Just received a shielding letter but no one knows why!!

[theviewfromhalfwaydown]

I’m freaking out a bit that there’s something wrong with me I don’t know about. I received a shielding letter but have no idea why I have it. I’m slightly overweight but haven’t been weighed by a dr in 10years and that was just after I’d given birth to my youngest. I have no underlying health conditions I know about and I’m only 38. All I can think of is that I had gestational diabetes but that was years ago. I’ve already had the first jab as I work in healthcare but I’m worried they know something I don’t. I’m not going to shield as I don’t think I need to and I want to work but it’s still thrown me quite a bit.

Yes I'm currently more scared by the diabetes risk than the Covid risks. Which is probably sensible! I was doing so well till the swimming pools closed

@IFinishedTheBiscuits Your username is quite funny given the circumstances

Me too! I've got fitter over the last year but I'm not sure that's enough to cancel out all the stress eating I've done over the last six months... I didn't even think about the risk of diabetes. Oh dear.

I wish I'd changed it before posting, haven't used this account for years!... Unfortunately it's probably fairly accurate.

Oh I'm repeating myself too...

Just had my vaccine! I just figured I wouldn't shield but I WOULD try and lose weight and reduce risk that way. I've had Covid so as far as I'm concerned my risk of developing type 2 is significantly higher than any risk of dying of Covid. I had the vaccine as I figured seeing as I was offered it I might as well take it, even if it was actually a mistake! im now feeling a bit ropey but I think it's because I've already had Covid so I've had a heightened immune response. I don't think the doctor's had any clue why I was on the list but literally noone questioned it

I’m a bit miffed at my GP’s response. Initially they said they had no idea and couldn’t comment. Then the receptionist emailed me saying she’d spoken to the doctor who’d reviewed my records and concluded I had no high risk factors therefore ‘it was a mistake by central NHS’ whatever that means, and should be ignored. I thanked her for checking and said my understanding was a clear Hba1c was needed to ensure the historic GD hadn’t developed into T2 but she just repeated it was a mistake and that I can be removed from the list.

I’m not arguing that I shouldn’t be removed per se but I’m a bit annoyed there was no acknowledgement of the increased risk of developing type 2 or agreement that I should have a Hba1c. I know they’re really busy and I’m not demanding it urgently but I do think they should be encouraging us to get our blood sugars checked, as a matter of routine after GD but particularly given this has been thrown into the spotlight.

Given it takes an age to get appointments at the mo and I don’t want to keep bothering them I’ve ordered a private home Hba1c test - if that’s all clear I’ll assume all is fine. If it’s not I guess I’ll have to go back to the doc...

When I thought about it I realised that my annual Hba1c had been carried out by a private health assessment I got through work.I think another poster implied similar. Now @bumblenbean is getting theirs privately. Given type2 correlates with deprivation or at least covid risk with type 2 does this seems pretty shocking.

There is a doctor on twitter stating the annual check is not funded by the GP contract implying they will not conduct it routinely, and I have certainly read about ladies being refused it by their GP.

I know there are bigger health issues at the moment but if there is an NHS left in the post pandemic world this should be addressed. Maybe a system to allow woman to request an annual blood test without a gp appointment would even save money (no wasted appointments to request it for those few who already do so, and catching it early for those who get type 2). I guess this is the kind of thing to write to MPs about?

@NeedsImprovement01 I agree. It’s far from satisfactory. The knock on effect on the NHS of numerous women potentially walking around with untreated diabetes and the subsequent treatment / consequences would suggest not offering routine Hba1cs a false economy.

I have similar concerns with medication reviews, or lack thereof. I’ve been on various antidepressants for years and not once have I been offered a review. I know I could ask for one if I felt it was needed, and I appreciate they just have so much to do it’s not a priority, but it occurred to me recently t’s not great being on medication for years without anyone ever reviewing it...

My GP still hasn't even replied to the online message I sent over on Friday afternoon. I know they're busy but they're the ones who insist this is the only way to contact them. Grr.

I'm feeling a bit calmer now though, that whilst not 100% certain, I think having had a negative GD check during pregnancy last year should mean I'm ok, inasmuch as my 'only' risk factor is therefore BMI.

@bumblenbean I’d be furious.

The thing is, it’s all well and good GP’s pretending it isn’t an issue, but if “covid is something we are going to have to learn to live with” and they are potentially letting a load of women end up with a T2D diagnosis, it will ultimately result in more work for them and the NHS in the long run. Next time (god forbid!) we are in lockdown or another pandemic, they will have that many more to look after and pay out for. Short term pain for a long term gain, I say.

I didn’t have a problem having my postpartum check, but I did have to call them myself and the receptionist didn’t even know what the test was so I had to tell her. I’m due one soon.

So frustrating! They might not seem a priority given all the other work they have to do but as you say it can save a lot of work and expense in the long run. Sadly there doesn’t seem to be a huge amount of forward thinking in the NHS a lot of the time! I was surprised though that my GP seemed completely unconcerned with ensuring follow up blood checks are done ...

doireallyneedaname I have awful trouble getting through the receptionist to get my bloods. I'm type one so request an hba1c every 3-6 months and they just don't seem to understand that the GP is happy for me to do this. I have to explain and repeat myself for about fifteen minutes each time. It helps that I used to work in a doctors surgery and know what I'm talking about though.

Handy flow chart

This is super helpful, thank you.

Thanks so much for this. That's what I needed to see in black and white. Have my bloods booked for Monday so hopefully will get an answer one way or the other before kids go back to school

They could have stuck that in with the shielding letter, couldn't they?!

I had the vaccine this week and also went in for my hba1c test at my GPs today. The nurse confirmed that the only reason I had received the letter was because of past GD and no recent hba1c test on record. She said if this test comes back ok that I could be taken off the list. The nurse also kindly took extra bloods to check vitamin/iron etc levels too, she said 'while you are here we may as well do a bit of an MOT' :)

I had GD 12 years ago and recently received a shielding letter ( 2 letters in fact) I’ve never had my blood sugars checked since being pregnant shocking given how high the risk of developing diabetes is. I’ve had my COVID vaccine and requested the HC1 blood test just in case my employer finds out I’m technically meant to be shielding.

if you google Gestational diabetes covid it brings up several articles discussing confusion over this.
[www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56130317 BBC article]
The good news is that it bumps you up the vaccination priority.
Your choice whether you shield or not.

@nevertrustaherdofcows - you should have been offered a vaccine if you have diabetes - contact your GP and ask why you haven't been.

not sure why the link didn't work?

You need and round the link

I've just received a shielding letter for asthma. I'm really confused as to why.

I've been told I'm not at risk, then told I'm moderate risk (group 6), now it's been decided I'm at severe risk (group 4). All in the space of a month!

What's going on?

I'm asthmatic and bmi over 40 but still only group 6!

Exactly the same - I had one this week and the only thing I can think of is I had GD with my first pregnancy. I wonder if they using some kind of word search function in medical records for key words eg ‘diabetes’ then just sending them out when there is a hit?!