# doctors know nothing



## delta (Nov 19, 2008)

hi there basically where allways running low on strips so rather than wait for the
pharmacy to sort out the prescription i took it up the doctors myself
the woman at the dispensary there told me i'm doing to many checks i should only need to check my son once a day. is she nuts or something
then a couple of days later i get a call from his doctor (not his diabete's doctor)
to say he was concerned as to the amount of checks i was doing. i know theres a credit crunch on but surely that does'nt mean we have to cut down on these sort of things lol!  i normally check my son about 6 to 7 times a day. does that sound about right to you


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## mustbdan (Nov 19, 2008)

*Reply to strips*

I think he needs to learn a bit more before he starts preaching to others !! I use on average 6 day as at the minute my levels are not stable for shore, two days ago my level shot upto 30.3 so if i didnt check mine more often than once a day i wouldnt have a clue were i was ! If it keeps us out of hospital or using more medicines (which would cost more than a couple of testers) then keep using them i do and its our health we're checking and not the goverments bank balance.


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## aymes (Nov 19, 2008)

at the very minimum he should be checking before each meal and before bed plus before and after exercise and if he feels unwell so 6 or so a day sounds reasonable. 
I've had problems with my surgery over getting insulin ( when I changed from novomix to novorapid/lantus my gp refused to give me novorapid because ' it was contained in the novomix'!!! - well yes but that clearly wasn't the point!!!!) I found a call from the diabetes clinic soon sorted it out though it may be worth asking them to speak to the doctor for you if you're still having issues. Or failing that I'd have though diabetes uk would have some guidance they could supply them with?


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## Lizzie (Nov 19, 2008)

Is your son a type 1? If so he should be checking about 5x a day, more if he is ill or has anything like unexpected exercise, meal out etc. It is terrible that doctors are doing things like this, if they want to save the NHS money then they should look at their massive wage packets, especially GPs, not do it at the expense of patients' health. 

When I did DAFNE my nurse gave us each a letter explaining we needed to test 5x a day, and also if we wanted ketone strips or to change strips or insulin or whatever because of what we learned on the course. Ask your hospital doctor or nurse to write your GP a letter saying why your son needs to test and how many times a day they reccommend testing. 

Incidentally, I am interested that your pharmacy usually deals with your son's prescription. I would love that arrangement, my chemist is a lovely man and is open til 7pm so I would not have to rush back from work to get there before it closed, as I have to at the surgery. I asked if he could deal with my prescription, I filled out an official form allowing him access to my hospital record, but the GP would not allow it for diabetics apparently. 

This may seem like I have an unreasonable bias against GPs, but I feel it is entirely reasonable given the things they have done in the past. Once I went to them wanting to go on antidepressants and the doctor did not let me get a word in, she immediately launched into a tirade about how I would get all these complications if I did not test my blood sugar, she was really aggressive and by the end I was in floods of tears. She did not seem to care, just said I had exceeded the appointment time and should leave. It was left to a fellow patient to console me in the waiting room. Or, another time, I wanted to add ketone strips to my prescription and the GP said they were already on there. Turns out he did not know the difference between ketone strips and blood strips. Or, once the GP wanted me on statins (at 25!). He started looking for some info on why I should be on them. He spent the whole 15 minute appointment time searching online and in his books and found nothing. I could go on. I am sure there are great GPs out there somewhere who work really hard and justify their giant pay packets, and their patients adore them. But I haven't met any.


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## sofaraway (Nov 19, 2008)

since when is the dispensary women qualified to give you medical advise for your son?! 
I would speak to your sons DSN and see if s/he can speak tot he GP and explain why your son needs to test .
I don't think 6 times a day is excessive. testing is only excessive if it gives you no useful information to act on. 
Luckily I have never had a problem getting the strips I need, but I know alor of people have difficulty, but generally type 1's get it sorted fairly quickly.


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## rosie (Nov 19, 2008)

Keep battling for the precription - think we as a group are probably soft cost cutting targets.

I've been told by one of the practice nurses that I shouldn't test so frequently.  I generally test once a day but more if I'm trying different food.  It must be working as I've managed to avoid medication for nearly 18 months since diagnosis and my last HB was 6.7.  I'm still paying for my prescriptions so it must have saved the NHS a fortune so far.  The second practice nurse actually encourages me but she is diabetic herself!


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## jenks (Nov 20, 2008)

i've been diagnosed type 1 for 4 months and was told to check at least 4 times a day but with the hussle and bussle of normal life i check about 7 times a day just to make sure i dont hypo. Im sure we'd all agree we'd rather check more and avoid hypo's rather than drop. 

The problem with doctors nd the helth proffession is they dont know what its like so have no real idea what going on and how it feels. |Why isn't their doctors with diabeties that cant actually give advice based on personal experiance rather than some lines from a book??? their must be at least 1 out their somewhere.


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## sofaraway (Nov 20, 2008)

rosie said:


> I'm still paying for my prescriptions so it must have saved the NHS a fortune so far.


rosie are you controlling your diabetes with diet and exercise and no meds?


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## Alistair (Nov 20, 2008)

> i've been diagnosed type 1 for 4 months and was told to check at least 4 times a day but with the hussle and bussle of normal life i check about 7 times a day just to make sure i dont hypo. Im sure we'd all agree we'd rather check more and avoid hypo's rather than drop.



I'm new to all of this, only 6 months so I'm probably looking at this from the wrong way. I test BG to make sure I'm not going to high rather than to low. My body tells me when levels are falling to low at which point I will test just to confirm. Am I doing it wrong?

Alistair


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## Admin (Nov 20, 2008)

Alsitair - I check for highs rather than lows on the whole - had never thought about it before - but that is what I do! Apart from if  am extremely high and get thirsty I do not get symptoms - whereas lows are much easier to 'feel'. So no! You are not doing it wrong - and there is no right of wrong - everyone has their own ways and as long as it works for you then it's right!


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## Northerner (Nov 20, 2008)

I've heard so much about people getting hassle about their use of testing strips, I'm almost expecting to get it myself each time I renew my prescription! I guess I've been very lucky with the quality of my treatment so far (6 months). My GP did ask me once how often I tested and why, when I asked for an increase from 100 to 200 strips per prescription, but seemed satisfied with my explanation.

I thought all diagnosed diabetics got free prescriptions?


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## heidi Blakemore (Nov 20, 2008)

Hi Delta,

Elle my daughter test's her blood's some times 7-10 times a day and my doctor never question's why?
I must be lucky! he has been the most wonderful doctor ever, when she was first diagnosed the insulin did not agree with her (mixtard), so he swapped it to levamir long lasting and novo when she eat's taught us how to calculate the carbs ect, and lucky enough we can request repeat's online which are then delivered to the pharmacy were I pick up!

I would take this up with your diabetese consultant to see what he thinks, as the strips are my way of reassuring that elle's is ok!!


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## stephenmcdonald (Nov 20, 2008)

i totally agree wiv u- you should be able to test your son's blood as often as you feel is required. i dont have diabetes myself, i am a student health professional and will work for and wiv diabetes patients soem day soon. speak to your DSN and hopefully it will be sorted. someone is mixed up here- doctors/dispensers are responsible for the correct management of their patients, and not for financial management of the NHS


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## sofaraway (Nov 20, 2008)

Northerner said:


> I thought all diagnosed diabetics got free prescriptions?



only if on medication or insulin, thse controlled only on diet are not exempt


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## rosie (Nov 20, 2008)

sofaraway said:


> rosie are you controlling your diabetes with diet and exercise and no meds?


Hi Nikki, Yes so far I've managed to control my diabetes with diet. I don't know how much longer I'll manage to remain drug free but the longer the better!  My last count was 6.7 which is .2 up from last reading 6 months ago.  Suspect I'm going to end up on the statins  very soon though - not looking forward to that.


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## delta (Nov 20, 2008)

Lizzie said:


> Is your son a type 1? If so he should be checking about 5x a day, more if he is ill or has anything like unexpected exercise, meal out etc. It is terrible that doctors are doing things like this, if they want to save the NHS money then they should look at their massive wage packets, especially GPs, not do it at the expense of patients' health.
> 
> When I did DAFNE my nurse gave us each a letter explaining we needed to test 5x a day, and also if we wanted ketone strips or to change strips or insulin or whatever because of what we learned on the course. Ask your hospital doctor or nurse to write your GP a letter saying why your son needs to test and how many times a day they reccommend testing.
> 
> ...


i'm sorry to hear about your troubles but this seems to be the norm at most surgery's they should just leave it upto the diabetic doctors or ourselves to sort out


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## delta (Nov 20, 2008)

sofaraway said:


> since when is the dispensary women qualified to give you medical advise for your son?!
> I would speak to your sons DSN and see if s/he can speak tot he GP and explain why your son needs to test .
> I don't think 6 times a day is excessive. testing is only excessive if it gives you no useful information to act on.
> Luckily I have never had a problem getting the strips I need, but I know alor of people have difficulty, but generally type 1's get it sorted fairly quickly.



yes my son is type 1 i have been known to check him in the night when he's asleep and then again half hour later it gives me a good indication of what is happening glucose trend wise


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## delta (Nov 20, 2008)

heidi Blakemore said:


> Hi Delta,
> 
> Elle my daughter test's her blood's some times 7-10 times a day and my doctor never question's why?
> I must be lucky! he has been the most wonderful doctor ever, when she was first diagnosed the insulin did not agree with her (mixtard), so he swapped it to levamir long lasting and novo when she eat's taught us how to calculate the carbs ect, and lucky enough we can request repeat's online which are then delivered to the pharmacy were I pick up!
> ...



they put my son on to novamix. but i found it was running out to quick so put him back on mixtard 30. which is better but no one ever metioned  a long acting with novarapid. i think this would be better for my son you sound like 
you have a good doctor there


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## jenks (Nov 21, 2008)

the reason i check more for low BG is that my day to day work is pretty active and i find that my BG is droppin most of the time.  My problem with hypo's are i dont always have the time or ability to stop and sort it so i check to avoid them and the all too familiar sugar binge.
High BG's aren't somethin i'm really bothered by for the forementioned reasons so i guess im pretty lucky compared to most of the people here.


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## margaret (Nov 21, 2008)

rosie said:


> Hi Nikki, Yes so far I've managed to control my diabetes with diet. I don't know how much longer I'll manage to remain drug free but the longer the better!  My last count was 6.7 which is .2 up from last reading 6 months ago.  Suspect I'm going to end up on the statins  very soon though - not looking forward to that.


Hi Rosie, Just to let you know statins aren't all bad news. I know that there seems to be alot mentioned about the side effects, but I've been on them for over 1 year with no problems.


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## HANAAAA (Nov 22, 2008)

basically I'm type one and have been since 6 (9 years a go now) and I check 4 times a day cos I dont do them at lunch...
However, I do agree the docs arent great when it comes to diabetes even my diabetic one is a pain! They don't understand what its like and dish comments else which are supposed to 'help' me?!?!

Also, my pharmacy is pants... I was given the wrong insulin for a week and ended up in hospital- could have been put in a coma if it went on one more day!!

*medical people without diabetes or knowing someone with it = dont have a clue!*


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## C*5_Dodger (Nov 25, 2008)

mustbdan said:


> I think he needs to learn a bit more before he starts preaching to others !! I use on average 6 day as at the minute my levels are not stable for shore, two days ago my level shot upto 30.3 so if i didnt check mine more often than once a day i wouldnt have a clue were i was ! If it keeps us out of hospital or using more medicines (which would cost more than a couple of testers) then keep using them i do and its our health we're checking and not the goverments bank balance.


I had the same trouble with my diabetes nurse. She said "what do you do if it is too high - what action do you take" adding that most people do nothing. I was able to tell her that I do indeed take action when my readings go up. She was taken aback, and has never questioned my use of strips since!


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## jeanus44 (Nov 25, 2008)

Northerner said:


> I've heard so much about people getting hassle about their use of testing strips, I'm almost expecting to get it myself each time I renew my prescription! I guess I've been very lucky with the quality of my treatment so far (6 months). My GP did ask me once how often I tested and why, when I asked for an increase from 100 to 200 strips per prescription, but seemed satisfied with my explanation.
> 
> I thought all diagnosed diabetics got free prescriptions?




I get free prescriptions but have to buy my own strips and lancets. I cant afford to test every day even though I want to to make sure things are ok. I just hope nothing seriously happens to me!


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## sunflower_harvester (Nov 25, 2008)

Hi Delta

Sorry you're having problems with your GP. Think the main problem is they get confused between type 1 and type 2 and they fail to understand the  need to intensively monitor with T1.
The other problem is this (I know this as I used to be a practice nurse) strip useage is expensive, practices are now getting bonuses for reducing the amount of test strips perscribed-and being short sighted they fail to realise that X amount of strips per month is a damn sight cheaper than X many trips to A+E with DKA/hypos or the cost of complications.
Stick to your guns,a GP is exactly that-general-so they dont have indepth knowledge of diabetes, make an appointment and educate them (nicely obviously-same goes for pharmacy staff)if that doesnt work present your GP with a copy of the NICE guidence into management of T1 and get your hospital team involved. 
Good luck and let us know how you get on


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