- Messages
- 24
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
Excuse me, but I have to vent some frustrations before my head explodes!
I've recently had some problems with an overactive thyroid recently as well as being T2 for 4 years. I'm pretty sure that the overactive thyroid is making me much more irritable than usual but please bear with me!
Yesterday I had a consultation with an Endocrinologist. After the initial introductions, I started to describe my symptoms, obviously mentioning diabetes. At first he assumed I was Type 1. When I corrected him, out came the dreaded phrase:
"You don't look like a Type 2 diabetic"
My heart sank.I must have heard this comment a hundred times from healthcare proffessionals: From GPs to nurses to eye specialists and now consultant specialists. What is a T2 diabetic supposed to look like? I'm pretty sure there are as many varieties as there are people suffering from it. Perhaps this is why my GP completely failed to diagnose me in the first place, despite numerous visits to the surgery, and I ended up having to get a test done myself at a Lloyds pharmacy. I had a b/g reading of 30.1 when I was admitted to hospital.
In case you are wondering, I am 5'4'' and weigh about 8st 4. My HbA1c results have been normal for the last 3 years and I haven't needed to medication since about 8 months after diagnosis. Yet still, this consultant started talking about putting me on to a low carb Atkins diet. I understand the importance of low carbs for a lot of people, but I have been fine on a sensible diet and really do not want to loose any more weight. I'm a size 8 jeans already. Also I can't see how a high protein high fat diet would help my cholesterol levels which are high anyway (but including high Hdl's too).
Does anyone feel that there is a tick box mentality in the NHS? Isn't it about time healthcare proffessionals actually looked at clinical facts rather than just made judgements on outward appearances? One size does definitely not fit all.
Apologies for the rant.
I've recently had some problems with an overactive thyroid recently as well as being T2 for 4 years. I'm pretty sure that the overactive thyroid is making me much more irritable than usual but please bear with me!
Yesterday I had a consultation with an Endocrinologist. After the initial introductions, I started to describe my symptoms, obviously mentioning diabetes. At first he assumed I was Type 1. When I corrected him, out came the dreaded phrase:
"You don't look like a Type 2 diabetic"
My heart sank.I must have heard this comment a hundred times from healthcare proffessionals: From GPs to nurses to eye specialists and now consultant specialists. What is a T2 diabetic supposed to look like? I'm pretty sure there are as many varieties as there are people suffering from it. Perhaps this is why my GP completely failed to diagnose me in the first place, despite numerous visits to the surgery, and I ended up having to get a test done myself at a Lloyds pharmacy. I had a b/g reading of 30.1 when I was admitted to hospital.
In case you are wondering, I am 5'4'' and weigh about 8st 4. My HbA1c results have been normal for the last 3 years and I haven't needed to medication since about 8 months after diagnosis. Yet still, this consultant started talking about putting me on to a low carb Atkins diet. I understand the importance of low carbs for a lot of people, but I have been fine on a sensible diet and really do not want to loose any more weight. I'm a size 8 jeans already. Also I can't see how a high protein high fat diet would help my cholesterol levels which are high anyway (but including high Hdl's too).
Does anyone feel that there is a tick box mentality in the NHS? Isn't it about time healthcare proffessionals actually looked at clinical facts rather than just made judgements on outward appearances? One size does definitely not fit all.
Apologies for the rant.