Bit of a moan

[MH2010]

So, had my first appointment at new diabetic clinic and amSERIOUSLY hacked off.

Running 40mins late then when I finally got seen, they decided to do a foot check without warnig (lucky my nails were painted lol).

Went in to see the consultant who without ever meeting me told me I was taking too much Lantus and I need to stop taking tablets as they are not licensed for yse by type 1, even though they have helped my control A LOT.

So p*ssed off, waiting for my GP to call me to see if I can just get seen there as the consultant hasn't got a clue.

Sorry for the moan, it has bugged me all day.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Many of these medical professionals need to realise we are all individual's and not a number in a cattle market ! So frustrating at times. We should go in with this playing .............

 

[Deleted Account]

I always expect any medical appointment to run late. Unfortunately, with the money limitations on the NHS they have to cram us in. Doesn't help us manage our time but I don't blame the people I am seeing.

Regarding foot checks, I thought these should be done on every appointment. I was getting severely dischuffed when I realised foot checks were important and after having Type 1 for 10 years, the best foot check I had ever had was being asked "are your feet ok." So I kicked up a fuss (pun unintended) and have been ready for them ever since.

Can't comment on your medication except to say that it is frustrating when you get told different things by different doctors and that you control how much Lantus you take so if you think you need it, what is stopping you?

 

[Lampman]

It is always good to let off some steam. Better still your audience here understands! Talking to family or friends who are not fellow sufferers is never quite so satisfactory. I went for my first diabetic eye examination today, and it was just the opposite of your experience. I was expecting more trouble, but it was really no bother. Something is very wrong with that, nothing ever happens to me without something raising my blood pressure and getting me cross! Hopefully your GP will restore some order to the situation, and allow calm to return. No harm in pointing out you don't appreciate someone who has only just met you trying to disrupt what works for you.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

I was taking too much Lantus and I need to stop taking tablets as they are not licensed for yse by type 1, even though they have helped my control A LOT.

Forgive my ignorance, how much Lantus and what tablets?

Sometimes I wonder about some consults, when I had appendicitis the consultant I saw 10 days after first seeing my GP told me that golf and swimming weren't proper exercise. I knew that this particular consultant had driven 140 miles from Stoke on Trent to Amersham to "fill in" for someone off sick, so I allowed him his daft opinion. I think their mouths are on autopilot and disconnected from their brains. He'd struggled to park his car like everyone else so he wasn't happy. The appendicitis wasn't diagnosed until 3 weeks later when I had a laparotomy, but that's another story.

Hopefully a sensible chat with your GP should sort things out.

they are not licensed for use by type 1

It sounds daft, but there might be an explanation. There are several drugs that get a patent for a particular use and towards the end of their patent life, when they would get cheaper, some bright spark realises that the drug is good for something else and an application is made for a new patent because of the new use.

Here's the very daft bit, if you have the second medical problem the GP should not prescribe the first drug which might be cheaper because it's patent has expired. The GP is meant to prescribe the second drug, albeit the same, but more expensive because it's a new patent. I say the GP is MEANT TO, sensibly the GP will take the cheaper option. Diclofenac is an example, it's an anti-inflammatory and used in the treatment of epilepsy.

 

[MH2010]

Forgive my ignorance, how much Lantus and what tablets?

Sometimes I wonder about some consults, when I had appendicitis the consultant I saw 10 days after first seeing my GP told me that golf and swimming weren't proper exercise. I knew that this particular consultant had driven 140 miles from Stoke on Trent to Amersham to "fill in" for someone off sick, so I allowed him his daft opinion. I think their mouths are on autopilot and disconnected from their brains. He'd struggled to park his car like everyone else so he wasn't happy. The appendicitis wasn't diagnosed until 3 weeks later when I had a laparotomy, but that's another story.

Hopefully a sensible chat with your GP should sort things out.



It sounds daft, but there might be an explanation. There are several drugs that get a patent for a particular use and towards the end of their patent life, when they would get cheaper, some bright spark realises that the drug is good for something else and an application is made for a new patent because of the new use.

Here's the very daft bit, if you have the second medical problem the GP should not prescribe the first drug which might be cheaper because it's patent has expired. The GP is meant to prescribe the second drug, albeit the same, but more expensive because it's a new patent. I say the GP is MEANT TO, sensibly the GP will take the cheaper option. Diclofenac is an example, it's an anti-inflammatory and used in the treatment of epilepsy.

I take 20 units Lantus at 6pm and 10units at 7am, down from approx 50 units.

The tablets are the 10mg of Jardiance.

The consultant was a complete moron. Asked me if I take insulin to begin with 'well, no mr consultant, I rely on magic to control my type 1 diabetes'.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

The consultant was a complete moron. Asked me if I take insulin to begin with 'well, no mr consultant, I rely on magic to control my type 1 diabetes'.

Oh dear, it all makes sense now, obviously not an endocrinologist then, did he have your notes? Doesn't give you much confidence really. Best of luck with your GP.

 

[MH2010]

Oh dear, it all makes sense now, obviously not an endocrinologist then, did he have your notes? Doesn't give you much confidence really. Best of luck with your GP.

No idea, he didnt even tell me his name.

Fingers crossed GP calls soon cause I am really not wanting to go back to that place again

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

No idea, he didnt even tell me his name.

That's a shame, you could have googled him and found out all about him. Maybe ask your GP because he will have received something from the guy. Good Luck.

 

[leslie10152]

So, had my first appointment at new diabetic clinic and amSERIOUSLY hacked off.

Running 40mins late then when I finally got seen, they decided to do a foot check without warnig (lucky my nails were painted lol).

Went in to see the consultant who without ever meeting me told me I was taking too much Lantus and I need to stop taking tablets as they are not licensed for yse by type 1, even though they have helped my control A LOT.

So p*ssed off, waiting for my GP to call me to see if I can just get seen there as the consultant hasn't got a clue.

Sorry for the moan, it has bugged me all day.

I ended up in hospital after a heart attack, this was provoked by persisting with Mixtard insulin that was not effective in controlling my diabetes. I tried to tell people I was not coping, but after 18 months of the run around I was told, "you fell through the cracks in the system". I ripped daylights out of 6 people before I was put on Novorapid and Lantus. Now - when I ask a question...it is answered promptly! Your life - your rules. No excuses!!

 

[MH2010]

Still not heard from GP so guessing he will phone sometime next week.

The consultant also vhanged my meter to one that checks for ketones which I did not want so my plan of attack so far is.

1) Screw them, I have approx 2 months worth of tablets and intend to keep taking them.

2) 30 units Lantus keeps my control steady, I will keep taking this amount

3) I have a fair few cassettes for the Mobile I use so I will also keep using this.

If the consultant expects me to play by his rules then I will after my next appt in November and I will no doubt end up in hospital, see what he has to say then.

 

[Guzzler]

Many of these medical professionals need to realise we are all individual's and not a number in a cattle market ! So frustrating at times. We should go in with this playing .............

@Robinredbreast
So, so true. There is no such thing as normal. There are Lies, **** Lies and Statistics. And you can make any number fit any ideal that you favour.

 

[Glucobabu]

Bit of a moan on a slightly different matter. Went to pick up my prescription from GP to find that my test strips had been changed from Aviva Accu-chek which I have been using for years to AgaMatrix a brand I had never heard of or seen advertised anywhere. I was given a new AgaMatrix meter which looked like a cheap bit of plastic which on checking is actually made in China! I made an appointment to see my GP with a view to pleading to revert me to my tried and tested Aviva system. I was given a stern lecture on how much the strips cost the NHS. A 'financial controller' from the health trust had visited all the surgeries in the area and dumped a lot of AgaMatrix meters with the instruction to prescribe only AgaMatrix strips from now on! At the end I was reduced to feeling guilty for making a fuss and had no choice but to accept my lot. I am still struggling to get used to this tiny machine which uses tiny strips. Wonder how would an elderly person with reduced dexterity cope with this!
As an afterthought, if this is replicated throughout the NHS, wouldn't most major meter manufacturers go out of business?

 

[Oldvatr]

Bit of a moan on a slightly different matter. Went to pick up my prescription from GP to find that my test strips had been changed from Aviva Accu-chek which I have been using for years to AgaMatrix a brand I had never heard of or seen advertised anywhere. I was given a new AgaMatrix meter which looked like a cheap bit of plastic which on checking is actually made in China! I made an appointment to see my GP with a view to pleading to revert me to my tried and tested Aviva system. I was given a stern lecture on how much the strips cost the NHS. A 'financial controller' from the health trust had visited all the surgeries in the area and dumped a lot of AgaMatrix meters with the instruction to prescribe only AgaMatrix strips from now on! At the end I was reduced to feeling guilty for making a fuss and had no choice but to accept my lot. I am still struggling to get used to this tiny machine which uses tiny strips. Wonder how would an elderly person with reduced dexterity cope with this!
As an afterthought, if this is replicated throughout the NHS, wouldn't most major meter manufacturers go out of business?

All CCG's in England have been instructed to move their patients onto one of 10 selections that are based on certain criteria. That they meet the ISO 2015 standard and that the strips cost less than £10 per 50 strips (ex VAT price). I was lucky in that my local CCG warned me before they made the change, shared the list of possible choices, then let me decide which to go for. I had enough time to try one or two out in parallel testing against my Abbott meter. There was a list of some 25 possible candidates that were evaluated, and only one of them was a mainline brand meter. The SD Codefree did not make this selection, and was rejected for not complying with the ISO standard.Most of the possible meters were, as you say, of Far East origin, and one of them the company listed had ceased trading. Not impressed by this, seeing how much it cost to set up the study in the first place.

 

[Bon83]

Bit of a moan on a slightly different matter. Went to pick up my prescription from GP to find that my test strips had been changed from Aviva Accu-chek which I have been using for years to AgaMatrix a brand I had never heard of or seen advertised anywhere. I was given a new AgaMatrix meter which looked like a cheap bit of plastic which on checking is actually made in China! I made an appointment to see my GP with a view to pleading to revert me to my tried and tested Aviva system. I was given a stern lecture on how much the strips cost the NHS. A 'financial controller' from the health trust had visited all the surgeries in the area and dumped a lot of AgaMatrix meters with the instruction to prescribe only AgaMatrix strips from now on! At the end I was reduced to feeling guilty for making a fuss and had no choice but to accept my lot. I am still struggling to get used to this tiny machine which uses tiny strips. Wonder how would an elderly person with reduced dexterity cope with this!
As an afterthought, if this is replicated throughout the NHS, wouldn't most major meter manufacturers go out of business?

I do sympathise with you - when you have an illness that requires constant attention you get used to certain things and it can be traumatic when things are made harder. I was totally naive to this money saving operation going on with diabetic medical supplies! I know the nhs needs to make savings but it seems counter productive to change so many things and then have people make gp appointments to discuss it all. I am aware testing strips cost a lot! And if savings can be made then great. But perhaps they could change the biros they buy, the paper they put in printers or the toilet roll they use in the surgery toilet. I will try things if they are cheaper - I buy from aldi not brands! But if it aint working for me then I would want to go back to what worked. My husband says - buy sh*t buy twice.

 

[ConradJ]

I was given a stern lecture on how much the strips cost the NHS. A 'financial controller' from the health trust had visited all the surgeries in the area and dumped a lot of AgaMatrix meters with the instruction to prescribe only AgaMatrix strips from now on! At the end I was reduced to feeling guilty for making a fuss and had no choice but to accept my lot.

You do not have to accept your "lot"; go back to your GP with a print out of the NICE Guidance:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng17/ifp/chapter/Testing-your-own-blood-glucose-and-target-levels

(Linked changed... I'd put the wrong one in originally.)

 

[DCUKMod]

Found this ...

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/349802/response/850146/attach/5/Annex A.pdf

I have no idea what the source of that list is, but I know that is a different list from that which my area chose from. I was part of a testing focus group discussing "our" shortlist. "Our" shortlist included a few very well know meters, as well as some previously less popular.

I don't actually know which was or were chosen my my local area, as I am not prescribed strips, but it was an interesting afternoon, hearing others, across the spectrum of diabetes types and diabetic journeys and their views on what was important to them.

 

[DCUKMod]

Ah, @MrGrumpyD , your later post only appeared when when I made my own post.

 

[Bon83]

It's weird isn't it I look at these posts - see the words "changes","savings" and immidiately feel my anxiety rising. If I am consulted on the matter then I will gladly look at options. But it is making me feel nervous what I will be told I have to do :/

 

[DCUKMod]

The links are from each locations CCG meeting reports and public information pdfs that have to be online as a date of law to the public meetings

MrGrumpyD, I wasn't questioning the credibility or appropriateness of your source, I was more just concerned we all understood the shortlists weren't all the same. For a National health service, we have so many silos in play.