Just Wanted To Introduce Myself & Say "Thank You"

Pregnancy
1

Hi there!  I found this forum a few months ago, and am ever so grateful :)  I have been Type 1 since the age of 10, and am now 32.  My diabetes has always been under decent control (A1c around 7 my whole life since diagnosed, and have never been to the hospital for any reason since), but I have never found an endocrinologist that I could stand to see more than a few times (though I get along with dieticians and nurse educators just fine).  I have been managing with the care of my primary care physician with regular visits and blood/urine tests about every 3-4 months.

I guess the main reason I can't get along with endo's is that they always interrogate me (often to the point of tears).  They want numbers numbers numbers, and try to push the pump on me.  My primary doc tried to push the pump on me as well, and eventually realized it wasn't going to happen.  Thing is, I have met in person and talked online to people that love it, and also to people that hated it.  I don't feel I need it, and don't want it.  Knowing that my husband and I want to start a family soon, I know I have to go to and endocrinologist soon.

Knowing that, and reading in this forum, I decided to get my glucose levels down first.  A month and a half ago, I decided to try to keep my numbers below 120...this is tough for me as I can feel "low" at anything under 100, but I was determined.  I got different gauge needle that allow me to inject a 1/2 unit when needed, and reduced my starch intake.  I do not consider my diet low-carb (lots of fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, etc), but low starch.  I have probably only 3 servings of starch per day most days.  This makes my sugar levels more lever without any after-meal spikes.  Just got back my last blood test, and in that 1 1/2 months (which included a vacation!) I got it down to 6.3, so I expect the next test of 3 months will be even better :)

So...just wanted to say hello, and thank you all.  Hearing real people's accounts make me feel better about trying to conceive, as I have had the same fears everyone else here has had.  I never thought I wanted to have children at all, but having a wonderful, loving, "do anything for me" husband and partner (almost 10 years together!) has changed my mind.

Wish us luck at our first endocrinologist appointment coming up soon!

 

2

You've obviously found what works for you and are doing a great job.  If your doctor is good to work with and is knowledgable about diabetes, then there's no need to seek out an endo or other specialist.

Doctors are supposed to help us live our lives successfully with diabetes.  Some lose sight of that and expect their diabetic patients to be robots who live to count carbs and fill out log books.  While I think that's helpful in the first years after diagnosis or during a major life change like pregnancy, after decades of daily diabetes management it's not realistic unless the person with diabetes finds it useful.

To find an endo I've had good luck talking with the office staff who schedule the doctors.  I explain that I'm a longtime type 1 diabetic who wants a doctor who is cutting edge, but has a more relaxed approach to D management.  They know their doctors and can usually make good recommendations.

That's so exciting that you're considering motherhood.  I had my son when I was 32 and am thankful.  I was afraid that as a type 1 diabetic I was taking a serious health risk for both myself and my son, but having gone through pregnancy I know that it's completely possible for both mom and child to be healthy.  If I'd known when I was younger, I would have had 6 kids!

I'm biased because I've found a pump to be a lifesaver for me, but wanted to mention that you should be open minded to using a pump during your pregnancy.  It's helpful if you can't eat because of morning sickness and also allows you to correct and increase basal rates easily, especially as insulin doses increase in the 3rd trimester.  Typically I would bolus, eat and then check my blood sugar an hour later.  Using the bolus wizard on the pump I could calculate if a small correction was needed to cover the meal fully.  It helped me catch a post meal highs and respond quickly.  

Take care and I hope all goes well.