Health care for diabetes in UK

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Permalink Reply by Jackie on August 23, 2007 at 2:26am

Hi,
Being a fairly new diabetic (Type 2) and still in denial - the care I get (or don't get as the case may be) is frightening - I have been put on Metformin 850mg which is really not suiting me - although it DOES bring my bg down I spend half the day in the bathroom and the other half asleep - I tried a spell on the slow release 500mg which I felt really well on - but my doctor said these weren't doing me any good (looking at the HBA1c result from 6 months before because the new test had clotted and 'wasn't suitable' - and insited I must have spikes - not a steady level of the drug in my system. I thought it was the spikes we had to avoid! Lomotil (for the upset tummy) doesn't work - surely quality of life matters here too?

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Permalink Reply by Cam Swift on September 21, 2007 at 3:51am

Hi jackie

My own GP wants to put me on Metformin and statins and I'm resisting. I told him I wanted to wait until my next HBA1c reading in December and make the decison then. I got my reading down from 9.6 to 7.6 with changes to my diet.

It's very useful to hear about your problems with the drugs.

Cam

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Permalink Reply by Smartprofessor on September 7, 2007 at 8:32am

Hi Vonda

Where do I start? The last time I went to see my GP, I saw a locum doctor who did not know the difference between urine and blood testing strips! The fact is, we should get praise and support because keeping your blood sugar stable is a very complex and difficult task and we do not get much help. But instead they interrogate and blame us if we are not 100% perfect. One doctor interrogated me quite angrily about when I lasted tested my blood sugar until I was in floods of tears, and then informed me that my time was up and I should leave. It was left to a fellow patient to help me, the receptionists turned a blind eye.

My GP demands that I attend regular annual and prescription reviews, even though I am perfectly well looked after by the hospital and prefer to go there. If I do not attend they get very angry and threaten to withhold my insulin and/or strike me off their list. I have spoken to several people about this and the consensus seems to be that they could not actually withhold insulin since it would cause DKA and eventually death. I almost want to challenge them on this and call their bluff. Also, although I used pen needles not syringes, technically I am supposed to put them all in a sharps box and arrange collection when the box is full. However, I do not do this because the council demands that rather than leaving the box outside while I am at work, I should wait at home all day until whenever the people arrive to collect it. Yes there may be a danger of someone stealing it and getting pricked, but they should not be stealing things from people's front gardens in that case.

I also have a beef about GP opening hours. Whenever I am forced to attend these myriad appointments, they are always during working hours. I am a library assistant earning 15,000 a year on a contract. I have earned a lot less, and worked on a temporary, insecure basis. Yet I was always expected to work evenings and/or weekends. People seem to have a big thing about libraries opening longer, which for some unknown reason is not the same for GPs. GPs have nice permanent secure jobs, earning 100,000 or above, and yet there is no pressure for them to work one minute outside office hours, even though people's health is on the line rather than just borrowing the latest Michael Crichton novel. I think that if they refuse to work outside these hours, their salaries should be massively cut and given to paramedics, A & E doctors, nurses and all the other people in the NHS who do not have a choice and have to deal with the extra patients who would otherwise turn to their GP. I don't know how GPs can look at themselves in the mirror earning the salaries they do and not caring about people's health. And most of them don't work hard and know very little, like the doctor I mentioned at the start of this rant. They are always looking in textbooks for the answer. One doctor was trying to force me onto statins (bear in mind I am 25 years old), probably after pressure by drug companies, and he could not find any information showing me why I should take these pills, he just expected me to take his word for it! He searched for ages in different books and online and found nothing.

Anyway, I will stop ranting for now.

Lizzie

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Permalink Reply by Catherine on September 28, 2007 at 3:43am

Hi Lizzie
It sounds to me that you are well overdue to find a NEW GP!
Regarding your sharps bin I deposit mine at the surgery for disposal. They then give me a new one. I should speak to your Practice nurse if the receptionist is so unhelpful.
All the best
Catherine

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Permalink Reply by Dee on February 24, 2008 at 5:49pm

Hi Lizzie,

I know exactly what you mean. If I had the time I would want to start some kind of campaign it angers me that much. I found out that the reason your GP wants to see you, as well as you going to the hospital is because they get extra money for 'looking after' you. My last GP's surgery said I was only allowed to join if I had HbA1C tests done there, I was not too fussed about that so I joint. Since moving, my new GP has told me that my DAFNE regime "will bring down the NHS" because I am using too many blood strips! I argued back but he then only put me on a week's worth for each repeat prescription causing hassle getting out of work early to get to the chemist every bloody week! Turns out GPs get paid per prescription they write so it works out better for them to write as many as possible. Anyway, I wrote a letter of complaint to the GP and finally have a decent amount of blood strips on prescription but the bad relationship makes me like I dont want to go there if I am ever ill. Anyway, I really dont think we should put up with this. If I were you I would write a letter of complaint to the PCT about them threatening to strike you off. Good luck!

PS I have been throwing my pen needles in the bin for years (always back in the two little caps) prob the wrong thing to do but there is not much choice really- Dee

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Permalink Reply by Jennie Fraser on July 23, 2009 at 10:24am

Pen needles in the bin is very bad.
People walk around on rubbish tips and dig through the stuff with little more than plastic gloves on.
Infection from a used needle could happen very easily.
I fill my sharps bins and then drop them off (every six months or so) at my hospital clinic - maybe try that?

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Permalink Reply by Catherine on August 30, 2009 at 4:44pm

It is illegal to dispose of your sharps in your normal household waste Dee.

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Permalink Reply by Ross on September 29, 2007 at 1:49am

Chemists. "You need HOW many boxes of test strips?" "That way I won't die." "Umm."

GP: "You're too high in the morning." "I know."

GP: "You're still too high in the morning." "I still know."

GP: "If you're too high you should change your diet. Try not to eat fruit." "Hmm. I live with this. 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. You see a few diabetics in North West London and assume we're all the same. If I start talking about dawn syndrome you wouldn't have a bloody clue what I'm talking about. I'm coming to see you so that (a) I get my HbA1c result and (b) you'll take the ridiculous block off my repeat prescription. Now leave me in peace as I try to work out how to stop the dawn phenomenon bugg*ring up my blood sugars. MY blood sugars."

My GP puts a block on my repeat prescription if I don't go and see her for two months! I know it is illegal but frankly where I live the other option is the GP surgery who, when I first went there in 2003 saying "I just heard something on the radio and think I may be diabetic" sent me on my way with a patronising laugh and a lollipop.

Rant over. How are you all anyway? hello... x

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Permalink Reply by Catherine on September 29, 2007 at 2:09am

I'm gobsmacked!!! I cannot believe that your GP would block your repeat prescription, can't you find another GP?? I realis that I am so fortunate, my GP is terrific and very easy to talk to and I have never had issues with repeat prescriptions. My GP's attitude is that she is here to support me. I'm so sorry that you are not having a similar experience. If you ever plan on moving to West Berkshire...let me know and I'll point you in the right direction!

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Permalink Reply by Vonda K on October 19, 2007 at 12:39am

Hi,

I know I started this topic and have not responded! Sorry. We have been busy taking my son out of school, finding a new school and home schooling in the middle of it all. Plus changing insulin and dealing with other health, family, mental issues all at the same time! Rant over....


My son was on a long acting morning insulin that peaked at lunch time cutting out the need for an injection at school. That meant that he had to have food right on lunch. After the school sent him home on three different occasions without him having snacks or lunch our doctor said that the school was putting our son at high risk. After battling for a year trying to get our son the proper care at school we pulled him out. Angry!!!!!!!

My son has enough to deal with. He is finding it hard to adjust to having diabetes and doesn't need the extra stress. Ok so my rant was not quite over....


Lizzy and Ross you need to find new GP's. There has got to be some comeback that holds the doctors accountable for a stupid/dangerous threat of withholding life saving medication. Have you discussed with the hospital the GP attitude?

Angry seems to be a constant state I am in since my son became diabetic. But then we had a fair share of doctors. I counted that we saw 22 different doctors in the space of 12 weeks. He missed 7 weeks of school. And now has a fear of all and any procedures. We are just luck he can do his own injections.

My son is under the hospital and they adjust his insulin not the GP's. Doesn't stop them trying though, and you can tell they don't have a clue what they are doing. We use to get what ever GP was available now we just stick with one that we like!!!

Recently we had to wait in the hospital an extra 4 hours as the Specialist felt it was beneath him to sign for the drugs he had prescribed. We had to wait for a different doctor to come to the ward and sign the form. How ridiculous is that!

Vonda K

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Permalink Reply by Rebekah Humphrey on February 26, 2008 at 6:38am

My diabetes team have been amazing. My nurse is very helpful. I even rang her up on Sunday night to ask her a question, and she didn't mind.

I am lucky to have such wonderful help.

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Permalink Reply by Kris on May 15, 2008 at 3:19am

I refuse point blank to have any of my diabetes management through my GP. He is an absolute shit, excuse my language.

When I first went with my symptoms, he suggested a blood test as a precaution, but said it wasn't urgent, so booked me in with the phlegbotomist for a month later(!). Oh, I had the whole thirst and polyurea thing going on too, so he told me off for drinking too much water.

I took the bloods forms and went to the hospital instead and got them done the following morning. That evening I got a call from the on-call doctor to tell me that I was diabetic (OVER THE PHONE!) and that my BG was 16.6 (fasting), but that it would probably wait until the morning.

I went back to the GP the next morning, and had to wait 3 hours to be seen. He did another fasting test, which was just as high, and then said 'I'll need to refer you to the diabetes centre at the hospital, but it'll probably take about a week'. He then proceeded to lecture me on how appalling it was that as a young person I'd managed to mistreat my body so badly that I'd got Type II (I haven't. I'm Type I). After much arguing he agreed to contact the hospital and got me an appointment the same day.

I had some lunch on the way up to the hospital (I had fasted since I got the call from the doctor the night before). When I got up to the hospital, the DSN sat me down with a big jug of water, took my BG again, having eaten (about 2 hours prior) it was now 30.5. From that point on my care has been fantastic - aside from my GP not prescribing enough test strips.

I still get letters inviting me to reviews and suchlike at the GP's surgery, but I only go there for retinal screening, everything else I have through the hospital. My consultant is fantastic.

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