Re: Testing and Strips

[Guest guest]

If your doctor won't give you a prescription for strips, I would seriously

consider changing doctors. Some of them have forgotten that they're not

God. Who is he to say that you can't monitor your own health??

Robin G.

>

>Reply-To: diabetes_int

>To: <diabetes_int >

>Subject: Testing and Strips

>Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 07:57:37 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

>

>well, heres my latest news.

>My doctor told me that he wanted my readings to be at 125 or lower. For

>several days I was getting readings in the lower 120's all day. and I

>finally thought that my bs was becoming stable . So yesterday, I decided to

>try testing one cup of bran cereal with about four ounces of milk for

>breakfast with no sugar.

>My reading on fasting was 125..two hours later it was 247! I ate salami for

>lunch thinking that just protein would bring it down. Well, it did to

>82..so I dranked a 8 oz glass of v8 juice 10 carbs for 8 oz, and made some

>scrambed eggs and ate a small piece of candy. It brought my bs back up to

>106..I really had a bad day yesterday but I learned from it. When my sugar

>dropped to 82 I felt very sleepy and layed down ..I didn't know it was that

>low. I thought that I wasn't feeling right so I checked it.My Bs was 122

>this morning.

>ok..I had to almost beg my doctor to give me the maximum amout of strips.

>He didn't want to but the insurence company was very willing to let me have

>all I needed. Finally, he called in 300 strips but told me that this is

>only temporary. I don't understand his attitude because its not money out

>of his pocket. I have to pay a co payment of 15.00 for each box of 100

>strips.

>Sorry this is so long but I haven't posted for a few days.

>Like I mentioned above, V8 juice has only 10 carbs per 8 oz and I can

>tolerate this..maybe some of you can too if you like it.

>Patsy

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Patsy- Thanks for the info on the V8 juice. I might give it a try. I can

not tolerate milk or oatmeal. I had a 8 oz glass of milk a while back

(4/5/01) and went up to 211 and felt sweaty. Same with oatmeal although it

didn't make me sweaty- just high bg's. Because I started with such high bg's

(hbA1c of 11.7= average 291 bg) I used to feel sick at lower number like

120. Now I am waking up with much lower fasting numbers. This morning was

the lowest ever - 85. For the last week its been like 90- 105. Now I feel

fine at 85!

My dr had no problem giving me the maximum strips. For me that is 200 a

month covered by insurance and I have to pay 20.00 co pay for the 200. That

is less then 7 tests a day. I test much more then that. Like 10-12 times

(esp if I am trying new foods). I don't understand your dr's attitude. It is

no skin off his back. I did take my diabetic notebook in to show my dr when

and why I was testing and she was actually impressed with my charting etc.

She was also blown away when I lowered my hbA1c from 11.7 to 6.7 in less

then 8 weeks.

One thing I found out is that each time I take a prescription in the 30 days

start from that day. I made the mistake of (when I ran out and bought some

on my own money) of not going back to refill the script till the ones I

bought had run out. I should have gone immediately on day 30 and refilled

the script as I lost out on over a week of paid for strips. (Don't know if I

am making clear what I mean) Anyway, now I write on my calendar when the 30

days are up and hustle in to refill that very day.

I don't know why they limit anyway. Seems strips are cheaper the

amputations!

<<well, heres my latest news.

My doctor told me that he wanted my readings to be at 125 or lower. For

several days I was getting readings in the lower 120's all day. and I

finally thought that my bs was becoming stable . So yesterday, I decided to

try testing one cup of bran cereal with about four ounces of milk for

breakfast with no sugar.

My reading on fasting was 125..two hours later it was 247! I ate salami for

lunch thinking that just protein would bring it down. Well, it did to 82..so

I dranked a 8 oz glass of v8 juice 10 carbs for 8 oz, and made some scrambed

eggs and ate a small piece of candy. It brought my bs back up to 106..I

really had a bad day yesterday but I learned from it. When my sugar dropped

to 82 I felt very sleepy and layed down ..I didn't know it was that low. I

thought that I wasn't feeling right so I checked it.My Bs was 122 this

morning.

ok..I had to almost beg my doctor to give me the maximum amout of strips. He

didn't want to but the insurence company was very willing to let me have all

I needed. Finally, he called in 300 strips but told me that this is only

temporary. I don't understand his attitude because its not money out of his

pocket. I have to pay a co payment of 15.00 for each box of 100 strips.

Sorry this is so long but I haven't posted for a few days.

Like I mentioned above, V8 juice has only 10 carbs per 8 oz and I can

tolerate this..maybe some of you can too if you like it.

Patsy>>

[Guest guest]

> My dr had no problem giving me the maximum strips. For me that is 200 a

> month covered by insurance and I have to pay 20.00 co pay for the 200.

That

> is less then 7 tests a day. I test much more then that. Like 10-12 times

> (esp if I am trying new foods). I don't understand your dr's attitude. It

is

> no skin off his back. I did take my diabetic notebook in to show my dr

when

> and why I was testing and she was actually impressed with my charting etc.

> She was also blown away when I lowered my hbA1c from 11.7 to 6.7 in less

> then 8 weeks.

***, you have done such a great job!! I think docs just don't get to

see this kind of motivation very often - at least that's what mine says.

Barb

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 06/27/2001 10:29:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

jtbolen@... writes:

> Cereal and milk both have quite a few carbs, even without sugar, and many or

> most of us find they cause high spikes. I just avoid them completly.

>

I found a good alternative to this, I love cereal in the morning, so I got

that keto cereal, and used diluted heavy cream and splenda, bg only went up 7

points and that was with no insulin. Wanted to see how much of a rise it has.

carol

[Guest guest]

,

I think doctors in general get a bad rap on this list. I believe that

most doctors give their recommendations based on what they hope to be able

to expect people to do. I don't think they expect their patients to take

everything they say as being carved in stone. Sometimes I think we may take

things too literally and then call the doc a quack for having said it. My

nutrionist recommended a 1500-1800 calorie diet for me (due to my size). Of

course if I ate that much, not only would I not lose weight but I would

gain. I know this about my body. She doesn't. What she gave me was a

guideline. I am not going to call her a quack because she was off base. My

doc told me that my after meal BG's shouldn't go over 140. Of course both

he and she are thrilled that they rarely even get close to that. What they

gave me at 140 was a guideline based on what they have historically been

able to expect from their current patients. I consider it to be too high.

But I still don't consider him a quack for telling me that. I think we need

to give some of them a break. Of course you do have those who have

legitimately earned the title of " quack " .

Kim

>I have a hard time identifying with the complaints about doctors on this

>and

>other lists. Maybe its because mine is so open. Grabner

_________________________________________________________________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

[Guest guest]

Carol,

Where are you from? Most of the docs I have encountered in my neck of the

woods are pretty knowledgeable. I am in Ohio...the Cleveland area. We have

some pretty darn good institutions here and the expectations from the

medical profession are pretty high. Or maybe you have just had some really

bad luck.

If you have had to educate your doctor that much. Maybe it is time to

switch doctors again and hell....maybe you ought to go into the profession

and become a doc yourself. If you know more than they do then you are ahead

of the game. I'd go for it.

Kim

>No, this isn't true, they give only what they know. They are mostly as a

>rule, cluelesss when it come to diabetes management. I work with dr's >and

>my own dr I've had to educate on certain drugs, and management both >on my

>diabetes and crohns disease, osteoporosis, and muscle and joint >disease

>and pain control. Plus every drug I get I talk in length

>with my pharmacist because the dr has no idea about it. Try calling >your

>dr and asking about a drug you're on, ask about

>interactions, they say call the pharmacist, the dr should know this,

> >they're supposed to know by law or they're not supossed to prescribe it.

>I was in extreme bone pain, I had to ask for a xray, and a referrel to a

>rheumatologist. If I did not know more than my dr's I would have >gotten

>very poor care, thats a fact and many people on many lists are >reporting

>this, it isn't a rap, its a fact. I've changed dr's so many >times, it

>doesn't matter, they as a rule are mostly outdated, and are >not getting

>educated.

>carol

_________________________________________________________________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

[Guest guest]

Carol,

I believe you took me all wrong. My intent wasn't to be rude. What I was

trying to say (but I guess I didn't say it right) was " If they are such

yahoos, then it would be good for them if you got a degree and showed them

all up " . Maybe it would make them think.

I wasn't really making a " serious " statement. Sort of like, my cousin is

a secretary in a law office where all the attorneys they have there are

always seeking her assistance. She knows more than they do about most

stuff. I am always telling her to go out and get the degree and take over

the office and they can all work her her.

Sorry if I offended you.

Kim

> > If you have had to educate your doctor that much. Maybe it is time to

> > switch doctors again and hell....maybe you ought to go into the

>profession

> > and become a doc yourself. If you know more than they do then you are

> > ahead

> > of the game. I'd go for it.

> >

>

>No, the fact is dr's take advantage of people who are not medically

>knowledgeable, and I resent you saying just to go be a dr, very rude!!!

>Everyone else I've told this to were at the very least sympathetic to my

>problem,and I alredy said I changed dr's many times.

>I can't go outside my insurance plan, but thats doesn't concern you.

>Makes you think doesn't it? that the real issue here.

>No need to be rude

>carol

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Carol (astrocarly) has unsubscribed.

Barb

> Carol,

> I believe you took me all wrong. My intent wasn't to be rude.