The country medical centre practice nurse did send me an email a couple of days ago telling me the date for my next HBA1c, which was very nice, and, that they would alert me when it was coming up. So, nice that they aren't making me count, literally, on what constitutes three months (calendar, or business days?) between tests. Only took over a month to do so! But… (you know I am going to say this….) whose counting?!
I am very disappointed in them that there was no interest in my low B12, considering how important good levels of B12 are. And that they are supposed to be on the lookout for it, regarding metformin.
I know that discussing weight, nutrition, and checking on feet, gums, and for diabetes distress are all things docs and nurses are supposed to be doing in diabetes care in my country – Aotearoa/NZ - at least. And def on bad side effects of medications (which for me significantly lowered B12 seems to be – a known side effect of metformin due to either shared pathway or gut absorption issues or both I am not sure). So a spot of …. Counting! Ie looking at the numbers, as I did, including borderline range, and asking me what my prior B12 levels were, would have been good work on their part.
Makes me more irritated with the excessive interest in putting me on the scales repeatedly for them to count my BMI a few months back. I wanted the new doc and the prac-nurse to actually listen to me on the topic, and take note of my height waist ratio instead. All that time on scales and BMI charts! What a waste of their time and mine. I Would have loved it if they did the same thing for me with my B12 numbers, and even better – translated that to prescribing B12 supplements/injection/intranasal gel. Much better use of time than reduntantly writing simple maths-meanings to me re my hba1c.
Anyway. My life circumstances are set to change again, so I can reinstate my city-GP, the gem, back on my diabetes care. My city GP would never think she needed to point out to me that 47 was a lower number than 52, and regarding blood glucose was a good thing! Bless her! Can’t wait to have her back -back where it counts. And, I can get my insulin production counted again, which both prospective-country-GPs turned me down on. Now that’s a number that interests me.