confused by my GP

[TriciaWs]

Re Vit D
The NHS/NICE recommendation is that we get supplements, but then the NHS was forced to drop several items from routine prescriptions and vitamins is one group they are no longer expected to prescribe.
I get both Vit D3 and Folic acid on my free prescriptions so I checked the new rules - and people with llinked chronic conditions are exempt, but my GP surgery was stopping everyone's. I spoke to them and provided evidence that my Vit deficiencies are caused by or at least linked with other medications they prescribe so I was still entitled to get them on prescription.

Also NICE have accepted that low carb works, to the extent that people can get prescription vouchers in many areas to cover the cost of the lowcarbprogram.
https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/low-carb-program/
Your GP sounds useless.

 

[MyTravelTips]

I've been in the frustrating position of seeing a succession of DN's over the past 30 months, who on meeting me for the first time tell me: "Sorry, we specialise in T2's and don't do that many clinics with T1's"

They are all lovely DN's, but each time I meet them, they look on the computer, very few notes added, and then ask me about diet, amount of insulin I take, and would I like to see a diabetic specialist?

Two years on and I finally got to see a diabetic specialist last month, who looked at my carb ratios on my meter, told me to change them as well as my basal amount, and made another appointment to see him 4 months later.

For two years I was not taking enough insulin, and was really struggling with BG levels.

 

[JayAmerican]

Too much proteins damage the liver? Since when? It's one of the few things that doesn't affect the liver at all unless you have some kind of serious liver disease already. If you have a healthy liver, lots of proteins will not hurt it.

 

[Tophat1900]

Good grief, yet another horror story of a GP who doesn't have the slightest clue. You could of just sat a cardboard cutout of yourself in the appt, you were just that clearly ignored and dismissed.

On the VitD3 issue, I've taken around 6000iu a day for at least7 years. This keeps me right in the middle of the healthy range. How much you need, I don't know, it may well vary from person to person, but a 1000ui is pretty useless imo.

I really hope you don't encounter that particular GP, that is just unacceptable.

 

[Rose22]

I saw my GP today. She told me my Vitamin D is low (24) but i dont need supplements, I need to get outside more, and they dont prescribe supplements anyway.

She told me my type 2 is doing well over the past three years since my diagnosis. I pointed out that I have been diagnosed for nearly 8 years, but came to her practice 3 years ago. Apparently she does not have any notes from my previous practice, therefore she didnt acept my timeline.

She said that, my cholesterol should be 4 or less and pushed hard for statins. I tried to explain, but failed to get her to listen even though I was calm and factual.

She told me to go low fat. I pointed out that I have been low carbing for 7 years, that is how I have kept my blood sugars down. If i also low fat, what food group is left for me to eat - protein?

She replied that too much protein would damage my kidneys so - no. But, due to my good results she wont give me Metformin either. Stalemate!!!

However, low carbing is not an option, she said, longterm, so I may needs some meds. The same time as saying I cant have any due to low carbing sucess. Which she wants me to stop, with no alternative, so my blood sugars would rise again.

Finally, she is sending me for a liver scan to confim my fatty liver as, apparently, all overweight type 2's have a fatty live. But there is no treatment, I have to lose weight. Even though I cant.

I was calm, polite and helpful all through this. I felt unheard, treated dismissively, and that is that is the sort of illogical nonsense professional people deliver, in the face of all evidence from my own medical notes, I am doomed as far as getting any help from them, even if I get complications.

I think the bit about the Vitamin D level, and having no safe food group to eat was the bit which got me most annoyed.

I have reached the Twilight Zone.

Oh dear I’m sorry you have had such a useless appointment with the GP! I had low Vit D picked up from blood test after I went to GP complaining of very weary achy legs. Feeling tired out climbing the stairs etc. Mine was 39, and the DR said leave it and go buy some vit d from the pharmacy, that I must run low and not get enough sun. Yet I saw anther GP about a week l later and they prescribed a high dose that I took for 3 weeks I think it was. I think I’ve read D3 is the better one for boosting your levels and being absorbed by the body. I think I also read a connection with metformin and lower vit d levels?! Mine where low after taking metformin. So does seem to be the luck of who you see! If you have symptoms of low vit d like I did with pains in legs etc they may be more prone to prescribe you a good boost!

 

[KK123]

Good grief, yet another horror story of a GP who doesn't have the slightest clue. You could of just sat a cardboard cutout of yourself in the appt, you were just that clearly ignored and dismissed.

On the VitD3 issue, I've taken around 6000iu a day for at least7 years. This keeps me right in the middle of the healthy range. How much you need, I don't know, it may well vary from person to person, but a 1000ui is pretty useless imo.

I really hope you don't encounter that particular GP, that is just unacceptable.

Sounds more like the Doc was the cardboard cutout. x

 

[AloeSvea]

My understanding of the process, if you can call it that, (based on a youtube vid by Dr Eric Berg, who is really good at presenting health and nutrition info), is that vitamin D is a crucial aspect of the first stage of proper blood glucose and insulin regulation.

This made absolute sense to me as I had two very serious bouts of vitamin D deficiency (due to living in sun-deficient climate when I am not well adapted to such) that coincided perfectly with two very serious insulin overdrive/hormone messed up metabolic physical illnesses. PCOS in my youth, and then 30 years later T2D. I know about the severe vitamin D deficiency as I was tested for it (when I was mature aged and going to doctor's more), which is standard in Scandinavian countries, as it is such a big deal during the long very dark winter, and during autumn, and fall. I took soluble vitamin D, with K, and it brought my levels back to decent levels, without the sunlight that was very deficient naturally at that latitude and climate. GPs absolutely advise and prescribe vitamin D supplements in Sweden, for sure.

After I got T2D in that climate, I made sure to tell every immigrant I chanced upon with dark hair and dark eyes, and absolutely with dark skin, that they absolutely should supplement with vitamin D with such natural seasonal lack of sunlight. (Blue/light eyes and light hair is an adaptation to low sunlight levels, in order to maximise how much light you get with reflected light etc, one assumes.)

Since diagnosis, I make sure I get daily doses of sunlight in safe (from skin/cancerous damaging UV rays) times of the day. I now live in a subtropical latitude and climate, so maintaining enough vitamin D from natural sunlight on my skin is easy, but must be balanced against the skin cancer risk is a big part of life in NZ (and Australia). Sweden also has high rates of skin cancer due to the very sunlight intense summer, but it is nothing compared to this part of the world which has a humungous o-zone layer hole over us. (Apparently it is getting smaller, which is positive info for all of us Earthlings.)

But if I lived in a seasonally dark climate again I would supplement with vitamin D during the winter at least, in a heartbeat! No question.

A No Brainer. Shame on that GP for sure.