Type 2 Saw nurse today

Yikes; all those carbs!!! That would kill me. In fact we had a new diabetic nurse at my surgery and she would have killed me and half of the rest of the diabetics. She didn't last long so hope the new one in better. Fortunately as I was a biochemist I knew a lot more than she did so I took no notice of her as she insisted she was right and I COULD eat sweet potatoes etc. I can't.

Your nurse sounds like the one we had for a very short while.

Although we get used to HPCs telling us how we need carbs but to actually have SUGAR listed ..... Well, I think that has to demonstrate how they're just not considering the advice they are giving out. Absolutely appalling

It is not only negligent, it is downright dangerous. It shows how little research they have done, just remembering their training from several years ago but we have moved on since then. When I mentioned Prof Roy Taylor and the Newcastle Diet the nurse (now departed) said she had heard of it but I could see by the look on her face she hadn't and really wasn't interested!

All she has done is look up the recommended maximum intakes for men and women generally. She has not paid any attention to what diabetics should eat. Please ignore her and do your own research, ask questions on this forum, and take note of what enlightened Type 2 diabetics eat in order to achieve well controlled blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels are far more important than weight loss.

Unfortunately you are right, we are on our own to find what works for us for the simple reason that everyone is different, one size does not fit all. We can advise on general principles but not necessarily in the amount of detail that you want. I honestly have no idea how many grams of different food groups I eat on a daily basis but I know the approximate size of helping and I have relearnt to eat until I have had sufficient, not until I feel full. I have also learnt that a little of what you fancy will not hurt but not to let a treat become a regular part of my life. Drop the potato, pasta, bread and as many of the below ground veg as possible increase your level of activity and you will lose weight. Slowly, steadily and healthily. If you are working and buying ready foods then check on the size of the portions contained and do not exceed, try to get an extra couple of 'portions' out if possible. Use your meter to check, check and check again and watch the numbers gradually drop. Normally weight does not suddenly increase, it increases slowly, therefore it should also decrease slowly and when you want to stabilize your weight it only takes a couple of tweaks to develop your own maintenance diet. If you feel really hungry between meals and a glass of water does not solve the problem try a small piece of cheese or a boiled egg will keep the munchies at bay.

Sadly you are right many professionals just aren’t helping.

So you really do now have to make a choice. - admitted bias follows- Follow their dated so called professional official advice and probably continue use to have higher bgl and potentially complications. Or Take a leap of faith and trust those of us living with diabetes and try the low carb approach. Either choice can be reversed if you don’t like the results or maintained if you do.

If you choose to follow low carb we here and lots of other websites can offer help support advice and recipes etc.

Cana said:

So went for check up with nurse. Mainly for weight monitoring.
As usual I left feeling completely stressed and not listened to.

So I explained how the DERIK course last week didn’t help. In her credit she did sound surprised and thought it would have covered what I wanted. I explained that I wanted more detail and practical advice which is what she thought it would be.

So I ask her that I need to know how much of what to eat and likely effects etc. I know some of that is individual and you guys helped last week.

So I asked what grammage of each food group. She gave me a list she found off the internet which I have below. Shockingly the amount of carbs.
Anyway I then say that I sometimes eat because I feel icky but I’m not hungry (probably why tiny weight gain this month)

Anyway, I came away yet again feeling like no one understands and stressed.

It’s down to me to find out what works and what doesn’t without the help of the people that are supposed to help.
For example tonight I feel sick, have headache, feel emptying but I have no idea what to eat.

I’ve had humour with some homemade pork mince sausages and peanut butter but it’s not working.

I’m obviously doing it all wrong by the fact I’ve not lost weight. But god it’s so frustrating talking to the nurse. I’m thinking of speaking to doctor but not sure that will make a difference.

This is the chart nurse gave me as to what I should be eating!!

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So sorry that your appointment with the nurse wasn't helpful, @Cana. Unfortunately, this is what many of us experience.

If it wasn't for the internet and the resolve to find the information needed to deal with diabetes (which eventually led me to lchf), I would almost certainly be on insulin today.

So, well done on being persistent.

I agree with everything all previous posters have suggested so far.

In my opinion, controlling blood sugars is always a priority. Having low carb foods keeps your blood sugar spikes after meals to a minimum and over time your average blood sugars will drop -- this might happen over the course of a few days, weeks or maybe even months.

Do you have a blood sugar meter yet? Having a way to know what is going on with blood sugar levels can be helpful.

In terms of weightloss, I wouldn't worry too much. It is not unusual not too lose weight on a low carb diet initially. This is because insulin levels might still be high even as your blood sugar levels drops.

Many T2 produce too much insulin rather than too little. In addition to helping your body to process glucose and turn it into energy, insulin also signals your body to store unneeded glucose as fat and to hold on to fat reserves. So, only when insulin is low, will the body turn to its own fat reserves for energy.

So, as you change your way of eating, eventually not only should your glucose levels drop, but also your insulin levels. So, if you persist eating low carb, weight loss should happen for you eventually. My suggestion is give low carb a chance and see where you are in three or for weeks.

There are copies of New Diet Revolution by Dr Atkins - the last one from 2003 is the one I have as a hard copy and seems to explain diabetes most clearly, plus things you should and should not do - and I have not seen that one on line - but you can get a copy for very little and it might help with what to eat.
I notice on the list that it looks as though sugar is listed separately from carbohydrate, despite it being one - that would set alarm bells ringing straight away - if the person handing it over doesn't know what carbs are it doesn't bode well for the rest of the interview.

Does the limit of 5 apply because of the forxiga? If this is the case and the suspect for the lows below 5 maybe worth rethinking it with your job and go lower carb instead or try something else that doesn’t cause lows.

Not so sure I’d be trusting your dn anyway if she’s as ill informed as it appears.

Fibre from veg especially skins, chia seeds, flaxseeds

Please correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t realise that forxiga was one of the types of meds that cause hypo (if taken in isolation) thus requiring the need to test before driving https://www.diabetes.co.uk/driving-and-hypoglycaemia.html But obviously better safe if you feel unwell. Out of interest is it common to feel unwell at 5 for diabetics? Most of us type 2’s would love to be below 5.

Cana said:

5 is the lowest level to be safe to drive. Obviously non diabetics could be lower if having low but as diabetic need to be above 5. If nothing else I feel **** when at 5 so eat anyway to make sure safe to drive

I’m hoping in Nov that my hba1c is low enough that I can go off meds.

The doctor is a diabetic doctor. Main issue seems to be nurse.

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Not quite.. 5 is supposed to be "safe to drive" if you are taking medication (or insulin) that can cause a hypo. So far as I am aware if you are solely taking Farxiga then this won't be the case. If you are taking other medication with it then it may be possible.
Feeling odd when you get to 5 is probably because your body has been used to running with higher bloods so it simply isn't used to it. Once you have been there and lower then you'll get used to it and be fine. I've now been down to mid 3's when fasting with no side effects and have probably driven when there as well (as has most of the non diabetic population probably).

Cana said:

Is it true that pumpkin seeds are good fir diabetes?

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Pumpkin seeds seem to be OK - but they do have some carbs - some say they are really high, some claim really low.
I suspect that they are high in fibre and if eaten in moderation should be fine. I ate some as I had a pumpkin - we only see them for a very short time in the last weeks of October, so maybe make the most of them whilst they are around.
several sources gave a net carb value under 10 percent - one claimed 3.33 and another 35 so I could be way out if one of them is right.

Cana said:

So went for check up with nurse. Mainly for weight monitoring.
As usual I left feeling completely stressed and not listened to.

So I explained how the DERIK course last week didn’t help. In her credit she did sound surprised and thought it would have covered what I wanted. I explained that I wanted more detail and practical advice which is what she thought it would be.

So I ask her that I need to know how much of what to eat and likely effects etc. I know some of that is individual and you guys helped last week.

So I asked what grammage of each food group. She gave me a list she found off the internet which I have below. Shockingly the amount of carbs.
Anyway I then say that I sometimes eat because I feel icky but I’m not hungry (probably why tiny weight gain this month)

Anyway, I came away yet again feeling like no one understands and stressed.

It’s down to me to find out what works and what doesn’t without the help of the people that are supposed to help.
For example tonight I feel sick, have headache, feel emptying but I have no idea what to eat.

I’ve had humour with some homemade pork mince sausages and peanut butter but it’s not working.

I’m obviously doing it all wrong by the fact I’ve not lost weight. But god it’s so frustrating talking to the nurse. I’m thinking of speaking to doctor but not sure that will make a difference.

This is the chart nurse gave me as to what I should be eating!!

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Sorry for your problem with nurse ... classic case of "With friends like these ..." ... admire your grit and determination in the face of these hurdles ... you will definitely win in the end.