If you were the nurse for a doctor, how would you handle this phone call?

“I think that sounds like a good question for a nutritionist, taking into account your specific health situation.”

I can teach myself @Zaku. If I get the right education.
Just like I taught myself to completely change my eating habits 40 years ago. Now I’m trying to reverse that and it’s hard.
I was talking to a gal yesterday and she said “Just eat anything you want to eat!”
I said “I don’t particularly want to eat anything.”

You assumed she knew what you were asking about but she didn’t. Maybe if you had started by saying, “I have low blood sugar and need to gain weight. Is this a good thing to eat?” you would have gotten a better answer. Or perhaps not.

Doctor agreed that she should have checked the chart.
In the future I will explain before hand.

Something sugary or processed carbs is good to jolt your blood sugar if it is very low, but it will cause a rush of sugar level and not the greatest foods to level off your sugar over hours. The meat and fat will help slow the sugars from rushing into your blood stream, but still, that meal is not a very healthy meal, I guess that is what she was thinking, but I cannot read her mind.

She wasn’t thinking anything. She was making assumptions. @JLeslie. Wrong assumptions.

My bad for assuming she at least glanced at my records, because she didn’t.

From most nutritionists’ views, MOST of the fast food, and certainly desert items, really shouldn’t be eaten by a human, EVER…

My father is diabetic. Type 2.

He won’t listen to a word I say about it. He eats lots of food
that is really bad for him.
His BG, is a constant Rollercoaster, and it’s a problem that can require immediate attention occasionally.

My problem, is that from what I understand, if one eats healthy food, in smaller quantities, more frequently, and monitor their BG, it’s FAR easier to maintain…
I get it, as far as how it must be.

Things like ultra-processed sugar, will certainly bring your blood glucose up, but it is extremely unhealthy, and should be more used for emergencies.

In addition, a nurse is not a doctor. Some people just need to hold their opinions, and I deal with such people all the time.
I just ask to speak with another person, or occasionally will hang up or leave. If my doctor pisses me off, time for a new doctor…

@Dutchess_III I understand your frustration. I’ve had a nurse call me to increase my thyroid medication when I needed to decrease it. I would assume the doctor prescribed it? So, either both were idiots or the doctor was letting the nurse make those decisions. I wonder how many patients had that happen under their care.

Luckily, I knew when TSH is low we need to lower your dose, and luckily I had asked what my blood results were, and didn’t just follow orders. I told her while still on the phone, “don’t you mean I need to lower my dose?” She put me on hold and then came back and said I was right. No shit. Do you know the misery and damage I could have gone through with that medical mistake?

I think your expectations are completely ridiculous for what the nurse is able to accomplish over the phone. You wanted essentially nutritional medical advice based on a unique medical condition over the phone that she should have had immediate and complete understanding of your full situation without context.

And she’s right to tell you not to eat that crap. Processed food is trash and unhealthy.

I totally agree with @gorillapaws. An RN is not Dietitian. If you have unique food needs then consult with an experienced dietician who has the ability to help you.

In the mean time try to limit (and likely best lay off) the high sugar, high fat and highly processed foods.

Waffles are carbohydrates which I need to increase my blood sugar slowly.
The syrup was really not needed, but who wants waffles without syrup?
The sausage was a good protein to help offset the sugar. Doc said that was just the right thing to do.
It was all fine.
All this nonsense about “processed food” comes from well fed, first world people who have the time to pick through their food in detail.
I expect a nurse, with 4 years of education, to understand the very basics of blood sugars and how it relates to carbs and proteins. I don’t think it’s too much to expect.
However, if she wasn’t aware of my particular situation, because she didnt take a second to glance through my records, I am not surprised at her knee jerk, response mimicking the silly “processed foods are bad” crowd.
Also, the butter was straight for the calories it provides. Is butter bad if I don’t milk my own cow and churn my own butter?
Was the syrup bad because I didn’t tap my own maple tree?
Were the waffles bad because I didn’t make them myself and freeze them?
I maintain that food is food, including fast food, and only a food wealthy person has the luxury of turning their nose up at some food.

Anyway, I learned my side of the lesson. You’re right @gorillapaws. I shouldn’t have assumed that she took a sec to familiarize herself with my situation before she called me back.
I won’t make the same mistake again.

@Mr. Grimm…I’ve known 3 people with diabetes and they all had food issues to begin wth. They’re overweight to begin with. Then the diabetic meds increases their appetite, which is bad.

Ps. Today I ate a bowl of instant oatmeal with butter, brown sugar, and heavy whipping cream.
Now I’m eating some pecans for the protein. I do not have a pecan tree so they are store bought, too.

@Dutchess_III Your nurse probably was reacting emotionally to your question (not a good look for her). But I wonder if your doctor understands the details of nutrition in the US today (probably not).

Most pancakes syrup is made of high fructose corn syrup. Some might be made from plain ol’ corn syrup. Here’s how they are metabolized. “High fructose corn syrup, as the name suggests, contains a higher level of fructose compared to regular corn syrup. The addition of fructose, a type of sugar that occurs naturally in fruits, gives high fructose corn syrup a distinct edge in sweetness over regular corn syrup.” High fructose corn syrup is much worse for anyone who needs to watch their blood sugar. https://drjbkirby.com/corn-syrup-vs-high-fructose-corn-syrup/

Then there’s pure maple syrup. Here’s how it is metabolized compared to corn syrup. “ The glycemic index of maple syrup is 54, while dark corn syrup has a GI of 90… This means maple syrup has a low glycemic index, while dark corn syrup has a high GI value.”
https://foodstruct.com/compare/corn-syrup-vs-syrups-maple

Unfortunately there is fake maple syrup. If it says “maple flavored” it’s fake. The real stuff will be in a clear glass bottle, say “100% maple syrup,” and generally cost more (sometimes a lot more) than the cheap stuff.
https://www.allrecipes.com/article/real-vs-fake-maple-syrup/

In my opinion, ideally, you want the lowest glycemic index for your sweet tooth.

The reason is, even if the sugar offers lots of calories, you don’t need your blood sugar to bounce from high to low very often. That can really mess up your health.

@snowberry

“Then there’s pure maple syrup. Here’s how it is metabolized compared to corn syrup. “ The glycemic index of maple syrup is 54, while dark corn syrup has a GI of 90… This means maple syrup has a low glycemic index, while dark corn syrup has a high GI value.”

That’s good to know.
When I do consume syrup, it’s organic pure maple, but I should still resist the urge to drink it straight from the bottle. :-p

I would assume my doctor knows what Google knows. It’s not like they quit training and learning after graduation.

You said in your details that you launched into telling the nurse about your meal. I think the big mistake was assuming she knew who you were and what your issues were.

A friend used to work for a doctor, doing his billing. She said he saw over 80 patients per day. If he worked an 8 hour day, that’s over 10 patients per hour, which is 6 minutes, at the most, per patient.

Honestly, I think the advice (above) for you to see a nutritionist would be best. The nutritionist could spend time with you, reviewing your records and going over what you need to eat and what you eat. The doctors really don’t have time for that and the nursing staff is overwhelmed with seeing patients, handling calls and records, too.

Be patient with nurses, doctors, and other office staff. They are feeling the same institutional pressures you are. They are pressured with more and more patients, have time limits pushed on them from non-healthcare entities (insurance companies), and are workers just like the rest of us. Unlike politicians that stop actual healthcare or CEOs of health insurance companies, these are people.

It seems that you’re ruminating about a service worker that didn’t give you the time and attention you deserve. That worker is not at fault. Shift your anger to the appropriate targets.

I would go to a dietitian over a nutritionist. Dietitians have more training.

I know when my daughter’s pediatrician’s office was independent, it was different than once it was bought out by a big healthcare corporation (Caremount which is now Optum). I know that one appeal of it for him was having the corporation handle payroll, billing and all that, plus there was more flexibility as far as staff being out and substituted for other staff. However, from what I’ve heard him comment on is that the corporation is into productivity. They keep track of how much time is spent on each patient, and profits and all that. It’s a different ballgame than working for yourself.

I have already said, a few times, I was wrong to assume she had checked my records. I won’t repeat that mistake.

In my experience they allow 15 minutes per appointment unless you have reason to think it will take longer. Then you just tell them.

I don’t live in a metropolis.

It’s not thar she didnt give me the attention I wanted. I was upset that she just reacted like a regular person, instead of a nurse. She should have asked what I was talking about.
My bad.