What do you do if not getting support?

[Vix]

Apart from the fact my sugars are all over the place at the moment and it's driving me absolutely insane I find it terrible that I can't get hold of my DSN - She is only available 2 afternoons a week, today being one of them (my diabetes certainly doesn't decide it's going to misbehave only on those afternoons) and I called her earlier (1pm) and she hasn't called back and been calling for the last hour but no answer, and I've left a voicemail... but I feel so isolated and alone with my diabetes care and don't know what to do about it! I would put in a complaint but I need a good relationship with this woman if she's going to be my DSN and main contact (especially through pregnancy when we get the green light) but this is absolutely ridiculous... last time it took 3 weeks for her to call me back and I'm in tears every day with high bloods 😱 did 4 units of insulin earlier to no carbs as a correction and it's still only come down to 10.7 - I need support!!!!

There must be a level of minimum care that can be expected??? I had such a good DSN before I switched hospitals, I had her mobile no. and e-mail but now I only have a landline and I know for a fact that 75% of the time the receptionist doesn't even pass on my messages! Is there anything I can do about it?

xx

 

[Lauras87]

Do you have any contact details for your consultant?

There can't only be 1 nurse who can help you. What happens when she's on holiday?

 

[pgcity]

Apart from the fact my sugars are all over the place at the moment and it's driving me absolutely insane I find it terrible that I can't get hold of my DSN - She is only available 2 afternoons a week, today being one of them (my diabetes certainly doesn't decide it's going to misbehave only on those afternoons) and I called her earlier (1pm) and she hasn't called back and been calling for the last hour but no answer, and I've left a voicemail... but I feel so isolated and alone with my diabetes care and don't know what to do about it! I would put in a complaint but I need a good relationship with this woman if she's going to be my DSN and main contact (especially through pregnancy when we get the green light) but this is absolutely ridiculous... last time it took 3 weeks for her to call me back and I'm in tears every day with high bloods 😱 did 4 units of insulin earlier to no carbs as a correction and it's still only come down to 10.7 - I need support!!!!

There must be a level of minimum care that can be expected??? I had such a good DSN before I switched hospitals, I had her mobile no. and e-mail but now I only have a landline and I know for a fact that 75% of the time the receptionist doesn't even pass on my messages! Is there anything I can do about it?

xx

I think you should complain. It may well be that resources have been reduced and because no one s complaining things are assumed to be ok. You are complaining about access not your dsn and I am sure she will understand.

 

[Cleo]

Its not right that you've been left to your own devices and that you're expected to manage a chronic condition 100% on your own.

Do you know who runs the diabetes clinic at your hospital ? Even if you dont have that persons' contact details there must be SOMEONE's name on their website.

Also I take it from all this that they dont have any dieticians that you can work with? I hardly ever see my DSN as everything is managed by my dietician.

You're entitled to voice your opinion if you're getting rubbish service- its your health and its your body.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hi Vix,
go and see your GP and ask for a referral elsewhere. Explain you are not getting the support you need.

Did you order the books using insulin and thinking like a pancreas?
Bottom line is you will need to help yourself if the diabetes team are not helping you.

 

[AlisonM]

Call the surgery and talk to your doctor. Explain you're concerned and can't get hold of the DSN.

Also write directly to the consultant at your clinic and complain about the lack of contact, stating the trouble you're having with your numbers and why you've been trying to speak to the DSN.

It's awful that you can't get the support you need when things are going wrong.

 

[Vix]

Thanks everyone!

@Laura - the problem is that I've only been there a few months, and although the hospital I was originally diagnosed at I haven't been there long enough to know any of the other nurses to even ask for them... my original DSN is there but she's paediatric only so can't speak to her!!

@Pgcity - you're right, I'm not complaining about her - just the system! And everytime I see her she talks about budget cuts and how much my medication is costing and if I have a 20 min appointment and she can't cover everything we have to finish as it's all to do with money and time etc etc My diabetes doesn't work to a timetable unfortunately and at a time when I'm changing things on their advice it's almost impossible for me! My bloods are now 6.5 but that was doing double my usual insulin dose with tea 😱

@cleo I have seen the dietician once for 5 mins and am seeing her in 3 weeks for the start of my very shortened version of dafne course - but it's a long wait until then with sugars in the high teens every afternoon and floods of tears. Maybe I'll try asking to speak to her tomorrow though as I can't get to my DSN so somebody must talk to me!!

@pumper_sue I'm waiting to get paid to get the books (being freelance means i spend most of my time chasing payment!) I would transfer my care to my GP but we are wanting to start a family which is why I have transferred to the hospital as I was told I need to really see the team that works with the antenatal teams etc and my DSN is the pre-conception specialist nurse as well... trust me I am trying to help myself but feel like I'm drowning at the moment!

@alison I will call my GPs surgery tomorrow and see what they say, but again we have only just moved back up north from London so only been registered there a couple of months... got to be worth a try though

Right, whilst my sugars are 6.5 I'm going to go and think rationally and put all my thoughts down ready to contact people tomorrow as once my sugars are high I get really irrational and emotional and will probably just start crying down the phone

xx

 

[rossi_mac]

Wow I find that hard to believe, hope you find someone soon, mind you I don't know who I would contact if I needed to have a word with some healthcare prof, I'd probably come on here first mind!!