Don't involve yourself in the blame game.

Patty

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
My first time on this forum. I have been type 2 for 7 years. Never was overweight, always active, fairly good diet but my dad was type 2 also. These adverts and blame warning via the NHS really get my back up. I did absolutely NOTHING to get diabetes except maybe it was hereditary which I can't help. Thank you for your truly heartwarming post. Fight on good people.
 

GraceK

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Patty said:
My first time on this forum. I have been type 2 for 7 years. Never was overweight, always active, fairly good diet but my dad was type 2 also. These adverts and blame warning via the NHS really get my back up. I did absolutely NOTHING to get diabetes except maybe it was hereditary which I can't help. Thank you for your truly heartwarming post. Fight on good people.

Patty ... I was talking to a Granny at the swimming pool the other day ... her granddaughter is Type 1 and was told it was the result of a virus and I've heard that from a few people. The average non medical person wouldn't be expected to know the ins and outs of diabetes ... but a doctor SHOULD. Otherwise what the hell do they get paid for? Insulting people?

Grrrr ... honestly I'm so angry at his stupid comments, the scapegoating and the additional prejudice they'll no doubt cause as a result. As if things aren't bad enough. :roll:
 

eggplant

Active Member
Messages
42
Patty,

Thanks for flagging this up - I caught a snippet of this today on BBC breakfast news and, like you, I was so angry at T2 diabetics being singled out. There are so many different reasons as to why people are diagnosed with diabetes, T1 or T2 and its not all about overeating (although in my case, it probably was - but I don't eat doughnuts for breakfast either). You can't claim to offer a national health service and then attempt to segregate patients on a 'blame yourself' basis. How equitable can you be - do you stop at bad eating habits, how about negligent extreme sports injuries or the other 'obvious' targets - drink, drugs, etc. what this guy hasn't really thought about is that if people can't afford to contribute, they may well just not treat themselves or bother attending screenings, check-ups - leading to more expensive, costly treatment due to complications.

GraceK - thanks for sharing your email. I thought it was great. When I regain a sense of composure, I may well follow you. :)
 

GraceK

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eggplant said:
GraceK - thanks for sharing your email. I thought it was great. When I regain a sense of composure, I may well follow you. :)

Eggplant ... I can't believe it ... but I'm still angry about this and a few other political stupidities that I've come across in the past and more recently. There seems to be a nasty element out there that lacks compassion for others and only sees £s and $s and while I realise they're important in the great scheme of things ... without a heart to know what to do with them ... those £s and $s are useless. And the sad thing is ... ordinary people are getting caught up in the hysteria and propaganda and following suit.

It might seem a bit OTT but I don't care, I see what I see and we've been through the ethnic cleansings of the 80s and 90s and now it seems we've moved onto disability cleansing. And we thought fascism died with the end of WWII? I don't think so. I think it was just laying its very ugly head very low for a while. :(
 

GraceK

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I hope the Tory Moron is watching Daybreak this morning. I've just been watching scenes of young drunkards lying in their own vomit in the streets waiting to be picked up by Police, Ambulance and A & E services.

Have you noticed that even on programmes like Casualty and Holby City there's a great deal of sympathy and tolerance towards drunks taking up precious resources? Could that be because a lot of NHS employees see nothing wrong with having one or two (bottles) too many themselves because they have stressful jobs? I wonder how many alcoholics are actually holding down jobs as HCP's?

It's a shame they don't have posters like the flu posters - but aimed at drunkards instead - "Had too much to drink? Stay at home or Stay on the pavement!" I mean it's OK to tell people with genuine illnesses and medical conditions like flu or those irresponsible people who eat doughnuts for breakfast, to stay at home or find their own way to hospital, but they seem to have sooooooooooo much patience with drunks.

Priorities? :***:
 

Nada

Active Member
Messages
30
Grace & Viv you are my heroes for putting the moron straight - have to admit as a newly diagnosed diab I felt quite depressed over all the media attacks on lifestyles - it is incredibly judgemental - I think education is a huge part of this and if proper nutrition was taught at schools everyone would have the option to make better choices. I just finished my local NHS course which wasnt too bad and I was flabbergasted how few diabetics get offered or sent on them. Some people on the course had been given little guidance for years and were now questioning what their GPs have been playing at. I recommended this forum to those that really want to challenge their condition and over the weeks there was a real change in their attitude and courage.

I am third generation diabetic and beyond that we don't know if other family members had the condition so although I missed / ignored the warning signs I now know I was predisposed to it. Knowledge is power and I hope to be the first person in my family to buck the trend of amputations and blindness.

Thank you :)
 

viviennem

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Messages
3,140
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
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Good for you, Nada - I do hope you're successful! :D

Below is a copy of my email to Phillip Lee, just for info. He's my brother's MP, so he just might get lobbied!

Dear Dr Lee

I was saddened to read your newspaper quote suggesting that all diabetics should pay for their medications, because they owed their diabetes to "lifestyle choice".

You will be as aware as I am that this cannot possibly relate to Type 1 diabetics, whose condition is related to pancreatic failure, and can be genetic or auto-immune, among other causes. A shame that some of the Type 1s I know are having their test strips rationed by their GPs in an effort to save money!

I am a Type 2 of 2.5 years standing, and yes, I am obese. I have followed the NHS recommended low fat, high carb diet for many years, and watched my weight creep up. I could gain weight on 1300 calories a day. I have been dieting since I was 13, and have doubled my weight since then. This is not fun, nor a lifestyle choice.

I had an HbA1c of 6.5 on diagnosis in April 2010. I weighed 21.5 stone - morbidly obese. I immediately began to control my carbohydrate intake to below 70g per day, substituting extra fat and a little extra protein for the carbs, and eating plenty of low-carb fresh veg and a little carefully-chosen fruit. I now consume between 1300 and 2000 calories a day.

After all, my body has an inability to metabolise carbohydrates correctly. It seemed logical, therefore, to restrict my consumption of carbohydrates and give my poor, overworked pancreas a rest!

I now weigh 16.5 stone (and still losing), have an HbA1c of 5.4, total cholesterol of 4.6, an excellent lipid profile including a cholesterol:HDL ratio of 3.5, and BP of 122/78. I still have some insulin resistance, but my reaction to carbs is now much improved. I have lumbar spinal stenosis and cannot exercise much, but my condition is still improving.

I do not have any diabetes complications, and my diabetes costs the NHS 3 x 500mg Metformin daily (mainly to help with weight loss), a pot of 50 test strips monthly, and my routine tests. I am very lucky in that my practice realises just how useful a tool blood glucose testing kit is to someone who really understands and wants to control their diabetes.

Blaming all Type 2s for their diabetes is just plain wrong. 20% of newly-diagnosed Type 2s are of normal weight. 80% of obese people are not diabetic.

I assume you know that insulin resistance causes obesity, as all the unused blood glucose gets stored in the fat cells instead of being used for energy. Too much carbohydrate = too much blood glucose, and also = high cholesterol levels, particularly triglycerides.

In my opinion, and that of many of my fellow controlled-carbers of all Types of diabetes, the NHS dietary advice given to diabetics is just plain wrong for many of us. In fact, in some cases the low fat/high carb advice has actually caused Type 2s to become diabetic.

Diabetes is a very complex condition, and each diabetic is different from all the others. It is totally unfair to class us all as the same. The sweeping one size fits all message as given in the newspaper article that quoted you can also lead to unkind and hurtful comments and attitudes among the public at large - in some cases, as bad as race-hate and other types of discrimination.

The public is ill-educated about diabetes - which, I am sad to say, in far too many cases applies to HCPs as well.

I hope your staff actually draw your attention to this email.

Only an automated response as yet! I copied this to my MP, William Hague - who is an excellent constituency MP, among all his other duties, and will probably follow it up.

Viv 8)
 

minitata

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Messages
107
I have also written to the mp. I linked this site and the Blood Sugar 101 site to him and said that giving all type 2s a meter and test strips and teaching them to eat to their meter would be much more cost effective than the guidelines given nowadays. I also said that educating gps and nurses to the foods that cause blood sugar to go up and to not push the grains and starches as basis of every meal would help reduce complications, which are, after all, the main charge on the NHS by diabetics, whereas making them pay for their prescriptions would mean that some people wouldn't be able to afford their medication and others just wouldn't buy it and would end up with more complications, costing more.

He really is a plank and shouldn't be allowed to practice medicine. What does he tell old people? You can't have medication, it's your fault for getting old!!
 
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GraceK

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minitata said:
I have also written to the mp. I linked this site and the Blood Sugar 101 site to him and said that giving all type 2s a meter and test strips and teaching them to eat to their meter would be much more cost effective than the guidelines given nowadays. I also said that educating gps and nurses to the foods that cause blood sugar to go up and to not push the grains and starches as basis of every meal would help reduce complications, which are, after all, the main charge on the NHS by diabetics, whereas making them pay for their prescriptions would mean that some people wouldn't be able to afford their medication and others just wouldn't buy it and would end up with more complications, costing more.

He really is a plank and shouldn't be allowed to practice medicine. What does he tell old people? You can't have medication, it's your fault for getting old!!

Unfortunately, the blame game seems to be the answer to all problems brought about by mis-management.There are governments that openly commit genocide on their own people and there are more sophisticated governments that do it very quietly and all above board. Most people just don't see it for what it is.
 

susanmanley

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Messages
596
GraceK said:
minitata said:
I have also written to the mp. I linked this site and the Blood Sugar 101 site to him and said that giving all type 2s a meter and test strips and teaching them to eat to their meter would be much more cost effective than the guidelines given nowadays. I also said that educating gps and nurses to the foods that cause blood sugar to go up and to not push the grains and starches as basis of every meal would help reduce complications, which are, after all, the main charge on the NHS by diabetics, whereas making them pay for their prescriptions would mean that some people wouldn't be able to afford their medication and others just wouldn't buy it and would end up with more complications, costing more.

He really is a plank and shouldn't be allowed to practice medicine. What does he tell old people? You can't have medication, it's your fault for getting old!!

Unfortunately, the blame game seems to be the answer to all problems brought about by mis-management.There are governments that openly commit genocide on their own people and there are more sophisticated governments that do it very quietly and all above board. Most people just don't see it for what it is.


AGREE, AGREE, AGREE.
What is happening to the caring profession
 

beeman

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi everybody

I was never overweight, and always active in sport, yet I was diagnosed as type 2 in September 2005. In January 2005 my wife had a very serious illness and I was under a great deal of pressure, and the diabetes seemed to follow on from that. There is no history of diabetes in the family.

Can it be brought on by intense periods of stress?

Beeman.
 

GraceK

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beeman said:
Hi everybody

I was never overweight, and always active in sport, yet I was diagnosed as type 2 in September 2005. In January 2005 my wife had a very serious illness and I was under a great deal of pressure, and the diabetes seemed to follow on from that. There is no history of diabetes in the family.

Can it be brought on by intense periods of stress?

Beeman.

I think intense stress can contribute in some way, also I've heard of diabetes being caused by viral infection in some cases. I know of a mother of a young child who was diagnosed with Type 1 at age 11 who was told it was the direct result of a viral infection. Quite how they discover that, I don't know. But there's obviously more to diabetes than meets the eye.
 

viviennem

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Type 2
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Other
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A friend of mine became Type 1 in his 40s, immediately after his father's unexpected death.

Stress certainly contributes to high BGs - I was diagnosed just after my 24th house move, which was the most stressful I've ever done. I don't think it made me diabetic - that was the over-eating to compensate! :shock:

Viv 8)
 

Lozzybabyw

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Messages
53
Wow well done to you:)
I have been diagnosed as borderline diabetic type 2. I have just completed my tests/screenings for the first time. I don't get anything to check my levels & have only to be going by how I feel to know how things are for me. My doctor said on a routine appointment that she went on to a course. If you lose a stone then you will no longer be diabetic! I am told diet & exercise are the key. I have a few health issues which led me to diagnosis, though am also being told I'm not bad enough for it to be my diabetes! I'm nearly 13 stone & I am blindly trying to work out what foods.. I've been told yes to carbs & by someone else no! I have not a clue! All I know is type 2 Diabetes is seen as creating the issue yourself & meaning you need to lose weight & you can be cured! Tick the boxes & cross the t's as it were & then you've beaten diabetes it seems!
 

anna29

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I too am now sure - 'stress' could be a factor .
After battling pneumonia AND septis infections off in feb 2009

My body spent 10months in fight mode - then -
I was floored to be told 'diabetes' life for me :shock:

It took me 6months to adapt and adjust to it all :roll:

Anna.
 

susanmanley

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Messages
596
It is really hard when you have had a lot of illness and then hve diabetic thrown on top. You are then told it is best to control with diet for as long as possible but given no way of testing to see if you are getting it right!!!
 

jppm

Member
Messages
11
Who is kidding who here ?
The vast majority of Type 2's have been eating too much and not exercising enough. Simple as that.
Yes, those cruel food factories tempted us with nice tasting treats , but not everybody eats them.
Yes, it is easy to become a cosy couch potato, but not every body does.
Yes, we have other illnesses that may make life a little bit hard, but nobody said life was easy.
So stop making excuses, get off your butt and be determined to change your life. Everybody can become healthier if they really try, and stick with it for the rest of their lives.
Come on, don't blame everything and everyone but ourselves. Face facts.
 
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susanmanley

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596
Bit agressive?

glad it is that easy...If only I had known that when I was born...Obviously I didn't exersice enough in the womb
 

jppm

Member
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11
susanmanley said:
Bit agressive?

glad it is that easy...If only I had known that when I was born...Obviously I didn't exersice enough in the womb
Nobody said easy, I 'm saying be honest and while you're about it grow up a little.
 

susanmanley

Well-Known Member
Messages
596
I have been lucky to have lived a full and active life despite my disabilities but i wouldn't say it was everone could have had this. There are many factors in everyone's life that we don't always know about or that they cannot control.

I am glad that you are able to control your live so well but this doesn't mean everyone can. My diabetis came from pancretitus so, although I have worked at loosing weight and increasing exercise, there is no real way out of it. I accept this but also like to discuss with other people in case there is something I have not tried.

As for growing up...I hope I never do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!