• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Yet another DSN who isn't a lot of use

M

minitata

Well-Known Member
Messages
107
I've been to see the Nurse for a Diabetes check this morning. She started off by telling me how wrong I was not to be taking a statin, even if my cholesterol is very low as a diabetic I MUST take a statin. Then we moved on to how bad a low carb diet was and where I could cut the carbs back some, I needed lots of them to keep my blood glucose under control. After going on at me, and me trying to give my point of view, she took my blood pressure, and surprise, surprise it was high 137/86. She then weighed me and I've lost 12 kilos since I last saw her in March and 2 kilos since I saw the doctor a month ago. She told me that this was good, but that my diet was still wrong.

Then she congratulated me on the fact that I've kept off cigarettes as trials, just like with statins, show they are harmful, and that she hoped that I'd at least agree with her on that one (sarcy). So I told her I'd agree that she was right about one thing anyway :lol: .

At least my doctor understands and I'll see him for the results in a couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to knowing my cholesterol and if it is high, will go back on the statins.

MTT
 
Well done on the weight and the smoking. Just do what you know is right. STILL can't work out this whole "eat lots of carbs to control your blood glucose" thing. Is it me, or am I missing something? I'm sure they just repeat what their masters tell them to without thinking it through.
Malc
 
Malc said:
I'm sure they just repeat what their masters tell them to without thinking it through.
Click to expand...

You've hit the nail on the head there, Malc.

But we're catching on. People are realising that there is more information at their finger tips than an HCP can offer them.

I doubt VERY MUCH that ANY HCP spends as much time as me researching diabetes and associated issues.
 
Your DSN is probably following the instructions handed down from above.
Most of us know that the NHS carbs diet does not work for many of us, it is simply a matter of time before the NHS "catch up" on this.

The NHS diet is not a bad diet, it is just wrong for many of us T2s; It can actually work for some in the early stages particularly where portion control (calorie control) is excercised. This is how I managed to control my T2 for some 7 years. I now use a controlled carbs diet and this works well.

It is recognised that Statins may have protective qualities for all T2s regardless of their HDL/LDL levels. http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7448/1095.2.full

A low dose of Statins will have little effect on BGs. I take them each day and my HDL/LDL are very good.

I no longer mention my diet when in consulatation with my DSN, she knows I control my carbs and she knows it works for me, but, she has a set of guidelines to follow so will always support the official line.

H
 
Sorry I don't think your DSN told you that you needed lots of Carbs to maintain blood glucose levels..
 
jopar said:
Sorry I don't think your DSN told you that you needed lots of Carbs to maintain blood glucose levels..
Click to expand...

:roll:

Don't you mean "Welcome to the site", or "we're here to help"?
 
I was told that they should be the basis of my meals. She also said that there weren't actually more obese people about it's just that we monitor it more these days. I said about being THE fat kid at school whereas there are loads of them around (in this area, which is a poor one at least).

MTT
 

I actually find that hard to believe as well Patch but that said lets not confuse a practice nurse who checks diabetics with a specialist diabetic nurse, there is a world of difference. My practice diabetic nurse told me when asked a question about insulin that "sorry I dont really know anything about insulin" whereas the specialist diabetic nurses I have seen at the diabetes unit attached to my local hospital are extremely knowledgeable about all things diabetes.

My new practice (diabetes) nurse is happy that I low'ish carb, well she cant really argue as I am well controlled at present, she is also well aware of how carbs affect diabetics, she is not as knowledgeable as a dedicated diabetes nurse but she is willing to listen to what I have to say and you cant ask more than that can you. No practice nurse or diabetes nurse has ever told me to eat lots of carbs to control my diabetes.

So as in all aspects of life there are good and bad people everywhere so please dont assume that all HCP are not worth listening to if you do you may be missing out on a useful resource.
 
This is outrageous:

jopar said:
Sorry I don't think your DSN told you that you needed lots of Carbs to maintain blood glucose levels..
Click to expand...

Sid Bonkers said:
I actually find that hard to believe as well
Click to expand...

It is reassuring, but rather disappointing, to see that I'm not the only one that gets accused of lying for describing an personal interaction with a HCP.

What possible motivation would minitata have for being untruthful in her account? It would be much more helpful if we took people at face value, rather than dismissing people who say things that we don't agree with as liars.
 

Is it outrages

No it isn't has minitata has now explained that their nurse never said LOTS..


As you can see by their above post!

We hear so much about what the HCP said, which half the time it isn't actually what they said but based purely on what the patient interpreation of what was said which can be totally different what was said! As in this case
 
MTT,

I'm assuming that you have seen quite a few DSN's given that your thread is entitled ''Yet another DSN who isn't a lot of use''? If so then this is very unfortunate and I can only say that this isn't the norm in my experience, my DSN is fantastic and very helpful when it comes to discussing diet or diabetes control and is all to willing to accept calls whenever a problem arises.

Nigel
 
jopar said:
Sorry I don't think your DSN told you that you needed lots of Carbs to maintain blood glucose levels..
Click to expand...

I expect she was just quoting the official DUK Eating well with T2 diabetes leaflet.
The actual amount of carbohydrate that the body needs varies depending on your age, weight and activity levels, but it should make up about half of what you eat and drink.
Click to expand...
Most people would understand that that means we need lots .
 
Ian

Thankyou for the link, which I read and I couldn't see anywhere (I read all the sections) that it mentioned eating lots not even a plenty mentioned anywhere... It did how ever say that carbs are based on individual needs the usual, age, sex, activity etc.. Oh and did say the need to Reduce Portion size though..

So not sure how carbs and reduce portion size equates out to Lots :?

So as you said spouting DUK advice, cut the portions :wink:
 
I was told by my proffessional "eat plenty of starchy carbs". I was also told that my current consumption of potatos was "not enough for a big fellow like me"
I'm sure they're not all like that.
But that was my experience.
I am not lying.
My wife was there.
She does not lie.
Since ignoring the bad advice, my condition has improved markedly.
We should all stop accusing each other of "Lying" or "Misunderstanding"
If a professional leaves someone "misunderstanding", that's as bad a sin as poor advice. It's the proffessional's job to ensure there is no misunderstanding.
Jopar should get off his "protect the health industry" soapbox yet again, and support the members instead.
Malc
 


Thanks Malc, I find Jopar intimidating.

MTT
 
malcysykes1 said:
If a professional leaves someone "misunderstanding", that's as bad a sin as poor advice.
Click to expand...
very well said! I'd also add that when HCPs make patients feel 'told off' about their lifestyle choices, (rather than just providing information about risks) that's not good healthcare either. It's patronising, drives people away, and just doesn't work.
I'm sure there are lots of lovely, lovely doctors and nurses and dieticians out there, but that doesn't mean we should censor ourselves from suggesting that some of them are not so lovely.

Don't be intimidated MTT!
 
I reckon all HCP's should be ex-fatties.

[EDIT: I don't reckon all HCP's should be fatties. Be nice, though, wouldn't it?]
 
My oh my !!!someone post a simple thing regarding what happened when seeing her d/n and whooooo!!! everyone seems to look for a fight :roll: at the end of the day no-one and I mean NO_ONE can tell any of us what to eat , we all choose to eat what we want, and as I have said before, it seems the norm is carb for us, and honestly how many of us take the advice from these D/N's??? ......... hope everyone has a nice day
 
Firstly I want to say that there are many very good health professionals out there! I have an excellent consultant at my local diabetes clinic who is very supportive in my diabetes and he actively helps me to manage my diabetes my way...

That said I have come across a lot of professionals that like to talk the party line and will not accept any deviance from the norm! This I think is especially true for those who diabetes is not a specialist area... my GP was a real pain in the butt reference my diabetes and the hospital consultant had to write to him to get him to do what the consultant and I had agreed.

To some extent this is understandable HCP's don't want to give 'wrong' advise at the end of the day patients health is on the line and therefore they give what is considered to be the best advice... now what the discussion should really be about is if the NICE guild-lines constitute best advice...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…