Seeing your Rheumy

arfaitis

I had my 6 monthly visit this morning, everything is fine, but I thought I would tell you my experience.
When I went this morning I noticed my notes going into a registrars room, so I pointed it out to the nurse that I am not happy that has happened, so she went into the registrars room and took them out again.
Then they came and told me I would have to wait longer, so I said I will wait all day if necessary, anyway when I went into see my consultant I told her what I had done, and why.
I explained that no one can pick up a book 6 inches thick and know the person, and that I went 30 years of just seeing this and that registrar without seeing one regular, until I first saw her 12 years ago.
Well I went into her rooms in a wheelchair, and a month later when I came out she had discovered I was suffering from a couple of other problems, which actually could have been life threatening, now 12 years later I play sport everyday of the week bar Sunday.
My point being you can see who you want, and it is fine by them, don't be shy to ask.

Arfa

frogmorton

Well done you Arfa

I too have done the same

Post my back surgery for example. I wanted to see the sugeon not someone who wasn't there :roll:

We do have rights you totally correct Arfa

XX

Nicchick

Quite right!

At the complaints meeting it was turned back on me and they said that it was my fault I hadn't seen my consultant because I hadn't insisted on it! I had asked and was constantly told that appointments were scarce and that once a year was more than enough times to see one - I saw three different consultants/registrar over more than three years. Now I've been told I'll always have pain and have become very disabled.

I think we expect the communication between people and departments to be a lot better than it is really. I've had my eyes opened over the last year and if I want something I just say that I do and that it's their job to do it. I don't care if they think I'm being awkward and a cow as it was one stupid, inexperienced nurse 'who had problems admitting there were gaps in her knowledge' that almost killed me!

Nic x

*having a very grumpy, bad joint day today*

salamander

I only ever see my consultant and have never been offered an appt with someone else but not sure this is the norm. Though I once saw a junior doctor in A&E though and he insisted I didn't have RA but OA of my knees and said I should have them x-rayed (I had!) This was a man without my notes whom I'd never seen before. I had a definitive diagnosis of RA and was between immune suppressants,which was why I had flared. I established that the steroid injection was the same treatment for both conditions so let him continue while we agreed to differ.

It seems unbelievable that they don't have access to your notes in A&E - or that they can't be bothered to look them up. It also seems unbelievable that a junior doctor thinks he knows more than his consultant, who has been working in the field for more than 40 years.

Insist on seeing who you want to!