Poorly chicken

[Cat tails]

Get well soon hubby of Valkyrie! I wouldn't have wanted to be in your shoes Val!

 

Anyone seen the series Hospital on BBC 2? I found some things quite shocking... the amount of hassle they have to go through and the number of cancelled surgeries! Not that it is probably any better here, but I've never heard of people being on the waiting list for years.

[Valkyrie]

Thanks peeps. Whatever happened to the docs who knew you so well and didn't balk at call outs after hours? You'd call to see a doc and you'd get an appointment. I was told on the phone the other month to pick up some tablets for a stomach issue - my fault, I over indulged and as I don't have a gallbladder I think it took a month of Sundays to digest my meal. The tablets were supposed to be able to collect that afternoon. They weren't ready. They never are. Last time was an urgent asthma puffer to take on holiday - I got the notification that it was ready to pick up while on Mull in the middle of a loch watching eagles! So I wasn't surprised to not get the tablets. Meanwhile I looked them up to see what they did - they inhibited the production of bile - when I actually needed it! I didn't collect and treated myself for sour crop instead! And it worked - luckily for me!

 

Gavclojak - that's awful! Your poor daughter. And frustrating.

 

I only jumped the gun for my gallbladder because I had jaundice - and things rushed through from there, although it was a year from the start (same GP as hubby's and not our normal GP) and he kept prescribing tablets for a hiatus. I wasn't sent for tests - just his guesswork. Now when we are offered a choice of doc and his name pops up - er no thank you - anyone else? I can wait a month if necessary! No wonder the poor A&E staff are overwhelmed - especially if this is the way things are all over. If you are lucky to find a good GP then you'd never want to move again!! You also want the GP to be immortal!

[mullethunter]

Valkyrie blimey - best wishes to you and OH from me too.

 

My OH is now under a joint care plan for his rheumatoid arthritis between a local (ish) hospital where the rheumatologist is based and our GP. So far it's just been a complete catalogue of cock ups. The latest thing is that he has fortnightly blood tests at the doctors to monitor the effect the drugs may be having in his liver, and the GP is supposed to complete a booklet with the results for OH to take to his rheumatology appointments, but no one told him this until after the first rheumatology review appointment, then when we finally got the booklet it had the first set against the wrong date

[gavclojak]

Thank you but in comparison to what you have gone through, my frustration over my daughter is nothing!

I must have looked really insensitive making that post, I'm sure we posted around the same time because I didn't see that until after.

 

Re your gallbladder, I went back and forth the GP and was told I have GORD...I actually didn't think I did as the pain was unbearable...one night I lay in bed in agony and thought I was dying so put on my jeans and drive myself to A&E and was admitted there and then. (Husband woke up the next morning and didn't know where I was!) put on a drip and was nil by mouth for the next 5 days...had the operation to remove it a few weeks later. Was super happy and never had a problem since x

[Groovychook]

So sorry to hear about your traumatic experience Valkyrie

[soapdragon]

DM, could you write to the Practice Manager and explain your difficulty in being available to take a call during the day and ask what they suggest? It seems that, if they cannot get hold of you, you are being penalised...a tad unfair as we can't all be available 24/7! This cannot be an unusual state of affairs and they should be able to take that into account.

[The Dogmother]

I managed to, sort of, resolve it in that i had a call back appt; the GP rang me at a booked time so that i could be free.

[Sil-El]

Last Monday OH had a heart attack. Mild thankfully but no thanks to the local doc who couldn't read an ecg.

 

What sort of a doctor can't read an ECG?

 

It's not rocket science when you know what to look for and if the GP had done a proper 12 lead ECG it should have had an interpretation on it anyway which should have given some indication there was a problem! I despair.

 

I hope your husband is well on the mend.

 

With regards to the whole malarkey of trying to get an appointment, my mum says her surgery do the whole telephone appointment thing (she lives in the West Mids) and the GPs at the surgery love it because it saves time, stops the malingerers and the time wasters and means they have time to deal with the patients who are really in need of care.

 

My surgery don't do it, but if you want an appointment the same day they get a nurse practitioner to call you back to discuss what's wrong with you.

 

The whole system is falling apart at the seams and I really worry what will happen in the future because it can't carry on like this for much longer can it?

[soapdragon]

It is scary...feels like the whole thing is falling apart. How I wish I had taken out private insurance some years ago before I started coming apart at the seams!

[Valkyrie]

Thank you - he's doing well. We have a bit of an issue with rellies visiting non-stop and staying probably too long because he gets tired (me too!), but he is overdoing things like walking too far. He says well they said do a bit further every day - I told him that doesn't mean doing double the distance that you knew you'd overdone the day before! But because he was with his cousin he took it wayyy too far and did a tour of the village. Still, soon find out on Friday what he can and can't do. In the meantime I've told him to make me coffee. Lots! That gets him walking to and from the kitchen! But joking aside he is jumping the gun because he's such an impatient man!!!! I've already told his rellies how I will send him back in if he misbehaves any more!

 

I think the GP at the surgery is in charge by default. He was probably the junior partner but suddenly rose up the ranks because others retired because they were elderly or through ill health. Doesn't make him the fountain of knowledge. My mum says it's the same at their surgery - no appointments and all doctors are part timers.

 

I think it needs a complete overhaul. Admin outnumbers the people who treat and the people who treat are having to do more and more admin.

 

DM - you are not alone. So big soft squeezy hugs for you.

 

My gallbladder was operated via private care - which was through OH's work insurance. Since then the insurance was cancelled because the premiums went up way too high for us to keep up. But while he was in hospital they took great care - and treatment just as good as the private hospital (although separate rooms means better sleep from snorers and those who shout in their sleep that OH had to contend with). Car park fees were crippling. But I feel that goes towards getting good food! And if food is good while you are in hospital it helps you feel better! He's lost half a stone since the attack! I've eaten less and mine is going up!

[chickencam]

Hope your hubby makes a good recovery Valkarie.

We aren't too bad where we live, we have to ring at 8:30 if we want a same day appointment and waiting times for routine appointments are a few weeks but if you need to be seen that day once you get through on the phone which is the hard part there is a medical centre that has an emergency clinic which you are referred to. We had to do this a couple of weeks back when OH had a nasty bladder infection and they cram lots of very ill people into a waiting room the size of a broom cupboard with a radiator big enough to heat a ballroom but at least we were seen by a lovely doctor admittedly after waiting for over an hour but hey ho.

My dad had to fight for an appointment before Christmas with his surgery which operates one if these daily systems and he had to persuade the one ill part time doctor to make his referral urgent. He was then diagnosed with oesophagus cancer which has been missed by a couple of other referrals over the past couple of years. He starts his treatment on 1st March hopefully not too late

We need a consistent system.

[ubereglu]

My dad had to fight for an appointment before Christmas with his surgery which operates one if these daily systems and he had to persuade the one ill part time doctor to make his referral urgent. He was then diagnosed with oesophagus cancer which has been missed by a couple of other referrals over the past couple of years. He starts his treatment on 1st March hopefully not too late

We need a consistent system.

 

Sorry to hear this. What may help you to understand the treatment options and the condition is listening to Radio4 PM excerpts. Steve Hewlitt the presenter of the Media Show on BBC Radio 4 was diagnosed with it late last year, and they'd do a weekly check in and interview with him on a Monday afternoon at 5:30pm. Unfortunately his condition is now terminal, as is liver is not longer functioning effectively for treatment to work, and has now moved to palliative care. However, saying this, he has been an utter inspiration about how he has publically discussed his cancer, treatments, drugs, side effects etc, and he has received so much feedback from the general public.

[Bramble]

Oh dear, I'm so sorry to read of the problems you are all having. I have to say, I avoid the Dr like the plague, but do take long term medication, so was "summoned" for an appointment to see the GP as I hadn't been in for two years

My appointment was last Thursday and I'm still reeling from the whole experience. It felt more like a consultation with a rather incompetent life coach than a GP, she told me lots of things I "need to do career/job wise" and she made me an appointment whilst I was with her to go back in three weeks to make sure I'd done it all. One of her suggestions is that I take a six month break to do voluntary work in Africa ... urm, can we just stop to think about the practicalities of that for just a second? (I mentioned I have an ageing mother who isn't exactly dependent on me, but who does need lots of visiting - the Dr said "well is she likely to die within the next six months?" Then of course, there is my dog, my house, my mortgage, job etc etc etc)

Needless to say, I left feeling somewhat non-plussed and ended up feeling incredibly upset which turned into anger and frustration as the day went on. I went home and immediately cancelled the appointment in three weeks, I hope I will be able to get away without visiting again for another two years.

[soapdragon]

Bramble, I think your GP should stick to medical not pastoral care! How ridiculous (not to mention totally insensitive re; her remark about your mum )

 

We are lucky with our surgery and can usually get to see someone at fairly short notice thought not always my own, lovely GP. The problem seems more nurse related. I called this morning to make an appt with her, as had got the timely smear reminder, only to be told that I couldn't have an appt next Wednesday; she only works on a Tuesday and the male nurse doesn't do smears! Not sure how that's all going to work timings wise..............

[Valkyrie]

Blimey Chickencam! Hope your dad pulls through OK.

 

And Bramble! What planet was that doctor on? Sounds as though she likes to organise people - maybe she has shares in a company that ships volunteers over to Africa. A very rude person indeed. Unfortunately a lot of us would rather not see a doctor but when we do need one it doesn't give you much faith in them! No wonder people are turning to alternative methods!

 

Hubby's cousin came over yesterday and she said that she had stitches for a little op on her knee and had to make an appointment with the nurse at the surgery in 10 days to have them removed. Woman at reception answered the phone and said you can come in on blah blah. Er no, that is in 2 days - I need ten days. You can come in 3 weeks then. Noooo I am having my stitches out and I have been told to make an appointment in ten days! OK you can come in ten days. Yeeees thank you! So in 10 days she went for her appointment with the nurse only to be told that she missed her appointment 8 days beforehand and was black marked for missing the appointment! She was very flustered and luckily a nurse asked her to wait and did the stitches when she had a gap in the patients - and removed the black mark (I can't remember what it was called - a D something). Then some of the stitches hadn't healed and a couple split apart so she had to go back as an emergency appointment and had them glued instead.

[Alis girls]

What I can't quite understand is that most ECG machines do a read out and comment on result. I can't read them but have never done cardiac care and I am just a nurse. Anyway hope you are all feeling better.

[bluekarin]

We have the phone before 8.30am to get an appointment that day, or at least a triage phone call to see if you need to come in. Its very frustrating, and I don't undersand why if there are appointments at 8.30am why I can't be given it now? Annoying.

 

Kerry - I had no idea about your dh! It is so scary isnt it. Not that mine had a heart attck, but his angina attacks were frightening, once we knew whar they were I hope he is feeling bette now, and taking it easy. Mine has not been at all, what with moving. God knows what we would have done if he didn't have his stent fitted when he did

 

Bramble - I would be inclined to complain about the gp you saw. That is not normal behaviour for a gp to a patient, no matter how well meaning they are. Maybe they were projecting on your behalf, things they wish they could do but can't?

 

I want to say more, but ipad battery about to die, so better post before this is all lost

[Valkyrie]

Alis girls don't put yourself down - you are not "just a nurse"! You probably have more knowledge than that GP of ours!

 

I'm beginning to wonder if my ecg was "normal" now as he was the doctor that read it! That was years ago when my blood pressure tablets were prescribed and I "fainted" - well as far as I knew I just had that rushing waterfall in my ears, told hubby meh it's happened before I'll just rest my head on my hands until it passes - in fact I slumped forward (not resting on my hands) and was grunting! We were out at dinner and no I didn't have a trough! The restaurant manager wanted to call an ambulance and hubby was saying "do you want a drink of water?" Er, no but I'll have some more wine please - as though nothing had happened - weird eh! Was a bit worried about the completely different scenario that I thought it was and got an appointment. He did get me wired up just in case - and he said if I did have a heart attack some people never realise - but it would show on the ecg. So in that case why couldn't he detect hubby's one - and that was the same day! I am pretty much off the tablets now as I regulate my diet and activities to keep it down. On the odd days when it's very hot in summer I might need a booster but I do have my own GP's thumbs up and pat on the back!

 

Thank you - he is feeling better, I get a daily update - yesterday it was 80% today it's 82% but the pain in his chest is easing and so he isn't stressing over that today. He has been for another walk and not getting as tired. Bluey - angina is horrible to deal with - until it's diagnosed! All that tiredness and out of breath is really frustrating to try and deal with. My grandmother had that, although the treatment nowadays is better (well I hope it is) - my uncle on the other side of the family had it diagnosed while he was in his 40's - he's doing really well - he must be around 85 now! It does sound like the stents are doing a great job even if they do get shoved in the most weird places to reach the target! I'm glad the house move went well for you both!