Expectations

[Nanny]

Hi. I'm newish... I was diagnosed back in June with Type 2. Some metaformin woes - now I am on slow release.

But....
I am baffled by the care and my expectations. I have seen the doctor once - to get my diagnosis. (Another menopausal ailment meant they took my blood). That was in June - I saw a nurse for bloods again in August. I got the result "fine" from calling the reception.

Am I expecting too much? I have no idea what my blood sugar is / was / should be. If I should be measuring anything. I "internet"ted everything I know. I would have thought I would have had some dietary advice - something .. but it's just been, you have diabetes, it's really serious, lose your feet, off you go, goodbye.

I don't have a relationship with my doctor - before June the last time I saw one was 11 years ago - when I had a baby.

Is this standard or am I a fuss pot.

 

[jaitkenhead]

It sounds as though you need a better working relationship with the diabetes nurses. Perhaps call the doctor again (is it a GP or Diabetes Specialist?) and ask for the nurses email addresses, so that you can ask them questions directly and in particular get their insight into your blood sugar level diary (in whatever form you do it).

 

[Moortt]

Very similar experience for me when I was diagnosed in July.

I was suffering some sleep apnea, doctor wanted to do a blood test before referral. He called me up a week later and told me I had diabetes and threw a bunch of medication at me. Very unempathetic, no explanation of the condition or what the medication was for.

I called back and asked to speak things through with a doctor and I was then contacted by the surgeries practice nurse and pharmacist. Both actually spent some time talking me through things and going over the medication and what it was for - I was grateful for their time.

With my surgery you never speak to the same doctor twice so there is no opportunity to have a relationship with anyone. I was referred to some online course for education but it's all pretty faceless and production like.

My advice from my experience is get the NHS app and link it to your surgery, for me it was a simple online form to fill in. That gave me access to my GP health care including all my blood test results so I've been able to see what things were like in July compared to November. That's helped me feel much more informed and allowed me to prepare for the conversation I had with the doctor today.

 

[Nanny]

It sounds as though you need a better working relationship with the diabetes nurses. Perhaps call the doctor again (is it a GP or Diabetes Specialist?) and ask for the nurses email addresses, so that you can ask them questions directly and in particular get their insight into your blood sugar level diary (in whatever form you do it).

I don't think it was a diabetes nurse. Just the practice one - same nurse who gives you a smear!

It was just a GP. I had had a UTI and there was sugar in my pee - saw GP took bloods. Was checking a massive number of other things - thyroid, hormones, diabetes. Was given diagnosis by phone. That's the last time I saw GP in June.

Was told look online - but online is telling me a have a team...

 

[Nanny]

Very similar experience for me when I was diagnosed in July.

I was suffering some sleep apnea, doctor wanted to do a blood test before referral. He called me up a week later and told me I had diabetes and threw a bunch of medication at me. Very unempathetic, no explanation of the condition or what the medication was for.

I called back and asked to speak things through with a doctor and I was then contacted by the surgeries practice nurse and pharmacist. Both actually spent some time talking me through things and going over the medication and what it was for - I was grateful for their time.

With my surgery you never speak to the same doctor twice so there is no opportunity to have a relationship with anyone. I was referred to some online course for education but it's all pretty faceless and production like.

My advice from my experience is get the NHS app and link it to your surgery, for me it was a simple online form to fill in. That gave me access to my GP health care including all my blood test results so I've been able to see what things were like in July compared to November. That's helped me feel much more informed and allowed me to prepare for the conversation I had with the doctor today.

What NHS app? I tried one but I don't have a passport so can't access it.

 

[Moortt]

What NHS app? I tried one but I don't have a passport so can't access it.

It's just called the NHS App, at least on Android. You do need some sort of ID, I have a photo driving licence that I used. You upload the picture of it, then take picture of your face - took about 5 mins to be validated and approved and that was at 8 pm at night.

My GP also use a system called Patient Access, this is what I used to order my repeat prescriptions (pre Type2 it was for my Asthma meds). They just emailed me an access code for that and it also gives me access to my test results, you could see if your surgery does the same.

 

[janw]

Our surgery uses SystmOnline where we can log in and order our meds etc, the surgery give you your access code and password as a letter, with instructions, though now it is saying there is a connected phone app called Airmid which we can download and use our normal log in to get access. I requested online to have access to my medical records, it was granted to me, even though I wasn't informed it had been agreed, but it became "clickable" the next day when I checked. It is good to see your results from your blood tests. I have a good team at my surgery, Dr did ring me when I was first diagnosed, but my diabetes nurse is lovely (she is also diabetic), the blood nurse is lovely (she's new and even tested my feet! Amazingly she lived to tell the tale, I hate having my feet touched!) and my COPD nurse is great - and she knows enough about diabetes so we can have the crossover conversations - as they do affect each other. It is good to use if your surgery is signed up with one.
I am sorry you haven't received adequate information, that is sad. I got quite a bit myself, but have learned so much here from reading posts and asking questions, it has been a lifeline to me and I am so thankful for all the lovely people here. I~ hope you will find being here useful and rewarding too.

 

[Nanny]

It's just called the NHS App, at least on Android. You do need some sort of ID, I have a photo driving licence that I used. You upload the picture of it, then take picture of your face - took about 5 mins to be validated and approved and that was at 8 pm at night.

My GP also use a system called Patient Access, this is what I used to order my repeat prescriptions (pre Type2 it was for my Asthma meds). They just emailed me an access ahacode for that and it also gives me access to my test results, you could see if your surgery does the same.

Aha. It is probably the one I tried. I don't have any photographic id. No driving licence or passport - I know - but I'm not willing to fork out for a passport when I never need one.

Your GP is way more fancy than mine. They have no internet anything - old fashioned phone. The pharmacy orders my repeat prescription for me.

 

[Nanny]

Our surgery uses SystmOnline where we can log in and order our meds etc, the surgery give you your access code and password as a letter, with instructions, though now it is saying there is a connected phone app called Airmid which we can download and use our normal log in to get access. I requested online to have access to my medical records, it was granted to me, even though I wasn't informed it had been agreed, but it became "clickable" the next day when I checked. It is good to see your results from your blood tests. I have a good team at my surgery, Dr did ring me when I was first diagnosed, but my diabetes nurse is lovely (she is also diabetic), the blood nurse is lovely (she's new and even tested my feet! Amazingly she lived to tell the tale, I hate having my feet touched!) and my COPD nurse is great - and she knows enough about diabetes so we can have the crossover conversations - as they do affect each other. It is good to use if your surgery is signed up with one.
I am sorry you haven't received adequate information, that is sad. I got quite a bit myself, but have learned so much here from reading posts and asking questions, it has been a lifeline to me and I am so thankful for all the lovely people here. I~ hope you will find being here useful and rewarding too.

Impressed with all the tech. Going to check my doctor's website but I'm pretty sure they don't have any of that stuff

I've found out loads myself. The problem isn't general info but probably just some reassurance I'm doing ok. The diabetes diagnosis was a big bombshell (I have weird issues about diabetes) and I've got other stuff, health-wise, happening too. It's just been alot.

 

[janw]

oh, I just remembered, my surgery wanted photo ID too and I don't have any. I remember telling them quite firmly I'd been a patient there for over 20 years (just over 30 now!) - and with that that gave me the blinking log in letter! Don't mess with old ladies!!! lol
You have come to the right place for support and reassurance, help and guidance.

 

[grovesy]

Well my NHS app does not give me any more access to my online information, than my GP System Online does! Not all surgeries allow the same access.
Even the after a week my Covid Booster is not showing on the NHS app.

 

[Inka]

@Nanny Never take “fine” for an answer! Get the actual numbers for your blood test. The diabetes one will probably be the HbA1C test. Ask what result you got. If they say Fine, persist and tell them you want the actual number. Some receptionists seem to guard your health information like it’s nothing to do with you - it is.

Once you’ve got your HbA1C results (ask for the previous ones too) then you’ll be better informed as to how you’re getting on. If you come back to us and tell us, you’ll get good suggestions.

You ask if you should be testing your own blood sugar at home. That’s up to you, but if I was Type 2 (I’m Type 1) I would. It will provide you with very useful information about whether your diet is working for you. That will then allow you to improve your HbA1C.

Don’t worry about apps and stuff for now. Pick up the phone, have a pen and paper ready, and get your HbA1C results.

 

[Robin]

Well my NHS app does not give me any more access to my online information, than my GP System Online does! Not all surgeries allow the same access.
Even the after a week my Covid Booster is not showing on the NHS app.

Nobody’s is! Apparently the NHS App hasn’t been designed to cope with Covid Boosters! (are we surprised) and they’re going to have to do some tweaking to get it to show them.

 

[grovesy]

Nobody’s is! Apparently the NHS App hasn’t been designed to cope with Covid Boosters! (are we surprised) and they’re going to have to do some tweaking to get it to show them.

No I am not surprised in the least! I only downloaded a couple of weeks ago, that was a palaver in its self.

 

[trophywench]

I was utterly gobsmacked when I managed to Register for the NHS App reasonably easily once Pete had taken a photo of my driving licence on his phone and remembered how to email me the photo so I could download it to the site - since at that time he was trying unsuccessfully to set up a Paypal account for the charity he is the Treasurer of and Paypal would not accept the photo of his ID even though it complied with their stated requirements. He must have spent nearly 24hrs on the phone to their Helpline in total, over the month or so it took to set the account up. They're bats - they want the Co Registration number - it doesn't have one cos it ain't a Co - so you give them its Registered Charity reg no, but it said it couldn't find that at Companies House (surprise surprise) hence chucked it out. Again ......

I told him at one stage if he couldn't get it sorted soon I was going to leave him as the stress of listening to one side of these conversations and the resultant frustration was NBG to either my BP or BG !

 

[grovesy]

I could not get the NHS app to recognise my driving licence photo, ended up using Passport.
Though I can't say it was worth the bother and hassle.

 

[Sally71]

I didn’t have to upload a photo to register on the app, it also shows both my Covid jabs and every lateral flow test I’ve ever done. I think I only had to enter a few personal details. I did have to provide photo ID to register with the GP for ordering prescriptions online, I wonder if it links it all together? Didn’t think it was that clever! Also I had my Covid jabs in April and June and didn’t register on the app until September so maybe it just takes time for that to show up

 

[Robin]

I didn’t have to upload a photo to register on the app, it also shows both my Covid jabs and every lateral flow test I’ve ever done. I think I only had to enter a few personal details. I did have to provide photo ID to register with the GP for ordering prescriptions online, I wonder if it links it all together? Didn’t think it was that clever! Also I had my Covid jabs in April and June and didn’t register on the app until September so maybe it just takes time for that to show up

I happened to read about the NHS App not being able to show boosters here, I looked because my son is off skiing in December, but I don’t think he'll get caught by the problem because its not 6 months since he had his main jabs.

Winter ski holidays in trouble as booster jabs won’t show on Covid app

There could be trouble in paradise as travellers could be refused entry to popular winter destinations after reports of the NHS app failing to record booster vaccinations.

www.standard.co.uk

 

[grovesy]

I didn’t have to upload a photo to register on the app, it also shows both my Covid jabs and every lateral flow test I’ve ever done. I think I only had to enter a few personal details. I did have to provide photo ID to register with the GP for ordering prescriptions online, I wonder if it links it all together? Didn’t think it was that clever! Also I had my Covid jabs in April and June and didn’t register on the app until September so maybe it just takes time for that to show up

My husband did not have to upload a photo to register the app a while ago but I only downloaded a few weeks ago and had to upload the photo. This must be a recent requirement, there is even a video to show what to do as part of the registration. When I was having trouble with the photo my other half thought I was going via some dodgy site, till he checked.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear about your rather less-than-comprehensive introduction to T2

I think it has been a particularly difficult time to get a diagnosis, when the healthcare system has been so stretched, though unfortunately there were many similar tales before the pandemic.

For a good diabetes info starter, you could register for the Learning Zone, which has lots of modules you can work through.

Additionally members here often recommend Gretchen Becker’s book T2 Diabetes, the first year, and Maggie Davey’s Letter

🙂