I went to my regular check up with my endocrinologist earlier this week. Typically these appointments are good ego boosters for me. Most of the time I spend at the appointment is consumed with the doctors and residents telling me that I'm the ideal diabetic (if there is such a thing). I've been told that I'm the most controlled diabetic probably every time I have ever been to the doctor - including the one this week. However, now my doctor (and especially his nervous resident) are concerned that it's too good to be true. I regularly have "lows," or low blood sugar levels. My target blood sugar level is between 85 and 110 mg/dL and I drop into the 30's on a regular basis. I am always fine, but the problem is that I have an inability to sense that my blood sugar level is low, which means that I don't always fix it quickly, which ultimately can end up to be dangerous. The good news is that I or someone else has always caught the low and there haven't been any real problems. Long story short (or not so short) I now get to change my insulin regime, see if I can get rid of some of the lows. I have nine months to fix it or the doctor is going to make me undergo screening for Addison's disease which, for numerous reasons, I'm almost positive I don't have.
Addison's disease is another autoimmune disease of the endocrine system. Basically, the body of a person with Addison's doesn't produce enough steroids (there are various kinds depending on which type of Addison's you have). It can be treated pretty easily, I think, with the addition of those steroids through pills.
http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/addison/addison.htm
The most depressing thing is that diabetes and Addison's don't get along well because the treatment for Addison's causes blood sugar levels to be really hard to control.
Even though I don't think I have Addison's, I wish I wouldn't have told the doctor to wait. Now that he's concerned that I have it - the more I think about it the more I'm concerned that I have it. It's the hypochondriac in me. And, if I knew for sure, then I wouldn't be worrying for no reason! Hopefully this new insluin regime works and I can be certain it's the diabetes and not Addison's causing my lows!
3 comments:
I hope it isn't Addison's either, because that would be a medical management nightmare. I am sure it is just because you are SOOOOO GOOD at regulating your sugars. And, if your that worried about it, call him back and say you just want the test now. I am sure he wouldn't object and then you would have a clear conscious.
I was always suspicious that there was something more wrong with you. I just always thought it was a psych problem. Hmm. Just kidding, we love you and I'm sure it's like Jen said, that it's just that you do such a great job controlling your diabetes. Good luck with the new regime.
I know I'm a little slow but I just read this! Did you ever find out what was up with the way you were feeling? When I read it all I kept thinking was how Jeff used to have all sorts of problems but then they got him on some new medicine which made him a LOT better. So probably they just need to find something new that your body likes too. But that's just my uneducated opinion :)
But it got me thinking...how did you find out you had diabetes? Obviously you were tested but...what did you experience that caused you to be tested? Just curious.
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