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Pancreatitis and alcohol

silverbirch

Well-Known Member
Messages
106
Location
Lincolnshire
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I have written about pancreatitis and alcohol before on the forum but not asked the following question.

After my appointment at the hospital with my endocrinologist he wrote in my clinical notes, (a copy of which I received), about alcohol and that I had mentioned that I used to drink but it gave me headaches and so gave it up. He also asked if I had had pancreatitis and I replied that I hadn't. I am wondering if anyone with Type 1 diabetes has ever been asked these questions and if so were the answers you gave written in your clinical notes. The notes allude to alcohol being the cause of my diabetes, i.e. it has in some-way destroyed the beta-cells in my pancreas which has led to Type 1.

I am baffled as to why he would mention alcohol if I have never been diagnosed with pancreatitis. If anyone on the forum has been asked these questions about alcohol or pancreatitis and have had it written in the clinical notes I would be grateful for their answer.
Many thanks.
 
They sound like normal questions that would be asked of anyone, and doctors are meant to write down the answers so other doctors have the info easily and don't have to ask you again. It doesn't sound like you were a heavy drinker or for a long time, so I don't see why there would be an increased risk of alcohol affecting your pancreas.
 
There is a general assumption that if you have pancreatitis you are a heavy drinker. I have been asked numerous times over the last 15 years by doctors about my drinking habits despite being teetotal and having non alcohol related pancreatic disease. In fairness alcohol is one of the major causes of pancreatic and liver disease so a fair question but not a fair assumption!!. Sue xxx
 

Do you know how your liver results read around the time or times he asked the questions? A number of people have commented here that their Docs have asked about drinking when they've had raised liver results.
 
AndBreathe said:
Do you know how your liver results read around the time or times he asked the questions? A number of people have commented here that their Docs have asked about drinking when they've had raised liver results.
Click to expand...

Hi AndBreathe, In all of the blood tests taken, I have never had raised liver results. My GP/Nurse has never mentioned raised liver results, which I'm sure they would have so that I could rectify the problem. My GP would know if I had had pancreatitis and I think I would have been given a diagnosis had this been the case. I am baffled by the Endo's remarks in his letter to my GP about the drinking and pancreatitis. I understand that the Endo has to ask questions about alcohol and that insulin is calculated to accommodate everyone's lifestyle, but when I mentioned I didn't drink alcohol anymore why would he need to include this in his letter to my GP. The nurse at my GP's surgery read the letter and she too queried why he would put info about alcohol when I don't drink. She asked me if he thinks alcohol caused my diabetes. I said I don't know why he put those remarks in the letter.
I just wanted to ask if anyone has had the same comments from their Endo. I can then respond to the comments made from the Endo about my "so called drinking" with an informed opinion. The comments sound defamatory and discriminatory to me and I would like them removed from my hospital file. Do all Endo's attribute Type 1 to alcohol? I thank you for your reply. I hope I can get some answers from the Forum.
 

I doubt you'll get a definitive answer, because not one single one of us can possibly know why he wrote what he did. We can all speculate to our hearts content, but that's all it'll be.

Your only option is to ask the person who wrote the letter.
 
AndBreathe said:
I doubt you'll get a definitive answer, because not one single one of us can possibly know why he wrote what he did. We can all speculate to our hearts content, but that's all it'll be.

Your only option is to ask the person who wrote the letter.
Click to expand...

I've not made myself very clear. My question was, Has anyone with Type 1 diabetes been quoted on their notes about drinking alcohol and it causing diabetes. I guess it's not a question for the Forum to answer. Apologies to the Forum. Many thanks for your reply.
 
It's not possible to get things removed from your hospital file, but you can make a statement that has to be added to the file.

In your OP, you said he had written something in your clinical notes, then in another post you said it was in a letter to your GP. I can understand something being recorded in your clinical notes but I don't see why it should have been included in the letter to your GP. Especially since you said you no longer drink. Did you say to him that you only ever drank moderately, or did you drink heavily?

Maybe he has a thing about alcohol and he thinks any amount is linked to pancreatitis and diabetes, which it isn't. They do have to ask about alcohol use and smoking, routinely, and they have to record the answer. It would be ok for the GP letter to say you previously drank, but not ok for it to stay this caused pancreatitis, because I think that it speculative and irrelevant.

In NZ, it is the law that at every single hospital visit they have to ask you if you smoke or if you ever have. It gets really tiresome.
 
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