What's good about your treatment?

[pumppimp]

After writing some more letters back and forth with the health secretary in Scotland I thought instead of complaining and having a whinge I would try and do so mething that might help.
So I'm sure lots of you have bad experiences with doctors and clinics and nurses etc and as much as I love to have a good old rant about it all, I wanted to find out about what different health care professionals, voluntary sector people, somebody you know, or yourself, have done to help the care of yourself or someone you know.
What things work for you? what in your opinion makes a good diabetes specialist? Do you have any ideas about things that could make care and treatment better?
I would be really interested to know your thoughts.

 

[bethan90]

I consider the care I have to be pretty poor to be honest. Long waiting lists with hospital teams mean I see doctors 12-18months apart. However, one thing my consultant did do is refer me to a dietician. My BS were so uncontrolled and they didn't really know what todo with me. The last option was see a dietician. I was skeptical but actually she looked in to not only what I was eating, but how I was treating hypos, what my basal and boluses were. Because she's not as busy as the DSN and doctors, when she wants to see me "every 6 months" I actually get an appointment for 6 months time. She has really helped me greatly over the past 18 months.

 

[abs]

I'm lucky as can just ring or email my DSN and get a quick answer or she tells me to go in and see her. Consultant as well seems to run to what they say at the start was every 3mths now 6mths and diatican was every 3mths.

 

[noblehead]

I really can't complain about my diabetes care team as they have always been helpful and made themselves available for appointments or contact by phone, if anything they could try and roll out more DAFNE courses but I suspect limited funding for such courses is a major issue as with everywhere else.

Podiatry care is good as is the care I receive in the Ophthalmology clinic, the waiting times in the Ophthalmology clinic can be quite long but I appreciate they do get emergencies in that can't wait.

Doctors, depends on who I see really as there is a few in the surgery that I'd rather not see, I try and stick to the same one although appointments can be difficult to get at short notice and he is often booked up for weeks ahead.

 

[Robinredbreast]

After writing some more letters back and forth with the health secretary in Scotland I thought instead of complaining and having a whinge I would try and do so mething that might help.
So I'm sure lots of you have bad experiences with doctors and clinics and nurses etc and as much as I love to have a good old rant about it all, I wanted to find out about what different health care professionals, voluntary sector people, somebody you know, or yourself, have done to help the care of yourself or someone you know.
What things work for you? what in your opinion makes a good diabetes specialist? Do you have any ideas about things that could make care and treatment better?
I would be really interested to know your thoughts.

Just to listen to what we are saying. I know my body better than ANY care professional, knowledge is powerful and it would seem the care professionals don't like it when we question their procedures regarding Diabetes management. They are right :crazy: and we are the poor, poor patients having to put up with, at times, a load of outdated victorian mangement. I've finished moaning......................for now :lol:

Best wishes RRB

 

[pumppimp]

Thanks Everyone,
It was good to get some thoughts. I daern't ask the question what would you do if you could change the way a diabetic was treated what guidelines and advice would you deal out if you were in charge?

 

[Hellbunny]

So far mine have been helpful, waiting times can be abit iffy though! Our centre has a number you can ring to get a dsn to phone back, it used to be 24/7 helpline but government cuts and all that :evil:

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Belteshazzaruk]

I think a key is having services that specialise in type I. It's a different condition to type II and needs treating completely differently by professionals with type I specific interest, training and experience. Some people respond better to a soft 'carrot' approach, whilst others respond better to a firmer 'stick' approach -it's important that the health professionals work out how each patient they help needs relating to.

 

[pumppimp]

Thanks for for interesting thoughts,
Hellbunny, what makes your team helpful? Is it because they listen to you or give helpful advise on anything specifically? Are they easy to get in touch with when you need to see them?
Laura

 

[Lucypieee]

I've been fortunate with my DSN (although she's now my former DSN) as the best thing she does, is listen to what I have to say and things I want to change regarding my care are the things she'll help me with, she always goes above and beyond for me, and considering how many patients she had at my hospital, she could still tell me plenty of information about me without looking at my file.

Unfortunately, she left my hospital last month and I'm meeting my new DSN in 3 weeks...

I'm under the consultant at the hospital as well, and this isn't as fortunate as I don't see the same consultant every visit. I wait 9 months for a 3 month appointment, then it's cancelled last minute. The consultant who's team I'm under is brilliant, very reassuring, very knowledgable etc. Same can't be said for the rest of the team though...

 

[TonyTruthful]

I’m pretty satisfied with the care I receive, get appointments every 6 months and my consultant is wonderful. Don’t tend to bother with DSN as the consultant can answer all my questions and this forum is a font of information. Went to see the dietician when first DX but she was 18 stone and didn’t offer any help so that was a non-starter.

My only gripe is the education programmes. I did get offered DAFNE and few other courses but couldn’t afford the weeks of work. I understand my health is paramount but equally so is my employment in this current climate.

I have been put on the Xpert insulin programme which is six evenings 5pm-7pm. This isn’t straight forward and will require half days off work. I don’t care what anyone says it does get frowned upon when taking time off work for diabetes related issues.

TT

 

[Geri]

Hi,
I have to say that my diabetes consultant and the team of specialist nurses are pretty **** good.
They have learnt to understand my diabetes control and know how it works with me. My diabetes is brittle in that I am very sensitive to insulin, am on a small dose, especially as I've had diabetes and other auto-immune conditions for a long time.
The team where I live know this about me and know that my HB1c reading of 8.4 is good for me, as to lower it would mean more hypos and ultimately more highs too.

It is this understanding that helps me to totally trust the team. They take the individual account and help the treatment work for them. Geri x

 

[MCMLXXIII]

My diabetic nurse is my sister in law.
That helps!:grin:

Sent from my KFTT using DCUK Forum mobile app

 

[steffi1210]

HI!
I know maybe I´m not very helpfull at all, because you wanted opinions from Ireland and not Austria. But even though I´m going to tell you what´s at the Moment very good for me.
I was diagnosed when I was 10 and was at the childrens clinic medicated and everything, my appointments were also there until I as 18. At the Age of 15 I got lost somewhere in the Diabetes. It was a Long rebellious time which lastet until a few months ago.

I don´t say that it was the fault of the doctors treating me. But from 15 on most of the appointments the doctors told me to do more sugarlevel meassurments, every appointment was the same sentence and nothing else. So finally with 18 you´re no child anymore and I begann looking for another doctor. With type one thats not that easy, because most specialists in Austria are specialised at Typ2. So I found a new doctor and he was really nice. But I had the Feeling that he wasn´t listening to me, not that he turned his head or something, he just wasn´t interested in my ideas. But in Addition I came to a male Nurse, specialized on Diabetes, to ask every question, that for me was important. I´m very glad about this additional Support and another benefit is that he not my doctor so he tells me the truth but understands also my Point of view. After a year I decided to Change the doctor, because I didn´t like the one at the Moment. The male nourse recommended me two other. I´m so happy about the new specialist. He talked to me about everything concerning Diabetes. He gives me really good advices and that is for me the best at the Moment in combination with the male nourse.

I think the most important Thing is a doctor you could trust and who helps you with your Treatment.

Greats Steffi