The friend in question is actually the department secretary. She has had to go to the optometrist twice in the past two months because of changes in her vision; she is constantly having to get up to go to the bathroom; she is always thirsty; she is always tired; and she’s lost about 5-10 pounds in the past month or so though she is not on a diet. Nonetheless she is nervous about getting tested. I’ve already told her my own horror story, but I could use another–or a persuasive argument.
Find out what her fears are and address them. Stress that diabetes is not a death sentence and that there are a variety of ways to control it.
I also agree with SomeUserName’s idea to test her with your glucose monitor. Of course, if she wants to keep her head in the sand, a positive reading could to more harm than good.
Worst-case scenario if she gets tested: It turns out she’s diabetic. She has to eat a healthier diet and get more exercise. Possibly she may have to try an oral medication. She will have to check her blood sugar daily. She will probably lose weight and feel healthier.
Worst-case scenario if she doesn’t get tested: She loses her vision, her feet, and possibly goes into kidney failure. (I did say this was a worst-case scenario.)
“It’s better to know than not know” really worked for me but I know that a lot of people don’t really think that way when it comes to medical tests. Good luck, Skald.
My stepfather’s family is rife with diabetes. My aunt lost her vision, legs and kidneys before she died.
You could go the route that we went with my sisters. Ask her if she has a living will, a regular will, and who she wants to give the eulogy at her funeral. Tell her you’re serious.
Diabetes is a totally treatable disease . . . but you have to get tested and begin whatever treatment your doctor prescribes. And you have to become educated about it. But being diabetic and not getting treated for it . . . that’s suicide.
I already told her the story of my diagnosis, which includes weeks of denial in the face of obviousness followed by a collapse in the doctor’s office and a couple days of unconsciousness. I’m almost ready to wash my hands of it.
Twice in two months to the optometrist for vision changes? That is not freaking normal. Frankly, any optometrist worth his salt is probably already saying “you need to see an ophthalmologist” - do you know if she went to the same optometrist both times, or to another office?
The chance of diabetic retinopathy is not something to screw around with. Though treatments can be highly successful if started early enough - and the diabetes is well-controlled - there is no cure, and some vision may never get back to totally normal depending on what’s going on in the eyes and how long it’s left to get out of hand.
I think she had to have gone to one of those mall places where the optometrist is affiliated with an eyeglass place and they grind new lenses in an hour, as she came back with new specs both times. The twice in two months thing got my attention because it’s exactly what happened to me before I collapsed in the GP’s office with a blood sugar of 700 quadrillion. She mentioned to me that her optometrist also wants her to see her GP, but she’s too scared; she also declined to let me take her blood sugar this morning (after promising to do so last night), as she had a bagel right before coming to the office.
And that’s where I got off the take-care-of-everybody train.
I’m surprised the optometrist didn’t say the word diabetes straight out. My guy is very up front about saying that he’s looking for diabetes-related degeneration.
If the optometrist said get thee to your doctor and she didn’t do it, there’s probably not much hope of anyone else getting her there. You could ask her if her feet are tingling yet. That’s usually the first symptom.
And if she’s Type 1, then there’s a very real chance of going into diabetic ketoacidosis and dying. Skald, your “couple days of unconciousness” - if that was caused by DKA from high blood glucose levels, you’re lucky. That can caused fatal brain swelling.
Seriously - tell her if her breath starts smelling of fruit and alcohol, you’re going to call 911 for her. That’s a sign of ketones in the bloodstream.
Is she afraid of needles? Maybe it would help if you could demonstrate on yourself that the testing doesn’t really hurt, and convince her that the doctor would try giving her oral meds rather than insulin shots?
I realize how lucky I am to be alive. If things had gone only a little differently that day – if I had ignored my optometrist and gone home rather than to the GP, or if I hadn’t been able to get an appointment that day, or if I’d gotten a later appointment and gone home first-- I’d have been alone in my apartment when I passed out. It was a Friday afternoon, and no one would have thought anything in particular about not seeing me until, at a minimum, Sunday morning; and I doubt anyone would have DONE anything until Tuesday or Wednesday. The Dope would then have been spared years of my bad jokes about conquering the Earth on account of me being dead.
I know that too. I’ll call 911 in that event, but otherwise I’m letting it go. I told the secretary my horror story after one of my subordinates told me her concerns about her; she said she was afraid of doctors, afraid of needles, afraid of knowing. We demonstrated how trivial the pain of a needle stick is (this is a white girl with a very ruddy complexion, which equals good circulation, which equals the lowest setting on the lancing device, which equals practically no pain) and she still doesn’t want to take the trivial steps. So I decided to not give a damn beyond the minimum. If she passes out or smells ketoacidotic, I’ll call 911. Beyond that, I’m shrugging and calling it a shame.
Can you buy her a home test and leave it wrapped in her office or cube with a note that says “Please use this, I don’t want you to DIE!”
I mean really. I hate doctors and dread tests but if I had the symptoms and someone was clearly offering to help and was sharing their fears because it happened to them I might wake up and make an appointment or at the VERY least let them test me with their tester.
The doctor is still going to want a blood test that requires a regular needle for diagnosis. The little lancet stick it for daily self-monitoring. The regular test is done quarterly the first year to confirm the accuracy of the self-monitoring.
So, yes, tell her that she’s most likely to be put on oral meds, but don’t tell her that there will be no needles.
That might be enough for some needle-phobes. I can get shots or get blood drawn if I don’t look. I usually hurt my neck, shoulders, or back trying to turn away from the side where it’s being done (I turn my head as far as physically possible and generally try to turn it further).
I usually cry, shake, or both at some point during the process. I loathe it. But I can do it. Phobias are a funny thing, and are often oddly specific in a way that doesn’t really make sense (they are, after all, by definition, irrational fears).