To think my doctors have been negligent?

[foreverold]

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2018. Had my HBA1C tested every 3 months since then as fasting bloods were high a few times.

During the summer I began to feel unwell, despite healthy eating and daily exercise (cardio/weight training/yoga) I felt constantly exhausted. Sleep 10 hours a night plus 3 - 4 hour naps in the day. Has constant dry mouth despite drinking 4-5 litres of water a day, peeing more and feeling quite nauseous.

On last HBA1C test I was told I was pre diabetes, given 500mg of metformin (which is a ridiculously low amount) and basically left to get on with it.

I felt okay for a few months but have now started to feel exactly how I did in summer, nausea, napping, dry mouth, peeing more.

I have my HBA1C tomorrow and I'm pretty positive they will tell me I am now in type 2 diabetes category.

I feel really frustrated as feel I have been left to get on with it! AIBU? Or is there really not anything else they can do? I really feel the doctors dealing with this have been incompetent and not helpful in the slightest.

[OscarWildesCat]

It sounds like they’ve started you on a low dose for a reason, I was in this drug years ago and it can have horrible side effects hence starting low. So to answer your question, no, it doesn’t sound like they’ve been negligent but judging from previous aggressive responses, that’s not what you want to hear?!

[itbemay1]

What was your last HbA1c?

[MaxiPaddy]

Wow, wish I hadn't replied helpfully now. You're acting like something I will get banned for calling you, op.

Agree with the other posters - sounds like you just want someone to sue.

HTH.

[foreverold]

@Mmn654123 I'm just defending myself when a poster called me an unpleasant person and claimed I wanted compensation for asking a bit of advice and venting a little frustration. Well she's refused to refer me to endro because 'usually we deal with this stuff in the surgery'. I'm going to have to go private for an endro. The one I spoke to was a family friend.

[Mmn654123]

Well this is fun 🍿

[foreverold]

@MaxiPaddy ridiculous? Sue for what exactly?

[TheLostDiadem]

You seem convinced that they are negligent so it seems there was little point asking. Go privately or request another opinion if you’re not happy with what you are being prescribed at the moment.

GP’s really do “have a clue” though and you appear to have been prescribed the standard dose of the standard treatment for the condition that you are likely to have.

[foreverold]

@MaxiPaddy and your input wasn't that helpful so please, don't feel too regretful.

[AnyFucker]

< backs slowly away >

[Mmn654123]

How high was your last hba1c? You really are quite grouchy.

[foreverold]

7.2

[lljkk]

Friend had terrible diarrhea with metaformin. I think she has refused to take it since.

[Wondermule]

Well that’s a lot of meat in your diet. I’m not sure if the effect on PCOS, maybe someone else can help. You don’t eat many carbs, in fact basically none, so I’m stumped as to why your blood sugar is spiking.

I would suggest taking up good exercise (if you haven’t already), as that also helps control blood sugar.

However OP, I must say, you are talking about your doctor in a very disrespectful way - you seem to think you own them and that you can effectively treat them as a dispensary for whatever you think they should be giving you. With that attitude, you seem like somebody that is difficult to help, and therefore people are less inclined to help you.

You need to take responsibility for your own health, but in a co-operative and less combative way.

[foreverold]

@Mmn654123 I am when I come on here politely asking for advice and some deeply disturbed and unhappy individual comes on and tells me I am not a nice person and am looking for compensation. I'm sorry, where in the world did I mention suing anyone? And how can you judge a persons character based on one comment. Also when someone is clearly not feeling well and frustrated a little empathy goes a long way but seems to be lacking on mumsnet.

[foreverold]

@lljkk I would take diareah over this any day honestly. Feel like a walking zombie.

[Wondermule]

Just a thought but have you had your pancreas checked? 7.1 seems very high for type 2. There are certain conditions which cause diabetes as a symptom, if that makes sense.

[Mmn654123]

So you have a good level of glycaemic control. And maybe grumpy is your normal - doesn’t seem to be high sugar levels causing that. So your dose of metformin has achieved stable blood sugar levels. What’s the problem with that again?

[Ileflottante]

Bloody hell OP, who shat in your 30mls of Caesar salad dressing?

You asked if you were BU, turns out people think you are. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Mmn654123]

People are allowed to be grumpy. It’s healthy. I’d only be concerned if you had sky high sugar levels causing it.

7.2 doesn’t seem dreadfully out of control.

[foreverold]

@Mmn654123 it absolutely hasn't achieved stable blood sugars...where are you reading that?

[maddening]

Yanbu, GPs are astonishingly gash with pcos ime. It does not help that the medical world seems to have got no further on in its knowledge of pcos in the last 20 years.

Mumsnet is also astonishingly keen to blame a diet and disbelieve that it is not your own fault.

I would ask to go back to the endocrinologist.

[itbemay1]

I don't think they've been negligent as such, possibly busy with covid vacs etc? Plus my opinion is that with these type of things the patient has to drive their own health needs, sadly, especially at the moment. Not what you'd expect but it is what it is.

however with that A1c I would have expected a titration up of metformin by now. Start dose of 500mg, then up to 1g, see how you're coping increase by another 500 then 2g for 12 weeks and recheck A1c, this can take a few weeks, even months - have a look at the NICE guidance, have a chat with the diabetes nurse if there is one and hopefully you'll get sorted and start to feel better soon.

[Mmn654123]

@Wondermule

Just a thought but have you had your pancreas checked? 7.1 seems very high for type 2. There are certain conditions which cause diabetes as a symptom, if that makes sense.

Don’t think it is very high. It’s within the target range.

[foreverold]

@Wondermule I've had loads of blood tests, not sure if they've tested for that, will check thanks

[Mmn654123]

[quote foreverold]@Mmn654123 it absolutely hasn't achieved stable blood sugars...where are you reading that? [/quote]
“In general, an HbA1C target of 7.0% to 7.5%, which corresponds to an average blood sugar level of about 150 to 170 mg/dL, seems reasonable for many patients with type 2 diabetes. Medical therapy should be intensified when HbA1C levels exceed 8%, which corresponds to an average blood sugar level of about 180 mg/dL.”

Harvard.