Realistically what is the doctor going to do?. You can't cure a cold and no doubt the AF will subside once you are feeling better. Just concentrate on keeping warm, rested and well hydrated for the next few days and things will improve.
How exciting to have a granddaughter here at last! Lots of happy times ahead.
The troubles of today will soon disappear, Gwyn.
You can always make doctor's appointments well ahead and then cancel a few days beforehand if you are lucky enough to have nothing worth going for. It sounds like lots of people might already be doing that.
If you don't need an appointment and cancel in good time, that enables someone else to get a prompt appointment, Anne.
My own surgery has an on-line appointments system which works very well. They may reserve some spaces for emergencies, perhaps, because If you ring, they are most obliging and really good at fitting you in on the day if you need to see someone urgently. Very helpful, and far more so than the surgery I went to many years ago.
Being a sponge knowing how things work and for knowledge generally I have pieced together how the bookings system works. Each category has its own allocation.
Electronic on-line booking is favoured by many and the largest percentage is allocated to these. Types are General (released two to three weeks in advance) and Urgent (within the next week).
Telephone - Automated system. As electronic except not split into two categories.
Telephone - Receptionist. As electronic. Also have allocation of Emergency ones for release on the day (morning and afternoon separately).
I agree that people shouldn't make appointments just in case, but if patients struggle to see a doctor when they really need to, as in Gwyn's case, it's a way forward.
I'm in Cumbria too, and I'll suggest our surgery sends an earlier text reminder, like Peter receives, as our mobile reception at home is sporadic. I've been offline for more than a week and suddenly I'm getting texts again.
We just receive a text from the surgery 24 hours before an appointment.
They could also be asking, if they have pressure on doctors' time and if appropriate, whether an appointment made well in advance could be postponed.
Like the ide of taking it one stage further. I get mobile reception problems some of the time where I live but not days on end!!! What I do is switch on the phone off then back on again and the reconnection often initiates the text delivery process.
Yes, we try that one too, but it doesn't always work. All our EE phones were off for a while (O2 was OK) and we have failed to send or receive in places (like the top of the hill a mile away) that are usually reliable.
And then back to normal thank goodness. We rely on a signal booster in our loft and that can get disconnected if someone disturbs a wire or if the power is off.
Sorry, Gwyn - this has gone off on a couple of tangents.
I don't have a solution for everything but I do have loads of tips in my armoury which when coupled with my good memory become very useful and I like to share. It does sometimes irritate others because they didn't think of them!!!
Unfortunately we are not so organised in Cumbria! ( our area anyway! )
Having been a Gp's wife for many years ( husband now retired and glad to be! )
Our practice does not have any modern ways of making appointments! They release Apptments on a Friday at 1pm,patients jam the phone lines at 1pm or queue down the street until 1pm when the appointments are released!
This is a dreadful system for ordinary patients,but is supposed to stop people pre-booking!!
RosyG, sad to say this is an accurate picture,I agree they should change the system but because paper work etc is in order they get a passable Report from Inspections!!!
That's good Gwyn. We know how upsetting it is and what a relief it is to get a normal heartbeat back again. Isn't AF's sense of timing tedious, too, butting in at such a happy time!
I hope the cold disappears swiftly and you can relax and enjoy your new granddaughter.
Glad your back in rhythm and big congratulations on the new addition to your family. Give her extra cuddles when your well again. I went into tachycardia the morning after my latest granddaughter was born, think it was all the stress of waiting for her to arrive. Can almost hear the AF laughing in the background as it manages to spoil yet another wonderful occasion. Best wishes.
Your doctor's comment proves to me that you have to give them feedback directly because often they don't know what's happening to their patients because all they see is their daily lists.
But and he said but,if I get the his sort of cough again. I have been flagged for the dr to call me and or get me an appointment!
He was very reasurring it isn't about just getting top of the queue. It's about if it's an infection then it needs to be hit first so an AF doesn't happen.
Maybe it's something others can or could talk to their surgeries about.
I thank you all for your comments and your support.
Try 500mg of Vitamin C with food am and pm for a few days - and at the first sign of a cold or flu - It will clear up quicker and, if you do so quickly enough, the anticipated cold may just disappear! (And anything that improves your general health will help your heart as well)
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