I was diagnosed in Aug/Sept 2012. My Hba at that time was 6.9 which my nurse said most people would be delighted with. At any rate, I was pretty freaked out about the diagnosis and started reading all I could on the subject and that went into the subjects of the immune system, cholesterol and carbohydrates. I got a meter myself and started testing off of my own bat. I kept track of everything... Meals, activity, blood pressure, mood etc. I collated, graphed and annotated all of my findings and took these result to her at an iternerum meeting before my 3 month review. She was impressed with the effort and showed the head nurse what I had done. I told her that I was on track for an HBa test of 5.3 and she told me then that the meters were not accurate and that I would be disappointed....but did give me one perscription for test strips.
In December I had my 3 month Hba test.... came in at 5.4 (36)! I was elated! She however told me that it was TOO LOW and that she wanted to see the level over 6. I asked her why if I showed no signs of having hypos at the levels I am getting.... no explainations just that it was too low. I asked for continued test strips and she told me that she would ask but didnt' think they would be approved because of cost. She was suppose to call me the next day...... I never got a call. I know that they are busy and I should have called her but I was being petulent!
I spent the next 3 months not testing(too expensive) but sticking to what I had learned during the first 3 months. My next Hba came back at 5.7 (39)! I'm smiling! Thought my meeting with her would be contntious so I went in ready to do battle. She asked me how I was and I told her how unhappy I was with the NHS and with her as proxy. She asked why and I told her about the call I had never recieved, the inability for them to tell my why any number lower than 6 is bad and why they wouldn't encourage patients to strive for normal numbers if the patient knows about their own propencity for hypos and the conflict I have with the NHS approved diet....
She told me how sorry she was and would talk to the doctor about it right now.... She went away, came back with an 'ada boy' from the doctor and a renewalble prescription saying that he is happy to support anyone who is was knowledgable and proactive in their approach.
I think that being knowledgable about all aspects of your condition and that includes all other conditions, knowledge of the NHS reasoning and being able to argue your case HELP if you are interested in taking control of your health. I was able to show down to the last calorie, what I ate, what and to what degree I reacted to that food, how I reacted to various exercise routines and how my actions resulted in improved blood sugar readings, lower blood pressure, weight and much improved IBS..... I won't call myself a low carber but I am pretty restricted in the carbs that I eat.
Hope it Helps,
Kenny
