Experts that do not know what they are talking about

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
....I think the experts only know theories. They have no practical experience on low carb diet and especially the benefits on diabetes.

I think that is part of the problem. If the GP’s and nurses had the T2 experience then it would help them deal with their patients.
 
Last edited:
Messages
6,107
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I have another concern about this. Years ago I saw a documentary where an egg farmer said that he sold many more eggs after he wrote "Free Range" on the box.

We have had enquiries on this board from people who asked how many of us would buy "Diabetic" food. If you ask them whats in it they never give details. One enquirer came to the conclusion that we wouldn't buy diabetic food since he was selling it from a a market stall. I told him I wouldn't buy it from Harrods.

Now we have the Keto diet. I am sure that even prepared meals will soon be saying that they are Keto. People will buy boxes with Keto written on it just as they kept buying stuff with low fat written on it. Some people won't lose weight and the credibility of Keto will slowly disappear after being dismissed as a fad diet.

Sorry about being gloomy but that's just the way I am this morning.
 

Mr_Pot

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,573
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I think that is part of the problem. If the GP’s and nurses had the T2 experience then it would help them deal with their patients.
If doctors and nurses had to have had all the diseases they might need to treat they would be too ill to treat anyone and probably be dead.
I would disregard anything from an "influencer" unless was about how to look coy and pout a lot.
I think one of the main problems is the way that many journalists work. They have an assignment, setting out with a pre-conceived idea to "prove" rather than an open mind. What the professor actually said may have contained lots of caveats or alternative ideas that have been conveniently left out as they didn't fit, or possibly the journalist interviewed someone who he knew would support the article he had been told to write.
 
Messages
18,448
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bullies, Liars, Trolls and dishonest cruel people
I think that is part of the problem. If the GP’s and nurses had the T2 experience then it would help them deal with their patients.

Hi, being a GP means just that, a General Practitioner, many medical conditions, but not a specialist.
 

DCUKMod

Master
Staff Member
Messages
14,298
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I think that is part of the problem. If the GP’s and nurses had the T2 experience then it would help them deal with their patients.

Thing is they'd also have to have the experience of depression, chronic pain, asthma, hyperlipidaemia, stress, and all the other chronic conditions they are challenged to help manage on a day-to-day basis.

For me, a GP is my gateway to specialist help and a guide in minor medicine, although even with the minor issues, I will still do my own research in terms of any diagnosis they make or treatment regime they consider prescribing.

I use the term "a GP", rather than "my GP" as there are some things my GP freely admits to have next to no knowledge on, so if they felt unable or disinclined to refer me on to specialist knowledge, I would quickly consult a private GP (they're all around us folks) who is much more likely to oblige, provided I am paying.

Our NHS may be free at the point of need, but sadly, these days, our holistic medical care simply may not be that way any more.
 

KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I think that is part of the problem. If the GP’s and nurses had the T2 experience then it would help them deal with their patients.

Well you'd think wouldn't you, but Health Professionals will only advise what NICE is telling them to. No matter what their personal feelings might be there is no way the majority of them would go against that. My own Dr is type 1 but he still comes out with old, old advice on diet and cholesterol. Besides which, surely the 'type 2' experience is different for every individual? So even if they were all type 2 you would get a whole host of opinions still resulting in some good, some bad.
 

Mbaker

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,339
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Available fast foods in Supermarkets
I have another concern about this. Years ago I saw a documentary where an egg farmer said that he sold many more eggs after he wrote "Free Range" on the box.

We have had enquiries on this board from people who asked how many of us would buy "Diabetic" food. If you ask them whats in it they never give details. One enquirer came to the conclusion that we wouldn't buy diabetic food since he was selling it from a a market stall. I told him I wouldn't buy it from Harrods.

Now we have the Keto diet. I am sure that even prepared meals will soon be saying that they are Keto. People will buy boxes with Keto written on it just as they kept buying stuff with low fat written on it. Some people won't lose weight and the credibility of Keto will slowly disappear after being dismissed as a fad diet.

Sorry about being gloomy but that's just the way I am this morning.

Do you mean like this:
https://www.amazon.com/SlimFast-Replacement-Whipped-Triple-Chocolate/dp/B07H7PZXG2
 

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Thing is they'd also have to have the experience of depression, chronic pain, asthma, hyperlipidaemia, stress, and all the other chronic conditions they are challenged to help manage on a day-to-day basis.

For me, a GP is my gateway to specialist help and a guide in minor medicine, although even with the minor issues, I will still do my own research in terms of any diagnosis they make or treatment regime they consider prescribing.

I use the term "a GP", rather than "my GP" as there are some things my GP freely admits to have next to no knowledge on, so if they felt unable or disinclined to refer me on to specialist knowledge, I would quickly consult a private GP (they're all around us folks) who is much more likely to oblige, provided I am paying.

Our NHS may be free at the point of need, but sadly, these days, our holistic medical care simply may not be that way any more.
An unlikely eventuality I know. But true all the same. When I was speaking to the DESMOND “specialist” it did occur to me that she wouldnt have been spouting off the nonsense in such an (over) confident way if she had experienced the condition herself.
 

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi, being a GP means just that, a General Practitioner, many medical conditions, but not a specialist.
Not just the GPs though its the entire system.

Anyhow on a positive note things are surely “thawing”.

I am of course fortunate that my GP is a goodun. Any aspiration for a more enlightened set of healthcare professionals is really on behalf of those who are not so fortunate.
 

Mr_Pot

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,573
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I am of course fortunate that my GP is a goodun.
Maybe if you had a different problem then he wouldn't be so enlightened. There is a lot of luck in getting a GP who has taken an interest in a particular condition. Maybe in practices with many GPs they could steer you to the one most suitable but I have never known this happen, they never seem to say something like - "You need to see Doctor X, he knows the most about bad backs".
 
Messages
18,448
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bullies, Liars, Trolls and dishonest cruel people
Not just the GPs though its the entire system.

Anyhow on a positive note things are surely “thawing”.

I am of course fortunate that my GP is a goodun. Any aspiration for a more enlightened set of healthcare professionals is really on behalf of those who are not so fortunate.

I did like my other GP, but he took early retirement. The one before my now present GP, changed my diabetes diagnosis, without even seeing or talking to me to: Late onset type 2 :wideyed: and the diabetes nurse said at the time, 'that he was very knowledgeable about diabetes '!! :banghead:
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,793
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
I believe that the problem we have with diabetes and other endocrine conditions especially at practitioners level is they have had no specialist training, even so called diabetic GPs and nurses are only taught so much. It is the system!
You go the doctors, you tell the doctor what is troubling you, the doctor, depending on resources, does the necessary services for how he believes is happening, hence usually hba1c test. Depending on results of the tests, he either uses the knowledge he has to either use drugs usually metformin to help, and advises dietary changes, probably the eat well plate. This is standard practice!
Unless you can get more tests and the doctor runs out of ideas or there is something serious, you do not have much chance to see a specialist endocrinologist, even if you do, you still might get one, like I did, who didn't have a clue!
Because of numbers of diabetics, there is not much chance to get a referral to someone who has the experience in conditions such as mine, I was lucky to get one second time around, but that was after a decade long battle with my health care providers and misdiagnosis and years of GPs who did not have the necessary skills for diagnosis of a rare condition.
It has improved over the last decade, especially the last couple of years, that the awareness of how carbs are part of the problem and the awareness that we are not the same, if we have T2! It has been recognised that there are many types of T2!
And that dietary advice is tailored to the individual!
Drugs are not the first call!

The system, the so called dietary advice, the NICE advice, the usual suspects in the media, the obstacles in getting better health care due to spending cuts (bloody Tories!) And the reluctance to change!

And the overriding concern is the lack of doctors, nurses, specialists that need to be in place, due the increasing number of patients!

Pick your favourite!!!!!
 

Dexterdobe

Well-Known Member
Messages
305
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Being unwell and seeing BG levels soar
I believe that the problem we have with diabetes and other endocrine conditions especially at practitioners level is they have had no specialist training, even so called diabetic GPs and nurses are only taught so much. It is the system!
You go the doctors, you tell the doctor what is troubling you, the doctor, depending on resources, does the necessary services for how he believes is happening, hence usually hba1c test. Depending on results of the tests, he either uses the knowledge he has to either use drugs usually metformin to help, and advises dietary changes, probably the eat well plate. This is standard practice!
Unless you can get more tests and the doctor runs out of ideas or there is something serious, you do not have much chance to see a specialist endocrinologist, even if you do, you still might get one, like I did, who didn't have a clue!
Because of numbers of diabetics, there is not much chance to get a referral to someone who has the experience in conditions such as mine, I was lucky to get one second time around, but that was after a decade long battle with my health care providers and misdiagnosis and years of GPs who did not have the necessary skills for diagnosis of a rare condition.
It has improved over the last decade, especially the last couple of years, that the awareness of how carbs are part of the problem and the awareness that we are not the same, if we have T2! It has been recognised that there are many types of T2!
And that dietary advice is tailored to the individual!
Drugs are not the first call!

The system, the so called dietary advice, the NICE advice, the usual suspects in the media, the obstacles in getting better health care due to spending cuts (bloody Tories!) And the reluctance to change!

And the overriding concern is the lack of doctors, nurses, specialists that need to be in place, due the increasing number of patients!

Pick your favourite!!!!!
There is a GP in my practice who leads the local Trusts diabetic services. You would think that she would be conversant not only with the traditional Nice position on diabetes, but alternative and emerging thinking as well. I find her mind as closed as all the other GP's in the practice. Examples:- She has told me that a urine test is more appropriate that an HBA1c test if she suspects diabetes and she thinks that it is pointless for T2 dibetics to test their blood. We discussed a low carb diet and she said she has nothing against them except that they tend to result in increased fat consumption which is very dangerous.
 

KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
There is a GP in my practice who leads the local Trusts diabetic services. You would think that she would be conversant not only with the traditional Nice position on diabetes, but alternative and emerging thinking as well. I find her mind as closed as all the other GP's in the practice. Examples:- She has told me that a urine test is more appropriate that an HBA1c test if she suspects diabetes and she thinks that it is pointless for T2 dibetics to test their blood. We discussed a low carb diet and she said she has nothing against them except that they tend to result in increased fat consumption which is very dangerous.

Hi Dexter, on a similar note I was referred to a Lipid Consultant who told me (in the West Midlands) that a team of 6 expert Nurses had been set up specifically to look at those with total cholesterol of above 7 who they thought MIGHT have FH. This team would conduct tests into FH (Familial hypercholesterolaemia) and if that was negative then they would run 12 specific DNA tests to establish whether the person was genetically prone to higher than average cholesterol. He went to great lengths to tell me how advanced this all was and aimed at diagnosing potential future 'sufferers' such as extended family, etc. and how this squad would be experts in the field able to deal solely with cholesterol issues & funded accordingly.

All great so off I went after a 4 month wait (no problem with that). I saw the expert Nurse, she took a blood test, looked at my cholesterol (7.5 or thereabouts, HDL 2.4, trigs 0.5, LDL 4.5) and said oh that is high, I bet you have FH. Then I asked the expert what she thought of the ratio specifically the good HDL & low trigs. Without a word of a lie she said 'Oh I don't know anything about that, you'll have to ask your Consultant', ie the one that referred me to her expertise in the first place.

She knew about 'high cholesterol' and went on about diet but knew NOTHING in any depth about the different types of cholesterol. I didn't have FH by the way but I did have a high number of the DNA strands that did at least make me understand why for me, a level in the 7s was normal and could probably only be lowered by drugs.
 

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Maybe if you had a different problem then he wouldn't be so enlightened. There is a lot of luck in getting a GP who has taken an interest in a particular condition. Maybe in practices with many GPs they could steer you to the one most suitable but I have never known this happen, they never seem to say something like - "You need to see Doctor X, he knows the most about bad backs".
There was a lot of luck but also some perseverence on my part.
 

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Things can change. GP’s and others from the healthcare teams, just like others in other sectors, can be “up-skilled “ as they go. It is important enough after all.
 

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Thing is they'd also have to have the experience of depression, chronic pain, asthma, hyperlipidaemia, stress, and all the other chronic conditions they are challenged to help manage on a day-to-day basis.

For me, a GP is my gateway to specialist help and a guide in minor medicine, although even with the minor issues, I will still do my own research in terms of any diagnosis they make or treatment regime they consider prescribing.

I use the term "a GP", rather than "my GP" as there are some things my GP freely admits to have next to no knowledge on, so if they felt unable or disinclined to refer me on to specialist knowledge, I would quickly consult a private GP (they're all around us folks) who is much more likely to oblige, provided I am paying.

Our NHS may be free at the point of need, but sadly, these days, our holistic medical care simply may not be that way any more.
My GP in IOM knew nothing about feet, by her own admission.
 

millenium

Well-Known Member
Messages
434
Type of diabetes
Carer
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Urban noise, environmental destruction
I think that is part of the problem. If the GP’s and nurses had the T2 experience then it would help them deal with their patients.

Having observed how health care professionals attend to my father with T2, I think they follow the books and do not even mention any bg target other than the diagnosing ones. Personally, I think it is because they knew how hard it is to limit certain food for most and there is no way they can or willing to supervise that closely.