refusing treatment
i find it hard to believe that you guys don’t go to the doctor for
treatment of your diabetes. i was diagnosed with diabetes at 8
years old in 1982. my diabetic doctor was great. she was at the
children’s hospital. she was very strict and in the 80’s until 1993
i saw her. in 1993 when i turned 19 the children’s medical center
told me i had to start going to adult hospitals and an adult
endocriniologist. while i was with my children’s medical center
doctor my A1c was in the 7’s. when i went to go see my first adult
endo. he walked in to my room and said to me….you don’t even look
diabetic. i walked out of the man’s office. from that point on i
saw my family doctor for my diabetes. from 19-27 my family doctor
took care of me. my diabetes went “out of control”. finally i went
to another endocrinologist and he got me off of my NPH and regular,
that i had been on from 1982-2001. he put me on lantus and regular.
this was in tampa florida. i moved back to dayton ohio and started
seeing the same family doctor again and told her i wanted to see an
endocrinologist, so she set up the appointment. this doctor took me
off of the regular insulin and put me on humalog. i did this for a
couple of months and then went to insulin pump. my A1c is now 6.2.
i thought i knew what i was doing all those years and i didn’t, i
don’t have any complications, but control is much better now. as
far as going low while driving your kids, keep some glucose tablets
in the car with you. most of us know when our blood sugar is going
low. so when you are feeling this just eat 3 glucose tablets to
bring your blood sugar up.
November 25th, 2004 at 12:25 pm
Jennifer,
I DO know how to take care of my diabetes. I am quite aware of the signs and symptoms of MOST diabetics having an insulin reaction. The problem arises when I have NO symptoms of one, and am only aware of it AFTER I have been stuck with glucagon. I have witnesses.
I feel it is completely unethical on the physician’s part to enforce me to keep my diabetes between 80 and 120. As stated in a previous post, this is asking for trouble in someone who has no symptoms of the low sugar. To withhold insulin from a diabetic is murder. Period.
I am truly glad that you are so well controlled, Jennifer. Do you exercise as well? I plan on it after I graduate nursing school.
Regards,
Joan
June 1st, 2005 at 6:34 am
Joan,
Just so you know, if you are on a medical hold, like I was, you do not have the right to refuse treatment.
–
All who see me jeer at me; they
toss their heads and sneer…
Oh God, my God, why have you
abandonded me?
–Psalm 22
June 4th, 2005 at 10:52 pm
Oh, I would be sooooo PI__ED! They did not teach us THAT in nursing school. How dare they?
Joan
July 3rd, 2005 at 4:56 pm
Lori,
I do the same thing. If I am concious enough after going super low, and that usually only takes 10 minutes, there is not a snowball’s chance that I am going to any ER. Even if I work in one, there is no way I am going to one. ew.
The only time the paramedic experience was good was when I opened my eyes to 4 really attractive ones in my bedroom.
Joan
July 4th, 2005 at 1:36 pm
As the one who started this thread, and as one looking for support in an incredibly hard time, it really hurts to be referred to as a fool.
I was very angry at the time, and I wanted to put my pump back on. That I was not allowed and was informed that I would take the lantus even if the security guards had to hold me down was NOT a fair call on the part of a doctor who spent less than 20 minutes with me.
–
All who see me jeer at me; they
toss their heads and sneer…
Oh God, my God, why have you
abandonded me?
–Psalm 22
July 7th, 2005 at 11:44 am
Lori,
I support you 100%. You are no fool, you know yourself better than any of the doctors, and, as Harry Truman would say, “Give ‘em hell, Lori!”
The docs are not supposed to be our enemies. And the nurses are supposed to be caring. Why, they even TEACH caring behaviors in nursing school! Some people have to graduate at the bottom of their class, though. I think you may have had one.
Joan
July 15th, 2005 at 7:30 pm
Lori,
I can only think of 2 reasons why hot tubs or baths MAY cause any kind of a problem…
1) They dilate the blood vessels causing blood pressure to drop dramatically. It can really take its toll when you stand up. That is orthostatic hypotension compounded by the already dilated blood vessels. If you are having a low sugar episode, and have lower blood pressure, then even less glucose is going to your brain cells. Hence the ‘hot tub combat.’
2) The chlorine in the hot tub or soap in the bathtub can break down the secretions in the female orifices, leading to bladder or feminine infections much more readily. That is why bubble baths are a big NO. These secretions are on the acidic side, and help to control the bacterial count in those areas. When they are gone, the bacteria from other places have a field day.
Sorry if this was TMI (too much information.) Too much info is WAY better than not enough.
But, thank you very much for sharing your story. It may be another idea to compile a bunch of these stories and publish them. If you are within a drive of Gatlinburg, TN, the next time we go to use our chalet there, I will let you know and you and your family are invited to join us. There is a hot tub there, and my hub knows exactly what to do if either of us gets goofy.
Joan
July 17th, 2005 at 7:49 am
Rob, you just called someone ’silly!’ Please, excuse me, but I have my doubts that you are 25.
J