Mistaken diagnosis

[Resurgam]

The man involved took a Christmas card to my sister's house and was invited in, and told his tale over a cup of tea.
He said that the new consultant phoned him and told him to stop taking the insulin at once.
Perhaps the old consultant never scrutinised the results of blood tests, or put two and two together over the hypos - though perhaps it was considered the patient's fault when medication didn't work as expected. He certainly bears the scars, as lumps and bumps from all the injecting.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

had numerous hypo incidents due to being misdiagnosed all that time ago.

I'm not an expert on taking insulin by any means but I can't understand why somebody having frequent hypos would not consider injecting less insulin. A friend of mine was diagnosed with type II in the late 80s and kept his PSV license but had a medical every year. With my limited knowledge of the law I'm assuming that this person was diagnosed as type I to have his HGV license taken away.

It does seem a bit strange, just too shocking to be true, not saying it isn't. I suppose it just raises more questions really. I wonder how and why the new doctor should go through this person's notes and go back 30 years to realise this was a mis diagnosis?

They might need these guys: http://www.medicalnegligence-solici...mTqp4bcauDiJQ6AQlVOjYlyJ05QRlNp1gIaAlLY8P8HAQ

 

[Brunneria]

Well, none of us have enough info to accept this at face value, or assume the man is talking nonsense - because none of us have his medical notes in front of us. I just hope that the truth comes out for the people concerned, and if there has been malpractice, then there is some kind of justice or restitution.

However, to address a few of the points raised:

- Of course people can have too much insulin floating around, and for it not to send them into hypo-comas. That is what happens to every insulin-resistant T2, and there are a heck of us floating around.
- The body wouldn't double up on insulin, on top of the injected stuff. It would just downgrade its own production, leaving the injection to do the work. This must happen to T1s on their honeymoon period, to whatever extent their body allows.
- We don't know what his insulin doses were, or what his insulin regime was, but if he was fixed dose, he could have been eating carbs to combat insulin every day of his life. People regularly turn up on the forum who eat like this, set carbs at each meal, at set times.
- We don't know what 'frequent' hypos actually means. Could be several a day, a week or a year...

 

[Robinredbreast]

Very strange, would seem absurd reading, but these unusual things do happen, wish we had a bit more background info.

 

[Dark Horse]

An article from the Guardian in 2011 claims that 4% of registered diabetics in the UK have been misdiagnosed (either as having the disease or as having the wrong type). https://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/mar/01/nhs-pledges-to-improve-diabetes-diagnosis

Mind you, it also says that in some countries the misdiagnosis rate is 50%.

 

[Resurgam]

I'll ask my sister for updates, when I speak to her again. This has happened to someone who is a close friend, so the information should be ongoing.

 

[Jaylee]

Well, none of us have enough info to accept this at face value, or assume the man is talking nonsense - because none of us have his medical notes in front of us. I just hope that the truth comes out for the people concerned,

Well, I've sat here trying to "join the dots".. One thing keeps bugging me about the original post...?
I've already mentioned earlier. "Urban myth" & "Harold Shipman". I googled HS. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Shipman

It all kind touches on certain aspects. Bar the old "waking up in an ice bath with the kidneys removed!"

I just told my sister about my diagnosis, and she told me that one of her husband's best friends has learned that he's been injecting insulin since the 70's, lost his job as a long distance lorry driver and had numerous hypo incidents due to being misdiagnosed all that time ago.
The consultant who dealt with him retired recently and the new doctor contacted the man to tell him to stop taking insulin at once and to come for a consultation.
He is now going through various tests to see if any damage has been done.
I think she said that the consultant worked in a hospital in Sheffield, Yorkshire.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Sorry but don't get the connection with Harold Shipman no where in that link could I find a reference to misdiagnosis of diabetes or did I miss it.

Shipman was an individual with murderous intent. The consultant in the op may have just made an error a serious one but not malicious.

 

[serenity648]

Sorry but don't get the connection with Harold Shipman no where in that link could I find a reference to misdiagnosis of diabetes or did I miss it.

Shipman was an individual with murderous intent. The consultant in the op may have just made an error a serious one but not malicious.

Ignore me, I got the wrong person it was a nurse who used insulin to kill several people.

 

[Jaylee]

Sorry but don't get the connection with Harold Shipman no where in that link could I find a reference to misdiagnosis of diabetes or did I miss it.

Shipman was an individual with murderous intent. The consultant in the op may have just made an error a serious one but not malicious.

Shipman's practice in the mid 1970's connection with the misdiagnosed guys GP's practice. Shipman was the son of a lorry driver... Hey! Just some wild thinking..?

I'm feeling the "misdiagnosed guy's" story has been a victim of Chinese whispers...

Ignore me, I got the wrong person it was a nurse who used insulin to kill several people.

Your right about the nurse..

Shipman used diamorphine?

Though I can't see this unemployed, misdiagnosed lorry driver putting Shipman in his will. Lol

 

[AndBreathe]

@Resurgam - Was the mistaken diagnosis T1, whereas the person is T2, and therefore they're just stopping insulin, or the person was never diabetic at all, ever of any shade?

When I say "just stopping insulin", please take it in the context I mean. I'm not trivialising insulin use at all one iota.

 

[Resurgam]

The man has been injecting insulin for a long time - he has lumps and pits all over his abdomen. The new consultant phoned him and said stop injecting at once, and to go into the hospital. He has had tests to check for damage and has been told that he has a good case if he wants to sue.
This is someone who my sister has often mentioned they have been to visit or have been out with - a lifelong friend of my brother in law, and he was wrongly diagnosed as diabetic.
I will ask for more information when I call her again - but she definitely said I ought to ask for a second opinion as their friend was told he was diabetic when he wasn't.

 

[Jaylee]

The man has been injecting insulin for a long time - he has lumps and pits all over his abdomen. The new consultant phoned him and said stop injecting at once, and to go into the hospital. He has had tests to check for damage and has been told that he has a good case if he wants to sue.
This is someone who my sister has often mentioned they have been to visit or have been out with - a lifelong friend of my brother in law, and he was wrongly diagnosed as diabetic.
I will ask for more information when I call her again - but she definitely said I ought to ask for a second opinion as their friend was told he was diabetic when he wasn't.

Yes, but what type D was he diagnosed..? Did he not rotate his injection sites??

It might be better to give more clarification, if you post an email reply from yer sister?

 

[AndBreathe]

The man has been injecting insulin for a long time - he has lumps and pits all over his abdomen. The new consultant phoned him and said stop injecting at once, and to go into the hospital. He has had tests to check for damage and has been told that he has a good case if he wants to sue.
This is someone who my sister has often mentioned they have been to visit or have been out with - a lifelong friend of my brother in law, and he was wrongly diagnosed as diabetic.
I will ask for more information when I call her again - but she definitely said I ought to ask for a second opinion as their friend was told he was diabetic when he wasn't.

I'm not suggesting anyone in this tale is telling untruths, but sometimes, in complex situations, important detail can be lost/forgotten/misunderstood/poorly expressed or just forgotten. It just seems odd. After all that time, if the guy were T1 at the outset, it's almost certain his honeymoon period would have expired by now.

It would also be interesting to understand who reckons he could be in line for compensation. That certainly wouldn't be likely to be the NHS, and if it's a lawyer, in his (the patient) shoes, I'd want to know about the lawyer's expertise and their expert advisors who helped the come to this conclusion.

Again, to reiterating; I'm not suggesting anyone's being economical with the truth.

 

[Jaylee]

I would agree with @AndBreathe , plus with a dark sense of humour, I'm playing "bad cop".? Excuse my coming across a little scoffing of this tail @Resurgam , I'm just intrigued?

I have to admit though, that occaisional injection site lump or bruise does come with the "territory" as a ID..