Really discouraging appointment, and insulin related weight gain in T2s

[Lucyr]

Do you have a diabetes nurse who is helpful? If so I'd maybe talk to her or him about getting the Libre and also about getting more appropriate weight loss advice. When my hospital weren't prescribing Libres for type 1s, my diabetes nurse (the regular surgery one, not a DSN) was able to get me one by contacting a consultant at a different hospital and getting him to prescribe, so it's worth persevering asking different people about that.

I don’t specifically have a diabetes nurse, though I think I’m being summoned to see the one at the GP surgery. I can ask them but don’t imagine they could give one if the hospital already said no.

Last time I asked a hospital DSN about libre she was more positive, said I sounded like the kind of person it would be perfect for but that she couldn’t action anything until local guidelines for T2 were released (this was after the nice guidelines came out but those hadnt been adopted locally yet). I’ve googled my area and not found anything on type2 libre guidelines so no idea what the official position is.

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

It's worth asking the diabetes nurse if you can get to see one and they're sympathetic, if you explain how much having the sensors helped you and reduced your HbA1c - it's just one awful doctor at the hospital who said no, so the nurse might be able to find someone else there who would prescribe one for you, if your local guidelines allow or can be wangled to allow. It's easier for the surgery nurse to get in touch with the hospital than it is for patients, and the surgery nurse is more likely to know who best to ask.

And even if you get another no this time, do keep asking - it took me a while and several discussions to get mine, under the old guidelines for type 1s.

 

[DaveB]

Hi. It's obvious from what you say that the Dr you saw hasn't a clue so better luck next time. Insulin cannot cause weight gain so he is wrong there. What insulin does is enable the body to convert any carbs you eat to glucose and if you eat too many you will gain weight and have raised BS. In my opinion you would be better to focus on Carbs rather than Calories. Calories are not a food as such and a Calorie can be made up of any combination of foods and the body handles each food group in different ways. So, if you do have excess weight then keep the Carbs down and have enough Fats and Proteins to keep you feeling full. If you do have any insulin resistance then reducing the carbs will help and you may be able to reduce your insulin intake accordingly

 

[Lucyr]

Hi. It's obvious from what you say that the Dr you saw hasn't a clue so better luck next time. Insulin cannot cause weight gain so he is wrong there. What insulin does is enable the body to convert any carbs you eat to glucose and if you eat too many you will gain weight and have raised BS. In my opinion you would be better to focus on Carbs rather than Calories. Calories are not a food as such and a Calorie can be made up of any combination of foods and the body handles each food group in different ways. So, if you do have excess weight then keep the Carbs down and have enough Fats and Proteins to keep you feeling full. If you do have any insulin resistance then reducing the carbs will help and you may be able to reduce your insulin intake accordingly

I don’t want to focus on carbs as I get ketones very quickly if I reduce carbs, I’ve had ketones of ++++ the last two days as it is, and eating fat gives me an upset stomach. Doing both low carb, low fat and low calorie wouldn’t be sustainable long term, so I’d rather focus on reduced calories and if that means generally less carbs as a side effect that’s fine.