Help required please........

[amici]

I am new to this forum and I am troubled.

Briefly, am 75 year old female with Type 2 which I have had for many years, at first whilst overweight very badly controlled and ended up on Insulin as well as oral medication. Over the last 5 years have lost weight and adjusted diet and was on Competact twice daily only. Readings were between 4 and 8.

At the end of 2019 at my quarterly review I was told that the last 2 HB1ac were a little high and that I should see the GP. I mentioned to my new GP (old one having retired) that having had Bladder Cancer I was told I should not be taking Competact. She said she would consult the practice specialist and get back to me. A few days later my prescription was changed to Metformin 2 x twice a day. This appeared too much medication for me as I was not eating well and suffering nausea which was eventually diagnosed in March 2021 as a problem with my Hiatus Hernia.
Despite many attempts, partly due to Covid,I have been unable to speak with my GP or Diabetic Nurse since the medication was changed late 2019, all they keep saying is make an appointment to see the Nurse, but the Receptionist tells me I cannot I have to wait to be sent for!!.

During all of 2020 and to the present date I have been very unwell with alot of problems, one of which is a recurring UTI which returns every time I stop the 3 day treatment they give me - I have begged them to look into this but they say "its common at your age". However, the most startling fact is that in April 2021 out of the blue I received an "Insulin Passport" from the surgery instructing me to carry it with me at all times!! The list of medication thereon clearly showed I was NOT on insulin!!

When I queried this,I was told "oh dear" wait until you see the nurse, I expect she will explain.

I can no longer test my blood as they have stopped stocking the test strips for my now outdated blood monitor, and again, was told, wait and tell the nurse, she will probably fix this!!

I have not had an HB1ac or full blood count (I am chronically anaemic) for over 12 months now and am getting extremely concerned.

I have managed just one 'face to face' in February this year to ask for help, was told 'its all in your head,we are all suffering' 'what do you want me to do about it',walked to the surgery building door and all but booted out into the rain.

Can I get these blood tests other than through the GP

 

[TriciaWs]

This is appalling. My 6 monthly blood tests were stopped for a while but restarted the end of last year. Also I'm now booked for my annual diabetic eye check at the hospital after a gap.
Write to the Practice manager, explain they haven't caught up on your appointments and tests and ask them to sort this out for you.
Can you afford to buy a new meter, one which takes cheaper test strips?
And have you tried low carb?
Getting your blood sugars down might help with the UTIs as well.

 

[Hopeful34]

That's awful. I agree with Tricia about writing to the practice manager. Regarding the UTI's, for some people (I'm one of them), 3 days worth of medication isn't enough to fully get rid of the infection. You can buy test strips at Amazon which are similar/the same in some cases as the ones that practice nurses use to dip your own urine. They would help you identify immediately you feel a UTI starting, and if it's fully cleared up after 3 days of medication. They're invaluable as they have quite a few different tests on one strip, which you could show the nurse if you ever get to see her, as it could be you're not being given the right antibiotics (I'm not medically trained, so am not saying this is the case, but just trying to help).
You can send for the blood tests through the post, but the surgery should be providing them. Why should you have to pay for them?

 

[amici]

Thank you for your responses, I did make a formal complaint to the practice after being treated that way. It took a while for them to respond, but said I was free to change practices if I was not happy!!! I live in a rural village, and it is only a small practice with 3 part time surgeries in 3 villages. The one in my village is actually in my Close a few yards from me, but I can never get to see anyone there even prior to Covid, always having to travel 15 miles to the next village, yet they are still taking on patients from a recent new build Mews in the village!!

I have been unwell since the end of last year, and have lost over 2 stone since February as I just do not eat at all now, I feel nauseas all the time, and if I do eat, often than not I will vomit. I have divaticular disease which causes severe bloating and diarrhoea. Some days I just cannot get out of bed my legs are so weak. I went to a urgent care clinic at the hospital a couple of weekends ago when another UTI started and they were appalled by what I told them, but could offer no further assistance.

Three years ago, whilst I was still having annual cystocopies for my bladder cancer, I thought it was back as the camera showed the inside of my bladder was red raw, but the consultant said it was from the untreated UTI's and put me on 3 months of tablets. I know from the pain and symptoms that it is that way again, and I mentioned it on an online consultation form, but it was ignored and I was just told to collect a prescription for a further 3 days supply!!

I am disabled and find it hard to get about, oh and 2 years after discovering a suspicious mole, which they told me was nothing, through the hospital this year, it has now been diagnosed as skin cancer. This practice is seriously not fit for purpose, but unfortuntely, there are no other practices that will accept anyone from the village as we are 'out of area'.

 

[Hertfordshiremum]

Thank you for your responses, I did make a formal complaint to the practice after being treated that way. It took a while for them to respond, but said I was free to change practices if I was not happy!!! I live in a rural village, and it is only a small practice with 3 part time surgeries in 3 villages. The one in my village is actually in my Close a few yards from me, but I can never get to see anyone there even prior to Covid, always having to travel 15 miles to the next village, yet they are still taking on patients from a recent new build Mews in the village!!

I have been unwell since the end of last year, and have lost over 2 stone since February as I just do not eat at all now, I feel nauseas all the time, and if I do eat, often than not I will vomit. I have divaticular disease which causes severe bloating and diarrhoea. Some days I just cannot get out of bed my legs are so weak. I went to a urgent care clinic at the hospital a couple of weekends ago when another UTI started and they were appalled by what I told them, but could offer no further assistance.

Three years ago, whilst I was still having annual cystocopies for my bladder cancer, I thought it was back as the camera showed the inside of my bladder was red raw, but the consultant said it was from the untreated UTI's and put me on 3 months of tablets. I know from the pain and symptoms that it is that way again, and I mentioned it on an online consultation form, but it was ignored and I was just told to collect a prescription for a further 3 days supply!!

I am disabled and find it hard to get about, oh and 2 years after discovering a suspicious mole, which they told me was nothing, through the hospital this year, it has now been diagnosed as skin cancer. This practice is seriously not fit for purpose, but unfortuntely, there are no other practices that will accept anyone from the village as we are 'out of area'.

Hi This is appallingly, if you are well enough to write a complaint I would do.
In the meantime as someone who had 6 UTI’s in 2020 this is what finally worked for me, if the doctor keeps giving you Nitrofurantoin antibiotic please refuse as they clearly don’t work for you and didn’t for me, even a 7 day course and it just came back again. There is another antibiotic for UTI’s called Trimethoprim, so it might definitely be worth trying this other one.
How about calling 111 out of hours next time as they can prescribe and that’s how I got the different antibiotics and the information.
I also buy my own test strips from Amazon, they are the same as the doctor uses so if you get a positive result you can confidently tell them over the phone you definitely have a UTI.
Also I take daily D Mannose, recommended by a urologist I finally spoke with, you can buy the powder that you dissolve in water, I buy Nature supplies or tablet form. The bacteria is attracted to the DMannose and passes through you rather than multiplying further in the bladder wall. Apparently far better than the drinks you can buy from the chemist. Certainly working for me.
You have my utmost sympathy I know how awful this is, not to mention it causes high blood sugar as it’s an infection and in my case ketones, sickness and symptoms of DKA. I will copy and paste the links for you.
I would get the test strips, it’s easy to follow, feel free to message me privately for more detail. Then call 111 when the doctors are shut and ask them to send a different prescription to your local pharmacy, that’s what I did.

Test strips, if you don’t buy this brand make sure you buy some that are individually foil wrapped otherwise they won’t last. These are the ones I buy
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Urine-Urin...ywords=Test+strips+UTI&qid=1625346056&sr=8-16

DMannose powder More expensive than the tablets but you can take more often and I think more effective.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081M3LPGV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

DMannose tablets These are regularly on offer.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07TVPNG25/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Please message again if you need to Best wishes and hope you feel better soon.

 

[Hertfordshiremum]

Thank you for your responses, I did make a formal complaint to the practice after being treated that way. It took a while for them to respond, but said I was free to change practices if I was not happy!!! I live in a rural village, and it is only a small practice with 3 part time surgeries in 3 villages. The one in my village is actually in my Close a few yards from me, but I can never get to see anyone there even prior to Covid, always having to travel 15 miles to the next village, yet they are still taking on patients from a recent new build Mews in the village!!

I have been unwell since the end of last year, and have lost over 2 stone since February as I just do not eat at all now, I feel nauseas all the time, and if I do eat, often than not I will vomit. I have divaticular disease which causes severe bloating and diarrhoea. Some days I just cannot get out of bed my legs are so weak. I went to a urgent care clinic at the hospital a couple of weekends ago when another UTI started and they were appalled by what I told them, but could offer no further assistance.

Three years ago, whilst I was still having annual cystocopies for my bladder cancer, I thought it was back as the camera showed the inside of my bladder was red raw, but the consultant said it was from the untreated UTI's and put me on 3 months of tablets. I know from the pain and symptoms that it is that way again, and I mentioned it on an online consultation form, but it was ignored and I was just told to collect a prescription for a further 3 days supply!!

I am disabled and find it hard to get about, oh and 2 years after discovering a suspicious mole, which they told me was nothing, through the hospital this year, it has now been diagnosed as skin cancer. This practice is seriously not fit for purpose, but unfortuntely, there are no other practices that will accept anyone from the village as we are 'out of area'.

Having thought about this further insist on being referred to a urologist, they can do lots to help. If you need to complain about your doctor this is who to contact. I understand this might be difficult if you can’t change to another doctor
https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/complaining-to-nhse/
Good luck