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Frustrated and feeling fed up

K

Keiron

Member
Messages
5
I've just been to see my GP to discuss HBA1c and haven;t stopped crying since being there at 7am :cry: I'm really fed up of being diabetic and am frustrated that the view of my GP appears to be that it's all my fault. I have a high HBA1c which I do want to bring down, but I am also a human being who has a lot of other things going on - so "I took my eye off the ball" for a little while :!:
30 years of being diabetic I do not need to be lectured about the complications caused due to poor control - I try to do my best most of the time :x :x :x

All I want is for someone to help me get to grips with this again, support me when things are hard and understand - not get on my case and give me a hard time :cry:
 
I can't pretend to know how you feel, having only recently been diagnosed, but this does mean that I have recently learnt how to deal with it. Just think that you have the experience and the knowledge now to tackle it and bring your levels down. Stick in there, you'll be fine!
 
Keiron, I can completely sympathize with you- if you don't mind me telling you I've onoly had T1 for a rather 'minor' 10years!
Spent the last 6 years going through University and studying, literally in and out of hospital- either people telling me to lose weight or to put weight on. To not eat this or to definately not eat that etc.....
I had one of those down days yesterday, and it then didn't help when one of my 'caring' family members shoved a picture of a 'diabetic foot complication' in my face!
All I can say is, todays a new day, struggle on and try and be better today, and then a bit better tomorrow! I'm far from perfect (far far far from perfect) and know how it feels like most of us on here that you are never quite there, or are never quite good enough 'you can always do better' sort of mindset. It's ****, but hey thats life!
Lisa
 
Hi Keiron,

Sorry to hear you have had such a miserable start to the day. I know it certainly cannot help when the Dr's lecture you. Are you only treated by your GP or do you also get annual reviews at a local hospital with a diabetic specialist team?

If not then ask your Dr for a referal and speak to the Diabetic Specialist Nurses.
Not to be confused a a practice nurse at most GP's that happen to know a bit about diabetes.
My DSN has been brilliant, they tend to have a much more practical view of things than the Dr's do and they will often take the time to work with you and try to figure out what will work for you.

Do you carb count etc? It may also be worth trying to get on a DAFNE course locally as these are a huge help to many people.
It really sounds like what you actually need is someone that will work with you and not lecture you about stuff you already know.

Best of luck and let us know how you get on.

A
 
Thank you all so much for your replies - it helps to know I'm not on my own.

I am seeing the diabetes specialist nurse very soon (she is due to ring me this pm) to go back over the carb counting etc. I did do the DAFNE course about 2-3 yrs ago, but having recently had meningoccocal meningitis my memory has gone a little array (which I think is what lead to my GPs response this morning!). He asked me what my mml ratio was and I had a total blank - I couldn't even remeber the name of my daytime insulin at the time. As soon as he said 1mml per 10g I clicked. I don't see a specialist team at the local hospital - my choice, but mainly due to bad experiences in the past.

I'm still feeling quite down but have stopped crying lol.
 
So sorry for your bad experience Keiron. That was the last thing you needed. When will these people realise that they are dealing with people who have been are ?ill/confused/ dealing wih other issues or
sometimes struggling with the effect of medication.

Gps are now earning more than ever before while doing less. Many could do with a reminder of why they are there. Oh silly me! Their primary function
is to reach targets so that they can increase their profits.

I hope you can find someone more sympathetic to help you by following the suggestions above.

You are definitely not alone, I am sure most of us at some stage wonder whose side the HCPs are on..
 
Sorry to hear that mate, but stick in there. Sounds like you've had it tough, and being recently diagnosed I'm not sure I can really relate to this, but I'm sure the diabetic nurse will sort you out. I'm currently taking 1 unit of insulin to every 20g of carbs in my meals- the Cals/Carbs book is really helpful, although I'm sure you have already been told this! Best wishes and hope things improve for you!
 
Dont worry you are not alone ive been T1 for nearly 40 years and on occasion im in the same position as you.

I always think sometimes docs/specialists dont really understand what we go through; its not like they can say "take X amount and all will be ok" which they sometimes do but there are so many other factors like when i go playing tennis and my sugars drop, or i have some extra carbs/less insulin and the tennis match is called off!!!

Yes fed up/fustrated is just the start ;-)

Keep ur chin up
 
Keiron I can completely understand where your coming from 11 months ago my HbA1c was 12.9, all the doctors could do was tell me they'd put me on the waiting list for the carb counting course but the waiting list was 2 years in the Bucks area. But continued to tell me all my issues were my own fault - like you other medical issues made it hard. I fell out with the hospital and only saw my GP who kept saying, "you know more than I do".

Anyway, did some googling and researching and since January have carb counted and my HbA1c is now 6.6, all done by myself. Received a call from the hospital recently asking me to attend as they'd seen my results. I politely told them I'd done it my way and would continue to do so but thanks.
I still have days when I hate my diabetes and feels like an alien invading my body but I come to the forum and feel like I'm understood and with people who actually care and want to help. I hope things improve and if you need help this is definately the place to get it!
 
Hi Kim

On same insulin as you, but i would re-consider seeing the specialists/docs at hospital whenever you can; although you had a "blip" in you condionion "it does happen" and to not to throw help back in their faces as later on you may need them again. They can't be with you all the times so the dont know the full story over the past couple of weeks.

The hospital discharged us last year because my count has been good over many years but i refused as i said would like to see them if only once a year; which they were happy to do

Good luck :-)
 
Hi Keiron,

I hope this finds you feeling a bit better :) :) :) :)

I feel lucky because i have always gone to the hospital clinic and have developed a really good relationship with my consultant, who has seen me for the past ten years and through two pregnancies. I also have a good relationship with my DSN who has been the same person since i was diagnosed 15 yrs ago.

When you go to see the DSN maybe explain how you feel and how you have other things have taken over a bit and at the end of the meeting ask to see her again if you feel comfortable with that person. Then you could have someone available to speak to you if things take you a bit off track again.

Hope things well :wave: :wave:

Josie
 
Firstly I am "only" T2, but I would like to help you. GPs only allocate you five minutes, so there is no time for a full dicussion, which you will have with the nurse. You are obviously very experienced at successfully managing your diabetes, so to me the GP was totally out of order, he/she should have realised that you were far more aware of controlling your condition, than he/she was. This of course means that the answer was in truth correct, ( maybe he was just covering the fact that he didn't know how to help but wouldn't admit it ) however being blunt is not a good or constructive bedside manner. A bit of sympathy and support would be far more beneficial, and telling you that you are better than they are at management, and then offering to help you, by referring you to a DSN, would have give you the same message but a totally different way.
So "Don't let them grind you down", keep your chin up and ask here, after all it is your life.
Good luck.
 
i know this is a bit late, but i have only just found this forum...
i cant give you any help cos this whole diabetes thing is driving me insane!!!!! but i just wanted to say that i feel so much better knowing that i am not the only one that is totally frustrated and fed up with the daily grind of sugar levels. i have only been t1 for 7 years and already i feel totally exhausted from the constant battle of trying to get everything right.
 
I gave up on my GP a long time ago! Its very difficult for someone that doesn't suffer from the condition to understand what a battle it can be sometimes.. or even when it's not a battle what an effect it can have on you mentally.

My diabetes is all managed at the centre at the hospital at least their you have a fighting chance of talking to someone 1/2 sensible and understanding.. and even now if I can I book in three - six monthly appointments because its always worth getting yourself check out and the HbA1c's done.

If you don't have any luck with you GP don't be afraid to either ask to see another doctor at the practice or ask to be referred to your local diabetes centre. With everything else we have to put up with poorly informed and unhelpful HCP's shouldn't be tolerated.
 
Hi everyone,

Thankyou for all your posts, its quite refreshing to know I'm not on my own :D

Since my last post I recently went to see the same GP again as the hospital are not prepared to operate on my arm whilst my HBA1c remains high. As a result (and after a long wait) I finally have an appointment to see the DSN on Friday, and they have mentioned changing my blood glucose monitor to one that will give advice re: carbs and insulin adjustment. Does anyone on here use this meter and what is your experience of this? Is it helpful?

Whilst at the hospital for a pre-assessment check I had numerous tests taken including full blood count and HBA1c (this was on the 3rd Jan). For some reason my GP has asked for me to have all these tests repeated again next week, and I'm not sure why :?:
 
Keiron,

The meter they are changing you to will be the Accu-Chek Aviva Expert, I've never used this meter but there are members on here who do so hopefully they'll offer you some advice.
 
Hi kieron,
Ive been T1 for nearly 25 years, and only recently startedto 'get a grip' of it, If you can get a insulinx monitor thats the one I'd personally go for, for years a used a 'one touch ultra smart', simply because @ the time of getting it ,it was the only one that had a decent management software programme that came with it, but times have moved on and now there are a few newer and better meters available, I got the insulinx 2 weeks ago and have noticed the difference almost immediatly, as because you have to test-input carbs it will then give the suggested dose based on the information given, it also takes into account the insulin that may still be floating about in your systenwhen suggesting doses, which you can over ride the amount also if you think it may be a bit out, it sounds like a lot of work, but after a week it has become second nature, The DSN will set up the carbs-2-insulin ratios in the 1st instance as a guideline, then its is quite easy to adjust them if need be at a latter time, also......and this was a huge help for me, the reports are in standard .pdf format not like the onetouch stuff that was in it own format which ment the DSN's couldnt open them on the hospital systems.. :crazy: ..sounds daft, but thats how it was, now once a week I send the report to the dsn and she emails me back with suggestions and I make the changes needed :thumbup: the reports are also user friendly, and all the info on 1 chart..carbs-insulin-bloods, which makes looking for patterns alot less complicated.

As you can probably tell I'm totally sold on the insulinx and would fight any1 who tried to take it off me!!

Speak to your DSN @ the hospital, even if you dont see eye to eye with them, from own experience the practice diabeties clinics arent all that good for information, or local hospital runs alot of the clinics in the surrounding towns as I live in a rural area, so if you can see if the local hospital does a clinic nearby see if you can be put on thier list, if it works great.... if it dont... at least you have tried..


Sorry for the 'war and peace' post, but when I get typin theres no bloody stoppin me!!!!!


Diabetis is no fun.... if it was everyone would want it...


Bob
 
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