"Best" things doctors have said to you

tigger

Well-Known Member
Messages
558
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
registrars asking silly questions
So I often see articles on here about the top 10 idiotic things normal people say about diabetes and they can be thoroughly irritating. However my pet peeve is when doctors, particularly endocrinologists come out with wonderful statements. Does anyone else have this experience or is it just me? Here are some of my recent and favourite examples.

5 year qualified registrar endocrinologist in London teaching hospital
Me: I was diagnosed in 1983.
Him: So is your diabetes established?
Me mentally No it's ***** temporary and will go away when I feel like it.

I explain to him how to inject two insulins at once.

Me: You take a syringe and a vial you draw up the long acting insulin then you put the syringe in the next vial draw up the short acting and inject.
Him: so you need 2 syringes?
Me: No, (I repeat previous sentence 2 more times with same response)

Various registrars

Him: I've never heard of animal insulin.
Me (on one occasion): I suggest you go look it up in your text book then.

Opthamologist at retinopathy clinic

Her: So how many years have you had type 1?
Me: 28
Her: and how many of those have you been on insulin for?
Me: 28
Her: Really?
Me (mentally) if only they'd stuck to calling it insulin dependent diabetes ...........

And the best of all... receiving an invitation to attend a glucose tolerance test when pregnant. Unfortunately I had just discovered I'd miscarried as well but still remain intrigued by the hospital that managed to send me an invitation for a test for the one condition I'm guaranteed not to get while pregnant! (For those who don't know the glucose tolerance test involves drinking lots of lucozade and testing your blood sugar after to see if you're at risk of gestational diabetes)


My general attitude to registrars now is give me the information I need (my hba1c and any other results) and let's politely cut this short. Also I tend to find the men are worse than the women as the women are more likely to have social skills and more likely to admit when they don't know something.

Does anyone else have similar experiences? Is this a feature of teaching hospitals?
 

dancer

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,360
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dr: Are you on insulin?

Me: Aren't all Type 1s on insulin?

Dr: Oh, I didn't know you were Type 1.

Me (thinking): Surely it should be in my notes!

That was actually a very nice GP who helps out at the diabetic clinic at the hospital. I have met several, what I call, "idiot doctors" at the clinic - all men! I think women tend to ask more appropriate questions.
 

CarbsRok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,688
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
pasta ice cream and chocolate
Doctor do you have diabetes?
Me I hope so
Doctor why
Me, if not I've been injecting insulin for no reason what so ever for almost half a century
Doctor that will teach me to check your notes before I open my mouth.
 

Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,746
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
I had to see a locum because my GP was on holiday.

Me; would my diabetes cause sleep disruption?
Locum; it can!
Me; Is there anything that will help me sleep better?
Locum; going on a diet, would help you!
Me; I'm sorry, but I've been on recommended diets for nearly ten years. And I am still gaining weight!
Locum; Maybe, exercise more!

With that I walked out!
 
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Flowerpot

Well-Known Member
Messages
424
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
After an operation to seal a hole in the retina of my eye with some sight- I'm blind in the other- plus I had my leg in a plaster cast an eye surgeon said to me " Avoid playing contact sports for the next few months". I pointed out I was nearly blind and on crutches!
 
M

mrspuddleduck

Guest
Diabetic nurse - so your pancreas is dead.
Me - yes
DN - so it doesn't work at all
Me - no the organ is nercrotic and calcified
DN - so that's why you're Diabetic
Me - I would think so
DN - oh why don't they take it out
Me - cos the op is too risky for me and its not causing a problem cos its dead
DN - so you've got pancreatitis
Me -no
DN - but you must have pancreatitis
Me - Err I was lead to believe that dead things couldn't get inflamed
DN - oh Don't think I could walk around with a dead thing inside of me

Anyone remember the Monty Python Dead Parrot Sketch, :banghead::banghead::banghead: :D
Sue x
 

pinewood

Well-Known Member
Messages
788
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Diabetic nurse - so your pancreas is dead.
Me - yes
DN - so it doesn't work at all
Me - no the organ is nercrotic and calcified
DN - so that's why you're Diabetic
Me - I would think so
DN - oh why don't they take it out
Me - cos the op is too risky for me and its not causing a problem cos its dead
DN - so you've got pancreatitis
Me -no
DN - but you must have pancreatitis
Me - Err I was lead to believe that dead things couldn't get inflamed
DN - oh Don't think I could walk around with a dead thing inside of me

Anyone remember the Monty Python Dead Parrot Sketch, :banghead::banghead::banghead: :D
Sue x
Wow, that is shocking from a diabetic specialist nurse! He/she should have her title stripped!
 

Ladybirdy75

Well-Known Member
Messages
281
DN: let's see if we can get you to 55

The above has stuck with me for the past few years. It's wormed it's way into my brain and since my heart attack in March it rings around my head constantly. The DN and i actually get on great though, it's was probably a witty remark (i hope)

The other best one (following a retinopathic bleed in my left eye):

Doc: so you're a diabetic?

Me: yes, type 1 on a pump

Doc: you're really a diabetic??

Me: yes, I'm on insulin

Doc: why are you diabetic?

Me: (feeling irritated) it happened in early childhood, the insulin producing cells got wiped out by my own immune system.

Doc: so why do you need a pump?

Me: it's how i administer my insulin

Doc: so why do you need insulin

My teenage son: OH MY GOD, she's a type 1 diabetic, THE INSULIN KEEPS HER ALIVE!!!

No joke !!
 
Messages
18,448
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bullies, Liars, Trolls and dishonest cruel people
So I often see articles on here about the top 10 idiotic things normal people say about diabetes and they can be thoroughly irritating. However my pet peeve is when doctors, particularly endocrinologists come out with wonderful statements. Does anyone else have this experience or is it just me? Here are some of my recent and favourite examples.

5 year qualified registrar endocrinologist in London teaching hospital
Me: I was diagnosed in 1983.
Him: So is your diabetes established?
Me mentally No it's ***** temporary and will go away when I feel like it.

I explain to him how to inject two insulins at once.

Me: You take a syringe and a vial you draw up the long acting insulin then you put the syringe in the next vial draw up the short acting and inject.
Him: so you need 2 syringes?
Me: No, (I repeat previous sentence 2 more times with same response)

Various registrars

Him: I've never heard of animal insulin.
Me (on one occasion): I suggest you go look it up in your text book then.

Opthamologist at retinopathy clinic

Her: So how many years have you had type 1?
Me: 28
Her: and how many of those have you been on insulin for?
Me: 28
Her: Really?
Me (mentally) if only they'd stuck to calling it insulin dependent diabetes ...........

And the best of all... receiving an invitation to attend a glucose tolerance test when pregnant. Unfortunately I had just discovered I'd miscarried as well but still remain intrigued by the hospital that managed to send me an invitation for a test for the one condition I'm guaranteed not to get while pregnant! (For those who don't know the glucose tolerance test involves drinking lots of lucozade and testing your blood sugar after to see if you're at risk of gestational diabetes)


My general attitude to registrars now is give me the information I need (my hba1c and any other results) and let's politely cut this short. Also I tend to find the men are worse than the women as the women are more likely to have social skills and more likely to admit when they don't know something.

Does anyone else have similar experiences? Is this a feature of teaching hospitals?

Great thread, I am laughing, but shaking my head in disbelief :arghh::banghead:
 
Messages
18,448
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bullies, Liars, Trolls and dishonest cruel people
DN: let's see if we can get you to 55

The above has stuck with me for the past few years. It's wormed it's way into my brain and since my heart attack in March it rings around my head constantly. The DN and i actually get on great though, it's was probably a witty remark (i hope)

The other best one (following a retinopathic bleed in my left eye):

Doc: so you're a diabetic?

Me: yes, type 1 on a pump

Doc: you're really a diabetic??

Me: yes, I'm on insulin

Doc: why are you diabetic?

Me: (feeling irritated) it happened in early childhood, the insulin producing cells got wiped out by my own immune system.

Doc: so why do you need a pump?

Me: it's how i administer my insulin

Doc: so why do you need insulin

My teenage son: OH MY GOD, she's a type 1 diabetic, THE INSULIN KEEPS HER ALIVE!!!

No joke !!

:arghh::banghead::arghh::mad: good god, someone help us.
 
Messages
18,448
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bullies, Liars, Trolls and dishonest cruel people
After an operation to seal a hole in the retina of my eye with some sight- I'm blind in the other- plus I had my leg in a plaster cast an eye surgeon said to me " Avoid playing contact sports for the next few months". I pointed out I was nearly blind and on crutches!

I think I will wear these smilie buttons out on this thread :banghead::arghh::mad:
 
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lizdeluz

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,306
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Patient (me): I don't know why I'm on Metformin.
Consultant: No, nor do I.


Just to look at this issue from the perspective of the doctor(s): in my case, I have lived in 5 different areas of the UK since my diagnosis, and I was diagnosed way back when, when they knew much less than they do now. Not only do they not know us personally, with our different levels of understanding, (non-) compliance, attitudes and fears, but also, they have to clock what former doctors, DSNs have prescribed and said to us. One consultant prescribed Metformin for me, but gave no reason, implying it was an additional helpful measure, and I didn't question it. I took the Metformin and could see no benefit, and asked a different consultant in a different area of the country if I could stop taking it, with the outcome above.
 

lizdeluz

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,306
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
DN: let's see if we can get you to 55

The above has stuck with me for the past few years. It's wormed it's way into my brain and since my heart attack in March it rings around my head constantly. The DN and i actually get on great though, it's was probably a witty remark (i hope)

The other best one (following a retinopathic bleed in my left eye):

Doc: so you're a diabetic?

Me: yes, type 1 on a pump

Doc: you're really a diabetic??

Me: yes, I'm on insulin

Doc: why are you diabetic?

Me: (feeling irritated) it happened in early childhood, the insulin producing cells got wiped out by my own immune system.

Doc: so why do you need a pump?

Me: it's how i administer my insulin

Doc: so why do you need insulin

My teenage son: OH MY GOD, she's a type 1 diabetic, THE INSULIN KEEPS HER ALIVE!!!

No joke !!


Was 55 a reference to your age, or your hbA1c? :)
 

pinewood

Well-Known Member
Messages
788
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Nothing like any of these but does anyone else hate how some doctors like to use diabetes as an explanation for any and every symptom?

I had a sore foot which I know for a fact was from a long run I did in poor fitting trainers. Had some pain along my foot that wasn't going away. As soon as she had read my notes the GP straight away said it was "due to your diabetes" and lectured me about how "having diabetes means you are going to get pains like this, it is normal, your nerves in your feet will be all messed up". It was a straightforward running injury, no question, and all I wanted was to get my private referral form signed for some phyiso. She signed it but I could have done without the false diagnosis about how type 1 will lead to aches and pains that I just need to live with.
 
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Robbity

Expert
Messages
6,683
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Nothing like any of these but does anyone else hate how some doctors like to use diabetes as an explanation for any and every symptom?

I don't get everything blamed on my diabetes (yet???) but my GP has tended to blame everything on my weight....

Reading this thread I truly don't know if I should laugh or cry....

Diverting from topic slightly: I used to have a very long term and partially unexplained eye problem, and usually saw a different doctor every time I visited the eye hospital. I became an expert on explaining my problem/symptoms and often treatment too to them as quite frequently the system had mislaid my notes.

Robbity
 

CarbsRok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,688
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
pasta ice cream and chocolate
If anyone is ever told by a doctor "it's your diabetes" just put on a very blank expression and say oh I've never heard of that before is it in the medical dictionary?
Result = a very red faced medic :)
 

dancer

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,360
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
If anyone is ever told by a doctor "it's your diabetes" just put on a very blank expression and say oh I've never heard of that before is it in the medical dictionary?
Result = a very red faced medic :)
The next time it happens to me, I'm going to ask what the doc would be saying if I wasn't diabetic.