are making me nervous.  I am too much of a kooky rule follower micro manager to let my diabetes be out of control and I need help.  So, I presented my PA with this information, and a list of morning numbers since October.  He looked over my documentation, and prescribed the following.

A - Take the Lantus in the morning, then I won't bottom out.

B-  Take this cholesterol medication.  Even though I don't have high cholesterol, this medication should help my stomach so that I can go back to taking 4 of the evil metformin. 

C -  Oh, you've lost weight?  That's nice.  Oh, you haven't lost as much as you think you should be?  Well, you must be building muscle mass.

And with that I was given some paperwork for new labs to be drawn, scheduled a new appointment and was out the door.

None of my issues were addressed - in fact they were ignored.  I was very upset and called my husband to tell him it was time to find a new diabetes doctor STAT!  I need a second opinion, a new medication plan, and someone who will listen to me.  I'm not a dummy.  I know about my condition.  I do what I need to do to take care of myself.

So, my good husband listened to me on the phone, did some searching on the website of our insurance provider and found me someone new.  He made me an appointment for next week.  This time I'll try a woman.  A nice, grandmotherly woman who specializes only in diabetes.

I just hope that this is a start in the right direction.