diabetic nurse

carlos37

Active Member
Messages
25
have today had my first meeting with the diabetic nurse and she has refered me to the diabetic team at my hospital to go onto insulin she said this can take 2 month the reason for this is that i am on 3 meterformin 200mg glizercide and have been on siptagliptin for 3 half week despite this my sugars are still avg 17.0 on the meter have still been told to keep taking them and come back for a hblac in 4 wk the reason posting this is that just wondering if anyone could tell me what its like on insulin ie work driving etc i do feel this is the only option available as i am 0nly 65kg and even 2 hrs after eating just an omelette or a sald my sugars are 19.0
 

paragliderpete

Well-Known Member
Messages
179
Hi carlos. Your bm's seem to be very high for just an omelette or salad as a meal , both of which are low in carbs. Have you had a C-peptide or GAD test done. It would make sense for you to push your doctor for a quicker appointment. With the problems you are having with just light meals, two months is too long to waite to be seen.
Best of luck
 

hallii

Well-Known Member
Messages
554
Carlos, insist on an earlier appointment, ask about what other hospitals your PCT has contracts with and ask to go to one of those.

You are not obliged to go to the hospital that is suggested, you have choice.

If you still have no luck then phone your PCT and ask them to refer you for an earlier appointment, I really think your BGs warrant
early intervention, and to wait 2 monyjs is unacceptable.

H
 

Cobra3164

Well-Known Member
Messages
123
Dislikes
Diabetes
Hey carlos, hello all. I found the fact that they were saying weeks etc extremely frustrating. The fact that you have been told 4 weeks is disgusting, I did find that I had to push my health center to get things done earlier you must tell them that the wait is unacceptable it is your health that is being hurt not theirs. As for them saying that you have to wait for that appointment at hospital to get insulin is false, request an HBA1c test and 2 days after they have done that start phoning them to get the results that was what I did. When they got my results I insisted on going to my health center and getting my results in person, if your readings are as high in the test you can instist on starting treatment before you go to your hospital appointment, above all carlos dont give up fighting the system.

Why oh why do we now have to fight to get what is a basic right in this nation.

All the best

Simon aka Cobra3164
 

carlos37

Active Member
Messages
25
what are them tests have rang the nurse again today and she has told me this is the maximum amount of time it will take probarbly be a lot quicker she said my hblac test was only done nearly 4 week ago so she wasnt going to do another one for another month as the doctor had given me 50mg siptagliptin 4 wk ago then they could see if this tablet was working which she didnt think it would or was thats why she refferd me now witch does make sense
this nurse is really the first one i have seen in over 15 months of strugglin with my sugars who even talked to me for a good 15 min on the phone so looks like ill have to wait a little longer unfortunately although it is very frustraiting like you said i have had to keep pestering just to get to see this nurse
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,653
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. I can understand why your DN may have put you onto Sitagliptin as it is good at reducing spikes, but from what you say there are suspicions of late onset T1 hence the suggestion you might ask for c-peptide and GAD tests. I guess 4 weeks is worth a try, but if you observe your sugars going even higher and you feel unwell then be prepared to talk to your surgery or the hospital more urgently.
 

carlos37

Active Member
Messages
25
just come back from my latest hblc after being placed on more meds and was told it was still 107 so asked what was going on with being reffered to the diabetic team who admin the insulin was told i hadnt been refered as my gp said he would see if the siptagliptin would have worked so i losed it big style had a proper rant as its not like ive not been trying plus i have had keytones in my urine for two month said i wasnt willing to wait a further two month and was going to ring the pct anyway within 1 hour had a phone call from the nurse who deals with insulin and i go and see her tommorow tgo start insulin immeadiatley not looking forward to it at all and am really nervous but it needs sorting so ho[pefully this will work could anyone tellme how they startyed on insulin does it really affect your daily routine thanks
 

hallii

Well-Known Member
Messages
554
Well done Carlos, a good result, it is amazing (and annoying) how quickly things can happen if you "fight you corner",

We shouln't have to do it but sometimes it is the only way.

I have no knowledge of insulin so wait for a knowledgeable amswer.

H
 

angieG

Well-Known Member
Messages
725
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Carlos37,
Don't worry about starting insulin, you will be fine.
I was like you a 'type 2' with rising levels that wouldn't come down despite max doses of all medication.
I went to see the consultant with an HbA1c of 86 and rising day by day and keytones of +4. She said if I didn't go on insulin there and then she would expect me to be admitted as an emergency within the next 10 days before my GAD antibodies test results would be back.....needless to say I agreed. (I am a coach driver so am now having a 5 month sabbatical whilst I prove to DVLA that I am safe).

I had my first injection whilst at the hospital and my second with my evening meal and by then I felt so much better, by the time I took my Lantus (Basal) in the evening and went to bed I was so awake and alert again it took me ages to get to sleep :lol:

Should have gone on it months ago. By the way the GAD test proved positive so I am really a Type 1.

Don't worry, it's a lot to deal with but after learning what carbs do to you as a 'type 2' you will find the carb counting side easier than just being diagnosed overnight.
Best wishes
Angie
 

carlos37

Active Member
Messages
25
yethanks know it sounds silly but do feel slightly better knowing that at least it might come down at last pratically eating nowt at mo also i also have a coach liscence i dont use it at moment for my job i thought once you was on insulin you lost it for good
 

angieG

Well-Known Member
Messages
725
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
carlos37 said:
yethanks know it sounds silly but do feel slightly better knowing that at least it might come down at last pratically eating nowt at mo also i also have a coach liscence i dont use it at moment for my job i thought once you was on insulin you lost it for good

Up until October last year you did lose a PSV / PCV or HGV / LGV licence for good when going onto insulin, but they changed the law to come into line with the EU rules (something good for once).
Now you have to notify DVLA straight away and stop driving group 2 vehicles (buses & lorries). You then apply to get it re-instated and once you have 3 months worth of data on your tester the hospital Consultant downloads it and fills in a medical form. The hospital gave me an Accucheck Mobile as this keeps 90 days of data and they can download that one there. I started on insulin on 7th August this year so have not driven PSV's since. Originally I had an appointment on 4th December but about a week beforehand they wrote and said it had been re-scheduled for 8th January....so another month not working! Just hope my figures are good when I finally get there (shouldn't have too many hypos over Christmas with all the food about :lol: )

Hope all goes well.
Angie
 

carlos37

Active Member
Messages
25
wow what a mind bender that has been have been told i am not type 2 am type 1 misdiagnosed told cant drive but only for a week so i suppose on the bright side not to bad got to stay of work till after xmas and for next week wont be away from the hospital and the carbs to insulin ratio omg keytones through the roof as well its a good job they seen me today she said this just shows how pathetic the gp system is at some doctors grrrrrrrrrrrrrr rant over with sorry
 

squeeze321

Well-Known Member
Messages
68
Dislikes
Hypos
Hey Carlos,

I don't blame you for being unhappy with the treatment you recieved, and I am genuinly shocked and disgusted when I read about your experience. I mean to have to live with the ketones for such a long time with T1, you must have felt so ill and it's really bad that professionals have dragged their feet over your care, I too have had some very bad experiences with GPs.

On a brighter note, when you start on insulin you will start to feel better, you'll have more energy and with good blood glucose control life should get better.
 

carlos37

Active Member
Messages
25
yes thankyou it has been a terrible year regards to my diabeates at least now i have half a chance of being able to regain some control after years of exsersising for at least 1 half hours a day just trying to control my sugars 3 week into it now and feel a lot better just want to go bck to work now occi health at work have said at least another 2 wk as have only been told to get my sugars around the 10 mark and will tighten m up in new year as they were avg around 22 to 34 just hope doc agrees and gives me another sicknote to cover me but to anyone who develops the same symptoms go straight to a and e thats what i should have done as was told by dn was very lucky i owe this nurse a lot