I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not a huge fan of change. In fact, I don't even rearrange my living room. Having somethings the same as they always have is a sense of comfort to me.
That being said, there is one change related to my diabetes that would have given me a sense of comfort a whole lot sooner.
Better screening, testing, and diagnosing.
When I went into the doctor that Friday morning in 2004 with unexplained weight loss of 50lbs, she said it was probably thyroid but that we'd run some blood tests to see. They called me that afternoon and said I had to go back in that day. My blood sugar was 511 and my A1C was 11.2. I was given a prescription for metformin, an appointment to meet with a dietitian on Monday, and a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.
It took me 6 years and two doctor switches to get that corrected.
At the doctor's office that finally corrected my type, they ordered a c-peptide test and an anti-body test. My c-peptide test came back showing I had "less that 0.01% insulin production". In other words.. nothing, nada, zip, zilch.
The change I would like to see is better understanding of diagnosing the different types of diabetes by physicians. Don't assume because of some one's age (I was two days shy of 29) that they are automatically one type or the other.
I know that these tests aren't cheap. Trust me, I saw the insurance claim. But I also know that the amount of heartache and beating myself up because I couldn't do it right, isn't cheap either.
One test that IS cheap is a simple glucose finger stick or urine test.
How many stories have we heard of children being sent home with antibiotics because of some illness when it turns out to actually be diabetes? Way too many!
Better screening, testing, and diagnosing.
THAT is a change I could live with.
Yes! I would like to see that change as well!
ReplyDeleteIt's a simple, and I believe, very achievable change.
DeleteI am always amazed in this day and age how difficult it can be to get the correct diagnosis. About a year ago I read about a nanotech microchip test developed at Stanford University that will make the diagnosis of Type 1 easier and cheaper. As far as I know it is not on the market yet. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2014/07/researchers-invent-nanotech-microchip-to-diagnose-type-1-diabete.html
ReplyDeleteThat will be a great test! I can only hope that it will be available soon, if it isn't already.
DeleteTotally agree with everything you say here. We just want people to care enough to actually look for a diagnosis, rather than confirm what they think they know. Thanks for writing this.
ReplyDeleteIf we all got out of ourselves and be more open to everything around us, we would all be better off.
DeleteThis is a change I can really get behind! Misdiagnoses happen far too often...and for no justifiable reason whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteLaziness, pride, or something else along those lines seem to come to mind as reasons.. but certainly not justifiable reasons. I agree... misdiagnoses need to be reduced.
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