Appointments

[Taz78]

Hi I am a fairly new diabetic. When I spoke the nurse early Jan, she said she was referring me to the dietian, an education programme and eye screening. I thought I would have heard from at least one of them by now. Am I being over eager or can it take a while to see any of these?

Thanks

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Hi I am a fairly new diabetic. When I spoke the nurse early Jan, she said she was referring me to the dietian, an education programme and eye screening. I thought I would have heard from at least one of them by now. Am I being over eager or can it take a while to see any of these?

Thanks

Over eager, I fear or over-optimistic. If you've heard nothing after a full month then consider a steady pester. The eye screening is generally a pretty reliable process.

Dieticians seem to be in short supply. Meanwhile there is plenty of general advice on this site and (from the 3 bar drop down menu top left) try registering on the orange Learning Zone. It needs a different registration than for this forum.

 

[Deb_l]

From memory, my eye screening came through fairly rapidly (within a month of diagnosis) but the XPERT course referral took a lot longer, maybe two or three months. I kept logging on here and learned a HUGE amount before I even attended the course.

 

[TrevA]

I did the DESMOND course quite soon after diagnosis but found it quite confusing. I’ve since learned what I can and can’t eat more or less through trial and error and reading this forum and watching YouTube videos. Obviously you can’t have chocolate and cakes but some people can tolerate bread and other carbs.

 

[Lucyr]

Hi I am a fairly new diabetic. When I spoke the nurse early Jan, she said she was referring me to the dietian, an education programme and eye screening. I thought I would have heard from at least one of them by now. Am I being over eager or can it take a while to see any of these?

Thanks

I was referred to a dietician November 2022 ish, my first appointment was 2 weeks ago. I think you’re being over optimistic.

The eye screening id expect to hear from this year, then depending on the results some places do it every 2 years and some every 1 year.

Not sure on timescales for the education programme, I’m 16 years in and not got on one yet! Shouldn’t be anywhere near that long though, I’d assume some point this year.

 

[AnneHS]

Hi, I’m another one relatively new to this, I was diagnosed in Sept 23, the nurse said I’d be referred for the DESMOND course and eye screening, I got my eye screening appointment through in Nov 23 (with the screening done in Dec 23) but haven’t as yet heard anything about the course. At my nurse appointment she also recommended the Diabetes UK website and I’ve found a lot of useful info here and am still learning so I’m not too worried if I don’t hear about the Desmond course now.

I know appointment timescales can vary so not sure if my experience is anything to go by but I hope you hear something soon.

 

[Taz78]

Over eager, I fear or over-optimistic. If you've heard nothing after a full month then consider a steady pester. The eye screening is generally a pretty reliable process.

Dieticians seem to be in short supply. Meanwhile there is plenty of general advice on this site and (from the 3 bar drop down menu top left) try registering on the orange Learning Zone. It needs a different registration than for this forum.

Thanks I will definitely look at the leaning zone.

 

[Taz78]

Hi, I’m another one relatively new to this, I was diagnosed in Sept 23, the nurse said I’d be referred for the DESMOND course and eye screening, I got my eye screening appointment through in Nov 23 (with the screening done in Dec 23) but haven’t as yet heard anything about the course. At my nurse appointment she also recommended the Diabetes UK website and I’ve found a lot of useful info here and am still learning so I’m not too worried if I don’t hear about the Desmond course now.

I know appointment timescales can vary so not sure if my experience is anything to go by but I hope you hear something soon.

Thanks I was diagnosed 22nd December but my nurse waited for some other tests to come back first before referring me. I feel like I am coming to terms with being a diabetic. I am learning a lot on this website and the forum.

I will just wait for my appointments to arrive then 🙂

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi @Taz78 and @AnneHS I did the DESMOND course some years ago and although it was OK it was fairly basic and the dietary recommendations were very much based on the Standard NHS EatWell Plate which although a healthy option for those who are not diabetic is generally too high in carbs for those who are Type 2 diabetic and trying to manage their condition by diet only or diet and oral medication. They push low fat options which are not needed in terms of reducing blood glucose but may be needed because of other medical conditions. Normal fat will help with not feeling hungry when reducing carbs which is really what is needed.
I quickly learnt that low carb was an easy option which has been successful for me and is my new way of eating. I followed the principals in this link which is a program developed by a GP surgery to help their patients for whom the NHS advice was not working. There are meal plans to give you ideas for modifying your diet. The introduction is very good at explaining the ethos of low carb, don't forget it is not NO carb.
https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

 

[DaveB]

Hi. I wouldn't worry too mach about the dietician as some can be very poor and churn out the wrong advice. The education programme is important and the screening during the coming months but the latter is unlikely to be an urgent need for an early-days diabetic but ensure it is done during the next 12 months

 

[Lucyr]

Yes I was hoping for t1 as it would just make things easier access wise but I felt happy to have the conversation with someone experienced anyway, I didn’t believe I’d actually be T1 anyway as I already knew from experience that my body produces more insulin on occasion.

Anyway I found it most reassuring to have his thoughts agreeing on no not just standard t2. And also valued his assurance that I must always be provided with insulin, as I have been advised to stop it in the past after particularly good a1cs by other drs because ‘t2 and good bgs you don’t need it any more’

 

[John Gray]

It will be a "postcode lottery" - dependent on your local hospital and its services - how long are the local waiting lists for any particular specialisation.

I was on the waiting list for NHS Podiatry for about 18 months before getting a phone call asking me if I still needed an appointment!

 

[Kopiert]

As others have said you may have to wait.

In Kent we have the DERIK course. (Diabetes Education and Revision in Kent) for T2s. I found it helpful, but it did take a while to come through. They have to cater for a wide range of people, several of whom will question the point of living if they can't have (insert favourite meal) anymore. The course leader on mine was a diabetic nurse and excellent as I was able to have a conversation with her about low carb diets - which she fully supported.

Don't get your hopes up with regard to the dietician. I went to one after losing quite a lot of weight - I wanted advice on a lower-carb diet, but dealing with some cholesterol issues. Unsurprisingly, she whipped out the poster of the Eatwell plate and proceeded to take me through that. She said she was unfamiliar with any of the low-carb approaches to managing T2 diabetes and strongly recommended I not continue on that route. Waste of time.

But, your mileage may vary.

 

[AndBreathe]

I was diagnosed over 10 years ago. I have never been invited to an education course, or seen a dietician, but I do have regular eye screening.

My surgery hosts the eye screening folks annually, so I go along to that, when invited. In any case, you should be checked in under 12 months.

guidance for education courses is that a newly diagnosed person, should be offered and education course, in the first 9 months, post-diagnosis, but my opening statement should help yo understand it doesn't always work out that way.

I’d urge you to crack on and educate yourself, then look at 5he course when it comes along.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

@Taz78,
Great posting on your part (even though you're not getting the sort of answer you might have hoped for!). We now seem to have a consistent "snapshot" that the eye screening is likely to happen routinely, so don't fret about that for now. And the dietician may not ever appear and if he/she does appear the usefulness of a dietician may not be brilliant (or even slightly useful). So your expectations are being managed!

I particularly agree with @AndBreathe in the principle of educate yourself. From what I've personally seen and experienced, as well as read in this forum the NHS published advice is not really appropriate for T2s who would usually need to be on lower carb diets - to ease the strain on their insulin production and their metabolism as a whole. And of 4 dieticians I've had the opportunity to encounter, 2 who were hospital based were excellent (and one of those moved on a justifiable promotion), one exchanged an email with me and I've not encountered again and the fourth was well-intentioned (I think) but simply didn't have a clue about my unusual needs and gave poor advice. So I try to find my own answers - often from this forum.

Should you decide to do some Internet searches I would suggest add "uk" to any question; there is an abundance of N American advice and opinions out there, which may not help. I would also be cautious about the origins of some apparently reputable answers; I'm happy to trust Specialist sites such as for Celiacs or Cancer UK (there are others). I believe the Caldesi books are good, written by a well established chef who is himself T2. I'm sure other members will have some great ideas if you should decide to start a further post. Good luck.

 

[Taz78]

@Taz78,
Great posting on your part (even though you're not getting the sort of answer you might have hoped for!). We now seem to have a consistent "snapshot" that the eye screening is likely to happen routinely, so don't fret about that for now. And the dietician may not ever appear and if he/she does appear the usefulness of a dietician may not be brilliant (or even slightly useful). So your expectations are being managed!

I particularly agree with @AndBreathe in the principle of educate yourself. From what I've personally seen and experienced, as well as read in this forum the NHS published advice is not really appropriate for T2s who would usually need to be on lower carb diets - to ease the strain on their insulin production and their metabolism as a whole. And of 4 dieticians I've had the opportunity to encounter, 2 who were hospital based were excellent (and one of those moved on a justifiable promotion), one exchanged an email with me and I've not encountered again and the fourth was well-intentioned (I think) but simply didn't have a clue about my unusual needs and gave poor advice. So I try to find my own answers - often from this forum.

Should you decide to do some Internet searches I would suggest add "uk" to any question; there is an abundance of N American advice and opinions out there, which may not help. I would also be cautious about the origins of some apparently reputable answers; I'm happy to trust Specialist sites such as for Celiacs or Cancer UK (there are others). I believe the Caldesi books are good, written by a well established chef who is himself T2. I'm sure other members will have some great ideas if you should decide to start a further post. Good luck.

I think I knew the answer deep down. I have been following a low carb diet and smaller portion. I have found that if I eat to much or have too many carbs I feel ill. I have been testing different carbs this way. I have started to introduce exercise which seems to be more pain than exercise ha ha. It almost seems to be good to be true.

My biggest my problem is my own overthinking!

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Overthinking is my second best skill after hindsight. My problem with my overthinking is a lack of consistency in applying what I overthought!

 

[Leadinglights]

I think I knew the answer deep down. I have been following a low carb diet and smaller portion. I have found that if I eat to much or have too many carbs I feel ill. I have been testing different carbs this way. I have started to introduce exercise which seems to be more pain than exercise ha ha. It almost seems to be good to be true.

My biggest my problem is my own overthinking!

I'm not sure testing carbs by being unwell is a good strategy when getting a home blood glucose monitor would allow you to design your menu to what you can tolerate without being unwell as the high blood glucose will not be helping you get your numbers down.

 

[louisew]

Hi I am a fairly new diabetic. When I spoke the nurse early Jan, she said she was referring me to the dietian, an education programme and eye screening. I thought I would have heard from at least one of them by now. Am I being over eager or can it take a while to see any of these?

Thanks

I was booked in for an eye test but the only education I got was eat less than 60 carbs a day, test your blood sugars and some scribbled down blood glucose targets. Everything I’ve learnt is from online research and this website. My type 2 diabetes was not caused by diet as I eat healthy homemade meals and I am a healthy weight, just unlucky, so I suppose my DN thought there was no need. But I spent many months feeling anxious and distressed, struggling at first on basal insulin, before she agreed to prescribe me bolus too. But my blood sugars are great now, pretty low and I have a libre (self funded) which I couldn’t do without.

 

[Leadinglights]

I was booked in for an eye test but the only education I got was eat less than 60 carbs a day, test your blood sugars and some scribbled down blood glucose targets. Everything I’ve learnt is from online research and this website. My type 2 diabetes was not caused by diet as I eat healthy homemade meals and I am a healthy weight, just unlucky, so I suppose my DN thought there was no need. But I spent many months feeling anxious and distressed, struggling at first on basal insulin, before she agreed to prescribe me bolus too. But my blood sugars are great now, pretty low and I have a libre (self funded) which I couldn’t do without.

The 60g per carbs seems a bit extreme as the suggestion is no more than130g though I know people do need to go lower but they generally determine that by testing what meals suit them.
Well done on your success.