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Had my first meeting with a diabetes nurse

devonshiredumpling

devonshiredumpling

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
As the title says I went to my first clinic today to see the diabetes nurse. I left feeling really depressed about the whole thing.

First of all the computers were down so she couldn't get my blood test results up. Then she said that I had to lose weight, well duuuurrr, I am obviously morbidly obese but I have started Slimming World a few weeks ago and have lost a couple of stone since Christmas. She just said that she couldn't check that due to the computer issue which made me feel like she didn't believe me.

Next came all the leaflets which she didn't have time to go through. She said that I should have a third of my plate as carbs, wholemeal for preference and when I asked her about the LCHF diet she told me not to bother with that as I shouldn't be eating any fatty food. She told me that my feet were not very good and I needed to make my family members moisturise them every day. Well that is never going to happen and finally when I asked if my diabetes could be reversed she said absolutely not. Once your pancreas stops working that's that.

I feel really fed up and confused and I don't really know if I am doing the right thing or not with my diet. I regularly test my blood sugars but they are quite high normally, between 12 and 20. I have started to cut right back on all the usual suspects like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and I don't have sugary food apart from an odd kiddies freddo bar when the chocolate cravings strike. I feel that this horrible disease is just going to progress and I have little control over it.

I'm not on any medication for the diabetes but I regularly take antidepressants and antipsychotics. I just wanted to have a bit of a moan as I am feeling quite sorry for myself. Thank you for reading this.
 
Oh dear sorry you had a bum time at your appointment

Keep focus on what YOU are doing

You mentioned you lost some weight a couple of stones well that is excellent a victory for you in the fight against diabetes and I congratulate you on that

My advice is make another appointment say that when you last visited that the computer was not working and that you want to make a starting point with your diabetes, if she says your pancreas is not working then ask about medication I am alarmed that you are not getting some sort of medicine even in the short term if your sugars are 12-20

Please don't feel down I know it's not easy but remember there are well meaning folk who have gone through or are going through similar experience as you they are the backbone of this forum

Carry on talking moaning screaming laughing with us you will find support on here in abundance

Tek care
 
Just remember your pancreas hasn't "packed up" it has really given up trying at the moment. Give it a hand and carry on losing weight (well done so far) and give it a rest (keep the carbs reduced below the eat "un-"well plate and see how it goes. It obviously isnt that bad as you are on diet control - oh and do not believe in the inevitable progression ****
 
devonshiredumpling said:
As the title says I went to my first clinic today to see the diabetes nurse. I left feeling really depressed about the whole thing.

First of all the computers were down so she couldn't get my blood test results up. Then she said that I had to lose weight, well duuuurrr, I am obviously morbidly obese but I have started Slimming World a few weeks ago and have lost a couple of stone since Christmas. She just said that she couldn't check that due to the computer issue which made me feel like she didn't believe me.

Next came all the leaflets which she didn't have time to go through. She said that I should have a third of my plate as carbs, wholemeal for preference and when I asked her about the LCHF diet she told me not to bother with that as I shouldn't be eating any fatty food. She told me that my feet were not very good and I needed to make my family members moisturise them every day. Well that is never going to happen and finally when I asked if my diabetes could be reversed she said absolutely not. Once your pancreas stops working that's that.

I feel really fed up and confused and I don't really know if I am doing the right thing or not with my diet. I regularly test my blood sugars but they are quite high normally, between 12 and 20. I have started to cut right back on all the usual suspects like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and I don't have sugary food apart from an odd kiddies freddo bar when the chocolate cravings strike. I feel that this horrible disease is just going to progress and I have little control over it.

I'm not on any medication for the diabetes but I regularly take antidepressants and antipsychotics. I just wanted to have a bit of a moan as I am feeling quite sorry for myself. Thank you for reading this.
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Unfortunately, it is the kind of experience all too many of us have. Just ignore it and carry on. You will need to reduce carbs to bring BG down but I am surprised you were not offered medication. Make another appointment as suggested by Cumberland.

Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
@devonshiredumpling please please don't let one nasty nurse make you fell bad about yourself. You are worth more - it sounds like you've started the process, don't let her derail you. You have lost some weight which is a great start, build on that.

Many people here have had great successes, often following their own path. I found it useful to read about other peoples journey and what works.

Best of luck. As @Cumberland said carry on moaning if you need to, we all have those days - but please remember that one nurse doesn't have the right to make you feel bad about yourself. Keep going :)
 
You are doing the right thing, you have lost weight at a steady and sustainable rate. Well done, that is an achievement to build on.
Are you keeping a food diary? You may be surprised at what sends your bs up, keep a note of possible other factors too, such as heat, stress, exercise taken etc. I started with a walk round the block and recently completed a sponsored walk for charity. If you can get hold of some high cocoa chocolate, or at least plain chocolate, a square of that is enough to satisfy a craving and it is your special treat.
You are not alone in having a bad time with the medical professionals who are supposed to help you, come on here to scream and moan. Also to use your experience to lend support to others, it helps
 
@devonshiredumpling I had a bad experience with my dietician 6 weeks ago. And guess what I'm back there on friday.
Tomorrow I have to spend hours writting down my food intake from my notes which are in bits and saved on my 3 devices.
Great joy! I bet she doesn't even look at it. :(
 
@devonshiredumpling , please do not let what this nurse said get you down. I am like the others surprised you are not on medication, please go and see your GP about it.
The LCHF lifestyle worked for me, brought down my Hba1c down from 72 to 43 in three months. It is currently 41 (Feb 2016) and I plan to reduce it further. Try it, what do you have to lose? Apart from blood sugars and weight!
The only advice I was given by the diabetic nurse was "watch the carbs", with no explanation of what she meant. I did some research and ended up here. The rest as they say is history. Soak it all in, ask questions, try it. It is your diabetes, not the nurse's.
 
Thanks everyone, I've had some time to reflect and I am going to keep low carbing as that is what works for most people. I will make an appointment to see my GP and see what he says too. I felt very alone when I wrote my post but I feel better now.
 
What a horrid negative experience you had.

Firstly - you've already done well to have lost 2 stone, I have lost one and am trying to lose more. I've decided that high fat is not for me at the moment, but I cut out bread, potatoes, rice, bread and grains and limited the amount of beans and pulses and the weight seems to be coming off steadily. Perhaps this would fit in with your Slimming World diet? I am not doing any fasting either.

So do what you have been doing, perhaps tweak the carbohydrates down, which should lower your BG results. I have about 50g a day and have been able to drop some of my med.

I would make another appointment, speak to her about your results, meds etc. I wouldn't worry about the diet side of things as the NHS is notoriously behind the game there.

Perhaps consider asking for a print out of your results, then you have a comparison for your next results. I've found it useful.

Above all, just keep going on what you know is working for you. Good luck.




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A dumpling is a lovely thing. Keep the name!
Hang on in there and stick with what is working for you.
And another appointment means you might get a more helpful nurse.
 
Seeing the upset dietician tomorrow!
I hope her scales register my loss.
Just had a protein roll with bacon in. Lovely.
 
Hi. Your DN was giving you rubbish dietary advice so I would ignore it. Carry on with a low-carb diet. Be careful with SW or any named diet as they can be high on carbs so always read the labels. As others have said you should probably be having some medication and as a T2 Metformin would usually be prescribed particularly when overweight. BTW when chocolate cravings start then have 85% Dark Chocolate such as Green & Blacks which is quite low in carbs; don't have sugary fruit bars or cheap milk chocolate.
 
hello @devonshiredumpling Coming to this forum is a great decision, the best one you could have made. I couldn't have stopped my medication and lost 2st in weight without the help from here. I bought myself an A4 hardback notebook (poundland best!) and an SD Codefree meter and started to test and keep records of what I ate, my BS (bloodsugar readings) and weight. I didn't record weight daily as I knew I'd be upset if I'd not lost weight, so I do it weekly. I'd advise to get a meter if you don't have one. Your nurse/Dr will probably say you don't need one, but by testing it's the only way to tell which food lowers and which food spikes your sugar levels. I started the LCHF diet, along with the '8 week blood sugar diet' by Dr Michael Mosely (amazon for £3 something, has some tasty recipes. Some I follow, others I adapt to suit.
Chocolate..... Buy 85% or higher, I love 95 or 92% but my local shops hardly ever stock it. 1/2 or 1 sq for a treat every so often. I don't know now if I could eat milk chocolate, and believe me, before I would buy a LARGE Aero bar and hide it so that I could eat all of it alone. Or buy 3 flakes and pig them with nobody in the house. I'm maybe like a reformed alcoholic, if I have one taste of milk chocolate I'd go off the rails! So I just won't chance it. I sometimes have a few walnuts to nibble on. I buy the walnut bits as they are far cheaper than half walnuts (I break up the half walnuts anyway, so might as well eat them ready broken!).

Good luck with your new diet. It really isn't as bad as you think. Just stand your ground with the nurse, or agree to everything and then come back here for more good advice.

My husband spoke to a friend today who has lost LOADS of weight. He's following the LCHF diet and what a difference!
 
I was diagnosed in March of this year. Just an abrupt " You are diabetic" from the doctor No medication BGS7.6. After a bit of research I put myself on the LCHF diet and have lost 2 st. So far. I have heard that visits to NHS dietitians are pointless so refused them . You are doing well Dumpling. Have faith in yourself. You know you are doing the right thing. Onwards and downwards ( in weight )
 
Hildaandhoward said:
I was diagnosed in March of this year. Just an abrupt " You are diabetic" from the doctor No medication BGS7.6. After a bit of research I put myself on the LCHF diet and have lost 2 st. So far. I have heard that visits to NHS dietitians are pointless so refused them . You are doing well Dumpling. Have faith in yourself. You know you are doing the right thing. Onwards and downwards ( in weight )
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2 stone is absolutely wonderful......Dumpling, don't get down, we are also on your journey and want to encourage you, as you are taking the right steps....keep going:)


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