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Unhelpful nurse

trinity0097

trinity0097

Well-Known Member
Messages
211
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
So despite my original discharge letter saying I would be seen by a consultant at the hospital in 2-3 weeks they have refused me access to the doctor, I finally persuaded a nurse to see me today at the hospital, I think to shut me up more than anything. She was of no use whatsoever, couldn't give me the test results done 2 weeks ago when I was admitted (hb1ac and an antibodies test to rule out LADA) and said they wouldn't get anything from the liver scan I was sent to last week. She said I would be unlikely to stick at the LCHF diet, despite her being really impressed I had got my sugars under control because of it, although she did try to pass lots of it off on the metformin starting to become effective! She did though do a finger prick hb1ac test, which came back as 8.6%. I'd like to compare with the one done on entry to the hospital before I started controlling my sugars. She suggested I only test twice a day now, but I want to continue to do before and 2 hrs after food to get a feel for how different foods affect me, e.g. I bought some very dark choc today to try a bit of as a treat

My chiropractor today was more helpful! She did so,e pressure point stuff relating to my pancreas and suggested I try chromium as a supplement, does anyone have any experience of that?
 
Hi

What a palaver. I wonder why she couldn't give you your last test results? I think I would be ringing up my GP's surgery to ask for a print out. They should be showing on the surgery computer records.

Are you mixing up your blood tests? A finger prick test isn't usually an HbA1c. It is a random blood glucose test, and would have been 8.6mmol/l. Unless they have a very special testing kit for HbA1c's, but they are normally venous tests rather than finger pricks.

I hope you get things sorted out quickly.
 
No, she definitely said it was an hb1ac test, done in 6 minutes after a finger prick drawing of blood. She showed me the chart showing what was in the acceptable range and where mine was. I guess that was the advantage of going to a very specialised well resourced centre (even if I can't get to see the doctor)!
 
trinity0097 said:
No, she definitely said it was an hb1ac test, done in 6 minutes after a finger prick drawing of blood. She showed me the chart showing what was in the acceptable range and where mine was. I guess that was the advantage of going to a very specialised well resourced centre (even if I can't get to see the doctor)!
Click to expand...

Thanks for that information. We live and learn! :)
 
It is possible to do a capillary HbA1c in some hospital diabetes clinics . It's not as accurate as one done from a venous blood sample , but close enough :)

Signy
 
Well done for getting your BG down so well!

Your nurse was right (in a way) that keeping to low carb can be difficult.
I'm not sure that any of us stick to it absolutely 100% 365/24/7 uber strictly without the odd little discrepancy now and then ;)

But as a lifestyle - eating-low-carb-enough-that-BG-stays-nice-and-low
Well, not only is it doable, it is also delicious, enjoyable and good for you.
And the longer you do it, the easier it gets.
I've been doing it for years, with assorted discrepancies, but overall, I'm very pleased with how beneficial it has been, and while I enjoy almost all foods, I don't consider med-high carb would suit my body.
 
I certainly seem to be coping ok at the moment, it just takes a while to get used to the idea of high fat etc is what you chuck in your trolley!

I will play around with what i can tolerate without big spikes, eg. Today I will be trying a square of dark choc after dinner!
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Hi

What a palaver. I wonder why she couldn't give you your last test results? I think I would be ringing up my GP's surgery to ask for a print out. They should be showing on the surgery computer records.

Are you mixing up your blood tests? A finger prick test isn't usually an HbA1c. It is a random blood glucose test, and would have been 8.6mmol/l. Unless they have a very special testing kit for HbA1c's, but they are normally venous tests rather than finger pricks.

I hope you get things sorted out quickly.
Click to expand...

Blue - these are finger prick based:

http://www.millermedicalsupplies.com/a1cnow-hba1c-and-diabetes-monitoring-10-test-kit-4839

I've used them, across a period of two venous A1c tests and although the number returned wasn't the same, the differential was exact both times.
 
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