GP refusing insulin prescription

DeanCrawford

Member
Messages
6
I have been taking glargine insulin for about 15 years and it has been on my repeat prescription for as long. Suddenly my GP who does not deal with any of my diabetic care has stopped my prescription out of the blue as I am not ordering it frequently enough but I only order once every 2 months because what I get lasts me 2 months. since it has been taking off my GP refuses to discuss letting me have it which is causing my blood sugars to become very high more often and is seriously affecting my health and causing me a lot of stress. Can any one advise how to proceed with my GP to sort this issue out.
 

urbanracer

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,187
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
Is changing GP an option for you?
 

Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
May I ask if you have been attending your Diabetes reviews promptly when called? My repeat prescription was withheld until I agreed to attend an overdue appointment for a review.
 
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Emile_the_rat

Well-Known Member
Messages
246
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
Do you have a diabetic nurse or a GP specialized on diabetes? As diabetic you should always have a health care team around you to help when something goes wrong, like this.

Get someone from your diabetic health care team to contact your GP for sorting things out.

If you can’t take this futher with your diabetes team, I would suggest maybe changing GP, not the best solution, but unfortunaly there are some bad GPs out there.
 
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KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I have been taking glargine insulin for about 15 years and it has been on my repeat prescription for as long. Suddenly my GP who does not deal with any of my diabetic care has stopped my prescription out of the blue as I am not ordering it frequently enough but I only order once every 2 months because what I get lasts me 2 months. since it has been taking off my GP refuses to discuss letting me have it which is causing my blood sugars to become very high more often and is seriously affecting my health and causing me a lot of stress. Can any one advise how to proceed with my GP to sort this issue out.

Hi Dean, it sounds as if your GP has discussed something with you but seems to be saying 'You can no longer have it', is that the case? Have they explained WHY they have made this decision, there must be more to it than you have told us so far. I cannot imagine any GP just refusing your insulin for NO reason. Are you a type 1?, what have your glucose blood results been like, what amount of insulin had you been taking up to now? Has the Doctor assessed you and decided you are not type 1 or are a type 2 who doesn't need insulin or is concerned that your glucose levels are too low? There MUST be a reason for this, can you explain further for us? The first thing I would do is to get straight down that Drs for an appointment, they HAVE to give you an explanation and once you have that you can take the matter further.
 
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Daphne917

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,320
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I have been taking glargine insulin for about 15 years and it has been on my repeat prescription for as long. Suddenly my GP who does not deal with any of my diabetic care has stopped my prescription out of the blue as I am not ordering it frequently enough but I only order once every 2 months because what I get lasts me 2 months. since it has been taking off my GP refuses to discuss letting me have it which is causing my blood sugars to become very high more often and is seriously affecting my health and causing me a lot of stress. Can any one advise how to proceed with my GP to sort this issue out.
@DeanCrawford ordering once every 2 months should not cause a problem both my husband and me have repeat prescriptions that are renewed every 2 months. Have you spoken to your DN about this?
 

DeanCrawford

Member
Messages
6
Hi Dean, it sounds as if your GP has discussed something with you but seems to be saying 'You can no longer have it', is that the case? Have they explained WHY they have made this decision, there must be more to it than you have told us so far. I cannot imagine any GP just refusing your insulin for NO reason. Are you a type 1?, what have your glucose blood results been like, what amount of insulin had you been taking up to now? Has the Doctor assessed you and decided you are not type 1 or are a type 2 who doesn't need insulin or is concerned that your glucose levels are too low? There MUST be a reason for this, can you explain further for us? The first thing I would do is to get straight down that Drs for an appointment, they HAVE to give you an explanation and once you have that you can take the matter further.
I am type 1 yes, and my GP has no say in my current medication I see a specialist at my local hospital who was happy with my dose just last month and I even rang them and they said I should still be getting my prescription. I use my glargine twice a day 12 hours apart for 16 units at a time. My sugars are pretty normal between 5-10 during the day but the last week without my glargine I am seeing a lot of 15+ readings and very high when I wake up
 

becca59

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,871
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I’m confused, as a type 1 shouldn’t you be on a basal as well as the bolus?
 

Rokaab

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,161
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Sorry misread the question I could but the other GP offices are worse than the one I am at despite this incident
If you are in the UK ring up 111 and ask for advice, if it was a weekday now I'd say get an emergency appointment to get your Glargine, and talk to the practice manager about it, it i swrong for the doctor to not allow you your glargine (unless theres some other reason), if in the UK the 111 service may be able to sort you out with an emergency appointment to get your insulin today, not having said insulin is an emergency.
 

KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I am type 1 yes, and my GP has no say in my current medication I see a specialist at my local hospital who was happy with my dose just last month and I even rang them and they said I should still be getting my prescription. I use my glargine twice a day 12 hours apart for 16 units at a time. My sugars are pretty normal between 5-10 during the day but the last week without my glargine I am seeing a lot of 15+ readings and very high when I wake up

Dean, thanks for replying. I am absolutely baffled, do you have no insulin at all now then or just quick acting? How can any Dr do this, they are taking away something that is keeping you alive, without wishing to sound dramatic you could be in hospital or worse within a week or less. What about ketones??? Do you have any means of checking these? I would be down the hospital pronto.
 

Dark Horse

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,840
I am type 1 yes, and my GP has no say in my current medication I see a specialist at my local hospital who was happy with my dose just last month and I even rang them and they said I should still be getting my prescription. I use my glargine twice a day 12 hours apart for 16 units at a time. My sugars are pretty normal between 5-10 during the day but the last week without my glargine I am seeing a lot of 15+ readings and very high when I wake up
Contact your hospital specialist again and ask them to contact your GP as soon as possible to ask them to prescribe your required medication.
 

JMK1954

Well-Known Member
Messages
520
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
This is just a bizarre situation. Yes, contact your consultant. If you ring the hospital you attend, you should be able to get the number of his secretary and explain the situation to her. This might work faster than writing a letter. I would complain to the practice manager in the strongest terms as well. What on earth is going on ?
 

DeanCrawford

Member
Messages
6
This is just a bizarre situation. Yes, contact your consultant. If you ring the hospital you attend, you should be able to get the number of his secretary and explain the situation to her. This might work faster than writing a letter. I would complain to the practice manager in the strongest terms as well. What on earth is going on ?
I will try that thank for the advice
 
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mahola

Well-Known Member
Messages
83
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
You can go to a pharmacy and get an urgent prescription for our insulin until you sort it out with your GP. I suggest you to your GPs tomorrow, first thing and refuse to leave until it's sorted.
 
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