Second visit to the nurse

[Sheryl27]

Well, I went along to my second appointment today (only 10 days after being told I have diabetes type 2) I was given more leaflets to read, this time, foot care, one telling me I will be having an HbA1c test every 3/4 months and another explaining about retina problems.

I reminded her I needed my blood pressure checked as last time it was very high, 168/107!!!!!!! this resulted in me being put on BP tablets. I asked if I would be getting a testing kit so I can be more informed by how foods effect my levels, I was promptly told testing kits are not recommended for type 2's as it can cause more stress than not and to keep up with lowering my food intake. She also said that I could eat the same meal on different days and it giving me very different results thus not giving me a true reflection of how food effects me! she then said 2 billion was spent on strips a year and health professionals have been told to cut back and only type 1's need them. I said I understood the predicament and was prepared to pay for my own... my argument is that I would know how different foods effect me, she wasn't happy for me to buy one and said a tub of strips is £20

I'm a bit confused now :crazy: , many people on here suggest using a monitor, especially in the first few months. Do I go against my nurse and get one and if so which one? (I found one on amazon for £8 and a tub of strips £7) or should I wait it out for my 3 month check?? I'm not on meds (yet, she said!), she wants to see if I can control the diabetes with diet alone for as long as I can (fair enough, sounds good) but how am I going to monitor it myself if I don't test ...... feel like I'm going round in a circle here!

I have purchased the Carbs and Cals book and am finding it very informative, (I'd recommend it to anyone with or without diabetes :thumbup: ) this has helped cutting down drastically with the carbs and I've managed to lose 4lb already

The nurse did say she will put me on a desmond course which will help

Sorry about the rambling rant, I just want to know what I am doing is right and it's making a difference

 

[kerrycakes]

Doesnt sound very good if you had to remind her to take your bp! It really does sound like the difference in care can vary greatly. I had to wait 3 weeks to see my diabetic nurse, but the wait was worth it (see my post on first visit today) and she is seeing me again in two weeks.
I did go down the road of getting a meter, and stuff, but i had to beg the dr to let me get the strips on perscription. The nurse was really understanding about my need to control, and that included testing for now till things are more under control. she has said though that she is worried I am being slightly too controlling and that testing before and 2 hours after every meal is stressing me out, which is not helping things, so she has asked me to just try and test before meals, unless i'm really concerned. I think once stuff is under control, it gets easier to maintain, though like yourself, i can only speculate on how it goes.

and i was lucky to just get one leaflet, which i asked for! but i did come away feeling like i learned a lot, and that the foot exam was not as bad as i thought!

Hope next visit with your nurse goes better x

Kerry

 

[dawnmc]

Hi Sheryl, get a meter, its handy in the early days to find out what food does to your blood sugar. Peace of mind, and its your body and your health. I can understand the NHS not wanting to spend money. You cn usually gt a meter free from manufacturers and the strips you can buy of ebay, its a question of research to find out which strip is cheaper for your meter.
You should test before food and 2 hours after.
Good luck.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I would get a meter. You don't have to use it very often and you can buy the strips as and when you use them up. Yes, most manufacturers will supply meters free if asked and eBay is a good source of lower cost strips; just check the end date listed and don't buy off eBay without a listed end-date. Some Internet companies will supply the strips VAT free. The SD Codefree meter on Amazon is low cost and so are the strips but there are some reports that it isn't as accurate as the major brands? BTW, you don't have to tell the nurse you are testing!

 

[izzzi]

Hi,Sheryl27,

Your not alone having a nurse that has not been trained to be honest, regarding Diabetes.

I don't blame the nurse,like you say NHS not wanting to invest money wisely in the how people can treat Diabetes with better control.

This Forum (recommended by my Doctor) has helped me to control my Diabetes.

We are all different so there are many views on the forum yet very friendly and so helpful.

Best of luck with your control with your diabetes. The BG meter (I believe) is the only way to know what food etc;is working well for you.

Roy.

 

[Genibel]

Hi Sheryl
I think that you can get the Medtronic meter free from the chemist
Good luck

 

[Sheryl27]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I really appreciate your comments of support

 

[Tarwaddilo]

Hi, like you I've just had my second visit to the db nurse. She also advised me not to get a meter, I have got one. I've found it very useful to see which foods shoot my levels up. But, the strips are expensive. Just be careful not to get to obsessed with testing. It's to easy to just keep checking. I spent the first day just testing,testing,testing. I lost 6 1/2 pounds in 3 weeks and my readings have gone down. I hope it keeps lowering. I have found it all very daunting and confusing.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[izzzi]

Hi, Tarwaddilo
Well done for losing just over 6lbs.
You have made a good point about being daunting and confusing.
I think the bg meter is the only tool that can reveal near as dam truthful individual results for each diabetic as we are all different.
It is not very confusing to know that the your db nurse is wrong. (your recent results seemed to prove this)

Have you tried codefree meter and strips which are a lot cheaper than the rest of them.

Best of luck and keep up your good work.

Roy,

 

[DavidWC]

Hi shery sounds like your nurse is like one I saw before Christmas my usual one was off I'd get a meter if I was you if your not on medication it's not easy to control without a meter tohelp a bit my usual nurse sent me to a dietitian wen I was first diagnosed she helped a lot I new a bit about diabetis as I'd lookt after my dad one of the things he had was diabetis so. That helped me a bit


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[stevie667]

Hi, Sheryl, I have type 2 and asked my practice nurse about a monitor but she said I didn't need it, just follow an eating pattern, i.e. three meals a day and cut down on sugar and snacks, no idea what my blood sugar levels are. I am now under the care of a diabetes health advisor who will call me every month, hopefully she can give me more information.

 

[IanD]

Hi Sheryl, what you will soon find is that health professionals (HPs) are generally not well-informed about diabetes T2.

The information provided by Diabetes UK is to the effect that T2s need carbs (preferably whole grain) to control blood sugars & provide energy. Even worse, they are taught that T2 is progressive, so we should expect to need increasing medication, & suffer the complications they should be testing us for. They also believe that "regular" HbA1c tests provide them with sufficient information on our condition for them to adjust medication. Their info is text book, not in the best interests of the patients.

We are diabetic for the rest of our lives, so we cannot rely on the HPs to provide good & up to date advice based on the real experience of real diabetics - the people you meet here, many of whom have learned to control their own condition in spite of the HP advice. I followed their advice for 7 1/2 years & suffered a range of the predicted complications. Then 5 years ago I found this forum & took the recommended low carb route. Within 3 months debilitating neuropathy had ceased. I was out of pain & playing tennis again.

We need to listen to our HPs, get the regular tests & learn the significance of the numbers, but do not follow their diet advice. Also always ask for a printout of your blood tests - you will build up a file of your progress & will better informed than the changing HPs.

You will become the expert on your own health. Do get a meter - absolute accuracy is less important than regular testing. I test every morning before b'fast so I can see whether my condition is changing. I also do occasional tests to check the effects of specific foods.

 

[Sheryl27]

Thanks everyone, I now have a monitor and have been testing every morning and averaging at around 7.7
Would you recommend reading before meals or 2 hours after just to see the effect? 2 hours after not always possible as teach in a secondary school!
I purchased the carbs and cals book and found the info in there brilliant and have lost 5lb already
xXx


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App