My medical records say I was anorexic but I wasn't

[ApuskiDusky]

I've just been through the process of applying for life insurance, and had to complete health forms. Because I am a bit underweight, the insurance company wanted to talk to me about any history of weight issues. I explained that I had been concerned about my weight 12 years ago, and was referred to an eating disorders unit for assessment - who said that I didn't have an eating disorder, i.e. wasn't anorexic or bulimic. They concluded it was stress related, and I managed to address this myself.

The insurance company asked for my medical records, and I discovered that it says that I had anorexia nervosa 12 years ago.

Luckily my GP (new practice) put a cover note in that downplayed this, and they have given me the insurance anyway.

So - should I try to get my medical records changed? What future impact might this have? And does anyone know how, especially as I have changed practice?

Yes you can get it changed as long as the letters from the unit you were referred to make that clear in your GP notes. You will need to write to the GP/practice manager.

Do not let them tell you that there is a charge for seeing your notes. There is if you want to read them but, in the first instance, the GP should check your notes and see if the information held is backed up by the letters. If so, they should agree to the change.

If he refuses to change it, or says the letters confirm the diagnosis, then you could pay to have copies of your whole medical record and go through it yourself to find the bit you need. Record keeping wasn't nearly as good even 12 years ago. Most GPs work from computer records now so the incorrect entry can be deleted.

Good luck.

I've just been on a training session covering freedom of information and data protection.

As I understand it you have a right to have any innacurate data that is held about you corrected.

It is definitely in your intersts to do this as any futhre life insurance etc may refer to those incorrect medial records.

I think that would come under data protection

Try this link
[http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/data_protection.aspx]

Did it say anorexia or anorexia nervosa?

The first I THINK can mean no appetite/not eating and the second is the eating disorder.

giraffes is right, anorexia is the medical term for 'loss of appetite'. Anorexia nervosa is 'nervous loss of appetite' - an eating disorder.

Despite this, it is important that any distinction is VERY clear in your notes, given that you were referred for specialist opinion. For your sake, you need your notes to reflect clearly that you were discharged from assessment without further follow up.

Thanks bradsmissus and curlygal, good to know it's possible. I'm hoping that as my GP wrote the cover note, it means she doesn't entirely agree with the diagnosis, so hopefully might support changing it.

Giraffes - yes, it said anorexia nervosa - so would be interpreted as an eating disorder.

No one mentioned it during my pregnancy 2 years ago, curiously; I would have thought that would be something they would want to check out. But then, I did end up putting on 4 stone..

And thanks lou - maybe my GP will support changing it to anorexia and dropping the nervosa. That might be a realistic outcome, as I did have 'loss of appetite'.