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Dietician frustration

M

Maggie75

Well-Known Member
Messages
147
Hi everyone,

I'm T2, been following low carb eating plan since end of January this year, lost a stone so far in weight although my blood sugar is still very erratic, only taking Alogliptin for it just now due to GP taking me off other meds due to my mental health being bad just now. A few weeks ago my DN referred me to a dietician to discuss my diet and the possibility of going onto the NHS soup and shake diet as my appetite has been very low and it would probably work quite well for me right now.

Had appt with dietician yesterday, she wouldn't even consider putting me on the soup and shake diet due to my mental health condition, even though the DN and GP were very positive about it, she was just totally dismissive, also very negative about my low carb diet, telling me I should be eating more carbs, it could be having a negative impact on my mental health as well not eating enough carbs and I was eating too much fat, not good for my cholesterol. Better in her opinion to up my carbs and diabetic medication. Of course I argued the point with her and even gave her examples of my blood sugar comparison with high and low carb meals, she couldn't have been less interested and just ended the video call with me. I think the attitude of these people is shocking, they don't want to listen to anything other than their well plate plan and I'm really unhappy she wouldn't even consider me for the soup and shake plan which I feel could really have helped me just now. It's very frustrating. Also I had a question about HBA1C, my last one was in February, would I be ok to book another one now to see how my bloods are doing? Thanks.

Maggie
 
I think, in that situation, @Maggie75 , I would return to the DN and / or GP, who probably have more understanding of your mental health than the dietician you saw via video call.

I am not sure why you need a dietician’s ‘permission’ to use the Soup and Shake diet, though. Is it because the products are provided on NHS? If your GP and DN agree it is right for you, can they not prescribe it and monitor progress?
 
This is very interesting as I was researching Diet and mental health (anxiety and depression in my case) and they advocate low carb, ketovore and even carnivore. One chap said since doing carnivore for a year his deep depression has completely gone and he suffered for 30 years and apologised to his family. He now has mind clarity, wakes up every morning and almost springs out of bed! I agree on who you speak to you can get huge differences of opinions, it’s very frustrating. Definitely go back to your GP/DN and also tell them of your negative experience with the dietitian.
 
There have been quite a few posts on social media recently around metabolic processes being linked to mental health and low-carb diets linked to improvements in mental wellbeing. Some of these topics will also be covered at the Public Health Collaboration conference in May, which has some quite reputable speakers lined up.

Edit: I'm not selling anything here :) PHC is a UK charity, and I've invested in a livestream ticket for the event as this and related topics are quite fascinating.
 
Thanks so much for your replies, I am going to speak to my GP again about the soup and shake diet, I'm in Scotland so I think I have to be referred by a dietician although whether my GP could simply refer me instead I don't know, but will definitely find out! Lol.

The dietician certainly wasn't a helpful resource but half the time I think they're just told what to say, person I spoke to knew absolutely nothing about low carb way of eating, and from the mental health perspective I think what she was telling me was nonsense, in the 2 years I was eating everything in sight my mental health didn't improve one bit, was worse if anything as I piled the pounds on and started to feel very ill with my blood sugars skyrocketing.

I'll just carry on doing what I'm doing for now, the weight is slowly coming off and I feel so much better for that at least, hopefully my next HBA1C will give me decent results as well. Thanks again.

Maggie
 
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