How’s your control?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Flower

Flower

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Argh that question!

I went to a retina clinic today and I just knew that question was coming, I was thinking don’t ask it, please don’t ask it. It always reminds me of a scene in ‘Pretty Woman’ where Julia Roberts roommate is asked for a name ‘you want like a name…Oh the pressure of a name’ - or something along those lines. I always think you want a word? The pressure of a word to condense all my years of diabetes roller coasters into.

What do you say? Good, poor, reasonable? I went for I’m trying my best to keep my blood sugar as stable & in target as possible. If they put a timescale on it or ask what my latest HbA1c or Time in Target is fair enough but that vague question has no point.

I know I should just get over it but a question which tells them nothing and implies that I can achieve some sort of ongoing stable cruise control really winds me up!
 
Try answering, 'Well I reckon it's as OK as I can manage it. I recognise that I'm by no means perfect, cos nobody is.'

Or of course you could ask them a question eg 'Do you specialise in asking damn stupid questions, or what?' or maybe 'Have you ever actually properly considered what an utterly pointless question that is?'
 
My answer would be: That is a question which I should be asking and you should, with all your knowledge should be able to answer with the data provided.

If it is not good enough then it is because your treatment, which I have followed to the letter is wrong, explain what chabges you intend to make. Or ex[lain why I am here at all.
 
leonS said:
My answer would be: That is a question which I should be asking and you should, with all your knowledge should be able to answer with the data provided.

If it is not good enough then it is because your treatment, which I have followed to the letter is wrong, explain what chabges you intend to make. Or ex[lain why I am here at all.
Click to expand...
A retinal screening clinic isn’t going to have any data about your diabetes control
 
My answer is usually "not too bad" which, I guess, has as much meaning as the question but they seem to be happy with it whether the person asking is my DSN, retina scanner or Mum.
 
Next time I'll use one of the above and baffle them with my HbA1c or Time in Range. "Not to bad" is a good vague description @helli 🙂

I'll prepare a selection of pointless answers to have ready - satifactory, respectable, adequate, acceptable...
 
“OK thank you”
Ask a silly question, get a silly answer!

Or I like the blinding them with science one too, show them your CGM track “a bit up and down today, but I’ve had worse” :rofl:
 
If feeling forthright I would say something along the lines of, “Well, the NHS Language Matters position statement for diabetes suggests healthcare professionals avoid using the the word ‘control’ when referring to people’s diabetes management - because there are several aspects of diabetes management which cannot ever be fully controlled”

More often I would just say, “Yeah, y’know, fine”

:rofl:
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
If feeling forthright I would say something along the lines of, “Well, the NHS Language Matters position statement for diabetes suggests healthcare professionals avoid using the the word ‘control’ when referring to people’s diabetes management - because there are several aspects of diabetes management which cannot ever be fully controlled”

More often I would just say, “Yeah, y’know, fine”

:rofl:
Click to expand...
I would go one step further and suggest instead of asking how we are controlling our diabetes … ask how our diabetes is controlling us
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
If feeling forthright I would say something along the lines of, “Well, the NHS Language Matters position statement for diabetes suggests healthcare professionals avoid using the the word ‘control’ when referring to people’s diabetes management - because there are several aspects of diabetes management which cannot ever be fully controlled”
Click to expand...
I'll try and memorise that for the next time @everydayupsanddowns ! 😉

It is a good point that several aspects of diabetes cannot ever be fully controlled. In fact quite a few several aspects! :D
 
My optician asked me that question the other week and I said "terrible". It isn't that bad, of course, but as I pointed out, I do have an awful lot of hypos. The subtext which I was too polite to say being "hurry up and do the eye test and stop asking me stupid questions so I can get out of here and make sure I'm not hypo again".
 
If you are happy, tell them
"I'm good"
If you're not, well, that leads to more questions, and they may be more attentive.
I view these clinics as a bonus, and if they can see anything, I want to know.
 
Reminds me the other week had routine eye test at Specsavers
he asked the usual probing questions regarding my diabetes control
even though I had made him aware I’m under the DMO clinic and have been for the last 5 years (at local hospital for diabetes related eye condition)
then all my medications and following the routine eye they test wanted to do their retinal scan !
left there after 2 hours, absolutely mad 😳
and didn’t order the new glasses I actually wanted

will need to revisit them in a few months time for the DVLA eye test (I’m on the 3yr license due to my meds & eye condition) will be going to a different branch for sure.
 
I just say “Ok” or “Fine” with a hint of teen ‘I’m grudgingly giving you a very short answer but that’s all you’re getting so don’t push it!” :D
 
There is a space on the back of my Retinal Screening appointment letter where you fill in your most recent HbA1c. I am guessing not many people fill it in because she asked me that very question and then said "Oh, I see your HbA1c is good!" in quite a surprised manner..... probably surprised that I had filled it in rather than how good it was! 🙄 Personally I would like it to be better but she seemed happy enough.
 
rebrascora said:
There is a space on the back of my Retinal Screening appointment letter where you fill in your most recent HbA1c. I am guessing not many people fill it in because she asked me that very question and then said "Oh, I see your HbA1c is good!" in quite a surprised manner..... probably surprised that I had filled it in rather than how good it was! 🙄 Personally I would like it to be better but she seemed happy enough.
Click to expand...
The surprise was probably that it was good…if you look at the statistics for how many people achieve an HbA1c within the guidelines, it’s a very small percentage.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top