How do you deal with misinformation?

[Marie 2]

There are several people I have run across that got seriously permanently sick from the drugs they gave them when they misdiagnosed them as a type 2. I was lucky as the drugs they tried made me sick almost immediately so they put me on insulin fairly soon. It took a switch of doctors to get properly diagnosed. I don't get why this is so rampant of a problem, how many DKA's could be avoided or just in general better health being treated right at the beginning? I think the medical profession is really slacking off on informing doctors and nurses on the issue when they have the solve on hand and it's an easy solve. It's just an information issue for a pretty significant number of people.

 

[Circuspony]

Well I was 43. They tried to treat me as a type 2 for about a fortnight but I'd been on Google after the first blood test showed a hba1c of 147 and it said rapid weight loss (i was down to 7.5 stone), high ketones etc is highly likely type 1.

So I went back to see the nurse, complained about headaches and stomach pains and finally they said go to A&E.

Consultant at A&E said anyone presenting with high BG together with high ketones should always go to A&E. He was not impressed with my GP....

 

[WuTwo]

The thing that always gets me is when they say someone can't be T1 as they're too old, when they were diagnosed as a youngster. Do they think we are all Peter Pan or something?

Not to mention all those wrongly diagnosed as older people because they're "too old to be T1"

I do think the medical and nursing schools need to to seriously update their teaching programs!

 

[JMK1954]

Having spoken to a nurse who had just finished her training last year, I know that Type 1 diabetes is not part of the normal nursing course, in England at least. She told me that she wanted to work as what used to be known as a 'district nurse' but I am unsure of the exact current terminology. My mother was in hospital at the time and it was this nurse's last day before moving on to start some sort of training /placement. She spoke to me because my mother had told her I was a Type 1 diabetic. She had already been to a first lecture where Type 1 had been mentioned and she had evidently been quite struck by being told Type 1 diabetics always needed to carry sugar, which was news to her. I produced my tube of Glucotabs and explained that crystals of sugar are not easy to get down unless dissolved and some sort of fast-acting, swiftly acting carb is what is required.

I suspect the absence of Type 1 from what is covered in normal nurse training explains quite a lot. It is frightening that this forum provides more information about how doctors disguish a possible Type 1 from the more usual Type 2 than the average GP seems to know.

 

[Fizzy1408]

How in the world does anyone get a job as a nurse, if they don’t know the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes? For a school nurse, it is very dangerous not to be fully up to date with this knowledge. If this had happened to my own children, I would have been straight up to the school to make a formal complaint.

 

[hmcc]

I was 55 when diagnosed with type 2. Severe weight loss and crazy advice from the nurses at my surgery for 9 months. Eventually got a referral to the hospital and was diagnosed as type 1. My advice to anyone is to ask more questions. Ask for a referral and get the professionals to sort it out. I still have no faith in my surgery and phone the diabetic nurses in the hospital if I have any concerns.

 

[ANGEBABES]

Wow, that school nurse is certainly clueless. I would say outdated, but when I was diagnosed (49 years ago) it was assumed that all diabetics diagnosed at less than 30 were T1, and over that age T2. I would think that even now most 17 year old diabetics would be T1. I would hope that a school nurse would be familiar with T1, since most diabetics at a school would be T1, but it sounds like this one is completely ignorant.

Dear nurses, I am T1 diabetic which means my body no longer produces insulin and I have to inject it for the rest of my life. This bears no relation to the more common T2 diabetes that can often be put into remission by a combination of diet and exercise. The most serious problem that I am likely to have at school is hypoglycemia, low blood sugar which results when I do not eat enough to counteract my insulin. It would be helpful if you were aware of this so that if I am ever found confused or unconscious you can help by giving me glucose.

Lots and lots of hugs. I think it was easier when I was your age when people had no clue what diabetes was at all.

Agree with most of your post except advising people to automatically give you glucose if found unwell. Although it is most likely to be a hypo, it could also be hyper, ie DKA where giving glucose would be very, very dangerous and enough to put someone into a coma, just as giving someone insulin if hypo. All my colleagues and family know how to check my sugar first before giving me anything. There is no point in giving people half the information. This would also educate people in the fact that living with diabetes is complicated and very hard work. Freestyle Libre has been such a godsend in my diabetic life and also makes it much easier for other people to check my sugar level. I ended up in DKA previously within a few hours due to a virus and my son found me unresponsive when he got in from work and luckily he checked my sugar after calling an ambulance. I would just like to stress how important it is not to presume it is one or the other. I also know of someone who was given insulin when hypo and died because the people she was with didn’t understand so wholeheartedly believe it is better and safer to educate those who are misinformed and esp those who think they know. Diabetics should never feel embarrassed about telling people as it could save your life

 

[Angusc]

a lot of doctors just assume type 1 or 2 depenant on age i've been type 1 for 58 years and only just had the test's to double check as odd things are happening.

 

[Huggett]

Wow, that school nurse is certainly clueless. I would say outdated, but when I was diagnosed (49 years ago) it was assumed that all diabetics diagnosed at less than 30 were T1, and over that age T2. I would think that even now most 17 year old diabetics would be T1. I would hope that a school nurse would be familiar with T1, since most diabetics at a school would be T1, but it sounds like this one is completely ignorant.

Dear nurses, I am T1 diabetic which means my body no longer produces insulin and I have to inject it for the rest of my life. This bears no relation to the more common T2 diabetes that can often be put into remission by a combination of diet and exercise. The most serious problem that I am likely to have at school is hypoglycemia, low blood sugar which results when I do not eat enough to counteract my insulin. It would be helpful if you were aware of this so that if I am ever found confused or unconscious you can help by giving me glucose.

Lots and lots of hugs. I think it was easier when I was your age when people had no clue what diabetes was at all.

 

[Zilsniggy]

[QUOTE="Robinredbreast, post: 2086702, member: 44643'what is wrong with these medical professionals, makes me '[/QUOTE]

As a medical professional myself, I'll tell you what is wrong.......no training or experience and a complete unwillingness to believe they are wrong. Drives me mad!! Still, hopefully only another 3 and a bit years to go to retiremnent.......