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Doctor visit

Buttons11

Well-Known Member
I went to see a GP today on an unrelated to diabetes matter. The Dr I have been seeing has left so I saw someone new. Having dealt with my other problem she did a medication review.
"So you're on Gliclazide and Metformin?"
"No I don't take any medication"
"Why?"
"Because it didn't agree with me and I feel better without it"
"Do you think you can control your diabetes with diet alone?"
"I seem to be doing alright at the moment"
"But your last test was very slightly elevated"
"It was 42, and had come down from 70 at the previous test!!!"
"Oh yes, it was extremely high at diagnosis. Have you lost a lot of weight?"
"Only a few kilos"
She then removed testing strips and lancets from my repeat prescriptions (I didn't mention I still have over 100 at home!) and told me I need to make an appt for another set of blood tests. I knew this, the last one was August so it's due again in November.

Apart from the "slightly elevated" (pah!) jibe, she passed no comment, didn't ask me what I ate, didn't comment that I hadn't had a review with the DN after the last test, or anything. It does slightly concern me that with an HbA1c of 42 she seemed to think I ought to be on medication. I thought that was pretty good! (But there's no chance I'm going to take anything now)
 
You might find it hard to get any sort of attention from your doctor or nurse now that you have decided not to comply with the program - My last Hba1c was 41 and the Metformin and statins were removed from my repeat prescription form as I had not ordered them for months.
I need Thyroxine, but as far as I know no test for levels for that have been done for a long time - the diabetes test which diagnosed me last year should have been the thyroid test, so I asked for it to be included at the three month test, but I was told there were no results available - though I was told that no cholesterol test had been done at six months but I was told that it was back at the same level as the previous year, after going down - so I needed to see the doctor to be prescribed statins - but my doctor was not available, I would have to see a different one. I think that he's sulking.
 
Sadly, I'm hearing this a lot on the forum. Take heart in how far you have come and that you seem to know a little more about controlling your Diabetes than this particular GP does. This knowledge alone may have raised her hackles, some people, no matter what their field or profession is, do not like to be argued with.
 
Ah yes, indifference. A very common malady. My last hbalc has not been reviewed, presumably because it was 39. This would not be flagged even tho I am supposed to have 3 month reviews with the dn until next june, marking 1 year from diagnosis.
I think most of us find ourselves on our own. If not for this forum I would be completely lost.
 
@Buttons11

Her assumption about Met and Glic may well have been because she usually only sees patients with your HbA1c when they are using those drugs.
You may well have been the first person in her consulting room who has achieved it by diet and lifestyle.
Well done!!!

And her booking you in for another test may have been because many people achieve short term diet improvements (whether diabetic or not), then fall off the wagon big time and revert to their previous levels.

That is the main reason I visit this forum so much. I am pretty sure if I didn't have constant daily forum interactions I would slide gracelessly into the 'one won't hurt' and 'oops, I forgot to test last week/month' mindset and undo all the control I have worked so hard to achieve...
 

She didn't say it out loud, but from the look on her face I felt she thought the 42 was some sort of fluke, and she wanted me re tested to see if it had gone back up

I agree. This forum has helped me so much. Even if I don't post I'm usually lurking to see what's going on. I find reading others success stories helps keep me on the straight and narrow too. It encourages me to continue. You and I, and many others on here, have worked hard to get good control. It's a shame that most of the medical profession can't/won't acknowledge that.
 
I've got my DN follow up appointment next week and I'm wondering what sort of reaction I am going to get. I know what I want so we'll see if I can get it. I shall be getting up extra early to get some meditation in to help me have a positive manner.

BTW when I booked my blood tests I also booked my dn appointment at the same time. This is the system at my surgery. I am told that I also need a double appointment. Is this the norm for the rest of you?

All the best for your next blood test Buttons11 may the numbers be what you want them to be and your doctor's mouth drop open in surprise and delight.
 
You have to smile I guess, extremely well done on what you have achieved - don't let anyone detract from that- you are doing very well. At my last checkup a few weeks ago I tentatively asked about the chances of getting a referral for a Coronary Artery Calcium scan ( which was refused ) - the reason the GP gave was there was no point as my Cholesterol levels were so good there was no point scanning me as there would be very little to improve should there be a problem anyway. This is from the same doctor that a year ago told me that LCHF was not good for me as it would push my CHO levels up ! - I asked if they were happy with my CHO now ? - reply was 'lets have a look, oh it seems your 'sticky' (their words) CHO has got better - when I asked what that meant, did you mean my LDL,HDL or trigs ?- response was 'it all looks fine' - you just have to laugh it off. I still don't know what they were referring to -My partner by the way thinks I am insane for not listening to doctors on the subject of managing my diabetes.
 
Bit pointless seeing the DN if they don't have the test results? I tend to book myself in for the blood draw and then book anther for a week later to see the DN (although these days I rarely bother as I just check the test results online). Always good to have your results before you go in so you can have an informed conversation rather than just be told your results are "ok" which is pretty meaningless.
 
Yes agree - best thing I did was getting online access - was able to read my latest results a week before visiting the GP/DN - I actually prefer self managing this condition - would suit me just fine never seeing the Doc for this.
 

LOL I didn't explain myself well did I. I meant I booked both appointments at the same time over the phone but my dn's appointment was for 10 days after the blood test. The receptionist was in charge of the timing.

Unfortunately I can't get my results on line.
 
I think I must have an exceptional team. My consultant paraded me around his team to boast about how well I've/we've done. I thanked them all. Including psychologist. He told me if I wasn't booked for bariatric surgery he would be discharging me.
Then my next hba1c was an even lower 48 on mdi.
We are all delighted, even my 2 gps!
 

Ah sorry misunderstanding on my part..

Are you in England? you should be able to get online results..
 
Yes, my surgery works the same way. I also look at my test results online before the appointment so the DN doesn't have to waste time telling me them; we just discuss where we are and the future. It works well.
 
Isn't it a shame gps couldnt be encouraged to read a few of our posts as part of their training.
I know our forum gp is absolutely brilliant. She advised me to see my gp about possible diabetic neuropathy and I see the podaritist this afternoon from my gp referral. I'm anxious but hopeful we have court my feet problem early enough to protect from further damage.
Thank god for good GPs!

I used to have a moody gp in camber sands. By the time my family saw him enough I absolutely started to get why he was moody.
He was the SE doc who attended the train accidents, motor accidents and suicides.
Wouldnt that make anyone moody?
He was a fantastic gp. He has retired, I believe, now. Or at least retired the SEDOC post.
One excellent gp.
Many are. Just an odd bad apple is enough to give them collective bad press.

Get a better relationship with your gp, if impossible. Or change gp ?
 
Daphne917 said:
Not necessarily - I’m in Somerset and the only thing I can do on line with my GP practice is order prescriptions
Click to expand...
You should be able to get your results too... according to the NHS website
How to access your GP record
Some GPs have given online access to their patients' GP records for some time. From April 2015 all GPs should give their patients online access to summary information in their records.
https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/thenhs/records/healthrecords/Pages/what_to_do.aspx
 
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