Interesting Gp View.

[Kyambala]

The GP, like most of us, will have been bombarded over the years with promises of miracle diets and contradictory research results regarding healthy foods. That may be why she is rather cynical about LCHF diets. She has probably also encountered overweight people who have tried one extreme diet after another, and failed to stick to them. Then there are the people who become so obsessive with their habits that it interferes with normal life and becomes a mental illness.
The other problem is that most of the staggeringly successful results reported from people following the LCHF diet are anecdotal, and therefore not taken as seriously by some doctors as a comprehensive properly funded research project.
Still it's a shame that this GP felt it necessary to be so negative, and didn't balance out the scepticism by praising the hard work and effort that went into improving health. Too often, type 2 diabetics are sterotyped as fat lazy ignoramuses who have brought type 2 on themselves and ought to be charged for their treatment. Doctors should encourage all attempts at self-help even if they think the patient is misguided. They should intervene more forcibly only if the patient is putting health at risk by being too extreme in their eating and monitoring habits.

Good evening rolypolypudding. I heard on the news today that some Researchers in the USA are saying that LCHF Diets could SHORTEN your life by up to 5years. I think that their research is RUBBISH - but then I don't mind if my life on planet Earth is shortened by 5 years - I KNOW where I am going.

LCHF Diet has enabled me to have BETTER CONTROL of my Diabetes.

But the point is - contradictory research DOES confuse many people with Type 2 Diabetes.

 

[Resurgam]

I saw a nurse about my ongoing health problems recently.
There is no point in going over the interview, which was about using a proactive spread and not eating deep fried foods due to the elevated risk of stroke and heart attack at some point in the future. I don't use any spreads as I don't have anything to spread it on, and I don't deep fry anything I eat. I did get a printout of my results going back some time, and a jab against pneumo-whatsits, so I am protected against pneumonia to some extent.
My total cholesterol is 5.9mmol/l - apparently the average is 5.7 so I don't see why there is such a fuss about it. Perhaps the average person needs to lower their cholesterol and agrees to take statins - but I had such a dreadful time with them that I would not want to go on for the rest of my life unable to function normally.

 

[Kyambala]

I saw a nurse about my ongoing health problems recently.
There is no point in going over the interview, which was about using a proactive spread and not eating deep fried foods due to the elevated risk of stroke and heart attack at some point in the future. I don't use any spreads as I don't have anything to spread it on, and I don't deep fry anything I eat. I did get a printout of my results going back some time, and a jab against pneumo-whatsits, so I am protected against pneumonia to some extent.
My total cholesterol is 5.9mmol/l - apparently the average is 5.7 so I don't see why there is such a fuss about it. Perhaps the average person needs to lower their cholesterol and agrees to take statins - but I had such a dreadful time with them that I would not want to go on for the rest of my life unable to function normally.

Good morning Resurgam. You seem to be very good at keeping control of everything - I moved house last October so i now have a new Doctor and DBN. They are very helpful - but the Doctor wanted to put me back on Statins - naturally I refused, so he said everything else seems to be well controlled so continue as you are going. Great to have a good Doctor - but also good to stick to your guns.

 

[Kyambala]

the but I also bought a Libre part negates your premise

low carb and testing, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, is needed

Good morning Contralto. I am not against the Libre and even recommend it to others on this Forum as well as to people I know. But in my case I was trying TOO HARD to get rid of my Diabetes. I kept reducing my Insulin BELOW what I needed to function properly. In my case I found that TOO MUCH testing was stressing me out - which gave me high readings. So now I don't use the Libre and only test before breakfast - result, no more HYPOS and much better control.

I guess that as we are all individuals we have to vary things until we find out what works best for us. But thank you for your post.

 

[KK123]

Good morning Contralto. I am not against the Libre and even recommend it to others on this Forum as well as to people I know. But in my case I was trying TOO HARD to get rid of my Diabetes. I kept reducing my Insulin BELOW what I needed to function properly. In my case I found that TOO MUCH testing was stressing me out - which gave me high readings. So now I don't use the Libre and only test before breakfast - result, no more HYPOS and much better control.

I guess that as we are all individuals we have to vary things until we find out what works best for us. But thank you for your post.

I agree wholeheartedly with your posts on this subject. Yes it is important to test and eat properly but there is a line between doing that and fanatically doing that which is essentially what you are saying. In my opinion a balance can be achieved without all of us being told to do the same thing by those who are extremely rigid. Each to their own.

 

[Guzzler]

We really shouldn't be judging people by how much or how little they test, we get enough of being judged from HCPs and the general public so we do not need it here. Experiences differ and that experience teaches us what we as individuals are comfortable with.

 

[michita]

We really shouldn't be judging people by how much or how little they test, we get enough of being judged from HCPs and the general public so we do not need it here. Experiences differ and that experience teaches us what we as individuals are comfortable with.

I agree. Everyone has different needs.

In the beginning I was testing a lot to see the effect of food and insulin, told by HCPs I'm testing too much. Have I heard about burnout. They gave me unnecessary stress. Last thing I needed

 

[sandra94]

Mmmmm, at the risk of being shot down, I actually think she has a point. Of course we all want to remain healthy and this is a condition that requires constant monitoring but I sometimes think that for many it becomes an all consuming task, the joy is sucked out of life, every minute of every day is spent thinking about it, agonising about it, watching every mmol point and being thrown into a depression if it so much as rises, weighing every morsel that passes your mouth and on and on. Surely there is a balance and yes I know, we don't want to lose our eyes or a leg BUT I agree with that Doc partially, I believe we can manage it properly without the hysteria and also take it seriously.

As a Type 1 for 51 years I have been through quite a lot of consultants and specialist nurses. In 1967 when I was diagnosed I spent about two weeks in hospital learning how to inject correctly (in those days it was glass syringes and large needles, which had to be sterilised at home. Thank god for disposable syringes now.) dipping your urine every morning and being put through a severe hypo just so that I knew how to recognize one.(As if I could have missed it!). At least being there you knew it was serious stuff. As the years have gone by you can now get to test your BG in about 30 seconds flat and I follow a carb counting course. I went on to a good career in Local Government and never let it overshadow my life. In fact at the end of the carb counting course the sister in charge left to take another job and actually baked a chocolate cake for all the class to share.(Carb counted of course). That really opened my eyes to the fact that you can have treats, just get a good set of scales to weigh the ingredients properly.I agree with this GP don't obsess about the odd higher reading but,remember, your life is simply about routine but regular checking, and with modern pens and blood strips you can do that almost anywhere in as little as a minute, including the insulin injection.

 

[Kyambala]

I agree wholeheartedly with your posts on this subject. Yes it is important to test and eat properly but there is a line between doing that and fanatically doing that which is essentially what you are saying. In my opinion a balance can be achieved without all of us being told to do the same thing by those who are extremely rigid. Each to their own.

Good morning KK123. Yes, and that brings us back to the original post by David and that lady Doctor - she could not accept David's point of view (probably because she herself was not Diabetic and was more convinced by medical THEORY - which was probably written by someone who was NOT Diabetic.) I have learnt MORE from this FORUM than I ever learnt from books or medical professionals. Having said that, I have had 2 excellent Doctors and DBN's. My original Doctor back in 1996 wouldn't even believe that I was Diabetic and had Diabetic Neuropathy for 2 years. I had to demand a blood test (which he said was a waste of money) and with a reading of 14.3 he admitted that I must have Type 2 Diabetes.

I prefer EXPERTS (those with the disease) to Professionals (those whose knowledge about the disease came from books).

But again - some Doctors ARE willing to LISTEN to the patient.

 

[Mr_Pot]

Good morning KK123. Yes, and that brings us back to the original post by David and that lady Doctor - she could not accept David's point of view (probably because she herself was not Diabetic and was more convinced by medical THEORY - which was probably written by someone who was NOT Diabetic.) I have learnt MORE from this FORUM than I ever learnt from books or medical professionals. Having said that, I have had 2 excellent Doctors and DBN's. My original Doctor back in 1996 wouldn't even believe that I was Diabetic and had Diabetic Neuropathy for 2 years. I had to demand a blood test (which he said was a waste of money) and with a reading of 14.3 he admitted that I must have Type 2 Diabetes.

I prefer EXPERTS (those with the disease) to Professionals (those whose knowledge about the disease came from books).

But again - some Doctors ARE willing to LISTEN to the patient.

If doctors had all the diseases they were expected to treat they would be very ill indeed.

 

[Kyambala]

If doctors had all the diseases they were expected to treat they would be very ill indeed.

Hello Mr Pot. Your Post is very true - and I would not wish any Disease upon any Doctor - but different Doctors specialise in different areas of medicine - from reading this Forum over the years I am surprised at the number of posts complaining that their Doctor seems to know VERY LITTLE about Diabetes. That seemed to be the point of David's original Post. It might have been better if that lady Doctor had either said NOTHING or perhaps LISTENED to David.

 

[zand]

It might have been better if that lady Doctor had either said NOTHING or perhaps LISTENED to David.

Hmm listening....that would be a very useful skill in a doctor. I've only had one GP who really listened to me.

 

[Moggely]

I was told not to test so i didn't even think about it. I did once or twice as the chemist lady to do it a couple of times out of curiosity and it was good. When my next test came back it was 5'8 from 11.4 after 3 months. However i eventually got a meter and started testing. I have to admit i became really obsessed with it and found myself doing it several times daily. I think the stress have raised my levels some what so have decided to do it perhaps a couple of times a day so i do agree with that doc just to a certain point mind you.

 

[zand]

I think that broadly speaking whether being obsessive about BGs is a good thing or not depends on whether you use insulin or not.

For T1s I can see the sense of not obsessing and feeling that 'good enough' is good enough. There's very little point trying to reach exact BG figures when there are so many variables and obsessing can be counter productive leading to hypos.

For T2s who are diet controlled though there is no antidote to high BGs except to reduce carbs. I don't have to worry about hypos so life is much easier as a T2 not on any medication. I tend to micro manage my T2 at times to make sure I get my BGs down and keep them down. If I'm not careful my BG creeps up and it is very hard work to get it down again. 'A stitch in time saves nine.'

I did say 'broadly speaking', I realise there will be some who don't fit my generalisations.

 

[Kyambala]

Hmm listening....that would be a very useful skill in a doctor. I've only had one GP who really listened to me.

Hello Zand. I think sometimes we are a little bit unfair to Doctors and expect them to know everything. A Doctor once said to me "you can ask 3 professionals the same question and receive back 3 different answers". Doctors who LISTEN before they make a judgment are a TREASURE worth keeping. My first Doctor as a Diabetic was hopeless and would NOT LISTEN to anything I said - but since that I have had 3 very GOOD Doctors (I wonder if the first one wrote something on my notes?).