SPOTLIGHT!

[kimbo1962]

Well, this afternoon for two hours I am attending "Spotlight on diabetes" arranged by my surgery- obviously I am expecting what we all know the "advice" will be!! My daughter says I will know more than those there !! I will report back later, going armed with my food diary and testing records!!

 

[Bluetit1802]

Can't wait for your report!! Hurry back!

 

[kimbo1962]

I'm back....Went straight to work and now home! Today's session was led by the dietician, needless to say I found some of it perplexing! About 16 of us there and it was obvious from the off I was the only one doing, let alone knowing, about lchf !! I'm going to upload pictures from the booklet we were given, lots of advice on eating low fat yogurts etc......and it's concerning that the other poor souls were taking the advice!! Towards the end I said "it appears I'm the only one here following low carb" and her face dropped! She asked how low and I said max 50g sometimes no more than 30g - I was advised eventually I need to "put them back" but when I revealed my improved levels and cholesterol she conceded it was working for me!!

 

[kimbo1962]

Can't get my pictures to upload- May have to wait for daughter!!
"Five to seven servings of starchy foods per day" ???????!!!!!
"Each meal include starch carbohydrate foods" ?????!!!!

 

[Loobles]

What???! We must be doing something wrong then lol

 

[Bluetit1802]

Sounds like the Healthy Plate and Eat Well plates to me. Usual NHS rubbish.

 

[Loobles]

Sounds like the Healthy Plate and Eat Well plates to me. Usual NHS rubbish.

Just had an out patients appointment this aft with my GI surgeon...this guy is usually a pro carb kind of guy but today he surprised me by saying "under the circumstances, I think you need to be reducing your carbs and upping your fats to get some energy". Told him I was ahead of him

Was so gobsmacked, I forgot to ask if I needed another appointment LOL.

 

[kimbo1962]

Well.....second session later! This one could be more interesting than last weeks "dietician" one (I hope!!) It is the one led by the nurses so should mention testing etc, I got the impression last week I was the only one actually testing, considering one guy was in the 20's on diagnosis and just taking the advice about carbs with each meal etc...... I think that is bad!! Once again, going armed with my food diary and levels!! Will report back later!

 

[Loobles]

Oh heck...good luck. So far i haven't agreed with advice from any of my lot. Seeing dietician this week...better dust off my boxing gloves for that one!

 

[kimbo1962]

Oh heck...good luck. So far i haven't agreed with advice from any of my lot. Seeing dietician this week...better dust off my boxing gloves for that one!

Last week was a slightly interesting waste of a couple of hours......I seemed more clued up and pro-active out of the group, at times I just smiled and shook my head at the "advice" !!

 

[kimbo1962]

Well, slightly less irritating than last week but still hardly inspirational !! More to do with possible complications etc and reminders about foot and eye checks. I really can't say I learnt anything new and still have learnt what I know from here. This nurse is all for testing and very critical of us being given the equipment on prescription- when I said I purchased my own there was a look of horror but I said it was my decision and by far the best way to stay in control, as my reduced levels proved !
One thing concerned me yesterday day, she gave examples of levels pre and post and one post was 9.8, she said that Mr x was ok as up to 10 was acceptable, I kind of squirmed at that as that's more than the 8.5 nice guidelines???!!! (And here's me never going beyond the high 6's these days !! )

 

[Bluetit1802]

She is possibly giving these high levels so as not to demoralise those still struggling for control?? I know it is a fairly general occurrence for HCP's to set a target for an HbA1c of 53, which equates to 8.6mmol/l - and that is a 3 month average. Quite ridiculous, but there again an attainable level. I suppose there is no point setting targets that demoralise folk and make them give up. However, I do think they should point out that this is a generous target and once met should be lowered.

 

[kimbo1962]

She never actually mentioned going on to lower Bluetit! I had to bite my lip at times as the negative vibes! I felt if I spoke out about my way way of being pro-active it wouldn't have been welcomed!! Really, wouldn't you think they would applaud such a proven approach?!! Crazy !!

 

[douglas99]

It all depends where you're coming from.
If the room goes in, with a couple of sugared doughnuts, a Mars Bar, and a packet of crisps in their lunch box, (as most of mine did), you can either suggest LCHF from day one, or maybe try to work them into a change they may be likely to consider?

Look at these course for example. out of two rooms full of people, it would seem only the op has actually begin to do anything.
It must make the HCP's despair.

 

[Bluetit1802]

She never actually mentioned going on to lower Bluetit! I had to bite my lip at times as the negative vibes! I felt if I spoke out about my way way of being pro-active it wouldn't have been welcomed!! Really, wouldn't you think they would applaud such a proven approach?!! Crazy !!

Totally crazy. My DN was in a mess with my target on diagnosis because I was "only" 53 HbA1c when diagnosed. She could hardly set it at that. However, she did say as long as I kept it there she would be pleased! An average of 8.6mmol/l over 3 months means a lot of double figure levels, which can't be right.

 

[cold ethyl]

I think that Douglas has a point in that many on my DESMOND course wanted to know how mine had come down from 71 to 47 in 7 weeks but didn't really want to hear the no bread, spuds, little fruit message or that I had started exercising every day. Some of the people on my course were not overweight so the LC route is one they should have perhaps been thinking of trying but they all seemed far happier with the everything in moderation message. It was a strange course in my mind as they constantly pushed the message that good control gave best long term prognosis but then ignored or dismissed the very things that would give this such as low carbing and regular blood monitoring. The fact that the DN running it was several stones overweight, and said she had never tested as she was too afraid what it might say( and she with a husband who has LADA) kind of said it all it me.o

 

[douglas99]

I think that Douglas has a point in that many on my DESMOND course wanted to know how mine had come down from 71 to 47 in 7 weeks but didn't really want to hear the no bread, spuds, little fruit message or that I had started exercising every day. Some of the people on my course were not overweight so the LC route is one they should have perhaps been thinking of trying but they all seemed far happier with the everything in moderation message. It was a strange course in my mind as they constantly pushed the message that good control gave best long term prognosis but then ignored or dismissed the very things that would give this such as low carbing and regular blood monitoring. The fact that the DN running it was several stones overweight, and said she had never tested as she was too afraid what it might say( and she with a husband who has LADA) kind of said it all it me.o

Says she's human, just like us.

I agree monitoring is the only way to control it though, but again, we all started monitoring only when we decided we were going to control the diabetes, like the nurse, not everyone is ready to jump in and do it straight off.
It's a lifestyle change, and once you've nudged that off, it can gain momentum.
A lot harder to switch instantly though.

 

[cold ethyl]

Just found it strange that she didn't want to know, maybe that's just me but if I was in medical profession I'd be forever testing, especially if I fell into the at risk group and had seen what being at risk can do!

 

[catherinecherub]

I think that people who have found this forum and then go on to do a course are already educated by their peers.
I think the majority of people on these courses have never had any formal education and never signed up to a diabetes forum that supports people and so, although it may not be idea for everyone, it is better than nothing.
Just meeting other diabetics and hearing other people's viewpoints starts them talking and taking things onboard Some are on medication/insulin whilst others are diet and exercise so it's really a mixed bag. Ideally we would have individual education but the NHS is struggling and whatever our chronic conditions are the money is tight.

 

[peacetrain]

Totally crazy. My DN was in a mess with my target on diagnosis because I was "only" 53 HbA1c when diagnosed. She could hardly set it at that. However, she did say as long as I kept it there she would be pleased! An average of 8.6mmol/l over 3 months means a lot of double figure levels, which can't be right.

When I asked my DN for a meter she gave me one on prescription. She took the meter off the shelf in the room we were in. She advised me initially to aim for readings under 10. I aimed for lower. ;-)


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