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A first for me - hospital DN

DavidGrahamJones

DavidGrahamJones

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,262
Location
Hazlemere
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
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It's been nearly 20 years since my type II diagnosis. I was told nothing by my GP who wouldn't even prescribe anything until I saw the endocrinologist at my local hospital. 5 months later when I saw the endo, he told me nothing either, except to eat a sensible diet (did Tesco Diets count?)

Overlooking the metformin induced absolute diarrhea (you've heard of acute, chronic, severe, this was worse). Also the weight increasing Rosiglitazone, the muscle pain inducing statins, the weight inducing Gliclazide. Add a new doctor telling me not to reduce carbs (it's not for everyone, either way), adding Januvia to the mix. Afore mentioned doctor not even willing to listen to my concerns about reduced calories and no weight loss. Then a another new doctor (sacked the last one) discussions about insulin which coincided with diet change as recommended by Nutritional Therapist. Present situation after 3 years of new diet, weight loss (now stopped), good BG and Hba1C (now not so good) and today I get to see the Diabetic Nurse at the hospital rather than the surgery. I'm excited, trying hard not to guess what she's going to say, waste of time in my experience.

Something has happened in the last 3 weeks, I started taking Magnesium, Chromium and L-Glutamine and, whereas my BG was all over the place, not even going up after meals, today and for the last several days my BG has been between 4 and 7 and sometimes as low as 3.4 with the occasional 8 or 9. I even had to eat a hot X bun and a fudge yoghurt to get it up to a more acceptable 6.

Is this good evidence that the 3 supplements work?
Being as low as 4-5 for a lot of the time, does this indicate being over medicated with the metformin? I can see a doctor saing drop the supplements take the metformin.
I wonder what nursee will say? I'll know by this afternoon.
 
I can't say what's working for you, but it all sounds good to me.
Those are great numbers.
Good luck this afternoon.
 
Blimey.
I am more excited by the (possible) supplement impact than by your appt with Nursey.
But I certainly understand the wild hope that this time you will get someone who can apply both medical knowledge and common sense at the same time.

Will look forward to hearing how it goes.

(if it was me and the supplements, I would be waiting for the dust to settle and then starting to do some self testing by withdrawing one supplement at a time, to see what the effects were, but that is me. Always the investigator ;) )
 
What a lovely reasonable DN. The first thing she showed me as a book on low carbs LOL, then she looked at my food diary, then I showed my "weight by date" printouts which confirm my carbs are just over 40 gms per day. Then we talked about the FreeStyle Libre (she's going on a course) which I was able to demonstrate (4.1, "I hope you're going to eat before you drive" she says, fair point, Tesco first stop). She made some interesting comments about the FS libre because of the number of diabetics who can't monitor their BG like those with dementia, Alzheimer etc and I was ashamed that I hadn't thought about it especially as my mum had dementia and I remember how she hollered when approached by anyone who wanted to touch her. She also said that there's no way the NHS will fund the FS Libre at the current price for sensors. It would make life so much easier for anyone looking after somebody with something like dementia.

She also mentioned that my liver function has gone downhill somewhat so I think it's back on the Milk Thistle which I took the year before last and got a good function test result back.

Net result? Less metformin, more exercise (knew that bit) so I'm looking for some Tai Chi venues and I'm to look into Headspace and Mindfulness course as a way of removing stress and improving my sleep (which interrupted by the need to go to the bathroom).

I'm certain the lower BG is down to a combination of Magnesium, Chromium and L-Glutamine, they are the three supplements that I've added recently along with Vit D and K (apologies forgot about them before).
 
Great result, and I hope this is the big turning point for you.

How much Metformin do you take as a matter of interest?
 
Bluetit1802 said:
How much Metformin do you take as a matter of interest?
Click to expand...

2 X 500mg twice a day. Although I had started to think the BG levels had started to drop rather too dramatically and the thought had crossed my mind about being over medicated, I didn't quite expect her advice.

Her proper title is Diabetic Specialist and my GP recognises her as knowing more than herself. I was very impressed because we had a very normal conversation where she listened to me although we were on the same wavelength anyway. She did say that she hadn't met anybody as thorough in recording stuff, maybe having OCD is a good thing LOL. Better check those light switches LOL

So I'm cutting down to 500gm twice a day and will see what happens, her words not mine.

Happy bunny today.

I think in Buckinghamshire and more specifically High Wycombe we are lucky in having some GPs, Surgery DNs and Diabetic Specialists who look outside NICE guidelines, maybe it's all changing. She had the Diabetes UK book on low carb in front of her, I thought she was going to sell me a copy LOL
 
Such good news! :) Thanks for reminding me about the supplements too, I'm not sure I have tried them all together, I'll have to check.
 
Daibell said:
I assume you are now on Metformin SR
Click to expand...

Never been offered the SR mainly because after the Rosiglitazone fiasco and especially after low carb, it has never had the same effect although I expect the copious amounts of cocodomol had a lot to do with it as well. I had bad arthritis in both knees (bone on bone) from shortly after 2001 until November 2014 (left knee replaced), January 2016 (right knee replaced) thanks to wife's health insurance. Unfortunately, bashing the prosthetic into the femur on the right knee upset the sciatic something or the other and caused considerable pain. I'm still getting muscular spasms in the back.

I might try the wacky baccy route although I doubt if I could get the medicinal sort, even if I knew where to go. I know they're still trying to develop a better medicinal version because my wife in her role as patent agent has been dealing with the scientist who has a license to grow the stuff in . . . . . . . . . . He's also an old colleague of hers from her days at GD Searle. Sometimes old mates come in handy.
 
DavidGrahamJones said:
I think in Buckinghamshire and more specifically High Wycombe we are lucky in having some GPs, Surgery DNs and Diabetic Specialists who look outside NICE guidelines
Click to expand...

I fully concur. After 4 years visiting this forum I'd developed a healthy scepticism about DSNs. In March 2016, following an HbA1c of 104 I was referred to the Diabetes Clinic at High Wycombe General. From the end of March to the end of June I was under their care, met several DSNs, and felt cared for. Following lowcarb was never a problem. I was almost sad to be referrred back to my GP. Lucky indeed.
Geoff
 
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