DiabeticDr

Hi everybody! Though I've had diabetes for 18 years and a computer for however long, this is, ashamedly, my first time on a forum. However, I have maintained a devout interest in all things diabetes for quite some time as manifest by my recent completion of medical school, research project in diabetes treatment and work as an after-hours tech support rep for Dexcom. I think my scholastic pursuits is my best excuse for not being here before. However, I'm eager to chat with and discuss all things related to diabetes and my training has given me a huge number of resources regarding all of the latest treatments and devices, as well as future innovations.

A little about me: I was diagnosed at age 11, and went through the gamut of different diabetes-related issues through childhood and adolescence. I had a healthy baby boy in 2004 and am expecting my 2nd baby on April 3rd! My current treatment is novolog via a Minimed pump (though I used to use Cozmo and preferred it), Dexcom CGM and symlin SQ. I'm anxious to chat with anyone with questions about these meds/treatments. I've only used a pump for 5 years and was reluctant to start (cosmetic reasons) - but am so glad I did!

Please tell me if this isn't the right place for this info - I don't know what I'm doing yet but promise to improve! I'm taking a year off before residency and hope to meet more people with diabetes to share and learn from each other!

Richard157

Welcome DDr. We are very fortunte to have a doctor in our midst. Congratulations on finishing medical school. Are you about ready to hang up your shingle now? Will it be in the Seattle area? i wish you the best of luck in your profession.

I was diagnosed with type 1 in 1945 when I was 6. I have been blessed with good health and I have only a few minor complications. I started pumping with the MM 522 pump in June, 2007. I have very good control with a blood glucose average in the 90's and an A1c of 6.1 at the present time. My standard deviation is too high to suit me. I am working on that.

You can offer a lot of assistance here. I hope you will be able to visit frequently!

Richard

Terrie

Hello There:

I'm Glad that you found us. Definitely ditto on what Richard said.

You will learn so much during your Residency. Some, you'll wish
you hadn't. Just be careful. If you are not sure about something
especially about prescribing drugs for someone(since you will be
allowed to do that because of the lack of Drs.)then ASK someone
higher up please.

Short story: -My immune system is totally suppressed because of 2
drugs I am on for my other chronic disease.- Also, I was dxd. with a
blood infection about 1 1/2 yrs. ago by a Dr. in the ER. I was put on
2 IV antibiotics fast drips, right after each other. He was called for an
Emergency and after a while a Resident was looking after me then.
She looked uncertain but then she prescribed me back up to 30 mgs.
of Prednisone and another antibiotic.

My other chronic disease had been doing better so I had told my
Rheumy that I was weaning myself down. I was down to 10 mgs.
from 30 mgs. A few days later, I think I saw smoke coming out of my
Rheumy's ears when I told him about the Pred. The Resident did totally
the opposite of what she should have done about the Pred.

I wish you the Best through your Residency. You will appreciate it
after the fact. You have chosen an honourable and Awesome Profession.

I certainly agree with what you said in your profile on controlling the
Diabetes and not letting it control us.

This I am curious about though. I don't understand what you mean by
it: I'm optimistic for the future of diabetes care and hope that the
national push for a socialized health care system doesn't jeopardize
these advancements for us as it has in other countries with socialized
medicine.

Congrats on your soon Graduation, your little Boy and your soon to be
little New One. You've done Very Well especially after all that you
have been through in your Life. Good Job!

Yes, you are in the right place.

DiabeticDr

Thanks Terrie! I'll remember your warning about residency though I have seen enough in my clinical training to know that residents can make HUGE mistakes with dire consequences! I'm sorry for your experience!

My statement about socialized medicine stems from an opinion expressed by several physicians that would like a socialized medical program who think that new drugs and technologies are a waste of money for the patient and health care system. Unfortunately, some people here in the U.S. believe that mediocre care for everybody is preferable to the ability to get excellent care when appropriate measures are taken. This faction of people feel that the cheapest drugs should be the mainstay of therapy for everyone and newer drugs should not even be made available. One physician told me he thinks that all people with diabetes should have their therapy based on a regimen of Regular and NPH because they are cheap and well studied and are "adequate" to keep patients from dying. This would eliminate the rapid acting insulin analogues and newer innovations like pramlintide which have made perfect control of blood glucose realistic for thousands of people with diabetes. It terrifies me to think that people want to "dumb down" the medical system and as a consequence, significantly sacrifice the treatment of diabetes and prevention of long-term complications.

Thats a bit of a soap-box and I apologize but I'm a huge fan of medical innovation and feel that my diabetes is in such great control today thanks only to these great advances.

DiabeticDr

Hi Richard and thanks! I won't be practicing for a few years - must complete residency and fellowship first. Way to go on great control and diabetes for so long! You mentioned an excellent HbA1c but a big standard deviation. I used to have the same problem. Regardless of what people say, rapid acting insulin analogues (while far superior to Regular insulin) just don't work quickly enough to cover a meal without a big lag time. When I eat a meal without taking Symlin, I usually have to bolus 1/2 hour-45 minutes prior to eating just to get the insulin working by the time the prandial/hepatic glucose spike starts.

I too used to have an HbA1c in the low 6's with a huge standard deviation. However, the standard deviation was greatly decreased by 2 things: pramlintide (Symlin) which really suppressed the post-prandial spike and CGM (which allowed me to react more quickly to glucose increases).

I'm a big fan of both and wish that more people with diabetes knew about them.

Terrie

Hi:

Thank you!

I went to Nursing College when I was 17/18, I've had Diabetes
for 46 years, severe RA for 24 years(and a few other conditions)
and I've been a Hospital guinea pig. All of our Hospitals are teaching
Hospitals(although we do have the choice to deny them. I never did).
Like you and many others, I've seen stuff that I wish I hadn't. Also
I've been a Victim of inexperience, 4 times. Three were new Nurses. Yippee!

Thank you also for explaining what you meant about Universal Health
Care System. I'm sorry to hear that that is some of the US Physcians
way of thinking. But it is only some right? That is not the way most of
our Physcians view Universal Health Care on this side of the border.

Although it is harder on the Physicians now since they are overwhelmed,
they've always viewed our Health Care as a means for every sick Person
to be seen and treated when necessary by a Doctor without being billed.

All our Citizens who make over a certain amount of money pay taxes
towards our Health Care System which we are Fine with. That way,
no one is turned away from Medical help.

I am curious(wish I was a fly on the wall)to see exactly what is Clinton
and Obama's ideas of Universal Health Care.

As far as medical innovation, the vast majority of Physicians here,
embrace it.

Thanks again. Off the soap-box.

I apologize for taking up space in your spot.