Primary Physicans
I don't want to generalize here but, do all Primary Physicans know little to nothing about T1???
I had to wait 2 hrs in the waiting room for my appointment because she was running late. In the mean time I had a mild low of 61. When she walked into the exam room I told her that my brain was a little foggy because of it. Well, I honestly believe she still thinks I'm a type 2 (I was misdiagnosed by HER and I was sick like a dog back then. Obviously DKA but, I was clueless back then). Just by the questions she was asking me I could tell she didn't know what she was talking about. Plus she calls me a "brittle diabetic" because my sugar dropped low. So, I'm thinking (while having a foggy brain), do I explain to her even if she's a doctor and should already know this, that it's normal for type 1's to go low. Especially with exercise? So, yeah...I did tell her something but, I don't think she heard a word I said. OR, she ignored me.
Anyway, later we were talking about insurance and the cost of labs. I told her my previous Endo ordered labs that costed $1700 a pop. And she said, yes he ordered ANTIBODY tests and stuff like that. I said, YES because he was checking to see if I was type 1 and he found out that I am because I tested positive. Then she changed the subject.
Sorry about the rant! I just get furious when doctors think that I'm type 2 because of my age. I don't feel like I should have to explain this to DOCTORS.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Doris D on -
I've had pretty good expreance with my GP he tells me I know my body better than he does so I can go from there. Same with my Endo
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Permalink Reply by Zoe on -
I'm with Doris. All I need my doctor for is to accurately spell the drug on the prescription when I dictate it to him. And the hardest part seems to be to keep them from getting hung up on dosage. As in, Doctor: "What dose of Apidra do you take?" (As in, take 40 mg of this drug three times a day.). Me, "Well my I:C for breakfast is ....and my I:C for lunch is....and I take between this much and that much for my hourly basal doses, and I correct on a ISF of..." "Never mind, just write it for 5 vials for three months". That works.
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Permalink Reply by SandlapperLady on -
I'm glad I'm not alone.
Five years ago I moved to a new town. I needed to find an endo but started with a PCP. In all fairness, I had no intentions of developing a lasting relationship with this PCP; it was just a means to an ends.
When the doctor walked in the door, she was carrying a book. The spine read "Type 1 Diabetes". I was a brick wall immediately. At the end of the exam she offered prescriptions (which I will never refuse). I told her I was taking Novolog and Levemir. She went into her computer, which had a drop down selection of drugs, and wrote me a prescription for Levitra. Needless to say, I did not have it filled.
The positive ending to this story is that I now have found a very knowledgeable PCP who I love. There are some very bright and wonderful doctors out there. I just don't trust anyone until they've proven they understand the disease.
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Permalink Reply by Cosumne Jan on -
I've seen people get very vocal when they get a bad haircut. If only we held our doctors to the same standards. But no. When they don't listen, or give us wrong treatment, we often shrug our shoulders and try to find someone else. So the next patient who comes along, and who may not have as much knowledge as we do, gets poor treatment. Isn't there some way to fix this problem?
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Permalink Reply by Ruth on -
Sportster - I can see why you can't go back to that endo...and if it were me, I wouldn't want to, as I'd really questions the judgement of any doctor who had someone who was unlicensed working for him.
As for surgery, talk to the surgeon beforehand, and make sure they understand what's needed to take care of your diabetes. If necessary, ask to meet with the anesthesiologist and OR nurse ahead of time to discuss D.
Another thing that happened to me was two years ago when I had a stroke. The stupid Hospitalist in my local hospital didn't understand pumps and wanted me to lower my rate (which was perfect for me), but I couldn't figure out how to do it and I messed up the basals something awful (see "Stroke" above)...she made me shut it off completely, and when my doc came in the next morning, he was furious at her. Since then I carry instructions (as do all my friends and relatives) that say how to temporarily shut the pump off if I go too low, and ALL my friends and relatives (especially those who'd be called in an emergency) have instructions to tell hospital staff that under NO condition are they to shut off my pump or they will be sued! Oh, I also put in the instructions how much glucose to get into me if I'm unconscious and go low.
I've never really been scared of having D, as I got it later in life (38)and I don't produce ketones, so I've never had DKA. But I am truly scared of having D while being hospitalized in a place where my regular doctor isn't in control! That incident where the nurse tried to force me to take insulin? Well, she called him to complain, and he not only took her off my case, he told the hospital to not let her back on the floors until she was retrained in diabetes!
That's why I'd rather have any surgery, if possible, at my local hospital so my PCP can be in charge of my care.
Ruth
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Permalink Reply by MissKitka on -
I have been training PCPs for 50 years. The biggest problem is they assume every diabetic is the same, and that is plainly wrong, we are all different otherwise there would not be a dozen treatment methods and many types of insulin. This is simple 2+2. Many doctors are full of themselves and think they know it all, and those are impossible to deal with. We know diabetes better than any doctor who is not diabetic, so consider yourself the expert. BTW I have never had to wait more than 30 min.
Don
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