The Rant-a sequel

airwave

Hi All,
I decided to try and get information to my doctor, who I have never met until this week, seeing whoever was available for quite a few years. In order to get better treatment, I reasoned, I needed help from one doctor who is willing to take an interest.

I wrote to her detailing all my multiple problems, listed a separate 'pain' sheet and a simple note asking for a pain clinic referral, left it for two weeks and asked for my first appointment with my doctor.

I attended the surgery, was asked what I wanted, within two minutes she stood up and held the door open for me to leave, she had given me some paracetamol which interfered with asthma and I had already said didn't touch the sides for pain relief. I'm just wondering what I have done wrong in life, does anyone get any decent service? I walked out without a murmur, she clearly didn't want to know, it does make you feel so absolutely worthless.


8) Its a grin, honest!

woodbon

Hello, I'm so very sorry you've had such a rotten time today. It sounds as if your practice has some funny systems, if today is the first time you've seen your own GP. I'm a bit unsure what to suggest, apart from seeing another GP in the practice, maybe you could talk to the practice manager? Someone else on here may know more or the advice line/forum. Love Sue

elnafinn

Hey there

I am a little bemused here! Are you saying that you have never seen this gp before until your appt today? If so, who was it that prescribed paracetamol which interfered with your asthma? If, during your appointment your gp stood up and showed you the door after a couple of minutes without any explanation, then this is a case that the practice manager should know about. Did this gp refer to your letter that you had sent her two weeks earlier? Sorry for the questions but I am finding it difficult to get my head this scenario.

You are not worthless or anything else - but we do unfortunately sometimes have to fight for our rights and to me it seems you have everything going for you, by the abysmal behaviour you received today. I suggest you put it all down in writing and take it into your practice manager.

Best of luck,
Elna

greyheron

What a horrible experience - you are NOT worthless and you are entitled to respect and attention from your GP.

The NHS have just launched a new 'Constitution' about what we can expect from our doctors, it won't be worth the paper it's printed on if that's the kind of experience we're supposed to accept.

I would certainly try to see a different doctor, maybe even change practice? Though I know this is not always easy, and it might be 'frying pan to fire' - but don't give up.

Wendy

colinone

airwave wrote:

Hi All,
I decided to try and get information to my doctor, who I have never met until this week, seeing whoever was available for quite a few years. In order to get better treatment, I reasoned, I needed help from one doctor who is willing to take an interest.

I wrote to her detailing all my multiple problems, listed a separate 'pain' sheet and a simple note asking for a pain clinic referral, left it for two weeks and asked for my first appointment with my doctor.

I ttended the surgery, was asked what I wanted, within two minutes she stood up and held the door open for me to leave, she had given me some paracetamol which interfered with asthma and I had already said didn't touch the sides for pain relief. I'm just wondering what I have done wrong in life, does anyone get any decent service? I walked out without a murmur, she clearly di

Hi Airwave im in a dark place at the moment and had not intended to write on the site untill i felt a little better. However reading your post i am not shocked at the way some doctors act towars patients i have one like yours in my Surgery i just refuse to see him. You must remember that all proffessions have good and bad and somr Doctors just dont have people skills. This is not an excuse no person should be treated in that way by any doctor. By virtue of fact that you are there you have a problem. Never mind the practice manager tell the doctor how you feel about the way she treated you and ask her if she even read your letter. It is bad enough being ill and suffering without this sort of carry on. A couple of questions though. How come you never seen her in the past, is there more than one doctor at the surgery, did she read your letter, do not allow her to treat you in that way again. You can ask for the manager to sit in with you if you have to see her again or take another person with you. I know a doctor just like her but told him to his face. I asked him to his face had he ever thought of taking up trainig in people skills, you should have seen his face this guy also gave me medication that could have done me some harm had i have taken it and not checked with my Rheumy nurse. Once i had cleared the air with him he appologised for making me feel the way he did. Phone and ask to speak to the practice manager but regardless you need sorting out and need to see a doctor perhaps not her but please dont let it go and get yourself sorted. The other thing is the amount of strees it has put you through. Take care and i hope ypou get sorted
Colin

airwave

Hi All,
Yes that was my first visit to my own doctor, one of a few in the practice, yes they all start looking at the timer on their computer screens, you rarely get any longer. The tablets were prescribed by her despite what i wrote. I can't always understand some of their english.

The treatment is not what I need but I've been going for so long without so I wanted to change. I am going to change my practice and see if I can find a doctor that is willing to listen. I won't make a fuss, thats not me, and it won't change their ways.

I saw in the Telegraph yesterday that trainee doctors no longer get training in prescribing drugs, just as I got back from the surgery.


8) Its a grin, honest.

colinone

airwave wrote:

Hi All,
Yes that was my first visit to my own doctor, one of a few in the practice, yes they all start looking at the timer on their computer screens, you rarely get any longer. The tablets were prescribed by her despite what i wrote. I can't always understand some of their english.

The treatment is not what I need but I've been going for so long without so I wanted to change. I am going to change my practice and see if I can find a doctor that is willing to listen. I won't make a fuss, thats not me, and it won't change their ways.

I saw in the Telegraph yesterday that trainee doctors no longer get training in prescribing drugs, just as I got back from the surgery.


8) Its a grin, honest.

Take care i hope things go well for you. Just a quick example My rheumy nurse wrote down the name of some tablets ( anti Sickness ) give this to your Gp and tell him we recomend them for you. He said NO
Colin

skezier

Hi airwave,
I'm sorry you have had such a bad time with your GP, if you can change GP's PLEASE do. I have a very bad doctor/patient relationship and am now basically scared to go. It's ok as they don't see me at best one of them phones and puts up more tablets that don't exactly help and I am already on a bucket of tablets aday.

Because of where I live I can't change and after a bad experience I found it gets more frightening to go back so when I am ill I just go to bed. They do ocassionally make me go in to follow one of consultants instructions but I find it horrendiously frightening and if any one has the chance to get out of a bad practice they should as the relationship doesn't get better or easier the longer it goes on.

I am new here, I have long standing OA in spine, early on-set in hips, degenartion in feet, hands and knees and have had surgery. I have recently had an MRI and have advanced spondylosis in my neck and am now awaiting the injections. I can't stress, airwave, how much you need to change your doctors as I don't want you, or anyone, to feel like I do and not be able to go to a GP. Change 1st thing monday morning!

Good luck and take care, oh and Hi to all,
Cris

woodbon

This is terrible, NO-ONE SHOULD BE FRIGHTENED OF THEIR GP. I can understand being frightened of what you might learn, but to be frightened of the person... this is awful. I suppose I'm lucky, I've had to see gps partners whom I dont get on with, but theirs always been someone to go to. I feel VERY lucky. I wish you luck, too in finding a sympathetic gp, that you can talk to. Love Sue xxx

skezier

woodbon wrote:

This is terrible, NO-ONE SHOULD BE FRIGHTENED OF THEIR GP.

Sue thank you for that I am worried sick about going in there. It was about 4-5 years ago, I'd been seeing this Doc for a bit and I got on ok, but I also wasn't at all well. On this particular visit she just went into what I can only call a rant. Some sentences I have forgotten but I do remember so vividly These ones, though I appoligise if they should not be used on this forum. I was told I had cost the practice too much money, that I had used up my quoter of referals, I couldn't have a xray of my neck as there was no point as it would only be more arthritis and there money the practice had wasn't a bottomless pit and they had other patients to treat as well. She then told me I was incurable and she said I had no idea how frustrsating that was........ I think most of us here actually do know! We know first hand! She then told me not to bother the practice with anything to do wth my known or suspected conditions. I also have (probably) Crohns, Acrosynosis, eye problems and vertigo, either caused by my neck or brain. I was on the verge of tears and I wouldn't give her that satisfaction so I just left, she came out behind me still saying things as I went out the practice door. I got in the car and broke down. She did also say it was a practice desision, hence my fear of seeing any of them!

I did try and change doctors but I live in a rural area and am outside every other doctors patch. I rang the people who allicate doctors and asked them to get me changed, I told them what had happened and they were sympathetic, not least because I was crying as I told them but they said they hadn't refused to see me! Thats the only way they could get me moved. So that's why I say if you are unhappy with your GP and can change then please change else you will feel very alone.

I do thankfully have a fantastic Consultant, for my bones and he helps as he knows I don't have a good GP relationship.

Sue I hope that explains why I am scared to go. There useless any way! Can I say that? Take Care Cris.

nearlybionic

OMG chris that`s awful!! You are in an awful situation!!
I am registered with a practice of 3 dr`s plus ` trainee. My main gp is really good and I trust him, but due to other people thinking same as me, it is difficult to get an appointment with him. The other male gp is ok, but I don`t feel he is as knowledgable. The female gp....well put it this way, I`d rather die than see her!!!! I had some surgery last year, and went back as advised by the hospital for follow up. I was tearful as the surgery had shown some upsetting results and I was in a lot of pain. At this point I didn`t know my hips were as bad as they are and asked her what she thought was causing the pain. She just looked at me like i was something nasty on her shoe, shrugged and said probably something mechanical. No examination, no referral, just shown the door. I saw my own gp a few days later who sent me for xrays which showed dysplastic hips and advanced OA. I am now on lots of medication including morphine and listed for a THR soon. Just sometging mechanical eh??
We all deserve better!!

skezier

nearlybionic wrote:

Hey nearlybionic are you sure it's not the same Dr................
Seriously though you mustn't take what one says to heart, I made that mistake and spent days breaking down as I felt so alone. There just humans and they have bad days and bad moods and some are less profesional than others! That's the only way of looking at it............

For me because I did let it up-set me so much I became scared to go and if I have to I try and get the Locum as they won't know the practise desision and may be safer in terms of not ranting at me. Lets be hopeful that in days to come all drs get a refresher course in patient care!

Take Care and don't ket it get to you as stress does damage. Cris

frogmorton

Airwave and Skeizer!!!
What on earth!!!
To think I moan about my DR!!!
You poor things!!
I tried to change and couldn't But things were no-where near as bad as that
Having said that I NEVER see my own GP because he is a dipstick!
i wish I could help
Colinone - you look after yourself and i hope you feel a bit beter soon
Toni x

airwave

Hi All,
Thank you for your support. I have obviously hit a very sore nerve here, the problem is more widespread than I thought it was. I can understand if a doctor has a bad day, is unwell, has their own emotional baggage to carry round and deal with, has tripped over the cat, again, but why, oh why, take it out on patients when it is so important?

What is even worse is to offer poor doctoring skills in the first place. I have much admiration for a lot of the staff I meet in hospital, from the girl who does my OS scan to the lady who serves T, to the consultant. Doctors working as GPs now earn about £115,000 per year average, I think their practice skills ought to reflect that!

I'll stop before I get into another rant.

8) Its a grin, honest!

skezier

airwave wrote:

Airwave, I should like to thank you though as I really honestly thought it was something I had done and that it was 'asked' for. I relise now it's just the unfairness of the system!

If you have a good Consultant talk to them, mine knows about my bad dr relationship and bends over backwards to help me, he is worth more than any good could ever be!

I do still think there are good gp's out there and that anyone able to should try and find one! Maybe thats my deliusion!

I wish you well, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing up something that means I know it wasn't just me! :P

airwave

I think you are quite correct, unfortunately getting to see an orthopedic consultant at the hospital is a months long affair (I once waited a year and then another year for a op), despite what our present government says (lies about).

Last time I saw him he had a scan of my shoulders done, told me they were worn out and sent me.....yes you've guessed it....back to my gp for some painkillers, which I think is where I came in.

I do thank everyone for the support, it does help. and stops me ranting (too much)!


8) Its a grin, honest!

skezier

airwave wrote:

Airwave I know how hard it is, how much you end up thinking your writen off and how the more you stress the more pain you get. I wonder sometimes- normally on a bad day- if writing a quick letter to the practice manager can help find a GP in the practice who is willing to give you an apointment and will help. I haven't done it because, except on bad days, I don't want a doctor now a days, so I don't know if it works. I do know a mate, under a different Trust than me, says the more noise you make the more likely you are to be treated\seen.

Once they see you and your in the inner system the opp is still a long waiting list away. It's not just annoying but your life goes on hold while you wait. You have every right to want to rant, 4-5 years ago I wanted to hire a mega-phone and walk up and down outside 'my' practice warning people to not go in.............

Airwave for what it's worth my pain clinic consultant said having a rant can help, but I still think if you can find a good practice you should change your doctor, and that's where I came in as well......

Take care

woodbon

Hello, I do understand how awful your situations are. Its very hard for me to think of something constructive to say. The only thing I can think of is for you to take someone you trust with you when you go to see her. To be frightened to go to the doctor is not just uncomfortable for you, dangerous in that you don't get treatment early enough. Its hard to know what to suggest, if changing GPs is not possible. The one bright thing in all this is that you get on well with the hospital, and so you can discuss that treatment with them. Do they understand just how bad your relationship is with the Gp? They may have a suggestion about coping with it or changing it.
If your GP spoke to you about your condition outside the surgery, technically she has broken confidentiallity, which is a very serious matter. I hope things get a bit better for you. Love Sue

skezier

[quote="woodbon"

Sue you are very kind but please don't worry. I do ring the NHS direct and I have open appontments with both the eye dept and the gastro dept. I get ill from time to time, and I have a self-help tec that gets me over it quicker than the doc's ever did.

My OA is very advanced now in my lower back and a bit more extra bone may well stop it from hurting. The newer OA in my neck is now explained via the help team and posts on this site have made me see I am not alone. I even found the blurred vission problem and the bits of your body being possessed is quite normal!

I can't remember what she was saying as I went out the door, but anyone in the waiting room would have heard her rant I think! She wasn't quiet for sure. I am sure I could have got it sorted but I fell apart and went into withdrawral. Now I no longer care............ except when I have to see one! I only ever go in to get a consultants letter related tablet increase or change.

Sue I don't want you worring about this, it honestly is ok. I am now absolutly fine about it, I did take someone with me..... well they came to make sure I went, last time. Please don't go worrying as I didn't want you to and though scared to go it doesn't mean I don't get treated. I just don't do it via them! They are just where the letters are sent, and I get copies of every letter so don't even have to go and get the results.

My self help thing only happened because of her rant so in a funny way she may have helped me..........I am not totally convinced! I want you to promise you wont worry because I don't need them as the Consultant has been so good.

Take care, Cris