Who hasn’t seen there GP in years

[Dollylolly]

I haven’t seen mine since the beginnings of covid and only seen the nurse

ive asked her questions and she can’t answer me ask the doctor I get told that would be fine and dandy if I can see her but can’t so I’ve resorted to writing on my online repeat prescription notes

I’ve had one telephone appointment and she wasn’t really interested in what I was saying only that sugars are out of control and I’ll be referred to the hospital which never transpired as they kept cancelling

after I sited the NICE guidelines I’m being seen more but by the nurse for liver function and all others due to my dapagliflozin meds.

I’m now in hospital for gallbladder surgery which I hope goes ahead very very soon as the food in here is shocking and I’ve been called a fussy eater yup I am and I can bring my own in thankfully but I really shouldn’t have too. I should be catered to but nope I’ve been told everything on the menu is good for diabetic err no it ain’t I’d be ill eating it.

so are we not seeing our doctors and being fobbed of or are you seeing them somehow. I envy you if you are.

I’m nearly at goal weight so really don’t want rapid weight loss either but I’m not even eating 1,000 calories a day because of the fasting I’m doing due to scans etc that I never got.

im staying put as still in pain which comes and goes so im in right place fair enough slow but here and being looked after

fingers crossed I’m seen today op tomorrow

 

[In Response]

I haven’t seen my GP in many years.
I think two GPS assigned to me have retired since I last saw one.
That said, I don’t believe my GP surgery know anything about Type 1 diabetes.
I only see a GP if I am unwell.

 

[Rachox]

Not to make anyone envious but I feel I need to redress the balance, as care varies a huge amount from area to area. Throughout the pandemic I have had monthly phone appts with my GP for an issue other than my diabetes, which then extended to two monthly, as my problem improved. I have had my annual diabetes check ups in both May ‘20 and May ‘21. I attended the surgery for bloods, weight, foot check etc…. Then had a follow up phone call to discuss results.
The only missed thing was a retinal scan in ‘20 but I received a letter clearly explaining that as I was clear the previous year and they were concentrating on patients with existing retinopathy.
There is definitely one aspect of NHS care which I agree with @Dollylolly is very poor, and that is the distinct lack of low carb food choices in hospital. I had a 5 day stay a couple of years ago and lived on omelettes and stuff bought in from home!

 

[LittleGreyCat]

I haven't seen my GP since before the pandemic, but I have had a couple of phone consultations.

Surgery is organised so that most work is done over the phone unless you need poking and prodding, or vaccination/blood taken.

It isn't the service I have been used to all my life, but the NHS is in dire straits at the moment.

 

[bulkbiker]

as care varies a huge amount from area to area

Which is very true but still a complete disgrace...

 

[Rachox]

Which is very true but still a complete disgrace...

Oh of course, I agree absolutely

 

[Ryhia]

Since the pandemic, I have had two annual reviews with the DN and three visits to surgery to see my GP. They did initially arrange telephone appointments but after assessment each time I have been asked to come down to the surgery. Very grateful as all visits have been non urgent. I have also had my annual foot checks and last year I visited the clinic for my eye test this years should be due in a month or so. I have also attended the hospital for a blood draw although the two hospital appointments I have had have both been over the phone but really I wouldn't have expected anything other. Oh I forgot I have also attended a face to face audiology appointment as well. My surgery is certainly trying to go the extra mile.

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

If these GP's are unavailable all the time, just what are they doing if they are not seeing patients, moonlighting at the local hospitals, vaccination centres etc.? There must be a reason why they are refusing to see people.

We are lucky here in Australia, I have found it relatively easy to get a GP appointment in a couple of days of phoning up the practise for an appointment.

My new palliative GP care does home delivery visits mainly, and only is at the practice two afternoons a week. I have seen her twice in the last six weeks on either day that was convenient for me at her office at the practice.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Not to make anyone envious but I feel I need to redress the balance, as care varies a huge amount from area to area. Throughout the pandemic I have had monthly phone appts with my GP for an issue other than my diabetes, which then extended to two monthly, as my problem improved. I have had my annual diabetes check ups in both May ‘20 and May ‘21. I attended the surgery for bloods, weight, foot check etc…. Then had a follow up phone call to discuss results.
The only missed thing was a retinal scan in ‘20 but I received a letter clearly explaining that as I was clear the previous year and they were concentrating on patients with existing retinopathy.
There is definitely one aspect of NHS care which I agree with @Dollylolly is very poor, and that is the distinct lack of low carb food choices in hospital. I had a 5 day stay a couple of years ago and lived on omelettes and stuff bought in from home!

I also have had diabetic review with a nurse not my doctor.
I have had several phone appointments with my doctor but no face to face appointments very good but as the question was have you seen your doctor the answer is no but technically a sort of yes as I drove past the surgery the other day as he was leaving to get in his car at least I think it was him. There was a time when if you required a prescription doctor would not prescribe for you unless he/she non binary or trans saw you in his /her .non binary trans sorry forgot non gender consulting room but those days are long gone now.

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

here was a time when if you required a prescription doctor would not prescribe for you unless he/she non binary or trans saw you in his /her .non binary trans sorry forgot non gender consulting room but those days are long gone now.

Keyboard got close to a coffee spray.

 

[Bittern]

I have had annual reviews and am content with them. I have not seen my GP for some years and have no need or desire to do so. I understand my condition and do not need a GP to tell me where I am trending in other words apart from validating my prescription I don't have need of him at this time. I took control of my diabetes some 20yrs. ago and am responsible for it and it's progression or not.

 

[Ronancastled]

We've had an issue in Ireland where GPs were getting €30 for every phone referral for a Covid test. Patients took a back seat & all appointments were by phone & brief. Then our version of the NHS was hacked & all the systems went down, that meant all Covid testing centres became walk in & the doctors lost their cash cow. Slowly face to face consults returned but phone consults still remain the preferred option. I was due my yearly A1c & BP check about a month ago but GP just took my bona fides over BG & recorded my home BP readings. Gave me a 6 month script for Ramipril & a statin, see you after Christmas.

 

[ianf0ster]

I get my annual review (Diabetes Nurse), my annual foot check (Nurse) and my annual retinal eye screening. Why should I want to see a GP who knows little about diabetes - especially about Type 2?

I'm amazed at all the people who complain about not seeing their GP or nurse when (in most cases) their if far superior T2 advice in this forum than they would get from the NHS !
It's as though they don't really want to get their T2D into remission, they just want attention like a small child.

 

[jackois]

I'm in the lucky position where my type one is quite predictable and responds well to my medication. I have no contact with the hospital based diabetic team as it would be a waste of their time.

Through the pandemic, I've had my HB1AC tests, on an annual basis and phone consultations with my GP, which replicate the surgery visits without the hanging about in the waiting room. We agreed to forgo the surgery nurse checks as my podiatrist checks my feet pulses every 3 months, anyway, I do my own bp testing and there was less risk due to covid.

I missed one retinopathy check due to lockdown, but received a letter stating that this was a justified risk due to them having previously finding no evidence of retinopathy, which makes me a lower risk.

I've also been lucky/healthy enough not to have needed any other medical advice in years, so my annual diabetes check is the only reason I've had for needing a doctor.

 

[Dollylolly]

I wanted answers to questions as the nurse can’t answer them she isn’t an actual diabetic nurse so isn’t up to date so no I’m not a child asking for a bit of help as you get conflicting advice from here and Dr Google.

surprisedly I got a phone call yesterday about my HBA1c test from the nurse to come in which I had to decline seeing as I’m being detained by the NHS hospital

I’ll now have to phone again to make that appointment and again have to resort to asking on my repeat prescription my questions.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I was diagnosed in January 2014. I have NEVER seen a doctor about my diabetes. I was diagnosed after a routine blood test for the over 60's and seen by my nurse after this. She told me the diagnosis and has been seeing me ever since. My GP does look at the blood test results after each blood review. I am happy about this because my nurse knows a lot more about it than the GP does. The GPs at my surgery rarely see T2 diabetics without any complications as all this work is devolved to the nurses. They see far more of us and are sent on courses from time to time.