A little bit of a vent...

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2004
A little bit of a vent...
8
Tue, 07-06-2004 - 11:40pm
Hi all,

A couple of weeks ago I went in for a follow-up blood test, two months after my re-diagnosis. I have been working on diet/exercise to get things under control. I thought this test was supposed to include an a1c, but they did not do one (found out today that it was ordered, but for some reason it didn't get done).

They did do a lipid panel, though, and since my doctor was out on vacation, another doctor looked at the test results and recommended that I go on Lipitor for my cholesterol levels. I allowed them to call in the prescription to my pharmacy and took down my numbers. My initial gut response to this was to not take the Lipitor. I'm not afraid of taking medicine, but it just didn't seem like the right thing. My total cholesterol and my triglycerides were all in the borderline high range. My bad cholesterol is a little too high, and my good cholesterol is too low.

I did some research on the net and found some things that really bothered me about Lipitor, so I decided I wasn't taking it until I at least talked to my own doctor, and made an appt. with him, which was today. This was really frustrating to me because I've been working hard and sticking to the diet/exercise, etc.

So, today I went and saw my own doctor, who showed my levels from the test prior to this last one - and my total cholesterol is DOWN, and my triglycerides are WAY down! My bad cholesterol level has improved slightly. He told me that I have been making good progress with diet/exercise, and agreed that the best path was to work on getting my diabetes under control and that the rest should follow. He agreed that Lipitor is not the right thing for me right now. He told me if there was a drug that could raise my good cholesterol, that's what I should be taking. But there isn't one.

Basically got very positive comments from the nurses and from him about my progress, etc., so felt very good about that. He didn't know why the a1c wasn't done, but they drew blood from me today and I'll know in a couple of days how that comes out. It was 7.7 last time, and he predicts it'll be under 7 this time.

I guess I am a little peeved at the other doctor! My numbers are going in the right diretion, I'm making good progress on my own, so why prescribe a drug that really won't help with the thing that most needs help?!!! I guess I have a problem with doctors who are too quick with the prescription pad. That's why I like this doctor I'm seeing now. He's very common sense and doesn't do meds unless he really thinks it's necessary.

I worried about this thing for two weeks for nothing! For some reason, it just made me angry!!

Thanks for letting me gripe...........

- Gina

Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 1:19am
Hi Gina,

Welcome to the board. My name is Mary Frances and I am one of the community leaders for this board. I am a type 2 diabetic and a registered nurse. Any advise I may give is not a substitute for seeking medical advise from a health care practitioner of your choice.

The most current recommendation to physicians is that they aggressively treat diabetics lipid abnormalities and that patients can not get it under control with diet and exercise. Although there are some problems with statins, they have many more benefits than problems. There is a new drug in the pipeline which will increase "good" HDL cholesterol. It will probably be on the market in the next year.

It is quite frustrating that the lab didn't follow the doctor's orders. I hope your doctor complained to the head of the lab as this really isn't acceptable. Please post your results when you finally get them. I hope you are pleased with the results.

So please pull up a chair and join our conversation. You are amoungst friends.

Mary Frances


cl-maryfrances40

Co-CL Diabetes Board


iVillage Member
Registered: 09-05-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 5:54am
HI Gina;)

HEy gripe anytime you need to God knows I have done my share of gripping and whining on this board lol..I really lost this board alot .. I have learned so much and still learning more and when I have fears of this diabetes stuff I can write here and I get calmed down by the responses .. I dont understand all the numbers.. at all I have numbers that are like 90 - 110 but a few times its been higher.. well three high numbers or highes I had seen was 138 .. 150 and man 155 I didnt think that monitor went over 155 lol.. I am sure I will learn all about the tri.. what ever however you spell that and the colesterals numbers. All I know is the AIC was only 6.3.. what I have decided to do yesterday is to quit comparing my numbers with everyone elses and just admit that hey I need to work on this and get it under control even better than where its at.. I start looking at other ppls numbers and think hmmm I am not a diabetic I dont have any problems but then if I didnt have any problems then why am I so sick alot of times.. I cant work a full two weeks at work because of illnesses that I have.. But I am hoping that I will get it all under control and start feeling better.. The diebetic lady told me that its weird because my numbers are not all that high but I have more signs of a diabetic then numbers show. like numbness tingling feelings alot in my hands and feet.. a bad leg due to nerve problems.. my feet swelling and one foot hurts so bad to walk on after I have been on my feet for 8 hours.. there are times I feel I have to literally crawl in the house from work because the pain is so severe. I in the last 6 months my eyes really went down and had to get glasses.. I called yesterday and talked to the eye doctor and explained to him that I was just diagnosed as a diabetic.. He said I need to come in at least once a year if not sooner for eye exams..I go to the doctor today:) I know they will be happy with the results they are seeing in me.. because I have lost weight and I am glad for that.. bye for now Melody:) Have a GREAT DAY!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2004
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 9:16pm
Thanks Mary Frances,

They called with my results a little bit ago, and I'm really surprised and really pleased! This time my a1c is 5.7 (down from 7.7 3 months ago)! Yay! I knew it would be lower, but I wasn't expecting it to be under 6. My overall readings took a big drop around 3 weeks ago, and I think it has to do with the fact that we just came out of a MAJORLY stressful period at work. The same week we got everything done and I was finally able to relax and not worry about it all... my numbers all dropped and started going under 120 consistently. So, I am to keep doing what I'm doing, including monitoring, and re-do all the bloodwork again in six months.

- Gina

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2004
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:19pm
Congratulations Gina! Your hard work is paying off, certainly something to be proud of. Keep up the good work! Jan
Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:20pm
Gina,

That is an absolutely wonderful A1C result. CONGRATULATIONS! You get an ATTA GIRL Award.

Please continue to post here and help be a cheerleader for all of us who are working just as hard as you did.

A Huge hug,

Mary Frances


cl-maryfrances40

Co-CL Diabetes Board


Avatar for cl_d_minnick
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 07-08-2004 - 2:32am

You have every reason to gripe about your A1c not being done. I do hope your doctor called the lab to find out how this happened and to not let it happen ever again. Somebody at the lab was not doing their job that is for sure. I'll bet your number will be great, because your eating right and excercising. Besides doctors tend to be not to far off when they take a guess and by all the work you have been doing your doctor is going to be right on the money with the A1c.


I have to agree with you 100% about most doctors going directly to their prescription pads instead of trying other things out. I am very lucky in that my doctor has been having me do supplements for times when I have a cold, which

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2004
Thu, 07-08-2004 - 10:32pm
Thanks folks! I'll be around and will continue posting. This is a great board/community, and it's been one of the most informative places about diabetes that I've found. I told my dietician she should tell her other diabetic clients about it.

- Gina

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2004
Thu, 07-08-2004 - 11:07pm
Thank you! I posted above my a1c was 5.7. Woo hoo! LOL. I'm really pleased and happy with that. Now my challenge is to keep it that way or better it, and not get lazy. I know I need to keep up exactly what I am doing.

I am not sure if my doctor chewed anyone out or not. He showed me where he'd written the order for it, so I am not sure what happened. I know that morning I went in, there had been a thunderstorm and the computers were down for a bit - maybe that had something to do with it.

I guess my frustration with the cholesterol thing was that after comparing my results from three months ago, and the results of the test they did a few weeks ago... my total cholesterol was down from 230+ to 206; my triglycerides were down from over 300 to 181; my bad cholesterol had improved slightly (still in borderline high); and my good cholesterol was about the same, but still too low. My blood pressure is way down, too. All of that was in about two months work -- so I was making progress, and just wasn't sure why the need to prescribe something if things were getting better. I could understand it if things hadn't changed, or if things had gotten worse. I was just confused by it. I'm not afraid of taking medicine, and I will if he ever tells me that I really need it. I just think, why risk side effects - even if they're rare or unlikely - if you don't have to?

I know these drugs do a lot of good, for a lot of people. But I also don't think people should just blindly take whatever they're prescribed. I suppose it's partly because I've decided to get aggressive about my own health care - I've been lax for far too long, and look where it got me. So I question everything until I'm satisfied with the answers. My body is screwed up enough as it is, I don't want to make it worse.

LOL, I won't go on about it anymore!! I'm just happy to have made good progress, and hope to continue.

Thank you!

- Gina