Warning! Long Rant/Multiple Posts reply

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Bob writes:

>>Did I just get the shaft or what?<<

Man, you sure did! What a jerk. Yes, ALL diabetics should monitor their

sugars. Also, monitoring is the only way to test foods to find out which

ones drive your BG's up. Sounds like one of these HMO bastards that doesn't

want to have to cover your test strips on insurance. If I were you, I would

confront him with exactly that. Has he ever referred you to an

endocrinologist? If not, then INSIST that he does and that he gives you more

than one option of specialists to see. Check them out. Find out which one

has the most experience with diabetes. Have you ever seen a diabetes

specialist or spoken with a certified diabetes educator (CBE)?

What are you latest test results? I assume since you only see him every six

months that he is doing an HbA1c each time you go in. What were the results

six months ago and what are yesterday's results? If he says something vague

like " Oh, a little high, but OK " get in his face and tell him you want the

exact numbers. In fact, you want a copy of ALL of your test results. I

keep a file with copies of all my test results in it. THEY ARE YOUR MEDICAL

RECORDS. They cannot deny you a copy of your file. Period.

If your eyes are getting blurry, then something has got to be off the

chartand DAMAGE IS BEING DONE.

Also, if you don't mind me asking, what type of health plan are you on?

HMO? PPO? Medicare?

<<GET ANOTHER DOCTOR, yours is an idiot. DEMAND to be seen by an Endo, now.

Call your Insurance company and talk to their provider relations and health

services people.

Vernon Catron

>>

WHAT HE SAID !!!! You MUST be proactive and INSIST on appropriate health

care. It's your life and your body. Doctors are masters of trying to make

you feel stupid for asking questions and sidestepping things that they don't

want to deal with. Tough cookies. If you have to, be a royal pain in the

neck until you get the respect and the care that you deserve, then so be it.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and next time a doctor snickers at you, ask

for the name and number of their direct supervisor (if they have one) and

tell them that you deserve respect and expect to get it. If it is a private

practice doctor, just tell him off and get the hell out of there.

Gee, can you tell that this kind of thing really makes my blood boil? <g>

And a says:

>>But, yes, you got the shaft. I am not a real pleasant

person when that happens to me, and I would go to the office today and

demand

a prescription for a meter or my file. (Yes, I have actually lost my mind

and done this stuff before.) First, he is going against standard procedures

and to me that means malpractice is on the way. Any time a medical provider

falls below the standard of care, he is subject to action<<

Me too. You go girl! The only thing I would say differently is to demand an

Rx for the meter AND (not or) demand a copy of your complete file. I have

done this kind of thing too, and I would not hesitate to point out that to

refuse you the basic standard of care for a diabetic is quite probably

malpractice. That will get his attention !

>>Seriously, do doctors treat type 2 diabetics differently? I know the

treatment

is different, What I am talking about is how aggressive they are in trying

to

keep it under control. In my case I think part of the reason I didn't take

my

diagnosis seriously three years ago was a reflection from my doctor's

attitude.

I thought if I loss weight and wasn't on medication I wasn't a diabetic

anymore.

Comments? Reflections?

Pat

<<

I do think that family practice doctors and some internists

Once a diabetic, always a diabetic. What you were (are?) was a diabetic

controlling your disease with diet and exercise...and brava to you! I agree

that ALL diabetics should be under the care of a diabetic SPECIALIST. Type2

is no less serious than Type 1, IMO. It's just that you may live longer if

not treated. I am Type 2, but I no longer produce enough insulin to matter,

therefore I am on insulin. My disease went undiagnosed for years and years

(I am ashamed to admit that I went 10 years without seeing a doctor...now I

see my specialist no less than every 3 months, and usually every 6 - 8

weeks).

>>As my -new- Doctor says... " There is no greater threat to an older Doctor

than an educated patient. "

<<

Hehe, ain't it the truth! I started out with an internist (not endo) that

was an older doctor. He treated me horribly, not even allowing me to

complete a sentence before he would interrupt me and negate the question or

concern that I was trying to voice, or just walk out of the room while I was

in mid-sentence. The third time I saw him I ended up in tears over the

frustration. The fourth time when he started the same routine I stopped the

exam, told him just what I thought of him, got my file, my x-rays,

everything and walked out. I didn't pay for the visit either and told him

he'd bettter not try to charge me for it (which he didn't). I left him

standing there with his jaw on the floor and I am now with one of the most

respected specialists in the country and a heckuva a nice guy. You see

articles from him fairly often in the magazine Diabetes Self-Management.

Still, sometimes I have to practically hog-tie him to get through my list of

questions or issues because he is so busy. I do try to have respect for his

time (that's why I take a list in...so I can get through it quickly) and

have told him what my expectations are.

And finally Bob says:

>>Anyway-thanks to all the replies about getting a new Dr. I have to get up

some courage and tell him hand over the file. <<

You just need to get your mind right <grin>. Tell the doc that " What we

have here is a failure to communicate " (hoping everyone has seen the movie

Cool Hand Luke). I know that for many people it is hard to shake the

" doctor knows best " mindset, but if you can remember that this is your

RIGHT, you should have no problem telling him what you expect. You are the

boss...not him. Be very upfront with him and tell him that you are not

satisfied with the care you are receiving. He/she is providing a SERVICE.

It's YOUR eyesight and YOUR life. Best advice, get someone else

completely. Do your homework and get thee to a specialist.

One more thing. When was the last time you had a complete eye examination?

If it has been more than a year....go get one NOW and be sure to tell the

doctor that you are diabetic. Even if it has been less than a year, I would

still go in. Blurring of your vision is something that you should take very

seriously.

My apologies to all for the length of this post.

/end rant

MEJ