Pamela - Interview 08- Diabetes Type 2

Age at interview: 54

Age at diagnosis: 50

Brief Outline:

Pamela was diagnosed with diabetes four years ago. She takes metformin and rosiglitazone.

Background:

Pamela is the Director of a health-related organisation. She is divorced with one adult child aged 28. Ethnic background/Nationality - White British.

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Pamela describes how she feels she must be involved in treatment choices, especially as diabetes...

And is there anything that looking back you feel worked particularly well for you?

 

My GP letting me take control of it or not control of it… I mean he was… I mean I said to him in January, “I want one last try to get these under control.” And he said, “Okay, but you've said that before.” And I said, “No, I really mean it this time. I will, and then if I don't get it under control, I will start insulin. And you can put that on my card, that I will do that.” And he let me do that, you know, without, and he hasn't sort of, he hasn't pressured me into stuff that I didn't want to do. It's been negotiated. The increase of medication has been negotiated.

 

The, I mean I said to him about the atenolol, coming off the atenolol when my blood pressure went down. And he said, “Oh, I don't know. Oh, all right then, we'll give it a try.” So he responds to my requests. And if my bloods continue to stay the same, I shall ask if I can take lower doses of the metformin. And I'm sure he'll let me if he thinks that's okay, as long as I monitor it.

 

So there's a lot of, I think for me I'm glad there's a lot of self-monitoring. And you have to take responsibility for it yourself because it is a lifelong condition - it's a 24-hour condition. You can't just take your medicines in the morning and expect to go through the whole day then just doing what you like.

 

Pamela monitors her diabetes and blood pressure and negotiates her treatment with her GP, who offers his opinion but does not pressure her.

And is there anything that looking back you feel worked particularly well for you?

 

My GP letting me take control of it or not control of it… I mean he was… I mean I said to him in January, “I want one last try to get these under control.” And he said, “Okay, but you've said that before.” And I said, “No, I really mean it this time. I will, and then if I don't get it under control, I will start insulin. And you can put that on my card, that I will do that.” And he let me do that, you know, without, and he hasn't sort of, he hasn't pressured me into stuff that I didn't want to do. It's been negotiated. The increase of medication has been negotiated.

 

The, I mean I said to him about the atenolol, coming off the atenolol when my blood pressure went down. And he said, “Oh, I don't know. Oh, all right then, we'll give it a try.” So he responds to my requests. And if my bloods continue to stay the same, I shall ask if I can take lower doses of the metformin. And I'm sure he'll let me if he thinks that's okay, as long as I monitor it.

 

So there's a lot of, I think for me I'm glad there's a lot of self-monitoring. And you have to take responsibility for it yourself because it is a lifelong condition - it's a 24-hour condition. You can't just take your medicines in the morning and expect to go through the whole day then just doing what you like.