No GP?

[Nada]

Just posting again as it may have been missed yesterday and can report the weight is flying off still!

Hi folks I am newly diagnosed and this forum is proving very helpful especially as nhs advice has been a bit lacking. I've just ordered my test kit and I start on education programme in a couple of weeks.

This forum has been invaluable thanks.

I've had very contradictory advice about carbs and I am now having complications - severe abdominal pain. It has been 2 months since my diagnosis and haven't seen a GP it's all been nurses so far is this usual?

I had actually increased my carb intake following nurse advice and now concerned that's causing some of the problems. I also had a wobbly emotional day and ate sweets!! And to make a full confession I have been on 2 weeks hols where I had more alcohol than normal. Now having waves of guilt.

There is an awful lot I have to learn and quite scary. But on the upside my weight is falling.

 

[Ann19]

Hi Nada, it'd good to hear that you have got a test kit on the way. Hopefully your GP may give you some strips to help you to find out how food affects you? Lots won't so you may have to buy them yourself like many of us do. The NHS healthy diet is not healthy for a diabetic, but they don't seem to see it! You may have noticed that lots of us have cut carbs right down. This brings our levels down. Are you taking Metformin? This causes tummy troubles for many, moving to the slow release usually helps.

Worrying can put your levels up so don't worry about what you did on your holiday, start a new way of living now! You might find that your education course is more of the 'eat lots of carbs' advice. If you cut down your carbs to control your levels you have to learn to smile sweetly and ignore them! GP's seem to be handing over the diabetic care to Nurses in the practice so don't be surprised if your don't see a GP at any appointments. Have you had your eyes and feet checked? If not ask your nurse to refer you for them, but the nurse may do the foot check when she sees you. If you have any questions then just ask, there is always someone on the forum to help!

Ann

 

[dawnmc]

Hi Nada, well get back on track and ignore the nurse. Lower carb is the best way to go. I have never seen a doctor either about my diabetes - got a phone call in January to say I was diabetic and thats been it really, I think the doctors think its a waste of time seeing patients when the nurse can deal with it. After low carbing for a while you can get odd symptoms re- the gut, just shows that carbs aren't that great really.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Well, I guess you may be seeing that the NHS advice on increasing carbs is notoriously bad advice for diabetics; a very sad state of affairs. Countries such as Denmark and Germany are way ahead of the UK on this and even the USA is coming round to the low-carb view. As others have said your body may be getting used to the change of diet. Don't go too far initially until you measure your blood sugar readings with a meter and find out what affects you most and by how much. Go for low-GI carbs and stay below, perhaps, 150gm per day until you find out more about your own diabetes. BTW, in general alcohol isn't a problem with diabetes in sensible quantities.

 

[Nada]

Thanks everyone

I bought my own meter / strips as a result of this forum just need to check can I have a black tea while waiting to test don't want to ****** it up?

It has taken my surgery 2 months to tell me I get prescriptions free! Luckily the pharmacist was more switched on and told me immediately.

I am on met thingy and just been changed to slow release after getting very ill

Oh and yes I have regular eye checks but no one has gone near my feet - I don't have any problems with my feet other than occasional aching. My eyes worry me more just found out I have cataract cells at a 'youngish' age. Now that did depress me.