Am I expecting non-endo HCP's to know too much about Type 1?

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helli

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Type 1
This morning I had a physio appointment. It is due to a niggling sports related injury that hasn't healed.
Today's appointment was the first so it was a question and answer session for the physio to get to know what the problem is and who I am. For example, for him to realise that I will continue to go to the gym regularly and I need to know what exercises to do rather than "resting".
As usual, the question about "other health conditions" came up and I replied that I have "Type 1 diabetes". Sadly, he only heard "diabetes" and, I guess because I am slim, he said "so that is managed with diet then?". I corrected him that it is managed with insulin so he asked how many "tablets" I take.

I appreciate that diabetes is not his speciality but is it too much to ask for HCPs to know the basics of diabetes and that there is more than just type 2?
This is not the first time a HCP has asked if I manage my diabetes by diet. My dentist has asked and when I queried with the blood bank whether someone with Type 1 diabetes (I made sure I emphasised that type) can give blood, I was told "anyone with diabetes can give blood as long as they are not treated with insulin."

How do other people with Type 1 handle this? Do they answer the question about "other medical conditions" with the old fashioned "Insulin dependent diabetes" to make it clearer? Or is it just another T1 niggle?


I am sure there are people with other medical conditions that are known even less about and maybe I am just seeing a glimpse into the frustrations of their world.
 
helli said:
How do other people with Type 1 handle this? Do they answer the question about "other medical conditions" with the old fashioned "Insulin dependent diabetes" to make it clearer? Or is it just another T1 niggle?
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I always say insulin dependent diabetes because as soon as you say t2 (as my nhs records say) then they think it’s just diet, and I can’t then explain that my pancreas barely produces any insulin so no I can’t lose a bit of weight and be in remission…
 
In fact even my medical alert bracelet I got to say insulin dependent diabetes not T2
 
@Lucyr but there is no ambiguity/uncertainty about my type and Type 1 has to be insulin dependent because I do not produce ANY of my own.
So why do HCP assume I manage a pancreas producing no insulin through diet alone?
OK, I know the answer to that - they do not know what is Type 1 diabetes.
Should they or am I expecting HCP to know too much about all possible health conditions?
 
helli said:
Should they or am I expecting HCP to know too much about all possible health conditions?
Click to expand...
Probably the latter. Type 1 isn't that rare, but it is rare. I suspect a typical HCP (such as a physio) will deal with people with lots of different conditions and I don't expect them to know details of all of them. I'm fine with giving basic clarifications when necessary, anyway.
 
Surely one would expect an NHS Physio to understand about the effects of exercise on BG for all & sundry with any form of diabetes anyway PLUS the danger of hypos most esp for those using insulin. I know I've shrugged and just said 'Nope luv, with T1 it's insulin no choice! (unless of course I decide to starve myself to death in misery .......) So not very likely!'
 
helli said:
@Lucyr but there is no ambiguity/uncertainty about my type and Type 1 has to be insulin dependent because I do not produce ANY of my own.
So why do HCP assume I manage a pancreas producing no insulin through diet alone?
OK, I know the answer to that - they do not know what is Type 1 diabetes.
Should they or am I expecting HCP to know too much about all possible health conditions?
Click to expand...

I think they only partly listen (and I’ve found that on other nondiabetic occasions too). You say”I have Type 1 diabetes” but they only pick up the “diabetes”. They then ask if you treat it with diet and you explain “No, I’m on insulin because I’m Type 1”. All they hear is the “No”.

It’s very frustrating. I once tested my theory by inserting gobbledegook at the end of my sentence and they only noticed when I repeated it.
 
But there again :rofl: not everyone employed in healthcare appreciates my sarky sense of humour. (eg Question Why on earth did you do/not do that? Thinks bubble Oh, I did it especially to annoy you, you muppet, so that worked well!) It doesn't go down well with shedloads of individuals so best listen to Bruce!
 
I’m afraid I have reverted to the outdated an inaccurate term of juvenile diabetes ( I was diagnosed as an adult) when dealing with anyone who’s is not type 1 themselves or diabetician. It’s the only phrase that seems to work. I usually then add type 1 once they’ve registered it
 
Inka said:
I think they only partly listen
Click to expand...
I agree with this.
Today, the guy asked me how many tablets I took after I said I use insulin.
I would prefer to believe he wasn't listening than he thought insulin was taken in tablet form.
 
Yes, and I bet he didn’t hear the insulin bit, just you mentioning medication which he automatically filled in himself (wrongly ).
 
My last two surgery nurses and my current db GP all understand insulin dependent diabetes and could/can discuss the subject even though I'm listed still as T2. They know I'm on Basal/Bolus regime. I'm lucky in having a super local GP surgery.
 
helli said:
I agree with this.
Today, the guy asked me how many tablets I took after I said I use insulin.
I would prefer to believe he wasn't listening than he thought insulin was taken in tablet form.
Click to expand...
I’ve had injuries in the past & been asked by HCPs what if any or the dose of any painkillers I’ve had. Are you certain this wasn’t the line of questioning on the tablets?
 
Satan’s little helper said:
I’ve had injuries in the past & been asked by HCPs what if any or the dose of any painkillers I’ve had. Are you certain this wasn’t the line of questioning on the tablets?
Click to expand...
Nope. The discussion had moved on from what I had done to try to treat my injury to other medical conditions.
He asked me if I had any other medical conditions and I said "just Type 1 diabetes". As I mentioned previously, first he had told me that I must treat my Type 1 diabetes with diet and when I said no, I use insulin, he asked how many tablets.
I don't think he was listening as any questions relating to the injury were very detailed but anything else was just box filling.
 
helli said:
This morning I had a physio appointment. It is due to a niggling sports related injury that hasn't healed.
Today's appointment was the first so it was a question and answer session for the physio to get to know what the problem is and who I am. For example, for him to realise that I will continue to go to the gym regularly and I need to know what exercises to do rather than "resting".
As usual, the question about "other health conditions" came up and I replied that I have "Type 1 diabetes". Sadly, he only heard "diabetes" and, I guess because I am slim, he said "so that is managed with diet then?". I corrected him that it is managed with insulin so he asked how many "tablets" I take.

I appreciate that diabetes is not his speciality but is it too much to ask for HCPs to know the basics of diabetes and that there is more than just type 2?
This is not the first time a HCP has asked if I manage my diabetes by diet. My dentist has asked and when I queried with the blood bank whether someone with Type 1 diabetes (I made sure I emphasised that type) can give blood, I was told "anyone with diabetes can give blood as long as they are not treated with insulin."

How do other people with Type 1 handle this? Do they answer the question about "other medical conditions" with the old fashioned "Insulin dependent diabetes" to make it clearer? Or is it just another T1 niggle?


I am sure there are people with other medical conditions that are known even less about and maybe I am just seeing a glimpse into the frustrations of their world.
Click to expand...
 
I tell them I have diabetes sometimes I say Type 1 sometimes I dont even bother
 
helli said:
Nope. The discussion had moved on from what I had done to try to treat my injury to other medical conditions.
He asked me if I had any other medical conditions and I said "just Type 1 diabetes". As I mentioned previously, first he had told me that I must treat my Type 1 diabetes with diet and when I said no, I use insulin, he asked how many tablets.
I don't think he was listening as any questions relating to the injury were very detailed but anything else was just box filling.
Click to expand...
I’m sorry you had a disappointing first physio appointment. Hopefully your road to recovery won’t take too long.
 
Sorry to hear about your frustrating appointment @helli

I don’t know whether it helps to know you aren’t alone - or whether that actually makes it more annoying that the issue is so widespread :(

I think I remember MikeyB (ex GP) once saying that a GP would have many people with T2 that they saw regularly, but might only meet one or two T1s in their whole career.
 
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