Diabetes nurse

[jalapino]

Evening everyone 🙂 had to see my asthma nurse this evening and it ended up being my diabetes nurse....so she quickly got the asthma stuff out of the way and straight onto the diabetes🙄 bearing in mind going to see her 3rd of july as going away on hols...asking about food and blood levels etc...it seems no matter what i eat or don't eat it's like well don't eat that don't eat this bla bla bla...she is very nice and gives good advice but it's like just don't eat!!! that way she will be happy honestly i can't win rahhhh!!!🙄now she is saying i should have extra meds for my diabetes..as i now have high blood pressure and might have to take extra meds to go with my metoforim....just as i am getting to grips with it all she now says i need more drugs.....very confused:confused

 

[Northerner]

Ant, there may be some things that your body doesn't tolerate well, and it may be dependent on portion size or even time of day, but generally you shouldn't feel overly restricted on what you can eat. Everything in moderation, as they say 🙂 Reserve the real 'sins' for special occasions and treats.

When people are diagnosed, particularly with Type 2 where they may have had it unknowingly for possibly many years, it's quite a challenge sometimes for the medics to get the treatment regimes right, so there might be a bit of chopping and changing with various regimes until what works best for you is found. It will come if you stick with it! 🙂

 

[jalapino]

Ant, there may be some things that your body doesn't tolerate well, and it may be dependent on portion size or even time of day, but generally you shouldn't feel overly restricted on what you can eat. Everything in moderation, as they say 🙂 Reserve the real 'sins' for special occasions and treats.

When people are diagnosed, particularly with Type 2 where they may have had it unknowingly for possibly many years, it's quite a challenge sometimes for the medics to get the treatment regimes right, so there might be a bit of chopping and changing with various regimes until what works best for you is found. It will come if you stick with it! 🙂

Fair enough but i really have turned my whole diet around, i no longer eat take-aways i no longer eat anything fried or chips anything like that and i did have a lamb kebab last night but home made, i add no sugar salt or fat etc and i love cooking so it's all home made and meat from the butcher, i also grow my own veg in my garden as fresh is best. i use good quality produce as i no this is better than big brand markets, i have not been norty at all in the last 2 months...but yes i like hot and spicy food but i add my own home grown chillies into pretty much anything, but honestly i do not eat cra* this is the only reason i lost so much weight. 🙂

 

[Northerner]

Fair enough but i really have turned my whole diet around, i no longer eat take-aways i no longer eat anything fried or chips anything like that and i did have a lamb kebab last night but home made, i add no sugar salt or fat etc and i love cooking so it's all home made and meat from the butcher, i also grow my own veg in my garden as fresh is best. i use good quality produce as i no this is better than big brand markets, i have not been norty at all in the last 2 months...but yes i like hot and spicy food but i add my own home grown chillies into pretty much anything, but honestly i do not eat cra* this is the only reason i lost so much weight. 🙂

Sounds like you have really turned things around 🙂 So what's your nurse complaining about?

 

[jalapino]

Sounds like you have really turned things around 🙂 So what's your nurse complaining about?

She wants 100% that was her words, this i understand but anything i say i ate she says no no no..where does the line stop🙂....it,s like when i first saw her she said i tried this diet it was sooo hard then she goes home to a burger king lol 🙂

 

[mcdonagh47]

So what's your nurse complaining about?

High Blood Pressure.
And rightly so. Hypertension in T2s has to be tackled aggressively.
Jalapeno might need diuretic like Bendroflumethiazide as a first step or possibly an ACE (like Lramipril) to protect the kidneys by lowering the blood pressure.

 

[spiritfree]

I always have high blood pressure when I go to clinic, because I get so nervous. If I sit quietly for a little while it goes back to normal. Did she try taking it again, a few minutes after first time?

 

[KateR]

I always have high blood pressure when I go to clinic, because I get so nervous. If I sit quietly for a little while it goes back to normal. Did she try taking it again, a few minutes after first time?

Yeah, white coat syndrome. I get that with my GP but not with the DSN, LOL.

 

[trophywench]

They should never DX high or low BP on just one reading. Normally they ask you to come back next week or something, and observe it before they prescribe - even for diabetics.

How many times has it been done recently?

Thing is, have to say ... hot spicy food can affect your BP, esp if it's a tad on the high side even without ..... but if it is that what d'you wanna do? - pack in eating it or take the pills? LOL

Food generally ... go on then - tell us what you ate yesterday and today. Everything. No holds barred.

If anyone on here can see anything that rings alarm bells, let them say so! (I mean I'd cut the chillis out owing to the fact I don't reallly like anything too hot, but I don't mean, Yuk I hate eating that - just diabetes alarm bells! - maybe you could have chillis as one of yer 5 a day ... LOL)

 

[jalapino]

I always have high blood pressure when I go to clinic, because I get so nervous. If I sit quietly for a little while it goes back to normal. Did she try taking it again, a few minutes after first time?

Been to clinic 3 times in 4 weeks as they keep getting back every 2 weeks at the mo, bp high everytime last time was 175/85 she looked at me and said hmmm? then starred at the computer saying nothing for like 1 min lol and said im thinking and like you i also get nervous 🙂

 

[Northerner]

Been to clinic 3 times in 4 weeks as they keep getting back every 2 weeks at the mo, bp high everytime last time was 175/85 she looked at me and said hmmm? then starred at the computer saying nothing for like 1 min lol and said im thinking and like you i also get nervous 🙂

I have this problem every time I am tested at GPs. I got a home blood pressure meter and take my level each day - it's always perfectly OK and way below what I get at the docs! I showed the results to the doc, who wanted to increase my BP meds and she decided I didn't need to 🙂

 

[jalapino]

Food generally ... go on then - tell us what you ate yesterday and today. Everything. No holds barred.

Ok so from 2 days ago, don't eat breki ever, we have tea break at 10.00am at work so eat 1 pot noodle (bombay bad boy) 🙄 then luch break at 1.00pm (bombay bad boy)...dinner 5.00pm lamb kofta (home made) 1brown pitta bread with salad no taties or dressing just ickkle bit of chilli sauce.

Yesterday 10.00am (bombay bad boy)...1.00pm banana small portion of sushi...5.00pm 3 small new potato's chicken olive from butcher and green beans. no gravy or chilies that time

 

[jalapino]

I have this problem every time I am tested at GPs. I got a home blood pressure meter and take my level each day - it's always perfectly OK and way below what I get at the docs! I showed the results to the doc, who wanted to increase my BP meds and she decided I didn't need to 🙂

Maybe i should invest in one as i honestly don't won't to take more tabs, back to 2 metoforim tabs now and there playing havic with my tummy and other end 🙄 i hate them just make me feel icky all the time, even now my tummy is growling at me 🙂

 

[Mark T]

....1 pot noodle (bombay bad boy) ....

70g of Carbohydrate in that pot noodle 😱

 

[mcdonagh47]

Been to clinic 3 times in 4 weeks as they keep getting back every 2 weeks at the mo, bp high everytime last time was 175/85 she looked at me and said hmmm? then starred at the computer saying nothing for like 1 min lol and said im thinking and like you i also get nervous 🙂

I think 130/80 is the recommendation for Type 2 Diabetics.

Looks like you might well need help in that area.

 

[Emmaathome]

My BP is up - took 4 readings at the docs on Monday night, all of which were high - I'm already taking Ramipiril (apologies for spelling), and she has added in another tablet which is Ano something - cant remember name. 🙄

My reading on Sunday night - in the comfort of my own home - was 150/130.... 😡

I am now taking 2 BP tabs, 2 diabetes tabs (but not Metformin due to side effects) plus insulin.

Back in March on diagnosis, I didnt want to take anything. Now I just think if I can get a helping hand to get things back under control along with my diet and exercise then I'll take whats on offer - I'm more scared of the longer term issues I face from high BG / BP so want to get these down as soon as possible. We have a family history of heart problems, so I want to do whatever I can to sort this as quickly as I am able! And yes, I rattle when I walk due to the number of tablets!!! 🙂

Just to add - I am not suggesting you should take more tablets for the sake of it! Just I needed to weigh up the benefits / down side for my own circumstances!! 🙂

 

[DeusXM]

Ok so from 2 days ago, don't eat breki ever, we have tea break at 10.00am at work so eat 1 pot noodle (bombay bad boy) then luch break at 1.00pm (bombay bad boy)...dinner 5.00pm lamb kofta (home made) 1brown pitta bread with salad no taties or dressing just ickkle bit of chilli sauce.

Yesterday 10.00am (bombay bad boy)...1.00pm banana small portion of sushi...5.00pm 3 small new potato's chicken olive from butcher and green beans. no gravy or chilies that time

I don't want to take away from your achievements so far, but your diet still needs a lot of work.

Diabetes isn't about an arbitrary list of foods you can and can't eat. You need to eat to your meter. If you have normal BG, eat something and 2 hours later, your BG is normal again (ie. under 6mmol/l), it's probably fine. If not, you need to look at changing something. At the risk of sounding patronising, eating two pot noodles a day (and eating pot noodle for breakfast) is NOT a smart dietary choice anyway. For a start, they are loaded with carbohydrate, which will raise your blood sugar. Secondly, they're stuffed with salt, that will likely wreak havoc on your blood pressure. The lamb kebab is a better choice but is still not 'healthy' by a major stretch because of its salt content. Meanwhile, the bananas and the sushi are also carbo-loaded as well and will potentially stress your metabolism. What's your BG like before and after all these things.

I love chillis too but there are far better and healthier ways to get your fix without eating something loaded in salt and sugar. You can make a great chilli using tinned tomatoes, chillis, chilli powder, onions and pepper and serve with a side salad - far lower in carbs, lower in salt and will probably be generally better overall for you. For your lamb kebab, consider ditching the pita entirely. You should probably have some sort of breakfast as well. Not eating in the morning causes your liver to dump glucose into your blood and stresses your body. It's be a good idea to eat something, like a low-carb yoghurt perhaps, or even just a really milky cup of tea or coffee.

 

[Northerner]

...If you have normal BG, eat something and 2 hours later, your BG is normal again (ie. under 6mmol/l), it's probably fine. ...

Aiming for below 6 mmol/l at two hours is pushing the boundaries rather a lot don't you think? Especially for someone relatively new to it all and still working on establishing medication doses. If I am at 6 or below at two hours it probably means I have an impending hypo to look forward to in the subsequent two hours. Even for a Type 2 not on insulin and not at risk of a hypo, aiming for a 6 is going to severely restrict diet choices and probably quality of life. I don't see any problem with aiming for the 8.5 suggested by NICE, DUK etc.

 

[DeusXM]

I agree that yeah, if you're new to this, yes, go a little easier on the targets. But once people have a handle on their diabetes, they should aim for much control as they can. Perhaps the 6 is a little low, maybe push it up to 7. But what tends to be forgotten is that BGs over 7 cause damage, straight away.

Frankly, Diabetes UK and NICE's targets are complete bunk. WHO guidelines for A1C call for 6.5% or lower, yet 'official' in this country actively pressure people against getting sub 6.5% A1cs. And then they wonder why they're having to treat so many complications. I understand there are issues about patient compliance but there does come a point where these organisations need to recognise there needs to be some stick along with the carrot.

Sometimes I feel that the NHS gives up on people the moment they have diabetes - there's almost this resigned shrug that we're all screwed and it's better for someone to footle along with readings in the 8s and vaguely comply so they're happy, rather than push people to maintain their health at the cost of a few grumpy days. To put in in perspective, our society and healthcare service are both very quick to start telling people to make big changes the moment someone becomes slightly overweight. Yet we don't think telling people to lay off the chips and go for a run is restricting their dietary choices and ruining their quality of life. Why do we get so coy when it comes to managing diabetes?

That's why I love it when a nurse/endo tells me I need to do better, even when my control is 'reasonable' - it shows they actually care about me being well beyond the minimum, and they think it's possible.

 

[Northerner]

I do agree about many of the HCPs attitudes towards people once they are diagnosed There's such a fuss about what a terrible thing it is to put yourself at risk of developing diabetes, with all the accompanying horror stories about complications, yet the number of people who visit here and report an almost complete lack of interest in helping people once diagnosed is nothing short of scandalous And the people who seek help on forums such as this are generally highly motivated to take the best possible care of themselves, so it is doubly distressing to hear that even they are getting little, no, or bad support in managing their diabetes. 😡