to Sandy

[Guest guest]

Sandy,

Yes, we have been web acquaintences, and then friends, for a long time! I

first ran across you on the gastro board, then through the PPN board, before

you even joined us at PAI, and I know you've always been one to share what

you knew and seek to learn what you didn't, always with honesty about the

extent of your knowledge.

I admire the way you've tackled these questions about diabetes and set up

your own program of self testing when you first thought their may be a

problem. You are not, and never have been, one to hide your head in the

sand when you uncover a problem, you've always tackled it head first and

armed yourself with knowledge to carry it through.

That 's why I hate that you had to be treated this way by that Endo, as though

you had no self knowledge and he was the only one who knew what was right

and whatever you said was ignored. There are good doctors out there, and if

anyone deserves to have one, it's you!

I remember well those months when you were doing all that walking every

day, on your modified calorie diet, and still not losing even one pound. That

in itself must have been so frustrating, to work that hard at it for so long and

not see one bit of weight loss. It's the most peculiar thing I've ever heard.

It's

almost as though you have some other underlying problem that's preventing

you from losing weight. Could any of your meds be the cause of your inability

to lose, and a cause of your most recent weight gain? Have you looked

closely at them and eliminated them as a cause? What are you taking on a

regular basis, and have you added anything new?

You are right in wanting to have a diet that is safe and healthy. They say that

the best " diet " is really to adapt a way of eating that is healthy and one that

you can stay on for the rest of your life - something as drastic as what that

doctor was recommending was not healthy and certainly never could have

been anything a person could have lived the rest of their lives on.......or

perhaps they could, if their life was cut short as a result....lol!

I've got my fingers crossed and my prayers already said for you to have some

success out of this whole affair, and that would be to find out that the new

Gastro that the other doctor recommends is one that can help you. If so, then

there's been some reward to having to deal with a jerk first, to find what you

really need. And remember, if the GI doctor isn't suitable, you don't have to

stick with him, but you need to meet him and talk with him first before you can

make any determination. I just hope that this other doctor isn't going to make

a referral to the GI doc conditional on your accepting to go on his diet and

following his directives, first. So when you meet with the Endo next, make

sure you get a name out of him for the GI, in case you end up having to

contact the GI on your own.

About my teeth, I'll tell you, Sandy, right now having something else to think

about and distract me from thinking about them is really the best thing, so

don't put that halo over my head when it's not due. These last couple of days

the upper front teeth have hurt so much that right now I just CAN'T WAIT to get

the whole thing over with! I could hardly eat dinner last night, and the only

reason I'm up this early this a.m. is because they woke me from my sleep,

hurting so bad. One has already come loose enough that it's pushing forward

in the gum and sticking out, and the other is trying to do the same, so they are

pinching the gums between them, thus making the whole front section sore. I

still have a whole week and a half to wait before the surgery, and I just hope I

can hold out that long. My BT meds are doing double-duty right now and

really haven't been that effective for tooth aches, but I don't know what else

to

do.

Please let us know how the next appointment goes, and what you think of the

new Gastroenterologist. Meanwhile, I hope you and your family enjoy a good

week and a pleasant Thanksgiving.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina Rep.

SE Regional Rep., PAI

Note: All comment or advice is based on personal experience or opinion, and

should not be substituted for consultation with a medical professional.