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I have been studying recent advice regarding shielding. The advice given by the Society of Rheumatologists and various experts states that if a person is on Prednisolone with other problems i.e. over 70, diabetic, high blood pressure, heart problems etc. they should be shielding. According to my GP this is incorrect. Can anyone clarify this please.
Thanks
This is the second query regarding advice from GPs - whether they are getting different information I’m not sure.
But if it were me I’d be inclined to follow the Soc of Rheumies advice -I think they revised last week but the annex which scores your risk remains the same.
This was posted the other day regarding same -
I'd be inclined to tell him HE is wrong ...
Over 70 alone is high risk. Hypertension is another factor - and so are cardiovascular disease/ischaemic heart disease and diabetes. Never mind the pred - and if you have been on pred that has various versions.
Don't know what world he is living in...
healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...
Take your phone/computer and open the video in this link and talk him through it
healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...
Hi, thanks for your reply. My GP sent me this link to "update" me. Does it make sense?
rheumatology.org.uk/news-po...
The first part is for drs. The link for patient to versus arthritis is relevant. My Dr suggested I might go for a walk...when I explained what shielding meant in reality for me..never being sure that I would be able to stay away from people as the street is very small and busy. I tried to put my rubbish in my bin 4 times the other day but when I opened my door someone was wandering past. 6 people walking a dog at my last attempt! So ease go with the proper shielding if that's what your risk score indicates and if you do step out ...mask up.
The risk table hasn’t changed - and that what you - and he should be looking at.
You GP sent you that link to "update" YOU? It says clearly in the first paragraph that the info is for clinicians and that patients with queries should speak to their clinical team - and while that should include the GP most of them are not well-enough informed to advise. As we can see ...
I saw the rheumatology chart and scored 4 possibly 5 which meant I should isolate. I could not get grocery deliveries and was told if I registered on the government web site I could ask for help, which I did.
Last week I got a letter from my GP saying that I was not vulnerable and that they considered me in no way in need of isolation just social distancing. They said I could shop safely for myself. This despite the fact that on top of everything else I am awaiting a hip replacement and need crutches to walk.
We are obviously not following the same instructions.
Requiring a new hip does not mean you are more susceptible to coronavirus than a normal person. Have you been on 20mg or more of pred for the last four weeks or on 5mg or more plus taking methotrexate or similar? If so you should be classed by the supermarkets in their government rules vulnerable category and can have VIP slots for home deliveries.
If you feel you are vulnerable because of your hip and have trouble walking contact the supermarket directly and explain the problem, it may take a bit of effort, but they should give you a vulnerable delivery, it is not just for people who may be affected badly if they get coronavirus.
I realise that and do not in fact feel vulnerable. The reason I went via the government form to get help was because I could not contact the supermarkets themselves at the time and it was suggested to me as my only option. I am now on the priority list of one and can get deliveries. I do not want or expect anything else. At the time the instructions were for everyone over 70 to isolate, whatever.
The hip does not class me as vulnerable but it does mean I find the current queuing situation impossible, in fact I have not been able to walk around a supermarket to do my shopping for most of the last 3 years and have been relying on deliveries for all that time, until suddenly there were none available.
I suppose the word vulnerable makes us sound a bit decrepit! I assume you only filled in the government form to get a slot at the supermarket, so it worked! The over 70s having to isolate only lasted a short time before it was extended to everyone.
Until coronavirus only about 7% of customers used on line deliveries, I have heard that it then went up to around 90% so supermarkets could not and cannot cope.
Hi I too received conflicting advice head of practice GP told me I was increased risk and my choice whether I shielded or not but then I saw a different GP who rang to say I was high risk and offered me a sick note for 3 months which my manager said would go against me and trigger a report! she referred me to a doctor in occy health (I work for NHS by the way) who said on 60mg pred I am definitely shielded!! quite apart from the risks of the gca/pmr themselves as having an autoimmune disease is an unknown factor mixed with covid-19, so although I haven't received a shielding letter I am now officially shielded until 30/06/20 and no sick note required!!! I really believe the poor Gp's have been left floundering in the dark and don't have all the information they should have!! Hopefully this is of some help 🤔🤞
Thats great Topcar. Gp`s being confused is probably the nice version. To me it looks like a pattern here, many like scats have suddently been told by Gp`s that they are not vulnerable and do not have to be shielding, even though they meet the criteria for shielding, Could be a new economical viewpoint coming from politicians
Or the GPs not wanting to write the letter ...
Originally all those on increased risk re government guidelines were supposed to get a letter from the government, around 1.5 million people. They actually sent out around 900,000 letters, (including 10,000 to those who were dead), because they used the hospital databases and missed the GP ones. If only they had a decent integrated computer system! They then got the GPs to go through their files and let the primary care hub in Darlington know of those that fell into the highly vulnerable category, and Darlington would send a letter as if it were from the GP surgery. I am not sure how many of those they got wrong, I know a friend with Lupus who got a letter, she is on no drugs at all and the GP surgery admitted she should not have had the letter. In fact the receptionist said it was a scam, which is wasn’t!
It's all just such muddle it's taken me 6 weeks to sort out and the different departments don't want to or won't liase with each other!!! I must be on the gov list as I received an email from Sainsburys offering me vulnerable person online shopping as per their gov list also tesco and Iceland but alas not Morrisons where I normally shop!! My manager unpaid me at the beginning because I had no letter and she couldn't provide adequate social distancing and didn't want the responsibility of me being there!!! I'm sure all this stress and my husband falling and breaking his collar bone has contributed to my latest gca problems!! But at last I feel I've got some answers and am so thankful I joined this wonderful supportive group there's now light at the end of the tunnel, Thanks for caring 🤗
It sounds like your letter got lost in the post if the supermarkets have been informed. Can you ask your GP for a copy?
I have an appointment Wednesday so I'll ask then, but work is sorted now even without the letter as occy health doc HAD done her research with rheumatology she was armed with a chart from 2 departments in uhl and said she wouldn't beat about the bush it was all going in an email in a nutshell to be clarified once and for all to my manager and HR!!! I've since checked my roster and I'm covid-19 absence until 30/06/20 also confirmed by manager, I love my job but I'm really beginning to wonder if at 63 I should retire my GP has often said if it's possible I should consider it on health grounds but I go for my sanity!!! Well!!! and maybe to prove a point I don't like to be beaten 🤣🤔
Yes, Occy Health sent my daughter home, no arguments brooked! Not 40 yet but hypertension, renal problems (waiting for surgery, yeah, like that will happen this year, already waited a year) and asthma. And a paramedic training as an ED ACP - wasn't the place to be the last 2 months!
I agree!! I'm also waiting for a kidney stone to be removed, as you say won't hold my breath, they couldn't even arrange a tab even though they agreed it should have happened and they know me!!! this virus has a lot to answer for I just don't know how they're going to get back on top of all the routine stuff especially with social distancing in place 🤣
She currently has a stent in that should have been replaced in November - but they pushed it out on the grounds she was having the major stuff set up. Yeah ...
That's a little bit worrying!!! Let's hope they're true to their Word and about to start opening up treatment of non covid patients!!! I know there has been movement on extending working hours to allow more capacity for fu treatment so fingers crossed for her 🤞
All the aerosol generating procedures will be slowed - half as many endoscopies for example. And the op she needs is an AGP, requires 3 specialist surgeons in an all day booked theatre - the positive is that is still just one ICU bed required on standby!!!
At the moment ICU here isn't at full capacity so providing the team's can be organised some major surgery is still being performed across 3 sites!! ICU bed reservation is a risk at the best of times but at the moment there shouldn't be the risk of major rta's or party fuelled injuries for example!! Let's hope things get going again soon too many people are falling by the wayside because of this virus 😔😢
Shielding letter??? 
Confused re shielding 
Shielding
