Diabetes Education Courses

[Charliewatch]

l am interested in what members think of something l was told after attending a DEC l was told that the government is so worried about the expense of treating the growing number of people with diabetes that they put the fear of god up the people attending the courses to make them really alarmed and watch what they are doing eating and caring for their feet properly.

 

[Andy HB]

I was diagnosed type 2 in October 2009 and was on a 6 week (one afternoon per week) course in that November called Diabetes XPert.

I found the course extremely useful (mostly ... apart from one or two people who hogged the discussions at times). It was instrumental in me understanding what I needed to do to turn my symptoms around.

It didn't scare the beezeebies out of me, it just gave me the understanding that I needed about the condition. But everyone is different I suppose. I was lucky in that what I did following the course actually made a pretty quick difference and subsequently I have been diet and exercise only (no meds required after a mere three months following diagnosis when I was on gliclazide followed by metformin).

Andy 🙂

 

[novorapidboi26]

I suppose that could be true, they are worried, I wouldn't expect them to ask there health professionals to be so cruel, although the complications of diabetes has always been made aware from any care team I have been with........

I find that the fear of complications gets less the longer your away from the clinic......🙂

 

[NatashaC]

A few years ago I went to a Q&A session with the consultant at my local hospital, one of the questions he was asked was what had changed most since he first specialised in Diabetes. He replied that it was the the condition of the patients waiting to be seen in his clinics. When he started there was almost always at least one guide dog and someone with a diabetes related amputation whereas nowadays they are rare.
This was to do with improved knowledge of what both HCPs and patients can do to look after themselves, how to monitor the condition and more choice/better treatments.

All of which I found very encouraging 🙂

Natasha

 

[novorapidboi26]

A few years ago I went to a Q&A session with the consultant at my local hospital, one of the questions he was asked was what had changed most since he first specialised in Diabetes. He replied that it was the the condition of the patients waiting to be seen in his clinics. When he started there was almost always at least one guide dog and someone with a diabetes related amputation whereas nowadays they are rare.
This was to do with improved knowledge of what both HCPs and patients can do to look after themselves, how to monitor the condition and more choice/better treatments.

All of which I found very encouraging 🙂

Natasha

That is very encouraging.......🙂

 

[DeusXM]

I don't know about scaring people, but is certainly a good thing to make people aware of the potential issues.

It's fair to say that the 'softly softly' approach hasn't worked for most people. Because diabetes is a whole-lifestyle thing, it is very easy for people to get into bad habits in the belief that it'll probably all be ok.

The fact remains that uncontrolled diabetes is very serious. But CONTROLLED diabetes is the leading cause of nothing. Many people don't realise that either of these statements are true so anything an education course can do to spread this sort of message has to be a good thing.

 

[Redkite]

The fact remains that uncontrolled diabetes is very serious. But CONTROLLED diabetes is the leading cause of nothing. Many people don't realise that either of these statements are true so anything an education course can do to spread this sort of message has to be a good thing.

I agree with this 100%. It's not about putting the fear of God into people, it's about being honest about diabetes and the effects it can have on your health and life expectancy if it is poorly controlled. It isn't helpful to tell a person that they have mild diabetes, give them no help and education in how to control it, and then wait until their health worsens. Much better to empower patients with knowledge and tools (BG testing kits) to manage their own condition and lead a long healthy life. Some health professionals may have a poor bedside manner, but you need to look beyond that - diabetes is serious, but you have the ability to take control into your own hands and keep yourself healthy. 🙂

 

[Mark T]

l am interested in what members think of something l was told after attending a DEC l was told that the government is so worried about the expense of treating the growing number of people with diabetes that they put the fear of god up the people attending the courses to make them really alarmed and watch what they are doing eating and caring for their feet properly.

But obviously, not so alarmed that they will provide proper access to test strips and education on how to use them effectively...

 

[trophywench]

Natasha, that is 100% correct - in 1972 I was utterly gobsmacked at all the crutches and wheelchairs in the waiting room. There was nobody there except me, who wasn't elderly - I assumed at first it was a general waiting room and they were going to see doctors for other types of illness ........

 

[Carmina]

But obviously, not so alarmed that they will provide proper access to test strips and education on how to use them effectively...

Or stop telling someone who's reduced her FBG from 28 to an average for this week of 6.2 (in 7 weeks since diagnosis), and reduced her cholesterol, weight and blood pressure into the bargain, that she really must eat at least 100G of carbs a day, if not more. 😡