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Hi, Cookeville has only one endocrinologist. It's very hard to get him as a doctor because of the waiting list for him. So I have my family doctor take care of my diabetes.
John
After your initial visit(s) and labs, you'd likely only see the endocrinologist every 3 months. If it's at all possible, maybe you could go to Nashville to see one. Our family doc was good but he just didn't have all the knowledge that the specialist does. We just went in for another followup yesterday and she told him he was her best patient! Everything is great and she's even going to cut one of his meds on a trial basis and see if his blood sugar still stays good.
But he's active, we try to eat right, and these good reports really make him feel like he's doing the right things.
I am a diabetic, I am 57, and have been developing diabetes since my mid 20's. I have been a life long fitness junkie, and I could not stop the desease, only delay the onset of it. Both my parents were diabetics and both died of complications of the desease my father in 2003 and my mother 9 months later in 2004. In my 20's the sugar was in my urine, and I managed to stay that way until age 39, when I was told I had the desease, I was able to control it still with diet and exercise until 2 years ago at age 55, I had to start a low dose of glyburide pills, once a day. My A1C IS 6.5, the highest it ever was has been 7.6. Believe me when I say diet and exercise can be a life saver with this desease, and can greatly delay the onset, it did for me for many years, and I want to delay my parents problems for as long as I can, they both died at age 78, and I miss them terribly.
Hi, I was wondering if I might be diabetic. Im 17, am 5&1/2 feet, weight 120-125, have a BMI of about 20 i think, have a low blood pressure, and run 2.5-5 miles about 3 times a week. I recently went to the gym to work out my upper body, after about 45 min. I was really out of breath, felt like i was gonna pass out, at one point my vision started to blacken on the outsides, and i became somewhat pale, after I drank a coke everything became normal again and I felt fine. I generally have to eat every few hours or else ill feel like im gonna pass out unless i get something sugary to drink. My mom won't take me to the doctor because she doesn't think i have diabetes because no one on either side of our families has ever had it, she says its because i dont have any body fat to burn and and im growing. Could someone please help me!!! Thanks
OK, this will probably seal my reputation on this forum as a nut job but here goes. I am not advocating anyone should do this. I am only telling you a story. It is just a personal experience. Whenever I see these threads, I cringe. I can't stand it that people all over are suffering with this disease. Losing their sight and their limbs.
About 10 years ago D was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Over time he developed neuropathy, and retinopathy. He ate right, exercised daily, got his HA1C down in the normal range. He did everything he could and his comorbidities kept getting worse. He had already lost both parents and his uncle to diabetes. He saw his future as being blind and in a wheelchair. He also developed hyperlipidemia and took meds for that too. For some, diabetes is just an inconvenience. D was not a good diabetic.
Over 3 years ago, he went to Spain and had the DS(duodenal switch) for Diabetes with Dr. Aniceto Baltasar. His diabetes was instantly gone after surgery. He can eat as he pleases even 3.5 years later. He never needed even 1 dose of diabetes meds post-op. D traded his diabetes for malabsorbtion and has to eat a high protein diet and take supplements for the rest of his life. His retinopathy went away completely. His neuropathy improved but he still has some tingling and poor circulation in his feet. He now has the cholesterol of an average 10 year old. He was a pretty normal weight pre-op, BMI about 27. He lost 30lbs but gained it back over the next 2 years. His BMI today is 26.
The DS for Diabetes has been done in Europe for more than a decade. The first paper on it was published by a doctor named Noyes. Cornell is currently doing a research project on this procedure as a cure for diabetes. If you want to read more, check out the Buchwald Meta Analysis, JAMA 10/2005. You can also look up papers by Scopinaro, Hess, and Gagner. This surgery came about because the DS with gastric reduction is used as a form of weight loss surgery. Many obese people have type 2 diabetes and it wasn't long before they noticed diabetes just disappeared in 98% of their patients. It had to be the surgery itself because the cure was instant. There was no diet, weight loss, or exercise. It happened immediately post-op. Docs in Europe started doing the surgery without gastric restriction on normal weight patients with type 2 diabetes. And it works!
As I said, I am not advocating surgery for anyone. I do advocate that diabetic patients be told about ALL their options.
There is a new book out "Reversing diabetes" by Dr. Neal Barnard. It IS definitely what you eat and do, (if you exercise or you don't.) The book covers not only Type 1 but Type 2, which is more easily controlled by diet and exercise.
Don't just settle and take meds forever, when you don't have to.
My husband discovered he had diabetes when he went in for a pre-op (knee replacement) physical. He had many of the symptoms including not being able to see well in sun light (diabetics are much more prone to cataracts and he found out that he had those too)...he was 56 at the time.
He completely controls his diabetes through diet and exercise. He lost 50 lbs. in about 4 months, after his knee replacement surgery healed, he began to ride his bike 25 to 30 miles 3 times a week - he and I walk 10 miles some times, and regularly walk 4 to 5 miles 4 times a week, he lifts weights. He is in amazing shape and his cholesterol, blood sugar (including long term), blood pressure, etc. are all great....his blood sugar is around 120 and sometimes 110 with no pills or shots - he is now 61 and looks and feels great.
Many people could control their diabetes through diet but choose instead to take pills, shots, etc. If you can, you are better off to try to control your diabetes through diet and exercise (with permission from your doctor of course - some must take medication) - you will be healthier, look better and live longer if you do. Many look to the pills as an easy out for not having to watch what they eat or exercise - eventually this catches up with them.
The number one cause of amputations in the U.S.: Complications from diabetes.
Cattknap, you are so right about many people just want to take pills because they don't want to be accountable for what they eat,etc. I have an acquaintance that has diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, is morbidly obese and a myriad of other things. She just loves her pills and most days of the week she is at the doctors for probably more pills. What she doesn't realize is all those pills are contributing to more and more side effects, which makes her feel worse. And all the pills do is control the symptoms of whatever she has, not cure them. That's the way pills work.
We fell out of touch only because she is the total opposite of me, and i got sick of hearing about all her medical problems everytime we would talk.
Reversing diabetes is a possibility, however, once you become insulin dependant, and placed on insulin shots, that's usually an indication that the beta cells in the pancreas are no longer producing insulin, at which point it is no longer reversible. So do what you can as far as diet, exercise and healthy lifestyle before reaching the point of insulin dependancy.
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Is there a good chance that Im diabetic?
