Confused and disillusioned

danielt

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Sorry this is a bit long...

Husband was on metformin but had strange muscle cramps so was changed to glicazide but is overweight so I am confused and not a medic I know but I read that this drug isn't good for the more rotund of us...

Also had blood tests but no mention of kidney problems until returned with metformin issues and then it was a oh yes hmm you have protein leaking... So now on ramipril now changed to another because of cough.

I went in and queried the statins but was told firmly 40mg is the standard and shown a graph that shows cholesterol has reduced so maybe they hare ok? I Give him coenzQ10 so hope that helps. Asked about testing told not needed so didn't dare question the glicazide they think my names is Mrs I N Terference already!

. Again discussed testing ad Dr said don't test but different doc who changed the ramipril asked if he tests he said no because was told not to and then the subject was changed and nothing more said perhaps toeing the party line...?

I feel as if I am banging my head against a brick wall and now he is reluctant more than ever to test because they are the professionals and can't be wrong and it's me being over panic stricken. I feel like I have lost the plot and now can't work out if it should low sugar low calorie or LCHF or Harcombe or .which diet.

I am so confused as to the best diet...am reducing carbs and I am sure it's helping but without a test how can I be sure..also stopped crisps and replaced with nuts and now find cashews are high carb ...please can someone help me see the wheat from the chaff.... Oops no not wheat... Wood from trees!!!! Less carbs!!!

Joking aside I am really struggling for clarity... Sorry for the incoherent ramble
 

jack412

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I know you are worried but there isn't much you can do, hubby's a grown man, it's for him to manage or not manage as he will.when he sees it as a problem, he will do something about it. nagging will make it worse and he'll dig his heels in.
 
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danielt

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Thanks for that, I clearly haven't articulated this properly as you have missed my point entirely. I didn't post to say woe is me my husband is a numpty I posted for clarity on all the different advice we get and the fact it is so hard to challenge the medics because that's what they see...they don't see it as a patient needing info
 

mo1905

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Firstly, metformin and gliclazide are completely different drugs with different actions, your husband would not or should not have been swapped for the other. Also, it doesn't matter if you are "rotund" or not. You are doing the right thing by reducing carbs. It can get confusing when you replace crisps with nuts as some nuts are still fairly high carb but just eat less. The best advice is to try to encourage your husband to test regularly. That way he can see how certain foods affect him. Experiment with various low carb foods and see how his blood glucose levels react. Ideally, test before and 2 hours after a meal. You should be looking to see a rise of no more than 2 or 3 mmol between before meal reading and 2 hour post meal reading. If there is anything else specific you want to ask, please do. Tell him not to give up though, control is the best way to avoid long term complications.

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danielt

Active Member
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34
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
Thank you, trouble is the GP is so insistent he doesn't test but I can't see how you can control without testing!!
Genuinely he went to GP with muscle pains and this is the order of what happened.
Told to leave statins off for a week
Then to leave off metformin for week
Dr appt two weeks later husband says no pain when not on metformin and so changed there and then for glicazide just as it's another drug that is exactly how it was...
I am sure you know why I am concerned...I have read enough to see the drugs do different things and the protein leakage is bad enough to warrant drugs but not picked up when results were first in. No extra test they were just missed...this all does worry me that husband is not being monitored properly..there is no follow up tests with the drug changes... What can I or we do?
 
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Bluetit1802

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No, don't give up. Your husband is lucky to have you pushing him to get control.

Get a meter, don't tell your doctor. He doesn't need to know. Once you get one (and test yourself in front of your hubby) your hubby's curiosity will get the better of him. How else can you know if the food he is eating is good or bad for him. Diabetes diets aren't an exact science because we all react differently to the same foods, so we can't make a list of "never eat", "always eat" or "sometimes eat". Its impossible.

I can't advise on the drugs, I'm not a medic. All I know from this forum is that Metformin is a good safe drug. It does make a lot of people have tummy issues but only at the beginning. These go quite quickly with most folk. I also know that Statins give you muscle pain, not Metformin. I know nothing of Glicazide.

Ask any questions you like, and keep up the good work.
 
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sanguine

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The GP can't force you or anyone not to test. It's your husband's body not his. Ignore him and get a meter.
 
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Mushroom

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As you are finding, you have to read up and do what you think is best. The people I know who are not controlling their blood sugars are totally dependent on the advice of their DSN.
Have to agree with previous post even if it means paying for own meter - use one, it does help. You can actually see the results of certain foods and portion sizes. My doctor actually told me not to test - absolute rubbish advice. In the next breath she said she wasn't an expert on diabetes!
Statins - you don't have to take them. My cholesterol went up initially after low carbing (but HDL ratio is now up too) , losing weight and exercising (just walking more). My opinion is you need a bit of cholesterol to keep the brain working properly. The research I have seen on lowering cholesterol isn't impressive in terms of how many lives are actually saved. When I read up on side effects, my worry was that symptoms remained even after pills were stopped.
I didn't even start on the Met as I decided to lose weight. It makes little difference to BS anyway.
Glicazide - from what I have read, it works by increasing the amount of insulin you produce but why do that if too much insulin was the problem in the first place? It shouldn't be given if you are overweight and is only recommended if diet control is not helping (and that doesn't mean if you are still overeating.)
Three years down the line, for me 'low carb/ high' fat works. I feel full due to the fat. I lost weight because less starch and sugar meant less calories. It is easy to stick to - I don't feel deprived. I don't get the cravings I used to get when eating carbs. Basically a 'diet' should reduce portion sizes AND reduce amount of carbs.
If you are worrying about carbs (or fat/calories) in nuts, the latest research says we absorb very littel as we don't chew and it all passes through anyway.
My diabetes nurse says I am a shining example of BS control but the sad thing is I have largely ignored the recommended NHS advice apart from losing weight. The NHS knows people don't lose weight and then the next course of action is pills and more pills to counteract the side effects.
 
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jack412

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they think my names is Mrs I N Terference alread
I feel as if I am banging my head against a brick wall and now he is reluctant more than ever to test because they are the professionals and can't be wrong and it's me being over panic stricken.
sorry I was mistaken.it's just that he doesn't seem concerned as you are.
It may have taken 2 weeks for the statin to settle? metformin and muscle ache isn't common and I would suggest your hubby asks the Dr to try them again for a month and see after that time if there are any side effects left. They are a good drug if tolerated and it will work with the glicazide if it's still required
 

Ruth B

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Type of diabetes
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All I can say backs up what others have said, get a meter and test, it does no harm to test really, the main concern seems to be that you might get worried by the readings, and it can do a lot of good.

I have only been testing for 2 weeks and I am still learning what I can and shouldn't eat, and some of the finding have been quite a surprise.

I am starting to think that ignorance is bliss when it comes to seeing the nurse, and let her make the decisions on what the clinical results say and not admit to testing myself. I'm only on Metformin and the ubiquitous statins, but they aren't really giving me a problem and hopefully with my own control I can get my blood and cholesteral levels down enough that they will eventually take me off the tablets.

Testing is also proving useful to keep me off the snacks, when I can see it is highish 2 hours after the meal then it help me decide I don't need a snack to put it up further, which is helping with the weight loss as well.

Good luck to both of you, my only regret has been I didn't make the decision to test years ago when first diagnoses as borderline diabetic.
 
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desidiabulum

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If your husband is on gliclazide then he should be testing anyway -- he is legally required to test before driving if he is on an insulin-stimulating drug. Check the DVLA website, print out details and present to the GP.
 
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mo1905

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If your husband is on gliclazide then he should be testing anyway -- he is legally required to test before driving if he is on an insulin-stimulating drug. Check the DVLA website, print out details and present to the GP.
Unfortunately this only applies to those with a Group 2 license. For normal car license, there is no law to test unless on insulin. Not saying I agree with it, but that is the law. However, I still think testing is a must.
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Document...riving-diabetes-professional-guidance0212.pdf
 

jack412

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Mo, you would be right about driving a car but being a drug that can induce hypo's, under the diabetic health guide that the dr's are instructed to follow, he should be given free strips and meter and advised to test by the doctor
 

mo1905

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Mo, you would be right about driving a car but being a drug that can induce hypo's, under the diabetic health guide that the dr's are instructed to follow, he should be given free strips and meter and advised to test by the doctor
I agree Jack, he should but LEGALLY, there is no actual requirement to test. That's the difference. Yes, certainly advised but it's not law. It is law however to test if you drive lorries or are on insulin.
 

jack412

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mo1905,
sorry I wasn't clear..fair enough the driving, but driving aside and left out of it. just daily life, being on a drug that can cause hypo's should be given strips under the guidelines and the dr should be giving then and advising him to test at least morning and before tea
 

mo1905

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mo1905,
sorry I wasn't clear..fair enough the driving, but driving aside and left out of it. just daily life, being on a drug that can cause hypo's should be given strips under the guidelines and the dr should be giving then and advising him to test at least morning and before tea
Totally agree Jack, he should, and most do. I was only trying to prevent someone going to a doc and demanding them by law rather that stating their case positively and "persuading" a doc to prescribe them. Anyway, I don't think OP is being denied strips, he just refuses to test. For what it's worth, I think any BG lowering drug should fall under the same rules as insulin users and make it law. This would prevent having to beg for strips but we have had quite a few threads similar to this and it seemed the majority would rather not fall into the DVLA license restriction trap. I would like to think the vast majority of those on these meds get strips. Maybe this would be a good idea for another thread, how many diabetics on BG lowering drugs ( not insulin ) do not receive test strips ? It would be interesting. Anyway, maybe a little "white lie" to her husband stating he must test prior to driving may not be a bad idea ;-)
 
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danielt

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34
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Jack 412 apologies for the snappy reply a symptom of my frustration me thinks. Wow all that information thank you all I have read loads husband is not refusing to test just flipping brainwashed by the GP when everything tells me (mainly from lurking on this forum) is that he should be testing. We have a meter and £27 testing strip cassette ready to go. I am at the stage where I am saying a calloused finger is worth saving your limbs!!!!
I will just push the testing over the next couple of weeks and hopefully we can see some progress. The glicazide just worries me for the reasons stated above.....I don't know what to do about that one....perhaps can get into his next GP appt husband is happy for me to research he eats what I give him and has been good on carb reduction I haven't counted yet just reducing....
I shall now look at the delay site anything official that can give me leverage is worth a try!! Thank you all once again! X
 

donnellysdogs

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Unfortunately, a lot of men don't like going to a GP.. But when they do, they see GP advice as correct and not to be discarded....

Over years of wrangles with my advice I have received my elderly parents and my hubby see that GP's knowledge is just generalised learning of medicine..diabetic nurses can be also too nhs restricted to take off their blinkers... My close relatives do not ever just accept health advice now....it may take a while to change your hubbys views of nhs staff. Yes, they do think they are looking after their Patients (shipman got caught), but in time limitations, budgetary costs, NICE guidelines etc genuine care can be misguided.

I admire you for finding the forum and posting, and am sure that you will find your way to get better care...


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