Grateful
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,398
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Diet only
I agree with @lucylocket61 that people coming here, especially those just-diagnosed, are almost always looking for emotional and other support at a time when most of us can remember being shocked, scared and confused.
My profile is perhaps a little unusual in that I came here having already "reversed" my T2D with a low-carb diet alone, on the advice of my doctor. I did my denial, fear, mourning, acceptance on my own.
Finding this forum months later, I jumped in with both feet and now realize that I failed to pay enough attention to the raw feelings of the newly diagnosed -- even though I was myself in that position only months earlier. I was actually PM'd by a more experienced forum member who, very politely and quite correctly, suggested that my posts (even when they were accurate) were upsetting to newbies. I hope I've been more careful since.
Where I disagree with the OP is about dietary advice to newly diagnosed T2Ds (and even, those whose diagnoses were several years ago but have never tried low-carb). He is absolutely right that we need to know what drugs they may be taking, and include the necessary warnings, and point out that a low-carb option is not for everyone, and does not work for everyone.
But often, the information in the newbie's first post (or one of the early posts) is right there: Diagnosed with T2D, prescribed Metformin, not yet given any substantive advice. Yes, in those cases, I tend to go right into the story of how low-carb worked for me, and for many others, and provide info about how it is done. While including the important caveats.
I just think it is that important. If the medical community were doing their job, we would have a lot more time to provide "support" first and indeed that would be the primary purpose of this forum (maybe in a future paradise, that will happen). It is a scandal that this is not the case, and that therefore lay people such as ourselves have to take up the cudgels.
My profile is perhaps a little unusual in that I came here having already "reversed" my T2D with a low-carb diet alone, on the advice of my doctor. I did my denial, fear, mourning, acceptance on my own.
Finding this forum months later, I jumped in with both feet and now realize that I failed to pay enough attention to the raw feelings of the newly diagnosed -- even though I was myself in that position only months earlier. I was actually PM'd by a more experienced forum member who, very politely and quite correctly, suggested that my posts (even when they were accurate) were upsetting to newbies. I hope I've been more careful since.
Where I disagree with the OP is about dietary advice to newly diagnosed T2Ds (and even, those whose diagnoses were several years ago but have never tried low-carb). He is absolutely right that we need to know what drugs they may be taking, and include the necessary warnings, and point out that a low-carb option is not for everyone, and does not work for everyone.
But often, the information in the newbie's first post (or one of the early posts) is right there: Diagnosed with T2D, prescribed Metformin, not yet given any substantive advice. Yes, in those cases, I tend to go right into the story of how low-carb worked for me, and for many others, and provide info about how it is done. While including the important caveats.
I just think it is that important. If the medical community were doing their job, we would have a lot more time to provide "support" first and indeed that would be the primary purpose of this forum (maybe in a future paradise, that will happen). It is a scandal that this is not the case, and that therefore lay people such as ourselves have to take up the cudgels.
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