Anyone fed up of every ailment being put down to being Diabetic?

Yes you self diagnose the try a med to resolve the problem instead of getting “it’s your diabetes here take Metaformin and by the way here’s the statins as well”. The meds your try don’t work completely so instead of taking more you call the doctors to make sure you have what doctor Google says and get permission to repeat meds (leaflet says consult a doctor before taking more of the med). The test results confirms your self diagnosis but no prescription so off to chemist and just buy another course (this aliment cost £30 in total). Hey it’s works happy days. Just had a call from my doctor or rather the receptionist “ it’s your diabetes that’s why the over the counter didn’t work? You haven’t had bloods done for a while would u like to make an appointment.

my answer. - no thanks to the blood test. No point unless to keep my records up to date as won’t take Metaformin. Yes all better and feel fine. Dr Google says it could be down to the menopauses.

doctor receptionist agrees then says there is a prescription waiting me!

“It’s probably the diabetes.” As often as not, this is the lazy doctor’s diagnosis. There, now I’ve done it. I’ll be getting calls in the middle of the night from the American Medical Association, à la Seinfeld.

I've not had anything so far actually blamed on my diabetes but for a few years prior when I asked about my somewhat addled brain, it was always blamed on my weight, including diabetes when I was later diagnosed with T2....

I worked in a call center, answering phones and typing on the computer all day. When I started developing problems in my wrists, I was referred to a work-related medical center. They sent me to have a nerve conduction test. The "doctor" who administered the test, told me didn't have carpal tunnel like everyone else in my office, but it was because I was diabetic. The dum-dum also told me I probably had neuropathy in my hands as well, and that he could tell by looking at me that I didn't take care of myself, that I probably ate candy and doughnuts all the time.
I was so angry I went back to the main office and read them the riot act. I showed them my BG testing and last A1C results - all perfectly within range - and told them if ANYONE could LOOK at someone and say they knew what their BG was it would be another diabetic, not some bigoted test administrator. (And another diabetic couldn't tell either!)

When you have well-managed diabetes it is just lazy to blame other conditions on it.

However, diabetes has widespread effects so the priority must be to bring it under control. That takes teamwork between us and the medical team.

That said, some conditions require a timely response. My GP has been working to rule out other causes for my weight loss and high BG, including getting a CT scan.

Ask your doctors politely to rule out any other causes. If they refuse and it turns out they got it wrong that is malpractice.

But don't forget, much of the work of a GP is treating symptoms. If the treatment is the same,blaming it on diabetes will do no harm.

JenniferW said:

Well, I've just had my first foot check-up and had the opposite response. I've had patches on the bottom of my big toes which I'd describe as feeling dead, and the tendency for my heels to crack was what made them start testing my blood glucose levels almost 10 years ago. The podiatrist wondered if I might actually have a trapped nerve causing the deadness in the big toes (which seems to get worse with longer walks). And for the heel cracks, although T2 might mean they're slower to heal when they appear, she talked me through a whole range of other possible causes and what treatments so far seem to be the most effective.

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Hi Jennifer. I've got the same problem with one of my big toes and my podiatrist said that it was likely to be a trapped nerve whilst the Diabetic nurse immediately said it was diabetic neuropathy. The podiatrist said no as it was only one toe and if neuropathy it would be likely to be be both. I trust him more than I did her. I don't know what treatments she suggested but I find Flexitol really effective at dealing with cracked heels. It takes a couple of days using it both morning and night but it really works. I think most chemists sell it. Good luck with it all. This is a brilliant place for help.

When a doctor blames diabetes on an ailment, I ask them to explain what the link is. When they start mentioning high blood sugars, I tell them my Hba1C and they usually change their mind. I don't do this in a "I want to catch you out" kind of way but more in a "I want to learn and not experience this in the future" kind of way which they seem to appreciate.
I do the same when I take my car to the garage for a service and the mechanic tells me a need something replaced.
I also do it with the phone scammers who tell me I need to replace my modem but I confess that is in a "I want to catch you out" kind of way.

JenniferW said:

Well, I've just had my first foot check-up and had the opposite response. I've had patches on the bottom of my big toes which I'd describe as feeling dead, and the tendency for my heels to crack was what made them start testing my blood glucose levels almost 10 years ago. The podiatrist wondered if I might actually have a trapped nerve causing the deadness in the big toes (which seems to get worse with longer walks). And for the heel cracks, although T2 might mean they're slower to heal when they appear, she talked me through a whole range of other possible causes and what treatments so far seem to be the most effective.

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I haven't got that far yet . Just waiting for second HbA1c result. I have a preexisting spinal injury.(since 1990). It will be very interesting to see what they put my numbness etc down to. Have had spasms, numbness and dropped foot since then...... now they will probably tell me it is Diabetes!

Clase said:

Hi Jennifer. I've got the same problem with one of my big toes and my podiatrist said that it was likely to be a trapped nerve whilst the Diabetic nurse immediately said it was diabetic neuropathy. The podiatrist said no as it was only one toe and if neuropathy it would be likely to be be both. I trust him more than I did her. I don't know what treatments she suggested but I find Flexitol really effective at dealing with cracked heels. It takes a couple of days using it both morning and night but it really works. I think most chemists sell it. Good luck with it all. This is a brilliant place for help.

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I agree, I trust my Chiropodist and Chiropractor far more as well.

filly said:

I agree, I trust my Chiropodist and Chiropractor far more as well.

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Coincidence? I've just been back to see a podiatrist (privately, of course!) who gives me far more thorough checks than I've had in the NHS annual foot checkup over my 7 years post-T2-diagnosis. Privately, I've now been seeing the same person for several years, and he remembers how things have gone up and down over the years, whereas with the annual NHS check-up, I don't think I've ever seen the same human being twice.

Well, I have a certain condition linked to my spinal injury. Have been taking medication for very long time. Over the last number of months it has just got much worse.
When I spoke to the doctor on the phone he said I was Diabetic and it was that.... ( I said I was sure it wasn't that)
Doubled my normal medication for complaint
The following day everything in that area back to normal. Could not believe it.
Shall wait and see what the surgery says next time we have a conversation about said medication and complaint.

I found that my insurance policies were tied to this too. My bank protection policy was invalidated because I did not declare an existing condition. My car insurance refused to cover me because I had increased risk of heart attack and stroke. My life policies were amended to pay our reduced amounts if I had heart or stroke admissions. My hospital plan paid out for my fiirst heart attack but then was voided for any other admisssions 'connected to diabetes'. My pension plan was affected the other way since it is classed as a chronic condition that is progressive towards early demise. I understand that life annuity policies work in your favour if you have diabetes and it is worth getting quotes before purchase. I got my money refunded from the Credit card protection since I had cancelled it due to it being a prexisting condition that would invalidate any claims I made, and I got missold compensation.