My GP excels again (not!)

[Lauras87]

So I collected my prescription from the chemist which should of been for 1 sharps bin, 1 box of 5mm needles (they have told me I'm only allowed 1 box from 2) & my multi clix lancets.

Get the bag & it only has my sharps bin in with a note saying to read my prescription.

I'm not allowed any needles until 13 July & not allowed any multi clix until 6 July

So I went to the doctors to ask why.

They said I use too much!!! 😱

I said I inject 5 times a day (to be told I should only be injecting once a day - well that will be hard given I use 2 types of insulin)

And I test at least 6 times a day (have been told I don't need to test)

For ****s sake who gives these idiots jobs as doctors?

I'm contacting PALS for advice/make a complaint

 

[AlisonM]

That's crazy. I hope PALS can help, but you could also write to the Practice Manager and detail exactly how your treatment regime works and how it will change once you go on the pump. Make it clear that you do not "use to much" of anything but only what you must.

 

[Caroline]

Your doctor graduated from the same college mine did. I hope you get it all sorted out.

 

[AJLang]

How on earth can they say that??!!! Do you have a DSN at the hospital who can contact your GP?

 

[Copepod]

Sounds like they have you listed as having type 2 diabetes - not that their idea of requirements would be enough even for T2D, some of whom do inject just once per day. So, make sure that having T1D is documented correctly - could be a data entry error by an admin person, rather than a prescriber (GP or prescribing nurse).

 

[Redkite]

Laura if I were you an angry letter would be winging its way to the GP practice manager, as they are literally putting your life at risk. They obviously have no idea that (a) you have type 1, and (b) what your treatment involves. I have heard of GPs wrongly trying to restrict type 1 people's testing strips, but this is the first time I've ever heard of them restricting insulin and needles!

 

[Lauras87]

They had me down as T2 but changed it after they refused me insulin over Christmas.

My DSN & consultant often speak to my doctors to tell them to pack it in & I'm not messing about.

If I'm honest I'm worried about getting the pump now after today's performance

 

[Cleo]

they are such muppets arent they?!.
After my DAFNE course my DSN / hospital sent a letter to my GP which read as follows:

"The above patient attended DAFNE on XX date. Please could you prescribe : X,Y, Z so that they can use a new one on each occasion. DAFNE principles state that blood glucose monitoring should be done pre meals and pre bed. Increased monitoring will result when feeling hypo, when ill, before and after exercise and before and during driving. It is a DVLA requirement that people with diabetes on hypoglycaemic agents test before each journey."

OK, admittedly it took me about 1 month to get everything but that was due to their incompetence. Can you get your hospital to write a letter or can you use some of the text for your own letter?, and do you drive ?.......
let us know how you get on...

 

[newbs]

Your doctor graduated from the same college mine did.

And mine! This is seriously ridiculous though, good luck with your complaint!

 

[delb t]

Laura- I ve just gone online to order our many items and noticed 3 items have been taken off
1- excema cream -well ok its not so bad
2-lancets for spare thumb pricker- well we have got some in
3-wee sticks ours run out oct time
BUT ....i Dont want them off the perscription
Waiting for the doc to ring back- its the most condecending doc theyve got ..............cant wait

 

[Caroline]

Sounds like they have you listed as having type 2 diabetes - not that their idea of requirements would be enough even for T2D, some of whom do inject just once per day. So, make sure that having T1D is documented correctly - could be a data entry error by an admin person, rather than a prescriber (GP or prescribing nurse).

AT my surgery they kept loosing specimens or results. I got my manager to write a letter of complaint to the surgery because each time I go for a fasting blood test I am late for work. Seemed to do the trick for a while

 

[Lauras87]

I'm writing a letter to the practice manager as I've also been refused glucagon in the last month which the doc has said I don't need.

The letter needs toning down when I'm less mad & wound up.

I'm emailing my consultant so he is aware of what's going on.

I wish my old diabetic gp was still there as she dealt with all my medication requests & was very supportive.

 

[PattiEvans]

Do you have another surgery nearby that you could change to Laura? I couldn't speak more highly of my Dr or my surgery. It makes such a difference having a supportive surgery. Yours don't sound like they really care.

 

[GI Jan]

I'm with Patti, Laura. Change your GP if you can. What a nightmare!

J😡

 

[Lauras87]

Do you have another surgery nearby that you could change to Laura? I couldn't speak more highly of my Dr or my surgery. It makes such a difference having a supportive surgery. Yours don't sound like they really care.

I've rung 2 today which have excellent T1 care (as recommended by a T1 I know) but I'm just out of their catchment area.

 

[Mark T]

I've rung 2 today which have excellent T1 care (as recommended by a T1 I know) but I'm just out of their catchment area.

Possibly if you explain the situation and you are only just out of the catchment area they might let you register with them.

Technically we are outside of our surgery's catchment area - although when we moved into the area the closest surgery to us was closed to new patients.

 

[ypauly]

I hope you get this sorted quickly and it doesn't affect you getting a pump.

 

[Lauras87]

I hope you get this sorted quickly and it doesn't affect you getting a pump.

I know the docs told the purse strings now but they can't keep messing up like this & given what I do for a living means ill be picking someone's brain.

I know my pump consultant will give me a list of what I need to live on the pump so I can't see how they can refuse but I thought I'd read somewhere that you get cannulas to begin with from the pump people until you get settled.

Don't know if any pumpers can help with that?

 

[DeusXM]

Is it possible to speak to a doctor directly in the first instance?

I've had issues with my prescription before but I've found that once I get the doctor on the phone and explain my situation, they tend to move more quickly. For instance, I had an issue where they were getting confused on my needle lengths as I have two different ones on file, 5mm and 12.7mm. They asked me why I had two so I went into a pretty lengthy description about I use 5mm 90% of the time but I use 12.7mm ones for emergency corrective intra-muscular injections when my BG goes over 15 - explaining precisely why I do that and detailing my testing regime when I do this so they are confident I'm not gearing up for hypos.

The point is (in my experience), if a doctor believes you sound extremely 'in control' of your situation and know what you're doing, they are far less likely to put up a fight. I'm assuming when your doctor told you that you should only inject once a day that you corrected them on that point; what did they say in response? It might honestly be worth explaining to them how MDI works - they should know this anyway, but if they realise that you really know your stuff, they might start doubting their own judgement on your prescriptions, which is where you can then really hit them! 95% of these restrictions are them simply box-ticking to save money without them even really thinking - when you force them to actually think, I hope most doctors tend to get their brains back into gear.

 

[Hanmillmum]

I know the docs told the purse strings now but they can't keep messing up like this & given what I do for a living means ill be picking someone's brain.

I know my pump consultant will give me a list of what I need to live on the pump so I can't see how they can refuse but I thought I'd read somewhere that you get cannulas to begin with from the pump people until you get settled.

Don't know if any pumpers can help with that?

Laura all your pump equipment is ordered from the pump company, Medtronic in our case, and will continue so as long as you are pumping. You will still need your rapid insulin, lancets, strips, sharps boxes, and all back ups for pens etc etc from GP