Diabetes:
For three or so years prior to this time last year I did not have decent health insurance and it probably went undiagnosed for quite a while.
Last year after Doug and I got married I enrolled into his medical insurance. Shortly thereafter I went to my first doctors appointment and received the call a week later and was diagnosed with Diabetes.
I was promptly prescribed a very small dose of Lantus insulin injection. That was not enough to bring the numbers down. My insulin was then tripled and that was still not enough. Then a pill was added and again- not enough. Another pill was added and that turned out to be a fiasco. It landed me a 4- day stay in the hospital with Colitis (bleeding in the colon). Well needless to say I never took that again.
Well I was on my regime of Lantus insulin in the morning and one pill in the morning and one in the evening for the past year. I have been miserable. My sugar levels have been out of control, I constantly have highs and lows and feel horrible. The medicine Ive been taking does not do a bit of good.
Recently, through the advice of my fertility doctor- I was referred to see a Diabetes specialist. I had my first appointment Monday and now I am on cloud nine!
The doctor changed my Insulin and ditched the pills. It might sound pretty dreadful that I now have to give myself four shots a day- but at this point I am willing to do whatever it takes to get my diabetes under control.
I now take one small shot of fast-acting insulin at every meal, and one large shot of long-acting insulin in the morning. The best part is I no longer have to fill up my own syringes- I now have insulin pens that I carry with me everywhere I go. It's very convenient.
I will be in constant contact with this new doctor to make necessary changes in my doses to get where I need to be.
I am extremely happy that I am now with a doctor who believes that it is just a matter of time before he can get me on the right track. In medical terms an A1C level is an average level of sugar over a 2-3 month time span. I started out in June 2005 with a 9.1 A1C level; I am now fluctuating between 7.5 - 8.1. I need to get down to around 6.5 to continue with fertility.
Fertility:
As mentioned- I need a 6.5 A1C level. I have a way to go but Im getting there.
Doug and I have been trying to conceive for two years now. I have a few issues.
I went in for my yearly in September 2005 and had abnormal results which ended up being abnormal cells on my cervix which ended up being precancerous cells. I had the cells frozen off in October 2005. Come to find out later that the doctor that performed the procedure did a lousy job and now I have some issues with my cervix.
Since then and still wondering why I hadnt yet gotten pregnant I pursued a fertility specialist to find the reason.
I had my first appointment sometime in January 2006 and had a wide range of procedures done over the last few months. In conclusion I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome which prevents me from ovulating which needs to happen to get pregnant. I also found out that I have polyps in my uterine lining- which may or may not have an impact on my fertility- time will tell.
During one of my procedures the doctor commented on the job that the other doctor had done in my cryotherapy (cervical freezing) and said that I might have to be artificially inseminated to become pregnant. Time will also have to tell on that one.
At this point the schedule is to get my A1C down to 6.5 at which point I can start taking the pill Clomid to induce ovulation. We will try to conceive then and if that does not work artificial insemination (AI). If AI does not take I do not know what we will do as we really do not have the finances to pursue other options
As some of you know I have had Bells Palsy since April 27, 2002. I have been though a lot trying to get my face back to normal. A few years ago I saw a neurologist and all they want to do is prescribe medications like muscle relaxers and such. Recently I contacted someone to possibly do surgery to repair the damage. At my consultation appointment I was told that surgery is not an option for me- that my case was too severe in the beginning (which is why it has lasted as long as it has) and I am now too far gone for surgery. I was devastated but soon relaxed when I was told that there are other avenues to take to try to get back function. I went through a series of testing and went back for another appointment a week later. I was at that time given neuromuscular stimulator (e-stim) to use. For 6-8 hours a day I wear these little sticky pads- two above my eye and two below my bottom lip which send a series of 12 shocks through the nerves in my face every 7 seconds. The hope is that this technique will revive my degenerated nerves and with this and possibly the future use of Botox injections- I might just regain some facial function on the paralyzed side of my face.
If you would like to learn more about Bells Palsy please feel free to view a PowerPoint presentation I made recently for a college presentation: (which I will post later since I cannot find the link right now).
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