Hello! Newly diagnosed about 5 months ago, (although I have been here before because my husband has had Type 2 for 15 years and we’ve benefitted greatly from the advice on this forum, thank you!)
On the day of my own diagnosis I was told not only that I wouldn’t be given a meter/test strips but that the doctor didn’t want me to test at all. Instead he would be giving me a ‘miracle’ drug (Empagliflozin) that ‘you will love’ because I would lose weight.
Fast forward 5 months and I have indeed lost weight, how much is due to the wonder drug is difficult to assess because I have also completely changed my lifestyle - low carbing and daily treadmill. The doctor on seeing my weight reduction was delighted with himself and the miracle drug and I had to remind him that I’d actually put in quite a lot of work myself! My HBAIC has reduced from 10.6 to 7.3. All going in the right direction except now that my weight has plateaued I really would like to test to see what spikes me. Would I be better eating a potato or a slice of wholemeal bread? How can I possibly know how I react to different foods and exercise when I’m not allowed to test. So on this visit I politely requested to be allowed to test and the response was interesting. At first I was told I don’t need to and when I mentioned NICE guidelines/lifestyle changes he said NICE can say what they like but they don’t have to manage his budget. I asked if this was a financial decision and he said “Yes, of course.” But later he said he would prefer to prescribe the expensive wonder drug at £40 a month (he could have given me a cheaper drug (Glimepiride) but I would have gained 10kg instead of losing it!) This drug is not recommended as a first step apparently but he is prepared to ignore the guidelines if he is passionate about an issue. Finally, when I pushed him on the decision to disallow testing being purely financial he said that was part of it but that every diabetic expert, and all the conferences he attends the consensus is that testing does not lead to better control.
So that’s my question. Is it true that diabetic experts believe that patients kept in the dark do better ultimately? It seems unlikely to me, but I’m open to being proved wrong. I really feel that I need to know what’s happening to my body, not to be obsessive about it but to understand what makes a difference. If I have to fund that myself then so be it but I’m confused after the conversation with my doctor as to the real reason why I shouldn’t do it.
On the day of my own diagnosis I was told not only that I wouldn’t be given a meter/test strips but that the doctor didn’t want me to test at all. Instead he would be giving me a ‘miracle’ drug (Empagliflozin) that ‘you will love’ because I would lose weight.
Fast forward 5 months and I have indeed lost weight, how much is due to the wonder drug is difficult to assess because I have also completely changed my lifestyle - low carbing and daily treadmill. The doctor on seeing my weight reduction was delighted with himself and the miracle drug and I had to remind him that I’d actually put in quite a lot of work myself! My HBAIC has reduced from 10.6 to 7.3. All going in the right direction except now that my weight has plateaued I really would like to test to see what spikes me. Would I be better eating a potato or a slice of wholemeal bread? How can I possibly know how I react to different foods and exercise when I’m not allowed to test. So on this visit I politely requested to be allowed to test and the response was interesting. At first I was told I don’t need to and when I mentioned NICE guidelines/lifestyle changes he said NICE can say what they like but they don’t have to manage his budget. I asked if this was a financial decision and he said “Yes, of course.” But later he said he would prefer to prescribe the expensive wonder drug at £40 a month (he could have given me a cheaper drug (Glimepiride) but I would have gained 10kg instead of losing it!) This drug is not recommended as a first step apparently but he is prepared to ignore the guidelines if he is passionate about an issue. Finally, when I pushed him on the decision to disallow testing being purely financial he said that was part of it but that every diabetic expert, and all the conferences he attends the consensus is that testing does not lead to better control.
So that’s my question. Is it true that diabetic experts believe that patients kept in the dark do better ultimately? It seems unlikely to me, but I’m open to being proved wrong. I really feel that I need to know what’s happening to my body, not to be obsessive about it but to understand what makes a difference. If I have to fund that myself then so be it but I’m confused after the conversation with my doctor as to the real reason why I shouldn’t do it.
