2nd diabetic appointment

[MickD]

Well had my second appointment today 5 weeks after the first...
Turns out tbis low carb diet works ( for weight at least lol ) lost 1 1/2 stone and bp is down from 180/98 to 130/76 to say Im chuffed is an understatement ... thought i was having bloods taken but the nurse said they did it 3 months after i started taking the tablets... so got to wait until August... can't wait to see the difference from 9.1... had my feet tested all ok except for some hard skin... i can live with that..
She also talked me into going on statins... so we'll see...
But a great day for me.
🙂

 

[stephknits]

Wow, what a difference in 5 weeks - really well done. I can't wait to see what your Hba1c is in August!

 

[Northerner]

Well had my second appointment today 5 weeks after the first...
Turns out tbis low carb diet works ( for weight at least lol ) lost 1 1/2 stone and bp is down from 180/98 to 130/76 to say Im chuffed is an understatement ... thought i was having bloods taken but the nurse said they did it 3 months after i started taking the tablets... so got to wait until August... can't wait to see the difference from 9.1... had my feet tested all ok except for some hard skin... i can live with that..
She also talked me into going on statins... so we'll see...
But a great day for me.
🙂

That's terrific progress Mick 🙂 What was the reasoning behind the statins - did they give you any numbers for your cholesterol? Sometimes people get put on them as a matter of course, when in fact they don't really need them, so I'd read up about them first unless you do have a serious problem with high cholesterol. I'd recommend reading The Great Cholesterol Con by Malcolm Kendrick which helped clarify things for me.

 

[kentish maid]

Hi Mick. I was diagnosed last September, have seen the diabetic nurse twice and both times she said I should be on statins as did the nurse on the DERIK course I went on. When I discussed my results with the GP he didn't think they were necessary, so it seems health professionals are giving out mixed messages. I read the book @Northerner mentioned, very interesting.

 

[DaveB]

Well had my second appointment today 5 weeks after the first...
Turns out tbis low carb diet works ( for weight at least lol ) lost 1 1/2 stone and bp is down from 180/98 to 130/76 to say Im chuffed is an understatement ... thought i was having bloods taken but the nurse said they did it 3 months after i started taking the tablets... so got to wait until August... can't wait to see the difference from 9.1... had my feet tested all ok except for some hard skin... i can live with that..
She also talked me into going on statins... so we'll see...
But a great day for me.
🙂

Hi. I wouldn't allow the DN to put you on statins unless your lipids ratios indicate they are not good; they aren't sweets and can have bad side effects. The body needs cholesterol for repairs and if you go too low it's not good. Ask for a fasting lipids breakdown (aka panel) at the next blood test and Google the web for good ratios

 

[Maz2]

Hi. I wouldn't allow the DN to put you on statins unless your lipids ratios indicate they are not good; they aren't sweets and can have bad side effects. The body needs cholesterol for repairs and if you go too low it's not good. Ask for a fasting lipids breakdown (aka panel) at the next blood test and Google the web for good ratios

I did not know that about cholesterol Dave. Thanks for that. I am always moaning about mine going up (still normal). My GP said the overall amount did not matter as my good cholesterol was up, bad was down and the ratio good to bad was up in favour of good.

My GP told me when I last saw him (was pre-diabetic, got out of it, gone back to 42 again, have to see him too about iron deficiency due to underweight and blood donoring he thinks). He told me my chances of heart attack or stroke are low but NICE are bringing down the levels. They have reduced it from 20 percent to 10 percent now and he said that the way things are going most people (not sure whether he said over 60 or over 70 now) will be on meds because of the reduction of levels as most of my risk factor was due to age (65).

 

[Beck S]

Fantastic progress Mick

 

[Ralph-YK]

The HbA1c is an average of the last 8/12 weeks. So often they'll do them at a minimum of 3 months apart. Though they may go to 6 months then yearly.

 

[MickD]

That's terrific progress Mick 🙂 What was the reasoning behind the statins - did they give you any numbers for your cholesterol? Sometimes people get put on them as a matter of course, when in fact they don't really need them, so I'd read up about them first unless you do have a serious problem with high cholesterol. I'd recommend reading The Great Cholesterol Con by Malcolm Kendrick which helped clarify things for me.

My cholesterol was 6, so not majorly high.. I've got the prescription but I've not taken them yet, need to do more research.. at each visit, both by my doctor and the 2 different DN's they have mentioned statins, so thought you know what maybe I do need them, just want to do whats best... and after all they are the experts.. right?
Thanks for the link I will have a look at it and decide what I should do... I'm on a lot of medication now, 9 tablets for high BP and 2 for diabetes daily... so adding another on into the mix isn't what I want to do..

Mick.

 

[Northerner]

My cholesterol was 6, so not majorly high.. I've got the prescription but I've not taken them yet, need to do more research.. at each visit, both by my doctor and the 2 different DN's they have mentioned statins, so thought you know what maybe I do need them, just want to do whats best... and after all they are the experts.. right?
Thanks for the link I will have a look at it and decide what I should do... I'm on a lot of medication now, 9 tablets for high BP and 2 for diabetes daily... so adding another on into the mix isn't what I want to do..

Mick.

As others have mentioned Mick, it's important to know the ratio of 'good' to 'bad', so I would chase your GP for the information before making a decision. If you do decide to take them you can always change your mind later if things improve! 🙂

 

[Bubbsie]

My cholesterol was 6, so not majorly high.. I've got the prescription but I've not taken them yet, need to do more research.. at each visit, both by my doctor and the 2 different DN's they have mentioned statins, so thought you know what maybe I do need them, just want to do whats best... and after all they are the experts.. right?
Thanks for the link I will have a look at it and decide what I should do... I'm on a lot of medication now, 9 tablets for high BP and 2 for diabetes daily... so adding another on into the mix isn't what I want to do..

Mick.

I had the same issue with my GP Dave...then I read @Mark Parrott's post on cholesterol & statins...the ratios are the thing to consider...I did that & discussed it with my GP...he decided there was no need for statins at this stage... my general understanding is they do not prevent heart attacks per se...they can prevent someone who has had one from having a second.

 

[Northerner]

It's one of those things where the words 'reduced risk' can be a bit misleading. When I was researching it I came across this explanation - if 100 people are not given statins then 6 of them may suffer heart attacks/cardiovascular problems. If you give statins to 100 people then 3 of them will suffer heart attacks/CVD problems, so it's said that the risk has been halved. But for 94/100 people it doesn't make any difference at all, and could cause problems with side-effects. I decided I was more likely to be one of the '94', given that my cholesterol was only 4.5 without them, but you do need the facts in order to make an informed decision about whether they are right for you.

 

[Vince_UK]

Excellent @MickD
Well done indeed

 

[Maz2]

Totally agree - the ratio is what is important. My cholesterol had gone up at last test (not abnormal levels, it was done at same time as hba1c check which said my blood sugar levels had gone back from normal to 42). GP said they are no longer interested in total cholesterol and what was important was good, bad, and ratio. My good had increased, bad reduced and ratio good to bad increased in favour of good. Cutting carbs and increasing good fats must be doing some good even if I have gone from pre-diabetic to normal back to 42 again.

what my GP did say was that I was at low risk of heart attack or stroke but that the NICE guidelines had now changed with regard to medicating people. Now the risk factor can only be 10% instead of 20% which it was previously . He felt that the rate things were everyone over 60 I think he said, cannot recall whether it was 60 or 70 would end up being offered statins because the risk increases with age. Most of mine was due to age (I am 65).

I suppose they are thinking of prevention which is a good thing for all of us but I know statins can cause problems. My Dad in Law was on them but he had no problems, a colleague where I used to work has had terrible problems but they have now found one which suits her, two other friends are fine on them but another one told the GP to stop them as he would rather be dead than have all the side effects. Very much an individual thing.

I once recall talking to the surgeon I worked for and said it would be a good idea to test people on a yearly basis for thyroid, liver, kidney, cholesterol, BP and blood sugar probs but he said that it would waste resources as the people most at risk would not have them and doctors would spend all their time on the "worried well" like me. Still think it is a good idea though.

 

[kentish maid]

I once recall talking to the surgeon I worked for and said it would be a good idea to test people on a yearly basis for thyroid, liver, kidney, cholesterol, BP and blood sugar probs but he said that it would waste resources as the people most at risk would not have them and doctors would spend all their time on the "worried well" like me. Still think it is a good idea though.

I have often wondered why annual preventive blood tests aren't done by surgeries and raised it once with a GP I worked for, apart from the cost, he said more or less the same. A lot of patients would just not see it as important, and they would probably be the ones that most needed screening

 

[Maz2]

I think this is the major problem. It would cost an awful lot of money but I think it would save the NHS a lot of money too as things would be picked up before they are acute and, therefore, cost the NHS a lot less to deal with. Also it would save a lot of anguish for patients. I know the uptake of the bowel cancer screening is quite low so I suppose the GPs do have a point.

On a personal basis I would be happy to pay a small fee for this but do understand that not everyone would be able or willing to afford it.

 

[Martin Canty]

I have often wondered why annual preventive blood tests aren't done by surgeries and raised it once with a GP I worked for, apart from the cost, he said more or less the same. A lot of patients would just not see it as important, and they would probably be the ones that most needed screening

Oh, I found that lesson out the hard way.... Dr. has been on at me for years (or at least the few times I ever went until I was diagnosed) to get blood work done & I declined; now I actually look forward (kind of) to getting the results of my blood work.
The system here (in the States) is insurance based & the insurance companies are big on preventative medicine (wonder why?😉)

 

[Drummer]

As you have been losing weight you will have needed more cholesterol - the molecules carry the fats from cells to where they are needed via the bloodstream - so it is only natural that your cholesterol levels will have risen - I do not know how so much emphasis can be put on the hammering down of cholesterol levels with no regard for the essentials.