Comments on: endocrinologist vs. internal medicine doctor

By: beverley90

beverley90 — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 02:50:07 +0000

I began Byetta, I decided life is not about ‘diets’ but about learning to
love ourselves, care for ourselves and nurture ourselves, exercise, good food
choices and positive focus is where I’m at now, if we don’t take good care of
ourselves who will, right? Really noone else can do this for us.

Hi Elizabeth:

I also consider Byetta a new beginning and so far it’s been a real adventure
in terms of learning how to best take care of myself. People think I’m
nuts but there’s something really magical to me about this
medication…something mythological about it’s origins …..I was so happy to
find out I could
handle it I faxed my doctor a note saying : :The lizard likes me:-) It holds
a
lot of promise for me. I’m also grateful for the friendship and support

By: Bertram Lashonda

Bertram Lashonda — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:49:50 +0000

Thanks! Just reading it makes me feel better. I’ve been craving something
sweet all day. About to have some berries.

Lin

By: Gonzalo Felisa

Gonzalo Felisa — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 05:56:35 +0000

I can so relate to this Suzanne, I also have a doctor like that, she and I make
a great team, she’s also a GP and I keep her up on all things related to other
issues in my life so she can see the big picture. She knows I’m wanting to get
off as many meds as possible as I lose the weight and the numbers continue to
remain stable/within normal range in all the other areas (BP, Cholesterol,
sugars etc.) I seem to need less and less meds as the weight drops off. It
feels great to not have to rely on so many nowadays.
I too am more into the natural foods and eating healthy that way (but I’m in the
process of learning and trying out new things all the time), my goal is not
merely to keep my numbers at a healthy level, continued weightloss etc. but give
my body healthy things to eat vs. chemicals, additives etc. I feel SO much
better making the change over, something clicked in me for the first time ever
the day I began Byetta, I decided life is not about ‘diets’ but about learning
to love ourselves, care for ourselves and nurture ourselves, exercise, good food

choices and positive focus is where I’m at now, if we don’t take good care of
ourselves who will, right? Really noone else can do this for us.

A total lifestyle change I feel will get me further in life and I now find
myself no longer even interested in snack type foods (simple carbs). I chose
soynuts, berries things of that sort for snacks now…

Suzanne, I really enjoy your posts as I always learn a bit more. Thanks for
being so open with your posts. Thanks to all of you who share …….it’s
helpful to know we’re not alone in this, somehow it makes this disease a little
easier to bear.

I’ve never been to an Endo…I can’t really say if there even are any here, I
live in a larger area, but much prefer one doctor to oversee things with me,
she’s pretty on top of things, so it works well….but that’s just my
experience.
Best of luck to all of you finding or continuing to see a doctor you trust and
have faith in, sometimes you have to go through a few to find one that listens
to you, and actually hears you and is willing to work WITH you rather than
telling you what to do!
Elizabeth

By: Kristen Roth

Kristen Roth — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 21:18:01 +0000

Hi, My name is Rich (buddahh93) and I’m new to this group. In answer to
your question, I’ve been seeing an endo for over a year now, and I
think he is the best! I like my family Dr. but the endo is way more in
depth (and in-tune) with my situation.

By: beverley90

beverley90 — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:39:01 +0000

I wish I had someone I trusted to look at the big picture, but right now I
don’t. I think the endo is serving that role more than anyone else right now,
but I have only been seeing him since May. I didn’t need a referral to see
him, and I think he sends copies of my records to the family practice doc, but
no consultations or anything. I guess it is kind of scary.

*** It just means you have to be your own health coordinator and oversee the
big picture yourself. I guess the primary physician is one of the good
things that HMO’s do. I think we all have to take responsibility for our
health care and not follow any doctors blindly. My primary physician treats me
like a partner in my care; afterall, I’m the one living in this body.

By: bobbie100

bobbie100 — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:17:10 +0000

I don’t have a "primary physician" because I don’t have an HMO plan. I go to
family practice only for minor things, like a sinus infection for example. I
have a nephrologist for kidney problems/hypertension and now the endo for the
diabetes. I wish I had someone I trusted to look at the big picture, but right
now I don’t. I think the endo is serving that role more than anyone else right
now, but I have only been seeing him since May. I didn’t need a referral to see
him, and I think he sends copies of my records to the family practice doc, but
no consultations or anything. I guess it is kind of scary.
Cindy

I don’t have much confidence in my family practice doc and usually ask to
see his physician’s assistant for my appointments. He took over the practice
when my original doctor "retired" after she had twins.

Hi Cindy:

I am insured by Health New England, an HMO and my primary physician oversees
all of my care; is responsible for making sure I get all of the screenings
and tests that I need, coordinating all of my meds, etc. He also makes any
referrals to specialists and consults with them on their recommendations. He
is by far the most important doctor I have and I would never stay with him if
I didn’t have total confidence in him. That would seem dangerous to me.

Suzanne

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By: Bertram Lashonda

Bertram Lashonda — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:50:29 +0000

Funny, for 15 years my PCP was an internist who was board certified in endo.
but I wasn’t diabetic then. Since moving states I now go to a P.A. in
family practice. He’s also diabetic and keeps up on everything. But when
my BS started going up again he didn’t want to switch me from my current
meds. He doesn’t prescribe byetta because he doesn’t want type 2s doing
injections. He put me on januvia with my glipizide and when I could tell
that wasn’t doing anything at all (plus it’s such a new drug that I hate the
thought of using it), I made an appointment with an endo. already I’m
seeing a huge difference!

Morning (fasting) BS - 167 - much better than the 180s - 200s it’s been!

Lin

By: beverley90

beverley90 — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 17:09:20 +0000

Hi Cindy:

Suzanne

By: Jody Hana

Jody Hana — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 14:00:58 +0000

I see an endo, but I have other issues besides just the diabetes.

Stacy

hi,

my regular family doctor is actually internal medicine doc (she took
over her dad’s family practice).

i was wondering how many people see an endocrinologist specialist vs.
someone else.

thanks

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By: bobbie100

bobbie100 — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 10:29:33 +0000

I see an endocrinologist for my diabetes. He also has a research foundation for
endocrinology and metabolism.

I don’t have much confidence in my family practice doc and usually ask to see
his physician’s assistant for my appointments. He took over the practice when my
original doctor "retired" after she had twins.

Cindy

hi,

my regular family doctor is actually internal medicine doc (she took
over her dad’s family practice).

i was wondering how many people see an endocrinologist specialist vs.

someone else.

thanks