Would you like to help raise awareness of diabetes complications?

[Maz2]

Pre-diabetic, got out of it, and back in it again. I agree with the other posters. I think maybe all this nonsense about eating bread and breakfast cereal and drinking fruit juice first thing in a morning; sandwiches at lunchtime, potatoes in the evening, pasta and rice as long as it is brown should be overturned and all this tripe about eating fat causing problems. I realise a diet of tons and tons of saturated fat is not good but good fats are fine.

When I went on the prevention programme it was carbs, carbs, carbs, with every meal. I ignored it and still ignore it. Unfortunately, I am back to the drawing board again as my bloods have gone up again to 42. I am underweight, do not eat loads of potatoes, do not eat pasta or rice, do not eat loads of bread, chocolate, biscuits, desserts etc. I am not trying to make out I am a saint because I am not but I would be interested in how the media would work out this is my fault!!

I am testing again and trying to discover what it is that is causing the trouble. I have recently been eating oat bran porridge rather than my usual one from the health shop. I did a reading yesterday and went up from 4.8 to 7.3. I know that is within the parameters but I am going to stop eating it as I think that is quite a jump and I would rather stop those kinds of jumps if I can. What was interesting was that the reading at 2 hrs was 5.2 but \I had also checked at 1 hr and that was where the spike was.

I suppose it is a good idea to warn people of complications. I know a lady of 87 who has been diabetic for 21 years (Type II) and she is fine. I know someone else who has been diabetic for 13 yrs and is fine from that p oint of view. he has other med probs but not from diabetes.

My GP said that complications are not inevitable if control is kept. He felt most of the trouble was caused by people not knowing they were diabetic and, by the time they found out, it was too late. He does not appreciate all this "patient blaming" either. I asked him why he thought mine had gone up again as I have worked hard to keep it under control and he said my pancreas may be more insulin resistant now I am 64 than it was when I was younger but he really cannot explain it. I hope my own self-testing will give me some indication of what is going on.

As I said earlier I am sick to death of the media blaming patients for everything. They are even doing it now with cancer.

 

[Maz2]

Another thing although not really related to diabetes. While the media are having a go at diabetics, why don't they say something about alcohol consumption. I know people who drink a bottle of wine a night and that is up to them. I am not suggesting they are blamed for their plight if they have medical problems as I don't agree with that at all but perhaps the media, if they want to keep blaming patients, should look at that as well.

 

[trophywench]

I'll happily tell my tale about my first encounters with the outpatients department in my local hospital after I was diagnosed and hospitalised - I'd already had a bit of an argument with the stupid woman with straggly hair and a faded old overall complete with down at heel unpolished black shoes who looked like a cleaner who announced herself as the diabetes nurse when she arrived at my bedside and introduced herself.

As she walked along the ward, my 'mate' Brenda in the next bed were talking and we both said we hadn't seen her before and wondered what job she did, cos they'd swept mopped and polished the complete floor of the whole ward only that morning and she certainly wasn't a nurse - no sticky out cornflour blue shirt waister, no cap and no starched white apron and looked old enough to me to be our grandma - in which case we'd take her to get her hair done at least. She brought me some British Diabetes Association leaflets which were all about complications and welcomed me to diabetes. She spotted my birth control pills just inside the open shelf and announced I'd have to give those up.

I was immediately riled by this statement - we were skint - mortgaged up to beyond our eyeballs and No Way Pedro could we afford children - so decided to have some fun. Oh right said I, so if I pack up taking them - will it cure the diabetes? - be worth doing I mean? Oh no said she (I knew very well it wouldn't anyway) but some believe they might increase the chances of getting diabetes. Ah, then you are actually suggesting I shut the door after the horse is bolted and seem to think that's a good idea? - well, I don't frankly so No I won't give them up!

She looked appalled and stood up to take her leave, literally gasping out as she did so, that she'd have to report me to the Professor. Report me to who the hell you like, luv! I said as she stalked away and sailed out of the double doors at the end of the ward. (He turned out to be the Diabetes consultant and was lovely actually.)

She turned out to be the woman who took your notes in to the doctor you were to see in outpatients when you went. The waiting room was full of elderly people, a number of them amputees, with sticks or crutches, some in wheelchairs - they often had middle aged or other elderly people with them. The very occasional child under school age (no 5+ year old youngsters) and at almost 23, I was by far the youngest - and smartest - person in the whole place - dire.

After the first 2 years of this, I just decided not to bother going there cos nobody ever told me anything new or suggested anything I might try, such a rubber stamping exercise and involved having the whole day off work as it took me 90 minutes to get home (had a lift both ways on normal days) so I'd have to leave at lunchtime plus it cost and we didn't have spare money - and everyone was told to arrive at 2pm so you just had to sit and wait.

It wasn't until we had a new GP about 5 years later who noticed immediately there was nothing from the hospital and I said that I must have dropped off the system for some reason - and that was one of the things I needed to ask him about that day (blatant lie) and I went back - it had changed for the better, with a well groomed young middle aged, smart nurse in a proper uniform but without cap and apron, and shoes with a small heel, a glucometer to hand and younger doctors who were cheerful and liked a joke - so I stayed. LOL

Had it not been for the coincidence of a GP retiring and being replaced by one who'd most recently been a Diabetes clinic Houseman in a large hospital - who knows what state I might be in by now?

Instead it's 46 years in August this year, and no diabetes complications as yet.

So from this I conclude it's more down to pure luck in my case.

 

[Diabetes UK]

Thank you all for your feedback on this - it really is great to have such valid and insightful points raised and this discussion has highlighted some important points.

As many of you have mentioned, there are multiple issues to be addressed. This includes improvements in the information and dietary advice offered at diagnosis, access to test strips, attitudes in the media or attitudes of healthcare professionals, to name just a few. There are many more. But, we can only focus on one issue, to ensure the campaign is effective. Some of the concerns that have been mentioned, we are already campaigning about or improving on an ongoing basis. The media portrayal of diabetes can be disappointing. Our Press Team offer guidance to journalists, to try to ensure that diabetes is portrayed correctly where possible.

Many of you have mentioned concerns about the care that you or others have received in relation to diabetes.
There is undoubtedly room for improvement in diabetes care. Tere is also examples of good practice and innovation already happening within the NHS. Our Healthcare Engagement Team support and effectively collaborate with HCPs, to Improve care for PWD – through sharing the most up to date information on good care delivery, communicating best practice or examples of innovation. This is done through Regional Teams, communication channels, involvement networks, clinical programmes, forums and conferences. All of this forms part of just some of the progress that is being made in improvements in care. But we cannot change the NHS overnight, and we have to be realistic about other factors, for example the extent of the resources available to NHS staff.

 

[Diabetes UK]

I'd like to see a campaign aimed at health care professionals to make them aware that forums like this exist..

Absolutley - Raising awareness with HCPs, of the benefit of forums like this, is one of the things I will be focusing on this year. You are all the experts on diabetes and sharing your knowledge and experience between each other has the same value and power as healthcare professionals sharing knowledge and experience of 'good practice'. The 24/7, ongoing support that is available here is something of great value, that cannot be offered by the NHS and something that I will be focusing on highlighting, so yes - great point @mark

 

[zx10pilot]

Raising awareness with HCPs, of the benefit of forums like this, is one of the things I will be focusing on this year.

Something's definitely working as this forum was recommended to me by my DSN on my 2nd appointment after diagnosis nearly two years ago.

 

[Grannylorraine]

Something's definitely working as this forum was recommended to me by my DSN on my 2nd appointment after diagnosis nearly two years ago.

reply it was recommended to me as well by my diabetes nurse and on my diabetes course, but I had already found it the day I was diagnosed. But at least it was recommended, but my DN's husband is diabetic, so she is very well informed.