Lack of diabetes care since COVID

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ScoobySue

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Type 1
Hi all I’m a type1 diabetic for 42 years and have always received exceptional care and have had many appointments at hospitals and drs surgeries during those 42 years! But since COVID started in 2019 I havnt had a hospital apptment or even a check up at drs surgery (can’t get to see dr or nurse ) so this is 2 years now that I havnt had a blood test or my feet checked or seen anyone face to face, I did have telephone apptment with DSN but obviously you can’t check feet remotely or do blood checks! I just felt they were just ticking boxes. I live in the Manchester area.
Had an actual hospital apptment for Oct and was really hoping it would go ahead but just received letter today to say due to unforeseen circumstances it’s been cancelled till March next year!!
Sorry about the rant but was just wondering was anyone else having this problem?
 
I would ring the apt dept and ask that your apt is reinstated a lot sooner than stated as you haven't been seen for so long.
Also ring your surgery and ask that bloods be done as it's two years since last lot.
If no joy write a letter of complaint.
 
Typically, I get my bloods tested at my local doctor's surgery a couple of weeks before my annual diabetes review at the hospital and the results are discussed with the consultant.
During the pandemic, my hospital appointments have been remote but I have still be able to get my bloods done at my doctor's surgery. They even took my blood pressure one time.
I appreciate remote appointments don't suit everyone or every eventuality but, for me, the remote appointments were fantastic and saved so much travel and waiting time. It was disappointing to have to return to the hospital.
 
Pumper_Sue said:
I would ring the apt dept and ask that your apt is reinstated a lot sooner than stated as you haven't been seen for so long.
Also ring your surgery and ask that bloods be done as it's two years since last lot.
If no joy write a letter of complaint.
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I’ve phoned the hospital appointment line and they’ve said that’s the earliest appt there is and they will phone me if there’s a cancellation ( I won’t hold my breath!!) the drs surgery has said they don’t do bloods anymore & that I will need to go the hospital & get them done there I don’t need this hassle on top of everything else….
 
helli said:
Typically, I get my bloods tested at my local doctor's surgery a couple of weeks before my annual diabetes review at the hospital and the results are discussed with the consultant.
During the pandemic, my hospital appointments have been remote but I have still be able to get my bloods done at my doctor's surgery. They even took my blood pressure one time.
I appreciate remote appointments don't suit everyone or every eventuality but, for me, the remote appointments were fantastic and saved so much travel and waiting time. It was disappointing to have to return to the hospital.
Click to expand...
That’s how it was done for me but since COVID getting near drs surgery is near impossible & they seem to have outsourced everything, it was handy for me to have bloods done at drs but now it’s all changed! The reason I don’t like remote appts is because your just basically going over the basics (bs levels,control, hypos etc) but when it’s face to face they used to check my feet,blood pressure etc)
 
ScoobySue said:
but when it’s face to face they used to check my feet,blood pressure etc)
Click to expand...
In 56+ years of diabetes I have never had any of those checks done at any diabetes apt.
 
Pumper_Sue said:
In 56+ years of diabetes I have never had any of those checks done at any diabetes apt.
Click to expand...
I got them done at my consultant appointments xx
 
ScoobySue said:
Hi all I’m a type1 diabetic for 42 years and have always received exceptional care and have had many appointments at hospitals and drs surgeries during those 42 years! But since COVID started in 2019 I havnt had a hospital apptment or even a check up at drs surgery (can’t get to see dr or nurse ) so this is 2 years now that I havnt had a blood test or my feet checked or seen anyone face to face, I did have telephone apptment with DSN but obviously you can’t check feet remotely or do blood checks! I just felt they were just ticking boxes. I live in the Manchester area.
Had an actual hospital apptment for Oct and was really hoping it would go ahead but just received letter today to say due to unforeseen circumstances it’s been cancelled till March next year!!
Sorry about the rant but was just wondering was anyone else having this problem?
Click to expand...
I didn’t have my feet checked for a few years before covid (they just say don’t bother taking your shoes off) so it’s been about 5 years since I had my feet checked. Blood pressure has been 2.5 years as my annual checkup at the GP hasn’t happened since about March 2019. I am under both the hospital and the GP though so I’ve had a video appointment with the hospital. The hospital said they’re trying to catch up so it’s a year between appointments rather than 6 months.
 
Although there is a cost involved when there really shouldn’t be. There are a few online companies that can do pretty much all of your blood work by sending out home testing kits. They also run a lot of half price deals if you catch them at the right time. From my experience these test have been pretty accurate compared with ones done by my surgery. In fact this was how my diabetes was discovered. If there is anything of particular concern then this could be an option. If anything flags up then the doctors usually sit up and listen. If it doesn’t then the reassurance is worth the money. You can get hba1c for about £30. Liver function, thyroid cholesterol etc all available. Not for everyone but just thought I would mention it.
 
So sorry you have had such a long delay. The pandemic certainly has put the healthcare system under huge pressure, and the easing of lockdown released a pent-up deluge of almost 2 years’ worth of appointments that folks had been putting off.

And then the world ran out of blood vials 🙄

I’ve only had phone appointments since Feb 2020 - though these have included a remote pump start (mine ran out of warranty mid lockdown), an e-consult, and (earlier this week!) a remote video pump clinic.

So my annual toe tickles are a bit behind, BP remains unchecked (apart from the meter I have at home) and my kidneys and liver are keeping their heads down.

Eye screening hasn’t started up again for me either.

It must be very frustrating for you to have had your hospital appointment pushed way back after all that too. :(
 
Hi ScoobySue, same here, very concerned I have tried to make appointments for blood tests, and they just get cancelled. I even had an asthma attack out for the first time, I normally get a mild form of asthma that brought on slow, so never attack. Phoning the doctors, they wouldn't see me, just arranged a phone appointment.

Covid is a vey serious virus and a killer, but I do worry about the long term effects of being ignored of other long term illnesses
 
Seems like I am quite lucky, but then I do have a good GP practice. I had my regular check up with nurse at surgery just before the first lockdown and got my bloods taken. Then I have had 2 telephone appointments with the consultant since then and managed to get my bloods done before each appointment. Libre certainly makes the consultant appointment so much easier. Had this year's check up with the Practice nurse a couple of months ago including blood pressure, weight and foot exam and tickle and I have also had retinal screening earlier this year. My previous result identified background retinopathy, so I think that may have pushed me up the list a little. So whilst appointments have been set back a bit and some appointments postponed, I do feel that on the whole I have been well looked after both by my GP practice and hospital clinic.
 
Pumper_Sue said:
In 56+ years of diabetes I have never had any of those checks done at any diabetes apt.
Click to expand...
Well I guess every area is different in how they do things but I’ve always had my feet checked either at the hospital or at the drs when I see the nurse
 
Lucyr said:
I didn’t have my feet checked for a few years before covid (they just say don’t bother taking your shoes off) so it’s been about 5 years since I had my feet checked. Blood pressure has been 2.5 years as my annual checkup at the GP hasn’t happened since about March 2019. I am under both the hospital and the GP though so I’ve had a video appointment with the hospital. The hospital said they’re trying to catch up so it’s a year between appointments rather than 6 months.
Click to expand...
Same here I havnt had any checks that I used to get for 2 years now, I can see there’s going to be a huge backlog of people with other problems linked to other things going unchecked with diabetes, we basically have to try to keep ourselves well & hope things go back to normal!
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
So sorry you have had such a long delay. The pandemic certainly has put the healthcare system under huge pressure, and the easing of lockdown released a pent-up deluge of almost 2 years’ worth of appointments that folks had been putting off.

And then the world ran out of blood vials 🙄

I’ve only had phone appointments since Feb 2020 - though these have included a remote pump start (mine ran out of warranty mid lockdown), an e-consult, and (earlier this week!) a remote video pump clinic.

So my annual toe tickles are a bit behind, BP remains unchecked (apart from the meter I have at home) and my kidneys and liver are keeping their heads down.

Eye screening hasn’t started up again for me either.

It must be very frustrating for you to have had your hospital appointment pushed way back after all that too. :(
Click to expand...
Completely agree, I was just hoping I’d get to see some1 and get all my checks done and for the first time in my life was really looking forward to hospital appt I just wanted to have a full blood count & get my feet checked, I’m ok with my hba1c’s as I have a pump & a sensor & that gives me a good idea of how my bloods are doing, I guess I’m just a bit concerned that diabetics have been put on the back boiler ( they have here in Manchester)
 
megga said:
Hi ScoobySue, same here, very concerned I have tried to make appointments for blood tests, and they just get cancelled. I even had an asthma attack out for the first time, I normally get a mild form of asthma that brought on slow, so never attack. Phoning the doctors, they wouldn't see me, just arranged a phone appointment.

Covid is a vey serious virus and a killer, but I do worry about the long term effects of being ignored of other long term illnesses
Click to expand...
This is exactly what I was thinking blood tests pick up all sorts & I just think there’s going to be a whole load of more probs because diabetes is a serious condition that can lead to other probs and I just think we’ve been pushed aside
 
ScoobySue said:
I guess I’m just a bit concerned that diabetics have been put on the back boiler ( they have here in Manchester)
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I think it may be more a case of the current services being stretched even further than normal due to a large influx of new cases caused by Covid as well as many of the current Covid inpatients needing a lot of support from DSNs.

Now that I have Libre I would be reasonably happy to manage on my own for the time being so that they can focus on more needy cases, although an annual blood test and retinal screening provide some reassurance that other things I can't monitor myself, aren't going astray.
 
rebrascora said:
I think it may be more a case of the current services being stretched even further than normal due to a large influx of new cases caused by Covid as well as many of the current Covid inpatients needing a lot of support from DSNs.

Now that I have Libre I would be reasonably happy to manage on my own for the time being so that they can focus on more needy cases, although an annual blood test and retinal screening provide some reassurance that other things I can't monitor myself, aren't going astray.
Click to expand...
Tbh I think things are starting to go wrong with me, I went walking yesterday & when I came back I had a blister on my foot( I treated it with antiseptic) I can’t get to see the dr & I don’t want to go the hospital coz I kno they’re under pressure, I had severe prolific retinopathy which has made me partially sighted & can’t see really how my feet are doing or anything else & basically I’m just going day to day hoping for the best
 
ScoobySue said:
Tbh I think things are starting to go wrong with me, I went walking yesterday & when I came back I had a blister on my foot( I treated it with antiseptic) I can’t get to see the dr & I don’t want to go the hospital coz I kno they’re under pressure, I had severe prolific retinopathy which has made me partially sighted & can’t see really how my feet are doing or anything else & basically I’m just going day to day hoping for the best
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Sorry to hear that you are struggling with complications and having difficulty managing some things yourself as a result. I think cases like yours should be prioritized for appointments and the likes of myself, cut loose a bit when things are stretched, but you are right that it does seem to be dependent on the area you live in.... ie the rather too usual postcode lottery with respect to diabetic care as with other aspects of healthcare.
I hope you at least get some eye screening soon. I know that @Flower has only had telephone podiatry appointment and has major issues with her feet. I believe she has found it necessary to go privately to help prevent any further deterioration in her foot health. I don't understand how they can open up retinal screening clinics but not podiatry. Appointments by telephone are pointless in such cases.
 
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