Social Anxiety/DAFNE Course..

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sp00kysk311y

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I may have asked this before, or maybe someone else has.
Well, I’m having an appointment with a consultant from my diabetes clinic, discussing a letter I sent them, about my care at the clinic.

1. Why they let me not take my insulin without intervening? Even though I looked like a Skeleton.
2. Why, when I asked for help, (practically begged for it), did they not actually help me? Instead lecturing me and lecturing me. Even though there was a bunch of things they could have done.
By the way, I had Diabulimia from mid-2016 to 2017/18 ish.

4. Why was I refused/not allowed to go on the DAFNE course just because I “couldn’t speak”?

I just want some proof, because I remember being told by multiple people on here and another forum, stating that I didn’t even need to speak in the DAFNE Course!
So, can you answer that? Do you or do you not have to speak during the course? Could you not have someone, to take with you to speak on your behalf?
 
I would say that you do need to speak on the DAFNE course. It is very much about sharing your results and discussing them within the group so that you learn from each other and learn to problem solve for each other. The groups are very small usually about 6-8 diabetics plus 2 course educators, usually a DSN and a diabetes dietician. They don't like extra people in the course because it can inhibit people from being open and discussing their diabetes and any other issues, like drug or alcohol addiction. I know this because I have social anxiety and I asked about it. After some discussion, they did allow my sister to accompany me on the first day until I found my feet. I think she left at lunchtime and I was fine after that, but I appreciate that it can be daunting, particularly the first day. However my sister didn't need to do any talking for me. I just needed her to give me confidence and support to actually attend.

I am really sorry to hear that you suffered with diabulimia and it wasn't picked up by your clinic. I thought that was one of the reasons why they weighed us at each visit, as well as to ensure that we weren't gaining too much weight. Of course weigh-ins are now by the board a lot of the time, with telephone appointments being the new norm.

How would you have handled it if they had questioned you about your eating habits at the time? I believe there is a strong temptation to deny it, but not sure what tactics they have to challenge patients whom they suspect are suffering from it. In the current climate people are struggling to get basic support when newly diagnosed even without having an eating disorder, but there has certainly been a missed opportunity to help you by the sound of things. I hope you are managing things better now.
 
rebrascora said:
I would say that you do need to speak on the DAFNE course. It is very much about sharing your results and discussing them within the group so that you learn from each other and learn to problem solve for each other. The groups are very small usually about 6-8 diabetics plus 2 course educators, usually a DSN and a diabetes dietician. They don't like extra people in the course because it can inhibit people from being open and discussing their diabetes and any other issues, like drug or alcohol addiction. I know this because I have social anxiety and I asked about it. After some discussion, they did allow my sister to accompany me on the first day until I found my feet. I think she left at lunchtime and I was fine after that, but I appreciate that it can be daunting, particularly the first day. However my sister didn't need to do any talking for me. I just needed her to give me confidence and support to actually attend.

I am really sorry to hear that you suffered with diabulimia and it wasn't picked up by your clinic. I thought that was one of the reasons why they weighed us at each visit, as well as to ensure that we weren't gaining too much weight. Of course weigh-ins are now by the board a lot of the time, with telephone appointments being the new norm.

How would you have handled it if they had questioned you about your eating habits at the time? I believe there is a strong temptation to deny it, but not sure what tactics they have to challenge patients whom they suspect are suffering from it. In the current climate people are struggling to get basic support when newly diagnosed even without having an eating disorder, but there has certainly been a missed opportunity to help you by the sound of things. I hope you are managing things better now.
Click to expand...

It was nothing to do with me not eating. I was eating, I just wasn’t taking my insulin.
If they had asked me why I wasn’t taking my insulin, I’d have told them the truth.

This was when I was 18/19 years old. I was newly diagnosed and my only knowledge on diabetes was from my nan who had type 2 and was obese. So a newly diagnosed 18/19 year old who had no clue and had already got mental health problems and was worried about their weight. They should have seen it.

One of my other diabetes consultants did. They knew my Mental Health was going to cause problems and they even wrote to my former GP and told them that there would be problems. (Btw, this is not the consultant I have a problem with).
How would he know? And this other new consultant not know?

And I was told plenty of times before this question that I didn’t have to talk and that I could have someone with me to speak on my behalf. I just can’t find the question I asked because it was on an old account and I don’t know if that’s been deleted right now.
 
sp00kysk311y said:
It was nothing to do with me not eating. I was eating, I just wasn’t taking my insulin.
If they had asked me why I wasn’t taking my insulin, I’d have told them the truth.

This was when I was 18/19 years old. I was newly diagnosed and my only knowledge on diabetes was from my nan who had type 2 and was obese. So a newly diagnosed 18/19 year old who had no clue and had already got mental health problems and was worried about their weight. They should have seen it.

One of my other diabetes consultants did. They knew my Mental Health was going to cause problems and they even wrote to my former GP and told them that there would be problems. (Btw, this is not the consultant I have a problem with).
How would he know? And this other new consultant not know?

And I was told plenty of times before this question that I didn’t have to talk and that I could have someone with me to speak on my behalf. I just can’t find the question I asked because it was on an old account and I don’t know if that’s been deleted right now.
Click to expand...
Is this the thread you are looking for.
 
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