Frustration

MillyMollyMandy · 03-21-2007, 07:09 PM

Today I attended my first diabetes education class. I came away feeling completely disillusioned with the health service. I realise we are lucky in the UK to have a free health service, but it seems everything comes down to money.

Several of the people in the group had not even been advised to check their own glucose levels, nor were they offered a meter from their own GP surgery.

We were given the run-down on diabetes, and shown a dvd about about complications etc. and of course it was explained how important it is to keep sugar levels under control.
The diabetes nurse brought several meters with her to give to those who didn't have them, showed them how to use it, then advised to test just twice a week, and always before meals! I dared to challenge this, saying that I felt the need to test occasionally after meals to see how certain foods affected my levels, and just how high my sugar was getting. I was told in no uncertain terms that I was digging too deep, and the A1c test would show if it was high for too long, then it might be recommended to test after meals.

Am I completely wrong in thinking that waiting for a high A1c before testing more often, is like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted? Surely the damage has already been done by then. I am 41 yrs old with 2 children, hopefully many healthy years ahead of me, and I would like to stay complication free for as long as possible.

I don't think I should be made to feel guilty and be questioned for ordering one prescription per month for 50 strips, which doesn't even amount to 2 tests per day. The nurse told me that some people use strips "willy nilly" and test for the fun of it. I did tell her there's not that much fun in testing, but I think it's necessary.

I've learned more from reading posts on this board than I learned today, but I did learn one thing, we have to take responsibility for our own health, because whilst they'll give you information, they don't want to give you the means to test to stay healthy!

Sorry for the long post, think I just needed to get that off my chest, if you made it to the end thanks for listening!

LauraBow · 03-21-2007, 08:55 PM

You ran into a poor educator. I hope she is not repesentative of educators you might find in the UK. I really doubt that. You are right about testing more often and after meals. My doctor didn't do a lot better. He didn't suggest using a monitor and I had to tell him that I wished to use one. His wife doing the nutrition part wasn't much help either. I think we have to do our own education by reading books (Dr Berstein's Diabetes Solution is a good one) and frequenting boards such as this one. If you happen to find a good diabetes doctor, you are lucky, though most do a fair job.

ljs · 03-21-2007, 09:57 PM

Hi, I'm new to this board but your post caught my attention. I was recently given an official dx of diabetes 2. My regular gp was away when my results came in so I saw another doctor (who was only a registrar). She wouldn't even commit to it definitely being diabetes even though my gtt had a high 2 hour reading. She was very casual about it and said to work on diet and exercise and come back in three months to test again. She was very young.

I scheduled another appointment with my regular gp to clear that up along with some other issues. My gp immediately had a diabetes pack set up and signed a form so I could get reduced prices on strips and the monitor from Diabetes Australia. It was handled much better, imo. Interestingly my gp said I had to test two days a week only (different days each week) although I could test more than that if I wished.

I've been testing at least twice each day, sometimes more. I've learned heaps about the effects of my diet on my glucose levels in just a few weeks. I'd like to think not all give out this sort of information. Even here I was surprised to see we only have to test two days a week (fasting and after big meal), which is written in the diabetes diary I was given.

MillyMollyMandy · 03-23-2007, 08:58 AM

Thanks for your responses.
Laurabow, I am thinking of ordering a copy of Dr. Bernsteins book, I have read a lot of good reports about it on this site.

ljs, it's interesting to know that in Australia you are also recommended to test only twice a week. I agree that at least twice a day is the way to go, I too thought I had learned a lot about what foods were doing to me, however I just called the surgery to get my last A1C result taken last friday, and I am feeling disappointed to get a result of 6.2%. I know this is under the recommended level of 7% for diabetics, but my last test was 6.3 3 months ago, and I was hoping to get it under 6. Don't seem to have made much improvement, even though I have gained much more knowledge.

Guess I will buy my own test strips if necessary and test more often.
Best wishes to you all, Mandy.

tfkeel · 03-23-2007, 02:33 PM

Let me add some perspective for you.

Your 6.3 deserves congratulations, even though you would like it lower, it nevertheless, is quite good!!!!! You are doing a good job.

My doctor tells me of one of his diabetes patients who is shooting 120 units of Lantus daily, covering with Novolog, and doesn't get HbA1cs of less than 11. He is quite sure that his/her eating habits are atrocious. He has little doubt that a painful life followed by a premature grave is in store for this person, if no radical changes are made.

I am surprised at the attitude with which you folks are being instructed, I suppose it does boil down to money. It is rather important for you to know just how certain food loads react in your body, and how you are to modify your intake of it, in order to maintain a good sugar control and avoid the serious complications which can come with poor control over years. You are
absolutely right about the "horse being already out of the barn" if you wait for the HbA1c.

I encourage you to not feel guilty at all, and order your testing supplies as necessary to live a good and healthy life for the sake of your loving chidren and your family.

If they are truly concerned about the cost, they should invest some of the social insurance money into renewable glucometry without consumables. It would be my hope that Australia and the UK who have socialized medicine could lead the US out of their "dark ages" (we have the God-forbidden shame of 48 million of our people uncovered with medical insurance, in one of the richest countries on earth)..... talking about being "all about money" - I don't think you hold a candle to us.