To be totally pissed off with some doctors sweeping statement about diabetes

[Blossomflowers]

I am listening to Jeremy Vine and just heard a Doc state that Type 2 Diabetes is totally avoidable. I am sick and tired of people assuming that if you are type 2 that you stuff yourself with pies and cakes, lazy and brought this on yourself. I am none of the above and not overweight but am very active unfortunately I am type 2. I am fuming. AIBU to thia this doctor is a twat and should think before he speaks

YANBU

Whilst some cases of type 2 are avoidable, I think some cases are not, possibly due to a genetic factor.

For instance, Sir Steve Redgrave is Type 2 and he hardly fits the stereotype of a pie guzzling couch potato that the media likes to portray Type 2's as.

I am T2 as well. Even for those who are overweight it isn't that simple - for some, being overweight has 'caused' the diabetes and for others having diabetes has caused the weight problems. I felt horribly guilty that I had caused my own diabetes - but from my med history it would seem quite likely that I had insulin resistance before I was overweight, so in basic terms the diabetes probably caused the weight gain. There is so much we still don't know about it and idiots like this spouting crap do not help!!

The NHS dietary advice given to people with D T2 is dire :( I don't follow it - in fact I pretty much do the opposite. I eat low carb & maintain a 'normal' range without meds.

Exactly, I am fucking furious. I am sick of people thinking I have this because I am lazy or greedy. I am actually thinking of complaining because as a medical professional he should know better.

Yes - Steve Redgrave is a great example!

chipping don't get me on the subject of "advice given" that is a whole new thread.

So outraged just emailed Jeremy Vine. LOL

My best friend was recently diagnosed as T2. Doesn't fit any if the criteria, except for the fact that she had pancreatic surgery and has half a pancreas. Not very hard to imagine that 1/2 pancreas= more work load to process=insulin resistance somewhere down the line.

I don't know - I think 1000 posts will give us plenty of room to complain about both aspects of it

My HbA1c was 9.5 in Jan. I low carbed my way to 5.8 in April and 5.3 in July and 5.3 in Nov. Despite being told low carbing was 'against the guidelines' and that I couldn't achieve an acceptable level without medication - you see, as a Fat Person I am too stupid, too fat and too greedy to make any changes, so drugs must be taken I took great delight in going back

YANBU. But doctors seem to do that with a lot of conditions, I have met so many who make assumptions about asthma without actually understanding that everyone is different - GPs are awful for it

monkeywrench a lot of T2's are as a result of things like that, which is bad enough, but no-one listens if you are also overweight :(

Yet, when I had gestational diabetes, I was essentially told to low carb!

Oh, and there is a genetic element to diabetes, I have a strong family history which is my only risk factor. Having had GD, I have about a 50/50 chance of developing t2, even though I'm slim and not too unfit.

oh, and DH is T2 as well. His GP basically said that it was more than likely that he had been diabetic 1st with weight gain later. He only got diagnosed when his BM was 30+ by which stage he had put on 3 stone. He had been going to the GP (different one) for years saying that he felt that something wasn't right but because he didn't have glucose in his urine they didn't test him.

He has finally got the right diet, meds and has been going to the gym so the weight is gradually coming off, but it has been a long 7+ years to get to this point.

ChronicallySick - there are some HCPs who have seen the great results you can get from low carbing and are passing it onto patients, sadly many have been told they are risking their jobs doing so (going against the std NHS advice) .

My Diabetes Nurse was very very impressed with my results in April, she couldn't believe I'd done so well, then she was astounded when I told her I'd not taken the metformin she prescribed, yet she still told me a low carb diet was not the right way for me/you/diabetics/anyone to eat No because eating lots of veg, protein & fat is sooooo bad for me that is has given me a normal HbA1c and I've lost 2.5 stone. Dreadful I'm sure

Um I thought Sir Steve was type 1 , incredibly rare to get it at the age he did but not type 2. My daughter is type 1 so I am always interested in things like this.

I agree that the dietary information given is shockingly poor. DH and my BF are essentially low carbing and feel much better for it. It makes sense because you're reducing the glucose spikes and maintaining a more stable release.

I think DH's diabetic nurse hides when he goes to see her because he goes in armed with the latest research (from me . As a nurse, I make sure I keep up to date). Has anyone seen this? It made for interesting reading and I would say the NICE treatment guidelines will be changing based on the results of the larger study that is due to start.

DH has recently been diagnosed with T2 diabetes. Tearing my hair out as all the dietary advice is also linked with losing weight -- which he doesn't need to do.

Chipping -- any advice you've got re diet and managing the condition would be most gratefully received.

Sir Steve is type 1. My daughter is also type 1 and people assume it's because I've fed her too many sweets. Not even type 2 works like that and it's very frustrating battling against the media portrayal of an overweight diabetic who brought it on by bad lifestyle. Type 1 is insulin deficiency, type 2 is insulin resistance (obviously more complicated than that but that's in simple terms).

I have worked as a doc and then went on to do academic research into diabetic neuropathy before setting up my own business. In the majority of cases it is preventable but not in all. Type 2 is a combination of 2 factors 1 islet cells of pancreas that make insulin just gradually decline in efficiency over time which is mainly due to genetic factors. 2 body volume increases over time in the larger patients meaning there is not enough insulin for the larger frame. Type2 is normally a combo of the two but I have seen it in skinny patients. A word of warning if you have a family history of type 2 watch your weight and speak to your GP about preventative measures also DONT SMOKE . Diabetes and fags is not a good combo

What is the standard NHS advice then?

I was advised to have just one or 2 portions of carbs (preferably low GI) with meals, rather than cut them out completely. One portion (15g of carbs) being a single slice of bread, spoonful of pasta, or small potato, or equivalent. So a typical evening meal was along the lines of a large portion of chicken, large spoonful of mash made with cauliflower to make it go further, and fill the rest of the plate up with vegetables. Pudding was full fat plain yoghurt, I found full fat foods were essential for keeping my glucose steady.

FriendlyLadybird Try looking at low GI type diet. TBH more veg and protein, less refined carbs (ie white bread, pastries etc) is about the simplest way to do it. DH loves sandwiches but instead of having them for lunch everyday he'll take what he would have put in as a salad 3 days a week and then have seeded wholemeal (it's the only stuff he'll eat since white bread makes his stomach hurt) for the other 2 days.

It has to be sustainable long term and suitable for the whole family, which is where some of the official advice is a bit

I have a family history of Type 2 diabetes, and in most cases, it seems the weight gain has come after diabetes was diagnosed, my dad being a prime example.

My only risk factor for diabetes myself , is that I'm overweight. Although recent tests have shown that I'm totally fine, I've decided to try and lose weight with a low carb diet just to be sure and reduce my risk even further.

Low carbing for diabetes is something I've heard mentioned a few times in the last year.

stone no type 2 actually. And what makes you think it is incredibly rare?
freindly there are some great cookery books out there which could help. I also think medical advice is piss poor. I was frowned upon for even suggesting low carbing

Steve Redgrave is Type 2, although he is on an insulin pump more commonly used to treat Type 1 but he is definitely a Type 2.

"The Olympic champion was 35 years old when he was diagnosed with type 2 or "adult-onset" diabetes, in which the body doesn't make enough insulin or the cells in the body don't use insulin properly. He thought it was the end of his career." This is on the NHS Web site