• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Doctors aren't always right

R

rob2465

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi All diagnosed August with Hba1c of 92 and told to take metfomin, refused this and said I would try something different. He said ok come back in 3 months but you will definitely be on Metformin. 3 months later and 17 kilos lighter and low carb as suggested on here, Hba1c 35 and no action required, not even an appointment or a question how I did it. Come back in 6 months written on my notes. Thanks to all on here who have done the same and inspired me
 
great job..........

this should definitely be the first thing that is mentioned to a type 2.........can you manage this type of diet....yes/no.....if not, heres some metformin...
 
The pessimist in me thinks - Doc probably thought (and thinks they got away with it) that your previous blood test result was a mistake and you were never actually diabetic - wouldn't be the first time results got mixed up, sadly there might be someone else out there who is T2 and doesn't know it.................:sour:

But if the test result was genuine then well done! and keep at it.
 
Unfortunately I am definitely diabetic and have a few symptoms that prove it as well. Also tested at diagnosis with my step dads meter fasting reading was 11.5. Wish you were right tho. Rob
 
rob2465 said:
Unfortunately I am definitely diabetic and have a few symptoms that prove it as well. Also tested at diagnosis with my step dads meter fasting reading was 11.5. Wish you were right tho. Rob
Click to expand...

Hey ho, at least you're on top of it now and with great success!
 
Diet is supposed to be the first stage after diagnosis but these days it is often straight onto low-ish doses of Metformin. Not necessarily a bad thing (although I fully respect your decision to turn it down) - but the key message that isn't always clear is that it is the diet that is more important than the Metformin.
 
rob2465 said:
Hi All diagnosed August with Hba1c of 92 and told to take metfomin, refused this and said I would try something different. He said ok come back in 3 months but you will definitely be on Metformin. 3 months later and 17 kilos lighter and low carb as suggested on here, Hba1c 35 and no action required, not even an appointment or a question how I did it. Come back in 6 months written on my notes. Thanks to all on here who have done the same and inspired me
Click to expand...

too bad they don´t even recognice what a fine job you have done... ... all these half-gods GP´s I wonder when they´ll wake up and change the way they guide people towards a much healthier life instead of just pooring chemicals down peoples throats

it is really an amazing job you have done wow in such a short time
 
Last edited:
@rob2465 Wow those are great reductions in both HbA1c and weight in only 3 months, well done you! :)

When i was diagnosed my GP did suggest trying to reduce my by diet and exercise for 3 months first, but my HbA1c was only 49. I expect I would have been prescribed Metafornin too if I hadn't brought my figures down before the retest.
But it seems from what I've read on here that GPs are increasingly prescribing meds immediately on diagnosis.
 
Last edited:
Wow good work on bringing your numbers down.
I too have had doctors who's first step is medication.
I do believe for everyone on this site who like you has changed their eating and exercising there are those who just want a pill. I had my doctor mention that she never has had anyone bring their AC1down so drastically with just Metformin.
Some people just want what ever medication it takes for them to continue their life's with out the pain and struggle of change.
 
Hotpepper20000 said:
Wow good work on bringing your numbers down.
I too have had doctors who's first step is medication.
I do believe for everyone on this site who like you has changed their eating and exercising there are those who just want a pill. I had my doctor mention that she never has had anyone bring their AC1down so drastically with just Metformin.
Some people just want what ever medication it takes for them to continue their life's with out the pain and struggle of change.
Click to expand...

yes and quite a few are too depressed to change or they think they cant and then of cause they cant... one need to believe one can just to start the journey
 
Last edited:
Freema said:
yes and quite a few are too depressed to change or they think they can´t and then of cause they cant... one need to believe one can just to start the journey
Click to expand...
I agree. I struggled with being depressed when I first was diognosed. Blaming My self. I knew what the doctors where advising me to do was not working
 
Well done @rob2465
You've done it a lot quicker than me. it took me 6 months to get an HbA1c in the normal range.
 
Good job and wonderful results. It does bear remembering that those of us that choose to take charge of this disease with diet and plain hard work are in the minority. For every person a doctor sees that is willing to change their lifestyle in the long term, they see hundreds that are not. The majority either want to take a pill and have it go away, or are not willing or able to do the work to learn how diabetes works or to change. Time and time again I have seen people new here on the forum who are struggling to understand and it is a steep learning curve. Many have no idea what a carb is and most are firmly convinced that fat is bad and that they must have their oatmeal or toast and tons of fruit. "I can't live without _____" is common. Those that stick around and are willing to learn do very well but others just quietly fade away. Be happy that you are one of the winners :D
 
Well done with your numbers.
Reminds me of my appointment with the nurse a couple of weeks back, where she said she need me to go on meds after 8/9 years of doing diet control. I was reminded several times that she would have to record it in my notes that I had refused. I had just started lchf and said I wanted to carry on with that first. I was not given any encouragement, was told 'come back in 6 months and I suppose your going to prove me wrong' you bet I am. Two weeks later and my morning reading is coming down nicely.
 
chalup said:
Good job and wonderful results. It does bear remembering that those of us that choose to take charge of this disease with diet and plain hard work are in the minority. For every person a doctor sees that is willing to change their lifestyle in the long term, they see hundreds that are not. The majority either want to take a pill and have it go away, or are not willing or able to do the work to learn how diabetes works or to change. Time and time again I have seen people new here on the forum who are struggling to understand and it is a steep learning curve. Many have no idea what a carb is and most are firmly convinced that fat is bad and that they must have their oatmeal or toast and tons of fruit. "I can't live without _____" is common. Those that stick around and are willing to learn do very well but others just quietly fade away. Be happy that you are one of the winners :D
Click to expand...
When I was first diagnosed I just trusted the doc and went straight on meds. It never occurred to me that there was another way until a magazine article nearly 9 years later. Perhaps I was naive, but we should be able to trust our doctors.
Well done Rob.
Jan
 
When I am diagnosed with something, and I have a long list of issues, my first thought is to do some research. I want to know what is going on with my body and why. Doctors do not have the time and often they do not have the very in depth knowledge to sit with me for hours and explain how or why. A general practitioner is just that, general. An endocrinologist should have more knowledge but still does not have the time. After spending all day seeing patients, do they have time to keep up with all the latest research? Not just on diabetes but every condition they might see in a day. Probably not. They are people too and have lives outside the office. Yes you should be able to trust your doctor but that does not take responsibility off the patient.
 
chalup said:
When I am diagnosed with something, and I have a long list of issues, my first thought is to do some research. I want to know what is going on with my body and why. Doctors do not have the time and often they do not have the very in depth knowledge to sit with me for hours and explain how or why. A general practitioner is just that, general. An endocrinologist should have more knowledge but still does not have the time. After spending all day seeing patients, do they have time to keep up with all the latest research? Not just on diabetes but every condition they might see in a day. Probably not. They are people too and have lives outside the office. Yes you should be able to trust your doctor but that does not take responsibility off the patient.
Click to expand...
Patients are people , I always strive to develop an empowering relationship for health ..
sadly as you point out , there is not much time ..
but if empowered plans are developed , time can be managed better ..and there are many ways to to this ..
Just takes a bit of thinking .. wouldn't want to over tax a highly paid GP ;)
People who are labelled as patients also want to live the best life they can with regard to health ..they have many other roles outside the patient role .. I really hate the word patient !
To the poster and others , great to get numbers down .. delighted for all .. best wishes Kat
 
Back
Top