Diabetes medication or lifestyle changes?

pogofish

elljay wrote: »

She's never mentioned he's seen a specialist nurse, just the GP.

He was put on tablets as soon as diagnosed and that seems to be that. Although I know he's cut down some sugar in his tea I don't think the link with carbs has been explained to him at all, just sugar as it's commonly known.

It can take a few weeks to organise a referral but at very least he needs to confirm with the GP that he will be seeing a specialist nurse but ideally a full clinic.

There is a whole lot he needs to get to grips with for his future diet - and it can take a long time. It probably took around eighteen months for me to find an acceptable diet/activity solution and get my weight back to where the levels were fully under control - it had increased during a period of unrelated illness and that's when my system started to struggle.

Cutting sugar is only part of the picture - and once he starts looking, he will be surprised at the foods where it can be found lurking. He will also need to avoid increasing his salt/sodium consumption - which can often happen when cutting down sugar and to establish a workable carb/protein balance for himself.

Joy_Burke

Both are important, I believe medication and exercise should join together to produce better results.

teddysmum

Joy_Burke wrote: »

Both are important, I believe medication and exercise should join together to produce better results.

But much better to manage without the medication. Diet has a huge effect on blood sugar levels.

septemberblues

I don't think you have to contact dvla if your diabetes is well controlled on diet alone or tablets, I'm diabetic type 2 and have checked before, also you don't have to inform your car insurance company either. Correct me if I'm wrong.......

just_trying

Lorry drivers etc must inform dvla straight away if taking medication for being diabetic.

Car/motorcycle drivers if taking insulin or tablets.

Just to let you know your bosses friend may know he's diabetic but it's up to him to inform dvla.

As for insurance not sure, but do they not ask about any conditions which need to be reported to dvla.

pogofish

septemberblues wrote: »

I don't think you have to contact dvla if your diabetes is well controlled on diet alone or tablets, I'm diabetic type 2 and have checked before, also you don't have to inform your car insurance company either. Correct me if I'm wrong.......

Things are different for professional drivers and the classes of licence they need to hold. Diabetes UK and the gov.uk site will have more info on the current requirements.

teddysmum

septemberblues wrote: »

I don't think you have to contact dvla if your diabetes is well controlled on diet alone or tablets, I'm diabetic type 2 and have checked before, also you don't have to inform your car insurance company either. Correct me if I'm wrong.......

My understanding, having enquired some year back, is that you need to report being on tablets or insulin, as both can result in hypos, where there is lost or reduced consciousness, which, of course, is dangerous..

Doom_and_Gloom

Tablets for diabetics are a mask in a way. If you continue eating like before it is nothing more than using a bandage for a broken leg when it needs a hard cast! Too many people think they can get away with doing like before. My ma has diabetes and has been on tablets for over a decade. Her diet isn't brilliant but it's a lot better than before she was diagnosed. I hope she will never need insulin injections.

Those that say there isn't a cure - there was an experiment that was filmed called simply raw; reversing diabetes. All the type two diabetics that followed the program got off their medication. People have been able to do so since on this program. They always recommend doctors involvement throughout to make sure it's done safely.

It is a diet disorder (type two) so it isn't illogical to see the right diet reverse it completely.

Callie22

My grandfather has type two diabetes and for years he 'controlled' it just with medication. He ate what he wanted and got to the point where he was having to inject insulin and having lots of problems with his eyesight and feet. Eventually, a couple of years ago he decided to try controlling it with diet, and now he's not on any medication at all, just regular reviews at the Doctors. I really do feel that if he'd tried to control it just with diet earlier then he'd be in better health now, but being fair the GP surgery were worse than useless and didn't give him any proper dietary advice (or at least, they didn't ensure that he understood what he was being told and he would recite his misunderstandings as gospel). He really was under the impression that it was 'ok' to eat what he wanted and just take more and more medication each year.

sheramber

curent DVLA advice

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/503546/INF188X2_150216.pdf

Drivers do not need to tell us if their diabetes
is treated by tablets, diet, or both and they are
free of the complications listed over the page.