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What is the first advice your doctor gave you when you were diagnosed?

2K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  Ripplingh2o 
#1 ·
I went for years being told I was borderline diabetic and that I either needed to lower either my Blood Glucose or my cholesterol. Neither were bad on their own, but together they were a problem. I was told I needed to make some lifestyle changes, but no details on exactly what those changes should be.

Although they say changes are coming from the ADA and addressing diabetes will focus more on individuals, I think the individual recommendations will continue to come from the same old pool of ideas that have not worked because they tend to always treat symptoms and not address the problem.

What advice has worked for you, what has not, and what needs to be changed?
 
#3 · (Edited)
First thing I heard was "here is script for a referral to a diabetes educator and to a dietitian". From that point on everything started to progress in the wrong direction. I did a receive a blood sugar monitor from the doctor's office and a script for metformin with directions and advised to check myself each morning and to return for a follow up every three months.

What did not work: the dietitian and the diabetes educator had me following the DASH diet; it helped with my blood pressure but not glucose control. Then we tried a low fat; low calorie; low protein along with an exercise program. I was miserably hungry all the time and it lasted a short time only. Mediterranean diet was next; seemed OK; a little better glucose control but not the greatest.

I finally ditched the educator and dietitian and resorted to Atkins. It worked OK and A1C started to drop; then I discovered Keto and that is what is working for me the best all around.

What needs to happen: Providers need to offer additional options to patients in terms of lifestyle changes. Doing a healthy version of a ketogenic diet should be available for those who want to try; its not for everyone. But for me it has been a life changer. The diabetes educators and dietitians will need to be educated in what a healthy ketogenic diet can bring; many I feel do not really understand or have a good grasp of keto.
 
#4 ·
My GP at the time advised me to go Low GI. It was before I had ever heard of keto, paleo, Dietdoctor or any of the rest. I didnt do as she suggested, and until I found low carb, made no real inroads into glucose control. Now, I know if my BG is too high its because I ate the wrong food. Interestingly potato (boiled) doesnt really boost my BG very much. Bread, rice and pasta though... UGH. Anyway she sent me to a diabetic educator who instructed me to have 9 serves of carbs a day. Alas... the worst advice *ever*. I was previously only having one or two. I knew nothing, and followed her advice. Weight increase and loss of diabetic control ensued. (btw a serve in this case is 15g). So, these days I dont ask, I tell my new doc what I am doing, he looks at the numbers and says I'm doing it right and has begun to advise his other diabetic patients to look into LCHF. REsult!
 
#5 ·
It’s eye opening the similar stories of physician ambiguity I’m reading as it relates to diabetes understanding and subsequent treatments. This forum in itself seems infinitely more valuable than what I’ve been instructed to do or follow in managing my (pre)diabetes. At my last Dr’s appointment, when it was finally determined I am prediabetic (or T2) because my A1C was 8.0 the Dr prescribed Metformin and said to follow the titrating instructions from 500-2000 mg over the course of the next 3 weeks. Nothing else was even said! Not like schedule a follow up appointment in 2 months for an a1c recheck. Just wrote the script and sent me on my way. Granted, I’ve been sent to different dietitians over the past few years for weight management and have struggled with various diet attempts. I’m now learning and understanding that my weight is a symptom of my uncontrolled blood glucose. I am now learning to control and manage my BG instead. Hopefully, I’m (now) on the right track. Understanding of course, that Metformin isn’t a “silver bullet”, I’ve also began transitioning to a LCHF lifestyle. It will be extremely interesting what 6 months from now will look like. But in the interim, I will continue to be sponge like as much as I can with this forum.
 
#6 ·
I’ve also began transitioning to a LCHF lifestyle. It will be extremely interesting what 6 months from now will look like. But in the interim, I will continue to be sponge like as much as I can with this forum.
My doctor sent me to a nutritionist who had me eating way too many carbs. I followed her advice without a lot of success until I found this forum, and changed my way of eating. I've had my ups and downs in blood sugar, but I have found that it's best when I come here and post/read on a daily basis. There's even a thread about not hiding when you're struggling. https://www.diabetesforum.com/diabetes/96858-dont-hide-when-youre-struggling.html I have to remind myself of that every once in a while!
 
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