Yet Another Newby Rambling

[nannab]

Good morning. I have been looking in on your Forum over the last couple of weeks, and have found it very useful.
I was diagnosed with Type 2 and was px. Metformin 500 mg x 1 per day. I have been waiting for 4 weeks for 1st appointment with clinic nurse at GP surgery, only to have appointment cancelled at last minute. Been told it will be end of March before they have another appointment available. This will be 2 months since I was diagnosed, and have been given no information whatsoever, which I find not good enough.
I saw a lospam GP regarding another illness and he happened to be diabetic himself, he advised me to buy a meter and my GP would prescribe strips. However, my GP has overruled him and stated they are unnecessary and I will be monitored at the surgery. Having not been seen at all as yet I am very disillusioned with my GP and her so called monitoring.
I am now having to purchase the strips which I find very expensive, but I feel the need to control my diabetes as best I can and this to me means testing my bg.
The only advice I have gleaned has been from your wonderful Forum, and I thank you very much.
I was merely wondering whether anyone else has encountered a similar problem and how they dealt with it, and I apologise for being yet another "new rambler". Once again, thank you for all I have managed to learn about diabetes.
(Sorry, unable to type in "Lospam" GP, and instead will say relief GP)

 

[Silvercat]

I am very confused by the testing or rather lack of it too. Both the hospital and my GP say it is not necessary and the the blood tests every 3 months are all I need. I suspect it is more lack of willingness to prescribe on cost grounds than anything else.

 

[bluebird]

Hi

My doctor doesn't think it necessary to prescribe strips and says that people can get too worried by keep testing! It makes me feel like a number and not a person who is trying to control diabetes and stave off going onto medication. I'm sure that so long as they can tick boxes then they have done their duty.

Regards Val

 

[ChocFish]

Hi nannab - welcome in here, Silvercat,bluebird

Just go back to these doctors and stand your ground insist that you are prescribed strips, how else would you find out how the various foods affect your bg, this is the only way to find out which foods are good for you personally; we are all different, some peopleeat porridge with a little bit of cinnamond and splenda and they are ok, others go sky high immediately. Milk used to sednd me into double figures, it is high in lactose, but some people are fine with it, I have made my porridge with soya milk, a bit of sweetener ande cinnamon, sometimesaq bit of dried fruit or chopped stewed apple in it that was fine and if you dont like the taste of soya milk I promise that you will not even notice the taste. Really cutting down on carbs and if you have them eat only complex carbs works well but testing is essential as you kieep on learning more and more about diabetes as you go along.

So most definitely fight your case, you do need strips and your GP is going to prescribe them.

All the best

Karen

Challenges can be stumbling blocks or stepping stones, it depends how you view them

 

[Silvercat]

I have argued this several times with both my doctor and, since I was referred to the hospital recently, with the nurse there....all to no avail. I really do object that they will not prescribe.

 

[sugarless sue]

I was in the same boat.i bought a meter and the test strips off the internet.I could not stand not knowing what was going on!!Eventually my doctor prescribed the test strips and lances.I think explaining to the doctor ,calmly and logically,why you need to test.i.e finding out what puts up BS etc helped me.If you go in in a state about it they immediately tell you 'oh you get so worried about it'!I get more worried not being able to check it!It's your body,it's your disease and ,given the knowledge you can control it.
Keep reading the info on this forum and testing,when you can.Ask away with questions,there's usually someone who can answer them.

Knowledge is the key to control

 

[Silvercat]

I have discussed it calmly several times but it seems I am bashing my head against a brick wall.

 

[nannab]

Thanks to all who gave me advice, I have taken it all on board.

When I see someone (who knows how long), I will calmly state my case, after all, if my GP is prescribing strips for Type 2 patients who were diagnosed a few years ago, and it is "necessary" for them to keep on having prescriptions, surely it is discrimination to not supply new patients????? How can it be "necessary" for them, but "unnecessary" for me I ask. I want some answers.

I feel I am understanding my diet a little better with regular testing of my bg, but had quite a shock on Mothers Day - went out to my sons house and had a roast beef dinner (only 1 small new potato), lots of veg. but I did have one yorkshire pudding, and my bg was much higher than is usual. I managed to refuse the home made apple pie and custard and plumped for fresh fruit salad and home made, no sugar, low fat yogurt. (It's quite nice really).

Here I go again, rambling yet again, but once again, thanks to all who replied and I will keep you informed in the future how things progress. NannaB

 

[Dennis]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by nannab</i>
<br />
However, my GP has overruled him and stated they are unnecessary and I will be monitored at the surgery. Having not been seen at all as yet I am very disillusioned with my GP and her so called monitoring.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi Nannab,

You are absolutely right about needing to test because if you don't know what your blood sugar level is how on earth can you be expected to control it! A couple of other lines to take with your GP:
- ask how many times a day they will be monitoring - you would probably want to do this at least twice a day in order to get an idea of what foods have good and bad effects on your BG levels. Their idea of monitoring will be at best twice a year, but possibly only an annual check.

- ask your GP why she is completely ignoring instructions from The Dept of Health and from NICE that type 2 diabetics should be encouraged to self-monitor in order to be able to control their diabetes.

 

[Moreno]

This is weird. My endocryologist & doctor here in washington. Say we need to test like 8-10 times a day. At first my a1c was around 6.2-6.4 for almost one and a half years. Then soccer came around and i was constantly having low blood sugars. So i would eat one 6-pck of cracker before and after to keep my blood sugar up. I wouldnt test for it either. I guess i got to used to doing this. i developed a habit and now it was 13.8 last time i checked. Ive been getting better now. I check almost 8 times a day for the most part. Hopefully my a1c will be around 8.

 

[Silvercat]

I have just printed off the NICE dospament relevant bits and a response to a petition presented to the government on this matter and I will be taking both to my next appointment.

 

[Buachaille]

I initially bought my own strips rather than ask for them to be prescribed but the doc made it clear that he was happy to prescribe them and that my testing twice a day - before breakfast and before my evening meal - seemed to be a realistic means of getting a handle on things. I also used an Excel spreadsheet to record the information and to look at trends in the readings and generally a continuing downward slope was supportive in the early days - although sometimes the morning high readings were depressing.

However, after an appointment with another practice doctor (who is herself diabetic) a month ago I stopped daily testing and on her advice now only do so twice each week, random days before breakfast. I was not entirely happy about this, but the pre-breakfast readings have been consistently between 5 and 5.4 and it does appear that the changes to my eating habits, increased exercise and the loss of 2 stones seems to have brought the blood sugar levels well under control.

That said, I keep a very tight regime on the types of foods I consume (much less by way of carbs and absolutely no trans fats, which is a direct result of using this forum). More importantly I have reduced the volumes I consume - portion control for me appears to have been a major factor on the road to successful control. My only 'miss' from days of yore is the odd bit of dark chocolate and scoop of ice cream.

More regular testing does, therefore, for me now seem to be unnecessary. Perhaps its a matter of gaining sufficient confidence to discard the regular testing crutch.

I take 2*500 Metformin each day. Hints are that if my next review on 11 March shows my Hba1c being maintained at the level recorded in December they might switch my control to diet only.

 

[bowell]

Just received reply from PCT Via my MP

Basically it reads NO TEST strips to any T2 unless

Healthy Diet and exercise......NO TEST STRIPS[!]

METFORMIN and/or GLITIZONES....NO TEST STRIPS:evil:

METFORMIN /and or GLITIZONES
Together with SULPHONYLUREAS...1 day a week / twice on that day
...............................once before a meal ,once 2hs post
...............................Test on a different day ,every week

That’s around 8 strips a month?????


This goes up if you are T2 on insulin to 2-3 x week/2-4 daily????:?:



I’m OK
Its all the others
First HbA1c 11.9

 

[Dennis]

Hi Bowell,

Well done for challenging your PCT on test strips. There was a petition to the PM about this in May 2007 and the following is an extract from the government's response:

"Any PCT which is automatically discouraging the prescription of blood glucose testing strips is not acting in accordance with NICE's advice that self-monitoring may prove useful to people in their overall approach to self-care."

If you feel up to the challenge you might wish to question your PCT (and MP) as to why they are deliberately ignoring the government guidelines on self testing (and copy your question to one or more of the national papers).

 

Yet again, many thanks for clarification, especially from Bowell and Dennis. I still intend to ask questions but it looks very unlikely that I will be prescribed strips.
I myself am the type of person that needs to be in control of my health, and I feel unable to do that at the present time without testing my bg at least a couple of times a day.
I am sure, in the future when I have a better understanding of diet, exercise, etc that I will cope with this illness a lot better.
I have found your Food Forum very helpful over the last few days, am busy spending the odd half hour looking at what other people have to eat. Makes interesting reading.(I intend to have celeriac mash with my evening meal today). Once again, many thanks for all the good advice. Nannab

 

[nannab]

Just a short update. I saw the GP surgery nurse yesterday. She first of all showed me the "guidelines" which I said weren't national guidelines but local PCT guidelines. I did calmly state my case, and she realised that I had taken the time to look into diabetes. She then gave me a leaflet, on joining Diabetes uk. I quickly realised that she knew as little as me re. diabetes.
I am to have a blood test every 6 months and "medical" every year - that is what they call monitoring. I told her I thought this was monitoring the progress of the disease, not monitoring how I am managing the disease personally.
Anyhow, to cut a long story short, she appeared to agree with me re. not being supplied strips and suggested she apply for me with another GP in the same practice, and low and behold, today I have one box of strips on px, but looks like I still have a fight on my hands, as no repeat prescription for them. I despair.
Thanks to all you people who take the time to post on here, I have learned (and am still learning) so much from you all. Nannab

NannaB

 

[kiltedscot]

can i as new ignorant poster ask what pct and mp mean?

G

 

[nannab]

So sorry for using abreviations - PCT means Primary Care Trust, your very local i.e. town, Health Trust (the ones that hold the purse strings for your area) and MP means Member of Parliament. Hope that is helpful. Nannab.

NannaB

 

[ash]

I am very disillusioned by the PCTs attitude in general. The resistance to T2 testing is done purely on cost grounds, and the GPs are complicit in this as they don't question the PCT guidance. They don't give a **** cos at the end of the day its not their body.

I think that Nannab is totally right, in that the testing is only being done to monitor the progression of the disease, and not to help sufferers manage their condition.

Shame on the NHS [!]

HBa1C 6.3 T2

 

[saffy]

Hi....i am so sorry your having trouble getting strips from your gp.
mine cant give me enough...but i thought when your diagnosed diabetic you got these things free automaticly...dont take this the wrong way please....but maybe you need to be more assertive...ive learnt over the years that im as good as them and now i am not afraid to tell them what i think in no uncertain terms...it seems to work lol...saffy..gl