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“Wrong type of diabetes”

I don’t doubt that there are many that won’t use the information gained to good effect, or perhaps won’t even test. The question then should be why not?

Is it that they don’t want to make the necessary changes?
Or that they don’t know how to test for type 2 (as opposed to type 1 hypo avoidance and dosage purposes)
or they don’t know how to interpret and use the information

the first is hard to change. The latter two much much easier with a little simple education, firstly of those prescribing.

a three month limited prescription along with appropriate education would go an awful long way to solving the latter two problems and helping many more achieve or head towards remission


Or will the practices lose too much money in incentive and prescribing payments to do that!
 

I don't disagree with most of what you said, but the current rules are based on decades of giving people with type 2 monitors and it having no effect to the 90%. The mortality rate/serious complication rates are frightening for type 2 because for decades people have ignored all advice despite having monitors.

I know people disagree with this especially on this forum, but I very strongly believe that people just find it hard to change despite advice. People given monitors very quickly learn what spiked bloods and what didn't, ignoring what ever advice is perceived to be wrong from the NHS they had the tools to manage the condition and didn't.

The prime reason for this is that no amount of educating or equipment will stop some one eating what they want, unless they are motivated to do something different. But again my view is that this is the majority not the minority

I think a three month test period would be excellent in getting people to understand, with stops given monthly and a discussion with the dbm about changes made and what they have learnt each month to get more strips would be the way to go.
 
3 months ago I was diagnosed type 2. I was confused when I was just told to eat healthily. Background is...11 years ago I had gestational diabetes and I went back to normal after but I was told to keep my weight in check And I would develop diabetes at a later date. Mum was also type 1. The weight gradually crept up and got harder to take off. With the gestational diabetes and kid 1 I used insulin but with kid 2 I monitored my food and managed the whole pregnancy right to the end with the four main carbs out.
When I received my type 2 diagnosis I expected a monitor so that I knew what I was eating and because they didn’t give me one I was gauging whether I was falling asleep or not. Had no idea really what was going on. Weight dropped slowly. I decided to buy a monitor and strips hating the cost but was able to adapt my eating habits. When the strips ran low I asked the diabetic nurse for one so that I could know what my body could handle. Shocked by the results but adapted eating and quickly losing weight and getting energy back.

People don’t know what they are eating and it’s effects on the body. A monitor would help them understand. I only tested after a meal and recorded all food and exercise. Found one potato would put me over even after a 50 minute walk. Not massively over. But the figure basically told me... don’t have potatoes!
 
But are they given the correct advice? I always ate what was considered healthy - wholewheat bread and pasta, low fat, low sugar yoghurts etc, skimmed milk, jacket potatoes, all bran cereals with bananas for breakfast, rice, fruit including bananas, apples, grapes, oranges - the list goes on. My mother who was T2 diabetic also followed this diet and ended up on insulin - she even made low sugar cakes not realising that it was also the flour causing the problems. Perhaps if patients were issued with a meter and, what we all know is the correct advice ie low carb diet, then testing would be more effective and the budget holders will be able to see that, in the long run, issuing strips is cheaper than issuing drugs and other treatments.
 
sno0opy said:
People given monitors very quickly learn what spiked bloods and what didn't,
Click to expand...

sno0opy said:
because for decades people have ignored all advice despite having monitors.
Click to expand...

I understand that most type 2 that were given monitors were told to use it in the same way as type 1, ie fasting and before meals. Not the most useful for type 2 learning which foods and activities have what effect. Using it the “wrong” way makes it pretty pointless. And so I dispute that they learnt about what spiked them.

They have ignored limited advice (lose weight by low fat eating) and yet followed even worse advice (eat low fat and high carb, eat starchy carbs at even meal! etc.) That’s what’s made them worse not the having or not having meters.
 
sno0opy said:
I think a three month test period would be excellent in getting people to understand, with stops given monthly and a discussion with the dbm about changes made and what they have learnt each month to get more strips would be the way to go.
Click to expand...
as I said. the key here is accurately educating the person how to use the results
 
HSSS said:
as I said. the key here is accurately educating the person how to use the results
Click to expand...
Totally agree about education of what happens and how to use the glucometer to get the best out of results and more importantly interpretation of those results.
A food diary is a simple tool to record the results and how those foods that you are intolerant to will show up. Seeing over time how your blood sugar levels will alter because of going low carb, hopefully down. Seeing trends in your results.
In my own personal experience, I was given a glucometer but no education about it, just test every now again, no food diary! No real reason behind the advice!
So I stopped!
There was no reason to, because I had no idea, what to look for and achieve, no goals set, no target to aim for and why monitoring blood sugar levels were important to control.
According to my endocrinologist, I had been going hypo years before diagnosis, but because I didn't have a clue, I never used my glucometer to find out!
I was eating healthy according to all my doctors, dsns, dieticians and even one endocrinologist fifteen years ago!
But this so called healthy foods were slowly killing me, it was porridge, potatoes, wheat, multi-grains, and cooking with vegetable oils that I found by testing were really bad for me!
I was dragged up in my childhood in real poverty, unless you have been there, you cannot understand what it is really like, to have nothing! No hope, no money, no food, no heating, and trying to get by, but you can't! It's scandalous in this modern era, in one of the richest countries, that there are so many, (millions!) That have to do without and go to food banks and most of them are from working families!
A Tory lead assault on the poorest and weakest of those in our communities!
A disgrace!
 
How is your last paragraph or two relevant to the rest of your post?
 
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