I have had adult onset diabetes for about 15 years. When I was diagnosed by my primary care doctor, he said, “You are diabetic. See you in three months.” No instruction was given on anything, not even a prescription! When I saw him on the next visit, he asked, “How is your diabetes doing?” I replied, “I don’t know, since you did not give me any instruction.” He said he would not have done that, but I replied, “You did.” And we parted ways.

I then found a new primary care doctor who I had heard was doing well with diabetics. He started me on meds, no insulin, and I was doing pretty well. At one point he even mentioned that I could be his poster patient! He had an autistic son and he moved to another state to find better care for his son. So the search was on again for a new doctor.

When a new young doctor joined the family practice group I went to, I started seeing him. I really enjoyed how he would spend quality time during my medical appointments, not rush in and out with patients. My A1C numbers started to climb, my weight started climbing, and my sugar levels were climbing to the point where I was to have surgery for a removable benign tumor and they refused to due surgery since my blood sugar was too high! Later, I was able to have surgery.

For the last year, though, my primary care doctor was very concerned about my A1C climbing to almost 11%! He had tried different meds with me for some time with no success! He then started having me see an endocrinologist. After two visits in 2016, I knew this doctor was not for me. She had moved offices and didn’t even bother to call or mail me about changing office locations! When I went to the three-month follow up, I had first appointment of the day. There was no one at the office, doors were locked, with no lights on. This was the third floor of a medical building. Some lady was walking laps and finally asked me if I was there to see the endocrinologist. When I replied, “Yes,” she told me the office had moved!

When I saw my primary care doctor I told him I needed a different endocrinologist. He said that the doctor had actually recently shut her office down! Again no letter or phone call! So he said I would need to go to another group about 25 miles away. I really enjoy the new doctor who is a young PA with the primary endocrinologist. She also spends as much time as needed with me. Also they have a dietitian on staff that works with me.

I had my three-month follow up today and she gave me a high five! My A1C was 6%! I have officially lost 29 pounds. I have only had one blood sugar spike of 165 [mg/dL]. My new numbers are in the normal blood sugar range with two times where it dropped into the 50s.

All I have been doing is counting calories. Also she has me on Victoza. I have had four bad episodes with the med but they encourage me, call me and she has had me reduce the victoza doseage starting today. I was on Novolog, Levimer, Trajenta, metformin, Jardiance, and Victoza. Currently, my Novolog has been reduced to a sliding scale, metformin reduced from 3 a day of 750mg to 3 a day of 500mg, Trajenta eliminated, and Victoza reduced. All from just counting calories. I see the dietitian in two weeks to talk about carbs and protein.

Have I been eating perfect? No! But am making changes. Am I exercising? No, not as I would like to. Am I doing all I can? No, but I will take my success and continue to try and do better.

I think my key for this success is finding the right doctors that clicked for me!

Larry Wineland