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Fasting cholesterol

noblehead

noblehead

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Just had a strange confrontation at my gp surgery with a nurse who was taking my bloods for my diabetes check-up, when I told her it was also for a fasting cholesterol check she said they don't do this check and never had, I assured her they did as I had it done only 12 months before and the time before that and so on and so on, she said that they only do fasting lipid checks if there's something to be concerned about, as the cholesterol is well controlled there was no need to do so.

I begged to differ and said that a full lipid breakdown was an essential part of annual check-up and this is something that my Endo requests at every appointment, even told her that if she looked at the DUK website she would see that a full lipid cholesterol check is mentioned in their 15 point check-list for diabetic patients, still she wouldn't budge so I told her to speak with the DN in the practise after she returns from her holidays.

Not had this before and this is only the second time I've met this nurse, I don't know if this is cost-cutting measure by the surgery and they only do a lipid check 'randomly' as she so kindly put it or indeed this is something that is being introduced across the board, either way I'll mention it to my Endo and see what they say, anyone else had similar experience?
 
Nope I haven't. Maybe you caught her out and she was being defensive. Bet ya bottom dollar you never get her again.
 
dawnmc said:
Nope I haven't. Maybe you caught her out and she was being defensive. Bet ya bottom dollar you never get her again.
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Hopefully not :) I normally see the DN and have a good chat with her whilst I'm there, perhaps I caught her on a bad day, all my results are up on the screen so I don't know how she could argue :?
 
You are right. The annual check-up should include full cholesterol checks as mine always does. Previously I was always given the bloods form for next time so could see what was listed but this time they say they will print it off for the blood giving, so I wonder what will be listed this time. How do they know your cholesterol is good if they haven't tested it?
 
My surgery refused a full lipid test and just did an overall cholesterol. I queried it with the nurse and she assured me this was right. I asked her to check with the GP and she phoned me at home and said she had done so, and asked if I could have a full lipid test. The GP apparently replied "What good would that do her?" and refused consent.

I see my endo in late December. I'm going to speak to her about it.
 
Last year my GP asked for a fasting cholesterol test outside the annual review, My Practice allow no diabetics to take fasting tests for any reason. When I tried to make an appointment for the test all hell broke loose.

The GP was forced to back down after the receptionist had alerted the Pracice Manager and the GP had been duly admonished..

I think this is becoming more common . Obviously somethnig to do with finances but also because more patients are querying
lipid results and statin prescriptions.
 
In the end I went to Lloyds Pharmacy and paid £15 to have a total cholesterol/HDL test. It's just a fingerprick one, but with a good machine and I wanted to know my ratio of HDL to total cholesterol.

I'd like to know how much a full lipid panel costs the NHS. Must be a lot from the increasing reluctance to do them.
 
I not certain but it's possible a yearly full lipid panel check is in the NICE guidelines, total cholesterol does not tell the whole story even my doc who wants me on statins :evil: agrees my lipids are good though he still pushes the 4mmol/l target for total cholesterol.
 
Thanks for the feedback and links everyone :) This is something I'll definitely follow-up given the importance of cholesterol in diabetes, I do get the feeling its down to cost but what price do you put on health......
 
I have never had a lipid profile done I asked my doctor why not to be told the lab we use cant do them.
 
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