getting desperate

There is a link on another part of this site to a private clinic but that is the limit of my knowledge about it. I suspect it may be very expensive.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-directory/london-medical-diabetes-health-clinic.html

Click to expand...

Hi there,
Well my bgs weren't on the higher scale of abnormal when i was diagnosed with high fasting bg. MY doctor told me to come back in three months. I wasn't overweight, walked dog 4 miles daily so not a massive amount I could do re weight and exercise.
However when I bought a blood meter and tested myself after meals my levels were way over normal non diabetic levels. So on finding this forum I found that by low carbing strictly I could get normal bg levels, I also lost weight bmi from 24 to 20 and I did up my exercise levels by starting running. I have found by normalizing my bg levels I feel massively better, no more heartburn, tiredness, peeing in the night, itchy skin and blurry vision and just generally feeling better.

The downside is that when my doctor retested me my fasting bg was normal and my hba1c (not tested before) was 5.4% again normal. So I am not monitored anymore by doctor however I will keep an eye on my own bg measurements and if they get worse I will go back.
I am only telling you my story because my levels like yours weren't massively abnormal and my doctor not overly concerned but by taking it upon myself to monitor and change my diet I feel massively better.

Hi,
Well I actually don't know how many carbs I am eating but a typical day would be

breakfast
100 gms soy yoghurt unsweetened
40gm almonds

lunch
tin mackarel, large salad with olive oil and red wine vinegar
handful walnuts

dinner
roast chicken, lots non starchy veg
2 peices 90% chocolate
handful nuts

If I feel hungry at bedtime I might have a slice of cheese. But I have found to get better readings I tend not to eat between meals, I can honestly say I am never hungry. I am trying to add a few low gi carbs like chilli con carne with kidney beans but no rice just salad but found my bg levels are going higher than I would like. This is just one day, everyday I have a different evening meal, sometimes I have scrambled eggs and mushrooms for breakfast.
Hope this helps.

Hi there,
Glad to help, but one thing I should say is that my salads and veg portions are enormous (i try to go for lower carb choices) and I try not to eat too much protein as this is changed into glucose and I am not a massive meat eater.

Also from reading your other posts your fasting bg reading was within the normal ranges so you really need to get a meter to see what is happening after meals, as if your bg is not high after meals and you are still feeling rough you need to get back to your doctor! I think one of the posters on here got an appointment with a private gp through bupa and a referral to a diabetic specialist through him.

Am so lucky as i see the diabetic doctor and nurse at my local GP'S and also go to the diabetic unit at a hospital not too far away. Do you have a relatively close hospital that has a diabetic unit. I am looked after so well by both.Maybe your doctor could refer you to the unit at your hospital.

Have recently started on Byetta and the nurse from hospital rings me every few days. I am given free testing kits by them every couple of years, or whenever I need a new one, and am not restricted at all as to how many testing strips or needles I order on prescription.

I think I am the exception not the rule, but do realise how lucky I am.

Welshbunny

in the UK at least you are only supposed to be refered to a consultant by your GP. I can understand your GP's reluctance to send you via the NHS if he isn't convinced you have a problem but surprised he would deny you a private referal. Maybe you should ask him again or consider changing GP. I see a private specialist at the Alexandria hospital in Cheadle near Manchester. The group that runs that hospital(BMI healthcare) have a number of hospitals throughout the UK so check out there website and look for a diabetologist or failing that endocrinologist. A lot of private hospitals also have private GP s too and lets be honest you are going to pay through the nose for it but for the money they charge I wouldn't be surprised if you get that private referal.

I don't think a private GP will send you to an NHS specialist. What I would suggest if you want to go private is to find a diabetologist(look under endocrinology if you cant find diabetology) (try here for a start http://www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/) and then ask your doctor to refer you to the diabetologist privately. If your GP refuses you in that case I would seriously consider looking for another GP. Whilst I can understand his reluctance to not refer you via the NHS if he doesnt think you need it I would consider it to be grossly unfair if he wouldn't agree to you being referred to a private specialist. You could try and contact the hospital directly and see if the specialist would agree to see you without a GP's referral but I know that theoretically at least you need to be referred by a GP. Your other option would be to see a GP privately at one of these hospitals and obtain the referral that way but as I say I would push your GP to refer you privately or change GP s.