blood sugar level need to be monitored too for diabetes. I have had no problem so far with that.
Hmmmm... the following is for MrsD and the other ladies (gentlemen, you are quite welcome to read on, but please know that you do so at your own risk).
I was first put on corticosteroids (triamcinilone, betamethasone, beconase... which doctors will say, even today, do NOT cause diabetes, even though the inserts and website info says they do)... in 1984. At the time, I weighted about 106 lbs. In 1989, I started gaining weight. Fast. Really fast. I won't even tell you how high my weight got (but think high), but from that point, I started having all kinds of "problems" with my body, resulting in various "diagnoses," including ... "depression." (Note: I don't suffer from depression. I have never suffered from depression. No disrespect to those that do, but this particular diagnosis ticked me off as I realized this was the typical "illness" for women when they can't figure out what's really going on.) They prescribed an anti-depressant, which I took for a couple months. Felt GREAT... emotionally. Didn't do a darn thing for my physical "problems."
I did some research (someone had to!) and my symptoms indicated that I had developed "cushing's syndrome" (I had all but one "symptom" - the one I am glad I don't have; however, my doctor(s) denied this particular theory)... and/or perhaps something else, but neither I nor the various doctors I saw (and I saw many, because I wasn't "depressed" and I was gonna find one who could see that!!)) could say what it was. Over the course of the next 8-9 years, I asked for every test I could think of... and was denied all. Including a glucose tolerance test ("We've tested you several times and your finger tests indicate you don't have diabetes!").
And then... in January 1998... I almost died. I could not eat, could barely walk, and could barely breathe. The initial diagnosis? No, not "too much weight gain." It as "mild bronchitis." "We think."
Soooooo... I was put on a bronchilator and given a hefty antibiotic. That didn't work, however. Second visit? "Perhaps you've developed asthma" and I was given Albuterol. (Note: I don't have asthma. I've never had asthma. And so, the Albuterol did nothing... except get me high as a kite. I remember I just threw it in a corner one day and never took another "puff").
Well, my "problem" got worse. Of course. By this time, my ex thought I was "looking for attention" (my situation with the WTBTS had recently culminated) and so he blew me off ("The doctor said you have asthma - he should know; he's a doctor"). So, he wouldn't take me for another doctor visit. (And no, none of my JW "friends" would take me - they had spoken with my ex and so didn't think I "really" needed any assistance. He would certainly let them know if I did right? ).
Another week passed and by this time my breathing problem was really scaring me. In addition, I was... well, EXTREMELY thirsty is the only way to describe it: I was downing, like, 2-3 gallons of whatever liquid I could get my hands on throughout the day... and night. And... I was spending an inordinate amount of time in the WC. So a very dear and caring friend came from about 400 miles away to take me to see the doctor. This visit I say to my [dear] doctor, "I really think I have diabetes." And I received the usual reply: "You don't have diabetes. We've checked your blood and there's no indication of diabetes."
"Well," I said (this time with a kinda "and-you-better-not-tell-me-no" tone), "I want to be tested anyway."
After heaving a sigh, he wrote out the test form and sent me down the hall to the lab. Praise Jah, the lab was closed for the day: I left his office and went to the hospital lab. There, the lab tech, trying to make small talk, said, "So, what're you here for?"
"Diabetes testing," I said.
"Diabetes?" she asked, first raising her eyebrows then frowning at the form.
"Yeah," I said. "Doesn't it say that?"
"Uh, nope."
"Well, what does it say?"
"Well, it certainly doesn't say to test for diabetes."
When I asked her what it DID say, she said it was just asking for a routing blood screen/panel, but nothing else. So, I told her I was there for diabetes testing and wouldn't leave until I got it. SOOOoooo... she just quickly checked a few more boxes (about 8!!). I gave them blood (quite a bit, IMHO)... and left.
On February 2, 1998, I returned to my doctor for my test results. My ex took me because, of course, he wanted to be there when the doctor told me that I did NOT have diabetes. Imagine his face, then, when the doctor came in... carrying all kinds of diabetes paraphernalia!! My blood sugar had tested at... 328. First words out of the ex's mouth? "Oh, God, I was killing her!!" .
The result? I am an insulin diabetic. Long and short acting.
But that was only one part of the story. As I stated, starting about 1989, my body started having "problems." Another of these problems was severe bleeding, resulting in several to the emergency room. Diagnosis? "Menorraghia." Yeah, right.
Finally, in 2002, I went to my doctor (different one; same group) because my daughter was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian disease. Of course, I had "all the symptoms." Of course, my doctor immediately disagreed; however, to "humor" me... he decided to do a pelvic exam. Well, very soon after he started his previously very pink face... turned very gray. I won't elaborate on the conversation that resulted, but I will say that I was immediately scheduled for an ultrasound. Like, the next day. The change in the doc's face was nothing compared to the ultrasound tech's, though. So, of course, I ask her, "What's going on; what did you find?"
She says, "Well, I can't say; you'll have to talk to your doctor."
I say, "Oh, no, girlfriend, don't do that to me. You're a woman; I'm a woman. I need to know what you've found. And don't tell me nothing, 'cause the look on your face says you found something."
After getting my assurance that I would NOT tell a soul what she was about the tell me, she said, "Well, there's a bit of a problem."
"Yes, I get that," I said. "What kind of a problem? Do I have cysts on my ovaries?"
"Well," she said, "I can't tell if you do or not... because I can't find your ovaries." (Notice, she said "ovaries"... and not "ovary"!!)
What the...???
"What do you mean, you can't find my ovaries?" Surely, they were there: I had two children!
"I can't find your ovaries... because you have a tumor and it's blocking my view. I've tried to go around it, but, well, it's pretty large."
"Large??"
"Uh, yeah, about the size of... ummmm... maybe a baseball..."
Now, I'm thinking this is a pretty big tumor, the size of a baseball.
Final verdict? I had SEVERAL tumors... the SMALLEST of which was the size of a baseball... the LARGEST of which was the size... of a GRAPEFRUIT!!! And... they were BLEEDING. Menorraghia my...
Needless to say, the uterus had to come out. (And yes, I know about the procedure for shrinking them: my surgeon and I discussed that in great detail, however, and his opinion was that I had too many that were too large... and bleeding too much. I had to go on birth control pills four times/day... for four weeks... just to stop the bleeding so that I could even have the surgery.)
Bottom line? Steroids... if taken too long... or too heavily... can have some serious "side effects". If not for men, certainly for women. I mean, I SO get it when someone must take them for a valid medical condition: the pros far outweight the cons. But when I hear of folks like, say, athletes taking them... for, what, so that they can bulk up... I just shake my head: id-i-ots. They are NOT thinking "down the road"... not at all.
MrsD, take GOOD care of yourself... and CHECK YOUR BLOOD SUGAR. If you stay on top of it, you may not have ANY problems. But if you feel that something's going on... you find a doctor willing to LISTEN to you... no matter how many you might have to go through.
I bid you all peace.
SA (a slave of Christ who got "personal")
