Good old NHS

[beano1000]

Hi newly diagnosed t2, 43. Waited 2 months to see the 'dietitian'. It was a meeting of other newly diagnosed people (mainly very elderly) where a dietitian talked us through the dos and don'ts. I left feeling it was all too wishy washy, portion sizes, eat what you want, use a plate for working out how much carb/protein/veg etc'. It was more like a weightwatchers meeting than one dealing with a serious condition.

I feel the NHS has got this very wrong. It was like they are just trying to get the overweight ones to come on side and learn to lose weight. It wasn't about the specifics of lowering your sugar levels. But questions from the about, can I drink Coke, or is Lamb Ok just made me cringe. Shouldnt the diabetic powers that be be addressing this woeful situation.

I went in to the meeting someone very positive about cutting out most of the wrong foods and came out thinking all is well and I can do what i want as long as I lose weight and cut down portion sizes! I celebrated with my first peice of chocolate since diagnosis...

 

[onthegow]

Hi. I was diagnosed t2 initially. Went on that course everyone was twice my age. I was 9 stone ish soaking wet everyone else was big. When they asked what about me young and skinny they made up some rubbish about it being in the family. I have no relatives with it I said needles to say I was unpopular then. Anyway misdiagnosis which took 6 months to get right t1 now. I agree there needs to be more done but quite what! I now find no matter what I eat even if its the same each day nothing is ever the same twice. Exercise is the only thing that moderates my levels.


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[jake60]

Hi. I was diagnosed t2 initially. Went on that course everyone was twice my age. I was 9 stone ish soaking wet everyone else was big. When they asked what about me young and skinny they made up some rubbish about it being in the family. I have no relatives with it I said needles to say I was unpopular then. Anyway misdiagnosis which took 6 months to get right t1 now. I agree there needs to be more done but quite what! I now find no matter what I eat even if its the same each day nothing is ever the same twice. Exercise is the only thing that moderates my levels.


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I've never had a sweet tooth in my life. Never been into fizzy drinks sweets chocolate junk food.
I have never been overweight either till I started taking Gabapentin for nerve pain.
First time I got the stuff I pulled out the long list of things this industrial drug might do to me that I don't want it to do to me and one of them was rapid weight gain.
Sure enough ... a lifetime of being fourteen stone I shot to eighteen stone almost overnight.
I'm seventeen stone at the mo but six foot two so can carry it off better than most.

 

[EllisB]

Beano,

I am afraid you have come across the NHS's lowest common denominator approach.

Firstly, losing weight and getting more exercise is the most productive way of improving the BG control of Type 2 diabetics in the majority of patients. The 'Education' has to be pitched at a level that is within the grasp of the majority of participants.

For example, on the X-PERT course, when they are explaining what diabetes is, they talk about cells being 'fat' and needing more insulin. That is an attempt to explain the biochemistry where it is the presence of free fatty acids that interfere with the protein cascade that is triggered by insulin.

As for low carb, high fat diets, the difference between unsaturated fats and saturated fats is a tough one for many - hence the current NHS message.