I visited the diabetes nurse yesterday to discuss my 4-week blood tests. To my horror, she did exactly what the Sugar Diet book has described in detail. She was totally negative across all aspects of the regime I’m following.
She just went on and on – ” You’re on too low a calorie intake”, You shouldn’t lose weight so quickly”, Don’t buy new clothes because they won’t fit you a few weeks after you finish”, “this organ, that bodily system might fail”, etc.
On top of that, she had a real go at me for dropping my blood pressure pill as recommended in the book, even though it is in the short term. She picked fault with my description of the food I’m presently consuming.
All in all, because she has not even heard of this brilliant book, let alone read it, she subjected me to a demand that I stop immediately and revert to the good old-fashioned “1lb. a month weight loss method”.
Since I started on the Sugar Diet some 6 weeks ago, I have lost at least 20lbs and almost 5ins from my waistline. I feel brilliant and, although I’m not yet free of diabetes, my sugar reading has gone down a lot.
I’m determined to get there, but it’s going to be in defiance of the one person who should be encouraging me, not pulling my efforts to pieces.
Please, is there anybody else out there who is experiencing the same opposition? I’d love to know then maybe we could get together to share our frustrations??
This book is saving my life, it’s time some of the medical professionals came into the real world.

Oh Salky, I feel for you. That is so unfair when your results speak for themselves!! I think 20lbs and almost 5″ from your waistline is a great achievement.
If your blood pressure is good and your sugars are down you shouldn’t have any concerns about what you are doing. Keep up the good work. Maybe as you continue to show improvement she will change her mind. Is there another nurse at your Surgery you could see next time.
Hopefully your GP will be more positive and encouraging.

Hi Salky. So sorry that happened to you. I’ve often felt we see improvement in our health despite the professionals, not because of them! At the moment I’m getting a lot of support from one diabetes nurse, but not the other nurse. Guess which one I talk too! Hope you have another nurse you can see who will be more helpful.

Hi Salky, make a gesture that doesn’t involve all of your fingers to her !
Health professionals just shouldn’t be acting like this, I’d be telling her “it’s your treatment that has me in this state and now I am going to do something about it my self as you don’t seem to have a clue.

How unfair and unprofessional, very sorry to hear. I’m not (yet) diabetic but arranged a nurse appointment. I took the book and the pdf for medics recommended in the book. The nurse took this onboard and has been very supportive.

Good luck in getting better support.

Thank you all for your wonderful and positive advices. Believe me, If I was determined before, I am going for a result with all guns blazing now. In another three months it will be my next blood tests, followed by a confrontation! Now that IS something to look forward to.
Thanks again.

You would think that all GP surgeries would be supportive of this diet.
After all, when you take into account drugs, test equipment, doctors and hospitals time etc, this diet could save the NHS an absolute fortune.

Hi Salky

Words fail me! How dare you be bullied like this. Shame on her!
You are just brilliant , so proud of your attitude & achievement. Courage in adversity

Go to 5:2 BSD forum & How will my GP React thread. I’ve posted MP Keith Vaz email address there. Read it you may have some use for it

Keep it up. You are an inspiration
Eureka

Hi Salky. How unfair when you have done so well . I suppose the medical profession have strict guide lines and if it hasn’t been passed on to them then they can’t recommend it for safety reasons. That said the weight loss should prove to her that it is worth investigating. I do think one should be careful about dropping meds and l would only do it with consultation with GP or pharmacist. We have been fed a good deal of strong meds and our bodies will take time to readjust..
l also had a lot of negativity from my GP who told me l was too old to go on such a strict diet and to go to a slimming class and follow a low calorie diet. She obviously hasn’t read the book!
My diabetic nurse yesterday was a bit more enthusiastic, hadn’t heard of the diet but liked Michael Mosley so will probably read it. She was reluctant about the strictness. She also didn’t think l would get off any meds, so we shall have to see. I have lost 12lb in 3 weeks just messing around trying out different aspects of the diet so can’t wait until Fri when l am starting for real.

Salky, your results speak for themselves – a fantastic achievement in 6 weeks. How frustrating. Good on you for coming out fighting. You’ll show her, and then perhaps she will eat her words!

I asked my GP about going on the diet 2 years ago when I had my first post diagnosis appointment. I took the Newcastle Uni print-offs to discuss it with him, but he dismissed it out of hand and told me I’d probably suffer a fatal heart attack if I tried it. He also said that no one really controls their diabetes with diet. I’ve kept my blood sugars in the normal range with diet for 2 years, but really needed to lose weight and to get my blood pressure down. I went to see a locum doctor at a local walk-in centre 3 weeks ago (about a non-diabetes flu bug) and she said ‘give it a go’. Three weeks in and I feel great and have lost about 16 pounds. Blood sugars are the best they’ve ever been. Hopefully as time goes on the diet will prove its value and I won’t need to permanently wear a de-fib!

Shocking treatment from a health care professional!! Glad my diabetic nurses are less judgemental… although they only ever suggest more meds if my reading goes up at all.

I’m not due for a diabetic review until April. I’m on Metformin only, and will be adjusting myself – as I’ve done with great success in the past. I know if I eat well I need less meds – it’s that simple. It’s highly unlikely I’ll tell the nurse I’ve been on 800 calories, although I’m not concerned about mentioning low carbs. That said, if I just say, “I’m doing as you suggested – living the healthy lifestyle I’ve managed in the past”, she’ll be happy with that, so why dissolution her!

Hi Salky
All support for you on this website. You shouldn’t be subjected to that sort of crap. Terrible.
When you’re off your meds you can tell her where to get off!
Penny

Hi regardless of her professional opinion you should be treated with respect and courteousy at all times please put a complaint in to the surgery regarding this lack of professionalism

I find it incredible that a professional diabetic nurse hasn’t heard of this diet. There was enough of a splash in the media when Prof Taylor did the initial research and if I, as a layman, knew about it I don’t see how someone involved in treating the disease doesn’t.
I didn’t think twice about telling my nurse about this diet and she was wholly supportive to the point of advising me at which point I should consider cutting my medication.
It seems like diabetes care, like so many other health services, is a bit of a lottery.

Hi All, After I was diagnosed wth T2 last September after seeing my GP with UTI issue I did the usual research in Diabetes and came across Roy Taylors research. I printed off the sheet and on my next appoint passed on the Info. Like some of you guys the GP filed it and went down the NICESs guidlines. Dont get me wrong she seems caring but want me on the medication. This is even though i have lost 21lbs and my Bloods are back to normal. QRISK is the issue for the GP. Im staying off drugs and using Lifestyle and diet and this programe. Good luck all! Mark

Hi again, Think about it. Liability and bad reaction if Roy Taylors research doesnt prove this diet works. They are sticking to guidelines they have been taught and advice since Med school. Clinical research backed up by years of trials then the BMA and NICE have to sign it off. In the mean time we keep taking the pills and drugs that the pharmaceuticals are making loads of money on. We are Diabetics for life! Not for me guys. I`d rather feel good about myself. Being more active with energy and a positive outlook will give me a reason to carry on with this approach rather than drugs. Chin up! Mark

Hi Mark
I totally agree that’s what’s behind it. Which just means they haven’t read their own website which has the research on it, according to a forum post. As well as having the contradictory crap advice.
In any case a nurse or GP should be polite and listen properly, not tell people off!
I agree while this type of advice exists we just have to take our fate onto our own hands. Which we are going! Eventually they ll twig.
Good luck
Penny

Hi Mark
Thanks for QRisk info.
I calculated mine at qintervention.org
Very interesting and motivating! Luckily not sky high.
Thanks
Penny

To everyone who replied to my item on the negative nurse. Thank you all so very much for your support, the comments have boosted my confidence enormously. I am amazed at the number of people with T2 diabetes who are finding the time to compare notes with each other. It can only be a good thing.
This book is going to turn out to be a life-saver for some folk, I have decided to follow its contents right to the bitter end. It will be interesting to see just how many of its readers cure themselves of this horrid disease.
Anybody else live in Cumbria in the far North of England as I do? We all have the same aims, maybe we could get together to form a little social club?

Hi Salky. Not in Cumbria, but near Durham, also in the far north and not a million miles away 😃 I’m now in week 9 of the 8 week plan (after consulting the team). I’m aiming to stay on the 800 cals for another few weeks until I go on holiday, then change to 5:2 or 2:5. At the end of the 8 weeks I’d lost 27 pounds, reduced fasting BG from 10.9 to 5.3, BP down, and lost almost two dress sizes. This week I have lost another 3 pounds so far. 😃

Dear Salky, I posted this on another message so forgive me repeating myself but please ask your nurse about people who have had a gastric band. How many calories do they eat a day? How quickly do they lose weight? And they have under gone a serious operation so cannot do anything else whereas you can ease up, go onto 5:2 etc when you get to your goal.
I said this to my dietitian when she said the same to me and she had to see the similarities without the operation. x

Oh captainlynne, you have done sooo well. I’m like you, once I’ve got my little granddaughter’s birthday party out of the way next weekend, off I go again just like you. We have exactly the same aims ( except I won’t be needing new dresses, me being a Mike ). 😉
The book suggests finding a diet buddy to help you along, so if you would like to compare notes over the next few weeks I will be up for it.

Hi Salky. Happy to be your diet buddy and compare notes. It should keep me on the straight and narrow 😃 Posting on this forum?

Thank you captainlynne, we think very much alike. Yes, replies on the forum will be lovely.
Looking forward to our little project very much.
Just for the record, you’ve said how much you have lost, brill again! I’m on a 20lb loss, waistline down around 5in. And a blood reading of 53 after 7 weeks.
Let the battle begin!! 👍👍

Hi Salky. Looking forward to it 😃 We all need all the support we can get.

If you want to read all the gory details, check out my post on this forum ‘Over the 8-week line and after’. You’lll be joining me on there next week – getting a bit lonely!

Just thinking – my family won’t know me when they see me after Easter, not seen them since last autumn! *waves*