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So angry!

C

chocoholic

Well-Known Member
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United Kingdom
Is it any wonder we get cross with the medical "professionals" who are supposed to take care of us diabetics?
I had written a short, polite letter, asking if I can up my prescription to 100 test strips, so that I might collect once a month instead of fortnightly, as I do now.As it takes 3 days for them to process my repeat prescription it actually means every 12 days I'm having to toddle off to request more strips, more inconvenient for me and I'm sure admin staff and chemist staff.
When I collected my prescription from the chemist a note was scrawled along the bottom saying only 50 test strips can be prescribed at one time. So, I went back to the docs. and queried this with the receptionist.She in turn called over someone else who said she had spoken to my diabetes nurse and she said I should not need to test more than once a day, so she wouldn't let mehave more test strips. I'm afraid I lost it and said "Look, I've only got diabetes because one of your bloomin' doctors wrongly diagnosed with me asthma and put me on a steroid inhaler for 10 months. I have had appalling care from the beginning and have only got an appointment with a diabetologist through my own efforts after 5 years. One of your nurses told me I couldn't be referred to a foot specialist until I have ulcers or my toes are turning blue and I want preventative care not after care. Now you are telling me I'm supposed to test my blood sugars once a day, as an insulin user.It's ridiculous." She offered to book me in to see the DN in September and I told her I had a better idea.....I'll find a surgey that treats me better. I did apologise to the receptionist as I left. I realise she was just doing her job and it's not her fault but I came out of the surgery and just felt like crying. I just hope to goodness I can get into a surgery elsewhere as last time I enquired I was told there was no room elsewhere but I can't put up with the useless lot at my surgery any longer. I'm off to the appropriate office this afternoon. Please wish me luck.
 
Choco,
While you are still angry, print off a copy of your posting and send it to your MP.
 
No, Katherine, the DN knows I'm on insulin. When I asked for a repeat prescription when I last saw her she told me I was costing her budget too much. I told her it would be more costly for her if I lost a leg due to poor control. She just laughed and said not her problem, it would then be someone else's budget.She KNOWS I'm on insulin.
 
that's rubbish, i've had 200 strips on one prescription many times. I test usually at least 7 times a day, and that's on a "everythings going to plan" day.

Im not so sure you got diabetes because of your inhaler though... i think that may be a coinsidence... ?

anyway, definatly kick up a fuss. they have no right to tell you how many tiems you're allowed to test. they're not the ones who have to left with D, luckily i have a decent understanding and informed health care team so i've enver had this problem... god help them if i did!!
 
That is horrid treatment!!!! how dare they!!!!

I thank the stars that my Gp doesn't appear to have a problem with giving me more strips, but to have to fight it out for even basic treatment!!!! I know i had to nag to be seen but even then i was seen by a specalist in a week.

I'm just stunned that they can treat their patients so badly. :evil:
 
Hiya

I'm really sorry to hear how you got to be diabetic through no real fault of your own :(

It does sincerely sound as though your dn and gp need a sharp pulling up. Everyone using insulin to control their sugar levels needs to be able to test at least 4 times a day as the barest minimum. For good control I suggest 5 times. I dont know where it is on this forum but I think SarahQ posted a link to the NICE recommendations regarding blood glucose testing and your dn and gp could do with putting their glasses on and reading it.

The thing is though your dn is probably used to dealing with the old folk using diet only and oral meds. I doubt if she has got too much knowledge about insulin users so this is why she is being so offhand with you. I should have a go at Dr B when you see him in September to get his response. He might write to your gp giving his recommendation that you test more so that you can manage your bg much better. If he is powerless to effect a change for you, try writing a letter of complaint to your PALs office at C hospital and also your MP - Douglas.

Regarding moving surgery - yes you could try moving to the one I mentioned as they are very good, but you are going to have to tell a porky about your address and use your son's. That way C House will just allocate you the nearest surgery to your address and that will be the one you want to be with lol.

I really hope things work out all ok for you. Am almost sure that Dr B will recommend that you change to MDI or use Humalog as a backup to the twice daily and so he will want you to test frequently.
 
This is shocking, chocoholic, and you should not have to tolerate it.
Katherine, how does the BNF refer to the prescription of test strips?
PM me your address, chocoholic, and I'll send you some boxes. They don't query my prescription because I'm type 1 and we could see it as a redistribution of wealth.

fergus
 
Do you drive? If you are on insulin and drive, my understanding is that it is a legal requirement to test before you drive. How can anyone then tell you that you only need to test once per day if the law requires that you do more.
 
I don't think the BNF have a stance on test strips because it's not a drug. NICE have though and they support testing when this is combined with learning about what to do if your sugars are out of range.

Insulin is a hormone that can kill you in overdoseage and will not be as useful as it could be in preventing complications if you underdose. This is why you need test strips. You need to be able to adjust your insulin doses to changing situations. You wouldn't expect a pilot to fly a plane without instruments telling them where they were and how much fuel was left, would you ? ( I know you know this, I'm hoping we can give you ideas so that your letters will hit the mark first go).

I didn't realise that your DN (Diabetes Nurse?) knows about your using insulin but is just being pig headed/silly/incompetent.

It is not her personal budget that the strips are coming out of. She is not going to go to ASDA and have to put half of her shopping back because her debit card shows that she has run out of housekeeping money. It costs the NHS 9 times the money to look after diabetics who have complications compared to those who don't. I agree that it is much more sensible to prevent complications and hospitalisations from hypos in the first place.

Since the nurse has refused your reasonable request I think you need to see the GP so that your strips can be issued more appropriately. If the GP refuses you will need to put in an official complaint.

I work in Scotland and fortunately we haven't started strip rationning (yet?) Not enough people are bothering to check their sugars at all.
 
Oh my god that is really shocking medical 'care'. I've been living in Edinburgh and getting 500 strips at a time but I've just moved to London and am now thinking that this might now be a problem. I'm seeing a new GP tonight so we'll see what happens :?

Katie
 
scottishkate said:
Oh my god that is really shocking medical 'care'. I've been living in Edinburgh and getting 500 strips at a time but I've just moved to London and am now thinking that this might now be a problem. I'm seeing a new GP tonight so we'll see what happens :?
Click to expand...
It depends upon a combination of the PCT and the individual GP. Judging from posts on here, in England most T1s have rationed strips and most T2s who aren't on insulin don't get any at all.

Possibly you should try to find a diabetic GP :wink:
 
Thanks for all your support folks. Sorry I unburdoned myself on you all earlier today. I tried to phone hubby and couldn't get him, so I just had to let off steam somehow and knew you lot would understand.I've calmed down now and am happy to report that I went to the PCT offices this afternoon, saw a lovely lady who was most helpful and now have the necesary forms to fill in to change surgeries. I explained that THE most important thing in the surgey I go to, is the level of diabetes care. She was very sympathetic and I'm even hopeful of getting into a surgery recommended by a kind fellow member of this site.Fingers crossed!!!

Fergus,your kindness in offering to help me out is so very generous and I thank you most sincerely.(Ooh, I sound like Hughie Green, time to stop rabbiting).

And yes, I do drive.
 
You could try telling the new surgery that the old one gave you (insert required number) strips per month - they may then continue what they think is the same amount. If not then start the driving/exercise/suspect losing hypo awareness routine. They might ask to see your repeat slip but that doesn't specify how often you get a repeat, and you truly are collecting them more than monthly. When my parents (not diabetic but on several meds) moved house they truthfully told new GP that the old one gave them 2 months supply at a time. New GP said we'll do the same, even though usual practice here is 1 month at a time. Hopefully though they'll have more sense to and subterfuge will not be necessary.
 
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