"Best" things doctors have said to you

[magjam]

Although suffering from Type 2, I was in hospital some years ago, before diagnosis, with acute pancreatitis. The diabetic specialist kept saying to me "are you sure you're not diabetic????" In answering "shouldn't you be the one telling me?" nothing happened. It was months later that I was diagnosed by a mouth specialist!!!!

 

[ConradJ]

Whilst seeing a GP about a diabetes related issue 3 months after diagnosis of type 1:

Me: Can I also get a prescription for more testing strips
GP: How often are you testing?
Me: About 4-6 times a day
GP: That's too much, you've been diagnosed for 3 months now, why are you so pre-occupied with checking?
Me: Maybe I'll test less in the future but I've been asked to check it at every meal and I'm having 2-3 hypos a day still
GP: Well after 3 months you should know what's happening without testing. I'll give you a prescription now, but just because you get free prescriptions doesn't mean these don't cost money. You need to start taking this seriously, if you'd done so you wouldn't need to test by now.

I was so upset I drove all the way home with me handbrake on. Thankfully the next GP I saw wrote an angry email to this one telling her she was wrong and not to say this to anyone else.

Next time you see that idiot GP make sure you've got your handbrake off!

 

[ConradJ]

I worked in a hospital pathology laboratory for more than 30 years and had some appalling experiences with doctors managing (or not) diabetics. Two stories, request from a doctor for a blood alcohol. "The patient is lapsing in and out of consciousness and smells strongly of alcohol" In those days we measured alcohol by a roundabout method called osmolality. For the method to work the patients plasma glucose had to be less than 10. The conversation went something like this;
Me - sorry can't do an alcohol, the patient's blood sugar is too high.
Doctor - well how can I get an alcohol done?
Me - I don't think you need to, the glucose level is 51
Doctor - well they smell strongly of alcohol so I suppose we'll just have to keep an eye on them
Me - the glucose is 51, what you can smell is acetone, the patient is in a hyperglycaemic coma and is keto-acidotic, I would suggest you transfer her to ICU before she dies.
Doctor - are you trying to tell me my job
Me - well someone has to, I'm ringing my consultant now (it was 3am in the morning) and phoning ICU because I'm interested in saving her life even if you're not.

ICU came and collected her and when I knocked off at 9am we had got her glucose down to the low 20's and her blood gases were stable.
I got a verbal warning for my conversation.

The second patient was a woman in her late 40's she had previously had an alcohol problem. She was admitted at about 8pm to the private patient ward smelling of "alcohol" and I was requested to do a blood alcohol. Same scenario, glucose through the roof, previously undiagnosed diabetic. Phoned the ward to tell the doc, there were no doctors still on. Asked which consultant she was under, no-one seemed to know, no admitting paperwork. Phoned switchboard to find out who was on medical take, they weren't interested because she was already in hospital. Made umpteen phone calls but couldn't get anyone interested. She died. I wrote out a formal clinical incident form. My lab consultant tore it up in front of me telling me I didn't know the details.

That's just appalling - on both counts. You should never have got a verbal for the first; the consultant should have got a kicking, but then... as for the second, well, what can I say: Cover up?

 

[Kiyobetis]

T1 here
Doctor who told the diagnosis to me and my mother when I was 13 (at a hospital): "It is genetical diabetes, but since we noticed it at an early stage, there is still a chance to cure her."
Surgeon, after explaining that I might need to take in sugar before surgery if my bloodsugar level requires it:"You are not allowed to take in anything. Won't hurt you to have low bloodsugar for a few hours."

 

[outdoorgirl]

Years ago I was putting on weight for no apparent reason. I asked my GP several times to test me for diabetes. He asked if there was a family history, which there isn't, so he said that I couldn't be diabetic then! Thank heaven for our local chemist who do the test. GP wasn't at all apologetic when I went back and stuck it to him! Then I had severe problems with my feet to the extent that I could hardly walk the pain was so bad. I saw another GP in the same practice who I had also seen about the pain in my hands ( he told me it was because I slept with my hands curled up!). After some persuasion this GP referred me to a podiatrist who looked at my feet, couldn't figure out what the problem was, looked at the notes, saw the type 2 diagnosis and promptly said I had neuropathy! This really scared me so back I went to the GP, told him what the podiatrist has said, which he laughed off and said no, he didn't think I had neuropathy! I then demanded to see a specialist who FINALLY diagnosed carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands! And I found a brilliant acupuncturist who sorted out my feet so I'm back walking as long and as far as I want again. I have changed my surgery and on the rare occasions I have to see a GP or DSN it's been okay so far!

 

[Trachet]

OK so this isn't exactly funny things that a Dr has said to me but a quote from the leaflet in the antibiotics that I am taking. 'You may experience psychiatric reactions. Your symptoms may become worse under treatment. In rare cases depression or psychosis can progress to thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts or completed suicide. If this happens stop taking the tablets and contact your Dr immediately.' Excuse me for being thick but if suicide is completed???????

 

[ConradJ]

OK so this isn't exactly funny things that a Dr has said to me but a quote from the leaflet in the antibiotics that I am taking. 'You may experience psychiatric reactions. Your symptoms may become worse under treatment. In rare cases depression or psychosis can progress to thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts or completed suicide. If this happens stop taking the tablets and contact your Dr immediately.' Excuse me for being thick but if suicide is completed???????

...you certainly won't be able to take any more then!

 

[lizdeluz]

OK so this isn't exactly funny things that a Dr has said to me but a quote from the leaflet in the antibiotics that I am taking. 'You may experience psychiatric reactions. Your symptoms may become worse under treatment. In rare cases depression or psychosis can progress to thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts or completed suicide. If this happens stop taking the tablets and contact your Dr immediately.' Excuse me for being thick but if suicide is completed???????

Yes, no problem stopping the tablets, but might be difficult getting a GP appointment ....

 

[LaineyK]

My ones short and sweet...when going about infection on my foot and wanting some cream
>Doc, oh so I see you've been diagnosed type 1 recently..
> me, yes
>Doc, and are you keeping you're BG within the correct levels?
>Me, most of the time
> Doc, 'most for the time?..'(scowls face)

I wish I had said, 'yeah because I can't see my levels 24/7, only 5 times a day when I blood check, you daft mare!!'

Why do people think it's easy to control all the time...???

 

[jopar]

Ambulance control have come out with some belters

Came home a couple of months back from work, to find hubby in a hypo, crashed out on top of the collapsed ironing board....

He's gone to treat an hypo, as luccozade is on the corner of the table, and his meter and test strips on the floor next to him, I dialed 999, not only explaining what is wrong with hubby (I had tested he's 1.8mmol/l) but due to his position face down, tangled in the ironing board, he's trapped and I can't move him to get anything in him, and I've just got in from work after a 12 hour shift!

Started Q&A

AC....

In the last half hour, has he suffered any pain, excessive bleeding (I cut in here)

Me..I've only been home for 3 minutes wouldn't know..

AC... Is he currently experience any chest pains?

Me... Well, he's semi conscious not verbally responding, but going by my experience working in dementia care, I would say he wasn't showing signs that could indicate pain...

AC.... Have you given him a gluogen injection..

Me, No as I haven't seen my husband for 14 hours, and I've just arrived home so haven't got a clue how long he's been hypo for, so don't know if he's got anything in his liver to dump!
----------------------------------------------------------
At the beginning of the year I had to deal with a paramedic...

The dogs woke me, to say hubby's having an hypo and still asleep.. I try to wake him but missed the opportunity to get luccozade into him, and he's starting to get quite combative with me...

So I decided trying to a glucogen injection into him, isn't going to work without an high risk of getting thumped by flaring arms.. Hit 999

Crew turn up, I lead the way upstairs to our bedroom where hubby is... giving the paramedic the details on the way..

Paramedic starts to make his primarily assessment and hubby is agitated and combative, as the paramedic tries to treat hubby the more agitated he's getting.. So paramedic decides for safety a police back up is required just in case he's physical restraining and hands cuffed to stop him hitting out...

So the tech radio's back to control to arrange for police back up..

As she's doing this, the paramedic clocks the glucogen kit on the side.. and demands to know why I hadn't injected him, and I should have etc etc...

I just looked at him, and said for the very same reasons you're calling for back up!
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But the best one which left we slightly speechless as I wasn't expecting the comment

After several months of suffering from what I thought was trigger finger, and it had really become very painful etc, I thought it was time to take myself off to my gp... I couldn't book in with my normal GP so saw on of the others.. She's very nice as well

She confirmed that I was right, told me that diabetics are more prone to this and other legiment issues ect, explained about possible treatments and what to do in the short term...

She then said, mind you it does give you an advantage in work..

You can make rude signs without landing yourself in a disciplinary hearing....

 

[Kiyobetis]

Dr:"I've seen your blood glucose levels have been inconsistent lately."
Me:"That's why I have been measuring at least twice as much as recommended per day."
Dr:"You ask way too often for new test strips. I will only prescribe you 4 instead of 6 packs for now."
Me:"Maybe we should adjust the amount of insulin I inject so that my levels get better and I need less strips."
Dr (making a face that says "this is such a pain in the...):"Your amounts are fine as they are. Please come again in 3 months."

 

[CarbsRok]

Dr:"I've seen your blood glucose levels have been inconsistent lately."
Me:"That's why I have been measuring at least twice as much as recommended per day."
Dr:"You ask way too often for new test strips. I will only prescribe you 4 instead of 6 packs for now."
Me:"Maybe we should adjust the amount of insulin I inject so that my levels get better and I need less strips."
Dr (making a face that says "this is such a pain in the...):"Your amounts are fine as they are. Please come again in 3 months."

Why don't you adjust your own insulin?
Must admit if I was a GP and money tight then I would query issuing excessive test trips if a patient wasn't using the info provided to adjust insulin.

 

[Kiyobetis]

Why don't you adjust your own insulin?

I did that a while (worked rather well) but then I was questioned because my insulin spending did not fit the amount they calculated.

An older one.
16, ketoacidosis, get taken to the children hospital.
Dr:"If you had insulin you could have injected yourself down from the ketoacidosis and wouldn't have needed an ambulance."
3 years later at my new diabetics doctor (for adults):
Me:"I was told that (summary from what the other doctor said.)
Dr:"That is ********."

 

[CarbsRok]

I did that a while (worked rather well) but then I was questioned because my insulin spending did not fit the amount they calculated.

Simply give a clear explanation of what you are doing and why, surely it's your condition and you need to treat your diabetes so it keeps you well.

 

[ConradJ]

Why don't you adjust your own insulin?
Must admit if I was a GP and money tight then I would query issuing excessive test trips if a patient wasn't using the info provided to adjust insulin.

Personally, I would question the patient about their treatment and understanding of the condition: are they really 'testing too much', etc. , or is their lifestyle an underlying issue for 'good' control or do they need a little extra help to ensure the test results can put them back on track?

I think the whole 'over testing' philosophy is utter rubbish: the bodies of non-pwds 'test' 24/7/365, and it also undermines the CGM route by insinuating that PWDs can achieve good control on such little data.

If money is tight, which it always is, they should cut the standard default of 'statins for all' and 'antibiotics for colds' culture.

 

[ConradJ]

Simply give a clear explanation of what you are doing and why, surely it's your condition and you need to treat your diabetes so it keeps you well.

"Shirley" a reason for frequent testing?!?

 

[kjjames1972]

Yes, I totally get that, it's like
'Sometimes, with diabetes, your more susceptible to disease and illness'
It's very reassuring,
Once when I was in hospital vomiting, losing fluids, and cramping the hospital staff checked everything, did a blood count, X-ray, hba1c and then just said I have got nothing and maybe it's just my diabetes 'playing up' and that I am fine
... Well that's it then, if your diabetic you are supposed to treat excrutiating pain and sickness as a normality

Did you ever get to the bottom of it then? I'm not diabetic but my husband is and I could quite happily bang the heads together of the medical professionals who have misdiagnosed patients or not listened to them properly. Drive me up the piggin' wall!!

 

[kjjames1972]

On Wednesday I had my diabetes clinic appointment. The doctor was a stand in from another hospital, because mine was off sick.
Doc, Is there anything you would like to ask ?
Me, Yes, Could you look in my files to find the date I was actually diagnosed ?
Doc, why do you want to know ?
Me, because I know it was August 1989, but cannot remember the actual date and because I am the one who has diabetes, I would like to know, but I am nosey too
Doc, is looking through my file, he says, I can't find anything that says the date, but it does say you were diagnosed in 1989
Me, I know that
Doc, maybe it's in an older file
Me, oh, right
Doc, would you like a blood test
Me, what now
Do you normally have one?
Me, the last one I had was in November 2014
Doc, Ah yes, your last count was 7,0, that's the best one I have seen today
Me, well, as I'm here I will go and have one, will I get the results in a couple of weeks or when I have my next follow up appointment ?
Doc, er, what do they normally do ?
Me, well I would like to know, if it's gone up or down
Doc, I will see what the secretary does( as I don't work here) and l will try to get them sent to you, hmmmmm

Oh my days!!!!
If I'd not read these, I would never have thought that medical staff can be so ... (what's the word?) ... half-witted

 

[kjjames1972]

These are making me cry with laughter and sheer dismay!! I was diagnosed 19 years ago as a 20 year old. I was totally confused and terrified. My first meeting with my GP, a mere 48 hours after diagnosis, began with him saying...."well, I suspect you already know more about diabetes than me". At which I promptly left and haven't used a GP for my care ever since!

That's appalling!!!! I'd be seeing a different GP

 

[kjjames1972]

I'm Type 1 and have been for about 6 months. I got called into my docs to see the diabetic nurse as the doctor thought I was using too many testing strips. So I go in and sit down:

Nurse: "So how many times do you test a day"
Me: "Depends on what i'm doing that day, what i'm eating, if I'm exercising, if I'm driving etc. But normally 6 - 7 times a day"
Nurse: "Really! so you prick your finger that many times a day."
Me: "Yes"
Nurse: "Doesn't it hurt"
Me: "No, you get used to it, it's just like tying your shoe laces before you go out really."
Nurse: "Are all the tests you do actually necessary? I know a lot of diabetics who test and don't do anything with result"
Me: "Yes it's necessary if I don't want to collapse or die earlier than I want to"
Nurse "I'm just thinking of your fingers really as they must really hurt"
Me: "I'm thinking about not going blind and having my feet amputated but thanks for your concern"

I ended up getting more test strips with each prescription. I honestly think he was an idiot.

Love it!! You REALLY do have to wonder about the medical profession