Meds review

[6TIMES]

Hi to everyone and hope that you are keeping well, i had my annual meds review with the pharmacist over the phone, Dr's must still be in hibernation, anyway, went through them and got to the apixaban, told him that I monitor my blood pressure and he battered it away, just not interested, i asked what are the chances of AF going just like it came, and he said no chance, i asked what percentage of people who have AF are given the all clear, he didn't know the answer, but he did ask me if I ate a lot of bread, told him that I only break bread on a Saturday when we are watching the horse racing, to me the call was a waste of time and just proves that you are given medication and forgotten about, surely a full medical would be more informative and helpful, rant over.

[Hidden]

Hi 6TIMES, I think that most of us are frustrated with the sheer lack of GPs, but the upshot is that nothing is going to improve for a very long time, so it's probably best for your blood pressure if you can manage not to let it stress you out. A pharmacist has far less training than your GP does and won't be able to answer questions in an in-depth way unless they are pharmacological. Like you I am deeply concerned at what appears to be a huge cover-up in lack of proper care, starting with the dearth of GPs, but unfortunately, wishing it was different isn't going to make the problem go away. I read only this morning of the worst areas in Hampshire for lack of GP care and it makes scary reading, but piling more pressure on them is only going to make more of them leave the profession or take up other branches of medicine. It's a mess!

[Buffafly in reply to Hidden]

Tell me about it! My husband has been poorly all year, GP went along with stomach pains being caused by constipation until I insisted he see him. Turns out he has advanced bowel cancer but before that diagnosis came through tests results showed he had a couple of other serious conditions as well. So I phoned to ask for a call to discuss but was fobbed off with PA. The next week we were given the cancer diagnosis and a few days later he was in agony so called surgery to ask for advice/appropriate pain relief. The receptionist told me to call 999 or 111 (in that order). I was so upset I called 999 who sent an ambulance straight away but the crew arrived in a bad mood because they said receptionists are doing this all the time. They were rude and unsympathetic which was more upsetting but when they tried to get hold of a GP to prescribe pain relief and anti sickness meds they couldn’t either - took ages. A few days later we had a call to say our GP would call my husband in two weeks time to ‘talk about things’. I resisted the temptation to say ‘about ****** time!’

[SuziElley in reply to Buffafly]

So sorry to hear this. Has your husband been assigned a consultant yet? Who made the diagnosis? If I were you, I’d email this person and demand a face to face appointment. They can do it! I had an emergency face to face for my knee when I was worried about lack of progress following the replacement and blood clot and bleed etc. etc. I am lucky with my GP who seems to always find time to ring me back if not the same day then the next after I call. If emails fail (they give an audit trail) the phone every day. This just isn’t good enough. Big virtual hugs 🤗

[Buffafly in reply to SuziElley]

The colorectal consultant called us in to hospital to tell us the diagnosis (but unfortunately didn’t inform our GP practice!) Since then things have moved with lightning speed - a flurry of extra scans, three nurses we can call for info, iron infusion booked, MacMillan nurse appt - hospital has been fantastic, GP surgery null point 😡

[Hidden in reply to Buffafly]

So sorry Buffafly. A real nightmare but pleased that things have now been elevated to top speed!

[SuziElley]

I’m so,pleased that at least the hospital is stepping up to the mark. Such a worrying time for you. Even bigger hugs 🤗

[dedeottie]

How awful. I can only imagine your distress. My GP surgery is the same. It is a complete lottery who gets through the receptionists to see a GP. I have had genuine medical problems/emergencies and not allowed a consultation and my husband had a ganglion on his big toe and got a face to face because it was a lump! I couldn’t even get the receptionists to take my urine sample over the counter without a doctors say so but guess what….. I couldn’t see a doctor I just had to go home and wait for a doctor to say I could take a sample in. I don’t want to be a sarcastic old so and so because my daughter in law is a GP and appears to be overworked and exhausted but it is hard to understand. I hope your situation improves now . X