How did your doctor tell you?

[Eve_line]

It may sound like an unimportant question but I am curious how the doctor broke the news to you that you have diabetes. I wonder if my experience is exceptional or normal..

I am still feeling a bit upset because she was extremely careless and unempathetic. I came there to discuss my blood results because of my hair loss. And she didn't even discuss that or knew that could be a symptom of diabetes (i asked and she said she didnt know, another doctor ordered tests for several things to see what could cause my hair loss, appearantly that doctor did think about diabetes?) Anyway i sat down and she just said "you have Sugar disease". Now i am also annoyed at that term, like isn't she a doctor? Call it diabetes please. Then she said normally they would do 2 test but with such a numbers it has to be diabetes. Even the way she spoke , very cheerful, made me think that after the "normally we do 2 tests but with such a numbers....." she would say: it's probably not diabetes. (eventhough she already said it but i guess my mind wasnt progressing that) . Her message, and her tone didn't match at all. She also didn't mention the type, just told me to make appointment at diabetic nurse.. that's it. Then i came home, googled, and i felt the world fell apart... why are they saying it like it is nothing? It's a chronic disease, im 31 years old and have to deal with this for the rest of my life. Why not say "excuse me to tell you this and it can be a shock but you have diabetes type 2, with good diet and lifestyle you can get it under control, it is serious but it doesn't have to lead to complications'.

I don t know why it bugs me so much.. does anyone relate or understands?

 

[KK123]

I told the Doctor 'I think I've got diabetes', he said 'I'll be the judge of that', he tested and then said 'yes you have, come back in on Monday' - which was 4 days away and see the specialist Diabetes GP! I went back in on the Monday and as the specialist GP was busy giving me a meter she said 'Oh I'd better just test for ketones' so she did and then rushed me off to hospital! Clearly Doc 1 (who didn't test but told me my reading was 16) thought it ok to leave me hanging for a good 4 days. After 24 hours in hospital I was sent off with instructions on how to inject insulin as if it was simply advice on how to take a paracetomol. Good job I'm a quick learner.

 

[Rachox]

My experience was not too good either to begin with anyway. I’d had routine annual blood test for another condition and thought nothing of it til I received an email at the start May Day BH weekend last year, saying I had to book an appt to discuss my blood test. I spent all weekend worrying what was wrong. I looked on line and there weren’t any appts for a month! So I rang up on the Tuesday and explained and they organised a phone appt on the Thursday. So two more days fretting
Anyway long story short, things then improved. Dr was lovely on the phone, he said my test suggested type 2, arranged an urgent retest as he wouldn’t diagnose on one test alone. Had a very long appointment with him the following week during which he was very patient and attentive.
I’m sorry your Dr was so poor, have you managed to see a different one since?

 

[shelley262]

I had to push my gp to agree to test me! I had raging thrush, itchiness and dire thirst coupled with a frequent need to go to loo. She examined me gave me a script for thrush treatment and was keen on getting me out of door but I was determined to ask the question could it be diabetes? My mum has it and she’d had same symptoms and now has chronic kidney disease - she’s 87 now. GP eventually agreed to a blood test - result of which was a call from DN 2 days later - could I come in as had an hbaca1 of 97! Can’t help but think how bad and/obvious did it need to get!!
I’ve never seen gp since just one of the DNs who deal with all diabetic work in the practice. They are fine but stick to usual line of low fat calories in/ calories out etc!

 

[ally1]

My psych had requested my gp to do a blood test, I didn't, t know this until I saw the gp at a later date.
With both the first and second blood tests, the hospital called me, funnily enough both calls during the night, saying get to hospital now. I refused both times because I didn't, t feel ill. But on both occasions, I did see my gp on both occasions the following morning. Gp confirmed I was type 2 and put me on meds straight away. I saw the DN 3 days later.
In the beginning, I was treated brilliantly but they don,t really care now. Well that's the impression I get as I get fobbed off now

 

[Ragmar]

I went for a routine check up. Doctor ordered the usual blood tests. I went and did them. A few days later. I get a call from the clinic and it's not even my doctor but one of the nurses.

"Hey your a1c came back at 6.5 which indicates diabetes. Your doctor said diet and exercise. See you in a month"

And that was it. Thankfully, the same clinic was offering an education and management course. A month later when I saw my doctor, she was happy with my weight loss and she wasn't interested in my glucometer because I wanted to show her my numbers and she was like I'm not concerned about that.

Anyway I'm like 60/40 split between getting a new doctor and etc because she's not even a doctor but a nurse practitioner

Tldr I got a phone call at 9 in the morning saying I was diabetic

 

[rom35]

I have got it from laboratory nurse at the start of OGTT test. As I had over 7 (7.2 exactly), the test was cancelled and nurse said to me “you have diabetes”

 

[hankjam]

Blood test, nurse told me. T2. That was about it.
Home, Forum that evening. Next day threw out flours/sugar/pasta/rice and gave my beer collection away to folk at work.

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

He said "You have type 2 diabetes. Here's a prescription for metformin. Come back in 3 months. Bye."

 

[PDE]

They updated my online record with the results of my blood test.

 

[david1968]

They found out I was diabetic during an operation to remove part of my bowel. Virtually one of the first questions they asked me afterwards was 'did you know you were diabetic' to which the answer was 'no'! Had other things to think about at the time, so just started injecting insulin as instructed. It's not the end of the world though - five and a half years on and I've come off insulin and gone onto metformin.

 

[connie104]

I was living in Spain and I suffered a stroke and was in hospital for a week . On being discharged I was given a variety of different tablets, blood thinners, beta blockers, high blood pressure tablets and metformin . No one even mentioned the word diabetes even though I speak fluent Spanish and it was only when I had a neighbour visit me who was a retired nurse and she read my discharge letter that she commented “ oh you have got diabetes then “ that I knew .
As you can imagine I was gobsmacked !

 

[AdamJames]

It may sound like an unimportant question but I am curious how the doctor broke the news to you that you have diabetes. I wonder if my experience is exceptional or normal..

I am still feeling a bit upset because she was extremely careless and unempathetic. I came there to discuss my blood results because of my hair loss. And she didn't even discuss that or knew that could be a symptom of diabetes (i asked and she said she didnt know, another doctor ordered tests for several things to see what could cause my hair loss, appearantly that doctor did think about diabetes?) Anyway i sat down and she just said "you have Sugar disease". Now i am also annoyed at that term, like isn't she a doctor? Call it diabetes please. Then she said normally they would do 2 test but with such a numbers it has to be diabetes. Even the way she spoke , very cheerful, made me think that after the "normally we do 2 tests but with such a numbers....." she would say: it's probably not diabetes. (eventhough she already said it but i guess my mind wasnt progressing that) . Her message, and her tone didn't match at all. She also didn't mention the type, just told me to make appointment at diabetic nurse.. that's it. Then i came home, googled, and i felt the world fell apart... why are they saying it like it is nothing? It's a chronic disease, im 31 years old and have to deal with this for the rest of my life. Why not say "excuse me to tell you this and it can be a shock but you have diabetes type 2, with good diet and lifestyle you can get it under control, it is serious but it doesn't have to lead to complications'.

I don t know why it bugs me so much.. does anyone relate or understands?

As with a few other posters here, it was me who diagnosed my own diabetes as a result of a problem which 3 doctors had not been able to 'fix' over 3 months. Finally I realised after research and testing (I got a finger-prick meter and cut carbs for 2 weeks) that it was probably diabetes. When I told the doctor I thought I was diabetic, her reaction was one of annoyance, like wasn't my business to make that judgement. But at least I was then sent off for an HbA1c test and it was confirmed. I was then given the standard leaflet about diabetes and sent packing.

My second less-than-ideal experience with a GP (the diabetes specialist) was when I asked if I could try to solve it naturally rather than through medication. The response was "well, most people use medication". 3 months later he was very impressed with my greatly reduced HbA1c, using no medication, and ... get this ... he said, "you've been doing some reading, haven't you?". I didn't know what to say. If he was aware that there was info out there which can help with this disease, surely he might have dropped some hints when I'd asked him, 3 months ago, about trying to solve it naturally.

Anyway, really, this forum is a far better source of info, guidance and inspiration than just about anything you'll currently find in the NHS.

 

[miahara]

My first 'official notice'was a letter from the practice after a blood test. It said something along the lines of ' Your blood test indicates you have early diabetes, please make an appointment with Dr **."
A couple of weeks later I saw the Doc ( a trainee GP) who confirmed the diagnosis, made an appointment for me to do a half day course about D and, bless her cotton socks suggested I look at DCUK for further information. By the time I attended the course, which largely comprised pushing the carb-heavy standard NHS 'Eat Badly' plate, I was already ahead of the game insofar as recent research and informed advice went.
I've since changed my GP due to transport issues, but am very fortunate in that my new one is young and clued up and not wedded to NHS/NICE edicts. 'We'll decide what's best for you.'

 

[Deleted member 308541]

My GP said your last blood / glucose tolerance test came in positive, and you are now a T2 diabetic.

It was not a shock as I had been expecting it as I had been border line diabetic for years.

 

[JohnEGreen]

I walked into the doctors consulting room and said hello it was our first meeting he said hello grabbed my hand stuck a needle in my finger took a reading and said that's a bit high. Here's a prescription for metformin, I said oh so I am diabetic his reply well you were last January so yes I suppose you still are. My previous doctor had maintained steadfastly for the previous two years that I was not.

It still rankles.

 

[Resurgam]

I had - as I thought, a blood test for my thyroid levels.
The phone rang and the doctor told me that he'd like to see me for a follow up but nothing was wrong. Ten days later he told me that I had diabetes, very badly - gave me a prescription for Metformin and Atorvastatin, and that was the last I saw of him.
I still - as far as I know, not had a test for my thyroid levels.

 

[jos64]

I had my 50+ general exam. Which consisted of height weights & bloods. How much do you drink ohh you should drink less & lose weight.
2 days later get call that I need to speak to nurse about my bloods. Then another call can you come in for a fasting blood test. When I sat down for the test I asked why I need to speak to the nurse. Told it was about my blood results as there is a range that of over 48.9 they trigger call. The next day I get a call to say dr wants to see me. Went in and was told ‘ so you have been told you have diabetes ‘ to which my reply was NO this is the first I have been told. He was then very apologetic and set me up with prescription, exemption application and eye test request all before I left he surgery.

When I saw the diabetic nurse she was good. Set me up with meter with Bluetooth so it connects to my phone. Raised prescription for needles and test strips etc waiting for my 2 month review

 

[LooperCat]

I went to my GP after gastric flu, they took a urine sample, declared it to be “golden syrup”, said my pancreas was knackered and I had to go to hospital because I had type one diabetes. Don’t think my feet touched the ground...

 

[Alexandra100]

I told the Doctor 'I think I've got diabetes', he said 'I'll be the judge of that', he tested and then said 'yes you have, come back in on Monday' - which was 4 days away and see the specialist Diabetes GP! I went back in on the Monday and as the specialist GP was busy giving me a meter she said 'Oh I'd better just test for ketones' so she did and then rushed me off to hospital! Clearly Doc 1 (who didn't test but told me my reading was 16) thought it ok to leave me hanging for a good 4 days. After 24 hours in hospital I was sent off with instructions on how to inject insulin as if it was simply advice on how to take a paracetomol. Good job I'm a quick learner.

Good grief!!!