Trainee diabetic - not convinced of my treatment

Alanthefirst · May 5, 2010

Only diagnosed last July, type 2, despite annual check ups for the last 25 years - and no symtoms. NHS GP and practice nurse immediately said I had to have metformin, plus a statin, plus an aspirin, plus... I suggested we try exercise and diet and was told to do those as well. Held out against all until March this year when started metformin and aspirin - though metformin (surprise) disagrees with me. As Hb1a runs at 7.4 (initially was 9.8 but got it down in 2 months with exercise and 10 lbs off) I'd have thought exercise and diet big push would be the better starting solution, but no encouragement on that front: I wondered if there was a Government target that pushed the medication route (especially as doctor said 'studies show it's likely there's some damage so take it all as a precaution') when there's been no tests on anything except sugar.
Also they didn't suggest retinal scan - post my researches I told them last October I wanted one and have reminded them several times since - as keep getting promises but no scan appointment, I assume there isn't a target for that.
Or am I alone in feeling the best solution is to become an expert and take all my own decisions, and try and pay myself for scans etc

catherinecherub · May 5, 2010

Hi Alan,
You have to be able to manage your own diabetes but you certainly need more input from your team..This is what we should expect,

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-dia ... care_team/ I would also add that you need regular dental check ups as well. The retinal screening is done yearly.

I would print this information off and take it to your next appointment. Some G.P's are proactive and some seem to have a limited knowledge about diabetes.
As to the Metformin, there are differing views about this. Some HCP's start it at diagnosis whereas some allow 3 - 6 months to see if diet and lifestyle changes work.

Hope this helps.

Catherine.

Synonym · May 7, 2010

Hello Alan and welcome to the forum.

You have found your way to the best resource that there is and you will find more help and support here than anywhere else. 8)

I have followed the advice and information found on this forum, some of it against medical advice, and feel so much better. My doctor is not anti what I have done but is somewhat bemused since it clearly is working for me even though it is not according to the standard NHS advice. :roll:

I am pasting below the information which Ken and Sue post for newly diagnosed which will help you enormously:

"Welcome to the forum. here is the advice we usually give to newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics.This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different .

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

The main carbs to avoid or reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such a bread, potatoes, pasta and rice also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating then two hours after eating you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.

As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try !!

As a Type 2 the latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l.
2 hrs after meals......no more than 8.5 mmol/l.
If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do 30 minutes moderate exercise a day. It doesn't have to be strenuous."

HLW · May 7, 2010

Alanthefirst said:
As Hb1a runs at 7.4 (initially was 9.8 but got it down in 2 months with exercise and 10 lbs off) I'd have thought exercise and diet big push would be the better starting solution, but no encouragement on that front: I wondered if there was a Government target that pushed the medication route (especially as doctor said 'studies show it's likely there's some damage so take it all as a precaution') when there's been no tests on anything except sugar.

Medication is easier for the patient (is that how is is spelled?) that diet and exercise. If everyone was told to control their diabetes with diet and exercise alone, lots would just give up, that's why they suggest medication first. The fact that you have found this website and are posting on this forum shows you are proactive about your treatment, lots of people are not and would just not cope with diet and exercise.

Trainee diabetic - not convinced of my treatment

Alanthefirst

Newbie

catherinecherub

Guest

Synonym

Well-Known Member

HLW

Well-Known Member

Trainee diabetic - not convinced of my treatment

Alanthefirst

Newbie

catherinecherub

Guest

Synonym

Well-Known Member

HLW

Well-Known Member

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