Diabetes Care for Adults!!

[Chase's mom]

Is no where near as good as it is for children. My father is Type 2 but is also on insulin.My son is type 1 as of July 06, Why is this that the adults kinda just get pushed aside.:confused: :confused:

[Kirsten]

Hi Kathy,

My husband is T2 and goes to Joslin as does my son who is T1. My son is followed a little more closely, but I feel they get equivalent care. I encourage my husband to make his appointments, eat right, and exercise, but I have much less control over the treatment of his diabetes than my son's for obvious reasons.:rolleyes:

Kirsten

[deafmack]

Is no where near as good as it is for children. My father is Type 2 but is also on insulin.My son is type 1 as of July 06, Why is this that the adults kinda just get pushed aside.:confused: :confused:

I think it is expected that many adults will just get the information themselves and many do not know where to go. I belong to the American with Diabetes Association that has some wonderful forums and message boards and hosts of teaching materials. Most adults do just get shoved to the side and it is too bad. I think that it should not matter the age that a person gets diabetes, they should good attention and treatment that is better than decent.

[kel4han]

I learned this the hard way myself, being diagnosed Type I at age 28. Even though I have always been thin in good shape, I was assumed type 2 because of my age at onset. I was placed on pills, without any concern to my blood work, C peptide, antibodies, A1c etc.

After a month of this, consistantly fasting in the 230's and after meal numbers in the 380's I decided I couldnt continue feeling like this and researched everything then demanding blood work. They got back my labs with positive GAD antibodies, and they told me over the phone they would call in an RX for insulin and did I have any questions!!!!!!!WHAT!?? I think it is assumed adults with onset are type 2, so they figure if you would get off your "lazy" butts and diet and excersize you are good to go. Period. They think, stop eating too much sugar. ridiculous.

For anyone. Type 1 or 2. Its sad the stigma attached to adult diabetics. 90% of people, and medical people as well, have no idea the difference between 1 and 2 I believe. People all the time ask us what can our kids eat, so that explains how the world views this ugly disease.

[lilituc]

This is so true! For both Type 1 and Type 2. I think Type 2 in general is seriously undertreated. When I was first diagnosed, Endo #1 told me I was Type 2 simply because of my age (27). He kept telling me my high blood sugars were "great" and that everything was fine. I think there is something seriously wrong when so many people in the medical establishment seem to not care if a Type 2 has high blood sugars. Yes, there are certainly people who won't treat it, but I wanted to and was refused and I have heard the same story from many other people. Endo #1 wouldn't give me medication, even when I was down to 25 grams of carbs daily, exercising two hours a day, and my bg was still going up. He just kept saying I was "doing great." I could go off on a little tangent here about how accurate info about diabetes just isn't out there like inaccurate info is, because I did try to research it, but I won't.

Anyway, after I got a new endo and was suddenly considered an adult Type 1, the problems weren't over. I moved to Seattle from Tucson, went to see a highly-recommended GP, and explained everything to him about my progression. I wasn't yet taking a basal insulin. A couple months later, my c-peptide dropped and my fasting readings went way up. I went to see the GP, explained that it was time for me to go on Lantus, and he said...no. He refused to give it to me! At that point I was taking 11-13 injections of Novolog every day, but he apparently thought it wouldn't be time until I stopped making insulin and went into DKA like "everyone does" at diagnosis. Since I wasn't seeing a new endo for another couple months, I had to see my old endo in Tucson to get Lantus. I've been dragging my feet on getting a new GP because I'm so tired of trying to explain that yes, adults can have Type 1, and then LADA does actually exist and...yeah. I have a friend in med school right now who has Type 1, and it sounds like the new doctors coming out are not going to have much more a clue, either. :( She is trying, though.

[deafmack]

This is so true! For both Type 1 and Type 2. I think Type 2 in general is seriously undertreated. When I was first diagnosed, Endo #1 told me I was Type 2 simply because of my age (27). He kept telling me my high blood sugars were "great" and that everything was fine. I think there is something seriously wrong when so many people in the medical establishment seem to not care if a Type 2 has high blood sugars. Yes, there are certainly people who won't treat it, but I wanted to and was refused and I have heard the same story from many other people. Endo #1 wouldn't give me medication, even when I was down to 25 grams of carbs daily, exercising two hours a day, and my bg was still going up. He just kept saying I was "doing great." I could go off on a little tangent here about how accurate info about diabetes just isn't out there like inaccurate info is, because I did try to research it, but I won't.

Anyway, after I got a new endo and was suddenly considered an adult Type 1, the problems weren't over. I moved to Seattle from Tucson, went to see a highly-recommended GP, and explained everything to him about my progression. I wasn't yet taking a basal insulin. A couple months later, my c-peptide dropped and my fasting readings went way up. I went to see the GP, explained that it was time for me to go on Lantus, and he said...no. He refused to give it to me! At that point I was taking 11-13 injections of Novolog every day, but he apparently thought it wouldn't be time until I stopped making insulin and went into DKA like "everyone does" at diagnosis. Since I wasn't seeing a new endo for another couple months, I had to see my old endo in Tucson to get Lantus. I've been dragging my feet on getting a new GP because I'm so tired of trying to explain that yes, adults can have Type 1, and then LADA does actually exist and...yeah. I have a friend in med school right now who has Type 1, and it sounds like the new doctors coming out are not going to have much more a clue, either. :( She is trying, though.

I live in Seattle too. You are right about the ignorance of the medical community. Are you going to the Diabetes Expo on April 21st at the Qwest Field Event Center? It is put on by the American Diabetes Association

[lilituc]

Are you going to the Diabetes Expo on April 21st at the Qwest Field Event Center? It is put on by the American Diabetes Association

I am planning to. They sent me tickets in the mail, so I might as well. I think I might have rather gone to the Portland one, though. Parking is going to be interesting.