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Frustrated !

daisyduck

Well-Known Member
Messages
988
Location
Great Yarmouth
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Sorry folks, I need a little rant!
Just back from my 6 monthly check with the diabetes nurse in our surgery.
HbA1c reading down to 48, blood pressure fine and she was pleased with the results.
I told her I had stopped the Metformin because of the side effects and she said I could try the slow release version but that was up to me as I was doing Ok without it.
I then said I was following the LCHF diet , like many others on here, and she told me that was not good for me and I shouldn't do it. My doctor called it a fad last time I saw him !
I find this so frustrating, they can see the results are great but will not accept that this diet works !!!!

She also said my kidney function was down a bit, but that Metformin can have a slight adverse effect on kidneys........ and she's the one who earlier in the conversation was offering me more of it !

I'm learning to just nod and agree with them and just go away and carry on with LCHF . I know I feel great on it , but why does it have to be so difficult to convince the medical profession ???
 
Just keep nodding and smiling and do what you have to do to keep yourself well and your numbers down, it doesn't matter if they don't get it you do, good work ........
 
Hi. You're doing all the right things. Many of us are used to nodding and smiling at the 'experts'. If your kidneys aren't in good condition, Metformin might not be wise. It depends on what the kidney condition is. Metformin doesn't have a great effect on blood sugar anyway so you may decide the risk even with the SR version isn't the right move. The GP could start you on the SR version and do frequent kidney checks?
 
Maybe Metformin doesn't have a massive effect on BG, but it does have some and has few side effects, it's actually a very safe drug. I'd say if you can take it you should even with a LCHF diet, even if it gets your BG down only 10% that could be the difference between 8.5 and 7.7 a few times.

I did have issues with it initially, but the SR version has been fine for me. You (and I) are taking a risk with the LCHF diet as it's unproven not to cause other effects and work longterm etc. There haven't been sufficient studies yet, but personally it's a risk I'm willing to take as the alternatives don't look great to me. But it doesn't necessarily have to be a binary choice - medication or dietary control. I feel I'm getting the benefit of both personally.
 
Experts?
There are two types - experts who tell you they know what they are talking about because they think they know everything. They tend to be convinced they are right and will try to convince you that they are.

The second type - those who genuinely know a lot but will admit not not being expert - because they realise that there is far more to the subject that the first group realise. These people are more useful but you have to trust that they know a lot because they will keep telling you that they don't know everything.

And there it is: EXPERT: somebody who thinks they know it all but does not realise that there is far more to the subject that their blinkered eyesight will lead them to believe.

I'm not an expert - I'm still learning. (I'm opinionated - but that's a different matter)
 
I think the best thing with the nurses is not to mention you do LCHF if it is working for you that's all that matters so just nod and smile when they say eat plenty of carbs. As a very small minority in the diabetic world which we are as most have never heard of LCHF it will take more than just us to convince them
 
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