There doesn't seem to be any urgency from my GP!

[Julitt]

Hi. I'm a nurse, and my son developed diabetes following sudden weight gain from an antipsychotic which also has the side effect of causing diabetes T2, even in people who are a healthy weight. I feel that while the NHS is very good at identifying that T2D is fast becoming a massive problem for the UK they don't seem keen to help with the most basic health strategies. We have been waiting 3 years to see a dietitian, his diabetes nurse didn't even follow up his abnormal bloods, and nobody is interested in supporting him to lose weight. I've done all I can to help him, and fear for his future. I hope I will find some support here, and I look forward to getting to know people.

 

[grovesy]

In 20 years never seen a Dietician.

 

[Leadinglights]

You don't say how old your son is or if he is on any diabetes medication but I'm afraid these days that people have to take a proactive role in managing their condition. Education about diabetes and the importance of making dietary changes will help you find a way forward.
Having a dietary approach that fits with family life makes it easier for people to engage with making changes without feeling they are different or missing out hence why I think the principals in this link are ones which people have found successful in both losing weight and reducing blood glucose. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

 

[Leadinglights]

I came across this in another thread which may be useful to you with respect to your son.

https://www.t1resources.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/downloads/BDITeenEtiquette.pdf

 

[john e]

How can you access a dietitian? Most people will be able to see a dietitian within the NHS after being referred by an NHS GP, other doctor, health visitor or health professional. You can also self-refer – contact your local hospital nutrition and dietetics team to see if this is something they offer. Consultations with dietitians within the NHS are free.

 

[Julitt]

You don't say how old your son is or if he is on any diabetes medication but I'm afraid these days that people have to take a proactive role in managing their condition. Education about diabetes and the importance of making dietary changes will help you find a way forward.
Having a dietary approach that fits with family life makes it easier for people to engage with making changes without feeling they are different or missing out hence why I think the principals in this link are ones which people have found successful in both losing weight and reducing blood glucose. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

Hi. He's 28 and has severe mental health problems. I've educated him as much as I can, but motivating him to eat well and take exercise is exhausting. I've cooked healthy meals and stopped buying junk food years ago, but he goes out and buys his own. I bought an "Eat well" plate, created menus and had long discussions with him, but when he's low or stressed food is his comfort. He's on 500mg of Metformin twice a day, which he hates. He's lost weight and been in remission twice in the past, but always goes back to his old ways, even though he knows it will make him ill. We lost my husband (his Dad) 3 years back after a two-year fight with Motor Neurone Disease, and to be honest, we're all struggling to find healthy ways to cope. If I could afford to I'd employ a health coach/trainer to see if someone outside the family could motivate him.

 

[rebrascora]

In my experience the dietary advice from the NHS in managing Type 2 diabetes is well behind the curve so I would not put a great deal of store on that option. You can learn what you need to know here on the forum.

There are two main option....
A short term very low CALORIE diet like the Newcastle or Fast 800 which is basically 800 CALS a day often using meal replacement shakes

or

A low CARBOHYDRATE approach which is about making lifestyle changes for life to manage BG levels but usually helps with weight loss in the process. How low carb you need to go will depend on the individual and their diabetes but under 130g carbs a day is a starting point. A few people need to go below 40g a day (Keto) but most people seem to find about 70-100g carbs per day works well for them. Obviously increasing activity levels like a brisk daily walk if able is very helpful too.

 

[Julitt]

How can you access a dietitian? Most people will be able to see a dietitian within the NHS after being referred by an NHS GP, other doctor, health visitor or health professional. You can also self-refer – contact your local hospital nutrition and dietetics team to see if this is something they offer. Consultations with dietitians within the NHS are free.

I've lost count of the number of referrals I've made for him. I just get the standard "We're too busy" letter. His diabetes nurse refused to refer him as she knew they wouldn't have capacity. It's bonkers!

 

[Julitt]

Oh wow! Thank you; that's really helpful.

 

[rebrascora]

Sorry, it seems that I posted just after you did and so apologies if any of my post seems insensitive. I appreciate from what you have said that you are doing as much as you can and were perhaps hoping that some outside influence might help to motivate your son to eat more appropriate food.

 

[Julitt]

In my experience the dietary advice from the NHS in managing Type 2 diabetes is well behind the curve so I would not put a great deal of store on that option. You can learn what you need to know here on the forum.

There are two main option....
A short term very low CALORIE diet like the Newcastle or Fast 800 which is basically 800 CALS a day often using meal replacement shakes

or

A low CARBOHYDRATE approach which is about making lifestyle changes for life to manage BG levels but usually helps with weight loss in the process. How low carb you need to go will depend on the individual and their diabetes but under 130g carbs a day is a starting point. A few people need to go below 40g a day (Keto) but most people seem to find about 70-100g carbs per day works well for them. Obviously increasing activity levels like a brisk daily walk if able is very helpful too.

Thank you so much; he has a 5 year old son who lives with us, and I'm trying to motivate him to take a walk every day with him. I think I just needed some understanding and support before I tried again. You've been really helpful and kind.

 

[Julitt]

Sorry, it seems that I posted just after you did and so apologies if any of my post seems insensitive. I appreciate from what you have said that you are doing as much as you can and were perhaps hoping that some outside influence might help to motivate your son to eat more appropriate food.

Not at all! I really appreciate your help xXx

 

[rebrascora]

I also struggle with comfort eating, stress and depression and what I have found is that a low carb higher fat diet stops the cravings. I know we have been told that fat is bad all our lives but the fat actually stops us from feeling hungry and it may actually be our low fat diet (and highly processed high carb foods) which has lead to our obesity and diabetes epidemic when in fact it was supposed to stop us getting fat. So I eat full fat dairy and cream in my morning coffee instead of milk (cream is lower fat), eat plenty f cheese but no crackers, eggs are great, fatty meat and oily fish. My veg all gets cooked with a knob of butter or a dollop of cream cheese and my cholesterol levels continue to drop. I don't eat bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, cakes or biscuits. I have been eating like this for 3 years now and I rarely get cravings and feel much more in control of my eating and I rarely feel hungry, but most importantly I feel well and younger than I have in years.

 

[rebrascora]

To many of us, the "Eatwell" plate doesn't go anywhere near tackling the carbohydrate issue with diabetes. Wholemeal/whole grains get broken down by the body just like the white variety. Many of us have mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potato and grated cauliflower instead of rice and celeriac chips instead of potato as these are all lower carb options. A cottage pie or fish pie can be topped with mashed cauli and cheese just like potato and tastes just as good. I have curry served on a bed of green beans. I allow myself to have as much of the curry sauce and meat as I want and as many green beans as I want, it is the rice/naan etc which is the problem. Having big platefuls of low carb food and eating until I am full is what helps me and ensuring that I eat plenty of fat which doesn't affect my diabetes and provides slow release energy and keeps me feeling full. It is all contrary to what we have been told pretty well all our lives and I was really apprehensive about going against the NHS low fat advice but it really suits me.

 

[rebrascora]

Breakfast is one of the most important meals when it comes to Type 2 diabetes, because the usual options of cereal or toast are both high carb. Eggs and meat or fish are a better option or many of us have creamy full fat Greek natural yoghurt with a few berries (being the lowest car fruits) and mixed seeds/nuts. An omelette is my other go to breakfast. 2-3 eggs with onion and mushroom and courgettes or spinach and cheese or whatever else needs using up and served with a side salad and a big dollop of cheese (full fat) coleslaw. That will usually keep me going until my evening meal without thinking about lunch.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear about the frustrating time you have been having @Julitt

Feel free to use the forum to offload and vent - while members here may not share your exact experiences, but we can completely understand the slog of battling BGs, healthcare processes and systems, appointments, referrals and what can feel like the uphill battle of making progress.

We are rooting for you, and your son. And hope you can find ways to make some progress, and get appropriate support from his healthcare professionals.

 

[Lucyr]

Hi. He's 28 and has severe mental health problems. I've educated him as much as I can, but motivating him to eat well and take exercise is exhausting. I've cooked healthy meals and stopped buying junk food years ago, but he goes out and buys his own. I bought an "Eat well" plate, created menus and had long discussions with him, but when he's low or stressed food is his comfort. He's on 500mg of Metformin twice a day, which he hates. He's lost weight and been in remission twice in the past, but always goes back to his old ways, even though he knows it will make him ill. We lost my husband (his Dad) 3 years back after a two-year fight with Motor Neurone Disease, and to be honest, we're all struggling to find healthy ways to cope. If I could afford to I'd employ a health coach/trainer to see if someone outside the family could motivate him.

It sounds like a dietician isn’t what you’re looking for here. A dieticians role is to advise on what changes someone can make to their diet to improve their health and meet their goals. It’s not to motivate someone to lose weight. If he goes out and buys food himself then unless he needs someone to teach him what he could buy instead then I’m not sure a dietician would help?

I do see a dietician myself (first time this year after 14 years of diabetes and weight struggles, seen them twice now, once every 2 months) and i do find it useful, but the conversation is very much she asks what I’m eating, makes some suggestions (E.g why don’t you try rice cakes or fruit instead of crisps), but it’s then up to me to choose what changes I implement and implement them.

 

[NotWorriedAtAll]

I think I have a way that may help.
It seems to me that your son uses food as a comfort mechanism and that the food he eats is very much tied in with helping him feel lots of positive feelings and those are more immediately strong than the down the road possibilities of what diabetes will do to him.
I understand that completely.
Instead of trying to change him and his behaviours which has all sorts of complicated side issues and probably won't happen anyway my suggestion is to work with what he likes and find ways of making it so he can have stuff that is almost the same and in some cases better but without the carb load.
I am autistic and the 'swap cauliflower for mash' and eat lettuce wraps instead of bread sandwiches is ok for once in a while but it doesn't cut it for me as a long term plan.

The only way to stick to an eating plan that works is to make the eating plan more desirable than the carby stuff.
It is happily doable. Very doable.
While long term it would be nice to have him eating lean meat and salads and clear soups and jogging three times a week - for now that is cloud cuckoo land and let's do something achievable.
That is what I did the first year of my diagnosis and I have been consistently under good control without diabetes meds for three years now. Not because I have great willpower - I have no willpower - but because I made my 'good' food more naughty and more treat like than the food I ate when I was being naughty pre-diagnosis.
I love chips, pizza, bread, steaks, italian food with loads of melted cheese and pasta and Sunday roast and pies and pastries. Because I am autistic I want them to taste the same and as much as possible have the same smell and textures too.
I spent a couple of years (and i am still learning and developing new recipes) finding ways to make that happen.
I can't bang on for pages here but I can point you to ingredient lists, recipes, and methods and if you have specific foods he loves best of all I can 99 times out of a 100 give you a way to create it and make it so you can make it easily so he has it on tap so to speak.
Most ingredients are available from Tesco or other supermarkets and the others can be easily ordered from Amazon. I am currently working out how to make almost zero carb biscuits that look and taste the same as a standard variety pack so I can have them in time for Christmas - I want to have keto Jammie Dodgers and Bourbons and Custard Creams this year.

If you message me I can go into more detail if you like.
It may be a bit of a learning curve but at least you will have options then which is a start.
My own son who is now 30 is autistic also which is how I found out I was and before we realised autism was a factor I struggled with getting him to eat for the first ten years of his life so I know how emotionally exhausting it can be and how frightening too.
Anyway if you want to get in touch via the message system here feel free. The key is to make it easier and more attractive for him to eat food that won't hurt him and that is eminently doable and although it might be a fair amount of work to begin with eventually you will find it second nature and if you are more relaxed about the whole thing it will just all start working for all of you because stress and struggle makes it all worse and somewhere you need to have that cycle stopped so you can feel more in control of your life because you need to have a breather for you as much as you need for him to be eating safely.

 

[Julitt]

It sounds like a dietician isn’t what you’re looking for here. A dieticians role is to advise on what changes someone can make to their diet to improve their health and meet their goals. It’s not to motivate someone to lose weight. If he goes out and buys food himself then unless he needs someone to teach him what he could buy instead then I’m not sure a dietician would help?

I do see a dietician myself (first time this year after 14 years of diabetes and weight struggles, seen them twice now, once every 2 months) and i do find it useful, but the conversation is very much she asks what I’m eating, makes some suggestions (E.g why don’t you try rice cakes or fruit instead of crisps), but it’s then up to me to choose what changes I implement and implement them.

I understand the role, but I think it's important for a health care professional to tell him what he needs to know rather than his Mum; maybe he'll take it more seriously? I've tried to hire a personal trainer for him at a huge cost, but he declined.