Twitter threads on why most GP's won't suggest low carb

[ickihun]

Please stick around, I for one, think you bring valued experience to the forum. I was upset the first time I was moderated but it is only first dozen that hurt!

True. Ha ha
Even Mods get reminders. They aren't exempt. Just like us.... human.

 

[HSSS]

I understand your plea.
Just wonder how it won't cause some.. more difficulties; courtesy of an NHS dr.
And for the Dr not to be blamed for causing the anguish.
After all that happens now without the lchf factsheet or encouragement.

It does indeed happen now The current system has a huge number of people it’s not working for
Every approach will have some that it doesn’t work for, that’s no reason not to try and improve the numbers. Or at the very least make the information and all the choices available to the patient.

 

[ickihun]

I think Dr's suggesting Newcastle Diet list less problematic to multiple health condition sufferers than lchf.
However the hunger is an issue (for me) but I found on lchf I still craved protein instead of carbs.

If I was 14yrs old again I know I'd be smashing the 800cals diet, like I did then. Even without medical supervision.
7st loss within 12mths. My skin didn't show 1 stretch mark either. Young skin is hugely flexible. I was hungry at first then blocked its feeling. I became immune to hunger. Not sure what my leptin was doing.
No dietary suggestions from my then GP. Diabetes was not tested but it would have possible shown in remission as I ate no solids? Just 3 milkshakes and original coffee.
I'm not sure I was mature enough to have navigated the lchf if it had been suggested, I needed to do things my way. So I did.

 

[NicoleC1971]

I thought I read somewhere on this forum that there were NICE guidelines going back to Dec 2015 saying that low carb should be offered as an option for T2s? Can't find the thread now. Perhaps I was dreaming it.

No you are not wrong. Both Doctors Unwin and McCormack make the point that under NICE guidelines you can personalise treatment that achieves the best result for your patient.
However going low carb would involve a route that many doctors themselves can't imagine going down and it does imply greater support of their patients on dietary matters; I assume most GPs do not possess the knowledge or time to go against the conventional approach.

 

[librarising]

It's a fairly complex equation. In 30 years I've had 3 severe hypos. All are directly attributable to issues with Lantus. I'm not LADA.

I've also never had a hypo, severe or otherwise, that has stopped me getting up and carrying on, or knocked me out for a day. This seems to be very much something that is a case of YDMV.

What LADA does give you is a less aggressive autoimmune attack, where you are more likely to still produce your own insulin (even at low levels), which maintains signalling between the alpha and beta cells in relation to glucagon release, and therefore limit hypos.

Are you likely to see more severe hypos down the line? Who knows, but while they get a lot of publicity, for some of us, severe hypos and bad subsequent consequences aren't something we recognise as an ongoing concern.

Interesting
Geoff

 

[rosco 2]

I apologised if I offended anyone. It was never my intention or my stereotype, it was one that guys brought up endlessly. If you worked in sexual health you will be familiar with it. This site includes many topics that are nothing to do with diabetes per se so I think that was gratuitously pathetic. I will not be using this site.
Thank you for the things I have learned in the past 5 months.

 

[ickihun]

If you had read up on LCHF diets the you should have known about the risks of doing this diet and taking insulin. If you had done your research properly you would have reduced your insulin intake to compensate for the fewer carb consumed.

Funny enough I did both.
Chest pains and palpatations are NOW listed as a possible side effect. I had no problems with hypos on lchf and insulin as I reduced doses as I continued. Even though no weight loss from lchf I could reduce my insulin units.
Never could get rid of them thou. A few did.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I apologised if I offended anyone. It was never my intention or my stereotype, it was one that guys brought up endlessly. If you worked in sexual health you will be familiar with it. This site includes many topics that are nothing to do with diabetes per se so I think that was gratuitously pathetic. I will not be using this site.
Thank you for the things I have learned in the past 5 months.

My advice to you is to take a deep breath and let it go. We all get our hands slapped from time to time, but rise above it. Please don't be a Snowflake and melt away.

 

[ickihun]

Are you suggesting that your experience with LCHF is so common that anyone contemplating lowering the carb value in their diet should be closely monitored by a health care professional because it may cause symptoms of a heart attack? Or, indeed, an actual heart attack?

You had palpitations and chest pain that doctors quite rightly investigated and they would have still investigated whatever diet you were on to try and diagnose the cause. Did a HCP actually tell you, in as many words, that LCHF was the definitive cause of your symptoms?

No. Newly added side effects of low carb eating programme does. I'm not alone. Just like any side effect I suppose.

I still low carb but not 30-50g daily any more. Dieticians support low carb eating for type2 morbidly obese patients on the weight loss programme. Again I'm not only patient.

I'm just realising these opportunities seem to be for those on the weight loss programmes under the nhs hospitals.
I don't suppose all diabetics need it. Or offered it. However it is there.... for sure.

 

[Oldvatr]

Tell my tummy that. Ha ha.
Seriously though 800cals is as close to starvation I want to get too, without aid. I'm so hungry.... all of the time and very very prickly (not that you've noticed and sorry about it). Tired all the time with the energy of a Nat.
I'm getting bored. How I'll get to February is anyone's guess. Dapagliflozin side affects aren't helping...... on top.

Things I agree to for the sake of improving my diabetes status.
Which is no better for it by the way. Humf!

Just out of interest, what calorie intake does someone who has had a gasric bypass or similar bariatric surgery take? This is one of the cures that the NHS offers us as we progress our disease, and the only one they give a guarantee to. It is also the only one they support/.promote etc

 

[kalamic]

I’m T2 and have been for 7 years. I saw my GP yesterday about my neuropathy and suggested to her that I’m planning on doing LCHF. She wasn’t at all dismissive and was happy to suggest more blood tests after 8 weeks to see how it’s affecting my levels. She seemed pleased that I’m taking ownership. I was pleasantly surprised to not have outright resistance and actually have some encouragement.

I’m 45 and really cannot face the levels of pain I have daily for the next 5 years never mind 30 years!!

Bring it on!!

 

[Member496333]

Hypoglycaemia risk is only relevant to diabetics who use hypoglycaemics or exogenous insulin, which many wouldn’t even need if they weren’t being told to slowly kill themselves.

Focusing on only on type 2 for a moment, the current care advice offered to type 2 diabetics is complete balderdash. Eat loads of grains & starches, don’t bother monitoring your blood glucose. May as well just hand them a saw and a bottle of painkillers. There is NO justification for the current treatment of type 2 diabetics. It’s a travesty, and people are dying who could otherwise have lived a long and happy life.

It’s a real eye opener that this is continually allowed to happen. Money makes the world go around, my grandparents used to tell me. I don’t think they knew how right they were.

 

[Brunneria]

Hypoglycaemia risk is only relevant to diabetics who use hypoglycaemics or exogenous insulin

Sorry, Jim, I'm not singling you out to disagree with! It is just that glucose dysregulation covers such a wider zone than just T1 and 2.

Whenever I see this view on hypos written on the forum, by anyone, I always pipe up and point out that not only are there diabetics who experience hypos for other reasons than injected insulin and drugs, there are also non-diabetics who experience hypos for reasons not related to diabetic drugs and injected insulin.

There are several illnesses and endocrine disorders other than diabetes which can cause hypos - and they can exist alongside diabetes or as stand alone conditions.

The only reason I feel obliged to say this, is that every so often we get a poster who says 'nope, you can't have a hypo unless you are an insulin user' (or a T1, or on a specific drug, or similar) and this can be stunningly unhelpful to someone who IS experiencing hypos and who isn't on those medications.

 

[Member496333]

Sorry, Jim, I'm not singling you out to disagree with! It is just that glucose dysregulation covers such a wider zone than just T1 and 2.

Whenever I see this view on hypos written on the forum, by anyone, I always pipe up and point out that not only are there diabetics who experience hypos for other reasons than injected insulin and drugs, there are also non-diabetics who experience hypos for reasons not related to diabetic drugs and injected insulin.

There are several illnesses and endocrine disorders other than diabetes which can cause hypos - and they can exist alongside diabetes or as stand alone conditions.

The only reason I feel obliged to say this, is that every so often we get a poster who says 'nope, you can't have a hypo unless you are an insulin user' (or a T1, or on a specific drug, or similar) and this can be stunningly unhelpful to someone who IS experiencing hypos and who isn't on those medications.

Yes that’s a fair comment except that encouraging behaviour that requires exogenous insulin or hypoglycaemic medicines increases the risk of hypoglycaemia with misuse. No?

 

[Brunneria]

Yes that’s a fair comment except that encouraging behaviour that requires exogenous insulin or hypoglycaemic medicines increases the risk of hypoglycaemia with misuse. No?

Haha! my views on carb intake have been posted all over the forum for years.
In situations like this, I just restrict myself to pointing out that hypos have many causes, and that claiming they only come from excessive medication is unhelpful to some.

 

[Member496333]

Haha! my views on carb intake have been posted all over the forum for years.
In situations like this, I just restrict myself to pointing out that hypos have many causes, and that claiming they only come from excessive medication is unhelpful to some.

Again fair comment. I’m looking through the lens of doctors encouraging the use of hypoglycaemics and exogenous insulin as a direct result of bad or nonexistent dietary and monitoring advice. The fear of hypoglycaemic reactions in the majority is unfounded, and doctors should be empowered to apply some discretion, not encourage everyone to dramatically increase the risk of having their feet sawn off in the misguided hope that one life may be saved.

I don’t mean to appear terse. It’s just that diabetes treatment orthodoxy winds me up

 

[zauberflote]

The other issue for health careers which I omitted to address is risk management. We - as a society - tend to follow the trends of our American “cousins” who at the drop of anything larger than a pin, sue.

rosco, don't sell us Yankees short-- better to say, at the drop of anything larger than a quark...

 

[DCUKMod]

I’m T2 and have been for 7 years. I saw my GP yesterday about my neuropathy and suggested to her that I’m planning on doing LCHF. She wasn’t at all dismissive and was happy to suggest more blood tests after 8 weeks to see how it’s affecting my levels. She seemed pleased that I’m taking ownership. I was pleasantly surprised to not have outright resistance and actually have some encouragement.

I’m 45 and really cannot face the levels of pain I have daily for the next 5 years never mind 30 years!!

Bring it on!!

Kalamic - Sorry to come to your post late, but a big well done for taking a firm hold of your diabetes and looking for things to improve your health and you quality of life. Certainly, lower carb eating has done that for many of our members.

I don't know what medications you take, but if you are on stronger meds, such as Gliclazide or insulin (as opposed to the milder meds, like Metformin), please do ensure you test a lot and me mindful if you experience an increase in hypos. Some folks need their medication tweaking after a short while.

If you are experiencing neuropathic pain, again, a number of folks on here have had some success by adding the supplement R-ALA to their lives. (It must be the R-ALA, not just plain old ALA.) R-ALA has been discussed quite a bit on here from time to time, so a thread search would probably return you some decent reading. If not, and you're interested, you could start a new thread. I'm sure those who have tried it would be happy to give you some feedback.

Good luck with it all, and fingers crossed things will improve for you.

 

[Bananas 2]

It's bizarre, isn't it?
I didn't know much about diabetes when I was diagnosed, but I did know it was to do with sugar levels being too high in your blood, so my immediate instinct was to stop eating sugar and things which turn into glucose after you eat them. How these clowns have the audacity to suggest this is a bad idea is beyond me.
I suppose if I hit my thumb with a hammer, their cure would be to keep hitting it with a hammer every day, but take escalating amounts of painkillers to deal with the worsening situation.

My guess it is the BigPharma influence over orgs like the ADA, and the like. Just look at their top donors. A similar analogy would be: It's like an epi-pen manufacturer donating to an org that promotes to people with peanut allergies to eat more peanuts, and just cover it with more epi-pens. $Ka-ching$.

 

[Daphne917]

Haha! my views on carb intake have been posted all over the forum for years.
In situations like this, I just restrict myself to pointing out that hypos have many causes, and that claiming they only come from excessive medication is unhelpful to some.

I used to have hypos when I was younger and when my GP tested for diabetes my levels were fine. We eventually narrowed it down to the cereals that I was eating for breakfast - crunchy nut cornflakes, cornflakes and shreddies. Once I swapped to bran flakes etc I seemed to be ok. I also used to hypo if I didn’t have breakfast or hadn’t eaten for a while.