"Best" things doctors have said to you

Some of these comments have given me such a laugh. Well, you have to laugh really, don't you. Unbelievable.
I've been lucky. I haven't heard any similar howlers from doctors, but I did have a bit of a nightmare experience in my local hospital about ten years ago.
I was in for a hysterectomy and it had already been postponed once. On arrival on the ward the staff nurse announced that I couldn't be trusted to control my BG and she demanded my kit, which was taken and locked away. I'd only been diabetic for around 20 years, but never mind. I suppose that when you're a patient you are the responsibility of the hospital. I wouldn't have minded too much if the nursing staff hadn't made such a mess of things. My BG was all over the place.
Just before surgery a nurse appeared and asked me to put on the weird stockings. I was feeling a bit odd and said 'You'll have to do this. I think my BG is too low. What shall I do? Will the surgery have to be postponed?' Obviously it's not ideal to eat just before surgery.
She said something like ' Don't worry. You'll be alright'. And went off somewhere. Never to be seen again. I must have drunk some fruit juice because the surgery went ahead. But they let me go home two days later. I told the doctor what had happened and I think they were worried I'd kick up a fuss so they let me go.
My husband has a friend who is an anaesthesiologist. He told me that diabetics routinely present for surgery with a BG of either 2 or 20. I hope things have improved, but somehow I doubt it.

Have had a laugh reading these, but some reveal shocking lack of understanding from medical staff. It reminded me of the time I was admitted as an emergency with ketoacidosis (turned out to be a faulty syringe) and after they'd done the tests to establish what it was, I asked for a drink of Diet Coke as I was desperately thirsty. I was told, quite sternly, by the white-coated doctor that a sugary drink was the LAST thing I should be asking for....

I was in A&E, with saline IV, sliding scale insulin and an ECG thing, doing the simultaneous throwing up while having major rear end incident as in bleeding a lot. Junior doctor came bustling up to me all righteous

Doctor: " You've got ketones in your urine "

Me: " I should hope so I low carb "

Same hospital after being admitted to isolation room.

Junior doctor: " Has anyone ever told you that you've got rheumatoid arthritis ?'

Me: " No ! Aren't I too young for that ?"
Doc points to pin pricks on fingers

Me: " That's where the nurses have been doing my blood glucose every 2hrs for the last 8 days".
(Junior doctor says nothing just runs off, literally)

(I had major food poisoning)

At an annual review:

Doctor - Do you do any exercise?

Me - Ballroom and latin dancing several times a week.

Doctor (smirking) - And does this make you breathless and raise your heart rate?

Me (thinking, "He can't ever have watched Strictly!") You've obviously never done the jive or quickstep!

Admittedly the doctor did say his wife had wanted them to take dance lessons but he had refused . . . I told him he should take lessons as it was a GREAT form of exercise!

It was before diagnosis but I visited the doctors 7 times...each time I was told my dizziness was linked to me standing up to quick and the other problems was because I drink too much tea.

I think the first three, things Drs learn in medical school is "tell patients"

1) Stop drinking
2) Stop smoking
3) Lose weight

If you dont drink, smoke or are not overweight they are usually stumped

Last month had an overnight stay after surgery.

Nurse ............... I need to know where to yank your pump when you go hypo
Me ............ You don't, leave well alone and any lows I will treat thank you. If you try to remove it you will have a massive electric shock. (daft b*gger believed me)

Recently my best friend and I met up with an old school friend. We arranged to go for lunch at her house. So on the day we turned up, her mother was visiting and was dishing up the food. I had already forewarned my old chum that I was Type 2, she was very understanding. Her mother is a retired nurse. This is when it got interesting:
Me: No roast spuds for me, thanks. But I'll have the cauli.
Retired Nurse: You're not feeling well?
Retired Nurse's daughter: KittyKatty's Type 2 diabetic, Mum
RN: So?
Me, almost apologetically: So I'm on low carbs, I can't have potatoes.
RN: Why not?
Me: Because they're high in carbohydrates.
RN: It doesn't matter. You can still have them.
Me: I'm afraid they spike my blood sugars.
RN: They shouldn't.
My best friend: My Dad is Type 2 as well now. He doesn't touch potatoes.
RN laughed but it didn't sound particularly jolly: I don't think I've heard anything like it.
I felt very uncomfortable and sorry for my old school friend. But I felt the point had to be made: "Potatoes are a common culprit for sending a diabetic's blood sugars rather high
RN, looking baffled, pulling a face: Well there's loads of people walking around with it being undiagnosed. I could have diabetes, anyone could have diabetes. I still eat normally.
It was these last words she said that really shook me because of it's complete lack of logic. This lady was in effect saying that because the undiagnosed are eating what they like, the diagnosed should throw all caution to the wind and copy them.
When we left, my best friend summed it up: "Crazy."
Quite.

Happened to me twice during one 2 week hospital stay. Not good!

I meant the above as a response to Kevin Fitzpatrick.

I went to the GP's last week at rather short notice so I didn't get to see my regular doctor (who still has on my notes that I'm on the "Cambridge Diet", despite me telling him every time I see him that it was the Newcastle Diet and I came off it 18 months ago).

Me: I've got a sore left eye which doesn't seen to want to get better. I've tried some drops from the chemist but it's been red for over a week now.

Locum: Are you otherwise OK?

Me: Well, I'm Type 2 .........

Locum (interrupting): Type 2 what?

Me: Diabetes. (and, continuing) ..... As you've asked, I've developed some occasional pain and tightness across the backs of my hands and my hair has suddenly gone rather thin.

Locum: (Without examining me, or even getting close) Ah, it'll all be the diabetes. Suggest you go for an eye test.

Me: But it's only in one eye. Is it not likely to be an infection? Do I need some eye drops?

Locum: Hang on I'll go and get some gloves (went out of the room and came back with some blue gloves and peers into the bloodshot eye). Yes, there is some conjunctivitis there, I'll give you a prescription.

You also need a blood test to see how the diabetes is getting on (might it be a bit under the weather?)

She then printed out a blood test form and ticked all sorts of boxes - except the one labelled HbA1c.

After I left the surgery, I ticked that one myself.

L3wisr said:

It was before diagnosis but I visited the doctors 7 times...each time I was told my dizziness was linked to me standing up to quick and the other problems was because I drink too much tea.

Click to expand...

Haha, I was once told my dizziness was because I stood up too quickly. I am in a wheelchair.

Believe it or not, when I was initially unwell at the age of 8, I was drastically losing weight and vommiting. My Mum took me to see a GP who said it was an 'ear infection'. My Mum forced the GP to take a urine sample which was sent away for testing.

Lets just say, I think id rather it was an ear infection over type 1, but how on Earth do you get mixed up over those 2 illnesses? Ha!! Always laughed at that one.

A couple of weeks ago I developed a very itchy eye that became a little blood shot. So, knowing we all should look after our eyes I called opticians and booked an appointment.

Arrive and sat in the chair, the optician went through the usual set of questions; including those ref my diabetes. They have the notes etc.

She proceeds with the exam with read the letters etc etc. I'm sitting there thinking 'you haven't even looked at my eye yet.' Tells me my vision is fine.
(In my head) "Well of course it is, I managed to get here via car and walking without crashing/falling on my ****! Only got an itchy eye luv that I am sure is an infection!"

She asked if my last retinal scan was normal. I said, well it was done here and you told me it was!

After further chatting and me suggesting she look directly at my eye she said yeah it's likely an infection but you have to go to the Drs! I said, well you're an expert in eyes so how could they be any better.
"Well being medical they'll sort out a prescription"

Pretty much just left and went to pharmacist who sorted me out.

I give better treatment to animals in my care (I'm a Vet)

This happened 30 years ago when I was first diagnosed so hopefully it wouldn't happen now...

Went to the GP to get test results (urine test for diabetes!) and was told yes I was diabetic. My parents were given the phone number for the diabetic clinic at the local children's hospital and told to ring tomorrow for an appointment, but told they might not be open that week as it was Jan 2nd. My parents rang as soon as we got in and the DSN couldn't believe what she was hearing and told them to take me in to A&E pronto - my blood was so high on arrival that they told us if I'd had my hot milk with lots of sugar for bed as normal I would probably not have been alive in the morning!

I had been at the panto that afternoon and had sweets and a massive coke so it was a particularly bad day but it's scary to think how close it was.

A bit off the subject of Diabetes,- I was told by my G.P. that I was imagining the signs and symptoms of Prostate Cancer.
My dad had just been diagnosed, and I had exactly the same symptoms. Obviously being a bit worried I went to see my G.P.

He looked at me and calmly said "I know that you suffer from depression and paraonia so do you think you could be imagining that you are peeing yourself?." I was gobsmacked so asked the G.P. to prove me wrong (I was 47 at the time.) and send me for a biopsy.

The day after the test I got a personal phone call from the G.P saying "I am sorry, but one side of your prostate is precancerous and the other side is cancerous" Three months later the precancerous side had turned to cancerous and the cancerous side had gone into an advanced stage. I had to be admitted to hospital the next week for a radical prostectomy. If I listened to my GPs initial advice I would have died many years ago.

The moral of the story is "If you are not happy with what your G.P. tells you always ask for a second opinion or demand a referral to a specialist"

I do chuckle each time I open this forum and see this heading..

What causes me the most frustration with GP's is whenever I am unable to get an appointment with my regular doc who is very understanding and end up with a another GP is if I mention that my blood glucose is affected by my hormones I always get 'no that's not the case, your hormones do not affect your diabetes'. This has been with 2 GP's now.

Apart from my usual response of 'try walking in my shoes then', I always wonder why insulin works so well in managing my blood glucose (obviously providing the right dose is administered..) which is a 'growth hormone'. Seems a bit blumin obvious that hormones are going to affect your BG readings..

This wasn't a doctor mind, but my dentist..

I mentioned about being a type 1 and was talking about getting a dental hygienist appointment as could do with keeping teeth tip top as was important being a type 1 to maintain good dental health.

My dentist then said 'yes good dental health is important but it won't cure your diabetes'..