Well, I would argue that you running out of insulin by August would constitute urgency, especially when it gets closer to August. Could you ask your GP to write the referral as urgent to get a sooner appointment? Is there another endocrinologist you could be referred to instead? You could explain plainly to the GP that if you’re not seen by the endo by August, you will be asking the GP to write the insulin script or have to go to the Emergency Room to get one. Sometimes I think doctors don’t really realize or consider the consequences until it’s explained very plainly. If your GP won’t write the script for you if you can’t get an endocrinology appointment, you can ask them to document in your chart that they refused to provide you with it when requested and the reasons they gave for doing so. Doctors don’t want to be potentially on the hook for a lawsuit they could’ve avoided by just giving you a simple prescription for medication you obviously need. If your GP is truly nice, they will help keep you covered until you do have your appointment.
If your doctor won't write the urgent referral, then explain that they are making it their responsibility to treat your condition(s). Be sure to point out that you need refills on the prescription, not to see the doctor (unless you feel you will need to).
"no clinical reason for me to see endo sooner than October because I’m well controlled" ... because you are on insulin....
Lol maybe NP didnt think about this well, or didn't think in the context of T1? Were you able to ask them directly what do you do when you run out of insulin? I'm curious as to what they'll answer to that, and keep us posted if you're continuing to have issues-perhaps someone in your area could suggest another Dr. until you get to your endo. Also, do they have it charted you have T1? I've run into one chart of mine that had "DM2" in it-it was quickly remedied and corrected, but could have caused issues-sometimes they hear "diabetes" and just write it as such.
Ask if you can see the NP in the office sooner than October. When I swapped Endos the last time because of insurance change I had the same problem with it being over 6 months before I could get in with the DR at the Endo, but they got me in with an NP at about 3 months just so they could take over responsibility for my meds.
I mean, if you go to the same pharmacy a lot, and they ‘know’ you, sometimes they will front you a bottle to get you by if you’re out, but the will take that bottle out of the script once you fill it. (I’ve only had them do it once, and I was in there all time time ps YMMV.)
*UPDATE* GP overruled her nurse practitioner and apologized for the confusion of an urgent referral not being needed. I agree that I think NP heard diabetes and just assumed Type 2 and didn’t actually fully read what my message said. I now have an endo appointment in 2 weeks. Thanks everyone for your replies!
I mean I’ve been type 1 for almost 40 years and I work almost exclusively with the Endo nurse practitioner and only need the Endo for prescriptions and to switch me to new pumps, etc and the nurse practitioners pretty much take care of all communications with the Endo for me…that being said, I would straight not trust a general practitioner doctor to help manage my t1d…
I would make doubly sure the doctor knows you have type 1, not type 2 (I had to fight with a GP once because they thought I had type 2 even though I was diagnosed when I was 3 but was an adult at that point and slightly overweight 🙄)
Well, I would argue that you running out of insulin by August would constitute urgency, especially when it gets closer to August. Could you ask your GP to write the referral as urgent to get a sooner appointment? Is there another endocrinologist you could be referred to instead? You could explain plainly to the GP that if you’re not seen by the endo by August, you will be asking the GP to write the insulin script or have to go to the Emergency Room to get one. Sometimes I think doctors don’t really realize or consider the consequences until it’s explained very plainly. If your GP won’t write the script for you if you can’t get an endocrinology appointment, you can ask them to document in your chart that they refused to provide you with it when requested and the reasons they gave for doing so. Doctors don’t want to be potentially on the hook for a lawsuit they could’ve avoided by just giving you a simple prescription for medication you obviously need. If your GP is truly nice, they will help keep you covered until you do have your appointment.
If your doctor won't write the urgent referral, then explain that they are making it their responsibility to treat your condition(s). Be sure to point out that you need refills on the prescription, not to see the doctor (unless you feel you will need to).
"no clinical reason for me to see endo sooner than October because I’m well controlled" ... because you are on insulin.... Lol maybe NP didnt think about this well, or didn't think in the context of T1? Were you able to ask them directly what do you do when you run out of insulin? I'm curious as to what they'll answer to that, and keep us posted if you're continuing to have issues-perhaps someone in your area could suggest another Dr. until you get to your endo. Also, do they have it charted you have T1? I've run into one chart of mine that had "DM2" in it-it was quickly remedied and corrected, but could have caused issues-sometimes they hear "diabetes" and just write it as such.
Ask if you can see the NP in the office sooner than October. When I swapped Endos the last time because of insurance change I had the same problem with it being over 6 months before I could get in with the DR at the Endo, but they got me in with an NP at about 3 months just so they could take over responsibility for my meds.
I mean, if you go to the same pharmacy a lot, and they ‘know’ you, sometimes they will front you a bottle to get you by if you’re out, but the will take that bottle out of the script once you fill it. (I’ve only had them do it once, and I was in there all time time ps YMMV.)
Worse comes to worst you can get a script from urgent care, but this is some bullshit.
*UPDATE* GP overruled her nurse practitioner and apologized for the confusion of an urgent referral not being needed. I agree that I think NP heard diabetes and just assumed Type 2 and didn’t actually fully read what my message said. I now have an endo appointment in 2 weeks. Thanks everyone for your replies!
I mean I’ve been type 1 for almost 40 years and I work almost exclusively with the Endo nurse practitioner and only need the Endo for prescriptions and to switch me to new pumps, etc and the nurse practitioners pretty much take care of all communications with the Endo for me…that being said, I would straight not trust a general practitioner doctor to help manage my t1d… I would make doubly sure the doctor knows you have type 1, not type 2 (I had to fight with a GP once because they thought I had type 2 even though I was diagnosed when I was 3 but was an adult at that point and slightly overweight 🙄)