Damned Doctors Should Be Hung Drawn & Quartered

[Simba]

Hi, its been a while since I last posted, but I'm at the point of absolute despair

Was diagnosed as type I in May 2008 after emergency admission with DKA, things where OK for a year or so, then started suffering bad hypo's so I reduced insulin usage, blood levels and general health improved enormously. After a while I stopped injecting, but continued to monitor blood levels a couple of time a week.

At the end of last week I felt ill, blurred eyesight, raging thirst, constantly running to the loo etc, so immediately attempted a blood test only to discover the test strips expired at the end of December. My GP's receptionist is refusing to issue a repeat prescription for medication as she claims I missed an annual health review. The best she can do is offer an appointment to see my GP in 3 weeks at which point he MIGHT just approve a prescription.

I bought some strips at a pharmacy, and confirmed the worst. Called my local PCT for advice, they suggest finding a new GP. Tried 5 different practices today, 3 not taking new patients (and definately not ones who are sick !), the other 2 will register me, but wont supply medication until I've seen a GP, again, a 3-4 week delay

I'm getting a bit desperate now, has anyone experience of buying insulin from online pharmacies, is it safe ?, any reccommendations etc

 

[iHs]

Hi there

If you have run out of insulin and your blood sugars are high, then best place to get hold of it fairly quickly is to go straight to A&E at your hospital TONIGHT not tomorrow.

I would not wait until tomorrow because by then you could find yourself feeling very poorly with possible keytones and will probably need to be admitted for a little while.

 

[Simba]

Thanks for the advice, If all else fails its A&E but Id much rather manage this without involving them.

 

[Fujifilm]

Not sure your comment "damned doctors should be hung drawn and quartered" is appropriate.

On your own admission you stopped injecting? a type 1 never stops injecting.

You say you continued to monitor blood glucose levels reguarly, therefore you would need to be getting strips on prescription to do this (I assume) you then say your strips expired in December, which would suggest you do not check regular.

You also state you "felt ill, blurred eyesight, raging thirst, constantly running to the loo etc." What do you expect if you were not taking insulin.

I really fail to understand how you can blame your doctor(s) it was you who decided to stop injecting, its you who failed to make sure you had strips to test your blood sugars, it was you who failed to keep your health review appointment. :?: :!:

You are asking about buying insulin online which I assume means you have also run out of insulin. :?: A type 1 diabetic does NOT run out of insulin you need it to live.

I think it perfectly reasonable for your GPs receptionist to refuse to issue a repeat prescription if you have not had one in a long while or not seen your GP for regular health checks. However I am sure if you told her you were diabetic and feeling unwell with possible high BG she would have made you an immediate appointment or you could have asked for the emergency doctor to call.

Maybe I have missed the point here or missed something critical. If I have this wrong I apologise but on the evidence in this post the problem appears to be you.

Diabetes is a medical condition that you take seriously, not something you play at.
.

 

[bolders]

What a strange system. I always thought a doctor had to approve any prescription and that you collected it from the reception. That's why it takes 24 hours.

 

[Angeldust]

I know this is what you don't wanna hear but you need to go to the ER.
Are you saying you have no insulin and havn't injected in a long time? That is insane, and I've been there as I'm sure are others on here.
But if that's the case then you're ill and treading a very, very fine line. Your body is probably in ketosis, dehydrated .. you are playing a very dangerous game and need treatment NOW and not later. I'm actually really surprised you haven't ended up DKA already.

 

[Jen&Khaleb]

If your test strips have expired all you need to do is change the date in the meter so it now thinks they are in date. Of course, it isn't the best idea to use expired stuff but in emergency it can get you out of a tough spot. I have done this with ketone strips at 1am.

Hope you have already gone and got some insulin.

Jen.

 

[shedges]

Simba,

Absolutely no doubt in my mind - you need an emergency appointment. Get to A&E or walk into your doctors surgery (don't phone) and tell them what's happened and a doctor will see you immediately.

Fujifilm makes some good points - people on here say these things to help.

If you're not aware of the consequences of playing with your Type 1 diabetes I urge you to read ellenvk's tragic story that unfolded over the last few months.

Sam.

 

[noblehead]

That's very true Sam, a very tragic story, reading Ellen's post yesterday brought me to tears. I could not think of anything else last night, I hope that in Ellen's bravery in telling all about her unfortunate circumstances, will help others to treat their condition more seriously.

Nigel

 

[Diabetic Al]

You need to go to hospital and you need to go now if you haven't already?
You don't want to involve them?
Tough! Your a Type 1 with no insulin and high Bg who has been serially neglecting your condition. Your behaviour has made their involvement essential.

 

[Fujifilm]

Tried 5 different practices today, 3 not taking new patients (and definately not ones who are sick !), the other 2 will register me, but wont supply medication until I've seen a GP, again, a 3-4 week delay

Something does not ring true about this. GPs are supposed to see you within 48 hours, I know in practice this does not always work but 3 - 4 week delay, I don't think so.

Also if a practice refuses you they have to give a reason why.


FROM THE GOV SITE ...

The surgery that refused to accept you should give you reasons for its decision. It must not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, disability or medical condition.

If your condition is non-urgent, you can expect to see a doctor within two working days, although waiting times will depend upon the size of the practice. It is essential that you keep appointments and if you can't that you give your GP at least one day's notice.

The fact you do not want to involve A&E suggests you have neglected to tell us the full story. :?

 

[jopar]

Can't understand why you wont' go to the A&E department, unless of cause you don't like to admit that you really haven't been sorting your diabetes!

It does sound like what has happened to you is you've fallen into the honeymoon trap, where once you start taking insulin, your needs fall as the pancreas is still able to produce some, sometime starting insulin treatment can give the pancreas enough of a rest that for a while it well work as normal lending to the false impression that you not a diabetic..

Then as it what seems to have happened to you the pancreas say enough is enough and packs in, then you either need more insulin or back onto insulin..

But the important part is not pratting around trying to find a new doctor, but getting the insulin and restarting the monitoring process ect again as I suspect that not only have you missed your GP review, but also missed diabetic clinic as well, all this needs sorting once done then you can decide if you want another doctor...

 

[Simba]

You need to go to hospital and you need to go now if you haven't already?
You don't want to involve them?
Tough! Your a Type 1 with no insulin and high Bg who has been serially neglecting your condition. Your behaviour has made their involvement essential.

Its precisely because I have been monitoring my condition through the honeymoon period that I am fully aware of the problem. Insulin injections reduced and then stopped on the advice of my consultant, not because I was neglecting my condition. Although not in regular contact with my GP, I do regularly attend outpatients at my local hospital. At times I practically live there !. This isnt a case of me putting my head in the sand and ingoring things, I'm aware I'm in a honeymoon period and well aware the problem will re occur.

In the circumstances, there may well be an argument that I should have picked up a repeat prescription each month for insulin that I didnt actually require, and then disposed of it at the end of each month, but I had hoped that in the circumstances common sense might have prevailed.

I'm responsible for handling this situation, not my GP, and certainly not the A&E department of my local hospital. This situation has arisen simply because a GP has refused to process a repeat prescription on the grounds that I alledgedly failed to attend an appointment that was never made, or notified about, despite contacting my GP surgery on at least 3 occassions over the last six months. I'm also informed by my PCT who are currently investigating the situation that my GP was unable to provide any proof that such an appointment had been requested.

My GP's been aware of this situation since the 9th January, and he couldnt give a dam. If I'm able to avoid an admission to A&E it will be precisiely because I've taken action to avoid that in securing an alternative supply of medication.

I sincerely hope you never find yourself in the position where you are reliant on a GP

 

[Fujifilm]

Its precisely because I have been monitoring my condition through the honeymoon period that I am fully aware of the problem. Insulin injections reduced and then stopped on the advice of my consultant, not because I was neglecting my condition.

I sincerely hope you never find yourself in the position where you are reliant on a GP

You forgot to mention that it was your consultant that told you to stop injecting, which seems an odd thing for your consultant to do. :?: :?: you actually said, "after a while I stopped".

Also consultants have to correspond with your GP so that he/she is aware of everything your consultant advises.

I don't know about anyone else but I am reliant on my GP, he advises me, gives me appointments for various check-ups etc. Issues my repeat prescriptions. All he asks of me is that I follow his advice best I can and keep the appointments he makes for me. That way he is in the best position to monitor and advise on my condition.

Doctors don't always get things right, we may not always agree with them and they may not always be upto date with latest trends but overall they do an excellent job.
.

 

[Simba]

I don't know about anyone else but I am reliant on my GP, he advises me, gives me appointments for various check-ups etc. Issues my repeat prescriptions. All he asks of me is that I follow his advice best I can and keep the appointments he makes for me. That way he is in the best position to monitor and advise on my condition.

I guess GP's follow different protocols. In my case, the local teaching hospital specialises in the care of diabetes, and I believe most local GP's delegate the care of their type I patients to that team rather than handling them locally. Other than taking a urine sample once per year, my GP's role has always been limited to providing prescriptions. Hence the problem when they failed to do so.

 

[phoenix]

In the circumstances, there may well be an argument that I should have picked up a repeat prescription each month for insulin that I didnt actually require, and then disposed of it at the end of each month, but I had hoped that in the circumstances common sense might have prevailed.

If this is the case, and for future reference, unopened and in date insulin vials/pens keep perfectly well in the fridge up to their expiry date (often 2 years) no need to throw them away. ( I keep a box of both longacting and rapid as backups in case of pump malfunction.)
I would have thought that your doctor would have explained that you might need some in a hurry.
Why don't you contact the hospital clinic for a prescription if you're under their care?

 

[rgarcha]

Hi,
I think everyone misunderstood your first post, it did seem like you were neglecting your diabetes. But if thats not the case as you explained, i think it be very wise that you follow the advise that most of us have just said, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!! go to A&E NOW!!!. You can make your condition million times worse, don't leave it too late, GO FAST!!!!!

Rav

 

[Fujifilm]

I guess GP's follow different protocols. In my case, the local teaching hospital specialises in the care of diabetes, and I believe most local GP's delegate the care of their type I patients to that team rather than handling them locally. Other than taking a urine sample once per year, my GP's role has always been limited to providing prescriptions. Hence the problem when they failed to do so.

Then why are you not going to your local teaching hospital to get the help you need?

It does not make sense why your GP would refuse you a repeat prescription. Even if you phoned the on call / emergency doctor, he would come out to you and if you told him you had no insulin he would write you a prescription.

I have never known (and I stand to be corrected :lol: ) any medical proffessional tell a type 1 diabetic to stop taking insulin.

When I was ill about ten years back, I stopped taking my insulin for a few days because I was not eating because I was sick with some bug, thinking I was doing the right thing to stop having a hypo. My sugar levels appeared to be fine, I was testing regular and they never exceed 15, but I ended up passing out from hyperglycaemia. ended up in hospital, sugar levels went mental had ketones the whole nine yards. The doctor told me NEVER stop taking insulin ever.

But I do think you need help, either you are in denial to your diabetes or misunderstanding how diabetes works. If you are a type 1 you can't be in control of it if you are not taking insulin and you will make yourself really ill.

I suspect the reason you are not wanting to go to A&E is because you know they will probably admit you.

Not being in control of your diabetes is not a crime and nothing to be ashamed of, I think most of us who have had the pleasure of it for a number of years have had times when we have lost control of it, decided we don't have it. Have thought our body's have cured itself you name it most of us have probably been there and made all the excuses :lol:

Simba, if I am out of order here or totally off the mark, I apologise unreservedly. But from what you have posted, I think you need to get yourself sorted sooner rather than later. passing out and being ill from a hypo is a doddle compared to passing out and being ill from a hyper, and it just creeps up on you.

.

 

[Diabetic Al]

Its precisely because I have been monitoring my condition through the honeymoon period that I am fully aware of the problem.

My apologies, but I presumed when your strips expired at the end of December that couldn't of been testing from at least then.

Insulin injections reduced and then stopped on the advice of my consultant, not because I was neglecting my condition.

But that's not what you typed.

started suffering bad hypo's so I reduced insulin usage

You can see how we all thought you'd done it off your own back, surely?

If I'm able to avoid an admission to A&E it will be precisiely because I've taken action to avoid that in securing an alternative supply of medication.

I'm sorry. I don't get why you'd rather buy it from dodgey sites when your entitled to it for free and I really don't get why your so insistant on avoiding A&E.

I sincerely hope you never find yourself in the position where you are reliant on a GP

I'm sorry, but I owe my current GP my life.
I'm sorry you've had a bad experience.
But quite frankly you can't give us part of a story then get annoyed when we go by what you've told us.

I do still think you need to go to A&E. If you need insulin then you need it now and you can't wait for an online company to deliver or for your GP to come round.

 

[janabelle]

Simba,
your GP is behaving appallingly. People have good and bad experiences with GPs, and having had both, I can completely relate to your situation, and I can totally believe it.
A formal complaint is the way to go with this GP practice,through your PCT; Your GP has a responsibility to you, and he knows you are a type-1 diabetic. From what you say, you have been managing your condition and have done nothing to warrant this treatment. Whatever has happened, your doctor knows the consequences of his actions, and if he has been made aware of your situation and still not willing to see you and give you the medication you urgently need, then that's inexcusable
Glad PCT r investigating, but they should be seeing that you get your medication- I have always found them to be on the side of the patient.
Meanwhile don't be afraid to attend A & E, they should be completely understanding of your situation, and you don't really have a choice at the moment.
Best of luck
Jus