KittyGecko
New Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi, I'm a newbie here so please be gentle 🙂
I am a 35 year old female "probably" type 1 diabetic (the consultants at the hospital say they're 99% sure that's my type but haven't said what else I could be) Diagnosed at 18 years old. Never been the best diabetic in the world, I must admit. I hate exercise and love junk food. But I've made dietary adjustments and wouldn't say I'm the worst either. I'm overweight but I don't drink, I've never smoked, I walk a lot, and my "crimes against food" are largely eating fatty food rather than overly sugary.
My GP surgery has always been a bit reluctant to prescribe me the amount of Novorapid insulin that would last me a month as they say it's a lot. I agree, but my insulin resistance appears to be very high, possibly due in part to my mental health and lack of sleep, and the hospital are aware of how much I take and have no issues with that, though we are obviously always trying new things to bring it down. Its only the GP surgery that drag their heels about it.
A few years back I asked my surgery if it was possible to be prescribed an amount that would last all month, as I was annoyed having to collect it every 2-3 weeks. They compromised with me and gave me an amount in between what I wanted and what they wanted. Not the best, but they wouldn't budge. Any time I tried to order it any earlier than a month since the last prescription I got a phone call demanding to know why I needed it early which was a bit frustrating given that it was them who refused to prescribe the correct amount. They've also withheld insulin before because I was overdue for a check up which seemed a bit extreme given that they hadn't bothered to ring or write to me about it and I was still being seen by the hospital for my main care.
In the last few months I've twice been to collect rapid insulin from my pharmacy to find less than agreed on has been issued, and when I've rung my surgery about it they've just said it was an accident or oversight and sent the rest to the pharmacy, necessitating an extra trip to collect it each time.
Well recently my blood sugar levels have been creeping up again and my control was not as good so my consultant at the hospital decided to change my long acting insulin. I handed in the piece of paper with the prescription on to the gp, asked to have it issued to my chosen pharmacy and sure enough, I go there a few days later and find a totally different, lesser amount of it than the consultant prescribed. So I ring the surgery and they're just like "oh yeah our pharmacist decided that was too much so reduced it. " no phone call or letter to me, just decided to change it and not communicate that at all. So I accept the new amount even though it wont quite do me a month, as they aren't budging.
A month later I've gone to collect the next dose of my new slow acting insulin , and my rapid insulin, and they've only gone and halved my new slow acting one AGAIN (a third of what the hospital consultant originally prescribed), and short changed me on the rapid one by a third, AGAIN. By this point I'm feeling pretty stressed out but the receptionist at the gp says jts just ANOTHER mistake when I ring, and she will send the rest across.
So I go back to the pharmacist a few days later...And guess what? None of it is there. So I call the GP again. "Oh yeah it wasn't sent as the pharmacist feels it's too much". No call to tell me that. No letter. No message left at Boots pharmacy to pass on. More wasted time. I've asked what to do next and apparently the pharmacist is calling me on Monday but frankly I'm fuming and want to complain. I'm not sure if I can though? Is this out of order?
The pharmacist will surely be able to see that I am under consultant care at the hospital and that they are approving my amounts and dosages. They should also be able to see, if they can see my records, that I have suffered from poor mental health for years, am on anti anxiety medication, and that this isn't helping! I'm blown away by their lack of communication and how much time I'm wasting chasing this. I have a job, a young child, and other major commitments such as a mother having a mental health crisis herself and this feels so stressful. I also feel like I'm being shamed and judged for the quantities of insulin I use and pressured into using less. I'm getting anxiety about collecting my meds now because I never know if I'm going to get what I need . This is obviously a drug my life depends on. I feel my recent rise in blood sugar levels has been in part due to trying not to go through my insulin supplies "too quickly".
I guess I'm wondering the best way to approach things with the pharmacist over the phone. I don't want to beg, I find that demeaning and feel I shouldn't have to. I also want an apology for the stress it has caused or at very least a feeling that they are going to communicate better with me in future. If they are unrepentant or unwilling to accept change is needed I will obviously be changing gp surgery but I'm wondering if I should also report them somehow as I honestly feel their behaviour has been very poor. Advice welcome.
I am a 35 year old female "probably" type 1 diabetic (the consultants at the hospital say they're 99% sure that's my type but haven't said what else I could be) Diagnosed at 18 years old. Never been the best diabetic in the world, I must admit. I hate exercise and love junk food. But I've made dietary adjustments and wouldn't say I'm the worst either. I'm overweight but I don't drink, I've never smoked, I walk a lot, and my "crimes against food" are largely eating fatty food rather than overly sugary.
My GP surgery has always been a bit reluctant to prescribe me the amount of Novorapid insulin that would last me a month as they say it's a lot. I agree, but my insulin resistance appears to be very high, possibly due in part to my mental health and lack of sleep, and the hospital are aware of how much I take and have no issues with that, though we are obviously always trying new things to bring it down. Its only the GP surgery that drag their heels about it.
A few years back I asked my surgery if it was possible to be prescribed an amount that would last all month, as I was annoyed having to collect it every 2-3 weeks. They compromised with me and gave me an amount in between what I wanted and what they wanted. Not the best, but they wouldn't budge. Any time I tried to order it any earlier than a month since the last prescription I got a phone call demanding to know why I needed it early which was a bit frustrating given that it was them who refused to prescribe the correct amount. They've also withheld insulin before because I was overdue for a check up which seemed a bit extreme given that they hadn't bothered to ring or write to me about it and I was still being seen by the hospital for my main care.
In the last few months I've twice been to collect rapid insulin from my pharmacy to find less than agreed on has been issued, and when I've rung my surgery about it they've just said it was an accident or oversight and sent the rest to the pharmacy, necessitating an extra trip to collect it each time.
Well recently my blood sugar levels have been creeping up again and my control was not as good so my consultant at the hospital decided to change my long acting insulin. I handed in the piece of paper with the prescription on to the gp, asked to have it issued to my chosen pharmacy and sure enough, I go there a few days later and find a totally different, lesser amount of it than the consultant prescribed. So I ring the surgery and they're just like "oh yeah our pharmacist decided that was too much so reduced it. " no phone call or letter to me, just decided to change it and not communicate that at all. So I accept the new amount even though it wont quite do me a month, as they aren't budging.
A month later I've gone to collect the next dose of my new slow acting insulin , and my rapid insulin, and they've only gone and halved my new slow acting one AGAIN (a third of what the hospital consultant originally prescribed), and short changed me on the rapid one by a third, AGAIN. By this point I'm feeling pretty stressed out but the receptionist at the gp says jts just ANOTHER mistake when I ring, and she will send the rest across.
So I go back to the pharmacist a few days later...And guess what? None of it is there. So I call the GP again. "Oh yeah it wasn't sent as the pharmacist feels it's too much". No call to tell me that. No letter. No message left at Boots pharmacy to pass on. More wasted time. I've asked what to do next and apparently the pharmacist is calling me on Monday but frankly I'm fuming and want to complain. I'm not sure if I can though? Is this out of order?
The pharmacist will surely be able to see that I am under consultant care at the hospital and that they are approving my amounts and dosages. They should also be able to see, if they can see my records, that I have suffered from poor mental health for years, am on anti anxiety medication, and that this isn't helping! I'm blown away by their lack of communication and how much time I'm wasting chasing this. I have a job, a young child, and other major commitments such as a mother having a mental health crisis herself and this feels so stressful. I also feel like I'm being shamed and judged for the quantities of insulin I use and pressured into using less. I'm getting anxiety about collecting my meds now because I never know if I'm going to get what I need . This is obviously a drug my life depends on. I feel my recent rise in blood sugar levels has been in part due to trying not to go through my insulin supplies "too quickly".
I guess I'm wondering the best way to approach things with the pharmacist over the phone. I don't want to beg, I find that demeaning and feel I shouldn't have to. I also want an apology for the stress it has caused or at very least a feeling that they are going to communicate better with me in future. If they are unrepentant or unwilling to accept change is needed I will obviously be changing gp surgery but I'm wondering if I should also report them somehow as I honestly feel their behaviour has been very poor. Advice welcome.
