Well that went down like a lead balloon

[Dollypolly]

I decided to telephone the GP surgery about my diabetic doctor I'll use that term loosely. I asked when she was returning and was told next year remember this is June.

I then asked for to be referred to the hospital till she comes back nope it's in house only. Why no other doc knows that much about diabetes and why wasn't I telephoned about my results and brought in for a chat over my care. Oh we only phone if there is a problem.

Eh so no care over my diet and exercise and how I'm managing it. Oh it's going well or c**p. No oh you can't do that or well done continue but we'll monitor your cholesterol (LCHF) nothing. I wasn't even asked about my well being last time.

Yes I do have days I find it hard and want to throw in the towel and eat cake all day. I do get slightly depressed but nothing was offered for me when dx no one to one dietitian either that I asked for.

Folks including my surgery think it's easy doing it with diet and exercise and can I say no it's bloody hard going to keep them numbers down all the time to avoid compilations later on. It doesn't help I get no feed back from the surgery at all it's we've done the HBA1c test sod off now. 😡

Oh and to top it off I got but your T2 they don't get hypos 😡
I am now officially complaining to my surgery.
Rant over!!!

 

[Ljc]

OMG the way you are being treated or rather not treated is diabolical.
You shouldn't have to put in an official complaint, but sadly you have to. If possible I suggest you seriously look into changing to another practice, though I do understand that's not always possible.
Imo in situations like this writing or emails are better than phone calls as it creates a paper trail and can't be ignored as easily as a phone call.
Keep copies of what you send as well as replies
Sorry if it seems I'm teaching you to suck eggs.

We here know just how bl**dy hard diabetes can be
and yes it is possible to have hypo's when not on diabetic meds, an old boyfriend in my distant pasts did not have D , was on no meds of any kind but he had hypo's
I wish I could give you a real one of these

 

[Drummer]

Ah well - at least you are not being told to go and be instructed to eat healthy carbs - sometimes being allowed to get on with things yourself is a blessing.
Do you have a meter to test your blood? If so then you can take satisfaction from your numbers.
Basically, though - it is down to you, and you alone.
Personally I would rather not have close monitoring and mentoring - having struggled with medical interference in the past - I was so ill during my second pregnancy when threatened with hospital if I did not 'eat properly' - I have recently put off an 'annual health check' as it is only four months since my last blood tests. If you are satisfied with your situation then I'd encourage you to stay below the radar of health care professionals, their interest is not always a good thing.

 

[Dollypolly]

I don't want to hide the fact I don't eat of the eat well plate the NHS give out. I refuse to be quiet about my diet even if it goes against theirs. I want better care Christ 10 minutes would do every 3 months (reviews are 3 monthly) not ignored and treated like a child by someone that really should know better.
I am diet and exercise no meds and I should be asked how that is going. I was about to say at last appointment and she said
Oh you'll no doubt be on medication next time as it'll be high I'm no it won't I monitor my bloods and have a wee app to show me I'm doing ok. She scoffed at this, she's good at the muttering under her breath which I've asked her before not to do as it's rude.
I was told then my diabetic doc was on leave and didn't know how long so found out today it's next year.
I feel I am the ones pushing for appointments just to have a chat over highs and lows etc etc.
Yes I am managing my condition but there might come a time I won't for unexplained reasons and they won't have a clue and fob me off but if I get in there with the odd chat they'll know something I hope is amiss.
Next review is Aug but appointment is July. I know it isn't an emergency but chatting helps with the so called professionals well it used to as I'd be invited in over my IBS and sciatica I have why not my diabetes care too. I have noticed that it's a hit or a miss regardless of town and country sadly.

 

[Lilian]

Try and see if you can go on one of those diabetes courses. You will learn so much from them and they are there to do what the doctors just do not have time to do nowadays. For support I think you can do no better than belong to a forum such as this, or a face to face group if you have one near you.

 

[DaveB]

Hi. Do ask for online access to your test results. I find it extremely useful and can see my DN knowing what the results look like. That way you don't need to wait for the surgery to call you

 

[Amigo]

Hi Dollypolly. Like you I'm Diet and exercise control only and I have almost zero discussion with my surgery about diabetes. They see me annually for the Hba1c and I see a nurse at the surgery at that time who is not a diabetic specialist. However she's ok and just tells me to keep on doing what I'm doing. I prefer it that way to be honest because I prefer to deal with things myself.

Would you value 3 monthly reviews because you're struggling or do you just want some encouragement along the way? You seem to be doing so well so it could be the surgery see you as one of the success stories they don't need to see regularly.
Personally I can't think of anything worse than regular diabetic reviews and in truth my GP wouldn't offer them.

Why would you want to go to see the hospital team. Are you concerned about your levels?

 

[grovesy]

Hi. Do ask for online access to your test results. I find it extremely useful and can see my DN knowing what the results look like. That way you don't need to wait for the surgery to call you

Not all Surgeries have got access to online results.

 

[Dollypolly]

I just thought it would be the same in for a chat like my IBS and sciatica so I think it is encouragement I'm looking for.
I just might be looking in the wrong place for it but felt the need to rant I suppose. I was on a downer earlier feeling a bit low because I am managing my diabetes well and the surgery will be thinking our gold standard HBA1c test did that when it flaming never. I'm the one that brought my levels down with NO help from them at all except eat from the eat well plate and OMG your eating fats. I was never told of portion control just eat carbs at every meal. No please avoid this if you can. This moderation ******** doesn't help either for a lot of T2s.
I can assess my results online Davy that isn't why I posted. I just thought they'd want me in good or bad for a chat over it all, but no only if bad and a HBA1c can hide a lot too and is only one part of the arsenal for good control. NHS don't think so and we have to fight tooth and nail for anything these days sadly.

 

[Amigo]

I just thought it would be the same in for a chat like my IBS and sciatica so I think it is encouragement I'm looking for.
I just might be looking in the wrong place for it but felt the need to rant I suppose. I was on a downer earlier feeling a bit low because I am managing my diabetes well and the surgery will be thinking our gold standard HBA1c test did that when it flaming never. I'm the one that brought my levels down with NO help from them at all except eat from the eat well plate and OMG your eating fats. I was never told of portion control just eat carbs at every meal. No please avoid this if you can. This moderation ******** doesn't help either for a lot of T2s.
I can assess my results online Davy that isn't why I posted. I just thought they'd want me in good or bad for a chat over it all, but no only if bad and a HBA1c can hide a lot too and is only one part of the arsenal for good control. NHS don't think so and we have to fight tooth and nail for anything these days sadly.

I think you're needing affirmation and a pat on the back Dollypolly and you'll certainly get that here. Don't stress about what the surgery think, feel or recommend because frankly all they want is for you to succeed (they get more money if you do incidentally) and take pleasure in the fact that you did it despite them instead of them. The only person you need to please is yourself. Your success in keeping your diabetes under control will benefit you and in the final analysis we are one patient in thousands. Diabetes won't give you a special relationship with them so rise above it and do it your way. You're doing this for YOU, no one else.
Take pride in seeing your results, feel confident in doing it with your friends here and don't even involve them in the methods that got you there. I never discuss diddly squat with the surgery about my diabetes and if they started questioning me I'd just smile nicely and tell them it's my body, my diabetes and I do what works for me. For as long as it does anyway. It's my condition, my gig and the good results are for my benefit.

That's my take on it anyway 🙂

 

[Dollypolly]

Thank you for saying what I've been feeling.
I do this for me I should reflect on that mainly as I do really well sometimes.
I stopped putting my head on the sand and tackled my condition for me even if I bore my family to death with it.


I'm going to be proactive and cancel that doc appointment next month. I'll keep my one in August, my review and I will say first of about how good my control has been and how I feel pretty good over my new lifestyle changes. Then ask for it to be changed to 6 monthly and at that one yearly. I think they may change it too as I've lowered my levels by 2% which I have to say I was ecstatic over.
Sometimes I should take my own advice and kick myself up the arse.

Thank you for saying that @Amigo thanks for "listening"

 

[Ljc]

Dollypolly. I think your practice is treating you shabbily. We all need support and info and yes a pat on the back for working hard at wrestling your D into submission till the next time the DF pays another visit.
a face to face meeting a couple of times a year is not too much to ask.
I hope you are receiving all the check you should be, including proper foot tickling sessions
I found this on our website
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documen...tials/are-you-really-getting-your-15-0912.pdf

 

[Dollypolly]

Thank you @Ljc they do treat me shabbily hence me feeling a bit down about it all but I don't think that'll change any time soon so I'll be the proactive one here as I am happy I've got my numbers down ecstatic more like. it's like taming a beast for me because it does run in the family on my mothers side and only females so it needed controlled from the start well when I took my head out of the sand.

I still won't Hide the fact I low carb and my diet goes against theirs. So be it if nursey freaks at all the fat when it's good fats not processed gunk I eat. I shall repeat and smile and say I fast but in fact have two mugs of coffee of a morning. I don't 5:2 I 16:8 mainly 14:10. I can actually give her a run down on what I eat as I belong to a weight loss group that calorie count which works for me.

You know what folks this was the only good thing she told me to do join here and I did and it helps and I mean it helps a lot.

I was in the dark now into the light as corny as that sounds and I thank you all for that.

Plus just "listening"

@Lillian there are no courses in my area that you speak of and I think most are for folks on meds or insulin and even then my nearest is over 100 miles away sadly, but thank you.

 

[Lilian]

By law all surgeries in England (not sure about Wales or Scotland) should have access to your summary records, test results etc. online by the end of March 2016. If yours have not, if you contact england.patient-online@nhs.net and give them the name and address of your surgery they will contact them to get it done.

 

[Ljc]

Dollypolly. Directing you here is one good thing in her favour. 🙂
I wonder if she realised we're such a bunch if rebels lol.

 

[Dollypolly]

@Lilian I can access them online thanks I'm Scotland so we have my diabetes my way here. They tried to charge me for paper ones my own records a quid a sheet the cheeky sods. I then discovered about the above and said no thanks I'll access them there and was told don't???? I did.

@Ljc I think she'd freak out at us if here 🙄🙂 well scream more like or faint 🙄