Annual Check up Frustrations

[Steveco65]

Hi,

I have had type 1 diabetes for 43 years this year and as is the norm I have 6 monthly blood tests and an annual consultation with the nurse. My results are always in the healthy range so no concerns there. However for the past few years now I have become increasingly frustrated due to the way in which these are conducted. It's good to know how you are doing and if there are any issues and how best to resolve them, however what frustrates me, is the lengthy questionnaire of questions that the nurse asks me to answer. This is because they are the same every year and some of them are obviously geared at newbies and not veterans like myself.

The sort of things I get asked are every time are: - do I know the signs of a hypo, do my relatives know the signs, have I informed DVLA, have I been for my retinopathy check, do I know to test my blood 2 hours before driving etc. all of which if I don't know by now I will never know.

I think the thing here is that they don't seem to have my last years answers up on screen so I just keep saying but I told you this last time. Maybe it's just me getting cranky in my senior years.

 

[bulkbiker]

Hi,

I have had type 1 diabetes for 43 years this year and as is the norm I have 6 monthly blood tests and an annual consultation with the nurse. My results are always in the healthy range so no concerns there. However for the past few years now I have become increasingly frustrated due to the way in which these are conducted. It's good to know how you are doing and if there are any issues and how best to resolve them, however what frustrates me, is the lengthy questionnaire of questions that the nurse asks me to answer. This is because they are the same every year and some of them are obviously geared at newbies and not veterans like myself.

The sort of things I get asked are every time are: - do I know the signs of a hypo, do my relatives know the signs, have I informed DVLA, have I been for my retinopathy check, do I know to test my blood 2 hours before driving etc. all of which if I don't know by now I will never know.

I think the thing here is that they don't seem to have my last years answers up on screen so I just keep saying but I told you this last time. Maybe it's just me getting cranky in my senior years.

I'd suggest typing out the answers to all the questions you can remember and next time you have a check up say "I've had T1 for 43 years I know what I'm doing thanks.
Here are your answers."
Then hand over the paper.
See what response you get?
But then again I'm difficult like that..

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

I am not T1 but, I put the acronym NFI at my GP's and they stopped the questionarw for a while.

 

[Ushthetaff]

The old one fix fits all routine , I’m glad to say the health authority I’m with doesn’t do that , however I’ve only just had a diabetic appointment after nearly 2 years , it was a video appointment it was fine as I am fine and have had diabetes for over 40 years , this is now the norm I feel and will be for many other things apart from diabetes. progress ?????? I have my doubts , the one question which does annoy me which I was asked was how man6 units of your bonus insulin do you take I said “ it depends on what I’m going to eat and what my blood sugar is “ the answer I was given was “ correct answer “ not had that before so maybe there is progress .

 

[searley]

Mine go through the same.. including mental health questions.. sexual health questions and so on..

i speak to a couple of consultants a year to, and get a lot of the same questions there..

I can understand them wanting to ask, as there are probably many 'suffer in silence' people out there and being asked may just start the conversation?

 

[Steveco65]

Thanks for all your replies. I have recently started using the Libre2 sensors at my own expense and the first couple of sensors were really quite accurate and I had the appropriate alerts for lows and highs. However, the sensor I am using now seems to be way off the mark in terms of accuracy and I don't get any alerts anymore. So I am having to back up the results with finger pricks again which kinda defeats the object. Will see how the next sensor works but the miracle alternative to having sore fingers seems to be fading fast

 

[Brunneria]

Thanks for all your replies. I have recently started using the Libre2 sensors at my own expense and the first couple of sensors were really quite accurate and I had the appropriate alerts for lows and highs. However, the sensor I am using now seems to be way off the mark in terms of accuracy and I don't get any alerts anymore. So I am having to back up the results with finger pricks again which kinda defeats the object. Will see how the next sensor works but the miracle alternative to having sore fingers seems to be fading fast

Give Abbott a ring.
The people at the customer service desk are very helpful, and if the sensor is faulty, they will send out another.
If the setup/software is wrong, they will advise.
There is no need to be out of pocket if the sensor isn't up to scratch.

I've had a few sensors replaced in this way.

 

[kvetiny]

I share your frustrations. Diabetes team for years seem to think I'm doing ok dispite a climbing hba1c and diabetes complications in my 30s.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Mine go through the same.. including mental health questions.. sexual health questions and so on..

i speak to a couple of consultants a year to, and get a lot of the same questions there..

I can understand them wanting to ask, as there are probably many 'suffer in silence' people out there and being asked may just start the conversation?

Wow I don't get the sexual and mental health questions thankfully. Just 'take a statin' and a note of my refusal. This time I am hoping for a Dexcom prescription so will have to be less argumentative re the staatins!

 

[Andydragon]

Mine go through the same.. including mental health questions.. sexual health questions and so on..

i speak to a couple of consultants a year to, and get a lot of the same questions there..

I can understand them wanting to ask, as there are probably many 'suffer in silence' people out there and being asked may just start the conversation?

I get asked the same too and I think it is important to ask because diabetes impacts on both areas and people do suffer in silence.

it’s easy to be embarrassed but there are options that can help and so they ask the questions from the script to help prompt those and help them.

As for all of the other questions, yeah, I guess it can be frustrating to repeat them but along with the annual pin cushion thing I guess I’m just used to it now

 

[Freema]

Hi,

I have had type 1 diabetes for 43 years this year and as is the norm I have 6 monthly blood tests and an annual consultation with the nurse. My results are always in the healthy range so no concerns there. However for the past few years now I have become increasingly frustrated due to the way in which these are conducted. It's good to know how you are doing and if there are any issues and how best to resolve them, however what frustrates me, is the lengthy questionnaire of questions that the nurse asks me to answer. This is because they are the same every year and some of them are obviously geared at newbies and not veterans like myself.

The sort of things I get asked are every time are: - do I know the signs of a hypo, do my relatives know the signs, have I informed DVLA, have I been for my retinopathy check, do I know to test my blood 2 hours before driving etc. all of which if I don't know by now I will never know.

I think the thing here is that they don't seem to have my last years answers up on screen so I just keep saying but I told you this last time. Maybe it's just me getting cranky in my senior years.

at least they can check if you have dementia as well

 

[Alexandra100]

what frustrates me, is the lengthy questionnaire of questions that the nurse asks me to answer. This is because they are the same every year and some of them are obviously geared at newbies and not veterans like myself.

I have exactly the same annoying experience at my dentist. Despite his lavishing praise on my perfect dental hygene, he always asks me, "are you brushing / flossing / using small inter-dental brushes and if so which size?" and on and on. I then see the hygenist, who asks me exactly the same list of questions. I can't help feeling mildly insulted, but then I reflect that they are probably professionally obliged to run through and tick off this list. Probably they find it as pointless and frustrating as I do. I suppose I could ask them sometime.

 

[sleepster]

I get asked every 6 months or so if I'm planning on starting a family. The answer is always "no, never. I don't want children" but they still ask every time. If I'm lucky I get told about why it's important to have good control if I am planning a pregnancy

 

[lessci]

Wow I don't get the sexual and mental health questions thankfully. Just 'take a statin' and a note of my refusal. This time I am hoping for a Dexcom prescription so will have to be less argumentative re the staatins!

You can always say yes & not fill the prescription

 

[Steveco65]

Give Abbott a ring.
The people at the customer service desk are very helpful, and if the sensor is faulty, they will send out another.
If the setup/software is wrong, they will advise.
There is no need to be out of pocket if the sensor isn't up to scratch.

I've had a few sensors replaced in this way.

I had made a mistake when ordering the sensors on my phone app. I didn't realise that the default is to re-order the Libre 1 sensor. So I got in touch and they were very helpful and I got a replacement for the one I hadn't used. I find the alarms for the Libre 2 are very useful.