DESMOND

[Bubbsie]

You ever tried fasting and for how long..?

I have but only the overnight one...I used to eat dinner very early...then nothing until the next morning...or just breakfast & no lunch with an evening meal...I haven't done any longer than that...I haven't for a while however I'm getting back to it...my numbers are slightly higher than my usual...mid 4s & low 5s...now high 5s with the odd 6...those are fine but would like to reduce them further before my next review.

 

[Bubbsie]

My experience was pretty much the same, thankfully I had read loads of the threads here and already decided on the cutting the carbs as much as possible and my numbers were coming down nicely, I was tracking my progress with a food diary with my daily reading and it was clear where things weren’t working so well. I’m glad I did DESMOND as it taught me to accept my health care team didn’t really understand and that my main source of support and information would be here 😉 Whatever the dr or nurse might think, my progress speaks for itself and I feel better than I have for at least a year 😛

The one I attended was abysmally poor Cathy...how on earth they expect anyone to manage their diabetes effectively with the structure of the DESMOND course is a real mystery...these courses have to be paid for...what an absolute waste of money.

 

[thejolley1]

Have been referred for a Desmond course in the next 2-3 months, I'm doubting if it's worth it now after reading this thread, sounds like it's not really worth it..

When I originally popped the post on here I was fairly frustrated about the DESMOND session i went to. It could be that i'd already read so much or just the fact that the facilitators contradicted almost everything i'd read elsewhere. They were fairly passive about the idea of a low carb intake and focussed on a low fat diet.

My advice would be feel free to go but don't expect any profound new answers if you've already done a lot of reading on these sorts of forum, you are unlikely to learn much new. Also i would take what they say with a balanced view, that they aren't always right and the advice given is changing quite often and sadly the NHS are often the last to get on board with the latest thinking.

I found it mildly patronising in delivery but again this could be the way it was ran here in Sheffield.

Wow maybe I'm still a bit wounded from the experience 🙂. If you do decide to go please report back, i'd be really interested to hear how it went.

 

[Ralph-YK]

The one I attended was abysmally poor Cathy...how on earth they expect anyone to manage their diabetes effectively with the structure of the DESMOND course is a real mystery...these courses have to be paid for...what an absolute waste of money.

Surely no one expects anyone
to even consider the possibility that anyone will manage their diabetes based on Desmond.
Sure it gives some background to diabetes (rusty locks and keys). It's nowhere near enough info. We need other sessions which covers how to manage our diabetes.

 

[Martin9]

When I originally popped the post on here I was fairly frustrated about the DESMOND session i went to. It could be that i'd already read so much or just the fact that the facilitators contradicted almost everything i'd read elsewhere. They were fairly passive about the idea of a low carb intake and focussed on a low fat diet.

My advice would be feel free to go but don't expect any profound new answers if you've already done a lot of reading on these sorts of forum, you are unlikely to learn much new. Also i would take what they say with a balanced view, that they aren't always right and the advice given is changing quite often and sadly the NHS are often the last to get on board with the latest thinking.

I found it mildly patronising in delivery but again this could be the way it was ran here in Sheffield.

Wow maybe I'm still a bit wounded from the experience 🙂. If you do decide to go please report back, i'd be really interested to hear how it went.

If I decide to go will post my thoughts, but had a phone call from them , I'm on the waiting list and it won't be till late August or September and as I've known about my blood sugar difficulties for a good few weeks now and finally diagnosed 09/05 it's hardly a course for the newly diagnosed ...!

 

[thejolley1]

If I decide to go will post my thoughts, but had a phone call from them , I'm on the waiting list and it won't be till late August or September and as I've known about my blood sugar difficulties for a good few weeks now and finally diagnosed 09/05 it's hardly a course for the newly diagnosed ...!

That was half the issue for me too. By the time i got the chance to go (3 months after diagnosis) i'd learnt plenty already from fine sites such as this one.

 

[Bubbsie]

finally diagnosed 09/05 it's hardly a course for the newly diagnosed ...

That was half the issue for me too. By the time i got the chance to go (3 months after diagnosis) i'd learnt plenty already from fine sites such as this one.

One of my friends finally got offered a place on a course after a lengthy wait...three years...when she informed the coordinator she was three years post diagnosis the offer was withdrawn because she (obviously) was not newly diagnosed.

 

[Bubbsie]

Surely no one expects anyone
to even consider the possibility that anyone will manage their diabetes based on Desmond.
Sure it gives some background to diabetes (rusty locks and keys). It's nowhere near enough info. We need other sessions which covers how to manage our diabetes.

Some would rely on the course for information on how to manage their diabetes Ralph...those that haven't been directed here...or who's GP or DSN have given them little or no purposeful advice...for a couple of months I relied on the advice of my GP (there was no DSN at our practice then) he seemed unconcerned...asked me to book on a course...advised me that would tell me what I needed to know...fortunately during the seven month wait for a place on the course I began to look around for management advice...did some reading & joined several forums including this one...but some do rely on the courses many assuming their HCP's are giving them the best advice possible.