Never will I ever.......complain about my GP again

[Deb_l]

To be honest, I didn't complain about them too much prior to my diabetes diagnosis other than the usual of being 25th in the queue at 8am trying to get an appointment but since my diagnosis and after reading some of the threads on here, I now realise I have won the postcode jackpot when it comes to diabetes healthcare.

Yes, my first appointment with the diabetes nurse was a bit overwhelming but I came away with a BG monitor and was shown how to use it, advised what was a 'normal' range and under what circumstances to use it, i.e. before and after meals.

Much thought went into what medication I was given. I was already under the GP for an upset stomach so Metformin was out. My drive to work sometimes involves long motorway stretches so Gliclazide was out. Sitagliptin was eventually the drug of choice. I was immediately signed up for the X-PERT Diabetes management course which I'm currently doing online via Teams. Within 3 weeks I had my eye screening date from Barnsley Hospital.

On top of all this, I've also had a GP and a nurse just randomly ring up for a 'chat' to see how I'm coping and if I'm getting on OK with the medication.

Between my GP, the X-PERT group, this forum, friends and family I feel thoroughly supported through this baffling world of diabetes. However, I do realise when I look at some threads, just how lucky I am and how daunting it must be to come away from your GP with no advice or help whatsoever. Why is there such a huge chasm between health care provision? I work for the NHS so I'm more than aware that each health authority will work differently but this gap (for what is a chronic disease) seems huge.

I am making the most of the help I'm offered and I have also said 'thanks' to my GP surgery. For anyone struggling with your GP, keep pushing and pushing. They have to listen. This is YOUR health and you are entitled to a good standard of care.

 

[Lily123]

That’s great @Deb_l , good for you to have good support!

 

[Deleted member 21371]

To be honest, I didn't complain about them too much prior to my diabetes diagnosis other than the usual of being 25th in the queue at 8am trying to get an appointment but since my diagnosis and after reading some of the threads on here, I now realise I have won the postcode jackpot when it comes to diabetes healthcare.

Yes, my first appointment with the diabetes nurse was a bit overwhelming but I came away with a BG monitor and was shown how to use it, advised what was a 'normal' range and under what circumstances to use it, i.e. before and after meals.

Much thought went into what medication I was given. I was already under the GP for an upset stomach so Metformin was out. My drive to work sometimes involves long motorway stretches so Gliclazide was out. Sitagliptin was eventually the drug of choice. I was immediately signed up for the X-PERT Diabetes management course which I'm currently doing online via Teams. Within 3 weeks I had my eye screening date from Barnsley Hospital.

On top of all this, I've also had a GP and a nurse just randomly ring up for a 'chat' to see how I'm coping and if I'm getting on OK with the medication.

Between my GP, the X-PERT group, this forum, friends and family I feel thoroughly supported through this baffling world of diabetes. However, I do realise when I look at some threads, just how lucky I am and how daunting it must be to come away from your GP with no advice or help whatsoever. Why is there such a huge chasm between health care provision? I work for the NHS so I'm more than aware that each health authority will work differently but this gap (for what is a chronic disease) seems huge.

I am making the most of the help I'm offered and I have also said 'thanks' to my GP surgery. For anyone struggling with your GP, keep pushing and pushing. They have to listen. This is YOUR health and you are entitled to a good standard of care.

That's great to hear.
I had a fully supportive surgery and health care team, and they were excellent to work with all the way through.
Even after I reversed my diabetes, and moved to a new county, I still get excellent service for everything.
Glad you are getting the same. 🙂

 

[bulkbiker]

each health authority will work differently but this gap (for what is a chronic disease) seems huge.

Throughly agree..my surgery was worse than useless and had I followed their advice I"m sure I'd be on ever increasing amount of medication now rather than in remission.
I thank my lucky stars that I found anther forum with lots of people who had made dietary changes and put their T2 into remission along with a host of other health issues. Those people literally saved my life, eyes and toes.
I have since spent years trying to get my surgery interested in offering low carb alternatives to medication or their poor dietary advice to no avail. They seem to have little to no interest in how people can help themselves get better without any medication through dietary changes that don't involve some kind of starvation. It is very odd indeed.