Sybil, first off your name kind of scares me...
Secondly, as a T2 for many years now, and having gone the gambit with the AMA, ADA, and diabetic nutritionists, educators, etc. I have finally discovered what will work for me. I have happened upon some wonderful doctors in my area that, like you, don't necessarily agree with what is being taught to diabetics and that a diet high in carbs is just a death sentence for the diabetic. My endo, or Diabitologist, is so opposite other endo's I had been to in the past I was actually shocked when she hugged me when my numbers improved. She actually takes the time to talk to me and discuss what I should and shouldn't eat. Because it is required of her, she did send me to an appointment with a CDE nurse. That was a HUGE waste of my time because she spouted the same stuff that the ADA recommends. And you get paid to do that? She told me to eat brown rice instead of white rice. I told her I couldn't eat either and when she questioned why I said because both of them spike my blood sugar. She looked at me like I was crazy! I don't need that kind of person helping me out. Just because this is what you were taught doesn't make it reality! Diabetics are not a "one size fits all". Each and every one of us are unique in what affects us and what doesn't. That is why we are all so supportive of each other on this forum. I have great difficulty keeping my bg's low because aside from my LC/HF diet that I adhere to very religiously, I deal with a great deal of stress in my life, and I'm menopausal so you can tell me hormones don't play a role in higher bg's, but I am living proof and beg to differ with you. Of course then you get the snicker and the upturned nose because for gosh sakes, I just COULDN'T know more about my body then an educated college degreed individual does! They studied this stuff and got A's in their classes! Nobody knows my body but me. I do need a partner to help me through all this. It can be a great mystery case to solve since I have to find what works and doesn't work for ME. I don't know what is going to work for one of my fellow diabetics...I can only make suggestions. Our meters are our best friends, and it would be refreshing if the doctors, or endo's, would go to bat for diabetics to the insurance companies and demand a higher supply of test strips so we can PROPERLY test our blood glucose to our meters. Pharmaceutical and Insurance companies are making it impossible unless you are rich to afford the medications and equipment we truly need to keep tight control of our blood sugar. This is what I need in a doctor/patient relationship. My endo actually went to the dieticians, or CDE's she sent me to after I told her what they suggested I eat in carbs alone in a day and told them we are killing people with the amount that is being told.
Also, there are those individuals who do not want to be proactive in their own health issues. They want the doctor to give them a pill or insulin to control their issues rather than take responsibility for their own health and make it better. This is such backwards thinking, and I believe the doctor should send these people to a mental health provider so they WAKE UP, or don't treat them. I know that is harsh, but lets face it...I am responsible for what I put in my mouth and what type of exercise I choose to do, and my lifestyle choices. Right?
Sybil I appreciate you being a doctor and wanting to learn from us here on the DF as to what we look for in a doctor/patient relationship. Me myself, I just want to be treated like a human being and not accused of doing this to myself. I would like a doctor to actually look me in the eyes when speaking with me, and I would like them to understand that I want to control my diabetes...don't be a fatalist with me. I know this disease will kill. My Mom died from it. I don't want to repeat that path. I'm not stupid, so please don't treat me as such. I may not have MD at the end of my name, but I do have a brain and believe it or not, I do exercise it quite regularly.
I hope this helps.