Diabetic care in general from gp practice.

[lordburnside]

I like to monitor my own BG so I use a glucose monitor for 15 day once every 3 months just to see if I am being a good boy.
I got an HBA1C test through the post and that reassured me I was on the right track. I will probably do that again just before Christmas costs about £32. My NHS test gets done once or twice a year but until recently they would not give me the number so I complained so I get a number (42 on the last test so now pre-diabetic.)
Its important to get tested regularly so if your readings go wrong you can adjust your diet accordingly.

 

[Ruby/London]

Annual blood test, eye check, weight check, foot check and ECG at local surgery. My last HBA1c was in July. Alert from GP to discuss rise in glucose levels and abnormal lymphocytes. No appointments until October.
Advice from DN wasn't very helpful. The last time I received a call it was two hours passed the appointment time and she sounded stressed out of her mind. So, good general screening but follow up can be a bit patchy.

 

[Ruby/London]

I like to monitor my own BG so I use a glucose monitor for 15 day once every 3 months just to see if I am being a good boy.
I got an HBA1C test through the post and that reassured me I was on the right track. I will probably do that again just before Christmas costs about £32. My NHS test gets done once or twice a year but until recently they would not give me the number so I complained so I get a number (42 on the last test so now pre-diabetic.)
Its important to get tested regularly so if your readings go wrong you can adjust your diet accordingly.

I am signed up for Patient Access with my surgery so I check my HBA1c online - usually a couple of days after blood test. That way, I have a record of all my test results and can track any changes. https://www.patientaccess.com/
I am not sure if this is a service that all GP surgeries use.

 

[helli]

I am signed up for Patient Access with my surgery so I check my HBA1c online - usually a couple of days after blood test. That way, I have a record of all my test results and can track any changes. https://www.patientaccess.com/
I am not sure if this is a service that all GP surgeries use.

My test results are available on the NHS app.
I also use it to reorder my prescription

 

[pjgtech]

My GP surgery seems to be very proactive, after my initial pre T2D diagnosis, I had regular (3 monthly) checks, including weight, bloods, BP, etc and since "proper" T2D diagnosis have had eye and feet checks.
I use the Patient Access website to access test results, etc too.
Cheers

 

[Sadsac]

I’ve had my blood done 3 times now. Saw a diabetic nurse at initial diagnosis and have had my eyes and feet checked. Never saw anyone after my second blood test had to find results on the nhs app. Have an appointment next week about results from third blood test. Initial test 114, 2nd test 59 and 3rd test 49. Following a low carb diet and refused all medication. I did see a note on my nhs app that they want to discuss statins with me, again. I have refused all medication so far and really don’t want to be on medication.
I feel that while all the medical side of things have been covered not once has there been any sort of wellbeing check. I was told you have this lifelong condition now go away and get on with it. Everything I have done has been through my own research and I have really struggled to come to terms with the diagnosis.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I feel that while all the medical side of things have been covered not once has there been any sort of wellbeing check. I was told you have this lifelong condition now go away and get on with it. Everything I have done has been through my own research and I have really struggled to come to terms with the diagnosis

Sorry to hear about your rather dismissive experience from your GP surgery @Sadsac - but well done to you on making some significant changes, and hugely reducing your HbA1c. That’s an amazing achievement!

Hope you are finding ways to adjust and come to terms with things as the weeks and minths progress.

Be kind to yourself!

 

[JITR]

I was told you have this lifelong condition now go away and get on with it.

So was I. No mention of remission. It's a national scandal.

There are 160-175,000 newly diagnosed T2Ds per year, and maybe a similar number of prediabetics. How much of its £200 billion annual expenditure would it cost the NHS to produce well presented media to guide patients and professionals?

 

[indio02]

I've only had 2 appointments with a DN (once a year since diagnosis) and both times I had the full works.... feet tested, blood pressure taken, weight recorded and a general chat about how things are going.

 

[Chelseagirl]

Think a lot has changed since Covid too. Annual checks by DN and consultant, six months apart, so in reality twice yearly. Since then, I had a video consult with the consultant after bloods at GP. Then I moved from Norfolk to Cambridgeshire and have had one F2F with a nurse, doing weight, bloods and feet in 3 years. Just get sent text from surgery to get bloods done annually. Interpret my own results from NHS app, as DN rarely contacts.

 

[silver minion]

Attended a general annual review appointment today. Was only expecting blood tests for cholesterol & liver/kidney function plus shingles jab which I asked them to do at the same time. Already have appointment booked with diabetes nurse in 2 weeks time.
Nurse also checked weight and BP. Had a chat about general health. Feet checked again (previously done about 6 months ago).
Plus asked to drop off urine sample.
Seem pretty thorough so far. I will check results on NHS app in due course. Only bad news is I had the 2 part shingles jab so another jab to look forward to. Arm is feeling a bit sore but otherwise I am ok.

 

[trophywench]

A bit of one arm feeling a bit sore for a while is infinitely preferable to actually having shingles! 😉

 

[silver minion]

A bit of one arm feeling a bit sore for a while is infinitely preferable to actually having shingles! 😉

Absolutely. My arm is still a bit inflamed and sore today but I gave myself a good talking to, put my big girl pants on and took 2 paracetamol. All good to go now.