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How do you advocate for your diabetes goals/priorities with your care team?
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I said “Other”.
Most times, I’m content to go to visits and review my blood test results, get my scripts renewed, and I’m on my way.
Occasionally, if there are concerns or symptoms that I want to discuss I will bring them up during the visit. Sometimes, I write them down ahead of time if there are a few issues, or if it will be a while before my visit, and I don’t want to forget about the issue.
I answered “other”. I have two primary goals: A1c under 7% (preferably 6.5%) and TIR of 80% or more. I mention those goals occasionally but not at every appointment. I assume that my diabetes care providers understand this and don’t need to be reminded every time.
I said other because it’s changed over time. In the beginning when it was all new, we were soaking up info and we presented lots of questions and our own goals.
We got what we could from the doctors, educators, dieticians, etc. in terms of information and technology. But we quickly learned that many of the medical professionals would not share what they considered to be our aggressive goals and would actually criticize an A1c of 6.0 for being “too low”, so we just moved into ‘smile and nod’ mode. We try to speak as little possible about diabetes at non-endocrinology appointments. We don’t really have to ‘advocate’ with the endocrinologist as she knows our priorities and while she does not entirely endorse our approach, she does support us.
Again talking about goals. My goal, obviously, is to be as healthy as I can be.
I always have a list of priorities and goals ready for my endo to review. This question should have been “Select all that apply”. I also email or call the office as well as listen to my endo’s recommendations as I may have missed an important management goal.
I keep a list in my phone of issues or questions that I want to discuss with my endo. I see her quarterly. I also keep track of my test results and A1C in that same list.
Sometimes I don’t have any specific issues. The basic goals are simply to keep things in check and avoid the lows. My endo is fantastic and she lets me be human and “live a little” to enjoy life. I really can’t ask for anything more.
Goals? My care team only talks about keeping my BG lower. It seems they only really review the last couple of weeks of my data. No one has ever talked about long-term goals.
I have a great Endo that allows me to text him when I have a concern with how my body is reacting to different things. Or when I have unusual low blood sugars or high blood sugars. We try to sort it out and sometimes we can fix it and sometimes we can’t. It’s a guessing game either way. But at least he’s there to to read my concerns and responds.
I was looking for the response option “While I know my support team is there for me, I am primarily independent in setting goals and managing priorities.” I get my labs and am interested to hear from my endo about the latest science and tech, but otherwise set my own goals.
I upload – via T-Connect – my pump and CGM data everyh month WHen it is time for a phone appt (I prefer those) the Endo “pulls” up the data and we can talk about whatever I often have to defend my aggressive T1D mgt, reminding them that I believe I deserve the “good labs and TIR” I remind them that I am smart, I’ve been doing this for over 40 years, and I am both willing and able to do the work it entails. Thanks goodness for the T-Connect reports, they “prove” that my A1C isn’t the result of very high bg’s offset by very low bg’s. Sometimes I feel like opening the conversations with “Oh, ye of little faith…”
I both attend appts and try to remember my priorities or I email. If I forget to ask something at an appt I email later.
I never really think of short or long term goals. I go to my appointments with a list of questions or ideas that I want to discuss with my diabetes P.A.
I have a short list of question time I visit my endo.
#1 – How do I stay my healthiest and fittest?
#2 – How do I need to modify my diet and/or insulin/carb ratio to achieve my BG goals during exercise like tennis, running, or weight lifting.
#3 – What additional tests can help me understand how my system (my body) is doing and what I can do better.
My goal is simply to live a healthy life with this disease. For me, this depends more on mental health practices (such as meditation and self-compassion) than diabetes goals specifically.
I used to use website portal to send & receive emails. But right now having trouble accessing.
I don’t feel insurance allows my care team to spend the time I might want to go over goals/priorities.
I come to my visits with a list of items and also communicate with my team between visits. By doing both, I am able to stay on top of my goals and keep myself on track.