Doctor Referral appointment refuse able? - Confused.

[user1476968120]

Basically, I had my 8 week appointment last week and even though my blood-sugar is perfectly fine and normal, The doctor said my weight is an ''extreme issue''. which not only embarrassed me, I felt was unfair. Yes, I am alittle bigger, I always have been, but ive always suffered with weight problems due to a hard time and childhood, I have also gone up a dress size this past year due to some difficult times.

Anyway, due to my weight, she referred me to have a diabetes test, However I don't want it. At all. I have never had any health problems and have no family history of health problems. I understand people are going to say do it, But I don't want to.

I had a letter today about an appointment following my referral, would this be for the diabetes test? It doesn't say it is, and by what I have read, there are certain things you need to do and bring before having tests done for this, and there is absolutely no information in the letter about this. It just says that its a chance to discuss things like my pregnancy plan etcetc.

I am deathly terrified of needles and injections, and have also read that diabetes tests involve two blood tests, which is also making me not want it. TBH, nothing is going to convince me to get it, ive made up my mind.

Has anyone else flat out refused diabetes tests and could give me advice? Or any ''over-weight'' or ''larger'' mum's that can give me some advice on how pregnancy will be?

Please, I don't want to hear that it will be better for my baby, just looking for helpful advice.

I hope all this makes sense, Thank you :3

Please read up on the effects of gestational diabetes. If you want to refuse the test, fine, but let it be an informed decision.

If the appointment was for the test, it would say. So it'll be an appointment.
You'll be able to discuss what tests they recommend and can consent or decline as preferred.
You can also decline the appointment if you don't wish to attend.

However, if you do develop gestational diabetes its important to know about it so you can be treated appropriately. So perhaps talk to the mw about managing your fear of needles, perhaps you can access the numbing cream or CBT? They may well be some tests that are truly necessary.

I was overweight in pregnancy. Bmi 35. Depending on bmi and trust you will automatically be classed as a hugh risk pregnancy which means referrals to the consultant.

Im not sure about diabetes test but it is best you have it. Have they talked about how they will manage your needle phobia through pregnancy as you will likely have a lot of blood tests and may need a cannula / epidural etc durimg labour.

The most common test for pregnancy diabetes (gestational diabetes) involves not eating overnight, having a blood test then drinking lucozade and having a blood test to see how your body handles the sugar in lucozade.

It sounds like the appointment you have received is just an appointment, perhaps with a midwife or obstetrician. You can discuss your concerns with them.

I had a test for GD and it was combined with another routine blood test I needed so it was only one additional test.

Please, I don't want to hear that it will be better for my baby, just looking for helpful advice
Sorry but that sounds selfish, why don't you want a diabetes test??

I have to have the extended test due to family history and weight. I'm having at the same time as 28week bloods so no extra needles. I booked it directly with the phlebotomy dept at the hospital after I had the screening bloods done.

I'd say it's unlikely the appt you have got through is for a glucose challenge and if you are having the extended one then you have to fast for it so the letter would say that.

I'm sorry but I struggle to empathise with your attitude towards the test, I had it in my first pregnancy and it really wasn't that bad, everyone can make there own decisions and all that but there are much worse aspects to pregnancy & birth.

Wishing you a happy healthy pregnancy.

You really need to do some research OP. There are significant risks involved and you should at least understand them before you make such a decision. I'm quite surprised you'd put yourself and your unborn child at such risk, what does your DP/H think? Surely they are a stakeholder in this as well?

Also an overweight person has a greater chance of having gestational diabetes. Even if they have always been healthy. It is in no way a judgment of that person's weight, or the reasons why they are that weight.

A lot of parenting means making sacrifices for your children. In this case you could drastically reduce the risk of serious complications for you AND the baby by just having a blood test.

The only helpful advice I can give is - do it. And be thankful it's available to you.

I don't think you will get the helpful advice you are hoping for here because no-one is going to tell you it'll all be OK if you opt out because they truthfully can't.

I think the issue here is needle phobia in which case there is help available and which you really should consider accessing because there will be other vital blood tests as the pregnancy progresses, diabetes issue aside. Wishing you strength to get through this.

Im not selfish thank you very much. I didn't mean i don't care about the effects on the baby, i just meant im looking for advice on this, As i already have family members and other people telling me to just have an abortion and im already dealing with problems from people not accepting it.

Thats all i meant.

Dont call me selfish when you dont even know me. Thanks.

Thank you to everyone else who ahs commented, im going to have a read through your replies now. Thank you so much for taking your time to reply to my message x

The doctor said my weight is an ''extreme issue''. which not only embarrassed me, I felt was unfair
Why is it unfair?? There is a massive problem with obesity in this country at the moment and if medical staff cannot talk to their patients about it, then who can??

Dont call me selfish when you dont even know me
I didn't call you selfish, I said that your attitude to the diabetes test was selfish.

Two completely different things.

You can refuse any medical treatment if you don't want it , just be aware that the doctor has referred you for your own good though and make sure you are aware of the consequences of refusing to follow the doctors advice .

Please read up on Gestational Diabetes, it is NOT the same as 'normal' diabetes. It would almost definitely impact your baby, and other decisions about your pregnancy and delivery may well be taken out of your hands if you don't manage it.

It's probably them just referring you to the midwives tbh, too early for GTT as far as I know and something that the midwives organise.

Why is it unfair of the doctor to point out if you are overweight?

I don't think they say it just for kicks.

You also seem to blame your weight on having 'a hard time' a lot. I really don't like to think I know everything about someone just from a few words on a fourm but could you be in denial about your own responsibility for your weight?

Even healthy, fit, normal weight people can develop health complications in pregnancy, I was one of them.

I know you don't like needles but there are quite a few of them involved in growing a human.

Gosh, I hate being blunt but it's not just your needs anymore.

No judgement here, just facts.

If your BMI is more than 30 a glucose tolerance test is recommended because gestational diabetes carries some risks for you and your baby if you don't get the care appropriate to that condition.

All the information you need is in the NICE antenatal care guideline for diabetes which you can access online.

You can have a cream to rub in your skin to numb it before any bloods are taken and HCPs caring for you will support you before and during the procedure.

Everyone will want to offer you best care. The decision to accept or decline that care for yourself and your baby is yours.

Back in the days before they tested for GD there were more stillbirths. My two brothers died because my mum had undiagnosed GD.

I was diagnosed when I was pregnant. It may well have saved my Dd's life. The treatment wasn't awful compared to any of the other stuff you go through when pregnant.

Of course you can refuse testing. You may well live to regret it.

You need to sit down with your midwife at the booking visit and have a discussion about your needle phobia, because you do need to address it. There's a roughly 1 in 5 chance, for instance, that you will end up needing a CS at the end of your pregnancy - no way of doing this without needles. Your HCPs would be clinically negligent if they didn't at least try to persuade you to have blood tests for gestational diabetes, and there are other conditions that may come up during pregnancy which need checking. What if you have to be induced? That's an IV line. You'd have to be incredibly lucky to get through pregnancy and birth with no needles, so better to talk about it to your midwife early on, get it properly flagged on your notes that you will need very sympathetic care, numbing creams, etc, and take it from there.

(I went through a long phase of feeling faint with blood tests, btw, so I know that phobias aren't under conscious control, and it's not something you can just "pull yourself together" over. But there are things HCPs can do to make things easier - letting you lie down for blood tests, numbing creams etc.)

People who are 'a little bigger' don't get told their weight is an extreme issue. Gestational Diabetes is very dangerous if it isn't controlled. You need to think carefully.

The appointment you received is almost certainly not a glucose tolerance test. They are normally carried out later in pregnancy (nearer 26 ish weeks)and come with specific instructions about fasting beforehand. They are also long appointments, usually over 2 hours so you are warned about them. You also have the right to refuse any medical procedure. What is your bmi? In my area referral for a glucose tolerance test is automatic if your bmi is over 30, you can also be referred if you have a family history of diabetes or if you want one. My bmi was 29 at booking and I felt that it was near enough to 30 for me to request one because I knew the increased risks with being over weight and undiagnosed gestational diabetes and I didn't want to take any risks with my baby. It took a couple of hours and was a bit unpleasant but absolutely worth it (although I didn't have gd).

Agree with what most people are saying; the bigger issue here is your needle phobia. There will be a number of blood tests you will need during your pregnancy. It would be very unwise to refuse these as it could mean missing something important to the health of yourself or your baby.

Also, during childbirth you may need some sort of medical intervention including needles, so it would be very much in your interest to talk to your GP now, in this appointment, about how to manage your phobia.

Finally - get the GD test. Get every test you can; the only way to be prepared for any potential issue is to know about it.

Hey, I also have a needle phobia and am in a very similar situation to you. A lot of people don't realise how utterly paralyzing the fear of needles can be. I'm still working out how I'm muddling through all this, so can't offer much advice at this stage, but I understand how you feel. We'll get through it somehow.