• Guest, the forum is undergoing some upgrades and so the usual themes will be unavailable for a few days. In the meantime, you can use the forum like normal. We'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Need advice, thoughts on a recent appointment.

W

worksopcoffeeman

Member
Ok, first up, I have not always been a “good” diabetic. I never understood it and very little help was given from the get go about how I should be treating myself with the medication provided. So for a long time I dipped in and out of my medication and always got disillusioned with the results. But the one thing I remember them saying when I was first put on Trasiba was to start at 2 units and if 3 days later I wasn’t seeing any results I had to up my dosage by another 2 units. And to keep on doing it until I started to see results.

Same things was said about taking Novorapid: take 2 units, test 2 hours later and take another 2 units if my bloods had not come down.

So now I’m up to 200 units of Tresiba. My morning readings have come down from 18+ all the way to between 6 and 9. I finally thought it was making progress, was happy with myself and what I have been doing, and then I had to meet with the diabetic nurse at my local doctors surgery.

She said I had to stop the 200 units of Tresiba because it was dangerous. I explained about what I had been told on more than one occasion about how I had to keep sailing up 2 units until I saw results. To which she Claimed that was untrue because nobody had ever included this point in my notes. So I asked if 200 was too high in her opinion what ought to be taking. She refused to tell me.

So the point of this long, meandering rant is this: do diabetic nurses and doctors always make you feel like you ought to just quit in spite of the happy results you’re getting, or am I being overly sensitive?

I have an appointment with the hospital in February but Right now I just want to quit, again.
 
worksopcoffeeman said:
Ok, first up, I have not always been a “good” diabetic. I never understood it and very little help was given from the get go about how I should be treating myself with the medication provided. So for a long time I dipped in and out of my medication and always got disillusioned with the results. But the one thing I remember them saying when I was first put on Trasiba was to start at 2 units and if 3 days later I wasn’t seeing any results I had to up my dosage by another 2 units. And to keep on doing it until I started to see results.

Same things was said about taking Novorapid: take 2 units, test 2 hours later and take another 2 units if my bloods had not come down.

So now I’m up to 200 units of Tresiba. My morning readings have come down from 18+ all the way to between 6 and 9. I finally thought it was making progress, was happy with myself and what I have been doing, and then I had to meet with the diabetic nurse at my local doctors surgery.

She said I had to stop the 200 units of Tresiba because it was dangerous. I explained about what I had been told on more than one occasion about how I had to keep sailing up 2 units until I saw results. To which she Claimed that was untrue because nobody had ever included this point in my notes. So I asked if 200 was too high in her opinion what ought to be taking. She refused to tell me.

So the point of this long, meandering rant is this: do diabetic nurses and doctors always make you feel like you ought to just quit in spite of the happy results you’re getting, or am I being overly sensitive?

I have an appointment with the hospital in February but Right now I just want to quit, again.
Click to expand...
Don’t quit @worksopcoffeeman ! Unfortunately, I am not in a position to advise on the insulin meds.

To answer your question about diabetic nurses… just like any profession there are good , bad, indifferent, and something in between. Over the years, I have met all sorts. I find all HCPs in NHS are currently under a lot of pressure. We have to be our own ‘experts’. This sometimes irks those who are trying to follow the set script, which seems to frequently be that we are ‘empty vessels’ that need filling with their knowledge. That knowledge is often flawed, outdated, irrelevant.
In your position I would try to contact the HCP who first advised on your dosages. Failing that, I would seek the opinion of my GP to get proper information on the correct amount and use of the medication I had been precribed. Inwould not wait until the hospital appointment in February.
 
worksopcoffeeman said:
So the point of this long, meandering rant is this: do diabetic nurses and doctors always make you feel like you ought to just quit in spite of the happy results you’re getting, or am I being overly sensitive?
Click to expand...
You're not being overly sensitive, and I don't understand the diabetes nurse at all.
If the amount of insulin you use gives you healthy numbers without going hypo all the time, the dose is right, no matter if it's 2 units or 200 units.

Slowly titrating up, like you did, is exactly the way official guidelines tell us. It's the only way to find the right dose.
worksopcoffeeman said:
She said I had to stop the 200 units of Tresiba because it was dangerous.
Click to expand...
She's wrong, unless you've been having regular hypos.
20 units can be dangerous and even deadly for some, but 200 units can be too little for others.

You said you have a hospital appointment again in februari. Is it the hospital or the GP who mainly cares for your diabetes? If the hospital, I'm not sure how the GP nurse thought she could meddle with your treatment, if the GP, what is your hospital appointment about?

Who are you seeing at the hospital? An endocrinologist or diabetes specialist nurse?
If so, I'd urgently contact them to say your GP nurse has told you to stop your insulin, and what are you to do now.
I sure hope you have enough insulin to keep you safe, don't give up!
 
Pipp said:
Failing that, I would seek the opinion of my GP to get proper information on the correct amount and use of the medication I had been precribed. Inwould not wait until the hospital appointment in
Click to expand...
I have asked countless times for guidance on dosages, and, like the hospital, nobody provides me with anything.

As of now, all I know is that 25 units of Novorapid will bring my sugars down from 12 to around the 5 or 6 mark. Low number units just don’t yield any results. I guess easier to keep on doing what I’m doing to get the numbers right than not at all.
 
worksopcoffeeman said:
I have asked countless times for guidance on dosages, and, like the hospital, nobody provides me with anything.

As of now, all I know is that 25 units of Novorapid will bring my sugars down from 12 to around the 5 or 6 mark. Low number units just don’t yield any results. I guess easier to keep on doing what I’m doing to get the numbers right than not at all.
Click to expand...
Sounds to me like you're doing pretty well really!
 
I've just had a look at your (not so very) old threads, and it looks like you've made an amazing improvement in a short time, while still keeping a safe distance from hypo territory!
Please don't throw your progress out of the window for one nurse who may not be too confident or experienced in dealing with patients on a basal and bolus insulin regime.
 
Antje77 said:
Sounds to me like you're doing pretty well really!
Click to expand...
I had thought so too, I guess I took the remarks to heart. Though when she started saying 200 was a dangerous level and I had to go to hospital that day for a chat it took the wind out of my sail slightly.

Maybe tomorrow will be different. But I’m obsessed with numbers right now. So I’ll be back at it.
 
Antje77 said:
I've just had a look at your (not so very) old threads, and it looks like you've made an amazing improvement in a short time, while still keeping a safe distance from hypo territory!
Please don't throw your progress out of the window for one nurse who may not be too confident or experienced in dealing with patients on a basal and bolus insulin regime.
Click to expand...
Thank you!
 
Hi @worksopcoffeeman

I agree with everyone else- sounds like you've done really well. I'm sorry that you had that experience- like @Pipp said every profession has a range of people in them from the great to the not so great. I don't think you're being sensitive I think that the nurse could have communicated better. As the professional in the situation it is her job to communicate in an appropriate and helpful way. If my clients don't understand me when I give legal advice that's on me not on them. If I am not clear and informative and supportive- that's on me not them.

Stick around as there are some amazing people here who are very willing to be supportive :)
 
Back
Top