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Amazing visit to GP

Goonergal

Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
Just back from a visit - completely unrelated to diabetes - to my GP. Once we’d discussed the issues I went for she brought up my weight loss and HbA1c results, congratulated me and wanted to talk more about what I’d done.

She wasn’t at all fazed by my mentioning low carb, and in fact I suspect she might also be as she talked about giving up sugar. She urged me to write up my story on ‘the diabetes site.’ I told her that I am a member of a great forum and clarified that it was this one and not the ‘other’ one. She replied “yes, that’s the one I mean.” She then asked if I’d be willing to share my experience at some group consultations they are running in the surgery for people managing chronic conditions.

So glad to have had the conversation!
 
Goonergal said:
Just back from a visit - completely unrelated to diabetes - to my GP. Once we’d discussed the issues I went for she brought up my weight loss and HbA1c results, congratulated me and wanted to talk more about what I’d done.

She wasn’t at all fazed by my mentioning low carb, and in fact I suspect she might also be as she talked about giving up sugar. She urged me to write up my story on ‘the diabetes site.’ I told her that I am a member of a great forum and clarified that it was this one and not the ‘other’ one. She replied “yes, that’s the one I mean.” She then asked if I’d be willing to share my experience at some group consultations they are running in the surgery for people managing chronic conditions.

So glad to have had the conversation!
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Go for it @Goonergal spread the word! May be a voice in the wilderness at the moment but it will change if help share the success stories it works. Brilliant that your gp was supportative
 
Wow great ..last time i asked my gp a question relating to diabetes she put her hand up to stop me speaking further and told me to speak to the diabetes centre at the hospital. ..that was 3 yrs ago..ive never mentioned diabetes there again...lol
 
Goonergal said:
Just back from a visit - completely unrelated to diabetes - to my GP. Once we’d discussed the issues I went for she brought up my weight loss and HbA1c results, congratulated me and wanted to talk more about what I’d done.

She wasn’t at all fazed by my mentioning low carb, and in fact I suspect she might also be as she talked about giving up sugar. She urged me to write up my story on ‘the diabetes site.’ I told her that I am a member of a great forum and clarified that it was this one and not the ‘other’ one. She replied “yes, that’s the one I mean.” She then asked if I’d be willing to share my experience at some group consultations they are running in the surgery for people managing chronic conditions.

So glad to have had the conversation!
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wow what a fine GP she is
 
james11 said:
Wow great ..last time i asked my gp a question relating to diabetes she put her hand up to stop me speaking further and told me to speak to the diabetes centre at the hospital. ..that was 3 yrs ago..ive never mentioned diabetes there again...lol
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That's a pretty damning example of the ignorance of some GPs about what is a major and growing problem in public health. I can quite appreciate GPs can't be experts in everything, but I would have thought that a half decent and up to date grasp of the basics might be the norm.
 
james11 said:
Wow great ..last time i asked my gp a question relating to diabetes she put her hand up to stop me speaking further and told me to speak to the diabetes centre at the hospital. ..that was 3 yrs ago..ive never mentioned diabetes there again...lol
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That’s terrible!
 
miahara said:
That's a pretty damning example of the ignorance of some GPs about what is a major and growing problem in public health. I can quite appreciate GPs can't be experts in everything, but I would have thought that a half decent and up to date grasp of the basics might be the norm.
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Or even basic manners.
 
Remember that most people need to be told about something up to 5 times by different people before they start to question their own belief system. So when we tell our GPs how we have got good results, even if they don't take it positively, it may be setting them up to take it from the next person that tells them.

Also with the coverage in the press, what one of us tells a GP, can result in them reading an article end deciding to do more research.
 
Goonergal said:
She wasn’t at all fazed by my mentioning low carb.
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Good news, I also have an enlightened GP who is supporting my efforts to emulate Professor Taylor's Newcastle Diet. She did tell me that she already had one patient who had been very successful with a VLCD and that I was one of a few patients she would recommend the approach to. She recognised that there were many patients who would be unable to follow a VLCD and she would not expect them to, accepting that medication for them was the only answer.

It has a lot to do with mental attitude and that's not to suggest anything negative about people who wouldn't, couldn't or even shouldn't follow a fairly extreme regime, it isn't for everyone. I feel lucky in that I have progressively followed a more extreme diet over a number of years. The final step was to remove meat and fish from my diet leaving lots of veg.
 
Great news. My GP gave me the idea to come to this site, by writing the website address down for me. She also listens when I tell her what I have done. There are some getting the idea that there may be better ways than the standard advice it seems, long may it continue!
 
james11 said:
Wow great ..last time i asked my gp a question relating to diabetes she put her hand up to stop me speaking further and told me to speak to the diabetes centre at the hospital. ..that was 3 yrs ago..ive never mentioned diabetes there again...lol
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Terrific! That would make me wonder what else was not on the agenda, and I would be off elsewhere pretty fast.
 
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