- Messages
- 4,019
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
This week I made appointments to speak to my GP and my DN to see if and how I can help in the local community in any way. GP appointment was to request a cholesterol test primarily as it had gone up in May to 6.8 from 5.2 in December. (My home test kit says it's now 4.25 but I just wanted the official stat for my records) but also wanted to discuss how I can spread the LCHF word in the community. The student I saw before the Dr was amazing and said it was inspirational what I wanted to do (not really, I just want to help where I can) but she feels sad as so many diabetics just want to take the meds and still have the 'nice' stuff. She said some people have been brought up in familes surrounded by diabetics who have lived with complications and just accept that will be part and parcel of life. Some have never cooked a meal in their lives. For many money is a problem. They buy cheap processed food. Some can't read, write or even speak english etc etc. The majority just prefer to take the tablets and think that balances things out. But she did say that the DN I have not met yet (there are 2) was very passionate about Diabetes and luckily enough I had booked in with her later in the week which I will come to later.
Then I saw the Dr. (jaws music here!!!). I will never get those 20 minutes back! Waste of time. He said if I hadnt tested and just lost that much weight on a normal diet (I presume he meant calorie contolled or low fat) my hba1c would have come down anyway (mine came down from diabetic level 62 in December to non diabetic level 41 in May). I asked him had he heard of Dr Unwin the local Dr and his support of LCHF. 'No'. I told him (in a nice way) I felt that I had not had any support at all and that I feel diabetics were being let down. I mean....tea and biscuits at a DESMOND meeting! He asked if they were low sugar. 'No, rich tea!' I replied. I said that the lady who was running the course got out a potato and told us how many lumps of sugar were in it and continued by saying 'so cut down your portions to say half a potato'. I said this advice being given to diabetics is not good, surely it should be NO POTATOES ......or very seldom at least! To which he told me about his farm where he grows potatoes and gets his exercise by carrying them around after picking! Random remark. He wasn't listening to me at all. Even though he recommended DCUK and I said I had got my only support and knowledge from this website he passed me a cup which said ' please do not confuse your Google with my medical degree'. So I felt really flat coming out.
But it was a different ball game when I saw the DN. Excellent results. She was very supportive. She told me there is a patient participation group for all 20 practices in my town. She is going to put my name down for my practice as a starting point and in fact went and did it straight away. Also told me Tesco have a meeting room for meetings run for diabetics by diabetics and is going to get me details of the organiser. She told me that they have introduced an initiative for pts with HBA1cs between 42 and 48, a course showing healthier choices to avoid getting diabetes (I hope it's not like DESMOND but have an awful feeling it will be!) I felt so much happier coming out of this appointment. I'm hoping to get on our pt support goup. Don't know anything about it as yet other than it's an oppotunity to take our woe into the pactice and will see where it takes us. I live in hope.
Then I saw the Dr. (jaws music here!!!). I will never get those 20 minutes back! Waste of time. He said if I hadnt tested and just lost that much weight on a normal diet (I presume he meant calorie contolled or low fat) my hba1c would have come down anyway (mine came down from diabetic level 62 in December to non diabetic level 41 in May). I asked him had he heard of Dr Unwin the local Dr and his support of LCHF. 'No'. I told him (in a nice way) I felt that I had not had any support at all and that I feel diabetics were being let down. I mean....tea and biscuits at a DESMOND meeting! He asked if they were low sugar. 'No, rich tea!' I replied. I said that the lady who was running the course got out a potato and told us how many lumps of sugar were in it and continued by saying 'so cut down your portions to say half a potato'. I said this advice being given to diabetics is not good, surely it should be NO POTATOES ......or very seldom at least! To which he told me about his farm where he grows potatoes and gets his exercise by carrying them around after picking! Random remark. He wasn't listening to me at all. Even though he recommended DCUK and I said I had got my only support and knowledge from this website he passed me a cup which said ' please do not confuse your Google with my medical degree'. So I felt really flat coming out.
But it was a different ball game when I saw the DN. Excellent results. She was very supportive. She told me there is a patient participation group for all 20 practices in my town. She is going to put my name down for my practice as a starting point and in fact went and did it straight away. Also told me Tesco have a meeting room for meetings run for diabetics by diabetics and is going to get me details of the organiser. She told me that they have introduced an initiative for pts with HBA1cs between 42 and 48, a course showing healthier choices to avoid getting diabetes (I hope it's not like DESMOND but have an awful feeling it will be!) I felt so much happier coming out of this appointment. I'm hoping to get on our pt support goup. Don't know anything about it as yet other than it's an oppotunity to take our woe into the pactice and will see where it takes us. I live in hope.
