Doctors Receptionists......is it just me ?

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rebrascora said:
There is probably no difference between 52 and 53 when you consider that there are error factors in all readings. I think that is cause for celebration and I award you a Gold Star for maintaining the significant improvement you made to get down to low 50s. This time of year, it is harder to reduce levels. Our metabolism wants to slow down with the shorter days and mentally I think it is harder and you want to comfort eat more, so I really think that is good result in the circumstances and I will be surprised if your GP wants to add extra medication at this stage.
How do you feel about more medication. Do you feel like you could use some extra help or are you happy to continue as you are?
I would like to add that as a Type 1 my consultant would be very happy if I can maintain my HbA1c in the low 50s so I don't really see why a reading like that should be any more of a concern for Type 2s. Obviously lower is better, but I don't think there is a significant risk at that level.
I think you should be proud of your achievement in maintaining your reduction, especially when you suffer from anxiety.
WELL DONE!
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Well what a nice thing to say , I really appreciate that x

OK, I intend to be guided by the doctors but I certainly want to aim for as low a hba reading as possible . When I read of other type 2 patients who have got their levels down to 38 for example then if I can get there I will .

I have had a lot of peripheral neurothapy symptoms recently and if the doctor feels that could be lessened by adding medication to what I have I would agree . But what they say I will go with .

Take Care
 
Taffyboyslim said:
It was 53 , last one was 52

So not a disaster but the doctor did suggest us adding another medication to the metformin if this test didn't show a reduction ....and it hasn't......so glad I pushed because I wouldn't have known otherwise
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Stress and anxiety is a terrible thing . And anxiety when u have to see a doctor or the mental health team about how much its affecting you means my experiences today are so unnecessary when I phoned up mid morning had I been told ...its 52 ......by the receptionist .....which she could have done as her colleague did ......then I wouldn't have spent 5 hours with my head in a spin
 
Taffyboyslim said:
Are your doctors happy with your levels at 36 , 38 etc ? They look stable
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Ha ha. They say nothing and when I ask if there might be a reduction in the metformin tabs I get told 'if it ain't broke ...'. So frustrating and the thing is I don't really care about taking the tabs I just find it odd that no mention of any reduction is mentioned . At this stage I suspect my food and busy running around is doing the heavy lifting with the diabetes.
 
Sharron1 said:
Ha ha. They say nothing and when I ask if there might be a reduction in the metformin tabs I get told 'if it ain't broke ...'. So frustrating and the thing is I don't really care about taking the tabs I just find it odd that no mention of any reduction is mentioned . At this stage I suspect my food and busy running around is doing the heavy lifting with the diabetes.
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Well I think if mine settled to that level I would be very happy but of course its a patient doctor decision ....or it should be
 
I used to ask mine to print them off for me, which they were happy to do - though they did charge me 20p per sheet(!)

As others have said, it’s much easier now that my surgery have given me access via the NHS app.
 
Well I really can't be having anything to do with most doctors receptionists I am afraid . The way they act as gatekeepers to appointments with doctors that have been requested by doctors themselves.......its awful

After being told to ring this morning at 8 am to get an appointment today and preparing myself to speak to them .....I find it an awful experience ......I was told I couldn't have an appointment as my situation wasn't urgent ? I said how do you know ?

In the end after 5 minutes being messed about I asked to see a nurse practitioner who is the diabetes lead for the surgery and I am seeing her tomorrow . If that's the state of NHS provision regarding doctors for diabetes I think that's the best option personally .
 
Taffyboyslim said:
Well I really can't be having anything to do with most doctors receptionists I am afraid . The way they act as gatekeepers to appointments with doctors that have been requested by doctors themselves.......its awful

After being told to ring this morning at 8 am to get an appointment today and preparing myself to speak to them .....I find it an awful experience ......I was told I couldn't have an appointment as my situation wasn't urgent ? I said how do you know ?
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I would agree that an a1c of 53 isn’t urgent and doesn’t need a same day appointment. I’d have waited for the GP to call once they’d seen the results or put in an econsult request for a routine callback.
 
Lucyr said:
I would agree that an a1c of 53 isn’t urgent and doesn’t need a same day appointment. I’d have waited for the GP to call once they’d seen the results or put in an econsult request for a routine callback.
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That wasn't the case .

It was the GP ......that told ME to make an appointment with her ! I was doing what the GP requested ......and it was the receptionist that refused to make that appointment

I am furious and very anxious after being messed about like this .
 
helli said:
I would not expect my GP receptionist to share my results. Apart from not understanding what the numbers mean, the receptionist area is not private and I would not expect them to share personal information within hearing distance of the waiting room.

Like others, I review my results online.
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That's not true of our surgery at least. The receptionists who answer the phones are not sitting on reception but working from a back room. So no personal info shared in public. I did not know this until I joined the Patient's panel, but it's worth asking if that is the case.

Until fairly recently we were not able to access our test results online either. I brought it up at a PPG meeting and other members of the PPG agreed that we should be able to have access. We pointed out that being able to do so wouldn't necessarily "frighten" patients as it was only likely to be clued up patients who would access them. Anyway, our surgery has now made access online possible for those who wish to have it.
 
Tbh I suspect there is a certain truth in your surgery's arguement for not originally putting results online. They can be worrying especially that red abnormal zone. But it is the choice of the individual patient to access them. I find it very helpful.
 
Taffyboyslim said:
Well I really can't be having anything to do with most doctors receptionists I am afraid . The way they act as gatekeepers to appointments with doctors that have been requested by doctors themselves.......its awful

After being told to ring this morning at 8 am to get an appointment today and preparing myself to speak to them .....I find it an awful experience ......I was told I couldn't have an appointment as my situation wasn't urgent ? I said how do you know ?

In the end after 5 minutes being messed about I asked to see a nurse practitioner who is the diabetes lead for the surgery and I am seeing her tomorrow . If that's the state of NHS provision regarding doctors for diabetes I think that's the best option personally .
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Prior to Covid my husband and I had access via email because of 'peopling' stress re - being autistic and hubby being deaf.
Since Covid we have been using the online system - Ask My GP I think it is called but it is not ideal but better than phoning. Hubby just went to look and has found there is now an app so he is sorting that as I type.

One thing I found was something that worked to speed stuff up with anxiety and results etc was to ask for a phone appointment with the GP and they used to be happy to squeeze one of those in because it was quicker and easier for them as well as less tricky for us. It often worked out with a phone appointment it could happen on the day instead of weeks in the future.

Personally I prefer phone appointments or a Zoom type appointment than in person ones. But that's just me. I like using an online system and then bypassing the receptionist interaction completely if possible.
 
NotWorriedAtAll said:
Prior to Covid my husband and I had access via email because of 'peopling' stress re - being autistic and hubby being deaf.
Since Covid we have been using the online system - Ask My GP I think it is called but it is not ideal but better than phoning. Hubby just went to look and has found there is now an app so he is sorting that as I type.

One thing I found was something that worked to speed stuff up with anxiety and results etc was to ask for a phone appointment with the GP and they used to be happy to squeeze one of those in because it was quicker and easier for them as well as less tricky for us. It often worked out with a phone appointment it could happen on the day instead of weeks in the future.

Personally I prefer phone appointments or a Zoom type appointment than in person ones. But that's just me. I like using an online system and then bypassing the receptionist interaction completely if possible.
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Hi

I like being able to speak face to face with a gp or nurse , as I am seeing tomorrow, or receptionist

I get very anxious over the phone and I have often found gp receptionists to be very short

I have a lot of other concerns I wanted to speak to the doctor about including numbness , the results of my b12 test , thyroid results and my ongoing anxiety problems that I needed to discuss with a doctor .

Nothing of these issues was even brought up as I was stressed, anxious and upset at being talked to like I was an idiot .

I am deciding how to deal with the local gp surgery now , I might forget about phoning them up as it makes me so ill with anxiety . I would have taken a diazepam if I had any .

If the appointment with the practice nurse goes well I might work with her for my physical and mental health . I rely don't want to go through this stress every time I wish to see a doctor . Covid has been difficult for all of us but now the receptionists here are being guarded like royalty and I think it's wrong .

I am very grumpy
 
Taffyboyslim said:
Hi

I like being able to speak face to face with a gp or nurse , as I am seeing tomorrow, or receptionist

I get very anxious over the phone and I have often found gp receptionists to be very short

I have a lot of other concerns I wanted to speak to the doctor about including numbness , the results of my b12 test , thyroid results and my ongoing anxiety problems that I needed to discuss with a doctor .

Nothing of these issues was even brought up as I was stressed, anxious and upset at being talked to like I was an idiot .

I am deciding how to deal with the local gp surgery now , I might forget about phoning them up as it makes me so ill with anxiety . I would have taken a diazepam if I had any .

If the appointment with the practice nurse goes well I might work with her for my physical and mental health . I rely don't want to go through this stress every time I wish to see a doctor . Covid has been difficult for all of us but now the receptionists here are being guarded like royalty and I think it's wrong .

I am very grumpy
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I don't blame you. Grump away. It is all very annoying and I hope you can find a way going forward that will work for you. The one person I was okay about seeing was the nurse - ours was very nice and I hope yours will be nice and listen to you. I just remembered one thing I used to do for face to face appointments (other than take my husband in with me) was to write my issues down as bullet points on paper and read them out to the GP at the start so I knew I had got it all mentioned. My Gp was okay with that and found it helpful.
 
NotWorriedAtAll said:
I don't blame you. Grump away. It is all very annoying and I hope you can find a way going forward that will work for you. The one person I was okay about seeing was the nurse - ours was very nice and I hope yours will be nice and listen to you. I just remembered one thing I used to do for face to face appointments (other than take my husband in with me) was to write my issues down as bullet points on paper and read them out to the GP at the start so I knew I had got it all mentioned. My Gp was okay with that and found it helpful.
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Absolutely, I will do that for the appointment with the nurse tomorrow, she's a very kind lady who I have met before

Take care and thank you for your advice xx
 
Hi. Do try to get online access to your surgery's system. You can then have a review having looked at the results and you don't have to waste time being given them. If necessary remind them that 2 years ago they were instructed by the NHS to provide access.
 
I had my bloods done yesterday and my results were available this morning. I had to have a word with myself because although they all came back fine and my cholesterol was better, it turns out my libre has been telling more porkies than usual and had underestimated by quite a bit more than I’m used to. I have been eating much better but I did have a little moment of sadness, normally I’d start telling myself to starve, but I’m not going down that route again. No doubt the doctor at my review will have her opinion but you know what, I can’t do any more than I’m doing. Sometimes I think doctors genuinely don’t know how difficult health anxiety can be.
 
Had a lovely meeting with the nurse at my local surgery who happens to also be the diabetic nurse

She's a really kind person , she knows I suffer with anxiety and gave me plenty of time to explain


She felt my reading of 53 was ok but felt adding Dapagliflozin at 10 mg would continue to reduce my sugar levels and also ease my symptoms of neuropathy

I will be avoiding the doctors if I can , she's much more approachable and a lot easier to get to see !
 
Taffyboyslim said:
Well I really can't be having anything to do with most doctors receptionists I am afraid . The way they act as gatekeepers to appointments with doctors that have been requested by doctors themselves.......its awful

After being told to ring this morning at 8 am to get an appointment today and preparing myself to speak to them .....I find it an awful experience ......I was told I couldn't have an appointment as my situation wasn't urgent ? I said how do you know ?

In the end after 5 minutes being messed about I asked to see a nurse practitioner who is the diabetes lead for the surgery and I am seeing her tomorrow . If that's the state of NHS provision regarding doctors for diabetes I think that's the best option personally .
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The receptionists in my surgery are simply rude. The last time I booked an appointment the receptionist didn't process it properly and I had a wasted journey. I was made to feel that I was at fault. I will no longer contact our surgery.
 
proudgran said:
The receptionists in my surgery are simply rude. The last time I booked an appointment the receptionist didn't process it properly and I had a wasted journey. I was made to feel that I was at fault. I will no longer contact our surgery.
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The doctors and receptionists between them cocked up my bloods so instead of sugar levels , b12 , kidney , thyroid , cholesterol and several others I just had sugar levels

It just summed up the last few days really
 
So they haven't tested your B12 then? So it might still be the cause of your pins and needles?
 
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