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Diabetic Clinic yesterday

Patrick66

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,103
Location
Dorset UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
People. Noise. Swearing. Many foods.
Was interesting and more thorough than before.

Huge weight loss in 6 weeks (20 lbs), blood sugar down from 78 to 57 and things were going so well...until..

The letter from the hospital about why my operation was cancelled has gone missing and doesn't appear on the records so nobody could tell me what it actually says about what the hospital wants from me, in blood sugar terms, before the operation can go ahead.

I was told my previous reading was 7.8 and I had to get it below 7.0..but you will note above that I wrote 78 so that decimal point becomes all important. One way I am .4 above what I need to be, on the other hand I might already be acceptable for the operation to go ahead.

Hopefully they will find it before I see the Dr next week.

Hopefully..
 

Hi Patrick - I'm sure you find these appointments a challenge, but if I can't access my records myself, I always ask for a print out of the results.

I know if I've had a busy or stressful appointment I can comeout thinking,............ "What did they say about?"

Patrick, you might find page 8 (of 34) to be useful, as it's a sort of decision tree. Were I going in for an op, these would be the guidelines applied to me.

https://secure.library.leicestersho...Patients Undergoing Surgery UHL Guideline.pdf
 
Its because its a hospital test, its simply not showing on the system. Or the result is showing but the actual letter is not and that's what we need to see as nobody is quite clear about what it says.
 
Patrick66 said:
Its because its a hospital test, its simply not showing on the system. Or the result is showing but the actual letter is not and that's what we need to see as nobody is quite clear about what it says.
Click to expand...

Personally, I would suggest that an HbA1c of 57 is perfectly acceptable for an operation to go ahead, but I am not a doctor. You could try ringing the secretary of the hospital doctor that is dealing with you. She will be able to access all the documents and should be able to explain things to you. I have had great success ringing consultant's secretaries, who I have found very helpful.

Very many congratulations on your latest HbA1c and weight loss. That is remarkable in 6 weeks.
 
I would agree that ringing the consultant's secretary is usually very helpful.

You can also make a request (to her) or to the consultant next time you see them, that you are copied into all future correspondance.
Mine didn't turn a hair when I asked for it.

Although it only happens about 50% of the time (I guess they forget), it is still 50% of the time, and if I ever need to query something, it is easier to say 'I don't think I got my copy, could you send it out again' rather than 'can I have a copy please?'
 
Thank you.

Personally wouldn't touch that hospital with a bargepole. I already have a complaint in with their Chief Executive who surprise, hasn't answered it within the allotted timescale which they kindly pointed out to me in their acknowledgement letter.

I can wait a week to see my Dr.
 

Just as a note:
There are two different measurement scales for the HbA1c, the old scale was done in percentages like the 7.0%, the newer scale (more widely used) is done in mmol/mol - this can cause much confusion if you didn't know that there were still 2 different measurement scales.

A pdf here shows the conversions: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/documents/866/HbA1c converter.pdf#

So I think your results may have been:
You started at 78mmol/mol in the new scale (that means you were 9.3% in the older percentage scale) I think
You are now at 57mmol/mol (which is 7.4% in the old scale).
I think for your operation they may want you to be at 53mmol/mol (7.0% in the old scale), but the fact you've been given numbers using differing measurement scales really hasn't helped.
 
@Patrick66 - You're much more patient than me!

When things like this happen, I have to shake the tree.
 
@Patrick66

Are you using a different hospital for your operation then?

If you are intent on waiting until you see your doctor then ask him to telephone or email the hospital for further clarification, and ask for a copy of their reply..

As @DCUKMod said, you are by law entitled to be copied in to all letters sent by a hospital to your GP, but this is never automatic. You do have to ask. I have every letter, and not only that, I have every copy of biopsy reports, scans, operation reports and so on.
 
Yes I know the scales but the question is, which did the hospital use ?. Without the letter we can’t see. The clinical guidance I have seen now says a figure of “below 69” for my operation..so, if I’m 57 I might be okay. I wish everyone used the same scale lol.
 
I have said I don’t want to go back there but, unfortunately, it is the closest.

I really wouldn’t want copies of everything. Too much clutter here already and my medical folder is full of my Autism and mental health reports. But I’ll certainly be asking her to clarify what in the blazes is going on.
 
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