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Going It Alone

I guess for me, going it alone, means using as many sources as I can and then making my own decisions based on the best information I can find. It's not blindly following advice, even from experts. It means asking for evidence, even when that may cause offence (because it shouldn't).
I spent some time today chatting with a friend (CNS) who has 30 years experience working in an ICU with coronary care patients about statins and CAC scans. Anecdotally, she said that they have increased in popularity, but in a number of cases where the CAC score was very high, there were no blockages found. She also said all of her patients are on statins prior to their admission - which is interesting in itself I think. She did agree with me that a very low CAC score was definitely an indication of good cardiovascular health. She said none of the specialists at her hospital believe the CAC score tests have much value, but she also said that the local chap arguing in favour was unpopular with the specialists and they might be jealous of his popularity with the public, hence the resistance to use them. So it could be down to personality conflicts which are preventing a very valuable non invasive potentially life saving test from becoming more common. Just like in every other profession, I guess. Just it's a bit rough when it's people's lives at stake, isn't it? Office politics in medical specialties might kill people - now that's some research I'd like to see done!
The world has changed since doctors were Gods or thought they were. We have a lot of access to information, some good and some complete rubbish. It is difficult for a layperson to discern the good from the rubbish. All you can do is your best, and then own your decisions and take responsibility for your own health and wellbeing. I don't see there's a choice any more.
 
zand said:
Many doctors think they already know everything. If only they would all be prepared to listen and learn, not judge.
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Agreed. My diabetes expert GP refused me insulin when I was sitting stick thin and starving myself to manage my BS despite the compete set of full dose tablets (she insisted I start insulin at my next review a year later!). She claimed she was the expert managing quote '500 diabetes patients'. I found out later she had only come off her diabetes training course a couple of months before and she had
Tannith said:
Do people who believe in not taking statins also believe in not taking medication for high blood pressure?
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Hi to some extent yes. Many GPs/nurses don't measure BP correctly i.e. they test immediately after you walk in and only do one test; they also ignore white-coat syndrome. Also define High BP. All the BP graphs on the web show rising BP with age yet all the graphs stop around age 65. This means those of us in our 70s automatically 'need BP tablets' implying nature got our bodies 'wrong'. I don't subscribe to that unless you have a family history of BP related problems
 
lucylocket61 said:
what do you mean by 'going it alone'?
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Well I wasn't diagnosed so I did it all myself. I paid privately for PCOS treatment and then IVF treatment as fertility even at my lowest weight of 15.5st was my biggest concern at 25yrs old.
I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid and PCOS in private care. Care I insisted on but was referred by my nonchalant GP at the time. He just saw an overweight young woman. No diabetes test then either. He saw fat and did nothing. I would be still childless now if I hadn't insisted on a referral. Shame I didn't suspect diabetes then too.
Going alone means doing things yourself and using the resources you have available, currently. Limited sources.
I'm just lucky I have an avenue available to me to help with obesity. Diabesity specialist recommends weight loss for diabetes. Me too.
I will never turn my back on nhs care. It has more idea now what people like me need. Far far more than 1977.
Ok not everything I need but...... resources have to be shared. I'm thankful I have a brilliant MSK specialist now and is helping me alongside bariatric surgery. Together I should be back on my own 2 feet without an aid. Fingers crossed. Needing far less insulin to stop rot too.
I cannot wait. Walking without pain in my back/pelvis and scatica nerve numbness and pain.
I can taste an improvement to my health, at last.
My own efforts can only do so much without specialist wisdom and intervention. Of which I appreciate and will use.
Better late than never.
 
 
My GP put me on BP meds which literally nearly killed me so I stopped them, bought a BP machine & discovered that, even after 57 years of type 1, my BP is within normal range....
 
prancer53 said:
My GP put me on BP meds which literally nearly killed me so I stopped them, bought a BP machine & discovered that, even after 57 years of type 1, my BP is within normal range....
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During my 1st pregnancy (after 25 yrs type 1--32 years ago) I had a BP test at hospital during which I had to lie down...BP taken, sit up....BP taken, stand up.....BP taken. This was repeated many, many times. Eventually more docs & nurses arrived and different BP machines......again many docs and nurses repeated the original exercise. I began to worry when they were all in different corners of the room, whispering, so asked them if something was wrong. I was told there were 3 reason why I should have elevated BP 1) I am diabetic 2) I had, had it for a long time 3) I was pregnant BUT they were unable to get my blood pressure to go up!!!!! I responded by saying that, that was surely positive. I was told yes but I had ruined their research------You have to laugh, don't you.....I was reprimanded because I wasn't "normal". I am sure I can't be the only person like this....some research, I don't think.....
 
I had one consultant who said to me, as I walked in, "you think you know more about diabetes than I do but I know more about the science of it....." -----I hadn't even opened my mouth......where did he get that idea from.....?
 
I have learnt, over half a century of type 1, to respond to the results of my own experience
 
prancer53 said:
I had one consultant who said to me, as I walked in, "you think you know more about diabetes than I do but I know more about the science of it....." -----I hadn't even opened my mouth......where did he get that idea from.....?
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Perhaps you did know more about it than he did
 
What's the difference between God and a Consultant? God doesn't think he's a consultant.
 
Tannith said:
What's the difference between God and a Consultant? God doesn't think he's a consultant.
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My consultant is very humble and is the best endo for the North of England. I've been very lucky to be given sure a caring consultant. No pretense with him. I trust my consultant. I will be looking to trust my bariatric consultant too.
I must come across intelligent as they treat me with respect and one in the past has pushed my infertility issue into the trails for metformin in PCOS treatment in the UK. My current consultant has me on new triple strength insulin Toujeo300.
I am very lucky.

I understand people being let down by old fashioned GPs and as long as there is a shortage more and more are given a bonus NOT to retire.

Maybe you should re-train and be a GP? Your priority will be assessing what is urgent in a 10mins appointment and once your notes states type2 then GPs relax unless blood pressure/heart issue. Isn't that same for none diabetes thou.? Just like infections. None diabetics get those too.

I think all we would like is our GPs to understand diabetes better. Maybe funds from diabetes charities could pay for that? Like bhf pays for blood tests at A&E.

Remember diabetes, even type1can be managed better on the right diet. Shame GPs get no nutrition training, at all.
 
We should not have to go it alone. There are some bad GPs - no profession is 100% perfect. But most of them are highly intelligent highly trained highly experienced people who have seen hundreds of patients and know much more than we do. We should be able to trust their judgement. Though of course question it sensibly if there is cause, and be heard and get a response.
 
I agree that we should not have to go it alone. Unfortunately, that isnt an option for many things. And its not the GP's fault they have been highly trained wrongly. However, I am not prepared to damage my health in order to obey someone wrong, no matter how highly trained they are.

as my dear old dd used to say: An Expert is a drip under pressure.
 
Hi Lucy
GPs take ten years to train and many more years to get the experience but I really feel any G.Ps on this site should respond to your post.
D.


 
Would you guys be happy if as Michael Moseley said he believes for general health we should eat a modified Mediterranean diet?
D.
 
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