Never seen a GP

[Landonjones]

I was diagnosed as type 2 in December last year and have only been seen by the practice nurse. She has prescribed and dealt with me. There used to be a GP that was the diabetic specialist for the practice, but she has left now. I asked reception , who dealt with diabetes , to be told all GP’s deal with diabetes, but it is the nurses that do clinic. Is this normal for newly diagnosed or not as I read a lot of threads with - my GP prescribed….?

 

[lovinglife]

I was diagnosed as type 2 in December last year and have only been seen by the practice nurse. She has prescribed and dealt with me. There used to be a GP that was the diabetic specialist for the practice, but she has left now. I asked reception , who dealt with diabetes , to be told all GP’s deal with diabetes, but it is the nurses that do clinic. Is this normal for newly diagnosed or not as I read a lot of threads with - my GP prescribed….?

I was diagnosed T2 14 years ago whilst in hospital for something else, I’ve never seen a GP just the practice nurse. I have seen a GP a couple of times, once in the very early days when they took me off statins because my liver count went through the roof & once when my white blood cell count was high and they were concerned it was something serious. (It wasn't - turns out I’m one of those who run a higher count naturally)

To be honest I find the nurse who does the clinic more knowledgeable than any GP I’ve seen, but then I’ve always had great nurses who support my low carb/keto lifestyle

 

[lovinglife]

Ooops sorry meant to say welcome to the forum

 

[Rachox]

Hi @Landonjones and welcome. When I was first diagnosed my practice had neither a diabetes nurse or GP, I was seen by my normal GP for a couple of years then when they employed a nurse I have been seeing her. I have also had a couple of conversations with the GP who is now the diabetes specialist when I needed advice about meds. During all this time I have done my own homework to understand my condition and how to deal with it.

 

[mouseee]

Seems normal for T2s to be dealt with at the GPs whether by specialist nurse or doctor. This probably works for most people who will take what is said to them and either ignore it or just take meds and ignore other advice.
Although this is a bit of an echo chamber, I feel people on here are often successful because they do their own research and find the way that works for them.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I was diagnosed as type 2 in December last year and have only been seen by the practice nurse. She has prescribed and dealt with me. There used to be a GP that was the diabetic specialist for the practice, but she has left now. I asked reception , who dealt with diabetes , to be told all GP’s deal with diabetes, but it is the nurses that do clinic. Is this normal for newly diagnosed or not as I read a lot of threads with - my GP prescribed….?

Things went a little differently for me because of mental health issues: dealing with the nurse was more stressful. And considering she thought the usual metformin (gastic) side effects MUST mean I'm actually a T1, she wasn't a very good specialist nurse... Nice, but not knowledgeable, because if that were true then a whole lot of T2's here would be T1's! So it was decided I'd just deal with my GP instead, since I knew and trusted her, and it seemed to make sense at the time, even if she completely forgets to do my checks and whatnot. I just request them when the mood strikes me, and I can see results in an app, so I don't have to drop in for those. Since Covid struck I just send a message through the app or via e-mail, requesting a HbA1c and such, and I get the paperwork for it digitally or pick it up at the front desk if I'm there anyway, see the results in the app and take action or don't, and Bob's your uncle. So many practices, so many ways of doing things.

But like @mouseee said, a lot of us here just decided to take charge of our diabetes ourselves. And that can be for any number of reasons, from needing a sense of control, to bar experiences in the medical field, to practices being overwhelmed and unable to really help due to shortage of funds and time, you name it, it's a reason. If people tell me I can't reverse diabetes, if they tell me there's no way I can follow a diet because *I do not have the spine to*, then heck yeah... I'll reverse what I want and stick with a diet for 7,5 years and counting. (Only fell off the wagon some when my mom passed, and honestly, I think that's a very good reason for a bit of comfort eating!).

So, what you do next: read around here, learn what you can, decide on a course of action. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might help some, but keep in mind this is YOUR condition to deal with. And you can do it in whatever way feels right to you. I mean, a lot of us here preach the low carb method of doing things, but if that's not your cup of tea, or you'd rather let the GP's practice take the wheel, go the diet route, medicinal, or a combo of that, it's all entirely up to you. You have a say in this. So... Read, ask questions, and make well-informed descisions based on that.

Oh, and welcome, of course!
Jo

 

[Landonjones]

Thank you for your replies all . It just seemed a bit careless of our practice , but appears not out of the ordinary. I have done a no carb, very low cal fast for the last couple of months, but eating low carb gives me atrial fibrillation, which this time has not corrected, so going forward that isn’t an option. My Qrisk on diagnosis was 29 , but is now 19, the nurse didnt even mention an sglpt? Med. I know that low carbing is not advised with these type of meds, but she didn’t even mention it and I am no longer fasting. Onwards and downwards with the weight anyway!

 

[Resurgam]

No carb and low calorie - that is really not a good idea. I doubt you'll get anyone who has reversed their type 2 to endorse such a diet.
I eat twice a day, but only restrict carbs and avoid low fat variants, seed oils and grains.
I have all the eggs, cheese, meat, fish, full fat yoghurt and anything under 11% carbs, though I try to go easy on those in the upper part of that range.
I do sometimes have steak or a chop or fish for breakfast - but people used to eat that way before Kellogg started his campaign to weaken libido with cereals.

 

[Outlier]

Same here. Do give it a try - so easy and effective. If it doesn't work for you because we are all different, at least you will have tried it. For so many of us, it has been revelatory.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Thank you for your replies all . It just seemed a bit careless of our practice , but appears not out of the ordinary. I have done a no carb, very low cal fast for the last couple of months, but eating low carb gives me atrial fibrillation, which this time has not corrected, so going forward that isn’t an option. My Qrisk on diagnosis was 29 , but is now 19, the nurse didnt even mention an sglpt? Med. I know that low carbing is not advised with these type of meds, but she didn’t even mention it and I am no longer fasting. Onwards and downwards with the weight anyway!

Ah... Low cal and low carb.... That's what's usually considered a crash diet, and very, very much not advisable for the long term. Weeks, maybe, to get quick results when someone's really bad off or needs to get numbers down fast for surgery or something, but not consecutive months. Your body, your muscles, your organs, they do need something to run on, so I'm not surprised your heart started complaining. Forget the calories, focus on the carbs. The fats and protein'll give your body something to work with, something to burn for fuel and keep that heart pumping properly as well.

Don't give yourself a shock to the system as you have done. Go slowly. Low carb, at whatever point you want to start at (your meter'll tell you, eating to your meter might be advisable here) not low cal, and start at a point you feel comfortable with. Fast if you want to, but don't if you feel hungry. (Hunger and thirst often feel similar mind you, but.... If you're hungry, your body's likely trying to tell you it's running on empty. It needs something, be it fuel, nutrients, whatever.) Just.... Don't try to do everything all at once. Try to find a balance you can work with, and won't give your ticker a kick-around. You sort of dunked your body in a bath of ice water, and didn't let it out again. Be a bit gentler with yourself, going forward. This is something for the long term and as such, needs to be sustainable. Slow and steady wins this particular race.

Hugs!
Jo