Guest guest Posted January 4, 2001 Report Share Posted January 4, 2001 Hi Kathleen, There are indeed some wonderful doctors out there. I work in a hospital and am pleased to know many of them. But there are a lot of gp's that know little about diabetes. There is a tremendous amount of information out there on many many illnesses and it is hard for these doctors who are working long hours as it is (a full day in their office usually, then to the hospital to see patients) and the reading and research time is hard to come by. Also, they were taught certain things years ago and still believe them to be true. The newer doctors are more up on current research, are computer literate and able much more quickly to access this info. The bottom line is that if you feel your doctor isn't giving you up to date information about any illness, you need to question it. We are all responsible for ourselves and need to research things - certainly we want to be able to depend on our doctors expertise but we also have to use some common sense and realize that GP's may not be up to the minute on all illnesses. . . and they do try. If you're going to an endocrinologist or a diabetologist, thats a different story. They should be up on every crumb that is within their speciality. If your doctor tells you you are a " borderline diabetic " you should see a red flag. If he doesn't give you any type of guideline to follow regarding diet and exercise - red flag. If he doesn't recommend you get a meter and learn to use it, red flag. Ask if there are diabetes education classes available - if there are, he should have recommended it to you. The real problem is that most people don't know these things when they are first diagnosed, so if their doc isn't doing it, they don't know they're missing out and thats really a problem. Thank your lucky stars if you have a good doctor, because that sets you on the right course from the beginning which can make a big difference in y our health. Meenie > Just wanted to note, in defense of doctors, that mine has been wonderful. > My blood sugar was very, very high when first diagnosed. He put me in the > hospital for 36 hours to stabilize it. While there, all the nurses, > technicians and therapists were very helpful in teaching me what I needed to > know about diabetes and taking care of myself. I received training in use > of the glucometer and insulin injections; a diabetes educator came and spent > an hour with me, giving me a basic education in diabetes causes and care, > then giving me a diabetes " kit " with all I needed to get started, as well as > books that went over everything my diabetes educator had taught me. > Follow-up visits were scheduled with my doctor and my diabetes educator for > a few weeks following my hospitalization, just to make sure I was doing > alright. > > Even so, I've found this list to be very helpful and encouraging, and I > thank you all for sharing your questions and insights. > > Still learning and improving, > > Kathleen > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2001 Report Share Posted January 4, 2001 I have a wonderful doctor who takes the time to explain everything that I don't understand. Now, he typically is always behind in his schedule and I spend a lot of time waiting for him but I don't mind because I know that he is taking just as much time with the patient before me that I often need him to take with me. I never feel as if I am on an assembly line and he needs to get to the next patient. I was just diagnosed and he explained where ketones come from and how the body metabolizes the sugar, etc. (Actually gave me more info than I could really understand.) He also referred me to their nutrionalist with whom I have an appointment today. She will figure out what kind of diet that I need and help me to lay out an excercise plan. These two are part of the same office group and will work together. I really feel that I am in good hands. Of course, that doesn't mean that I haven't surfed the net and gone to the library doing research of my own. I am the type to use all the resources that are available to me, including newgroups like this one. Several of you have been very helpful thus far. Thanks group. Kim > >Reply-To: diabetesegroups >To: <diabetesegroups> >Subject: Re: Doctors >Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 12:46:35 -0500 > > >Hi Kathleen, >There are indeed some wonderful doctors out there. I work in a hospital and >am pleased to know many of them. But there are a lot of gp's that know >little about diabetes. There is a tremendous amount of information out >there on many many illnesses and it is hard for these doctors who are >working long hours as it is (a full day in their office usually, then to >the >hospital to see patients) and the reading and research time is hard to come >by. Also, they were taught certain things years ago and still believe them >to be true. The newer doctors are more up on current research, are >computer >literate and able much more quickly to access this info. >The bottom line is that if you feel your doctor isn't giving you up to date >information about any illness, you need to question it. We are all >responsible for ourselves and need to research things - certainly we want >to >be able to depend on our doctors expertise but we also have to use some >common sense and realize that GP's may not be up to the minute on all >illnesses. . . and they do try. >If you're going to an endocrinologist or a diabetologist, thats a different >story. They should be up on every crumb that is within their speciality. >If your doctor tells you you are a " borderline diabetic " you should see a >red flag. >If he doesn't give you any type of guideline to follow regarding diet and >exercise - red flag. >If he doesn't recommend you get a meter and learn to use it, red flag. >Ask if there are diabetes education classes available - if there are, he >should have recommended it to you. >The real problem is that most people don't know these things when they are >first diagnosed, so if their doc isn't doing it, they don't know they're >missing out and thats really a problem. >Thank your lucky stars if you have a good doctor, because that sets you on >the right course from the beginning which can make a big difference in y >our >health. > Meenie > > > > Just wanted to note, in defense of doctors, that mine has been >wonderful. > > My blood sugar was very, very high when first diagnosed. He put me in >the > > hospital for 36 hours to stabilize it. While there, all the nurses, > > technicians and therapists were very helpful in teaching me what I >needed >to > > know about diabetes and taking care of myself. I received training in >use > > of the glucometer and insulin injections; a diabetes educator came and >spent > > an hour with me, giving me a basic education in diabetes causes and >care, > > then giving me a diabetes " kit " with all I needed to get started, as >well >as > > books that went over everything my diabetes educator had taught me. > > Follow-up visits were scheduled with my doctor and my diabetes educator >for > > a few weeks following my hospitalization, just to make sure I was doing > > alright. > > > > Even so, I've found this list to be very helpful and encouraging, and I > > thank you all for sharing your questions and insights. > > > > Still learning and improving, > > > > Kathleen > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2001 Report Share Posted January 4, 2001 Hi Kim > I have a wonderful doctor who takes the time to explain everything that I > don't understand. that is wonderful, hang on to him! Now, he typically is always behind in his schedule and I > spend a lot of time waiting for him Boy don't we all? <G> but I don't mind because I know that he > is taking just as much time with the patient before me that I often need him > to take with me. I never feel as if I am on an assembly line and he needs > to get to the next patient. That is truly a good feeling, to have a doctor who will take time with each patient is a delight. I was just diagnosed and he explained where > ketones come from If he explained the difference between the ketones in DKA and the ketones in BDK then you really have a gem and how the body metabolizes the sugar, etc. (Actually > gave me more info than I could really understand.) Thats understandable at first... Its a lot to take in!! He also referred me to > their nutrionalist with whom I have an appointment today. She will figure > out what kind of diet that I need and help me to lay out an excercise plan. > These two are part of the same office group and will work together. I > really feel that I am in good hands. Of course, that doesn't mean that I > haven't surfed the net and gone to the library doing research of my own. I > am the type to use all the resources that are available to me Thats good that you are taking the time to research - there are always new things happening, you might find something you can take to your doctor , including > newgroups like this one. Several of you have been very helpful thus far. > Thanks group. I'm glad we can help > > Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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