Dislike my Diabetic Nurse!

[carraway]

Hi

I tried the Newcastle Diet with good results,

Take a look and Slim and Save, they sell meal replacements, soups and shakes. While not s cheap as a tub of something like Slimfast, they re all low carb and there is enough choice to stop you getting too bored.

The other thing you could do is post a few sample menus on the group and invite some comments. There will probably be ideas you haven't thought of


Cara.

 

[2christine]

It looks like you are the right track,go for it,I for one wish you well,I was just trying to get you going ,sometimes it needs a little push for me too..

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[hose1975]

If you want to keep a relatively tight grip on calorie intake (if that's the route you choose for weight loss), I can highly recommend the myfitnesspal app and website. The database is huge, you can add to it if you can't find what you're eating, you can create your own recipes and know what the nutritional value (not just calories) is for them; in short, it's great! I lost 3 stone by calorie counting (it appeals to my inner list-making administrator) and even now I continue to use it, albeit more loosely, to maintain.

You can also link other fitness apps to the MFP account, like endomondo and runtastic, so that if you go for an exercising kind of walk, as opposed to a general mooch, you can have the calories burned during it deducted from your daily calorie allowance and choose to eat them back (or not).

Best wishes

Jo

 

[zand]

Yes, have the thyroid check, it may help . It may show that there are problems with the thyroid. However be aware that this is only a 'snapshot' picture and if it comes back 'OK', it may not necessarily be OK. I have heard that it can take up to 9 tests to get a true picture. My thyroid tests have all been OK, but slightly lower than normal, yet I am convinced my thyroid was damaged in a severe whiplash injury many years ago. Even on a very low calorie diet I lose only a few pounds. Immediately after the accident I put on 2 stones in 10 weeks and have struggled with weight ever since, although it wasn't a problem before. A nutritionist and also a naturopath have told me that when whiplash occurs, the thyroid can be damaged, and will still produce enough raw hormone but will not be able to convert this into active hormone. The doctors test only tests raw hormone.

 

[hose1975]

Re: Thyroid. If you can, ask for TSH, Free T4 and, depending on the results of the first two, T3 to be tested. That will give you a good baseline set of results. (Be aware, though, that T3 is not tested routinely in the UK.)

 

[parameswaran]

So yesterday I had my long awaited appointment.

The previous times that I've seen her I've found her to be a tad patronising and yesterday was no different, but she reached new highs. I appreciate that she was running late and probably wanted to get home but ...
She sat me down and sighed at me. "Your bloods have come back and they're not good ..."
I interrupted her - "I know that, that's why I fought for this appointment. Would you mind if I just tell you how I'm feeling and you can tell me if they're down to my diabetes?"
She blinked at me. Undeterred I started to reel off my list -
Tinnitus, migraine, blurry vision, tired all the time, too exhausted to exercise, boils, gum disease, excessive sweating and the nagging pain near my hip.
"Apart from the tinnitus those are all caused by your high sugar."
I tried to argue, but to no avail.
She continued "I'm going to put you on saxagliptin. It's our new wonder drug. And I'll see you again in three months. Check your sugar levels before you drive because there could be a risk of a hypo."
And that was it. No advice as to what to do if my sugars were low. No extra prescription for test strips (I asked. She just shook her head.) Nothing about my symptoms apart from an "It must be awful for you"
And when I asked if these new tablets (on top of my 2000mg of Metformin) would make me feel better she cocked her head on one side, pulled what she obviously thought was a compassionate face and said "This is a PROGRESSIVE disease, it doesn't get better"!!!
Whatever happened to 'control by diet and exercise'? I left thinking I'm on the scrap heap!!
I wish I had a choice of practice - sadly it's the 'only surgery in the village'. Where is the support? Or the offer to look at my symptoms and sort them out - some antibiotics for the boil problem would have been nice.

Maybe I've got it wrong and her remit is only to deal with the sugar and not the associated problems? But getting to see a doctor is nigh-on impossible.
Rant over.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Hi Beezee,

If I were in your position, I would have look for another Doctor. You deserve an explanation for all your illness. If she is not good treating for any other ailments, she could have advise you to consult another doctor for that.
I also advise you to think twice before taking any new medicine. Always prefer safe and proven medices if you have an option. Try to find out sombody who is keen to attend you.
Wish you Good luck.

 

[Monkey201]

Okay - one at a time ... Monkey - thank you sooooo much! You've made me feel 'normal'. Lol.

And thank you very much for the hypo advice - at least I know what to look out for and what action to take.

It's easy enough to trawl the net but there's so much conflicting info out there that it's much better to hear it direct.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Great news, glad you feel better! My previous d.nurse WAS inspiring, shame she retired. She made me feel human again when she told me to stop blaming myself for being diabetic. She said not to be ashamed & self-critical, as this disease is genetic - it was already in my make-up when I was born. In fact, it's on both sides of my family for several generations so I didn't have any say in inheriting it. It's not because I'm fat or down to my diet - skinny people who eat well also suffer, so what's their excuse? So many people blame me as if I want to be this ill ... drives me nuts!
Glad you know about hypos now - so important when you could be at risk & diabolical that GP didn't ensure you knew. Know what you mean about the net - I usually go with my common sense/gut instinct, as your self-preservation should stand you in good stead!

Offended by Christine's comments - self-righteous & not so for everyone. If there was a miracle cure, everyone would be doing it & these forums wouldn't exist.

Best wishes & virtual hug if it helps!

 

[Monkey201]

Hi Douglas.
I'm 5ft 2, and fluctuate between 8st 11 and 9st 2. Which 'they' tell me is in the healthy range. In my dreams I'm between 7 and 8 stone! No matter what I do (starvation mainly!) I can't seem to lose weight.

Three years ago (just before I was diagnosed with IBS - which I don't think I have) the doctor told me I had a fatty liver. Which I took to be an insult! He didn't offer any advice or tell me what it meant. Just phoned up and told me that was what I had. I suspect that perhaps that was linked to my newly diagnosed diabetes. I know what caused that original problem - it wasn't due to weight, it was due to stupidity. And equally stupidly I didn't tell the doctor.
So I do see all this as entirely of my own making.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Beezee, look up NAFLD (Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) to learn about your liver issue. I have it too and must monitor it as it can become much worse without symptoms, especially as you're diabetic. Fatty liver is a diagnosis believe it or not, rather than an insult!

 

[Monkey201]

Yes, have the thyroid check, it may help . It may show that there are problems with the thyroid. However be aware that this is only a 'snapshot' picture and if it comes back 'OK', it may not necessarily be OK. I have heard that it can take up to 9 tests to get a true picture. My thyroid tests have all been OK, but slightly lower than normal, yet I am convinced my thyroid was damaged in a severe whiplash injury many years ago. Even on a very low calorie diet I lose only a few pounds. Immediately after the accident I put on 2 stones in 10 weeks and have struggled with weight ever since, although it wasn't a problem before. A nutritionist and also a naturopath have told me that when whiplash occurs, the thyroid can be damaged, and will still produce enough raw hormone but will not be able to convert this into active hormone. The doctors test only tests raw hormone.

Interesting comment - thanks also. I keep being tested but am always fine whereas I have classic thyroid symptoms (husband's on Thyroxin).

 

[2christine]

I was only trying to help nothing self righteous about me lol

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[phoenix]

re thyroid. I think it is important to be tested but I also I think that that many of the symptoms attributed to hypothyroid are very nebulous and can apply to diabetes and probably many other conditions including 'normality'. .
Personally, I probably had a lack of motivation but I can't say that I could really say that I had any of the other listed symptoms to any great degree . My high TSH was discovered on a routine test, they subsequently tested for and found relatively high antibodies and a scan showed a small, atrophied thyroid with various 'nodules'' and cysts: so not a healthy thyroid. There was no question about diagnosis and the necessity for treatment.
I went onto thyroid forums including thyroid UK and found them totally depressing . They made me feel I really ought to feel more ill. I suspect that it's another condition that has huge variations but one where from what I've read there is a tendency to blame everything on the thyroid

 

[forty six]

re thyroid. I think it is important to be tested but I also I think that that many of the symptoms attributed to hypothyroid are very nebulous and can apply to diabetes and probably many other conditions including 'normality'. .
Personally, I probably had a lack of motivation but I can't say that I could really say that I had any of the other listed symptoms to any great degree . My high TSH was discovered on a routine test, they subsequently tested for and found relatively high antibodies and a scan showed a small, atrophied thyroid with various 'nodules'' and cysts: so not a healthy thyroid. There was no question about diagnosis and the necessity for treatment.
I went onto thyroid forums including thyroid UK and found them totally depressing . They made me feel I really ought to feel more ill. I suspect that it's another condition that has huge variations but one where from what I've read there is a tendency to blame everything on the thyroid

I do agree with this post and the comment from Zand about 'snapshot' picture. My GP has explained to me that when thyroxin is released into the blood it can stay there for quite a while before it is used so sometimes a blood test will give a false reading. Also under active thyroid seems to be bandied around a lot.

However I have only been on my tablets for 2 weeks and already I can feel a difference. The main thing I have noticed is that I am sleeping properly at night and staying awake during the day. So much of what was happening to me was blamed on diabetes (which the nurses at my practice still say I haven't got). We should not just accept 'it's your diabetes' without getting it checked, we have ample evidence on this site that GP's are not willing to listen once you are diagnosed and I believe we should question them on every aspect of our care. Most of us will have been paying for this 'service' for a number of years before diagnosis and therefore deserve the best even if we have to fight for it. The list of things that I have been told are diabetic related that I now know are also thyroid related is scary and it took 2 years of blood tests to get a proper thyroid reading.

Under active thyroid affects more women between 40 and 50 than any other age or sexual group. It is life threatening if left untreated - I was stunned when I read the list of signs and symptoms.

I admire all of you who are running your lives and coping with diabetes - it is us who should be writing the 'guidelines' for NICE.

Good Luck to you all

 

[Beezee]

Thank you for all the advice. I've been away but first thing Monday morning I'm going to phone the doctor and not give up until I have an appointment.
I've had enough. The ringing in my ears is driving me mad, the dizziness is becoming a real problem and I'm not going to be fobbed off anymore.
Thanks for helping me to see that it doesn't have to be like this.


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[zand]

Good luck, let us know what happens.