In the news "Diabetes sugar 'can go too low' "

[Marmot]

The trouble is, they have low expectations of ALL diabetics and are therefore suspicious of what can be achieved. The only thing I was told by DN at my initial appointment was 'It's progressive, these are the drugs you will eventually take as it progresses.........' Thank goodness I found this place.....

[Quest]

This shows a bit more detail than the BBC link.

Since previous studies have shown greater hypoglycemia risk with insulin treatment than with oral agents, such as sulfonylurea therapy, this result further implicates hypoglycemia in the premature death associated with tight glucose control, Balkau and Simon said.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinolo ... etes/18170

Graham

[wallycorker]

As a Type 2 on metformin only, the report seems to tell me to continue to try to keep away from diabetes treatments that can cause hypoglycaemia - e.g. insulin and certain other oral medications - and that's exactly what I'm trying to do.

Does anyone see it differently?

John

[Marmot]

No John,
I only hope that sometime this year I can get my bs levels somewhere near yours!

marmot

[wallycorker]

You will Marmot! You will!

[hanadr]

John
since my recent reading*, I am convinced that the less medication we use the better. I realise that some people do need it, but I think that the medics rush into hte pharmacological answers and don't work hard enough on the natural and psychological ones.
Hana
* The Duke university study on low carb versus low cal/low fat + Xenical
the recent HbA1c can be too low thing.
hana

[Spiral]

But it isn't just the medics, is it? The expectation is that they can give us a medication that will solve all the problems.

Medicine isn't the precise science we'd like to think it is, and the medics would like us to think it is we are all victims of its publicity machine. A pill or a potion means that we don't have to look at our behaviour or the underlying problem and what we do to help ourselves. The politics of healthcare and the intricacies of human behaviour...

[wallycorker]

I'm with you entirely on that Spiral!

The type of posting that causes me most concern is the one that says "My GP has put me on metformin and I've taken my first tablet but not seen any immediate change in my blood glucose level. Shouldn't I be OK now?".

It makes me cringe! Such people are in for a rude awakening! To me, it just goes to show how we've been indoctrinated into the supposed power of the pill.

John

[gbtyke]

Type 1 on Levemir and Novorapid.

I went for my latest test results yesterday.

HbA1c 5.1 Cholesterol 3.2. Exactly the same as last time when seen by Practice Diabetes doctor who said that they were fine. Exactly the same as the time before when seen by Diabetes Specialist Nurse who refered me back to surgery.

This time Surgery Diabetes Nurse said that following instructions from NHS following from study my readings were too low and that I was putting myself in danger of a stroke and that I was having too many hypos. I pointed out that all nearly all my "hypos" were 3.8 and that was a reading that perfectly normal for any non diabetic. She pointed out that I was diabetic and 3.8 was hypo. I had 1 low reading of 2.8 following a 5 mile walk. I can never get along with this nurse - my opinions are irrelevant. She has now refered me back to Diabetic Specialist Nurse.

Any comments? Would you consider I am keeping my levels too low. I aim for upper 4's to low 5's but do get some slightly higher and some slightly lower.

[wallycorker]

Hi gbtyke,

You sound to be doing just great but I'm a Type 2 and don't fully understand how things are for a Type 1. I'm certain that Larsson will be along shortly to offer you his very knowledgeable advice in your type of situation.

Best wishes - John