celast
Well-Known Member
Got to go for my first diabetic screening,what can I expect the nurse to do ???
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Diabetic Screen
- Thread starter celast
- Start Date
Hello Celast,
Type 2 Diabetes diagnosed August 2011
At my GP practice I see the Heath Care Assistant about a week before my review. She takes fasting blood and urine samples for liver, kidney function, lipids and hbA1c levels. This last one meausres how much glucose is in your blood over a period of time. I then see the Diabetic Nurse about a week later to make sure the results are back. She discusses the results with me, and then weighs me, checks my blood pressure and pulses in my ankle, and then checks the sensation in the soles of my feet. She also asks about my eyes. We discuss my progress and the review medication. I keep a small notebook with my test strip results and what I ate. I take this with me and we discuss this too. This was really important in the beginning as I was so confused and scared. (still am sometimes!)We then agree a plan for the next six months aimed at managing my diabetes. I can make an appointment to see her if I need to, and there is an option to see the speciallist dietician at my local hospital if I need to.
I realise that I am very lucky to have such a good service from my practice. They also organised a 'Desmond' course for me (education) flu jabs, (which I haven't had) and pneumonia jab (which I might take up) and retinal screening which I had a couple of weeks ago.
I hope that helps. I think if you go to the NICE website it sets out guidelines for GP practices on managing patients with diabetes.
Good luck
Type 2 Diabetes diagnosed August 2011
At my GP practice I see the Heath Care Assistant about a week before my review. She takes fasting blood and urine samples for liver, kidney function, lipids and hbA1c levels. This last one meausres how much glucose is in your blood over a period of time. I then see the Diabetic Nurse about a week later to make sure the results are back. She discusses the results with me, and then weighs me, checks my blood pressure and pulses in my ankle, and then checks the sensation in the soles of my feet. She also asks about my eyes. We discuss my progress and the review medication. I keep a small notebook with my test strip results and what I ate. I take this with me and we discuss this too. This was really important in the beginning as I was so confused and scared. (still am sometimes!)We then agree a plan for the next six months aimed at managing my diabetes. I can make an appointment to see her if I need to, and there is an option to see the speciallist dietician at my local hospital if I need to.
I realise that I am very lucky to have such a good service from my practice. They also organised a 'Desmond' course for me (education) flu jabs, (which I haven't had) and pneumonia jab (which I might take up) and retinal screening which I had a couple of weeks ago.
I hope that helps. I think if you go to the NICE website it sets out guidelines for GP practices on managing patients with diabetes.
Good luck
I realise it is a couple of months since your post but if you haven't already taken up the offer of flu and pneumo jabs I would certainly do so, although the flu jab probably won't be available for this coming season until October or so.
You don't want to get flu - which is quite different from the cold - and you most certainly don't want to get pneumonia, as both can be killers for everyone and particularly so for diabetics.
I had both injections last year at the six-monthly apointment after diagnosis, and while I didn't feel the injections (although there was a small sensation from the pneumo one) my arm was a bit sore for a couple of days from the pneumo jab. There was absolutely no reaction from the flu jab.
Despite that I would rather have a couple of days of mild discomfort than catch pneumonia, as that can lay you out for weeks. I'm glad it is a one-off, but if I needed to have a booster in five or ten years would certainly do so. And I'll be making an appointment in a few weeks when the flu jab becomes available, as that is an annual must for me.
You don't want to get flu - which is quite different from the cold - and you most certainly don't want to get pneumonia, as both can be killers for everyone and particularly so for diabetics.
I had both injections last year at the six-monthly apointment after diagnosis, and while I didn't feel the injections (although there was a small sensation from the pneumo one) my arm was a bit sore for a couple of days from the pneumo jab. There was absolutely no reaction from the flu jab.
Despite that I would rather have a couple of days of mild discomfort than catch pneumonia, as that can lay you out for weeks. I'm glad it is a one-off, but if I needed to have a booster in five or ten years would certainly do so. And I'll be making an appointment in a few weeks when the flu jab becomes available, as that is an annual must for me.
