going against medical advice?

[David Steele]

I'm very concerned for a member of my family.

At under 60, he's falling apart, and his weight and diabetes isn't helping at all. So far he's got problems with his feet, all kinds of joints like hip and back. He has no energy and he simply can't shift his weight. The sad truth is it's very likely to do him some serious harm if it isn't sorted out.

He's been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for a year, and in that time, although he's lost nearly a stone at times,; it's always popped right back on.

But his doctors have prescribed food and told him he must stick to the proportions, with most of his calories coming from carbs. It's quite frankly killing him.

So I'm getting him some stuff to read, such as material by Gary Taubes and Leslie Kenton; but I know where this is heading - sooner or later once he's seen sense, he's going to go to his doctors and they're going to go ape with him for suggesting he drops the bread and pasta from his diet.

No doubt some of you have been faced with exactly the same issue? How do we go against the men in white coats when life is on the line?

[Tril]

You man up and do what you want with your body and your life. The white coats are just regurgitating what they have been taught. You can't blame them for the crap they paid someone to put in their heads. But in the end... if what the dr.s are telling him to do isn't working, he has every right (and responsibility) to figure out what WILL work. Some doctors ARE open to low carb diets. If he can't change doctors... then I guess it's up to him to decide to follow what's not working or try something else. If it were me, and I knew the doctors would "go ape" on me... I wouldn't tell them. I would do what I needed to do and when it appeared THEY solved my problem, I'd tell them the truth. But that's me. LOL I've always considered how/what I ate my personal choice and I've never ever let a doctor (or anyone else for that matter) tell me how to do it.

Give your relative an alternative... give him the information. Then step back and let him decide if and how he wants to live. Support but don't take responsibiity. That's my motto.

[last chance]

I totally agree. It is SO hard when you can see relatives and loved one suffering BUT sometimes it does more damage for them to go against what they believe that is harmful,even when it is not. If he is seeking an answer he will be drawn to the information you give him. If not, you will have to support his decision to follow the doctor no matter what. When I read the info about low carb it really resonated with me, I also lost 20 pounds with the first few weeks, got rid of my swollen ankles, legs and hands, have never been hungry once. I am waiting for 6 months to see the doctor again to see if low carb has 'fixed' my sugar levels.

It sounds like your relative might be a protein type and living on high carbs will not reduce his weight or his sugar levels. IF you give him the info and he comes back to you saying" that is going against what my doctor told me to do". You can ask him, "Is it working?" "Well, no". You can always say, "Well, why not try low carb for a couple of months and see what happens. You can always go back on high carb again if things dont improve."
Kae

[FlorayG]

He's got to get a doctor involved because this diet will affect his medication levels. How he is going to find a suitable doctor I don't know. If he decides to do it with his present doctor, he has to be brave and tell the doctor about it and make sure the doc keeps track of everything. Doctors are bloody useless.

[last chance]

Im in the UK I guess things are run different here. Also I am not on meds [yet] BUT he can still look around. do you know about the law of attraction? If he wants to find another doctor he will, if he thinks it is hopeless it will be...what you think is what you get.
Im sorry I can see how much you care for this relative...doctors look at numbers on a chart not people. I guess this isnt much help.
Kae

[benshad61]

David,
Have you considered giving that reading material to your relative's doctor as well? Who knows, he might even read it. LOL!

I don't watch Dr. Oz anymore. What Gary Taubes puts out there makes a heck of a lot of sense as does Atkins.

I am just getting a little discouraged because the weight is dribbling off. It is my age I know. Very discouraging nonetheless.

Hope your relative listens and takes in what he is reading.

I have little faith in doctors. My brother is one and I wouldn't go to him for ANYTHING!!!

Jo

[FlorayG]

The doctor won't read it, they don't have time, they barely skim through the stuff that they are required to read.
Benshadi if your weight is dribbling off what are you worried about? I don't know how long you have had this excess weight but surely it takes a while to convince your endocrine system that you don't need it anymore? The longer you've had it, the longer your body will 'think' it's necessary to have it

[benshad61]

I have had 20 extra pounds on me for about 5 years. During those years, I have lost and regained about 10 of them. I am also on some medications for depression which definitely hinder weight loss and I am almost 68.

[FlorayG]

5 years worth of confused body to re-educate then. As long as it keeps dribbling off be happy.

[FlorayG]

I've got an idea for your relative but it depends entirely on two things - his level of understanding of the science of diet and the time his doctor will spend talking to him. I thought, if I had a serious condition and thought I know better that the doctor, I would take in transcripts of all the science papers that prove my point and keep them handy. Then talk to the doc and for each diet suggestion he made, ask for a reference to the scientific proof and show him the relevant paper that shows otherwise. You and I know the doc won't be able to provide any evidence for his argument. The biggest problem will be getting the doc for a whole hour to talk - maybe your relative can invite him out somewhere after surgery hours?