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Is honesty the best policy?

Anonymous Question

Anonymous Question

Well-Known Member
Messages
290
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
Anonymous question submitted:

Are you always completely honest with your DSN/doctor? I am normally a very honest person and when I meet with my DSN I believe I should be particularly honest about progress etc. However...I have been told off a few times for testing too much. I don't think I test excessively: average of 7 times a day (type 1), the odd day I would test maybe 8 or 9 times - not long diagnosed though, so still checking what certain foods do, hypo or not etc. I was being honest about the number of times I was testing but am feeling a bit fed up of being told off. So...now I will not record all readings, only the ones they want to see! Shoot me for it! I feel guilty though, to the point of feeling I have to hide my normal forum id LOL! Paranoid or what?. It made me wonder, how honest are you with your HCP, or do you hide things?

To submit a question, please go to http://www.diabetes.co.uk/ask-an-anonym ... stion.html
 
I hide nothing from my HCP as it wouldn't be in my best interests, like wise with other organisations such as DVLA and Insurance companies.

Your gp will know how many times you test a day by the amount of test strips they prescribe, of course if you buy some yourself they'll be none the wiser but honesty is always the best policy when it comes to your health!
 
I too am always 100% honest with my medical team and I dont care if they like it or not it is my health not theres.

How can they diagnose anything if I lie to them?

If my doctor disagrees with me, which he doesnt appear to on many matters he will give me his opinion and then I will make a rational evidence based decision.

No doctor would treat me like a naughty school boy and if they did I would report them.....end of.
 
I have a pact with my nurse. I will be completely honest and she is to keep me supplied with feedback. To add further to my honesty I have to buy most of my test strips myself but I make my spreadsheet available to her.

This has led to one or two moments of difficulty e.g. When my nurse said that I should change to semi skimmed milk I said no. I am not sure anyone has said no to her before but I had no intention of complying and I made it clear. There have been one or two other instances like when she insists on something to which I object. If she keeps on insisting then I say, "If you want me to lie to you I will".

In her turn she has made my file available with all the numbers from the last 2/3 years. It enables me to see what happened when with regard to treatment.

I am also able to get printouts of my blood test results by just asking the receptionist.

PS. Since I buy the majority of my own test strips I will test when and how often I like.
 
I wouldn't keep anything from them but explain why you feel you should test so often. Tell them why you do it, what you hope to glean from the results and maybe even ask them to comment on what you have just said. Last I heard, you are entitled to test as much as you want.

What they are worried about, I had the same with monitoring blood pressure, is that many patients do this sort of thing, panic themselves, call the surgery and then their time is wasted reassuring the patients who have mostly got the wrong end of the stick. My nurse said that I would take three readings, get three different results and then assume something was wrong. My GP on the otherhand simply advised me to get one which was approved by the british hypertension society.
 
Squire Fulwood said:
When my nurse said that I should change to semi skimmed milk I said no. I am not sure anyone has said no to her before but I had no intention of complying and I made it clear.
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LOL, did she point to the NHS Zero Tolerance Notice and glare at you?
 
Yorksman said:
Squire Fulwood said:
When my nurse said that I should change to semi skimmed milk I said no. I am not sure anyone has said no to her before but I had no intention of complying and I made it clear.
Click to expand...

LOL, did she point to the NHS Zero Tolerance Notice and glare at you?
Click to expand...

No, she is made of sterner stuff than that. She is an excellent nurse and we mostly agree on my treatment.
 
Most of the time I'm honest with my DSN maybe not so much with my doctors. It has its downsides however as it means my DSN will not be able to trust me with my medication and causes her stress because I admit when I've messed up.

I think the dietician would rather me not be honest as I always stress her out.
 
hi ya i test 6-7 times a day and ive been told that i dont need to that much but if it makes you feel happy and comfortable then do it. your diabetic team should not tell you off but should advise you of the general number of times normally done. but its all about what you need to do to help and get used to the situation your in. dont feel guilty about anything. xxxxx

Sent from my GT-S5670 using DCUK Forum mobile app
 
my doctor and nurse are both convinced I don't need to test at all and if they gave me a meter and strips, it would only depress me because according to them I wouldn't be able to do anything about a high result...

I told them it would give me the information I need to tailor my carbohydrate intake as their NHS diet that told me to follow wasn't working.

I'd hate to think where I'd be now if I'd just blindly taken their diet as written and not started testing myself...

If they try and claim success with their diet at my annual review, I will not be very happy with them and will tell them honestly what I think of the NHS dietary advice for diabetics.
 
Honesty may be the best policy but hold your tongue when telling the truth.
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When I am dishonest to my wife and daughter they know straight away that I am fibbing.

I dare not try to be dishonest to my GP's, as they will soon pick up bad vibes.

A few fibs might be ok, however never when it concerns your health.

Roy :)
 
I'm always honest, but often wish I wasnt. I think I would have less hassle if I could tell a fib now and then.
 
Anonymous Question said:
Anonymous question submitted:

...now I will not record all readings, only the ones they want to see! Shoot me for it! I feel guilty though, to the point of feeling I have to hide my normal forum id LOL! l
Click to expand...

The humour of your original post just struck me. I am slow today (and yesterday and the day before).

Hiding your ID, not recording all readings. Yeah, that's what you call honesty.
 
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