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Funny (but concerning) things doctors have said?

Rosieposie1990

Rosieposie1990

Member
Messages
6
Location
UK
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
OK I've been a type 1 diabetic since I turned 3, and as I'm now 25 I've had time to hear some bizarre things and see some serious changes in how diabetes is managed.....

I almost expect the "so are you the type that's low or high?" questions or nosey so and so's being the 'food police' and telling me that I shouldn't eat this or that (I do whirl round and explain that as I inject I can eat whatever I please and have to inject accordingly so buzz off, but I'm used to it)....

The times that really make me shake my head are when doctors or medical staff have bizarre gaps in their knowledge, some being rather amusing. I wondered if any one else had funny (after the fact) stories? .....

I was in hospital with the nora virus and the ward doctor came around and started asking about my insulin.

For someone who carb counts 'how much insulin do you do?' is a hard question so I respond with my basal amounts and the ratios of basal insulin I took at the time....
"Why do you do that?!" ........what an incredibly odd question! And with such an accusatory tone...
"Um.....because that's how carb counting with insulin works?!"
*doctor mumbling and walks off*

The diabetic nurse stood waiting behind him to check on me (and to ask why the ward staff thought putting glucose in one arm and insulin in another and trying to balance the two was a good idea) was then sniggering when I finally got to talk to a clued in human....
 
Hello to all, there is a big gap in what is taught to the nurses and doctors, so they do sound thick at times.
I woke up from a gallbladder procedure to find that I was attached to an insulin pump? as it turned out one of the doctors on the team had put me onto it, even though I did not use it, the consultant arrived and said quite loudly, "I don't want any of my patients on insulin pump" the pump was removed,, nurses not knowing that the 'No Added Sugar' squash meant that they do not add any from the white stuff on the table, they just use the fruit's natural sweetness,,,?

They don't understand and sometimes I think they don't want to understand,,and I think this is a dangerous way to be, like asking for a diabetic specialist doctor to see me while I was in hospital, to start the process of his care and then when I went back a few weeks later the treatment plan was in use and he could get some feed back and proceed from there, it took some asking of the nurses to get that to happen.
Let us look forward to hearing more of these funnies and we all could read about them, and sigh with utter disbelief,,,,all part of the life and times of diabetic sufferers, ttfn from Karen.
 
I was 4 when I was diagnosed and my sister was 8. We had the same paediatrician and saw him for several years when one day he phoned my mother in tears to ask for help. He had been diagnosed as diabetic and didn't know how to look after himself or what he could eat- could she help him please.
 
Hello ronialive, I can honestly say this post is beyond precious,,,and for the doctor to say that,,,,,but let us think about this,,,he was a paediatrician,,,so he could not make the information for himself,,and was he T2?
Maybe his own mum (if she was still alive) could not help or if he was on his own, he needed a 'mum' to tell him what to do and how to do it,,,, I hope you mum was gentle with him and gave him tissues to dry his eyes!!!,,,,well good cheers to your mum and hail her support for the doctor, ttfn from Karen
 
Over the years I have been in hospital numerous times whilst managing my T1 diabetes. One time I had to go in for surgery and a young doctor placed me on an insulin pump. As I was on a long acting insulin at night with the usual mealtime bursts of fast acting, I enquired exactly what was in the pump and if I still needed to inject prior to meals. A nurse sharply informed me that I was NOT to administer my own insulin AT ANY TIME - the pump was set up to do it for me. So I shut up.

During the following days my blood sugars were all over the place with high results, despite my poor appetite. Again, I asked a nurse to double check with the doctor to see if I was supposed to be having my fast acting at meal times. Again, I was told that everything had been set up correctly and that I must have an infection which would explain my high blood sugars.

Later, my own consultant came to see me along with both nurses I had previously spoken to. Frowning at my blood results, he then asked if I had been giving myself less insulin before meals! I calmly informed him that I had been fitted with an Insulin pump and strictly told not to inject at mealtimes or at any other point. I could see the disbelief/exasperation in his face as the two nurses started to look uncomfortable. My consultant had the pump, which apparently only contained my long acting insulin, removed on the spot and he told the nurses that I was more than capable of managing my own insulin regime and to listen to the patient a little more.

Needless to say there was both a major lack of understanding regarding diabetes regimes plus nobody had checked exactly what dose of each insulin I was due and at what time. The thing that really annoyed me though was that both nurses I spoke to chose to ignore the concerns of an intelligent, sound minded patient who knew her own diabetes inside out.

I would like to say this sort of incident was a one-off, but sadly I had to cope with similar level of ignorance/arrogance time and again. I often wonder how on earth elderly diabetics cope in such circumstances. I have always had to have my wits about me and double-checked everything myself.
 
GP doctors do not just ***** things, they do dangerous things for our lives.
I changed insulin and brought the letter from hospital diabetic nurse to our surgery, where was clearly written which Insulin I was prescribed. Next day I received a packet with insulin and prescription inside. I opened the packet and wanted to inject insulin (rapid) before meal, carefully calculating carbohydrates in my meal. In last moment I noticed that pen with insulin had a yellow ring , remembering that my hospital diabetic nurse sad that my insulin has to be with burgundy ring . I checked my prescription, which were sighed by my GP, but I knew that my GP did not work that 2 days. So she could not sigh my prescription. I called to my hospital diabetic nurse and said that I prescribed and received insulin with yellow ring instead burgundy ring she said me on our meeting about. She said me to not take that insulin and asked phone number of pharmacy to call them and check my prescription. After she called to surgery. . Final of this story: she reported about incident with insulin and I am writing here now instead to be dead taking wrong insulin, prescribed GP.
Even GP had the letter where was written which insulin I need, he was not able even to copy it to prescription.
Moral : don't trust GP, always remember what diabetic professionals are saying you. That GP continues to work in our surgery. He is a foreigner on a working visa.
 
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I have just recalled an appointment I had with a locum psychiatrist................ Normally I will insist on seeing the consultant, but I thought, give the guy a break.

When I went in. he skimmed through. my thirty years of notes, must be. a speed reader, and have a. photographic memory. Then. he asked, what medication I take

Me - Venlafaxine
Psyc - Can you spell that for me,
Me - Ariprazole
Psyc - And whats that
Me - An Anti Psychotic
Psyc - And how do you spell that
Me - Chlordiazepoxide
Psyc - And how do you spell that
Me - Nitrazepam
Psyc - I can spell that one
Me - Priadel
Psyc - mmmmmmmmm
Me - Lithium
Me - Mirtaazapine, do you need help
Psyc - mmm My spelling is not good

I've also had ECT, can you spell that
Psyc - Yes

By this time I had lost the will to live, made my excuses and left, I heard through the grape vine, that this guy wasn't even qualified, and had falsified, his qualifications

Needless to say, they sacked him, The next time, I saw him, was at the petrol station, in the local garage, He was working, in the kiosk, collecting cash payments, for petrol.

I'm afraid, this is 100% true, you could not, make it up, if you wanted to

This leads me to when my brother, was being admitted to hospital, during a manic episode of his manic depression. He asked the Psychiatrist to "prove that he was a doctor". The doctor looked at me, I shrugged my shoulders, and he walked out the room shaking his head, Needless to say my brother was admitted for several weeks of treatment.
It's strange but we never saw the same psychiatrist again...................
 
Hello @clareb1970, @Nadya123 and @martsnow,I have read your posts on the life of a diabetic and the constant brick walls that keep getting erected in front of us, by 'you cannot tell us any thing' nurses and even doctors.
@clareb1970, having read your post and the stupidity of staff who won't listen, is scarey to say the least.
I feel that written list of what and when is the safest way to go. I have a list with the instructions on, so your insulin should be listed and timed and then the sum of the total shown to them. Also this can be put into the file and referred to it, and they don't consider you capable when you are a patient,
I am so glad the specialist took them down several pegs and made the point of your ability to administer your own medication at the right time and dose. I have found that you have to keep telling them, and proving that you are just sick and not memory depleted.
@Nedya123, I read your post on the new insulin and my hair curled up, what a unbelievable level of ridiculous lack of care occurred, and the recall you had about the instructions the diabetic nurse had with you. The simple recall of the burgundy ring on the pen, and not a yellow one, you are so right about getting on the phone and getting the right help to get it sorted out. The idleness of the doctor not to read the hospital instructions correctly, should be reported to the BMA and make a formal complaint and have him disciplined and fined, as you rightly pointed out, you are alive thanks to the nurse, alive and doing well.
@martsnow, your post highlighted another problem, locums and how bad they are, you had a major escape and be able to recall this terrifying incident is brave and a warning to all of us.
The list system I mentioned to Clareb1970 would be a help to you also, saves trying to spell all those long names, and listening to the daft remarks, about spelling, The list could have the drug and the condition it is taken for.
Martsnow the revelation that this 'locum' was a fraud and and then your brother asking another doctor to prove he was a doctor, then never seeing him again, would really give me goosebumps, and a shudder on top. well to you all I hope by sharing your show that things are just as bad as can be, and we must all keep our wit about us, and our lists of stuff!!,ttfn from Karen.
 
Scouser58 said:
Hello @clareb1970, @Nadya123 and @martsnow,I have read your posts on the life of a diabetic and the constant brick walls that keep getting erected in front of us, by 'you cannot tell us any thing' nurses and even doctors.
@clareb1970, having read your post and the stupidity of staff who won't listen, is scarey to say the least.
I feel that written list of what and when is the safest way to go. I have a list with the instructions on, so your insulin should be listed and timed and then the sum of the total shown to them. Also this can be put into the file and referred to it, and they don't consider you capable when you are a patient,
I am so glad the specialist took them down several pegs and made the point of your ability to administer your own medication at the right time and dose. I have found that you have to keep telling them, and proving that you are just sick and not memory depleted.
@Nedya123, I read your post on the new insulin and my hair curled up, what a unbelievable level of ridiculous lack of care occurred, and the recall you had about the instructions the diabetic nurse had with you. The simple recall of the burgundy ring on the pen, and not a yellow one, you are so right about getting on the phone and getting the right help to get it sorted out. The idleness of the doctor not to read the hospital instructions correctly, should be reported to the BMA and make a formal complaint and have him disciplined and fined, as you rightly pointed out, you are alive thanks to the nurse, alive and doing well.
@martsnow, your post highlighted another problem, locums and how bad they are, you had a major escape and be able to recall this terrifying incident is brave and a warning to all of us.
The list system I mentioned to Clareb1970 would be a help to you also, saves trying to spell all those long names, and listening to the daft remarks, about spelling, The list could have the drug and the condition it is taken for.
Martsnow the revelation that this 'locum' was a fraud and and then your brother asking another doctor to prove he was a doctor, then never seeing him again, would really give me goosebumps, and a shudder on top. well to you all I hope by sharing your show that things are just as bad as can be, and we must all keep our wit about us, and our lists of stuff!!,ttfn from Karen.
Click to expand...
Hi Karen, if I ever need to go into hospital or see a new consultant, I always take a prepared list of all my medication, including drug name, over the counter name, dose and time medication is taken. In addition, at the top of the list I clearly state my full name, DOB, diagnosed medical conditions, details of any surgery plus height/weight. Everything is typed out in a clear font then copies printed off. Despite my best efforts I cannot recall a single time when a medic has ever actually looked at it when I hand it over - choosing instead to shove it somewhere within my very large medical file never to be seen again.
 
martsnow said:
I have just recalled an appointment I had with a locum psychiatrist................ Normally I will insist on seeing the consultant, but I thought, give the guy a break.

When I went in. he skimmed through. my thirty years of notes, must be. a speed reader, and have a. photographic memory. Then. he asked, what medication I take
<snip>

By this time I had lost the will to live, made my excuses and left, I heard through the grape vine, that this guy wasn't even qualified, and had falsified, his qualifications

Needless to say, they sacked him, The next time, I saw him, was at the petrol station, in the local garage, He was working, in the kiosk, collecting cash payments, for petrol.

<snip>
Click to expand...
Did he ask you how to spell it?:wideyed:
 
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