I went to see the endocrinologist about a month ago. I had been to see him in 2010 when I started having issues with my low blood sugar. It was a bad situation. I’d be out and about and without warning, down it would go to where I couldn’t even see. I had no idea how low it really was until 2011 when I had a seizure the first night of Hanukkah in Jerusalem on the 4A bus.
In Israel I was tested and finally given the drug acarbose. I really felt it changed my life. No more of those wild lows where I felt like I was on some weird psychadelic trip with my vision cutting out on me. No more seizures. No more worries of being alone out in public.
But then I came back to the US. And I had to get new doctors and scripts for my meds and this proved to be a huge problem.
I ran into a nurse practioner who refused to give me the meds I needed even though I had all of my prescription boxes with the labels attached. Instead she turned me into the Department of Transportation for 1) having seizures, 2) having hypoglycaemia and 3) taking medication that could impair my ability to drive (that also doubles for someone who is addicted to drugs). If she had just listened to me, maybe I’d still be driving. In the meantime I was back to the wild psychadelic trips and became very agoraphobic because I am always afraid I’ll have a low and a subsequent seizure when I am away from the safety of home.
Well, anyway, nearly a year and a half later, I am on anti seizure medication (number 1 taken care of) and on Friday afternoon my endocrinologist called and told me all my tests indicated that yes, I had hypoglycaemia (you don’t say…)
I had two choices. I could go to a more specialized endo and get more specialized tests done which probably would result in some extensive surgery (read: remove part or all of my pancreas) OR I could try prescription medication to see if that would bring the condition under control.
I chose the medication option since I already have a Frankentummy and I don’t really want to Frankenize anything further at this point. My endo said that would be his choice as well and then called in a script for the acarbose I had been taking in Israel, had asked for a year and a half ago from the nurse practitioner (until I could get an endocrinologist appointment) and had even asked the endocrinologist for at my first appointment.
I started taking it right away.
He told me to check my blood sugar 4 times a day and then bring my meter in and if it remains steady, they’ll sign the form for the DOT so I can get that much closer to driving again. YAY!
In the meantime, I am happy. I take the acarbose tablet when I start to eat. I eat normally. I don’t feel like I am going to die. I don’t feel ravenously hungry in between meals. I don’t have the fear anymore…I feel calm like I know that this is what I know will work…after all it Has worked so why wouldn’t it work now?
This is definitely a good thing!
Look At The Flowers Lizzie 