Doctors code words.

[GreekOddess]

Just received a copy of a letter from my Consultant to my GP which states that he had "the pleasure of meeting this lovely lady". I remember reading somewhere else that everything is written in code. So what is "lovely lady" code for? Does it mean that I'm not a pain in the arse??

Following!!!
I had "hypochondria abdo pain"
I'm not thick. Knew exactly what it meant. Turned out to be a massive blood clot 😡

Lovely lady means you weren't an arsehole.

No my drs put that sort of thing in before they hit you with the hard stuff it makes it more of a human interaction

Now if they describe you as lively and enthusiastic....

It's incredibly dated isn't it? And just a little sexist 🤔

Hypochondrial abdo pain means pain under the ribs my Dr went to great pains to explain this to me when she requested some bloods!

The abdomen is divided into 9 segments the upper third right and the upper third left are anatomically called the hypochondria so he probably wasn’t calling blood clot lady a hypochondriac

Old article but a good one:

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3159813.stm

I think mine should be named after a controversial new technology for football: VAR (veins are rubbish). Try getting blood out of me, or a cannula in for that matter. I'm just shit and uncooperative!

It’s just a turn of phrase isn’t it? You’re overthinking it. Take it as a compliment - I’d read this as they thought you were pleasant, sensible, clued up about your health and not an aggressive pain in the arse.

I think the complimentary terms are standard.

If they refer to you as ‘well-informed’ or mention your ‘preference’ for a certain treatment, does that mean they have you down for a know-all, who should step away from Google?

Reminds me of the time dh told a patient she had a fatty lump. She thought he called her a fat lump!! She put in a written complaint to the chief exec. Thankfully he had documented his finding in the notes!

Op I imagine it was a genuine compliment.

Most of our letters are started in this way, it just means they met you, had a chat, and it's a nice way of making a referral rather than 'I saw Ms X in clinic on the 15th November'

It’s a very standard first line & doesn’t mean anything particular.

@Alpacam Hypochondrium is an anatomical term meaning ‘below the (costal) cartilages’ ie. below the ribs.

@Alpacamabags! Me too. Had a blood clot in my brain. Followed a week later by a blood clot in my lungs. Drs told me I was having a panic attack. That I was taking up precious dr time when someone really sick could be using the bed. He said I needed to be gone in 10 mins

I had over 200 clots in my right lungs....dickhead.

Sorry- posted too soon. Generally you will be cc'd into letters between professionals in this way, they don't use code! If that does happen it'll be on ward notes etc where you'll only see them if you request them. It shouldn't happen even then but it would be very very unusual and unprofessional for any sort of code to be used in a letter. Especially considering if there were a universal code they don't know if your partner/ sister/ dad/ best friend is a healthcare professional and would be able to see right through it immediately had you shown it to them!

We had an computer system in work and if patients were arseholes we would put !!! On their notes. Lovely and pleasant do really mean that. If they didn't like you they just wouldn't say anything

It’s not at all sexist, I have a sheaf of letters with similar comments, (pleasure to meet this gentleman etc.). It may be a code but I think that the compliment is genuine.

My recent discharge letter from the hospital following my surgery described me as a “pleasant lady”
I must admit my first thought was I wonder what that’s code for?! 😂

Apalcamabags as pps have said the hypochondrium is a description of an anatomical area of the abdomen and not a derogatory term.
Op it is likely just meaning the doctor thought you were indeed a nice female (although it is technically not recommended as it is an opinion) and is a common term.

It’s a convention, not a code. Although if you were very rude they might miss out the lovely bit.

@nevertellmetheodds Please tell me you confronted him?! What did he say???

@Alpacamabags actually, you misinterpreted that...

@nevertellmetheodds read the above posts. It wasn’t your doctor being the dickhead...

I've wondered about this often.
The letter often comes back 'this pleasant lady. ...' when she is anything but.

I wonder if it's code for 'Watch the family'

I was told I was well informed, and that they wished all patients did their homework... it pays to read up in my book

Now I'm disappointed.

I've had 'I met this pleasant lady in clinic on 3 November etc' and thought they must have found me a lot polite than most patients then...