26 Comments
Have you ever used a professional (outside your T1D healthcare team) to review your diabetes data, adjust settings, and/or insulin ratios?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
© 2023 T1D Exchange. All Rights Reserved.
I used IDS (Integrated Diabetes Services) when I started on CIQ during the pandemic. It was very helpful.
I am very comfortable making adjustments myself. I am a nurse and pay attention to my numbers. If seem off for a few days may adjust basal.
I have a nutritionist and physical fitness coach who specializes with type 1 athletes.
Yes, I was involved with a monthly Diabetes group with a T1D Doctor, in charge. We learned a great deal from her with new products and insulin, Afrezza. I eventually left my Doctor and started seeing her until she got overwhelmed with too much on her plate. I miss her expertise immensely.
I have not because I’m on MDI- however my Endo has told me that if I ever want to switch to an insulin pump they’ll have the pharma rep who sells the pump handle everything including training. I’m NOT comfortable with this.
I have another specialists at Cleveland clinic who is treating a metabolism disorder that impacts T1d.
I said yes, because about five years ago I was part of the clinical trial for Tandem’s Control IQ and the study team had some top notch Diabetes Educators and one of them helped me tweek my pump settings monthly to take advantage of the Control IQ algorithm. I miss the expertise.
I wasn’t part of the Tandem trial… but, boy, I wish I were! My Control IQ experience wasn’t good and I ended up stopping its use.
I am participating in a trial right now and the doctor is SO amazing. I’ve gotten lots of good info from him. I think there’s a chance I’ll be able to get back on Control IQ with them.
I have a nutritionist and sports physio. I also see a functional medicine doctor and he looks at them too.
Aren’t most of us “a professional” at this? ; D
All I can say is “And how!” 😊✌️
Just my pump trainers over the years.
I said “no” ut that I’d like to. Mainly because the Endo practice I have to use (HMO) has such a low opinion of PWD’s (of any type of D). They seem to operate from the presumption (and they are presumptious) that anyone Dx’d with any type of D MUST be Dx’d with 3 co-morbidities: Stupidity, Laziness, and a Propensity to Lie. I’ve been told that it is “impossible for someone like me to have such good labs”, implying (and asking) who submitted their arm at the lab. I’m stuck there, but I would love to have an eminent ENDO pro set them straight, telling that Endo practice that it is possible for PWD’s to do well, to be engaged, and to be intelligent. I usually get the Endo I have to use to shut up after giving hard copies of my CGM/Tandem reports. You can’t fudge on those. GRRRRR
I’m so sorry for that Kristina! I know what you mean, though.
And, I’m glad the reports shut them up!! What you are doing is hard, but maybe it will eventually get this stupid mindset of the practice to change!
This reply is to Karen, Thank you! I did promise to bring my Mensa card to the next appt. There was no “next appt”, I got transferred to another Endo who is showing himself to be “trainable”. BTW, it’s my mother’s Mensa card, if I hold it right, you can’t see the different first names. She advised me not to join – it was a gathering of old white guys, very full of themselves!
Hello Kristina, We can do many things, but stopping STUPID outright is never pleasant! The stupidity you describe is NOT too common, but is a severe bias clearly bordering on medical incomitance. Tell them exactly what you said here… exactly how you said it. Fighting full blown ignorance of this type is tragically required sometimes. You know what you call doctors, nurses who graduate at the bottom of their classes??? DOCTOR-NURSE ; D You are not alone in this. Crush the bugs of their ignorance & stupidity… it will feel good.
When I as a child my primary dr did before I started with an endocrinologist
I have an old friend from my older support group that helps me often with a lot of the technical details of all the electriconic equipment we are now using.
Yes, I used a Naturopathic Doctor who also happened to have diabetes. It was very helpful at the time.
If I could afford it, I would. Unfortunately, I lack the resources to take on any additional expenses.
I have fatigue, I don’t think my team can give me a strait answer as to why. They say labs are normal and can’t diagnose a cause
Unfortunately, yes! Before he became “famous” the only local “expert” on the tech, I got referred. He is/was not a medical doctor of any kind. The doctors LITERALLY did not know how to adjust anything on it, literally?!?! So off I went… nice guy, but a SEVERE tech bias, i.e. how he makes his living!!!! He loved “it”, I loathed it. I kept my mouth shut (sealed) and choked on my hatred… after a year and a half keeping silent, the A1C had climbed nearly 5 points, so I said NO more… go away, and take your tech garbage with you. The A1C came down immediately there after… tech and severe micromanagement is NOT the answer.
I have used Practice Better who are all certified dieticians and also diabetics. And really help me a lot.
I have many friends with diabetes, some also health care professionals, and we occasionally help each other by bouncing ideas about adjustments.
I participated in a study, that first provided me with Dexcom G6, evaluating the benefits of online coordination of T1D guidance. They provided me with a great deal of “new” information and they coordinated with my healthcare team.
There was an NP at my old endo’s office who helped me get my blood sugars where I wanted them. Unfortunately, my endo at the time wanted them higher, and so, when that NP left the practice, I lost out. I could not find out where the NP went, so I ended up changing endos. It has taken me 3 other doctors to finally find one who is working with me to get the control I want. I wish there was someone outside the medical practice field who I could have talked to!