Worried about blood test results.

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Paul Gibbins

Paul Gibbins

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Went for my six monthly tests in July and was informed a week later (by a nurse) that my hba1c was up at 53 and that the doctor had made changes to my medication including adding dapagliflozin. I was not happy with this so made an appointment with the doctor who had made the changes. I told him I would prefer to try to lower this figure through a low carbohydrate regime and he agreed (sceptically). Over the last three months I have avoided rice, pasta and potatoes and other high carbohydrate foods and returned for blood tests. I 'phoned for results and the receptionist informed me that 'blood sugars were much improved' but the doctor wanted to see me. I asked for a copy of the results and was told that they have stopped doing that and I would have to make a request in writing. This I did and this morning I made the requested appointment with some difficulty for two week's time. I was told my request for the results could take up to 28 days to process. I am in the dark and am now worrying about this unexplained doctor call-back.
 
Paul Gibbins said:
Went for my six monthly tests in July and was informed a week later (by a nurse) that my hba1c was up at 53 and that the doctor had made changes to my medication including adding dapagliflozin. I was not happy with this so made an appointment with the doctor who had made the changes. I told him I would prefer to try to lower this figure through a low carbohydrate regime and he agreed (sceptically). Over the last three months I have avoided rice, pasta and potatoes and other high carbohydrate foods and returned for blood tests. I 'phoned for results and the receptionist informed me that 'blood sugars were much improved' but the doctor wanted to see me. I asked for a copy of the results and was told that they have stopped doing that and I would have to make a request in writing. This I did and this morning I made the requested appointment with some difficulty for two week's time. I was told my request for the results could take up to 28 days to process. I am in the dark and am now worrying about this unexplained doctor call-back.
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If you are an ordinary type 2 diabetic and eating low carb then there is every chance that your bloodtests show something like normal.
The poor old NHS is creaking and groaning under all the strain it has put upon it - who knows where that will end - but I can only urge you to keep on with the low carb and maybe get a blood glucose meter i you don't have one already, as that is going to show you straight away if your blood glucose is in the normal range with no need for your GP surgery to comply with national guidelines. 🙄
 
Drummer said:
If you are an ordinary type 2 diabetic and eating low carb then there is every chance that your bloodtests show something like normal.
The poor old NHS is creaking and groaning under all the strain it has put upon it - who knows where that will end - but I can only urge you to keep on with the low carb and maybe get a blood glucose meter i you don't have one already, as that is going to show you straight away if your blood glucose is in the normal range with no need for your GP surgery to comply with national guidelines. 🙄
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Thanks Drummer. I do have a meter and check regularly. I was aware that I'd lowered my BS. I'm just concerned about why the doctor wants to see me.
 
Well done on negotiating a 3 month hiatus on the medication and making changes to your diet and by the sound of it, improving your HbA1c considerably.
It may be that one of the other parameters on your bloods is out a bit, which can happen sometimes. Cholesterol levels can be affected temporarily by weight loss and low carb, so there may be an issue with that. If you have lost weight LDL (the so called "bad" cholesterol... although a lot of our nervous system is constructed from it I believe) can go up because you are burning fat and will often resolve when your weight stabilizes. So the doc may now want to prescribe you statins if you are not already taking them. It might even just be a vitamin deficiency.

I would like to think that your doc wants to know how you did it so that he can advise other patients, but maybe I am just an optimist! 🙄
 
I can access my medical records via Patient Access and the result of my most recent HbA1c was there for me to see 4 days later. Can you not do this in Wales? We hear a lot of negatives about the way the NHS is run in Wales, but 28 days to process requests for test result details....??

Why your GP would appear to be sceptical of the impact low carb can have on BG, when the facts are out there for all to see, is beyond me so well done on sticking to your guns.
 
Martin.A said:
I can access my medical records via Patient Access and the result of my most recent HbA1c was there for me to see 4 days later. Can you not do this in Wales? We hear a lot of negatives about the way the NHS is run in Wales, but 28 days to process requests for test result details....??

Why your GP would appear to be sceptical of the impact low carb can have on BG, when the facts are out there for all to see, is beyond me so well done on sticking to your guns.
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Things do seem more antiquated in Wales at the moment. The receptionist only had to press a button to print out the results (that used to be the case) but to have to go home and write a formal request really got my goat.
 
Paul Gibbins said:
Went for my six monthly tests in July and was informed a week later (by a nurse) that my hba1c was up at 53 and that the doctor had made changes to my medication including adding dapagliflozin. I was not happy with this so made an appointment with the doctor who had made the changes. I told him I would prefer to try to lower this figure through a low carbohydrate regime and he agreed (sceptically). Over the last three months I have avoided rice, pasta and potatoes and other high carbohydrate foods and returned for blood tests. I 'phoned for results and the receptionist informed me that 'blood sugars were much improved' but the doctor wanted to see me. I asked for a copy of the results and was told that they have stopped doing that and I would have to make a request in writing. This I did and this morning I made the requested appointment with some difficulty for two week's time. I was told my request for the results could take up to 28 days to process. I am in the dark and am now worrying about this unexplained doctor call-back.
Click to expand...

Well done on whatever improvements you've had in your blood glucose. Sounds like your GP is handling your request as a Subject Access Request under data protection legislation. What a nonsense. They are your results, not some state secret.

Moving on: When going low carb, did you trim up at all? The reason I ask is some folks find that when they are actively losing weight and for a short while afterwards, their cholesterol levels rise. It does tend to be temporary, so that may have happened, and your GP wants to talk about it.

Of course, that's speculation on my part, but please don't worry. It helps nothing, and in the words of my dear departed Dad,.......... "reality is rarely as bad as our worrying imaginations try to persuade us."
 
Paul Gibbins said:
Things do seem more antiquated in Wales at the moment. The receptionist only had to press a button to print out the results (that used to be the case) but to have to go home and write a formal request really got my goat.
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I'm afraid that if my Surgery tried to tell me that results were anything less than immediately available I'd be extremely robust in getting them to review that decision. I don't remember how long ago the NHS was cajoled into keeping patients informed - but this has been a principle for at least one decade, maybe 2. Just reading your post has made my blood boil!
 
Paul Gibbins said:
Thanks for this rebrascora. I like your optimism but I have my doubts. The doctor was not very optimistic that I could do it, preferred the medication route but I was determined.
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I went for a foot check recently and was rather pleased to see that my HbA1c level of 43 resulted in an actual dropped jaw. The nurse then had to go and check for herself.....
 
AndBreathe said:
Well done on whatever improvements you've had in your blood glucose. Sounds like your GP is handling your request as a Subject Access Request under data protection legislation. What a nonsense. They are your results, not some state secret.

Moving on: When going low carb, did you trim up at all? The reason I ask is some folks find that when they are actively losing weight and for a short while afterwards, their cholesterol levels rise. It does tend to be temporary, so that may have happened, and your GP wants to talk about it.

Of course, that's speculation on my part, but please don't worry. It helps nothing, and in the words of my dear departed Dad,.......... "reality is rarely as bad as our worrying imaginations try to persuade us."
Click to expand...
Your Dad was absolutely right. I tend to imagine all sorts.
 
Proud to be erratic said:
I'm afraid that if my Surgery tried to tell me that results were anything less than immediately available I'd be extremely robust in getting them to review that decision. I don't remember how long ago the NHS was cajoled into keeping patients informed - but this has been a principle for at least one decade, maybe 2. Just reading your post has made my blood boil!
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Mine is boiling too, I was robust but to no avail.
 
Paul Gibbins said:
Things do seem more antiquated in Wales at the moment. The receptionist only had to press a button to print out the results (that used to be the case) but to have to go home and write a formal request really got my goat.
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Does your surgery use e-consult? I used it for the first time today (in Pembrokeshire) to request some recent test results. I had an email a few hours later to say that the GP’d ring me on Monday to chat about the results. I’d have liked the results beforehand, obvs.

A written request does seem old-fashioned! Good luck @Paul Gibbins
 
Paul Gibbins said:
Went for my six monthly tests in July and was informed a week later (by a nurse) that my hba1c was up at 53 and that the doctor had made changes to my medication including adding dapagliflozin. I was not happy with this so made an appointment with the doctor who had made the changes. I told him I would prefer to try to lower this figure through a low carbohydrate regime and he agreed (sceptically). Over the last three months I have avoided rice, pasta and potatoes and other high carbohydrate foods and returned for blood tests. I 'phoned for results and the receptionist informed me that 'blood sugars were much improved' but the doctor wanted to see me. I asked for a copy of the results and was told that they have stopped doing that and I would have to make a request in writing. This I did and this morning I made the requested appointment with some difficulty for two week's time. I was told my request for the results could take up to 28 days to process. I am in the dark and am now worrying about this unexplained doctor call-back.
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Do you use the NHS App. I had bloods done today, and they were all on the app by the evening
 
louisew said:
Aha , I did wonder if it was
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Did we get e-consult instead of the app here in Wales? Or is e-consult available in England too? I’ve always had to fight for my test results, but have never been told to write a letter!
 
Bloden said:
Did we get e-consult instead of the app here in Wales? Or is e-consult available in England too? I’ve always had to fight for my test results, but have never been told to write a letter!
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There are various options across the whole UK I believe. I was of the opinion it was down to the individual practice to adopt whatever system they chose, but i may be mistaken. My practice originally started out with "AskMyGP" which was how I got my diabetes diagnosis 4.5 years ago. Used the service to inform a GP of my symptoms. They read it the next morning and made an appointment for me with the nurse for a blood test the next day and got the result the day after from the nurse who then dealt with me until I was referred to the clinic, so never needed to see a GP at all, which I was quite happy about. It was all very efficient.... nearly too efficient as I wasn't expecting an appointment the next day and nearly missed the blood test. Now we have System Online at the same practice which I personally do not think is so good, but I order all my medication through it and that works fine. Unfortunately the only things which appear to have been put onto the system are my vaccinations and allergies in the past few years I have been using it. When I last checked, my results were not on there. I haven't used the NHS app. I am not a fan of phone apps, but may have to give it a go.
 
I have been on my surgery's Patient Panel Group for 13 years. When I found out that other people in other areas were able to see test results online very soon after the tests I pushed our surgery to do the same. Initially they were reluctant but I got others on the PPG to back me up and we did put pressure on and I am pleased to say it was one of our successes and we can now access all test results and also our medical records over the last 23 years. It may be worth finding out if your surgery has a PPG and joining. It's generally 1 meeting every 3 months. They are actually paid to have a PPG so your surgery should have one.

Anyway @Paul Gibbins from what I see on the waking thread you have no need to worry about your results.
 
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