Have you been told not to test your blood sugars?

[ButtterflyLady]

Grrrrr.... Further to my previous comments...
I saw my (NHS) GP earlier, for something else which took 30 seconds, and was then daft enough to try and share my concerns about the approach that was being taken with T2, especially seeing as how these last 2 weeks since changing my diet (like a good little boy) I spend half my waking hours feeling week and a bit dizzy and foggy brained etc. etc. He talked over me too much for me to get to the 'these symptoms are dangerous - I've come off my bike twice and haven't felt safe driving far' (i.e. for more than say 20mins ). Condescension to the max - "Diabetes is a problem of too high blood sugar not too low, go away and eat less fat, it'll all come right in the long term"

Thank f@ck my blood glucose meter came today and I can start doing this right!

I sympathise, it's horrible when you have a GP like that. Is there any possibility you can change GPs?

 

[soldersplash]

I sympathise, it's horrible when you have a GP like that. Is there any possibility you can change GPs?

Yes, every possibility after that! I think I'll write to the practices in the surrounding villages and see if any are receptive to blood glucose testing for T2. It's not even that I'm after getting the test strips free or whatever - I am quite happy to just buy the **** things myself, I have done and will keep doing, it's the lack of understanding what I'm trying to achieve here and getting on board with it. I'm willing to go the extra mile or 10 to get this _properly_ controlled, without drugs if at all possible, to get my health back ASAP and prevent future complications.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Yes, every possibility after that! I think I'll write to the practices in the surrounding villages and see if any are receptive to blood glucose testing for T2. It's not even that I'm after getting the test strips free or whatever - I am quite happy to just buy the **** things myself, I have done and will keep doing, it's the lack of understanding what I'm trying to achieve here and getting on board with it. I'm willing to go the extra mile or 10 to get this _properly_ controlled, without drugs if at all possible, to get my health back ASAP and prevent future complications.

Even if you don't find any that understand the importance of home BG testing for T2s, at least if you can get a doctor who is respectful, understanding and helpful on other issues, that would be better.

 

[CollieBoy]

Grrrrr.... Further to my previous comments...
I saw my (NHS) GP earlier, for something else which took 30 seconds, and was then daft enough to try and share my concerns about the approach that was being taken with T2, especially seeing as how these last 2 weeks since changing my diet (like a good little boy) I spend half my waking hours feeling week and a bit dizzy and foggy brained etc. etc. He talked over me too much for me to get to the 'these symptoms are dangerous - I've come off my bike twice and haven't felt safe driving far' (i.e. for more than say 20mins ). Condescension to the max - "Diabetes is a problem of too high blood sugar not too low, go away and eat less fat, it'll all come right in the long term"

Thank f@ck my blood glucose meter came today and I can start doing this right!

Sorry but in that situation I would have kicked off big style about his attitude first with him and the practice manager and if neccesary, with the senior partner!

 

[neil1945]

Recently diagnosed type 2 and joined the type 2 testing survey and got a free Nexus GlucoRx meter, but being new wish to test to check effects of food I eat - the strips for this meter seem quite expensive - I think I have seen a comment abot a meter with very 'cost effective ' strips - can any one help

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Recently diagnosed type 2 and joined the type 2 testing survey and got a free Nexus GlucoRx meter, but being new wish to test to check effects of food I eat - the strips for this meter seem quite expensive - I think I have seen a comment abot a meter with very 'cost effective ' strips - can any one help

The SD Codefree is probably the meter referred to. There are some codes you can use to get a discount from a particular online supplier.

 

[Brewers23]

Can I ask a naive question, but why do you want to measure your BM on a regular basis as a type 2 DM not on insulin? How does it help you to manage the condition?

 

[KimDaleManor]

First it tells me at an early stage if the recent change in medication is working. Second it tells me the effect of different types of food on my control. Third it motivates me to keep hitting the right numbers and gives me a focus on control.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Can I ask a naive question, but why do you want to measure your BM on a regular basis as a type 2 DM not on insulin? How does it help you to manage the condition?

The main reason I do it is to find out which foods to eat and which foods to avoid. This helps me lose weight and keep it off. It's also necessary to test on sick days. And even 3 monthly lab blood tests are not sufficient to monitor my BGs to ensure I don't have high levels that are doing irreversible damage. I'm on 6 monthly lab tests now.

 

[Celeriac]

My HbA1c (the blood test referred to above) is an annual one as part of an annual review. If I relied on that I'd be clueless most of the time.

I wouldn't have figured out ways to beat the Dawn Phenomenon (whatever) if I hadn't been able to test, I wouldn't even have known I had it.

I too, used it to test which foods spiked me.

 

[DawnPhenomenon]

I was diagnosed borderline and positively discouraged from testing. I buy my strips online (about £50 for 200).

I just can't understand the ridiculous attitude of the NHS. We are told that pre is the golden period when the condition can be reversed - so give us the tools to ensure that we know what's going on. There's nothing like a high BG reading to make you think about what's going into your body.

I was put on a 'course' for pre's and I can only describe it as a lost opportunity. The weight issue wasn't hammered home and neither were people properly informed of what the future could bring if the disease isn't controlled.

 

[DawnPhenomenon]

Did everyone see the headlines a couple of weeks ago '10% of NHS budget spent on diabetes'?

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Did everyone see the headlines a couple of weeks ago '10% of NHS budget spent on diabetes'?

Yep. They are spending their money on the wrong things. Lots of ambulances at the bottom of the cliff, while the cost of a simple fence at the top would be minimal.

 

[Gezzabelle]

How do I ask a question on here? This has got to be the most frustrating log in process I've ever encountered.

Go to the forum and find the relevant place ....eg type 2 or general chat etc....Post new thread is at top right hand side.....give it a title then ask away ...think that's right and hope it helps

 

[DawnPhenomenon]

Yep. They are spending their money on the wrong things. Lots of ambulances at the bottom of the cliff, while the cost of a simple fence at the top would be minimal.

New public health - but how?

 

[ButtterflyLady]

New public health - but how?

I think the way to change to approach they take is to get the guidelines changed, and that requires high quality research to be published and then for the guideline writers to be educated about the research. There is research underway and when that is published then things might change. There needs to be ongoing public awareness raising and education - and I don't think DUK is on the right side of the issue. The same with Diabetes NZ, they are both barking up the wrong tree.

 

[DawnPhenomenon]

I think the way to change to approach they take is to get the guidelines changed, and that requires high quality research to be published and then for the guideline writers to be educated about the research. There is research underway and when that is published then things might change. There needs to be ongoing public awareness raising and education - and I don't think DUK is on the right side of the issue. The same with Diabetes NZ, they are both barking up the wrong tree.

Do you thank that will change people's attitude towards food and exercise? I don't. I think many people live in the moment and don't think health - they think gratification. Not the people here but the people out there who carry on regardless of the warnings their body gives them. Diseases of affluence. We really do have take some responsibility for our own health.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

Do you thank that will change people's attitude towards food and exercise? I don't. I think many people live in the moment and don't think health - they think gratification. Not the people here but the people out there who carry on regardless of the warnings their body gives them. Diseases of affluence. We really do have take some responsibility for our own health.

Totally. I was thinking more of how to tackle the problem that when people get diagnosed with T2 diabetes, they are given the opposite of good food advice, and encouraged to think that meds alone can lower BG. A few years later they are on 2-3 different pills, and insulin, and wondering why they need more and more.

I used to be one of those people who ignored my health, and even the warnings my doctors gave, over many years. I think the only way to change attitudes across the whole population is to teach parents how to teach their kids about food and exercise. People who are adults now tend to only change once they have had a wake up call. Once I understood that I was going to get sicker and sicker, I decided to change. Sadly a lot of people only reach that point once irreversible damage is done.

 

[DawnPhenomenon]

Totally. I was thinking more of how to tackle the problem that when people get diagnosed with T2 diabetes, they are given the opposite of good food advice, and encouraged to think that meds alone can lower BG. A few years later they are on 2-3 different pills, and insulin, and wondering why they need more and more.

I used to be one of those people who ignored my health, and even the warnings my doctors gave, over many years. I think the only way to change attitudes across the whole population is to teach parents how to teach their kids about food and exercise. People who are adults now tend to only change once they have had a wake up call. Once I understood that I was going to get sicker and sicker, I decided to change. Sadly a lot of people only reach that point once irreversible damage is done.

Once people are diagnosed they are at the bottom of the cliff. I can't see anything changing. The richer we become the more we consume. The low fat dairy thing has led to a huge excess of fat in the dairy industry but do they chuck it out? No way, it's used to make cakes and deserts and they can be very cheap. How is it right that an entire fresh ream sponge is only £1? If you are tempted by stuff like that the price makes it even more attractive.

We 'medicalise' life but its our life and our lifestyle we need to concentrate on (T2) and not the medical profession. They are all too quick to jump in and take charge.

People still smoke despite warnings of death and disease.

Life can be stressful and we learn to self medicate - often in a way we shouldn't.

I don't think there's an answer. We used to have infectious disease (diseases of poverty) and now we suffer raised blood sugar and cardio vascular disease (diseases of affluence).

 

[Celeriac]

Actually, I don't agree that diabetes is a disease of affluence. I'm sure that being a vegetarian in a middle class family with the best of everything is not why I got diabetes.

Whereas, for the first five years of our relationship, on one income, even with an allotment, we were filling up round the edges with spuds, rice, cheap sliced bread, disgusting soya margarine, and potatoes - and ating a lot of soya mince.

I live in a town with 7 supermarkets, 7 locals and zillions of restaurants, takeaways and convenience stores. There's one each of fishmonger butcher, greengrocer, deli, chocolatier.Two bakeries, neither of which bake their bread. No farmers market and in the supermarkets it's not easy to find real meat, as opposed to ready meals. Two aisles of crisps in most of them. Rarely do supermarkets ever have offers on real food. They make more profit flogging ready meals and crisps.

Buying fast food, takeaways, ready meals - that's normal reality.

The low fat experiment failed, ditching cookery classes in schools was a terrible idea, and not enough people continue with sport and exercise after leaving school, because it can be very expensive.