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Are others having their regular review cancelled?

Before lockdown my type 2 diabetes was borderline and I was feeling hypo in the afternoon.I was on 1 metformin twice a day so the diabetic nurse put me down to 1as my blood results were okay. I was meant see the nurse three months later but because of lockdown everything stopped.I felt ok anyway. I eventually got my annual check at 18 months. Then all panic broke lose at the surgery. The day after my blood was taken I had two calls from GPS and also the diabetic nurse. My blood sugar levels were so high I could have gone into a coma. My metformin was gradually increased and I was taking regular blood sugar readings,I hadn't needed to before. My blood sugar remained in the 20s so the nurse added gliclazide 80mgs which brought my sugar down to 15.I'm now taking gliclazide 40mg and 4metformin. Sugars are averaging at 10 now.I'm being started on a weekly injection don't know what one yet. I didn't pick up any symptoms during the 18 months as other medications have the sa!I'm side effects. The only thing that was different was I lost weight but had put that down to shielding and not snacking as I use too. I'm wondering if this deterioration could have been pick up if they had reviewed me at 3 months as they were going too before covid. My Ha1c was 13.5 when I went 6weeks ago now it's 9. I can't understand how quickly my type 2 diabetes changed in a short period of time as I had been borderline for 10years and was losing weight before this happened.
 
 
The foot pulse check is done to check your circulation in your feet as diabetics tend to have problems with their feet including poor circulation which can lead to serious damage including amputation. So you're feet sho should be checked to make sure they are healthy as minor cuts can turn into bad infections especially if you loose feeling in your feet.
 
Seems to me that the GP surgery (headed by the reception gestapo) has gone way down hill, the duty of care has gone out of the window, doctors too busy fulfilling their minimum contract requirements, then for the other four days in the week resting due to the stress they are under (*cough private*)

Sorry for being cynical, only opinion.
 
I have a potential problem with poor circulation in my legs, cold feet, no hairs on my legs and some heavy brown pigmentation. I mentioned to my DN that I was getting locked toes, so she checked my pulse in my feet like you do at your wrist but with a little device that amplifies the beat. It sounded fine to my ears, which was good to know.
 
I had my regular annual blood test (type 1) just before the 'vial shortage' started and this was followed up with a phone consultation once the results were back.

I mentioned that I hadn't had a retinopathy appointment since before the pandemic started and she followed this up, calling back later to explain they were concentrating on those who had changes on previous tests but the service was slowly returning to normal. I had the test 6 weeks later with no changes reported.

Not seeing the diabetic nurse isn't a hardship as, other than foot checks, she's just following a questionaire on her pc, weight, bp and so on. I see a podiatrist every 4 months for a general foot check and have my pulses checked while I'm there, issuing a certificate that I pass on to the GP.

Flu jabs have been on hold due to low stocks but I now have it this weekend coming.

It's always a pleasure to speak to our reception, very cheerful and helpful, despite the practice being a large city one.

All in all, I've enjoyed the changes due to the pandemic. There's never been the opportunity to have a traditional doctor/patient rellationship with a single appointment every year, but, thankfully, that means I don't have many health issues to deal with.
 
I have had an HbA1c test every 6 months and a review every year for the past 6 years. Mind you I always phone up and remind them, it pays to be pro-active.
 
I had my annual review a couple of months ago, foot check a month ago, received my form for my eye check yesterday though it does say my local clinic may not be running because of staff shortages, also as a lady had my smear test, things seem to be running as near normal here
 
Join the Patient Participation Group at the surgery and make some noise.. I get my checks every 6 months after pointing out that this was the NICE recommendation.
 
I had dire problems with my lower legs and feet swelling up ten days after the first AZ jab earlier this year, and I was - to be honest - thinking about the usual consequences of such things as I watched my toes swell up and turn red. I had two lots of antibiotics and it still was not right - it was complicated by several insect bites on my feet, one became very infected. I decided to take some ginko biloba tablets, as they are a circulation booster - my father's mother's family were midwives, nurses and herbalists. I saw an improvement in days, and all the puffyness has gone, all the infection too - but the infected toe has a rigid joint now, though I tell myself it might not be there at all if not for the ginko. I have stopped taking them daily now that everything seems normal - I do have hair on my lower legs again, it had all gone awol, no dry skin on my heels - even the slightly overcurved nail which sometimes threatens to dig in has flattened out.
Do check with your nurse to see if you should take it, as prescribed medication can be a contra indication, but ginko biloba, the maidenhair tree, has been used as a medication for a very long time.
I am still using the hand held shower head and spraying cold/hot/cold water on my feet at least once a day, and checking and massaging lower legs and feet twice a day - my grandmother had a series of amputations before she died and it was rather dreadful so I am not being overly cautious about this, not in the least.
 
Just found out why I might have been able to get my annual review fairly swiftly. The surgery/NHS has once again outsourced to a private agency!
 
Nothing here at all. Clinics were cancelled at the first lockdown last year and no word of diabetic clinic starting up again. I was told to make sure I get my eyes tested as they depend on the optician to do the screening now as there is none from the hospital via GP. I haven't the energy to go chasing this now.
 
In July my GP's surgery phoned me up and told me my diabetic review my asthma review and my medicines review all were overdue and I was booked me in for them all on the same day and bloods were taken on that
day.

I do not know how things stand now.though.
 
I'm supposed to have annual reviews/bloods and annual check on my meds. Both were missed in Dec 2020 and not given till late summer this year. Incidentally both procedures were farmed out to (separate) private companies to do. Meds check pharmacist took away some of my meds without asking me, and I've been struggling to get them back. Managed to get one back so far and still trying with another. I get the impression that if you're a little old lady like me they just don't think it's worth listening to what you say. Supposed to have an annual lung check too, but haven't had one since spring 2018.
 
My annual checkups for diabetes, retinopathy and prosthesis surveillance were all cancelled in 2020. This year I was contacted for all including my vascular problems in my remaining leg but not my prosthesis maintenance which remains suspended. My vascular problems, having hit rock bottom have been put onto an annual phone call. Only my optician is giving mr a regular check up as per usual.
 
I haven`t had an Annual diabetic review nor blood test nor medication review since March 2019 and am unlikely to hsve one in the near future. After 56 years of trying to manage type1 and at the age of 73 I despair!!!!
 
TerriH said:
I haven`t had an Annual diabetic review nor blood test nor medication review since March 2019 and am unlikely to hsve one in the near future. After 56 years of trying to manage type1 and at the age of 73 I despair!!!!
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When you contacted the surgery to request your review etc. what did they say?
 
My last diabetic review was via a video call , before that it was probably 18 months that was face to face , I know that my next review will be via video call and probably every one after that,. I have had regular eye screening and podiatry checks(probably due to being an amputee) .
 
I had my last, in person, check-up in February 2020. My GP Practice will occasionally just do a HBA1C if I happen to be there being tested for anything else. My first HBA1C since Lockdown 1 was supposed to happen in September. I wasn't able to attend because of contracting a vomiting virus. When I called in to ask for it to be rescheduled, they said "it wasn't worth rescheduling".
 
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