Hi Ginger,

I'm 16, I've had diabetes since I was 7 years old and I do a pretty good job with it. I'm not perfect, but I really do try to take care of it. Last time I was in the doctor's office she told me I should adjust my insulin dose a certain for my insulin boluses at lunch time but I don't think she really was listening to why I was having trouble. I had another idea but I didn't even really get to ask her about it. I know she's trying to help, but if I disagree with her advice, what do I do?

-Alice

Hey Alice!

This is a serious topic, because if you're really serious about managing your diabetes and you're taking the time to look closely at your blood sugars, then you know your body and your life around diabetes better than anyone else.

Do you think you could e-mail your doctor a letter to explain that you really didn't feel like you were heard clearly, and that you'd like to get her opinion on your solution for your blood sugar issue?

In the end, she does want to help you, so it sounds like you may need to speak up for yourself and make sure you are heard! Just because an adult (whether they are a doctor or not) tells us to do something, it doesn't always mean they're right. If your gut and your intelligence tells you something else, then you should respectfully speak up and explain this to that adult. From there, you can have a conversation with them about the best way to move forward.

Here is a recent blog post on Speaking Up For YourSelf Because You Know Your Body Best!

Remember, speak up when you feel like somethig isn't right and help your doctor to hear you so she can continue to help you.