Covid and Work, Covid Advice and General Chat

simo_M

Active Member
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36
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Other
The only factor I can think of is maybe your postcode? I know it must be a complex process but I'm not sure which is most concerning-being put on shielding list with no real explanation or being left off when should be on it!
Doesn't appear to be postcode, as if I leave postcode off of the calculator my probability of death increases, suggesting my location is reducing risk.
I'm fully planning on ignoring it completely, but still like to know why. I suspect bad data.
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I've just been told that I've been added to the extremely vulnerable list and have no idea why! No risk factors other then well controlled type 2 (Metformin) and being male. Otherwise fit and healthy 45 year old with BMI of 24

Have discussed with my GP, who has said that she's not been told the criteria and can't see anything justifying it. She also mentioned that of the last shielding list about 40% of those the practice reviewed were incorrect.

According to calculator my absolute risk of death would be 1 in 7092. Of course, a critical piece of information missing from the calculator is that I've had covid and know from being a convelescent plasma donor that I still have plenty of antibodies. Can't help but think this dramatically changes risk.

I find it annoying that they do not provide any explanation of the factors that have resulted in the risk determination. Without this it's very difficult to know if it's just bad data, or something more concerning.
This post has a copy of the lists in approximate weighting order of the factors they assessed in the algorithm. I’m sure it could shed some light as you would know which ones apply to yourself.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/just-been-told-to-shield.179882/page-3#post-2368310 Post 41

Or run the calculator adding or removing various factors to see which ones effect the overall score most.
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Doesn't appear to be postcode, as if I leave postcode off of the calculator my probability of death increases, suggesting my location is reducing risk.
I'm fully planning on ignoring it completely, but still like to know why. I suspect bad data.
Your dr can review it and can remove you if you prefer.
 
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simo_M

Active Member
Messages
36
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Your dr can review it and can remove you if you prefer.
Yes, she's said she will review it when she get's the info on why I'm included. She's as much in the dark as I am at the moment. I just wish that the letter or an appendix stated risk factors that influenced this. At least I'd then have something to check.
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Yes, she's said she will review it when she get's the info on why I'm included. She's as much in the dark as I am at the moment. I just wish that the letter or an appendix stated risk factors that influenced this. At least I'd then have something to check.
See post #2223. There is a list of factors considered. You might be able to work it out - if the information held is accurate. Obviously if they have some incorrect info they are using you won’t know what that is unless they give you it. Can you check your online records for any inaccuracies?
 

Max68

Well-Known Member
Messages
751
There seems to be a lot of confusion everywhere at the moment. Spoke to a couple of older friends earlier and the lady who is in her 70's hadn't had her jab. She rang her GP who advised her to book at a vaccination centre and when they checked on their system it said that she had hers back in January, which she hadn't. Quite bizarre.

She isn't I hasten to add one of these ladies. My word some people will try anything!

COVID-19: Florida women banned from vaccine centre for posing as 'grannies' to get jab | US News | Sky News
 

simo_M

Active Member
Messages
36
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
See post #2223. There is a list of factors considered. You might be able to work it out - if the information held is accurate. Obviously if they have some incorrect info they are using you won’t know what that is unless they give you it. Can you check your online records for any inaccuracies?
That's kind of the issue, there aren't any factors that should raise my risk beyond diabetes. Same for the academic version of the model. It's why I'm suspecting bad data.
 

Max68

Well-Known Member
Messages
751
Thought I would place this here rather than starting another thread! Spoke to a new GP today re my HBA1c jump from 51 to 70 and I thought she was very good. Was very pleased that I had lowered the carbs in my diet over the last week or so and she is very "pro carb reduction" which was good to hear. Pleased that I was also back exercising so she believes that I will get back to good control level because I have done it before but said if that doesn't happen there are drugs that she can offer. The first was a drug where you get rid of excess glucose via the bathroom but with a weak bladder anyway and on meds to "stop me going" that's not a particularly pleasing option so she then suggested a once a week injection (not insulin) that regulates blood sugar but I can't remember what it is called.

In the meantime she is prescribing me slow release metformin, (I picked up on that suggestion on this website) and was surprised I wasn't on that anyway but it is 3 tablets in the morning apparently. She is changing my BP meds from Amlodipine to Ramipril and changing my statin to get my lipids down. My total cholesterol is fine but my good and bad are off and my Triglycerides are too high. She said my Heart CT of a couple of years ago was good with a calcium score of zero so lets keep it that way. Very productive and pleased that she is giving me a few months to carry on with the diet and exercise and she didn't have a pop like some diabetic nurses do. Feeling positive.
 
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Hopeful34

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,693
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
That's great @Max68. It's so good when you get a helpful GP, and better still when they are willing to listen to you and not rubbish your attempts to help yourself.
How's your mum doing? Are you able to see her yet? Take care.
 

Max68

Well-Known Member
Messages
751
That's great @Max68. It's so good when you get a helpful GP, and better still when they are willing to listen to you and not rubbish your attempts to help yourself.
How's your mum doing? Are you able to see her yet? Take care.

Thank you. I'm one who will take a pill as well. Can totally understand why people prefer not to but they have been a game charger with a couple of conditions so always willing to try especially working side by side my own efforts. She said I should be up for a Covid vaccine within two weeks as well. I did ask her about Ramipril opening you up to Covid complications as there was some talk about ACE inhibitors last year but she assured me that the theory was disproved.

Mum amazingly is doing ok thank you. Had a call on Friday to say she had a chest infection re Covid and we could have been discussing end of life care this week, but phoned again this morning to see how she was and the antibiotics seem to be working and she is eating and drinking again and sitting in the lounge! Day to day obviously for a while as Covid is unpredictable but very positive for a change. I assume she isn't infectious now considering she is in the lounge! She is one strong stubborn lady! :)
 
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zand

Master
Messages
10,784
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
@Max68 the BP tablets ending in -pril are usually the ones they like to give to diabetics. They cause some to have a dry cough...so if you get a cough it may not be Covid. :)
 
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JRT

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256
Thank you. I'm one who will take a pill as well. Can totally understand why people prefer not to but they have been a game charger with a couple of conditions so always willing to try especially working side by side my own efforts. She said I should be up for a Covid vaccine within two weeks as well. I did ask her about Ramipril opening you up to Covid complications as there was some talk about ACE inhibitors last year but she assured me that the theory was disproved.

Mum amazingly is doing ok thank you. Had a call on Friday to say she had a chest infection re Covid and we could have been discussing end of life care this week, but phoned again this morning to see how she was and the antibiotics seem to be working and she is eating and drinking again and sitting in the lounge! Day to day obviously for a while as Covid is unpredictable but very positive for a change. I assume she isn't infectious now considering she is in the lounge! She is one strong stubborn lady! :)
Brilliant news about your Mum. The injection could be exenatide which I'm on and worked really well.
 

Max68

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Messages
751
@Max68 the BP tablets ending in -pril are usually the ones they like to give to diabetics. They cause some to have a dry cough...so if you get a cough it may not be Covid. :)

Ah, thank you that's well worth knowing! Yeah she is changing me to Atorvastatin 20mg from Pravastatin 20mg, Ramipril 5mg from Amlodipine 10mg and Metformin Slow Release 500mg which I either take three in the morning or two in the morning and one with dinner.
 
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Max68

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751
Brilliant news about your Mum. The injection could be exenatide which I'm on and worked really well.

Thank you. Ah interesting,. I did ask her if it was the one in the news that they are trying out as a Covid treatment which she said she would Google it as that has interested her. Do you inject it yourself or is it a once a week visit to the surgery>? I hate needles!

We did discuss testing strips but I said I'll hold fire for now as I get obsessed with things like that and blood pressure monitoring and would be spending all day panicking. So she said that I can keep an eye on my weight and she will keep an eye on bloods. If I haven't brought it down to decent control by next test I'll reconsider. She was really positive and said that I was diagnosed with an HBA1c of 45 in 2011 and in 2020 it was 51 and bar the odd blip it's been pretty stable between 44 and 49. Okay it's 70 at the minute but I really did take my eye off the ball and she is confident that I'll get it down again.
 
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zand

Master
Messages
10,784
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Mum amazingly is doing ok thank you. Had a call on Friday to say she had a chest infection re Covid and we could have been discussing end of life care this week, but phoned again this morning to see how she was and the antibiotics seem to be working and she is eating and drinking again and sitting in the lounge! Day to day obviously for a while as Covid is unpredictable but very positive for a change. I assume she isn't infectious now considering she is in the lounge! She is one strong stubborn lady! :)
I missed this part of your post first time round. Brilliant news. :)
 

Max68

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Messages
751
I missed this part of your post first time round. Brilliant news. :)

Thank you. One tough generation! I remember she once told me that her sister and her chased a Luftwaffe pilot in his battered plane down the street in Manchester on their bikes sticking up two fingers! Can remember doing a double take and saying "and you used to tell us off for riding our bikes in the road!!" :)
 
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JRT

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256
Thank you. Ah interesting,. I did ask her if it was the one in the news that they are trying out as a Covid treatment which she said she would Google it as that has interested her. Do you inject it yourself or is it a once a week visit to the surgery>? I hate needles!

We did discuss testing strips but I said I'll hold fire for now as I get obsessed with things like that and blood pressure monitoring and would be spending all day panicking. So she said that I can keep an eye on my weight and she will keep an eye on bloods. If I haven't brought it down to decent control by next test I'll reconsider. She was really positive and said that I was diagnosed with an HBA1c of 45 in 2011 and in 2020 it was 51 and bar the odd blip it's been pretty stable between 44 and 49. Okay it's 70 at the minute but I really did take my eye off the ball and she is confident that I'll get it down again.
Hiya, you inject yourself but it's fine,more like an epi pen. At the time I was given a choice between it and traditional insulin which seemed to involve a lot more faff and daily injections. I was very nervous the first time so asked to do it with a nurse. When I got there the nurse took one look and said she'd never seen one of those before!!!!!
I'm not overkeen on injections but it's fine. It's all pre measured so a lot easier as all self contained. The big benefit is its once a week.
You may not need it but if do its genuinely nothing to worry about.
 

Hopeful34

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,693
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Am so glad about your mum Max, that's great. Yes, they are a very tough and determined generation. Hope you can get to see her soon.
Ozempic is another once a week injection that some people seem to have had good results from.