That's exactly why I went into the Accord program. I fought the "you need to go on insulin speech", for years. One day, my former health care provider (who I liked and who liked me), well he told me "Melody, I want you off of all this oral crap and go on Lantus". I never even heard of Lantus.

But that was the week I enrolled in the ACCORD program. That was NOT the week I changed my diet however. That took time. A long long time. I went to nutritionists, I read, and I came on these forums. I've been diabetic for almost 20 years without actually learning what the heck that meant.

But I educated myself. Unfortunately, my friend will not educate herself. She has already been diagnosed with a diabetic stomach. She told the doctor 'what the hel* do yo know"? I said "are you serious"? They put her on regulan for her stomach. And cholesterol meds (for prevention they told her). She told me "now I can eat whatever I want because I'm on the cholesterol med".

When I went into the ACCORD program, she could have gone with me. She did not want to change her eating habits or be told that she might have to go on insulin. So fast forward 3 years later, she's almost 300 lbs and will start insulin on Monday.

She gained 14 pounds since her last appointment. And since one can put on weight when one takes insulin, what the heck is going to happen to this woman. I mean, they never tell you that. I was not told that weight gain was a side effect of taking insulin. I did read the insert when I went on Lantus but I must have been in deep denial. I really had to change EVERYTHING I ate to be able to lose what I lost. And it took me a LONG LONG time.

It's like a double edged sword. She'll take the insulin, it might stabilizer her sugar, she'll think she's fine, she'll eat more, and gain even more.

But when a person doesn't want to listen, well, they have to learn the hard way. Her first endo appointment is scheduled for June. The office told her "let's see what your a1c is next month, and if it's high, we'll reschedule you and see you sooner??"

My god, what kind of doctors book you 4 months in advance and tell you "come in if you get worse". ????? Isn't the whole idea of going to an endocrinologis supposed to be to check you out, check out thyroid, check out glucose levels, I mean, BE ON TOP OF THINGS???

She already has neuropathy in her stomach, (she doesn't believe this). She once told me "just because you have neuropathy, you think everybody has neuropathy". I said nothing, because you can't talk to her when she's not in a receptive mood. There's a lot of fear going on here.

I only hope that she decides to start eating healthy and doesn't bop the next physician over the head. I mean, when he told her she had a diabetic stomach (and he never used the word gastroparesis), but then again, this guy is a regular primary guy doctor, not any kind of specialist, well, she just doesn't believe him. And she now has foot problems. and problems with her big toe. Hopefully the endo guy will sit her down and really explain what diabetes does to a body. I mean, that's exactly how I learned.

Oy vey!!!!