My nurse appointment

[Sally W]

Just got back from doctors as I’d asked my nurse to demonstrate my Code Free meter and ask for sharps box.

I explained I was intending to test pre and post meal with some carbs once a week, eg tonight having spaghetti bolognaise, to help determine which foods spike my blood. She told me I had it completely wrong. I need to avoid fat like cheese, only test before a meal and eat carbs but not to excess. When I explained I’d read Reverse your Diabetes by Dr Cavan who recommends short term testing to determine trigger foods she said I was taking one doctors opinion in isolation. I cited other doctors too and she told me I was worrying too much and probably doing myself more harm than good than testing and reducing carbs. Seriously!

 

[Mark Parrott]

OMG, @Sally W, what a waste of time that was! But not surprising. I would love to know how her other patients are getting on with that advice. Probably not very well. How can only testing BEFORE meals help anyone? That shows you absolutely nothing. It's meaningless without a post meal test. Stupid nurse!😡

 

[Sally W]

OMG, @Sally W, what a waste of time that was! But not surprising. I would love to know how her other patients are getting on with that advice. Probably not very well. How can only testing BEFORE meals help anyone? That shows you absolutely nothing. It's meaningless without a post meal test. Stupid nurse!😡

Hmm that’s what I thought Mark! My BS was 8, 2 hours after testing which I thought was a bit high too? She said I wouldn’t want to lower than that. It’s exasperating trying to get help from GP

 

[grovesy]

Recommendation is less than 8.5 2hours after food.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Personally I'd complain and refuse to see that nurse again. (I did, and eventually changed practice.)
8 after eating is a reasonable figure. Although it does depend on what you were before, and what your general figures are.

 

[Sally W]

Personally I'd complain and refuse to see that nurse again. (I did, and eventually changed practice.)
8 after eating is a reasonable figure. Although it does depend on what you were before, and what your general figures are.

Previous nurse was just as bad which is why I waited for her to leave before going back. I’ll do some research and consider moving if I can get a better GP

 

[AndBreathe]

@Sally W - When my own nurse said something similar, I looked her in the eye and asked her if that's what she would do, if she were in my shoes.

The silence was deafening.

Out of interest, did she help you with guidance on using your meter?

 

[Ljc]

Omg I feel sorry for the people who take her advise believing that she knows best, She is not the one who is going to live with the consequences of her advice.
What a waste of your valuable time that appointment was. Let your numbers speak for themselves.
I agree depending on your pre meal test 8 is a reasonable figure.
I’d see how your next appointment with her goes, if more poor advise is given then I would put in a complaint. My first appointment with the nurse at the practice I am with now didn’t go too well, in fact I was most unimpressed with her however things have improved, hopefully your nurse will too.

 

[Sally W]

@Sally W - When my own nurse said something similar, I looked her in the eye and asked her if that's what she would do, if she were in my shoes.

The silence was deafening.

Out of interest, did she help you with guidance on using your meter?

A little. She used her own lancet which gave me a huge tear in the skin, so hopefully will be less than mine. At least I have that to get started. I’m only intending to use for a short time to determine a few carbs. Still unsettling to have someone so vehemently sure they are right.

 

[Sally W]

Omg I feel sorry for the people who take her advise believing that she knows best, She is not the one who is going to live with the consequences of her advice.
What a waste of your valuable time that appointment was. Let your numbers speak for themselves.
I agree depending on your pre meal test 8 is a reasonable figure.
I’d see how your next appointment with her goes, if more poor advise is given then I would put in a complaint. My first appointment with the nurse at the practice I am with now didn’t go too well, in fact I was most unimpressed with her however things have improved, hopefully your nurse will too.

Yes. My hope is if I can eat and few more of certain carbs and therefore fewer nuts and cheese I’ll get some weight off and I’ll have the evidence I need to put her right

 

[Bubbsie]

Just got back from doctors as I’d asked my nurse to demonstrate my Code Free meter and ask for sharps box.

I explained I was intending to test pre and post meal with some carbs once a week, eg tonight having spaghetti bolognaise, to help determine which foods spike my blood. She told me I had it completely wrong. I need to avoid fat like cheese, only test before a meal and eat carbs but not to excess. When I explained I’d read Reverse your Diabetes by Dr Cavan who recommends short term testing to determine trigger foods she said I was taking one doctors opinion in isolation. I cited other doctors too and she told me I was worrying too much and probably doing myself more harm than good than testing and reducing carbs. Seriously!

I just despair of some DSN's...now I see my GP for reviews & will not see the DSN...he doesn't know much about diabetes...gives me little advice but at least he doesn't give me poor advice...thankfully we can manage type 2 ourselves once we find the right direction...honestly...it makes me despair.

 

[AndBreathe]

A little. She used her own lancet which gave me a huge tear in the skin, so hopefully will be less than mine. At least I have that to get started. I’m only intending to use for a short time to determine a few carbs. Still unsettling to have someone so vehemently sure they are right.

Well, I thought that too, when I started testing, but I found the personal, real time feedback to be so invaluable I kept going.

A 4 years, post-diagnosis and over 3 back off the diabetes register, I still test periodicall, or if I feel something might be going awry. Only the other day, my OH commented he hadn't seen me with the button attached. The button = a Libre sensor. He refuses to get caught up inb the details. 🙂

 

[Sally W]

I just despair of some DSN's...now I see my GP for reviews & will not see the DSN...he doesn't know much about diabetes...gives me little advice but at least he doesn't give me poor advice...thankfully we can manage type 2 ourselves once we find the right direction...honestly...it makes me despair.

My perception is a lot of GPS have little knowledge of how opto manage

 

[Kathy1960]

It's unbelievable that GPs and practice nurses (and the nhs in general really) don't seem to have grasped the basics of low carb eating and testing! It has been proved over and over again what a positive impact these measures have on managing type 2. Don't get me started on the HARRIET course - that's what it's called here - absolute rubbish! I only lasted 1 and 1/2 sessions. I have learnt so much from this forum and only go to the docs for my Hba1C checks. It's worrying though that they are giving people such bad - and actually wrong -advice. There must be so many people who never get to hear about low carb and self testing and just go on what their GP practice tells them, and end up on more and more meds. Having said that, I do understand that for some people their sugars will rise with the best will in the world and they will need the increased meds. x

 

[Bubbsie]

My perception is a lot of GPS have little knowledge of how opto manage

I asked my GP if he knew much about T2 Sally...he said "no not a lot"...at least he was honest...almost two years down the line I know what I'm doing reasonably well...have good control of my BG's...fortunately my diabetes can be managed reasonably well at present with little input from my GP.

 

[Bubbsie]

It's unbelievable that GPs and practice nurses (and the nhs in general really) don't seem to have grasped the basics of low carb eating and testing! It has been proved over and over again what a positive impact these measures have on managing type 2. Don't get me started on the HARRIET course - that's what it's called here - absolute rubbish! I only lasted 1 and 1/2 sessions. I have learnt so much from this forum and only go to the docs for my Hba1C checks. It's worrying though that they are giving people such bad - and actually wrong -advice. There must be so many people who never get to hear about low carb and self testing and just go on what their GP practice tells them, and end up on more and more meds. Having said that, I do understand that for some people their sugars will rise with the best will in the world and they will need the increased meds. x

It can't be any worse than the DESMOND course I attended Kathy...I stayed for half a day...then spoke to the educator...who felt I was too advanced for the course...apart from that this forum in the early days was a great help...plus lots of reading & research...I'm not surprised at the advice @Sally W was given...many of us here have heard the same...and worse...I test & have done since the early days...its useful...gives me something to focus on...it does give great feedback...I go to the doctors for my review & I have my testing strips on prescription.

 

[Sally W]

I asked my GP if he knew much about T2 Sally...he said "no not a lot"...at least he was honest...almost two years down the line I know what I'm doing reasonably well...have good control of my BG's...fortunately my diabetes can be managed reasonably well at present with little input from my GP.

That’s good news

 

[Ralph-YK]

Still unsettling to have someone so vehemently sure they are right.

That's not so bad, if what they're doing is right.

I asked my GP if he knew much about T2 Sally...he said "no not a lot"...at least he was honest

I don't remember Bubbsie, is he actually being supportive of you managing your diabetes. Even if his knowledge is limited.

 

[Bubbsie]

That's not so bad, if what they're doing is right.

I don't remember Bubbsie, is he actually being supportive of you managing your diabetes. Even if his knowledge is limited.

He is very supportive now Ralph...we did get off to a very bad start but now have a good working relationship...at my reviews we discuss treatment options...he prescribes me testing strips & recommends books I have used to newly diagnosed T2 patients...so it's all good...at one of my appointments with him he showed me a course he was to go on entitled 'update your knowledge of diabetes'.

 

[Jeandp]

I explained I was intending to test pre and post meal with some carbs once a week, eg tonight having spaghetti bolognaise, to help determine which foods spike my blood. She told me I had it completely wrong. I need to avoid fat like cheese, only test before a meal and eat carbs but not to excess. When I explained I’d read Reverse your Diabetes by Dr Cavan who recommends short term testing to determine trigger foods she said I was taking one doctors opinion in isolation. I cited other doctors too and she told me I was worrying too much and probably doing myself more harm than good than testing and reducing carbs. Seriously!

You should not have to put up with people in the medical profession trying to make you feel stupid, when it is them that are wrong. It is criminal that they get away with this. How many lives are they damaging? It's not right!!