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New member of diabetes uk

Alexandra100 said:
Yes, a GP said this to me too. It just shows they haven't any valid reason to give. GPs these days are a bit like puppets, they have to impose rulings and push treatments as they are ordered. As Bluetit says, T2s are no longer given meters or strips, we have to buy our own, which is expensive. In my experience, most GPs are kind and caring, it is not they who are imposing these cuts and I imagine in many cases they don't want to acknowledge even to themselves how shabbily and counter-productively T2s are being treated. So they try to come up with an argument that is in line with their wish to be kind and caring to their patients ie: "Don't test, it will make your fingers sore." A reply to this might be, "OK, I'd rather not prick my fingers, but in order to control my bg I need to know my numbers, so please can I have a Libre instead of strips?" Or even, "If I don't control my bg and end up having my feet cut off, that will hurt a whole lot more than a finger prick. (Not to mention cost the NHS infinitely more than a few strips.)"
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New to this Forum and stumbled across it as I just received my new libre on Thursday... And couple of old friends I grew up with that have also been type 1 diabetic since we were kids both have had it for 6 months to a year and recommended it to me after they learned of the complications I've been dealing with recently.

It all started when my heel started to get sore and I was limping around still working 50-60 hrs a week, on my feet. The only visible issue was a crack in my heel that I typically get in the summer, although this past winter my heel didn't HEAL. I went to a walk in clinic April 4th, about a week after it began hurting because I was certain I had an infection inside my heel but the doctor basically blew me off and said "No, no there's no infection.. Just to to a podiatrist and get that dry, cracked skin shaved off." Well 2 days later my parents were in town for my birthday and saw my limping, and with my dad having been diabetic for over 50 years, they encouraged me to take time off work to sort out what ever was going on with my foot. Like @Alexandra100 said above, I don't want to lose my feet either! Anyways, I went back to my hometown with my parents on the 10th and by the 14th I was in the ER twice within 24 hours because of unbearable pain.

Turns out I developed a diabetic foot ulcer and was out on IV therapy for antibiotics for about 10 days, then oral antibiotics that I'm still on. I was connected with the diabetic foot clinic at the hospital here and they sent me to see a surgeon in the 25th and I was rushed into surgery on the 27th. The infection went from my heel to the beginning of the arch of my foot. They've debrided my heel and left a 4.5 centimeter deep wound that goes right through from one side of my heel to the other leaving a giant heel flap that they stuff with a sponge that is attached to a little vacuum that sucks anything "bad" from growing or that may remain where the infection was. I've named my vacuum "Myra" and she'll be with me for a couple months, helping the wound heal from the inside out. Dressing changes every 2-3 days where they pull that sponge out and repack the wound to reattach Myra. All the while, I'm awake and feeling everything. 3 key elements to my foot healing properly - 1) my blood sugar levels 2) my diet 3) elevating my foot and 4) crutches and zero pressure on that foot.

I'm fortunate my blood sugars have been better than they've been for years. At least 95% of them are below 10 and I've been testing a ton. Even before I received my libre but it's incredible how convenient it is especially considering all of the changes I've recently had to make. I still prick my finger several times a day just to compare and be sure but I find the results fairly close except the few times I've been somewhat higher, that's when I see the biggest difference like others have mentioned.

Anyways, thanks for those of you who read the novel I just wrote (sorry), please share any advice you may have for me as I've been quite scared and a bit lost since this began. I'd also like to speak to the doctor that blew me off because some nurses have confirmed and agreed with my concerns that had he listened to my concerns of a infection and my being diabetic, perhaps I would have been started in antibiotics that day on the 4th of April instead of 12 days later after two ER visits. And maybe this could have prevented the infection from spreading/worsening and potentially I could have avoided this painful and inconvenient surgery! Rant over.
 
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GeoPeach said:
please share any advice you may have for me as I've been quite scared and a bit lost since this began
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Hello Geo, what a moving and terrible story. You seem to be standing up to all this with an awful lot of courage. The only advice I can offer is, if you haven't already got it, buy yourself a copy of Dr Bernstein's "Diabetes Solution".
https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bernstein...r=1-1&keywords=dr+bernstein+diabetes+solution
(I'm assuming you are in the USA?) At first I was put off buying it because it seemed rather expensive, but I'm so glad I did. It is a huge tome, beautifully produced, and IMO is THE authoritative guide to diabetes. Lots there about footcare, low carb, meds and every aspect of diabetes. You could also visit Dr Bernstein's site http://www.diabetes-book.com for a wealth of articles, extracts from his books, short videos. I also listen via podcast to his monthly telephone q&a sessions.

You seem to be doing really well, but if anyone can help you do even better to heal your foot and reverse diabetic complications it is Dr Bernstein. If ever you feel pessimistic, just read Dr B's own telling of his story
http://www.diabetes-book.com/bernstein-life-with-diabetes/
 
Alexandra100 said:
Hello Geo, what a moving and terrible story. You seem to be standing up to all this with an awful lot of courage. The only advice I can offer is, if you haven't already got it, buy yourself a copy of Dr Bernstein's "Diabetes Solution".
(I'm assuming you are in the USA?) At first I was put off buying it because it seemed rather expensive, but I'm so glad I did. It is a huge tome, beautifully produced, and IMO is THE authoritative guide to diabetes. Lots there about footcare, low carb, meds and every aspect of diabetes. You could also visit Dr Bernstein's site for a wealth of articles, extracts from his books, short videos. I also listen via podcast to his monthly telephone q&a sessions.

You seem to be doing really well, but if anyone can help you do even better to heal your foot and reverse diabetic complications it is Dr Bernstein. If ever you feel pessimistic, just read Dr B's own telling of his story
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Thank you so much, @Alexandra100! I appreciate the book suggestions. I've been diabetic for 23 years and I've never actually looked into purchasing a book like that. Mostly just cook books for diabetic friendly recipes, or books regarding the GI Diet when they almost diagnosed me with Diabetic Gastroparesis. Dodged a bullet when I avoided that diagnosis. Buy I love to read and just finished a book so I'm excited to look into those books.

Oh, and I'm actually in Canada. But yes, there's always something more to learn about diabetes, it's always changing, individually and as a whole, I think anyways. I always love hearing other people's advice and the solutions they've found for self. Sometimes as a diabetic you never know what's going to work for you until you try it and open-mindedness and humility go a long way! I'm so glad they've got this diabetic foot clinic here now, it wasn't when I moved away in 2014, so I'm super grateful.

Again, thank you @Alexandra100. Maybe Chapters will be today's adventure and I can look into that book. But in the meantime, I'll take a peek at his website too. I'll keep ya posted with my progress once I get the book too!
 
GeoPeach said:
I've been diabetic for 23 years and I've never actually looked into purchasing a book like that. Mostly just cook books for diabetic friendly recipes,
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This made me smile, as if there is one aspect of diabetes Dr B is fairly hopeless about it's his recipes! So I'm glad you already have the cook books you need. Dr B is still practising medicine at the age of 83, treating T1s and T2s. In one of his videos he says, "The thing abut T2s, they like to eat!" The way he said it, it was like a naturalist commenting on the strange habits of some wild species. It was not criticism, still less condemnation, but a kind of wonderment.
 
Alexandra100 said:
This made me smile, as if there is one aspect of diabetes Dr B is fairly hopeless about it's his recipes! So I'm glad you already have the cook books you need. Dr B is still practising medicine at the age of 83, treating T1s and T2s. In one of his videos he says, "The thing abut T2s, they like to eat!" The way he said it, it was like a naturalist commenting on the strange habits of some wild species. It was not criticism, still less condemnation, but a kind of wonderment.
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He sounds like a wonderful man! Thank you for giving me something to look forward to and to do. I've got a lottttt of time these days haha. I'm eager to learn some fresh ideas and see another person's perspective about a topic I've lived with for most of my life and seem to always be learning new things about!
 
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