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Visit to My GP

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Next week I will have an HbA1c Test. Followed by a 20 minute visit to the nurse covering both diabetes issues and blood pressure issues. Culminating in a visit to my GP. Here he is likely to either proclaim me T2 diabetic or Prediabetic or even sub Prediabetic. Either way I am sure diet will crop up even if it is briefly mentioned.

If he talks of a balanced diet including brown rice, brown bread etc should I :

A) Politely tell him where to go
B) Immediately counter with LCHF strategies and their worth
C) Nod and smile.
 
Listlad said:
Next week I will have an HbA1c Test. Followed by a 20 minute visit to the nurse covering both diabetes issues and blood pressure issues
Click to expand...
Try and reschedule so they at least have the results of the HbA1c before you have the meeting with the DN.. otherwise its all a bit pointless..

Edit to add I'd do B but depends how secure you feel in arguing your point.. otherwise C
 
bulkbiker said:
Try and reschedule so they at least have the results of the HbA1c before you have the meeting with the DN.. otherwise its all a bit pointless..
Click to expand...
The order is:

Blood test first then:
Nurse then:
GP

There’s a gap of days between the blood test and the nurse visit. A week in fact.
 
bulkbiker said:
Try and reschedule so they at least have the results of the HbA1c before you have the meeting with the DN.. otherwise its all a bit pointless..

Edit to add I'd do B but depends how secure you feel in arguing your point.. otherwise C
Click to expand...
We only get 10 minutes, remember.
 
Listlad said:
The order is:

Blood test first then:
Nurse then:
GP

There’s a gap of days between the blood test and the nurse visit. A week in fact.
Click to expand...
Ah ok thats fine.. we quite often see people (and my surgery tried to do it to me) who get called in for their review the same day as the blood is taken completely pointless as I pointed out to my GP.
 

In my opinion option B
Try to get an important message to sink in...

Backup plan is alternative C
 
Listlad said:
The order is:

Blood test first then:
Nurse then:
GP

There’s a gap of days between the blood test and the nurse visit. A week in fact.
Click to expand...

Make sure you have all the test results in your hand BEFORE seeing the nurse, either a print out or see them on line. You then have all the relevant information to study and digest at leisure before the appointment. This includes cholesterol and anything else they throw in.

It will be the nurse that asks you about diet.

It isn't usual to see a GP if you are seeing the nurse, unless of course there is another reason for you to see one. I have never seen a GP in relation to my diabetes. Not once. Just the nurse.
 
I have been contemplating tactfully dipping my toe in the water by saying “have you heard about this LCHF malarkey” and see what response I get. Based on the response it might end up as either b or c.
 
Oh I see. The nurse seems to confer with the GP in my case.

My GP does deal with diabtes with me but only in just a few sentences in a small amount of allotted time. I suppose it might depend on the competence of the nurse at any one GP surgery....

Yes, I have access to my test results online now, and in any case will ask.
 
I chickened out and went for C for my first couple of follow ups with my GP (there wasn’t a diabetes Nurse at my surgery then). On my third visit I mentioned low carbing so B, and he was impressed as he could see that it was obviously working. He has supported me since that visit and eagerly said he would read a copy of Dr Unwins paper which I gave him.
My last review was with a newly employed Diabetes Nurse who had heard of low carbing when I mentioned it and was all for me continuing. You’ll note I only ever mention the LC bit, never the HF!
 
Haha. Your post made me laugh there.

I shall have to take a copy of Dr Unwins paper with me too.
 
Tophat1900 said:
10 mins isn't worth arguing with your gp over diet, so discuss what you want to know and what is important to you.
Click to expand...

No need to argue with them. Just politely state your case and point out that the results speak for themselves, which they will do if you’ve been doing it properly. If the doctor argues back then just resort to option A.

If no one speaks up then there’s no voice to be heard
 
I mentioned lchf to my GP last week and he was a bit concerned that animal fats were not healthy. One HbA1c and lipid profile later - I'm at pre- diabetic levels with normal cholesterol etc and he's put "Excellent results" on my notes!
 
Listlad said:
Okay. No mention of high fat though?

I see the document is free if they give out a code....
Click to expand...
Neither Dr Unwin’s paper, nor the Low Carb Program has emphasis on high fat, although the reduced carb content does mean the proportion of fat is increased. Most HCPs are wary of any eating regime that includes increased fats, due to the established NHS advice on low fat diets. Therefore I would be cautious about mentioning fat.

In your circumstances @Listlad , to make good use of time with nurse and GP, I would :-
  • Have my blood results printed out prior to appointment, and make sure I understood them, (ask for advice in forum if you need to). Presumably you will be seeing improvement.
  • Tell nurse and GP how you have improved. Give print out of Dr Unwin’s paper, mentioning that he saved money by reduction in prescriptions for diabetes for his patients.
  • Mention that HCPs can provide the Low Carb Program to give patients free access, and give the print out for that.
You will be potentially educating them for the better outcome for other patients. Go for it. Good luck.
 
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