SPARROW - diabetes - was Newbie!

[Guest guest]

Hi Sparrow,

 

Don't hold your breath waiting for advice from your doctor. I was diagnosed

with type 2 diabetes two years ago and I am STILL waiting for any specific

advice (other than the general 'lose weight, exercise more').

 

Here in Holland, doctors don't see diabetic patients on a regular basis but

this care is done by nurses. There is usually one nurse attached to 2-3

practices and each patient has a quarterly appointment. When I first saw the

nurse she shunted me off to a dietitian who knew so little about diabetes that

she (the dietitian) asked me questions about the diet!! I suspect that all she

knows about a diabetic diet to this day is what she learnt from me. Needless to

say, I stopped going to her after the second visit as all she did for her rather

large fee was weigh me and tell me I had lost weight then give me her 'recipe of

the month' sheet. She knew full well that I am vegetarian but these sheets were

for m*at based meals. Even though I am an incurable recipe collector the recipe

sheets were hardly a big incentive to keep going back and I can easily weigh

myself at home. Somehow I don't think she provided very good value for money

(LOL).

 

I am still waiting (probably in vain) for the nurse to ask/tell me anything at

all about things like proper foot care, vision problems etc associated with

diabetes. She is a lovely lady but she simply isn't doing her job. Before she

recommended getting more exercise I decided to join a once a week water exercise

group at the local pool. When I told the nurse that I had joined she wrote on

my medical record that I had followed 'her advice'. When I told her that I had

bought a pedometer and tried to do 10,000 steps a day she again wrote this up as

if it had been her idea. I have quite honestly been left to work out my own

diet and care programme. When I went to my last visit to the nurse she measured

my blood pressure (which was quite high two years ago) and said 'you have the

blood pressure of an athlete - how did you do it'? Once again, I was in the

position of educating the educator.

 

To say that diabetes care (as well as much other medical care) in Holland is

laissez faire would be an understatement. I joined a diabetes group and

most of the members live in USA or Canada. Many of the people with type 2

diabetes test their blood sugar up to 8 times a day. Here in Holland you can

only get a blood test machine on prescription and most doctors won't allow their

type 2 diabetic patients to have one. The 'norm' here is to have your blood

sugars tested only on your quarterly visit to the nurse. Fortunately for me, my

blood sugar is under good control but it does seem unusual that the recommended

care for diabetics varies so much depending on where you live.

 

Oh well, such is life I guess.

 

Cheers from Marie

 

Sparrow R Jones <sparrowrose wrote:

On 1/15/08, Rachelle <saiyukifg wrote:

>

> My doctor hasn't told me anything but to diet and cut down on fat and

> calories.

 

Your doctor reminds me of mine! I have just been told I have diabetes,

but have been having to research all the information on my own because

my doctor won't tell me anything.

 

 

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