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My first clinic visit today

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Frank357

Member
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14
Just back from seeing the nurse (doctor is next week).

She was very pleasant but stuck firmly to the NHS line - was not interested in any variation from scripture. Among the points she made:-

I was diagnosed because my two blood tests in December showed a HbA1c of 6.7 and 6.9.

The Doctor will prescribe medication straight away rather than wait to see how I manage with diet alone.

There is no point in self-testing my blood sugar, I'll learn nothing from the results (which are purely "snapshots" and are not useful long term). The NHS will not use any results and will not wish to know about them. Also, diabetics should avoid possible nerve damage to the fingers which the pricking can cause.

I told her I had cut out rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and alcohol since the first and had lost 13lbs. She encouraged me to continue with this but said that any sort of LFHC diet is very dangerous, particularly those "on US web sites", diabetics should avoid fat like the plague.

The doctor may be prepared to adopt a more relaxed attitude - let you know next week.
 
Hope the doctor is more on side with you - how can they ignore your good results? When I achieved my good results in mid December - hbac1 down to 33 and 30pounds weight loss and feeling so healthy - all she focused on was that my new way of eating had put up my cholesterol and had to seek support on here to put it in perspective as she kept talking about heart attack risk increasing. I’m no longer worried thanks to support on here and the information I was directed to to find out more about why this wasn’t a real health concern. Keep going while ever your way of eating improves your bg and supports your weight loss I’m sure it’s the right way forward.
 
Frank357 said:
There is no point in self-testing my blood sugar, I'll learn nothing from the results (which are purely "snapshots" and are not useful long term). The NHS will not use any results and will not wish to know about them. Also, diabetics should avoid possible nerve damage to the fingers which the pricking can cause.

I told her I had cut out rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and alcohol since the first and had lost 13lbs. She encouraged me to continue with this but said that any sort of LFHC diet is very dangerous, particularly those "on US web sites", diabetics should avoid fat like the plague.
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Nurse obviously was trained about 30 years ago and expects you to be a "good boy" and do as you are told.
That way lies worsening HbA1c's and complications of Type 2. You are obviously aware of what you want to do so do it.
Test and follow the diet plan that is obviously working for you.
I always think that I have my diabetes not the nurse so I do what I want to control it. The nurse and doctor may have some advice and it may or may not be useful but that is all it is, advice. It is your decision what to do.
 
Frank357 said:
Just back from seeing the nurse (doctor is next week).

She was very pleasant but stuck firmly to the NHS line - was not interested in any variation from scripture. Among the points she made:-

There is no point in self-testing my blood sugar, I'll learn nothing from the results (which are purely "snapshots" and are not useful long term). The NHS will not use any results and will not wish to know about them. Also, diabetics should avoid possible nerve damage to the fingers which the pricking can cause.
Click to expand...

Oh the medical professionals could make you cry sometimes! The whole point of testing is to get an accurate position of what your BS level is at the time - okay its a snapshot - but a useful one to make sure you are eating according to your BS. Otherwise how else can you learn what to eat (or not!). Just wait till they start on you about your cholesterol levels (which can temporarily go up if you have lost quite a bit of weight - not that they tell you that!) Have fun!
 
Since I got diagnosed with type one on 4 th January I’ve had no less than 5 appointments .Saw the diabetes nurse first thing this morning and she was quite chuffed with me as I’ve got my blood sugar down from a rampaging 25 to a much better 6 to 9 .I test five times a day before I eat and if it’s high I do a Novo Rapid .I do slow insulin at night and a metformin 500 morning and evening.Im lucky my health team are spot on in fact they drive me mad fussing over me .I was only diagnosed in December so it’s all new to me .I thought I was type 2 at first but no ,I’m one .Anyway I’ve put a couple of pounds back on which is good as I was as thin as a rail . had my eyes checked yesterday and all’s ok ,sent my form to DVLA now got to sort out my van and car insurance.Its all a pain in the proverbial but at least we have something that can be managed.Hope you get better care soon @Frank357 .Good luck mate .
 
Frank357 said:
Just back from seeing the nurse (doctor is next week).

She was very pleasant but stuck firmly to the NHS line - was not interested in any variation from scripture. Among the points she made:-

I was diagnosed because my two blood tests in December showed a HbA1c of 6.7 and 6.9.

The Doctor will prescribe medication straight away rather than wait to see how I manage with diet alone.

There is no point in self-testing my blood sugar, I'll learn nothing from the results (which are purely "snapshots" and are not useful long term). The NHS will not use any results and will not wish to know about them. Also, diabetics should avoid possible nerve damage to the fingers which the pricking can cause.

I told her I had cut out rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and alcohol since the first and had lost 13lbs. She encouraged me to continue with this but said that any sort of LFHC diet is very dangerous, particularly those "on US web sites", diabetics should avoid fat like the plague.

The doctor may be prepared to adopt a more relaxed attitude - let you know next week.
Click to expand...
Usual claptrap. Please do let us know.
 
shelley262 said:
Hope the doctor is more on side with you - how can they ignore your good results? When I achieved my good results in mid December - hbac1 down to 33 and 30pounds weight loss and feeling so healthy - all she focused on was that my new way of eating had put up my cholesterol and had to seek support on here to put it in perspective as she kept talking about heart attack risk increasing. I’m no longer worried thanks to support on here and the information I was directed to to find out more about why this wasn’t a real health concern. Keep going while ever your way of eating improves your bg and supports your weight loss I’m sure it’s the right way forward.
Click to expand...
Doesn't seem to matter to them that high BG levels cause heart disease in diabetics
 
shelley262 said:
Hope the doctor is more on side with you - how can they ignore your good results? When I achieved my good results in mid December - hbac1 down to 33 and 30pounds weight loss and feeling so healthy - all she focused on was that my new way of eating had put up my cholesterol and had to seek support on here to put it in perspective as she kept talking about heart attack risk increasing. I’m no longer worried thanks to support on here and the information I was directed to to find out more about why this wasn’t a real health concern. Keep going while ever your way of eating improves your bg and supports your weight loss I’m sure it’s the right way forward.
Click to expand...

Exactly the same here! At my first review 10 weeks post diagnosis my Hba1c was down from 91 to 51, I was chuffed.....practice nurse just mentioned statins (I declined) as my cholesterol was increased!
 
shelley262 said:
Hope the doctor is more on side with you - how can they ignore your good results? When I achieved my good results in mid December - hbac1 down to 33 and 30pounds weight loss and feeling so healthy - all she focused on was that my new way of eating had put up my cholesterol and had to seek support on here to put it in perspective as she kept talking about heart attack risk increasing. I’m no longer worried thanks to support on here and the information I was directed to to find out more about why this wasn’t a real health concern. Keep going while ever your way of eating improves your bg and supports your weight loss I’m sure it’s the right way forward.
Click to expand...
 
The doctor this morning, quite a contrast, he was very reasonable.

He agreed with me that medication could wait for three months and be reviewed when I have my next HbA1c test in 3 months.

He also prescribed some test strips and lancets for me once I had explained why I wanted to self-test.

As things had gone so well, I decided not to spoil the atmosphere by mentioning diet!
 
Frank357 said:
The doctor this morning, quite a contrast, he was very reasonable.

He agreed with me that medication could wait for three months and be reviewed when I have my next HbA1c test in 3 months.

He also prescribed some test strips and lancets for me once I had explained why I wanted to self-test.

As things had gone so well, I decided not to spoil the atmosphere by mentioning diet!
Click to expand...
 
That's all very positive! Good news on the test strips and lancets - he must be very supportive.
 
As for the nurse saying not to test as it is just a snap shot.."I would of said in hindsight,if the monitor is just a snap shot,then why are the NHS giving them away for free?"
 
derry60 said:
As for the nurse saying not to test as it is just a snap shot.."I would of said in hindsight,if the monitor is just a snap shot,then why are the NHS giving them away for free?"
Click to expand...


Well, she was following a script and probably didn't feel that she should depart from it with a stranger. I thought her suggestion that diabetics shouldn't prick theirselves was weirder. Then again, health and safety is becoming a religion these days and I suppose there is some risk involved.

As they say "nothing is foolproof as nature can always build a better fool".

I am feeling mellow about the NHS today because the doctor was reasonable. I'll be back to my cynical self in a few days!
 
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