Ignorance is bliss.

[shiftzor]

I joined a new surgery today and first thing I was asked is how many blood sugar level tests I do a day. I responded with 5 on average. I was then asked if I had a lack of control and if that was the reason for such a "high" number of tests a day. I thought if anything I should do more tests to get a better idea of my sugar levels. I then got them to do a prescription, which had one of each item instead of the amount I had asked for. When I asked for more I was told that it wasn’t possible, and then followed my argument. This resulted with a "oh ill talk to our leading diabetic doctor".

I know the NHS have to fund these strips and I know they are expensive, but I don’t choose to have this disease why should I have to have this fight with doctors to get the standard of care I would hope for. If they really wanted to save money they should do research into what a diabetic goes through on a day to day basis and then judge the amount they want.

End of rant. Just pissed me off, i guess everyone must go through this? if they provided me with a pump and a cgm then i would love them to bits.

[Wildbill]

It should be very straight forward but sometimes it's not. You should be resolute on the number of tests you require. I am in the US and I usually have no trouble getting strips Rxd for as many tests as I think I need. I would assume that you could get that done in the UK as well as I can. Be persistent!

I also commend you for your attention to your health. Keep it up!

[RobiJo]

It seems to me in my limited experience that many folks in the UK have this train of thought. The more you test the worse your control must be. When the opposite is usually the case. Cheers for you for being in charge of your own health.

When I was an RA in college, I had a girl on my floor that was T1. She only tested when she woke up and occasionally before she went to bed if she felt ill. She took 2 shots a day. She said this was all her doctor ever told her to do. She thought I was crazy for testing as much as I did (which truthfully was not nearly enough, my college years were my worst) and was fasinated by my pump.

[JediSurfer]

There is still lots of catching up to do for the GP's, nurses and even some "specialist". After all it was us the patients who changed how diabetes is managed not the "scientists". Some of the medical profession are still in the dark ages when comes to diabetes.

I have had similar experiences with test strips. I once took all my insulin, test strips and pen tips down to the doc after a confrontation about test strips. Piled it all up on his desk smiled said thank you and left the office. I was brought back by the doc and asked the meaning of my actions. So i told him that if they were not going to give me what I need to survive I was no longer interested in treatment. Funny thing but the doc changed his attitude after that point.
In fact come to think of it we used to get hassled about using more than one syringe a week back in the 80's and early 90's.

I tend to stare at the docs like I wanna rip em limb from limb and eat their liver if I get any of that attitude these days. makes me mad.

Sometimes it is us who have to do the educating.

Funny old world isn't it?

[Gary_W]

Read the sticky at the top of the forum. As a type 1 patient in the UK, they are not able to ration you in this way. They may try but are not allowed to.

If you want the easy way out, tell them that you drive and that you do 8 journeys each day. The DVLA (whom you must ask nicely for a licence every 3 years) insists that you blood test before you set off for a journey in a car; ask them to provide a letter to the DVLA to explain why you cannot do these tests. End of argument in most cases as the GP will panic and write the prescription. If that doesn't work, get medieval with the info in the sticky; the PCT are just not allowed to do this.

I work with doctors all day every day. The vast majority of these are hospital based, though I do meet an increasing number of GP's. Amongst the GP's I certainly meet some talented and comitted individuals but I have yet to meet a GP with more than the most basic understanding of diabetes.

Good luck, and go get 'em.

Gary

[Wildbill]

Some of the medical profession are still in the dark ages when comes to diabetes.

I have had two patients this week who told me that their doc told them that a fasting Bg of 145 was normal. I get that sort of thing all the time. Is it any wonder why morbidity from diabtetes is so high?

[mho357]

I just posted something about this the other day:

http://www.diabetesforums.com/forum/monitoring/22352-too-much-testing.html

Evidently testing is considered a reckless habit in the UK.

Mark

[JediSurfer]

All depend to whom you are talking too I have found.

[someone]

After all it was us the patients who changed how diabetes is managed not the "scientists".

Want to clarify?

Are you saying that the patients invented blood glucose meters, insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors? :hmmmm2:

[JediSurfer]

Want to clarify?

Are you saying that the patients invented blood glucose meters, insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors? :hmmmm2:

No I am talking about taking insulin as required to the amount of food you are eating and correctional doses. and making adjustments as required. In the dark days you were advised or told to stick to a strict diet and insulin regime. A few of us figured out we could do more than this but had to keep it secret from the docs because they would freak out at such outlandish ideas or diabetes care. And tens years later they caught up.

[DanG]

I have had two patients this week who told me that their doc told them that a fasting Bg of 145 was normal. I get that sort of thing all the time. Is it any wonder why morbidity from diabtetes is so high?

Hmmm - I think 145 seems close, maybe a bit high.
What reading do you like to see?
And, then - how do you keep it there?
I mean, I can be 100 first in the morning, but keeping it there all day long requires me to sit around all day doing nothing, otherwise any activity will bring readings lower due to activity plus lantus plus humalog doing their thing.
I guess I am surprised that you are thinking 145 is terrible.

[JediSurfer]

Sheesh, I used to wake with numbers in the 20's or 300's for 20 years.

[Funnygrl]

Hmmm - I think 145 seems close, maybe a bit high.
What reading do you like to see?
And, then - how do you keep it there?
I mean, I can be 100 first in the morning, but keeping it there all day long requires me to sit around all day doing nothing, otherwise any activity will bring readings lower due to activity plus lantus plus humalog doing their thing.
I guess I am surprised that you are thinking 145 is terrible.
145 is definitely not normal. For a fasting reading, under 100 is.

[DeusXM]

It all really depends on your doctor, not the NHS. The system's fine, some of the people working in it aren't. Ordinary GPs aren't necessarily clued up on this sort of thing (although I've been very fortunate, the two GPs I've had over the last 5 years have both been diabetes specialists), whereas you'll find at hospital clinics, the team are much better.

I go to a diabetes clinic at the hospital - it's a specialised clinic rather than a regular GP winging it, and as a result I get a lot more of what I need.

[kgm0612]

It's the opposite for me........My endo will write the script for any amount I ask him for, but my insurance company, United Health, dropped it down from 400 to 300 a month. I test a minimum of 8 times a day and sometimes 10-12 times a day, depending on my readings.

That's not even the worse part.........every month my claim for 300 strips is denied and has to be resubmitted. It's the same old story every month that I have to call them.......... "300 test strips a month is excessive", I'm told. And I reply back, "my diabetes is permanent....it's NOT going away.....I will continue to use 300 strips a month, every month, for the rest of my life". The claim is re-processed and eventually gets paid. I can't for the life of me figure out why they don't put this into their system so this isn't happening EVERY month.

Karen

[georgepds]

..I tend to stare at the docs like I wanna rip em limb from limb and eat their liver if I get any of that attitude these days. makes me mad.
...

Me too. I think it's a power problem, they are just used to telling people what to do (like cops, judges, and generals). The variance in form of address is a clue ( he/she's called Dr, you're called by your first name)

Just because we are sick, or even obese, does not mean we are idiots and can't engage actively in our own care. It's not a problem with all Docs, (just as it is not a problem with all cops, judges and generals), just some

[JediSurfer]

Its that good old fashioned God complex.

The NHS is very good here as Deus has already said. You are still dealing with personalities non the less. It a matter of how to play the system.

[shiftzor]

its a good point about the dvla, i have a driving licence just no car, still they dont have to know that :) my last surgery upped the stripps when i requested, although they where some what relectant to do so. i will go back in there and beat them until they surrender :D viva la revolution - Diabetes 4 life.

[Charmed7]

It's the opposite for me........My endo will write the script for any amount I ask him for, but my insurance company, United Health, dropped it down from 400 to 300 a month. I test a minimum of 8 times a day and sometimes 10-12 times a day, depending on my readings.

That's not even the worse part.........every month my claim for 300 strips is denied and has to be resubmitted. It's the same old story every month that I have to call them.......... "300 test strips a month is excessive", I'm told. And I reply back, "my diabetes is permanent....it's NOT going away.....I will continue to use 300 strips a month, every month, for the rest of my life". The claim is re-processed and eventually gets paid. I can't for the life of me figure out why they don't put this into their system so this isn't happening EVERY month.

Karen

Karen,

Try looking into your insurance to see if they have an online pharmacy or will cover an online pharmacy order. You send them your prescription and they will mail you over night a 3 month supply of your meds. This would cut your haggling time from 12 times a year to only 4. ha ha.

The first time I did it for my son, I was so relieved with how easy it turned everything. No monthly stops to the pharmacy and waiting and haggling etc etc. I even go online and click "Order Refill" and it's done.

I hear ya tho!

-Charmed

[Wildbill]

I guess I am surprised that you are thinking 145 is terrible.

145 fasting is quite high. Fasting Bg should be 80-110. Above 110 is probably indicative of prediabetes. Fasting above 124 is probably indicative of diabetes and needs further investigation, glucose tolerance, etc.

In no way is a fasting Bg of 145 even close to OK.

[shiftzor]

Thanks for the support guys, I just wanted to edit my post but I cant seem to. I guess I am pleased that others are in the same position, but at the same time i disagree that this should happen to anyone. gl and hf :)

When I had to "fast" for blood sugar tests, I was told simply to not eat after my last meal at night. This made a lot of sense to me; we still need to eat food to ensure our sugar levels. It would be nice to guarantee our sugar level was X over X number of hours, but I guess this simply isn’t possible. Maybe some people have more control than me. I have started to calculate carbs and insulin to carb ratios, I have found it to be an enlightening experience and a realisation that it is possible to give my self greater control over what I eat. This is somthing a doctor or GP dosnt apear to be able to achieve.