[Maltmom]

Went to a new endo. today. While I *did* like the new doc, he spouted all the typical jargon about how many carbs I should be eating, etc. The alien part comes in when he told me I only needed to test once or twice a day, told me I was eating way too much saturated fat, had never seen a meter like mine (Relion), and questioned whether the Metformin I was taking made my hair fall out. I go for blood work (A1c plus cholesterol) on Friday and I sincerely HOPE all my diet changes (thanks to this group!) are reflected in my cholesterol numbers so I can *prove* to him this isn't so bad.

I'm very comfortable eating this way and am confident enough with what I'm doing to argue my points with him. He's a nice guy and didn't come across in a patronizing way....just the typical Dr. talk.

I asked for more frequent A1c tests because it really helps me toe the line better. So instead of every 6 months, he agreed to every 4 months.

Haven't been exercising much due to other health issues, so if my numbers aren't what I want, I will start exercising my butt off. )

 

[jwags]

I like my doctor, too. He is an old family friend. But when it comes to diet I don't even get into it with him. He likes my weight, bgs and numbers. He did put me on statins for awhile because my total cholesterol was 202 and I gave in. But after a year the muscle damage was too much, so I took myself off of them. Your cholesterol numbers may take longer to react to a LC /HF diet. So don't be upset if they haven't moved or even have gone up a little if you are new to the LC lifestyle. I use my doctor for Rx's and lab tests and never assume his ideas on D management are better than mine. No one can force you to eat a certain way.

 

[Shanny]

My doc is about the same way & I'll be sticking with him . . . he accepts my methods & doesn't bug me about it. I've been his patient for 20+ years & he's NEVER hassled me about my weight - which is obese, no two ways about it. He's just a real stand-up guy. I only wish he were more knowledgeable about diabetes management so that his OTHER patients could be benefiting. I have you guys - they may have nothing.

 

[Joshua Shorter]

My doc is about the same way & I'll be sticking with him . . . he accepts my methods & doesn't bug me about it. I've been his patient for 20+ years & he's NEVER hassled me about my weight - which is obese, no two ways about it. He's just a real stand-up guy. I only wish he were more knowledgeable about diabetes management so that his OTHER patients could be benefiting. I have you guys - they may have nothing.

This is what scares me. What about all the patients those guys see who don't know about the forums or the LC/HF diet? How do they get good treatment? They just do what they're told...

 

[foxl]

It does lead to a certain elitism ... my internist, endo AND VET (!) seem to think I am a whacknut.

MY vet even told me to feed to my kitty who has chronic renal failure, age 17.5, egg "whites, only! No cholesterol or saturated fat!" For my CAT? Obligate carnivore? Good lord! no one is immune to the low-fat propaganda.

Anyhow. The people-docs praise my numbers (except lipids, and once a small weight increase from upping insulin), smile, nod, and do not talk diet with me. So ... no, their other patients clearly do not benefit from my experience. SIGH.

 

[jwags]

Although my doc doesn't preach low carb diet, he loves my numbers. He tells me horror stories about other Diabetic patients. All I can think is why doesn't he suggest a LC diet to try to reduce numbers. To me it is a no brainer with LC. But we are all looked on like wackos as Foxi said. My husband jokes and calls me the Food Nazi. I ask him whether he would rather have me lose my feet, legs, eyes and kidneys. It is not like we do LC for a quick weight loss but we are doing this for our diabetes.

 

[Daytona]

MY vet even told me to feed to my kitty who has chronic renal failure, age 17.5, egg "whites, only! No cholesterol or saturated fat!" For my CAT? Obligate carnivore? Good lord! no one is immune to the low-fat propaganda

Even the veterinary field is coming to learn that cats .. are carnivores. They are starting to recommending much more often that diabetic cats be switched to wet food with the lowest carb amount possible (usually canned kitten food).

My vet didn't recommend wet food but when I brought it up for my overweight cat he agreed that was the best approach.

 

[optimist]

Once upon time I was a pasient who did just as the doctor told me too.
Not anymore.
Many years ago I changed the diet for our dogs and our cat. They are all BARF-fed, which means they only eat raw food.
For some years my vet tried to tell me I`m crazy, but after a while he started to talk about their shiny coat, their white, clean and healthy food and they were never sick. Finally he admitted it looked good.
Before diabetes I did stop eating any kind of fine flour and I reduced the sugar very much. All of our meals are homemade and I also baked our own bread. Even if my youngest son refused to eat fruit or vegetables because of allergi, he has a perfect balance of vitamins and minerals in his bloodwork.
The doctors saluted me, and said I had a really healthy food.
Then came diabetes.
I soon realised it wouldnt be easy to live with diabetes and eat like I did, although the doctors told me it would be perfect.
First I stopped using sugar and things made of rice, potato and grain. And to make my diet healthy I started to count carbohydrates.
My doctor told me I was crazy.
I told her its my body, my life and my diabetes. I choose my way.
The doctors didnt like it, but what could they do?
Now my doctor KNOW I`m really stubbard, and I choose how to eat and live, and I`m fine!:hippie:

 

[Maltmom]

I told her its my body, my life and my diabetes. I choose my way.

That should be our group motto, I love it!

 

[stormie]

I can’t be totally sure, but I think all the Health Care Professionals I have contact with have been taken over by aliens from “Planet Starchy Carb”

I’m thinking of making the Doc a hat out of tin foil, it may stop the voices in his head :lol:

 

[foxl]

daytona have you joined the Yahoo! Pets group for diabetic cats? Yes, there is one. There is also a feline hyperthyroidism, and a feline IBD group ... and a myriad of raw-feeding groups, but they verge on the whackitudinous, if you ask me.

I actually had a cat develop acute IBD, a couple yrs before I was diagnosed with D. I put him on grain-free. Too bad I did not generalize the info to MYSELF. He is still with us, 4 or 5 yrs later ... 17.5 yrs old!

 

[Daytona]

daytona have you joined the Yahoo! Pets group for diabetic cats? Yes, there is one. There is also a feline hyperthyroidism, and a feline IBD group ... and a myriad of raw-feeding groups, but they verge on the whackitudinous, if you ask me.

I actually had a cat develop acute IBD, a couple yrs before I was diagnosed with D. I put him on grain-free. Too bad I did not generalize the info to MYSELF. He is still with us, 4 or 5 yrs later ... 17.5 yrs old!

I just recently started doing anything other than lurking on the internet, so I mostly just hang out on diabetes forums and a few blogs. Yeah I don't know why but I started feeding my cats grain free but didn't ask myself why I was still eating them!

 

[FergusC]

My vet didn't recommend wet food but when I brought it up for my overweight cat he agreed that was the best approach.

This gives a mental pic of you sticking a finger down the poor feline's throat to generate "upchuck city"
But in general, vets seem to have a better grasp of diabetic diets than human specialists

 

[laney1566]

Tell him you want A1c tests quarterly. The blood cell lives for 3 months. A1c should be tested every 3 months. This was Kaiser policy and it is my current Doctors policy.

 

[Shanny]

And it's a good policy, Laney.

The AVERAGE life span of RBCs is 120 days, give or take. Newly diagnosed diabetics are usually tested at 3-month intervals because anything less than that is too soon and wastes money. If people develop good control, their docs often find it necessary only at 6-month intervals, which is where I find myself at this time.