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Why ?

BRITGRAN

Active Member
Messages
40
Type of diabetes
Type 2
At the end of last year my DN changed my medication to Alogliptin, saying if it didn't work she would prescribe me Trulicity, I'd been struggling with my numbers even though l am low carbing, I'm still struggling and not happy with my blood sugars ,a couple of hours after eating it's 9's and 10's. So today I went to see her to discuss the issue.....she's a lovely lady, friendly and easy to talk to. I don't want to be angry with her but I'm so disappointed. First she said she's okay with those numbers that they like the results to be between 4 and 8, so 9s and 10s aren't to bad !!! I told her I understood it to be under 7 but she said no.....then told me I shouldn't be testing, again I disagreed and said a previous nurse gave me a monitor and told me to test so I knew how foods affected me...Thank God for this forum, where I have learned so much, I just don't get it...either I listen to an "expert" or people I've never met on the internet
 
Hi @BRITGRAN,
There is a saying that a mind is like a parachute, it only works when open.
It sounds like this nurse is following the NHS mantra that Type 2 diabetics do not need to do finger-prick blood tests. Just the blood test every 3 months. If someone does not look at the ins and outs of it, does not think about how one knows what foods cause high BSLs or not, then the mantra makes sense. But you know that you gain information by testing which you can use, that gives you some power over what is happening and enables you to make decisions rather than just being in limbo for 3 months at a time.
And sometimes with closed minds, near enough is good enough. ( and 10s are "okay" but what about in 20 years time?)
You can do somethings about that. Your mind is open, and we all get mystified by some things these people say.
But other health professionals can be real gems, find them and they will really listen to you as a person..
Best Wishes !!
 
She might be ok with those numbers, but they have no impact on her do they? It's your health they impact on, so you are right to not be happy with them and your current treatment. And this detrimental advice to not test really grates me, it's like trying to drive a car wearing a blindfold if you don't test because you have no idea where those numbers are going or even what they are.

You're right to challenge the DN who is clearly not giving you helpful advice, which is resulting in subpar treatment. I hope you can get better care in the future.
 
I think they're used to seeing diabetics who (possibly due to being given bad advice) have much worse levels that yours might appear to be "good" in comparison. . So just keep on doing what you feel is right,and make your own personal targets regardless.

Your DN is slightly out in her ranges: have a look on our main site at the NICE Guidlines; but they don't mean that you should necessarily want (or be happy) to be at the top end of those ranges, does it!
 
I am with Jim.
I can just about forgive the cardiac team for getting their dietary advice wrong because not everyone who has a heart attack has metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance, just about forgive. From the diabetes team it is culpable. The information is obviously there, we all prove the theory with our practice and the current advice is killing people. My DN did frown at the Eatwell plate when I saw her even though she was having to present it to me and did actually nod encouragingly when I said that I was already a few weeks into a vlcd but still said that I shouldn't test.
 
Expert. That is a matter of opinion.

Yes, we are just people on the internet but we are real people living day to day with this condition. We do not clock off at 5pm and forget all about Diabetes until 9am the following day.
 
Guzzler said:
Expert. That is a matter of opinion.

Yes, we are just people on the internet but we are real people living day to day with this condition. We do not clock off at 5pm and forget all about Diabetes until 9am the following day.
Click to expand...
Hearteningly, a view also shared by some HCP's too. The post above could almost have been written by the consultant I used to see. His view was his patients are the experts for the very reason you give; he doesn't live with D 24/7.

Shiba.
 
It makes me wonder what happens to people who only have a DN giving out this advice, no access to a forum of real experts, and yes if I settle for readings of 10s what about my health in years to come... I agree with all that has been said and will continue with my goal of getting blood sugars in the normal range, I have to see her in two weeks hopefully we can have an honest in depth discussion
 
When I go to see my DSN or doctor I always take the view that I am in the driver's seat, whether by destiny or luck (the latter is my droll sense of humour)! I can seek guidance but only I have the steering wheel (and brakes) !!
Oh! to be Toady on the road, but with a safer driving record !!
 

I think you make a very good point., @Robbity

As i see it, the LCHF, Is/Was not the norm for those with T2D, and previously may not have even been a way to follow.

So we may be just a small percentage of those presenting and being monitored over many years for type 2..

So that makes sense that on the practical side, the patients many doctors/hcp would see on a day to day basis, would have poor control, and be of the more progressive side of type 2....?
( as an aside i wonder IF that is exactly the reason high rates of heart attacks/strokes hit us harder.
ARE they more attributable to the continued feeding of excess sugars to those allergic, like ourselves then the natural course of the disease ?.)

So, unhelpful but possible to see why the..
" ..10 is ok..it could be MUCH worse..had a lady in here yesterday..."
..anecdotal stuff, might in their viewpoint SEEM ok.

That's why we need them to be more/better advised that LOW CARB is an effective method for many,

THEN the 'patients they see will switch (90% poor v 10% good..to a more realistic 55% v 45% for eg)
and stretch from those needing medical intervention ...to those managing their HBA1c fantastically well...
(and judging from the many who post on here, that should tilt from poor to better, over a relatively short time.)

THAT is WHY they SHOULD be saying to others..there IS another way that MAY work better for YOU..would you like me to offer help trying it ?...Cue ou @Debandez @xfieldok and co,,who then do the P2P talks.

At which point the numbers of BAD control V GOOD control start to reverse..
and the LOWERING of HBA1c becomes the NORM...

THAT's when we start to see a reversal of the lackadaisical approach to OUR well being .

here is @Debandez quoted post from another thread,
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/th...imal-diabetic-management.160923/#post-1978652

the main thrust i saw was the very end lines..

" I made an appointment with my Dr to discuss.
He told me I would have had the same results with low fat/low cal diet.
After that appointment i emailed my surgery asking for stats of the patients who had done what I did. I expected high figures going off what my Dr had said.

This was the exact reply from both of the DNs:

The only patients who have done this to my knowledge at the surgery is post bariatric surgery, ..."

Worrying that the doctor seemed to have LIED ,
and terrifying that the advice was NO, DO WHAT WE SAY

..and when the results showed BIG improvements, the only comparable cases where when major surgery was involved

and that advise i bet is STILL being delivered every single ******* DAY.....
 
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Think your right @jjraak

We are a tiny proportion of the diabetic population who are proactive.
Even at my place of work, 6 diabetics (pre and t2) including myself.
They either take the pills or ignore it.

They think I am the daft one!

I bet we are less than 1% of the diabetic population and as such. "not statistically significant".
 

agree.

missus has cousin and her partner, she had bariatric surgery, has messed her up in so many ways
he says he understands LCHF but has many other issues, so it's not for him, which i respect fully (but at least he's now aware).

Actually mentioned it on my bike forum, two guys have it T2D.(never spoken of )
one guy prediabetic..hope all come on here, but not sure will happen.

Was One other guy..lovely bloke
type 1 for decades..made good points, not the same disease..but sadly had the " you r greedy"..sort of attitude.
and dismissive of the fact LCHF IS helping me..it's hard to shift some mind sets, so it don't bother me too much

as i don't have to live with type 1....i haven't had to invest time trying to understand it..(sorry all, meant respectfully )

But for type 2 ?..you BET i've spent a shed load of time sifting through the ideas. science + data and available information i could find.
before committing myself more deeply to this WOE..So yeah..it's rather arrogant, but i think i DO know a little bit more about T2D, for ME, then he does...but i'm still willing to listen..but is he..are your friends ?

Success breeds success...and people are still indoctrinated to simply accept that "THEY" (edit: as in HCP/authorities ) know best..
and clearly in this case, that's not so true anymore, sadly
 
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It makes no sense to me why the current advice is not changing. We have scientific advice confirming lowering carbs and keeping tight control of BS keeps complications at bay. It can get you into the non diabetic range, a lot of the time without meds. You only have to input 2 words into Google to come up with the solution to putting diabetes into reverse. 'Reverse diabetes'. Simple in my world. Solution LCHF woe. We are sugar intollerant so why do they still encourage us to eat carbs!!!

Do they not have access to the internet!!!!

It's so frustrating. I'm keeping everything crossed that the p2p goes well and people want to take the info on board but I'm under no illusions that the majority still want to eat what they like and take the meds. I have 2 friends that do just that. They feel the meds enable them to eat as they always have. No finger pricking. Burying head in sand. But when the hcp's are saying ' your hba1c is fine, keep doing what you are doing' who can blame them!
 

Which bike forum. The Yamaha owners club ?
 
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