recently i had doctor appointments to address some of my health issues; my recent diagnosis with type 2 diabetes, and my ongoing struggle with my HS. i saw a endocrinologist to ensure that my treatment plan was sound, and a dermatologist to devise a plan to alleviate my HS.
i saw the endocrinologist first. actually, she was a CRNP in endocrinology. we discussed my diet and exercise program. there wasn't much to add or change, other than she recommended that i read my labels more carefully and she gave me guidelines on protein/carbohydrate ratios, plus some sample menus. i showed her the booklets i got from the dietician when i was pregnant, and the blood glucose app i have on my phone - that seemed to impress her. she checked my feet (they were fine, except for some cracked calluses) and they passed the tuning fork and fishing line tests (they tickled!) i told her about my numb toes and hand, and she didn't say much about them - could be PN, maybe not.
she also ordered blood work so i could get a proper a1c test (since my GP neglected to get one at my last blood draw) and also a baseline for my thyroid. the good news - my thyroid levels were normal. the bad news - my a1c was 6.6 (normal is 3.4-6.4), indicating that yes, i did have diabetes, but my numbers were just over the limit. so my situation isn't hopeless - with a lot of hard work, i can reverse this diagnosis. i left the appointment feeling hopeful.
i go back for a followup in the fall. and i got a new blood glucose meter out of it (apparently meters should be replace every couple of years, and mine is nearly 4 years old. who knew?)
the next day i got an emergency appointment with the derm. gigantor on my scar had shrunk but was still a bit tender, plus i have a few new boils on my legs and breasts. i was surprised to get an appointment so quickly as when i scheduled them in the past, i had to wait a few months to get in.
i wound up seeing a student doctor, who glanced at my boils and said they were waning and there wasn't much to do for them. no cortisone shot needed. i didn't seem to have a lot of boils, so she felt i didn't need to go on antibiotics yet (that was my fervent hope - a long course of antibiotics). instead she prescribed a benzoyl peroxide wash. yeah, that really helped me in the past. what i really wanted was the amber antibacterial wash i got after my c-section, and the small sample that my derm gave me years ago that i literally milked to the last drop. the supervising doctor barely glanced at me as well, and both explained that if i had an outbreak i should call ASAP so treatment could commence.
i quickly asked the doctor if my diabetes had something to do with my outbreaks, as did my hormones since it seemed that my worse outbreaks occurred during that time of the month. well, explained my doctor, diabetes could cause the HS, but there are perfectly healthy people with HS too. sure, my hormones might exacerbate the HS, but how to explain why men got it? HS affects both fat and thin people, young and old. no rhyme or reason. which is why HS sucks.
i left this appointment with more questions than answers. also feeling more frustrated. had this doctor not heard me? i told her i wanted to amber antibacterial wash, and i get something that will bleach my wash cloth and towel instead of healing the boil. i wanted antibiotics becos they seemed to be the only thing that truly shrank the boils, but she didn't want to go that far. now when i have another outbreak, i'll have to grovel for another appointment and pray that mom or dad can watch the kids so i can go to it.
and i'm not even going to go there with my allergist. i emailed him last week that my cough was back. i'm now 2 weeks into my sinus infection, i'm just as stuffy, i got gunk in my chest, i'm tired and i cough until i either wet myself of vomit (sometimes both). did he respond to my message? no. i pray his excuse is that he was on vacation, or that he was sick too. i'm fed up with being sick and exhausted. i've had it with this damn cough. i just want to be heathy. i don't ask for much. just to be healthy and active for my kids.
i saw the endocrinologist first. actually, she was a CRNP in endocrinology. we discussed my diet and exercise program. there wasn't much to add or change, other than she recommended that i read my labels more carefully and she gave me guidelines on protein/carbohydrate ratios, plus some sample menus. i showed her the booklets i got from the dietician when i was pregnant, and the blood glucose app i have on my phone - that seemed to impress her. she checked my feet (they were fine, except for some cracked calluses) and they passed the tuning fork and fishing line tests (they tickled!) i told her about my numb toes and hand, and she didn't say much about them - could be PN, maybe not.
she also ordered blood work so i could get a proper a1c test (since my GP neglected to get one at my last blood draw) and also a baseline for my thyroid. the good news - my thyroid levels were normal. the bad news - my a1c was 6.6 (normal is 3.4-6.4), indicating that yes, i did have diabetes, but my numbers were just over the limit. so my situation isn't hopeless - with a lot of hard work, i can reverse this diagnosis. i left the appointment feeling hopeful.
i go back for a followup in the fall. and i got a new blood glucose meter out of it (apparently meters should be replace every couple of years, and mine is nearly 4 years old. who knew?)
the next day i got an emergency appointment with the derm. gigantor on my scar had shrunk but was still a bit tender, plus i have a few new boils on my legs and breasts. i was surprised to get an appointment so quickly as when i scheduled them in the past, i had to wait a few months to get in.
i wound up seeing a student doctor, who glanced at my boils and said they were waning and there wasn't much to do for them. no cortisone shot needed. i didn't seem to have a lot of boils, so she felt i didn't need to go on antibiotics yet (that was my fervent hope - a long course of antibiotics). instead she prescribed a benzoyl peroxide wash. yeah, that really helped me in the past. what i really wanted was the amber antibacterial wash i got after my c-section, and the small sample that my derm gave me years ago that i literally milked to the last drop. the supervising doctor barely glanced at me as well, and both explained that if i had an outbreak i should call ASAP so treatment could commence.
i quickly asked the doctor if my diabetes had something to do with my outbreaks, as did my hormones since it seemed that my worse outbreaks occurred during that time of the month. well, explained my doctor, diabetes could cause the HS, but there are perfectly healthy people with HS too. sure, my hormones might exacerbate the HS, but how to explain why men got it? HS affects both fat and thin people, young and old. no rhyme or reason. which is why HS sucks.
i left this appointment with more questions than answers. also feeling more frustrated. had this doctor not heard me? i told her i wanted to amber antibacterial wash, and i get something that will bleach my wash cloth and towel instead of healing the boil. i wanted antibiotics becos they seemed to be the only thing that truly shrank the boils, but she didn't want to go that far. now when i have another outbreak, i'll have to grovel for another appointment and pray that mom or dad can watch the kids so i can go to it.
and i'm not even going to go there with my allergist. i emailed him last week that my cough was back. i'm now 2 weeks into my sinus infection, i'm just as stuffy, i got gunk in my chest, i'm tired and i cough until i either wet myself of vomit (sometimes both). did he respond to my message? no. i pray his excuse is that he was on vacation, or that he was sick too. i'm fed up with being sick and exhausted. i've had it with this damn cough. i just want to be heathy. i don't ask for much. just to be healthy and active for my kids.
Oh, I hope you feel better :( Dealing with doctors is so frustrating!
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