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diabetes advice - gp not helpful!

F

frosty

Member
Hello everyone,


I just wondered if anybody could give me some advice. I will just give you some back ground information. i had gestational diabetes with both of my pregnancies, my children are 5 and 2, i am 36 years old , i weigh 7 and half stone, am 5ft 2 inches.

i have been concerned for a couple of years that my blood sugars are in the 'impaired glucose range' but my doctor seems to be taking no notice. My recent hba1c was 5.4, this is because i have been watching my diet as before i have results of 5.9, 5.8 and 5.7. i had a couple of times checked my blood sugars they had been going up to 8.5 an hour after eating and only just come down to 7.8 after 2 hours sometimes over this after 2 hours.

i have had a couple of gtt which have shown fasting of 4.4. 2 hours later 5.1 - another one showed fasing of 4.9 and 2 hours later 5.9 which is normal i know. the thing is when i test at lunch time or tea time blood sugars seem to be a lot higher than that after 2 hours.

i have tried eating a low carb diet, i can't lose anymore weight as i already look like a skeleton., but because my hba1c is in the normal range my gp doesn't want to know.


i also meant to add, i have been having problems with my feet too, i have had some strange sensations which seem to come and go, i have blood tests and all have come back normal, i am wondering if this is related to this impaired glucose?
what can i do?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi and welcome to the forum.

Low carb is not always about weight loss. I've been maintaining my current weight for 18 months eating this way. It's just a matter of changing the focus of your diet away from processed carbs to real food.

Your 2 hour levels are a bit high, but not outrageously so. Sounds like maybe you're prediabetic, in which case continuing to control the amount of carbs in your diet will probably help. If the foot issue is neuropathy, then the best thing you can do is keep your BG levels under 7.8 as much as possible. It's taken nearly two years, but nowadays the only sign I get now is some occasional tingling at the very tip of my toes. Eventually you can reverse the damage by keeping good control.

Best wishes,
 
Hi frosty, I was like you showing signs of diabetes even after gestational and I knew I was still a diabetic even though the glucose meter shown normal results i was still experiences symptoms similar to when I had gestational certain times of day my sugars seemed normal other times went up, I think because type 2 diabetes slowly creeps up which it was doing with me and will with other type 2 diabetes, doctors will not treat it till it reaches a range they say it is ready for treating all they will do is ask you to eat healthy and keep active, do not worry to much i think for any woman who is or has had gestational diabetes and even pre eclampsia is at high risk not low risk from cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and i think doctors have failed in addressing these issues clearly and fully to women who have gone through these they may mention diabetes risk, yet some women never get told they are also at risk for cardiovascular disease so it is important the moment you have experienced one of these in pregnancy you must continue to eat healthy and exercise and not all women get told that, here is a link about it, that is a concern and i think gp's or hospital doctors should be more honest to women of there future health from the beginning when complications occurred in pregnancy, as your life is precious and you only get one life and all women need to know and fight for there health. When you have a good chance to do something now to help you avoid diabetes and cardiovascular disease act now follow your instincts and do what is right for you keep check of your glucose levels keep active exercise and eat healthy cut out all processed and artificial foods and eat gods foods, you will be a lot better off.http://heartdisease.about.com/lw/He...onal-Diabetes-are-Linked-to-Heart-Disease.htm I wish you success in getting your health the way you want it and the doctors listen.
 
i also wondered how i can check blood sugars, strips are very expensive, the gp wont provide them if i am prediabetic, but they are not even ackowledging that i am pre-diabetic
 
Unfortunately even diagnosed type 2's are being refused testing meters and strips. Some people choose to buy their own and a lot of people seem to recommend the Codefree meter as the strips are the cheapest to buy. If you feel that strongly about it, maybe you could invest in a meter yourself.

If you're that worried about your feet, maybe see a podiatrist if the GP won't give you a referral? I'm not clear on the rules for things in the UK, but I don't think prediabetes is treated - they would probably only tell you to change your diet and exercise.
 
frosty said:
thanks for your reply, so why won't the gp do anything , if i am prediabetic and i am having foot problems already, surley they can't ignore this?
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sorry for my late reply frosty, i was shocked when i went through the same thing i already had loss in part of my foot from a injury in foot years a go yet been suffering pain in it the nerves under the foot, and anything i have addressed whether foot back of knee pain chest pain etc, did not take it seriously and still are treating me in the same way now, I think if this is not a health cut back of ignorance to patience needs it could be just lack of gp concerns or there could be other things that they can not do till a persons health gets to a certain stage before they act on it, pre diabetes, they will not provide meters for even if your diagnosed only time you may get a meter is if you inject insulin, those on diets and tablets get rejected for meters more, and when your forced to buy a meter it can be expensive for strips people are buying meters that are not to expensive on the strips the strips are £6.99 for 50 and free postage machine about 11.99 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CODEFREE-...isability_Medical_ET&var=&hash=item336ee68f12
i was told not to use one, i am glad i kept my meter from when i had gestational diabetes and already knew how to use it as i know what to look for with suger levels since using it, my suger levels are getting back to normal slowly i was in double figures this morning i tested blood was 6.7, and yesterday for first time i was in 4,5,6,7,s so i know the food and exercise i do is working so all the artifiical processed foods i binned and stick with fruit veg fish, if i have to use oil it is either olive oil linseed oil or sunflower, and i use flora lowering cholestral spread or flora light, i make bread if i buy bread i get brown, the musli for breakfast is working better for me so i know it can work this diet and excercise for lots people, it is important to use the meter to know what foods are triggering off high levels or low same with drinks. please do not give up on you, follow your instincts check your feet everyday get diabetic socks the non elastic ones you can get 12 pairs cheap on ebay they do womens and mens http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12prs-Wom...?pt=UK_Hosiery_Socks&var=&hash=item338e5fa512
always wear good shoes that are compfy and not high,more you check your feet you will be all right. hope this helps you hugs x
 
frosty said:
i also wondered how i can check blood sugars, strips are very expensive, the gp wont provide them if i am prediabetic, but they are not even ackowledging that i am pre-diabetic
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p.s you can demand a second opinion or look for another doctor, if you get concerned complain especially when your not being heard.
 
thanks for your reply spirits, i am actually going to see a neurologist about my feet, i should get an appointment through next month. i am going to speak to him about this and see what he says. i think i will buy some strips,i have the metre in the cupboard, i also work for nhs so we have some metres there i can test myself on. so how do type 2 diabetics manage their diabetes without metres, it is just crazy. i am very active and already eat a low carb diet, im just thinking how on earth i can keep my blood sugars in the normal range. i also wondered why my blood test i.e hba1c was in the normal range, but my metre readings are high. as i understand a hba1c of 5.4 would mean my blood sugars rise to about 7 not 8.5?
 
sorry for my late reply frosty, it is harder to manage diabetes without a meter reading if your not sure what foods are the cause to the higher readings of blood sugar, it is easy to eat healthy food and just exercise though that alone can not be relied on some healthy foods can still react to some peoples bodies, it is a allergic reaction to food or drinks the body has to work harder dealing with the response of the food intake, so i do not think it is all about just the diabetes, there can be other problems going on in a persons body the person not always aware of,some blood glucose meters are accurate with readings there maybe some not as good in accuracy,and as for hbac1 not all gp's do this test or refer,which is important for any diabetic to know what is going on with there blood sugar levels. I hope you get what you need and you progress positively with your health,it is difficult getting medical doctors to be on the ball sometimes, big hugs xx
 
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