Don't believe all the doctors say...

[Pumpkin]

Do some consultant doctors not have a clue?

At my local diabetic clinic the diabetic consultant spied a banana in my bag. He asked what it was for and I informed him that I always tried to carry a banana in case of a hypo.

He scowled and warned me that bananas are full of sugar - and that is why tennis players ate them at Wimbeldon.

He added that bananas were, 'Very bad for white diabetics. God gave us the fruit of the land as He thought appropriate. You may eat apples, plums, pears - but as I am of another continent I may partake of bananas, pineapples. That is God's design.'

He has since moved on to warmer climes. I still carry a banana. And I am not afraid to use it.

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi pumpkin,
I thought you were going to end by saying that the men in white coats had called to take him somewhere else. :lol: :lol: :lol: What a nutter. Who selects these doctors :?: :?: :?: I could tell some scary tales too of some doctors I have met in my career as a psychiatric nurse.

Catherine.

 

[Ardbeg]

The good people of Hartlepool voted for a monkey mascot as their Mayor as he promised them all free bananas if elected.

That was nearly 8 years ago and they are still waiting for their free bananas. :twisted:

 

[timo2]

I think there might be an elephant of truth in what the doctor said; although, there are no hard and fast rules - apart from the rule about never partaking from any of the fruits mentioned in the 'Um Bongo' advertisement (see below).

[youtube]CcKabu50-J8[/youtube]

 

[Patch]

I don't touch Bananas. They give me a MAJOR spike. THAT'S why they're good for hypos!

 

[cugila]

Banana's.....normally I would avoid them. However today I was actually told to eat one a day due to low Potassium levels. Good job I like them, that's one prescription I think is great !!!!

They don't seem to have a great deal of effect on my Bg levels either.

 

[cugila]

I don't touch Bananas. They give me a MAJOR spike. THAT'S why they're good for hypos!

Banana's are not good for treating a Hypo......... :shock:

What you need to treat a hypo is FAST acting carbs, such as Glucotabs/dextrose tabs/Lucozade/Fresh Fruit Juice/Ordinary Suagry Drinks, Coke,Pepsi etc/3 - 6 Jelly Babies/ 1 - 2 teaspoons Jam or honey.

These are ALL fast acting in that they have an effect in minutes which is the correct treatment for a hypo. A Banana does not act anywhere like quickly enough

A Banana could be used as a carby snack to help stabilise the levels when you have raised your Bg levels back to near normal using the method above.

 

[Pumpkin]

Thanks for the info., Yes - I always have a packet of glucose tablets handy to take a couple initially. Then the banana.

 

[iHs]

I could never rely on a banana getting me out of a hypo. Tried it once cos it was nice and soft to eat but still felt low 30mins later :? :lol: Had to resort to using some lucozade.

I often watch Wimbledon and wonder how tennis players use bananas to gain energy :? :?:

 

[jopar]

IHs

Bananas are slow burners so provide energy far longer, more so if they are only very just ripe, the riper the banana the higher the sugar content and the quicker it hits the system..

I would be in serious trouble if I tried to use a banana for hypo treatment, as I digest them so slowly that I have to have my insulin for them... Sadly even though I do like bananas and have no problems with the BG, they digest so slowly that they can give me stomach gripe which is painful in deed, so only eaten once in a while..

 

[IanD]

I could never rely on a banana getting me out of a hypo. Tried it once cos it was nice and soft to eat but still felt low 30mins later :? :lol: Had to resort to using some lucozade.

I often watch Wimbledon and wonder how tennis players use bananas to gain energy :? :?:

I think its cramp prevention also (potassium) & of course maintaining energy levels rather than a quick fix.

I play tennis at club standard, & don't take bananas on court. I normally take plain water. I measure my BG & it normally stays above 5, but can go up with vigorous playing. Table tennis last week put it up from around 7 (after meal) to 9.1, just on water, so my metabolism was supplying the needed BG.

 

[Malcolm.Smith]

I suffer from night hypos and have to set my alarm for 2-3 hours after I go to bed. If my BG is low I use Lucazade and then a banana as the quick acting sugar in the drink sorts out the hypo and the banana keeps my BG at a reasonable level till the morning. Only problem with this is that I seem to be going through blood test strips at a rate of knots!.

A suggestion I might add to stop you having to go down to your GP every time you want a repeat prescription is that I've found Boots the chemist do a thing where they register you with your GP and you then set a time to re order. They then get the prescription delivered to the branch and then call you when its ready to pick up. Its really handy especially if you happen to pass a Boots on your way to work. This way you don't have to come in late for work every time you want more insulin to hand in your prescription and again a couple of days later rushing back to pick it up before the surgery closes, as boots stay open much later than most chemists. Go and register today because they say if it doesn't take off then they're going to stop doing it which will be a travesty .

 

[Ianmac]

I was diagnosed Type 2 in November 2008. I was told by my GP to immediately stop eating all of the following because my BS Level was 22-8 and given 2200 mgs of Metformmin.

white bread

pasta

eggs

cheese

sugar

potatos

etc etc

I called it the no diet....I existed literally on porridge and chicken stirfry..

Come the following November upon seeing the dedicated Diabetes nurse I was told the diet i'd been on was rubbish and that I could eat anything within reason..and especially had to eat Carbs.! She dropped my Metformmin down to 1500 mgs per day ..slow release.My BSL is now around 8 having been as low as 7.

After chatting on here with Wallycorker about his experiences I came to the conclusion that my situation was not unique..!!

Btw I still feel like sh*t most days.....does this feeling ever go away..?

 

[Malcolm.Smith]

Dear god! that sounds awful.

I'm beginning to wonder where these doctors are getting their qualifications!.

I would do regular blood tests and keep a record of them. I haven't heard of that type of insulin before or if its a pen dosage or a once or twice daily injection.

I have had type 1 for 33 years and have been on humilin s in a pen and Glargen once in the evening acting as a long acting dose. Maybe its because I've had it so long but I can feel when my BG is getting high and I do a blood test to see how high it is then dose myself with humilin s accordingly.

You do tend to feel hellish especially if your BG is 22! I know some GP's say you should keep your BG at 6-7.5 but this is extremely hard to do especially if your at work and trying to lead a normal life. I try and keep mine between 6-10 and you shouldn't feel bad with your BG at these levels.

All the best,
Mal

 

[Ianmac]

As a PS to my previous missive....lol....i've just been diagnosed with narrowing of the 3rd and 4th discs causing Arthritis / Sciatica and Spondylitis.....as well a a great deal of pain to boot.....must have killed a robin.....!!

 

[IanD]

.....must have killed a robin.....!!

I put out a rat trap,baited with peanut butter, & covered with a box so only rats could get at it.

And there was a dead robin :cry:

 

[Bluenosesol]

I was diagnosed Type 2 in November 2008. I was told by my GP to immediately stop eating all of the following because my BS Level was 22-8 and given 2200 mgs of Metformmin.

white bread

pasta

eggs

cheese

sugar

potatos

etc etc
What on earth is wrong with eggs and cheese, no carbs????
I eat 14 eggs a week and about 2 pounds of cheese a week and I have normalised my HBA1C and lipids including triglycerides!!.


Steve

 

[fergus]

'Nowt wrong with eggs and cheese, Steve. Sure they didn't just mean creme eggs and cheesecake? Otherwise, it's green for go with both of those things. Good to hear your GP gave you the heads up on pasta, bread and potatoes though - very switched on.

fergus

 

[LisaLQ]

I was also told to avoid eggs as much as possible because of cholesterol. 14 eggs and 2lbs of cheese a week?! I'd put back on the 3 stone I'd lost in seconds on that much!

 

[Bluenosesol]

Lisa,

I lost 5 stone eating that much....!!!!!!!.....and have kept it off !!!!

I did stop eating the bread, potatoes, rice, pasta,cereals and unlimited fruit though....


Good Luck - Steve