Am so dis-heartened

candy1567

Well-Known Member
Messages
120
hi all

Went for a check with my DN this morning and i thought i was doing quite well, am still getting to grips with the low carbing and its actually working.

Well 2 months ago my Hb1ac reading was 11.8, 1 month ago it was 9.9 so they started me on Byetta and metformin and today it was 7.5 i was soooo pleased as am finding it hard to get to grips with this and its causing probs between me and my partner as i feel as its completely taking over my life and all we chat about is my blood sugars!!!!

Anyway as i said was so pleased until the DN suddenly developed 2 horns and told me off like a naughty child that 7.5 is not good and as an adult i can and should do better she was so condersending am 41 for gods sake, it made me wanna go out and buy a chocky bar (but i resisted)

What am saying here is that i had very high bs 14's and 15 and now they rarely go over 8, i know thats still to high but now i feel a failure and think i just cant do this anymore also my partner was with me and i had that told you so look which made me want to slap him and am not a violent person!!!

Yes i know i still have a long way to go and they have just increase the Byetta to 10, but surely encouragement is the key, she even said well you've lost 8 pounds but you have a bit more to go, do these ppl have any compassion bet they dont even had diabetes,

ok rant over lol, gotta laugh or i'll cry

juliexx
 

sugarless sue

Master
Messages
10,098
Dislikes
Rude people! Not being able to do the things I want to do.
Oh you poor thing! Of course she should have praised you,you deserve the praise for dropping your levels like you have!! I would have slapped her as well as boyfriend!! :lol:
Please don't be disheartened,whatever you are doing you are getting to grips with your diabetes.In a few months time you can adopt the smug 'I told you so' look when you have come down even further.
 
C

catherinecherub

Guest
Hi candy,
You've done very well and it shows by your results. These people have no idea of the effort we have to put in to change things.
I am sure I speak for all the forum members when I say that you are on the right path and it doesn't happen overnight. Wish there was a badge you could wear for your undoubted success.
Keep up the good work,
Regards, Catherine.
 

fergus

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,439
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi Julie,

You're making great progress! The HbA1c and weight are all headed in the right direction and you will get there.

Keep the faith,

fergus
 

hanadr

Expert
Messages
8,157
Dislikes
soaps on telly and people talking about the characters as if they were real.
Those results a GOOD!
Whatever you do don't give up.
Yes we could all do better, but how do these people who don't have the problem have the gall to critisize? They have NO EXPERIENCE>
 

mikecarter

Active Member
Messages
30
Felt really cross when I read how you were treated. Those results are excellent and are all heading in the right direction. Well done and keep going! :D

Mike
 

caitycakes1

Well-Known Member
Messages
154
Hello,

PLEASE don't give up. Those results are really good. I'm afraid your going to get more of that but you'll learn to smile sweetly and continue doing what your doing to achieve good results. How you manage your diabetes is up to you. It's not a matter for anyone else really. You are the one who can make the biggest difference, so just ignore the "I told you so's" and carry on how you are. WELL DONE YOU !!! :D

Caitycakes x
 

candy1567

Well-Known Member
Messages
120
Thankyou so much for all your replies and the kind words it a great comfort and has put a smile on my face

I take it am not in the minority at how the health profs treat you, have been tryin to look it from different point of view and wonder if the profs become complacent ie, they have a set of guideline s and act in an almost robotic way i must point out this is my own opinion from recent experiences.

I hate being put in a box as everyone is individual but after reading some of the posts on here then this seems the norm.

I suppose am self evaluating really as i am a social worker by profession and yes i am one of those nasty ones who put old ppl in homes!!!! as well as supporting those in the community so am not all bad!!! but if i grouped everyone by the same assessment standard then our ageing population would deminish to them living in care.

I know there are guidelines, but and its a big BUT you have to know how to read between the lines as if i treated everyone of my service users with this attitude am sure i would be out of a job, but more importantly i wouldn't be happy with myself.

I truely believe that being human and treating ppl as adults with respect achieves much more than demeaning them and being open minded and intune to new idea's gets the best results (look an low carbing)

I hate being on the otherside of the fence me being assessed and have adopted the attutitude we dont have to go straight from A to B we can do so via C D and E as long as we get the same result

Juliexx

PS, yeah i know i do waffle on, i must say that my partner is a real sweetie, yeah yeah so sweet he gives me cavaties!!! no seriously he is good for me, hes a chef and has taken to cookin me low carb meals and is supportive but is hung up on bs numbers
 

Trinkwasser

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,468
You've done very well so far, I'm surprised they didn't notice. It took time for you to get here and it will take time to get back again and you're obviously heading in the right direction. A bit of praise would have helped a lot more.

Perhaps she is related to the psychiatrist who told me I wasn't really depressed and wanted to cancel my medication. HELLOOOOO!!! The reason I wasn't really depressed is because the medication was working . . .

Have a read around the stickies, and especially here

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2006/10/d-day.html

for ways of making further improvements
 

IanD

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,429
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Carbohydrates
Candy, I have an excellent Dr, who listens & is prepared to give extra time to patients. (Even though we get cross with waiting an hour beyond the appt time :( )

They know what they are taught, & basically they listen to our complaint, check symptoms & test, & refer and/or prescribe. Even the supporting professions teach what they are taught. Among other things, they advise BS control by diet/medication/exercise, but they "know" that diabetes is progressive.

Diabetics rarely get a opportunity to chat to others, & we are taught by the professionals, so believe the same doctrine. I believed them for 7 years, & moved from diet to medication to increased medication to neuropathy. Its the expected progression. Believe it & accept the deterioration in health. NO! NO! NO!

The NHS/DUK diet is based on the belief that we should eat complex carbs. Many of us have now found that drastic reduction of carbs reduces BS & reverses complications. Trouble is, we are individual patients, & few are professionals.

We need to stand up & be counted, & hopefully our Drs, consultants & professionals will listen. Especially when they see the improvement in our blood test measurements, weight & general health.

Last year I was becoming crippled with leg neuropathy. A simple change of diet, & Saturday evening I danced every dance at my son's 40th birthday barn dance.
 

hanadr

Expert
Messages
8,157
Dislikes
soaps on telly and people talking about the characters as if they were real.
Ian T1 husband sees the consultant. He has many complicaions, so he gets to visit with the guru himself
Havin seen the improvement in T1's blood tests, And being told it was down to a reduced carb diet, Guru said" We don't recommend that" He just ups the insulin doses all the time.
What has he learned from his patients?
I know he and my GP discuss me and my heresies on the golf course. My GP is learning, but the "Big Cheese" knew everything 25 years ago and hasn't learned anything since. I had a run-in with him then on T1's behalf. I was Oh so polite, but he had no answer for me.
 

LittleSue

Well-Known Member
Messages
647
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Candy, that's a massive improvement in a short time. HbA1c is an average over about 2 months. So as your levels go down it won't show fully in your HbA1c yet, until you've been that lower level for about 2 months (if that makes sense). It's often recommended that HbA1c is not done more often than 3 monthly because it takes time to show changes. Your DN's either forgotten how recently you were diagnosed or is being really unfair. Don't be discouraged.
 

brixhamrfc

Newbie
Messages
2
My wife is in a similar position....very disheartened by her BS readings, having moved to Exenatide a couple of weeks ago.. She is being REALLY good, virtually eating cardboard as that's about the only low sugar, low fat food !! What seems to happen is as soon as she eats anything with ANY KIND of sugar, inc. fruit, her BS goes way up to 15 or more....surely this cant be right....we feel helpless, as we dont know where to go for answers !! Lunch today she had a couple of slices of pizza only, and reading tonite is 12.4..........encouragement would be appreciated !! regards from a newbie, Trev
 

increasingly cynical

Well-Known Member
Messages
91
Hi,

As with everyone else, I agree that you have clearly made huge strides. The medical profession, I fear, become both blase and paternalistic - plus, many people, including partners, however well meaning , seem to feel that diabetes is a 'fault' rather than a misfortune! You just ignore them and hang on in there, its your body and your health :wink:
 

Dennis

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,506
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Dislikes
People who join web forums to be agressive and cause trouble
Hi Julie,
You know, and we all know, that you've done brilliantly. You know that you are not there yet, but you are certainly making great progress and don't deserve put-downs like these. You are also very obviously a glass-half-full person, whereas the nurse is a glass-half-empty one. You should really feel sorry for her - just think what a miserable life she must have while you are enjoying yours!
 

dippydeedi

Well-Known Member
Messages
58
Dislikes
Bad manors, exercising, not being able to eat what i want, being skint, getting up.
Are the majority of nurses like this? i'm seeing mine for the first time next week and i'm quite worried about mentioning i'm following a low carb diet. I'v no idea what bus they're on at my pratice carb or low carb. Any tips?
Dee
 

brixhamrfc

Newbie
Messages
2
To Mike....sorry I am new to this game....thank you for your PM, sorry I cant see how to reply directly. OK, so pizza is obviously not a good food, now we know and can avoid (whatever she goes thru, I will too, I care, and am absolutely on her side !!)
It is just so difficult to know what to eat, food labelling is so unhelpful, yesterday pineapple sticks sent her BS sky high !! I thought fruit was supposed to be good for you, or is it OK to have a high BS when it's caused by fructose, not glucose ?? I dont know....sorry to be so green, but just how are we to manage this, what food is OK...?????????????
Even a bowl of muesli sent the BS score up ....isn't that healthy then ?
back to the cardboard I guess !!
To be positive, and my glass is VERY full, she has lost over a stone in weight in the last 3 months, and now fits clothes she hasnt worn for ages, so that is very positive ..........all input gratefully received, as I said, we green , I mean GREEN!!!
 

HLW

Well-Known Member
Messages
723
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
There is a red 'Send reply' button for PMs, but it's at the top of the message so it's very easy to miss, I had to look for ages before I found it the first time!

High blood sugar is the same whatever sugar caused it, fructose or glucose etc. Fruit is often very sweet, you need to watch the portion sizes to make sure you don't eat too much, I saw a post listing how much was a portion for a lot of different fruit and veg somewhere, don't remember which sub-forum or who posted it though, hopefully someone remembers!

Muesli can raise blood sugar because of the carbs in it. Plus some types of muesli have a lot of sugar in them. For diet advice try the low carb or the food forum, you'll find lots of good advice there.
 

candy1567

Well-Known Member
Messages
120
Hi brixhamrfc

I dont know if its the same for your wife but when i first started on byetta my sugars where all over the place, up and down like a yo yo i nearly gave up honestly

So what i did was look around this forum especially about low carb eating (i hate the word diet as that word does something in my brain which spells restriction!!!)

Anyway i followed it to the letter for a week having no more than bout 20 to 30 carbs a day until i was sick of looking like a vedge. Then i tried to introduce different foods i found that a i could have bread in moderation and brown rice, but potatoes and pasta really effects my sugars.

I dont feel so restricted now, one thing i do have to avoid is bananas, i was wondering what was putting my sugars up in the morning, but as i dont like eating first thing the nurse said it was ok to have a banana, wrong move.

And on a lighter note my partner has just taken me for a chinese as a treat, god i was soooooo worried about all the food but even eating soup and a curry my bs after 2 hrs was 7.4 which is bloody brilliant for me

Try not to become to fixed on the numbers, i try to look at it as a healthier way of eating otherwise i know i havn't got the willpower if i think am being denied all the goodies

Tell your wife to keep her chin up and use this forum, its great for the support

Juliexx
 

Orchid

Well-Known Member
Messages
93
Hi

I can't believe she said that either, you have obviously made drastic improvements over the past few months and come on... credit where it's due!!

Don't you sometimes wonder how exactly they would cope in a similar situation?? Diabetes is not a 9 - 5 job and then you leave it behind and go home - it's there all the time and sometimes despite your best efforts you don't get the readings you deserve, other factors to be taken into consideration (e.g. hormones, excersie etc) not that you have been NAUGHTY!

Julie, keep going in the right direction.

Orchid x