"we Need To Learn From You"

[Aldebaran]

I went to the Hospital today for an appointment in the Diabetes And Endocrinology department concerning my very low blood reading a few months ago.

I saw the nurse at first who took my weight, height, blood pressure and my waist measurement. After this, I saw a doctor who works with the Specialist. I had the surprised but complimentary remarks and facial expressions about my weight loss, (8 and a half stone), and how I'd reversed my Diabetes from the doctors and nurses. I've become accustomed to this now. We went through my history concerning the Diabetes and any other conditions that I have.

My hba1c has been 27 for a couple of years now and they prefer it to be between 30 and 40. This began to drop dramatically when I radically changed my diet. I told him that I have no symptoms of Hypoglycemia but because I'm in the Perimenopause too, the symptoms can mimic each other. I have tested my blood if I've felt dizzy, for example, and it's been okay and in the normal range for a non-diabetic. When he asked me how I'd done it, I told him that I had done it by going low carb and cutting out the sugar, etc, by 95%. He made notes and after a while he brought the Specialist to see me. He wanted to know if I'd had surgery or joined a group to lose the weight and I told him no, I'd done it on my own.

The Specialist, like the other doctors and nurses, was pleasantly surprised and said they don't see this very often. I believe that some who have done what I have, have needed help and this is what seems to perplex the medical teams because understandably losing so much weight is no easy task. He reeled off so much that my brain decided to take a mini vacation so I just took note of as much as I could. He was willing to listen to see if someone like me could help them regarding the Diabetes itself. One thing that made me smile was when he said:

"We need to learn from you".

It is so refreshing to have this said to me and have amazing doctors and nurses where we live who don't berate you or your choice of eating low carb. This one sentence meant such a lot and if, like another doctor once asked, he wants to use my case to help them, I'm more than happy to do so.

I have to have my cortisol levels checked within four days of having a mixed meal, (a carb drink), then have my bloods tested. I'm always nervous about anything to do with my health but fingers crossed this will all come back okay. I am asymptomatic because I don't appear to have any symptoms of Hypoglycemia and I haven't been diagnosed as that yet. We'll see what the tests say. I'm very grateful for the service I've received.

I have said to my husband again that I want him to come to my appointments just to see the reactions from the doctors and nurses. I'm sure some people must think I'm exaggerating but I'm not. One bonus for me is that I come out of my appointments rather smug although this isn't reciprocated by others around me. It's more a case of.."oh no..she's here again"

 

[bulkbiker]

Great to hear of your success but also that you have a medical team that are willing to learn from you.
I only wish there were more like that.

 

[Guzzler]

Double triple Trophies for you! What a great reaction to a great history of improved health and remission.
You are allowed to keep a smug hat on for a good while. Well done.

 

[carol43]

WOW!!!

 

[Aldebaran]

Great to hear of your success but also that you have a medical team that are willing to learn from you.
I only wish there were more like that.

Thanks bulkbiker and I agree with you regarding more medical teams listening to us. It's imperative that doctors and all concerned take the patient into consideration because what they say can make a huge difference. It's the best way to further their own knowledge and improve treatments, etc, for patients. I feel very lucky to have had this kind of approach.

Double triple Trophies for you! What a great reaction to a great history of improved health and remission.
You are allowed to keep a smug hat on for a good while. Well done.

Thank you Guzzler, the smug hat is well and truly stopping where it is for a while now. Yes that makes me sad but I don't care I have never seen anything like it. Every time I see a doctor or nurse, for example, they are surprised, sometimes stunned. Maybe what I've done is bigger than I thought. I just thought I'd taken control of my life and done something necessary because I didn't have a choice. I HAD to change what I did for my own health. I am proud of what I've achieved.

WOW!!!

Thank you carol43.

 

[Brunneria]

What a fabulous achievement - and so wonderful to have it recognised and appreciated.

So often, when we low carb, improve our numbers and lose a bit of weight, we drop off the radar and HCPs just don't realise what has happened - therefore they don't see how effective it is, or how life changing. And then of course they haven't seen any evidence that it works. lol.

WELL DONE!!!

 

[Aldebaran]

What a fabulous achievement - and so wonderful to have it recognised and appreciated.

So often, when we low carb, improve our numbers and lose a bit of weight, we drop off the radar and HCPs just don't realise what has happened - therefore they don't see how effective it is, or how life changing. And then of course they haven't seen any evidence that it works. lol.

WELL DONE!!!

Thanks Brunneria. It was lovely again to be appreciated for what I've done. I think at the back of their minds, they must sometimes think of all the money that has been saved by someone like me doing this without medical intervention or costly treatments. I like to think that I'm saving the NHS lots of money through not having the Diabetes medication and losing the weight on my own.

When I started out, I didn't even realise just how low carb I eventually ate and then when I sat and thought about it, even I was amazed. I tell anyone in the medical field when I can how I've done it and I've not had one person so far refute it. I am more than willing to become an example for them if it helps to get the message out there. If my Diabetes reversal and weight loss isn't evidence, they aren't looking hard enough. I might have a t-shirt printed with.."look, I'm a low carber..join me why don't you"..lol.

 

[Rachox]

Very well done you! My GP is astonished by my success too, not quite as dramatic as you but HbA1cs in the mid thirties for a year now and 6 stone weight loss. Funnily enough I have just today emailed my GP asking how many Type 2s at my surgery have achieved a non diabetic HbA1c and how they achieved it, as I feel we are few and far between. I know @Debandez enquired the same of her surgery and was the only one!

 

[Bluetit1802]

Words fail me ...... that is one amazing achievement and amazing response from the medical team. Very, very well done .... and well done to the doctors for wanting to learn from you. A giant step.

I am thinking of asking my surgery how many have achieved non-diabetic results (and maintained them), and how they did it.
How they did it may be difficult - it depends on what the patient has told them!

 

[Aldebaran]

Very well done you! My GP is astonished by my success too, not quite as dramatic as you but HbA1cs in the mid thirties for a year now and 6 stone weight loss. Funnily enough I have just today emailed my GP asking how many Type 2s at my surgery have achieved a non diabetic HbA1c and how they achieved it, as I feel we are few and far between. I know @Debandez enquired the same of her surgery and was the only one!

Thanks Rachox and congratulations on your own success and 6 stone weight loss is fantastic The doctor did say that they like the Hba1c, for a non-diabetic, to be in the 30 to 40 range so mine is a tad lower.

Please let us know what your GP says. It's now made me want to ask again. In all honesty, I haven't asked mine mainly because I got the impression that no one has done it before at our surgery. But surely, that can't be right? But then again, if Debandez got that reply, maybe that's right. Wow, that is a surprise.

Words fail me ...... that is one amazing achievement and amazing response from the medical team. Very, very well done .... and well done to the doctors for wanting to learn from you. A giant step.

I am thinking of asking my surgery how many have achieved non-diabetic results (and maintained them), and how they did it.
How they did it may be difficult - it depends on what the patient has told them!

Thank you Bluetit. I feel so proud of myself and now I'm desperate to share my achievements with others so that they know it can work. I was so impressed with the doctor and as I've said before I'm more than happy to help them and tell them anything to support the low carb, etc. I still enjoy my potatoes, etc, on special occasions and challenge anyone to eat me under the table but apart from the special occasions, (very few), I low carb. I think some people are immediately put off because of what you can't eat. I know I was but then it became part of me and there is no need to eat boring and bland meals. I have linked more than a few people to this site and pointed them towards the recipes.

As with Rachox, would you let us know what your surgery says if you ask them? I would love to know. I need to ask our surgery now to see what they say

 

[Phoenix55]

You have reason to be proud of your achievement, it makes my 2 stone loss look positively feeble, and then to have an HbA1c lower than a non-diabetic leaves me speechless. I view LC as a change in emphasis in diet, so rather than fill the plate with potato or other carb, protein and veg roughly in that order, it is reversed to veg, protein and if necessary carbs. Meals are certainly not bland or boring. Well done is an understatement.

 

[ickihun]

My endocrologist and bariatric surgeon was impressed too but now not able to tolerate metformin it has gone haywire.
Still no added weight now but each kg loss is very very difficult. Much harder than when I was on metformin. Are you meds free now @Aldebaran?

 

[Goonergal]

Wow @Aldebaran congratulations on an amazing achievement. So great to have got this reaction from your medical team.

 

[tayelola]

@Aldebaran proud of your achievement. Also commend the courage of your specialist for admitting to learn from you. Another feather to the cap of Low Carb Program. Congratulations to all of you.

 

[Debandez]

Very well done you! My GP is astonished by my success too, not quite as dramatic as you but HbA1cs in the mid thirties for a year now and 6 stone weight loss. Funnily enough I have just today emailed my GP asking how many Type 2s at my surgery have achieved a non diabetic HbA1c and how they achieved it, as I feel we are few and far between. I know @Debandez enquired the same of her surgery and was the only one!

Yes I was, my gp said I could have had the same results (weight loss and hba1c down from 62 to 41 in 6 months) so I asked for stats from.the surgery. Apparently only I have managed it apart from post bariatric pts. Shocked and gardener but not surprised. This is a very encouraging thread. Brilliant news.

 

[Debandez]

I went to the Hospital today for an appointment in the Diabetes And Endocrinology department concerning my very low blood reading a few months ago.

I saw the nurse at first who took my weight, height, blood pressure and my waist measurement. After this, I saw a doctor who works with the Specialist. I had the surprised but complimentary remarks and facial expressions about my weight loss, (8 and a half stone), and how I'd reversed my Diabetes from the doctors and nurses. I've become accustomed to this now. We went through my history concerning the Diabetes and any other conditions that I have.

My hba1c has been 27 for a couple of years now and they prefer it to be between 30 and 40. This began to drop dramatically when I radically changed my diet. I told him that I have no symptoms of Hypoglycemia but because I'm in the Perimenopause too, the symptoms can mimic each other. I have tested my blood if I've felt dizzy, for example, and it's been okay and in the normal range for a non-diabetic. When he asked me how I'd done it, I told him that I had done it by going low carb and cutting out the sugar, etc, by 95%. He made notes and after a while he brought the Specialist to see me. He wanted to know if I'd had surgery or joined a group to lose the weight and I told him no, I'd done it on my own.

The Specialist, like the other doctors and nurses, was pleasantly surprised and said they don't see this very often. I believe that some who have done what I have, have needed help and this is what seems to perplex the medical teams because understandably losing so much weight is no easy task. He reeled off so much that my brain decided to take a mini vacation so I just took note of as much as I could. He was willing to listen to see if someone like me could help them regarding the Diabetes itself. One thing that made me smile was when he said:

"We need to learn from you".

It is so refreshing to have this said to me and have amazing doctors and nurses where we live who don't berate you or your choice of eating low carb. This one sentence meant such a lot and if, like another doctor once asked, he wants to use my case to help them, I'm more than happy to do so.

I have to have my cortisol levels checked within four days of having a mixed meal, (a carb drink), then have my bloods tested. I'm always nervous about anything to do with my health but fingers crossed this will all come back okay. I am asymptomatic because I don't appear to have any symptoms of Hypoglycemia and I haven't been diagnosed as that yet. We'll see what the tests say. I'm very grateful for the service I've received.

I have said to my husband again that I want him to come to my appointments just to see the reactions from the doctors and nurses. I'm sure some people must think I'm exaggerating but I'm not. One bonus for me is that I come out of my appointments rather smug although this isn't reciprocated by others around me. It's more a case of.."oh no..she's here again"

Awesome. Awesome for what you have achieved and awesome for the medical team acknowledging they can learn from you. Sad on the other hand that after all these years it comes as a surprise to them that low carb is the right diet to recommend to diabetics. Thanks for sharing.

 

[leyburnhealeyman]

Thanks Brunneria. It was lovely again to be appreciated for what I've done. I think at the back of their minds, they must sometimes think of all the money that has been saved by someone like me doing this without medical intervention or costly treatments. I like to think that I'm saving the NHS lots of money through not having the Diabetes medication and losing the weight on my own.

When I started out, I didn't even realise just how low carb I eventually ate and then when I sat and thought about it, even I was amazed. I tell anyone in the medical field when I can how I've done it and I've not had one person so far refute it. I am more than willing to become an example for them if it helps to get the message out there. If my Diabetes reversal and weight loss isn't evidence, they aren't looking hard enough. I might have a t-shirt printed with.."look, I'm a low carber..join me why don't you"..lol.

Thanks Brunneria. It was lovely again to be appreciated for what I've done. I think at the back of their minds, they must sometimes think of all the money that has been saved by someone like me doing this without medical intervention or costly treatments. I like to think that I'm saving the NHS lots of money through not having the Diabetes medication and losing the weight on my own.

When I started out, I didn't even realise just how low carb I eventually ate and then when I sat and thought about it, even I was amazed. I tell anyone in the medical field when I can how I've done it and I've not had one person so far refute it. I am more than willing to become an example for them if it helps to get the message out there. If my Diabetes reversal and weight loss isn't evidence, they aren't looking hard enough. I might have a t-shirt printed with.."look, I'm a low carber..join me why don't you"..lol.

Yes you have done fantastically well, I thought I'd done quite well, until I read what you'd done. I was first diagnosed in late 2011 with BS of 9.2% and weighing a little over 16 stone. I told the nurse I first saw after diagnosis that I would get off medication, I was almost laughed at, and told, that'll be the day. Well after some false starts for personal family reasons I finally got down to 11 1/2 stone and a HbA1c of 38 ( with no medication) it has risen during the winter to 42, but my doctor says that is normal, soon will tell as my blood test is almost due again. I've been this way now for 3 or 4 years, I'm now 74, have a dog, and we walk 5/6 miles daily minimum at 3+mph on rough ground. So far I've climbed two of the three peaks of the Yorkshire 3 peaks challenge. the first was very slow, and only managed one mph over the 6 miles climb and descent, but last week the second hill I did easily in less that three hours,and the temperature was much higher, similar distance and height to climb, about 1500 feet. I felt I could have done the climb twice at least in succession, the result of that is that I'm now considering adding to my fitness and going for the 3 peaks challenge, thats 3 peaks, all about 2300/2400 feet high, and a distance of 25 miles to cover, in under 12 hours, butI am only considering, I have seen what it can do to some younger than me.

My inspiration, a visit to the surgery for the retinal eye checks, the one and only time when everyone there has the same problem, T2D, and to see the state of some people is all the inspiration anyone should need! My diet has changed considerable, as little sugar as possible, so little there's none in the house, my wife makes our bread, wholemeal with seeds, all kinds, bakes a lot , all sugar in recipes replaced with Stevia, and now eat very very few potatoes, may not be strictly low carb, but it is working well enough for me, and like you more than willing to to be held up as an example. To think had I done nothing but medicate, there's every chance I'd be dead by now, or quite close. So yes well done, keep spreading the word, and you know, like me, I know, there's no going back for you, this is your life now, as this is mine.

 

[Dr Snoddy]

Gobsmackingly awesome achievement!!!

 

[hooha]

I went to the Hospital today for an appointment in the Diabetes And Endocrinology department concerning my very low blood reading a few months ago.

I saw the nurse at first who took my weight, height, blood pressure and my waist measurement. After this, I saw a doctor who works with the Specialist. I had the surprised but complimentary remarks and facial expressions about my weight loss, (8 and a half stone), and how I'd reversed my Diabetes from the doctors and nurses. I've become accustomed to this now. We went through my history concerning the Diabetes and any other conditions that I have.

My hba1c has been 27 for a couple of years now and they prefer it to be between 30 and 40. This began to drop dramatically when I radically changed my diet. I told him that I have no symptoms of Hypoglycemia but because I'm in the Perimenopause too, the symptoms can mimic each other. I have tested my blood if I've felt dizzy, for example, and it's been okay and in the normal range for a non-diabetic. When he asked me how I'd done it, I told him that I had done it by going low carb and cutting out the sugar, etc, by 95%. He made notes and after a while he brought the Specialist to see me. He wanted to know if I'd had surgery or joined a group to lose the weight and I told him no, I'd done it on my own.

The Specialist, like the other doctors and nurses, was pleasantly surprised and said they don't see this very often. I believe that some who have done what I have, have needed help and this is what seems to perplex the medical teams because understandably losing so much weight is no easy task. He reeled off so much that my brain decided to take a mini vacation so I just took note of as much as I could. He was willing to listen to see if someone like me could help them regarding the Diabetes itself. One thing that made me smile was when he said:

"We need to learn from you".

It is so refreshing to have this said to me and have amazing doctors and nurses where we live who don't berate you or your choice of eating low carb. This one sentence meant such a lot and if, like another doctor once asked, he wants to use my case to help them, I'm more than happy to do so.

I have to have my cortisol levels checked within four days of having a mixed meal, (a carb drink), then have my bloods tested. I'm always nervous about anything to do with my health but fingers crossed this will all come back okay. I am asymptomatic because I don't appear to have any symptoms of Hypoglycemia and I haven't been diagnosed as that yet. We'll see what the tests say. I'm very grateful for the service I've received.

I have said to my husband again that I want him to come to my appointments just to see the reactions from the doctors and nurses. I'm sure some people must think I'm exaggerating but I'm not. One bonus for me is that I come out of my appointments rather smug although this isn't reciprocated by others around me. It's more a case of.."oh no..she's here again"

HI ALDEBARAN You are so lucky, my GP was ACTIVELY obstructive and did not want me to do the Newcastle diet and the Diabetes Nurse gave me a load of old rubbish about eating lots of carbs. I fixed myself IN SPITE OF THEM and then one year later the GP admitted IF SHE had my problem she would have done what I did [ Newcastle diet, then LCHF, AND Dr Jason Fung on I.F. etc. etc ] but she could not recommend it to me because '' practice guidelines '' did not admit it....bleah wa wa wa.. So she admitted she would NOT give me ideal or correct treatment but would use it herself.
IS THIS NOT MALPRACTICE ?
Hippocrates said I shall not harm or through inaction allow harm to come to the patients...

Then I paid privately , saw a consultant - HEY ! The flippin GP would not give me a name at first, said she was afraid of being accused of getting financial '' kick backs '' -TOLD me to go and search the internet. Ha ha get lost.

I FORCED a name out of her, then asked my private consultant first off...carefully...
'' Do you follow the work of Prof Roy Taylor //?
He said NO and I was back on the rubbish swings and roundabouts of''eating lots of carbs is good for diabetics ''

After I showed him some graphs and some lab numbers and talked to him for nearly two hours -- ok I had to pay but in the end he WAS LISTENING and LEARNING from me.. but it WAS NOT EASY.
So I repeat..you are very lucky.
cheers now. hooha.

 

[thepolly]

Absolutely fantastic. Lovely when medical people are interested in how you did what you did. They have your test results and numbers to back up the fact that it works really well and gets amazing results. I just have to follow your example and get back to doing well with my eating. Have been doing appallingly badly lately.