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Shocking ¬!

H

hanadr

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I was in town yesterday doing a bit of shopping and going to the theatre. There wa a team of DUK fundraisers there. I ended up chatting to them and explained how carb control helps diabetes control. They told me they'd spoken to a chap in the last few days, who having been diagnosed 4 years has NEVER been given any dietry advice at all and no regular help. Just a few blood tests. If it's true, it's a SCANDAL!
DUK advice isn't much use on diet, but to be given NOTHING!. this chap hadn't even heard of DUK until he encountered the fundraisers. theyhad a few leaflets. I showedd them where I disagree with the "Eat pl3enty of complex carbohydrates" it's still there on the leaflet.
I'm up to DUK on Friday so I'll stir people up.
Hana
 
It's common.
Officially, I've never been given anything in the way of dietary advice, never been told what to or what not to eat. Had I not found this forum, I'm sure I'd be still having sky-high readings and not doing so good.
My DSN is fairly thorough where my blood tests and general health is concerned, but has never mentioned diet or exercise. She's never actually told me to lose weight either - I just figured that one out for myself lol.
However in some ways I think that no advice is probably better than the advice that some people get from the NHS!
 
The only thing I've had (and reading some posts think I might be lucky) is a meter.
No advice re diet how/when to take meds etc. Asked my gp about diabetic clinic and he looked at me as if I'd gone mad and said the clinics are only for T1. I also asked him for an opthalmology referral as my eyesight is **** at the mo. Again had the 'are you a complete idiot look' and was told I only need a routine retinal screening. In his opinion bg has to be in the high 20's before vision is affected.
He made me feel like a neurotic hypochondriac.
Not really good enough is it?
Xx
 
vanessa Johnson said:
Not really good enough is it?
Click to expand...

No it is not good enough but it does seem fairly universal. I entertain the thought that it is a deliberate ploy to wind us up so that we become indignant and take responsibility for our own health.

Sorry, dream on, got carried away there.
 
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me either :( last time i saw my dn on dec she told me dont be afraid to eat cake/choc its not all bad lol // i never took her advice and nearly 2 in weight loss by myself
 
I agree Squire Fulwood that it is up to the individual to take responsibility for their own health, but what so many people (me included) need is some guidance when we start off.
As soon as we are equipped with the information we need, we are in the position of being able to make informed choices about managing our health and well-being.
I'm new to the site, but it's been incredibly helpful both in terms of practical advice and support.
 
vanessa Johnson said:
. In his opinion bg has to be in the high 20's before vision is affected.

Xx
Click to expand...

The man is an idiot. Retinal nueropathy can occur much lower than that and even with relatively slightly raised BG your focus can alter due to the density changes within the eye, which is why you should never have an eye test for spectacles if your BG's are elevated outside your normal range.



Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Since joining this forum I've found out we're supposed to have checks for lots of things. Like alot of people on here I wasn't told that, still no advice on diet either. It seems to me that if your numbers are ok then they'll ignore you. My surgery still hasn't replaced the dn that left in August (& probably won't).

Rant over :D

T2, Metformin 850 Mg (1 tablet twice daily), venlafaxine 75mg (1 tablet daily), buscopan 10mg (2 tablets 4 times daily)
 
I was just told to cut down on sugary food. Thank goodness for this forum, I've learnt so much.
 
Thommothebear said:
The man is an idiot. Retinal nueropathy can occur much lower than that and even with relatively slightly raised BG your focus can alter due to the density changes within the eye, which is why you should never have an eye test for spectacles if your BG's are elevated outside your normal range.



Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...

Cheers for the info Thommothebear, after seeing the doc earlier this week I'd planned to go to the opticians next Monday.
Thanks for saving me a pointless trip, I'll wait until my bg is back where it should be.
And yes, I think my gp is a bloody idiot - time to go shopping for a new one !
 
Thommothebear said:
The man is an idiot. Retinal nueropathy can occur much lower than that and even with relatively slightly raised BG your focus can alter due to the density changes within the eye, which is why you should never have an eye test for spectacles if your BG's are elevated outside your normal range.



Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...

I agree. A large WHO study into retinopathy showed risks remain pretty low until you begin to have average bgs above 8ish (hba1c less than 48 or 6.5% in old money) Above that then the rise is dramatic and shocking. It's one of the reasons being under 8 two hours after a meal is advocated by most health authorities

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
vanessa Johnson said:
Cheers for the info Thommothebear, after seeing the doc earlier this week I'd planned to go to the opticians next Monday.
Thanks for saving me a pointless trip, I'll wait until my bg is back where it should be.
And yes, I think my gp is a bloody idiot - time to go shopping for a new one !
Click to expand...

Good idea, if your BGs are high its likely the prescription will be wrong for you once your BG's drop again.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
I was put on the carbohydrate exchange diet. Has anyone else tried this? It was full of weird "exchanges", such as X number of chocolate digestives can be exchanged for a medium bowl of rice, and I had to eat a certain number of carbohydrate units every day. I was difficult to do and very effective at raising my blood sugar, which they addressed by raising my insulin dose. I was also told to go low fat and cut out salt.

I'm inclined to think bad advice is worse than no advice. Or maybe not: at least they made me aware that diet was an issue for diabetics.

Kate
 
I also asked him for an opthalmology referral as my eyesight is **** at the mo. Again had the 'are you a complete idiot look' and was told I only need a routine retinal screening. In his opinion bg has to be in the high 20's before vision is affected.
He made me feel like a neurotic hypochondriac.
Click to expand...
I think he's right and wrong here.
I don't think you need anymore than routine retinal screening, The UK has been a pioneer in putting this into place and uses modern technology. In my opinion, better than some lone opthos with a slit lamp and one opinion only. If you have a problem then it should be spotted by one of the two graders and then if necessary you will be referred.
if screening is done regularly, it is proven to save sight (this is not the case in many countries that don't have this)
A continual glucose level in the 20s would not be good for any part of the body.
 
Its not unusual at all and yes its both shocking and appalling but seems actually to be more common to be given bad or misleading advice than accurate advice these days! I have met many diabetics who had never heard of the low carb diet idea and who either had no hbA1c blood tests at all, or were given 1 per year. Dieticians are equally as bad, giving very bad and out dated advice. As for diabetic nurses I have yet to meet one who I havent laughed at! Gp's can be just as bad as well. I had one GP have to look up in a textbook what normal blood sugar should be and had another call me obsessive because I demanded more than 1 hbA1c a year!

I have been appalled over the past 2 years how bad diabetic care has gotten in this country. I have only been diagnosed for 5 years (although probably been diabetic since childhood due to the gene being on both sides of my family) but in the time I've been diagnosed it has deteriorated more and more each year. What is going on!? I get it that diabetic medications and testing strips cost the NHS money but surely prevention is better than expensive complications? £20 a month on testing strips is surely a lot more economical than leg amputation surgery, kidney transplants/dialysis and loss of eye sight? I just dont get it.

Plus when are they going to force all GP's and diabetic clinics to read and understand the latest research and make sure that ALL diabetic patients are given the right and accurate information? Right now its an absolute lottery and I would say 80% of the time we are given false and inaccurate advice and information.

When I have tried to give other diabetics information on low carb and other things that I felt they could benefit from it gets thrown back at me because "their doctor told them" or "their nurse told them". Apparently doctors are gods! They know everything and couldnt possibly ever be wrong!!


Classed as T2 (hereditary gene on both sides of the family), 500mg metformin 3 times a day, 40mg gliclazide twice a day, 40mg Simvastatin, 5mg Ramipril.
Last hbA1c 34 (told that's too low, I disagree!)
Low carb diet
 
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Thank God for this forum. I was diagnosed T2 a month ago. Was told over the phone and on my first appointment was to cut out sugary foods (no mention of carbs) and to exercise (how long for, how much?) Was not told I could get an exemption certificate, at the moment I am waiting for one to arrive so I am still paying for meds (if its not here soon I will top taking the meds). Took today off for my eye appointment at 11am, left house and walked to surgery as I understand they give you drops and you cant drive afterwards, got to appointment to be told all appointments were cancelled and I HAD TO PHONE TO RE-BOOK, also asked about exemption form and how long it took to come through, surprise surprise nobody knew I am so fed up with all of this...I
 
I think I would complain to the head GP in the practise that your app was cancelled without you being informed surely they must have a contact number for you
CAROL
 
carty said:
I think I would complain to the head GP in the practise that your app was cancelled without you being informed surely they must have a contact number for you
CAROL
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They rang me at 10.50 I was nearly at the surgery by then surely they knew this was going to happen earlier:mad:
 
I've never been given any dietary advice, just some elementary carb counting advice. As a type 1 I'm managed as an outpatient from hospital, but being sent a letter in Jan telling me my next appointment is in July doesn't give me a warm feeling that I'm being looked after.
 
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