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Anybody else not seen a diabetes nurse or team?

akindrat18

akindrat18

Well-Known Member
Messages
563
Location
Stoke-on-Trent
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
So my diabetes nurse will only contact me every six months by a phone call and was just wondering if this is the normal now.

Before Covid struck I was in regular contact with them, but now they've only contacted me via the phone maybe 5 times in two years now. I can't seem to get an appointment with them anymore and I haven't had a Hba1c done since before covid.
 
I've had regular blood tests done every 6 months in person.
Always try to avoid the DN anyway and get my results online.
I found becoming a member of the surgery PPG and being a more "difficult" customer in fact led to me getting more and better service from the surgery.
 
My diabetes appointments are annually and have been for more than 10 years. It was only in the first year of diagnosis that I saw them more regularly.
During the pandemic, this was by phone which was great for me as I can continue working whilst waiting and do not need to travel.
This year, my appointment was face to face. For a 30 minute appointment, I had to take two and a half hours off work.
My bloods are taken at a prior phlebotomy appointment at my local surgery at the start of the day.
 
Normally a yearly face to face appointmentat hospital During COVID was an18 month gap then I had a video appointments and from what I gather that’s what my future appointments will be
 
A few weeks ago my surgery phoned me up to tell me that they had realized my review was way way overdue and they booked me in for Asthma clinic and Diabetic review both on the same day both being in person at the surgery but my medication review was a phone appointment on another day..
 
I had a phone call with my DN in February. This was my annual November check, 3 months late.

I had a face to face appointment with my doctor (who also did the foot checks etc) in July because I had my diabetic bloods checked again as my February HbA1c had gone up. I also developed B12 deficiency in that time so needed to see the doc for an injection.

I am happy to have telephone appointments when my blood tests are fine. I check them online.
 
I saw my consultant in April, am seeing him again the end of this month, and have talked to him 4 or 5 times via email and once by phone. It's worth noting I have a particularly awkward form of diabetes, my insulin dose varies from zero to nine hundred units per day and I have other interacting medical conditions. I'm still really lucky in my diabetes doctor.
 
Never seen a diabetes specialist nurse in all my 16 years with T2. Always just practice nurse. Or even a health care assistant.
Did have diabetes review, last month, 18 months later after previous one. Not too concerned as I do better taking responsibility and managing my own health conditions.
 
akindrat18 said:
So my diabetes nurse will only contact me every six months by a phone call and was just wondering if this is the normal now.

Before Covid struck I was in regular contact with them, but now they've only contacted me via the phone maybe 5 times in two years now. I can't seem to get an appointment with them anymore and I haven't had a Hba1c done since before covid.
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I live in Canada. I can count the times I have seen a diabetic nurse on two hands in the past 15 years, and as for psychiatrists, on one hand in the past 40 years. I sometimes wonder if I just lack the appropriate charm.
 
Our diabetic nurse is an ordinary nurse who went on a 2 day course years ago. She is designated the nurse to see the diabetic patients. I have seen her once since January 2019, and that was at my insistence. She made me cry.
 
Only contact I have had with the community diabetes team since I was put on Insulin last September, am type 2, has been by phone that I had to initiate each time! I was supposed to have a face to face appointment last week but they cancelled it without telling me! I have another appointment for F2F next week...I need this appointment as i am facing a serious operatiopn soon and need to fine tune my blood sugar levels!
 
akindrat18 said:
So my diabetes nurse will only contact me every six months by a phone call and was just wondering if this is the normal now.

Before Covid struck I was in regular contact with them, but now they've only contacted me via the phone maybe 5 times in two years now. I can't seem to get an appointment with them anymore and I haven't had a Hba1c done since before covid.
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Meant to ask, how are you, @akindrat18 . Haven’t seen you in here for a while. Hope you are doing ok.
 
I see the nurse every 3 months she’s not a diabetic one I had to site NICE guidelines to get it as well as I’m on a med that can knacker my kidneys hence firmly telling them I want to be seen.

no doc seen in 2.5years only telephone appointments and I’ve had 2 only.

saw a younger nurse who was lovely all for low carb and really happy for me when I got weighed and discovered I’d lost 15kgs.

That triggered a phone call from the doc after by results came through which I was surprised and praising me on the lower HBA1c and my weight loss.

I also get my results online too.
 
Call the surgery and ask for a blood test to be arranged at the surgery or local hospital if it's been more than a year since the last one. Book a DN review even by phone at least 1 week after the blood test. Look at your results online so when the DN calls you have something in front of you to discuss.
 
I don’t understand how they can not be seeing patients face to face, presumably doing less work? but still be too busy to contact you regularly? My GP surgery are just awful, the doctors are very nice, the nurses very nice, but first you must get past the evil gatekeepers, please pester them!
 
Fenn said:
I don’t understand how they can not be seeing patients face to face, presumably doing less work? but still be too busy to contact you regularly? My GP surgery are just awful, the doctors are very nice, the nurses very nice, but first you must get past the evil gatekeepers, please pester them!
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Due to phone anxieties that prevent me either making, or taking calls, and after the advise of a member of this forum, I wrote to the Practice Manager of the doctor's surgery which I joined on moving here. I explained my predicament, and she emailed straight back, arranged my diabetic blood test for me, arranged a face to face with the DN to follow on, and was so helpful. I've had the blood test and go for the review on Wednesday this week. I don't know if this may help someone else but do write if you need to.
 
Pipp said:
Never seen a diabetes specialist nurse in all my 16 years with T2. Always just practice nurse.
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Same here the medical practice I go to does not have one, the only time I ever was seen by a diabetic nurse practitioner was when I was in hospital.

I have access to external blood test labs as and when needed with a request form, and five podiatrist visits per year. I see the optometrist once a year, which I am three month overdue on this year.

I can also book appointments with a CDE who has a clinic at my GP's surgery every month if I need help.

I have no problems getting appointments with my GP in person, it might not be the time I want but will get one close, or the following day.
 
I last saw a consultant in Dec 2019 haven’t heard a thing since. My drs asked me to go for an annual review in January this year. The nurse asked me to do some readings which I provided and she said she didn’t really know what to change medication wise. I want surgery for an ingrowing toenail so had an hba1c in July which had gone up from 72 in Jan to 99. I then had a message asking me to make an appt to see the diabetic nurse which I did and again she said there was nothing she could change medication wise!
 
Sarah69 said:
I last saw a consultant in Dec 2019 haven’t heard a thing since. My drs asked me to go for an annual review in January this year. The nurse asked me to do some readings which I provided and she said she didn’t really know what to change medication wise. I want surgery for an ingrowing toenail so had an hba1c in July which had gone up from 72 in Jan to 99. I then had a message asking me to make an appt to see the diabetic nurse which I did and again she said there was nothing she could change medication wise!
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If my Hba1c was 99 I would insist on seeing a doctor to get an appointment with a consultant, that is a dangerous level and needs treatment. In the meantime I would change my diet.
 
Makes me realise that I am VERY fortunate to have a GP who is also Masters in Diabetes and has a genuine desire to help Diabetics out - And he's as mad as a box of frogs. I've had regular blood tests and consults in the past year.
 
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