Type 1 diabeties DKA

[kitedoc]

Honestly I’ve been waiting nearly two years for help I am beyond reliant on them ‘trying to help’ I appreciate you’re advice but I’m just going to keep reading about it myself and trying my best to keep normal x

Are you talking about a hospital unit or your GP.?
No hospital team in their right mind is just going to fork out an insulin prescription every 2 weeks to you sight unseen over the months. Perhaps you have to meet them half-way. What help are you expecting and what are you willing to bring to the table??

 

[Kevvb1]

Talking to no body! Trust me I call the pharmacy and they just issue the insulin no questions

 

[kitedoc]

Very good info Clive but after two years of constantly trying but to be told you need to wait 6+ months to see a specialist is a joke. Like I said I’ll just take each day as it comes try keep in the green and if not then ye I’ll lose my eyes or a limb or two. Then **** it I’ll roll my blind sugary self off the tallest building that has disables access lol

All very dramatic @Kevvb1. Are you saying that for 2 years they have kept delaying the specialist visit ? And what about seeing a Diabetes Specialist Nurse in the meantime? Do you want help, really? Or does it have to be on your terms only?

 

[kitedoc]

W

I got diagnosed dec 2017 and all I got given was novorapid and levimir and told take this or die.. my choice. The women I see was too busy to bigger off on Xmas break. I was told then because of the season there was no one to see me. Every appointment I went back too was just told to do a diary for no information about it etc months went by like this. Then moved tried my hardest to connect with the diabetic team here. They took my freestyle libre from me and said wait six months too see someone. Albeit my fault I missed the appointment but I tried to rebook and again I’m discharged keep getting the bs of go to my doctor and get referred. No joy as yet

Why did they take your Libre from you. Maybe you were not using it ??

 

[Kevvb1]

No they said that as I moved area I have to see a specialist to reapply for it. And then got to wait another 4 months before my appointment t

 

[kitedoc]

Talking to no body! Trust me I call the pharmacy and they just issue the insulin no questions

There has to be a GP prescription to allow that to happen which suggests your GP is just doing the scripts without seeing you.\
That is very unwise on his part and on yours. Not saying that you need to see him/her every 2 weeks but at least every 3 months or so. Also rather than this arrangement why not see another GP? Have you tried that??
The prescribing GP is at risk of losing his license if this nonsense continues one would think and it saves you having to do much either. What has happened to annoy him/her and do something which is so unwise long-term??

 

[kitedoc]

Oh goodness lol... yea that’s no problem at all......... on another note since the last two days I’ve been near on ok last night my hands have gone swollen and really tight.. is this normal part of diabetes

Not normal @Kevvb1. If it is persistently tight and painful then head to the hospital straight away. A friend of mine, not diabetic, had what I described in the sentence before and ended up on iv antibiotics for a severe Staph infection.

 

[Kevvb1]

It’s settled down now... but since I’ve been being good with my injections etc... I’m waking up soaked in sweat... I don’t know if I’m having a hypo or not... I haven’t been testing tho as in and out of sleep.. but wake up in normal bg range

 

[DCUKMod]

There has to be a GP prescription to allow that to happen which suggests your GP is just doing the scripts without seeing you.\
That is very unwise on his part and on yours. Not saying that you need to see him/her every 2 weeks but at least every 3 months or so. Also rather than this arrangement why not see another GP? Have you tried that??
The prescribing GP is at risk of losing his license if this nonsense continues one would think and it saves you having to do much either. What has happened to annoy him/her and do something which is so unwise long-term??

I think you would find in the UK, for repeat prescriptions, this situation isn't altogether unusual. For my repeat (for levothyroxine), I can either request it directly myself, or the pharmacy can do that on my behalf. I prefer to deal with it myself, because then I know I have done it, and when I did it. It's only a few clicks on my surgery website.

For those requiring varying meds, as might be the case for insulin and/or test strips, there are boxes to select individual items, as required, within certain parameters

 

[Deleted Account]

It’s settled down now... but since I’ve been being good with my injections etc... I’m waking up soaked in sweat... I don’t know if I’m having a hypo or not... I haven’t been testing tho as in and out of sleep.. but wake up in normal bg range

As difficult as it is, if I find myself waking in the middle of the night, I will always force myself to test my BG.
For me, the usual reason for waking in the middle of the night is that my BG is too high or too low.

Another, equally unappealing, option is to set an alarm in the middle of the night to wake you and test.

Finally, you could invest in a Libre sensor so you can view your graphs through the night. These are not cheap at £50 for 2 weeks. Some doctors are handing them out on the NHS but many people are being declined when they ask.

As unattractive as these ideas sound, it would be useful to understand what is happening to your BG throughout the night to make sure you are not hypoing.

 

[porl69]

I think you would find in the UK, for repeat prescriptions, this situation isn't altogether unusual. For my repeat (for levothyroxine), I can either request it directly myself, or the pharmacy can do that on my behalf. I prefer to deal with it myself, because then I know I have done it, and when I did it. It's only a few clicks on my surgery website.

For those requiring varying meds, as might be the case for insulin and/or test strips, there are boxes to select individual items, as required, within certain parameters

My insulin etc are on repeat BUT I have to see the GP every 6 or 7 repeats.

It’s settled down now... but since I’ve been being good with my injections etc... I’m waking up soaked in sweat... I don’t know if I’m having a hypo or not... I haven’t been testing tho as in and out of sleep.. but wake up in normal bg range

That seems like a hypo BUT you need to test to find out. You saying you are being "good" with injections. Is "good" just doing injections??? Really need to be seen ASAP by a DSN or consultant

 

[Deleted Account]

My insulin etc are on repeat BUT I have to see the GP every 6 or 7 repeats.

Wow! I saw a GP about my diabetes once ... when I was first diagnosed. They referred me to the hospital diabetes consultant who I see once every 13 to 14 months. The GP has done nothing more regarding diabetes in more than 15 years.

 

[porl69]

Wow! I saw a GP about my diabetes once ... when I was first diagnosed. They referred me to the hospital diabetes consultant who I see once every 13 to 14 months. The GP has done nothing more regarding diabetes in more than 15 years.

It really pees me off to be honest Helen! My GP has nothing at all to do with my diabetes. When my repeat comes up I phone the surgery, moan for 15 mins, they do another 5 or 6 item repeat then call me in! Drives me insane. It's not like I don't really need insulin!!!!

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @porl69 - Can you write a letter to your practice manager (find out their name by calling your surgery), advising that you are a type 1 diabetic and dependent on insulin and are being called in every 5-6 about reviewing your prescription, as far as i'm aware this is not standard practice and i'm sure if you flag it to your practice manager then it should resolve this issue.

 

[Juicyj]

BTW I get mine reviewed once a year when I have to attend a diabetes appointment at my local practice and that's simply to see if there are medications which need to be taken off my prescription.

 

[porl69]

Hi @porl69 - Can you write a letter to your practice manager (find out their name by calling your surgery), advising that you are a type 1 diabetic and dependent on insulin and are being called in every 5-6 about reviewing your prescription, as far as i'm aware this is not standard practice and i'm sure if you flag it to your practice manager then it should resolve this issue.

Thank you @Juicyj I will do that. I know the practice manager pretty well....I have had run ins with the reception team at the surgery a few times! But will write a letter to flag it up. Never thought of doing that before! I must like moaning at reception a lot

 

[kitedoc]

It’s settled down now... but since I’ve been being good with my injections etc... I’m waking up soaked in sweat... I don’t know if I’m having a hypo or not... I haven’t been testing tho as in and out of sleep.. but wake up in normal bg range

It sounds like a hypo. What I do is set the alarm for every two hours at night and do tests to help nail down what is happening.

 

[kitedoc]

Wow! I saw a GP about my diabetes once ... when I was first diagnosed. They referred me to the hospital diabetes consultant who I see once every 13 to 14 months. The GP has done nothing more regarding diabetes in more than 15 years.

That is slack of him or her!!

 

[Deleted Account]

That is slack of him or her!!

I disagree - my GP does not treat my diabetes. He/she (my GP retired and I have had no reason to meet her replacement) is aware of my diabetes but it is treated by a diabetes consultant rather than a generalist. I think it is some sort of bureaucracy which mean the prescription gets signed by the GP but it makes sense for them to trust a specialist.

 

[kitedoc]

Hi @porl69 - Can you write a letter to your practice manager (find out their name by calling your surgery), advising that you are a type 1 diabetic and dependent on insulin and are being called in every 5-6 about reviewing your prescription, as far as i'm aware this is not standard practice and i'm sure if you flag it to your practice manager then it should resolve this issue.

But how often are checks like BP and women or man health checks done if you do not see youyr GP?? The prescriber has responsibility to ensure what is prescribed is being taken etc. Insulin affects more than what endos look at !!! What is the world coming too!!!

I think you would find in the UK, for repeat prescriptions, this situation isn't altogether unusual. For my repeat (for levothyroxine), I can either request it directly myself, or the pharmacy can do that on my behalf. I prefer to deal with it myself, because then I know I have done it, and when I did it. It's only a few clicks on my surgery website.

For those requiring varying meds, as might be the case for insulin and/or test strips, there are boxes to select individual items, as required, within certain parameters

But, But. But a prescriber is responsible for ensuring that all is well regrading that prescriptoin and others. In Oz a script with repeats lasts 6 months so that a review is required. That may seem excessive but for a BP medication there may be a need to change dose, to check of side-effects some of which as only detected on blood testing, there may be yearly checks for screening etc. Do dentists hand out lollies and never check teeth??