Diabetes Blog Week, Day 4 – Topic: Changes: Today let’s talk about changes, in one of two ways. Either tell us what you’d most like to see change about diabetes, in any way. This can be management tools, devices, medications, people’s perceptions, your own feelings – anything at all that you feel could use changing. OR reflect back on some changes you or your loved one has seen or been through since being diagnosed with diabetes. Were they expected or did they surprise you?
Today’s topic, Changes, couldn’t be more timely for me. I’m preparing for yet another big change in terms of my diabetes medical team and, ultimately, my diabetes management.
I had a visit with my primary doctor yesterday afternoon for a routine followup and to get results for the lab work that I had done last week. For the most part, the results were good. My A1c was 7.5 this time, down from 8.5 at the beginning of the year. And that’s great considering all that I’ve been dealing with since then. But my fasting numbers are still a problem.
Since I’m still struggling with those numbers, I asked my doctor about trying the new Toujeo insulin, which is basically a stronger version of the Lantus that I currently use. I’m taking far more Lantus at night than I’m comfortable with and it’s not doing much for me. So, I thought perhaps the new, stronger Toujeo might help me both lower my numbers and reduce the amount of insulin I’m taking overall.
Unfortunately, the doctor hadn’t read up on it yet, so she wasn’t prepared to prescribe it to her patients yet. And I was OK with that. As I said, she’s my primary care doctor. And while she treats patients with type 2 diabetes all the time, it isn’t her specialty. And more advanced treatments aren’t in her wheelhouse. And, well, most of her type 2 patients aren’t my age, they aren’t as informed and empowered, and they certainly don’t question things as I do either.
What she was prepared to do, though, was refer me to someone with more experience. An endocrinologist who is part of the same medical group. So, after six and a half years of working with my primary doctor to manage my type 2 diabetes, I’m going to be transitioning to working with an Endo instead. My first appointment is on July 13.
Admittedly, I’m a bit nervous about this change. Switching doctors is always a stressful thing, but I’m trying to be optimistic about this change and hoping that it will be for the best. Time will tell.
And you know, while this is the first time I’ve changed the doctor overseeing my diabetes care, it’s certainly not the first time I’ve asked for a change in medications.
My medications have changed a lot in six and a half years. From one failed oral medication to another, then another, then another. When I tired of trying those, I asked about taking the plunge with Byetta, and later Lantus. When the Byetta stopped working, I asked for Victoza. And eventually, I asked about added fast acting insulin for meal times. I started with Novolog, and later changed to Humalog due to an insurance issue. So asking my doctor about Toujeo really wasn’t a big deal at all. Not for me anyway. And I will pursue that option when I meet with the new doctor.
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned for sure, it’s that in life with diabetes, the only constant is change.
My Diabetic Heart 