Doctor very unhelpful. Help please

[claudetteholmes]

I sympathise. I've had to fire many doctors or other health professionals over the years, including head-of-department hospital specialists. I know in the UK it's particularly hard to get help in the NHS so if you have any ability to go private, even for a GP visit, I encourage you. I've been reading NZ guidelines for diabetes (which are essentially the same in other countries) and I've drawn some red lines for myself based on them.

If my HbA1c is above 65 for more than 3 months, I want insulin, at least until things are back under control. (My GP was slack about this but we are now on top of things).

I want my BP under 130/80 at all times.

I'm pretty sure I developed some neuropathy and loss of beta cell function during the time I was up in the 70s (at least a year). IMO we just can't afford to let these things happen.

Short term insulin therapy can prevent irreversible complications while you get things diagnosed properly and make sustained lifestyle changes such as low carbing. Good info here IMO:

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/15478720.php

Thank you for the post and the support.

 

[kitedoc]

The stress on menopause and the worry of these high sugars could also affect your blood sugars. Best wishes for a friendly, understanding endocrinologist. I knew someone who had a chronic urine infection with few symptoms and once that was found and treated they were a lot better. So you might be tested for that too in a effort to seek out causes for the high BSLs. Hold on to your toboggan as you ride through all of this, some sense is in sight.

 

[Jenny15]

The stress on menopause and the worry of these high sugars could also affect your blood sugars. Best wishes for a friendly, understanding endocrinologist. I knew someone who had a chronic urine infection with few symptoms and once that was found and treated they were a lot better. So you might be tested for that too in a effort to seek out causes for the high BSLs. Hold on to your toboggan as you ride through all of this, some sense is in sight.

That's a good point about infections like UTIs. I get a lot of routine blood tests done when I have my HbA1c tests. A CBC (complete blood count) includes things that can show if there is infection somewhere in the body.

My CRP (C-reactive protein) is always slightly elevated and every time my GP asks me where I might have an infection, and I never know and nor does he.

It's just occurred to me that it might be because I have been diagnosed by my dentist as having gum disease, which involves a very low grade infection. I must follow that up next time.

So yes, I think there is a bunch of blood tests they can do which rule out a lot of possible issues. It's how my low iron was picked up, too.

 

[pollensa]

Hi to all, after all the great advice this weekend, I saw the doctor. Ooh dear clueless is not the word. My sugar is high even on low carb and low low carb. They upped my gliclazide to 4 a day no change all I got was one spike of 18 and one low of 3.8 . He told me to see nurse first telephone appointment is Thursday afternoon late and appointment with her next Tuesday. He told me to stop with gliclazide.. IS IT OK TO GO COLD TURKEY?. Hes not keen to send me for further testing most tests I mentioned he had to look up???

If you have doubts, and concerns re your situation, and are in a position to do so, sometimes, it may prove worthwhile to take your concerns to another Doctor to get a 2nd opinion for peace of mind, just a suggestion box?

 

[kitedoc]

I hope you will be checked out for causes of low iron too. There are many according to health pamphlets etc.
I would have thought a urine test is relatively easy to do, even a dipstick urine test to begin with, to see if there is an indication of infection there.

 

[claudetteholmes]

I hope you will be checked out for causes of low iron too. There are many according to health pamphlets etc.
I would have thought a urine test is relatively easy to do, even a dipstick urine test to begin with, to see if there is an indication of infection there.

Thank you to everyone that gave feedback. My nurse is giving me a call this afternoon. I have stopped gliclazide and oooh gosh feel great no headaches no nausea. Kidneys still ache sugars are still between 8 - 10 but no high spikes its the best I have felt for 3 months. I eat very low carb and although high its very stable. So I do think insulin is my next step. Thanks for all the amazing support. I will insist on bloodtests next Tuesday when I see the nurse. Can someone suggest all the tests I should ask for?

 

[kitedoc]

A urine test for infection. It is up to your doctor what tests might be needed to check for causes of low iron.
A follow up CBC and CRP etc which you mentioned.

 

[Jenny15]

Thank you to everyone that gave feedback. My nurse is giving me a call this afternoon. I have stopped gliclazide and oooh gosh feel great no headaches no nausea. Kidneys still ache sugars are still between 8 - 10 but no high spikes its the best I have felt for 3 months. I eat very low carb and although high its very stable. So I do think insulin is my next step. Thanks for all the amazing support. I will insist on bloodtests next Tuesday when I see the nurse. Can someone suggest all the tests I should ask for?

It's important to have a full iron panel of about 4 tests related to iron, because just getting one of them can be misleading. My doctor routinely orders an iron panel, esp as I have had anaemia in the past. In most cases, iron supplements are best but in rare cases they can make things worse. Medicine is so complex. You might want to ask about testing Thyroid function, too if he doesn't include that one. So glad to hear you are feeling better. Keep up the good work

 

[Resurgam]

If you need to inject insulin to have normal use of glucose for your cells then that is the way to go.
Trying to hammer more insulin out of a no longer able to respond pancreas is absolutely flogging a dead horse, so hopefully you will soon be able to get control and see safer BG levels.
I hope you have a smooth transition to your next treatment.

 

[claudetteholmes]

If you need to inject insulin to have normal use of glucose for your cells then that is the way to go.
Trying to hammer more insulin out of a no longer able to respond pancreas is absolutely flogging a dead horse, so hopefully you will soon be able to get control and see safer BG levels.
I hope you have a smooth transition to your next treatment.

Thank you I hope so will read all the posts on insulin. Luckily used insulin in my pregnancy so no surprise there.
Just so silly that you have to play the waiting game. If I learned anything its to trust your gut and be persistant. Our diabetic services here is hit and miss.