Telling off for self testing

Newbie 2 LADA

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I am type 2 controlled by diet & exercise & have just had my first annual review. To say it didn't go well would be an understatement, I actually got a good telling off for self testing. I was told that if they deemed it necessary then a meter would have been prescribed so why was I doing it. I replied that I was eating to my meter in the hope of controlling my diabetes & not putting myself at risk of complications. The DN said that it was a waste of time as I would have to test all day long as it changes. My food diary didn't get looked at & I left feeling really emotional like a naughty child.
Am I wrong for testing my blood ?
You are 100% right!! When I was diagnosed with type 2 I started to test and keep a food diary but was told by my GP that there was no need to do either of these things...the Metformin and HBA1C test would keep it on track, I listened and wish I hadn't!! Every time I went for a check up for the next 18 months I was told that I wasn't doing the right things (and felt 'scolded') despite losing weight and cutting out sugar, as my HBA1C kept rising. Had I kept a closer check myself I would have been able to see my blood sugars were rising daily despite my efforts. Had I kept checking and keeping a closer, more regular check myself I would have seen there was something wrong. So 2 years after my initial diagnosis the doctors admitted there had been a misdiagnosis and I was actually 'LADA' . Keep checking!! Be in control of your own heath and destiny....good luck x
 

Atad heavy

Well-Known Member
Messages
405
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
You are 100% right!! When I was diagnosed with type 2 I started to test and keep a food diary but was told by my GP that there was no need to do either of these things...the Metformin and HBA1C test would keep it on track, I listened and wish I hadn't!! Every time I went for a check up for the next 18 months I was told that I wasn't doing the right things (and felt 'scolded') despite losing weight and cutting out sugar, as my HBA1C kept rising. Had I kept a closer check myself I would have been able to see my blood sugars were rising daily despite my efforts. Had I kept checking and keeping a closer, more regular check myself I would have seen there was something wrong. So 2 years after my initial diagnosis the doctors admitted there had been a misdiagnosis and I was actually 'LADA' . Keep checking!! Be in control of your own heath and destiny....good luck x
Thankyou I will
 

Atad heavy

Well-Known Member
Messages
405
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
The same thing happened to me. I am prediabetic, and determined not to become diabetic if I can avoid it by making lifestyle changes. I went to see a locum GP some time ago, who reacted the same way towards me.Told me angrily that I should never test my blood sugar levels and talked to me as if I were a stupid child. I am 65. I was deeply upset. Then I ignored her.
Now I do my own thing, test my blood if I want to, follow a low carb diet, and excercise a lot.
No health professional should ever make you feel so bad and dis empowered.
Carry on looking after yourself as the nurse is not looking after you. Have confidence in what you are doing!
I know just how you felt, it’s just awful when you are treated like that. When the diabetic nurse told me that I was type 2 & that I should lose weight & exercise I felt really bad.
 
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treble5040

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
My husband has been type 2 for a long time. When he was diagnosed my response was to research it. I then suggested as we both needed to lose weight why not try carb lowering as it apparently helped diab yes. He adamantly told me that, although he needed to lose weight, what he ate would not make any difference to the diabetes as they’d told him it was a progressive condition to be managed with increasing doses and changes of meds until the day when he’d eventually need insulin. He was also angry because my results were normal and it seemed unfair when I too was heavy and didn’t eat terribly healthily, but used this also as evidence diet made no difference. He also then told me the dietary advice said he needed plenty of starch carbs, around 50% of each meal.

His numbers rose. His meds rose. He eventually agreed to diet and was astonished when the numbers dropped a bit. He agreed to try reducing carbs, but started to get light headed and grumpy (result of lower blood sugar than his system expected). He mentioned it in the surgery and a progressive nurse suggested testing, so he did for a while. He refuses to do it regularly as he is a foodie. It’s been a long road, but he’s lost several stones. He came back off of Victoza and lowered the gliclazide. Sadly he still eats too much of the wrong things, but mostly not too bad. He has ups and downs. If life is stressful, he eats. At Christmas he eats, etc etc. He’s given an annual HBA1C and eye screening. He STILL isn’t self testing most of the time. He gets his annual result .. if it’s risen his meds go up. He then has a rebound diet splurge and tests for a while. He brings the levels back under better control but goes off the rails again long before then next check.

In my view self testing should be promoted and medics should ask people to record at the very least a monthly sample of data before collecting repeat meds. That would keep people like my hubby more focused and start to shift the control onto the individual.
 
M

Member496333

Guest
My husband has been type 2 for a long time. When he was diagnosed my response was to research it. I then suggested as we both needed to lose weight why not try carb lowering as it apparently helped diab yes. He adamantly told me that, although he needed to lose weight, what he ate would not make any difference to the diabetes as they’d told him it was a progressive condition to be managed with increasing doses and changes of meds until the day when he’d eventually need insulin. He was also angry because my results were normal and it seemed unfair when I too was heavy and didn’t eat terribly healthily, but used this also as evidence diet made no difference. He also then told me the dietary advice said he needed plenty of starch carbs, around 50% of each meal.

His numbers rose. His meds rose. He eventually agreed to diet and was astonished when the numbers dropped a bit. He agreed to try reducing carbs, but started to get light headed and grumpy (result of lower blood sugar than his system expected). He mentioned it in the surgery and a progressive nurse suggested testing, so he did for a while. He refuses to do it regularly as he is a foodie. It’s been a long road, but he’s lost several stones. He came back off of Victoza and lowered the gliclazide. Sadly he still eats too much of the wrong things, but mostly not too bad. He has ups and downs. If life is stressful, he eats. At Christmas he eats, etc etc. He’s given an annual HBA1C and eye screening. He STILL isn’t self testing most of the time. He gets his annual result .. if it’s risen his meds go up. He then has a rebound diet splurge and tests for a while. He brings the levels back under better control but goes off the rails again long before then next check.

In my view self testing should be promoted and medics should ask people to record at the very least a monthly sample of data before collecting repeat meds. That would keep people like my hubby more focused and start to shift the control onto the individual.

I think it’s reasonable to say that your husband is probably in a majority in how he manages his diabetes. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that this community is a minority.
 
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Julia99

Well-Known Member
Messages
67
Type of diabetes
Type 2
No, you are not doing anything 'wrong'. On a similar note, my DN praised me for reversing my T2 by diet and exercise, proven by my Hb1ac results, and that I no longer had T2D. My doctor, however, overturned that on my notes. Next time I saw her, the DN was furious. 'You don't have Diabetes'. On further investigation GPS earn money and brownie points by continuing to treat complaints which may be reversed or in remission. I can't remember the name of that funding, but it smacks of statistics being followed unthinkingly, and slavishly - not unlike the education of our children.

Quoff I believe is how they get money for these sorts of things
 

Julia99

Well-Known Member
Messages
67
Type of diabetes
Type 2
No, you are not doing anything 'wrong'. On a similar note, my DN praised me for reversing my T2 by diet and exercise, proven by my Hb1ac results, and that I no longer had T2D. My doctor, however, overturned that on my notes. Next time I saw her, the DN was furious. 'You don't have Diabetes'. On further investigation GPS earn money and brownie points by continuing to treat complaints which may be reversed or in remission. I can't remember the name of that funding, but it smacks of statistics being followed unthinkingly, and slavishly - not unlike the education of our children.

Quoff I believe is how they get money for these sorts of things
 

Atad heavy

Well-Known Member
Messages
405
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Whoops try again
Cholesterol 6.8
Trig 1.6
Serum HDL 1.15
Serum LDL 4.92
Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 5.9
Serum non high density lipoprotein cholesterol level 5.65
Hba1c 46
Liver function much improved - does LCHF help rejuvenate a non alcoholic fatty liver please
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Whoops try again
Cholesterol 6.8
Trig 1.6
Serum HDL 1.15
Serum LDL 4.92
Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 5.9
Serum non high density lipoprotein cholesterol level 5.65
Hba1c 46
Liver function much improved - does LCHF help rejuvenate a non alcoholic fatty liver please
Yes it does improve nafl . And given time usually helps with cholesterol (although can temporarily put them up a bit as you lose weight)
 
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Atad heavy

Well-Known Member
Messages
405
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Can anyone tell me if my results look ok please as I am desperate to a avoid an argument about not going back on statins
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Whoops try again
Cholesterol 6.8
Trig 1.6
Serum HDL 1.15
Serum LDL 4.92
Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 5.9
Serum non high density lipoprotein cholesterol level 5.65
Hba1c 46
Liver function much improved - does LCHF help rejuvenate a non alcoholic fatty liver please

These are the standard ranges according to my lab.

Trigs 0 to 1.9
HDL 1.2 to 3.5
LDL 0 to 3
Cholesterol/HDL ratio under 5
Non-HDL under 4

The important ratio is the trigs/HDL which isn't shown. This should ideally be under 0.87. Yours is 1.39.
 

Atad heavy

Well-Known Member
Messages
405
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Whoops try again
Cholesterol 6.8
Trig 1.6
Serum HDL 1.15
Serum LDL 4.92
Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 5.9
Serum non high density lipoprotein cholesterol level 5.65
Hba1c 46
Liver function much improved - does LCHF help rejuvenate a non alcoholic fatty liver please
These are non fasting results
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Whoops try again
Cholesterol 6.8
Trig 1.6
Serum HDL 1.15
Serum LDL 4.92
Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 5.9
Serum non high density lipoprotein cholesterol level 5.65
Hba1c 46
Liver function much improved - does LCHF help rejuvenate a non alcoholic fatty liver please
Hi
Firstly the usual questions..
Had you fasted 10-14 hours before the blood taken for the test? Only water nothing else?

And yes LCHF can indeed help with NAFLD.

Edit to add please read the whole thread before answering!
 
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