Desperate Dawn rides againupdate

[wilsond]

Update on BP issue, following a very annoying week or so of being fobbed off I blew my top today and demanded to speak to the practice manager. I said I was strongly considering a formal complaint.

Recap: a month ago I had a faint, very low BP and was advised to cut Losartan dose in half. All ok for a short time but then dropped down again.

Last week I managed to get a phone appointment with another GP, told to stop Losartan altogether.

Ok . But then it has steafily risen to it's highest level fir 5 years. I tried to get appointment with my own GP. None available for two weeks.

Got one on Tuesday with a locum,god knows where they dragged him from but I'd be better off talking with the cat! He just would not listen when I gave him the backstory,gave me a lecture on how BP can vary during the day, not to obsess ,and to take readings over 20 days and come back.

I said I might not be alive by then as it's going up 10points a day. He put the phone down.

Yesterday I called in again and got another appointment. I said how rude other one was.

This time no one called me back.Waited in all day missed a lunch date too.

So ....about 2 minutes after my call my own nice GP called me apologies all round has put me on 20 mg am and pm and I'm to monitor it. Have to take 100 today to reduce as bps 175/101 . I mentioned that getting results to him seems difficult. He's put a note on my file to say I must be put through or given an appointment.

Neither my EP,his arrthymia nurses or secretary have responded to my emails and ne messages so yesterday was the last straw!

Btw he said original low BP run probably low hydration or being overmedicated over time so I said well if we were given med reviews that might becan idea!

So at least I got somewhere today.

Thank you all for your support and comments. Have a nice day!

[LaceyLady]

😳 Words fail me and that’s hard

[wilsond in reply to LaceyLady]

Honestly you couldn't make it up 🙄

[BobD Volunteer]

Well done and as I always say if at first you don't succeed starting banging desks! I can't thelp feeling that many health centres are using the pandemic as an excuse to down grade their services.

[ETHEL103 in reply to BobD]

I totally agree.

[Finvola]

Well done you but, honestly, it shouldn't have been necessary. He put the phone down on you????? I would calmly and with malice aforethought write a stinging letter of complaint for that action alone.

I hope the new awareness from your GP will smooth your path to better times ahead. xx

[LaceyLady]

Yes, Finvola is right, you must make a complaint against their unprofessionalism as he will only continue this. I have also experienced unprofessionalism in hospital recently.

[LaceyLady in reply to LaceyLady]

I was told by the medication dispenser when she’d not got my heart medication ’what do you want me to do about it’!! There were none of my tablets left as I didn’t know that they didn’t get any from pharmacy 🤷🏼‍♀️

[wilsond in reply to LaceyLady]

Oh my goodness that's terrible 😠

[wilsond]

Actually you are both right, that isn't acceptable behaviour is it? I will compose one directly,and then review it for swear words etc! with 'malice aforethought' love it.

Sorry to hear of your experience too Lacey.

I hope it is going to be sorted out now too. PSst don't say anything but Af hasn't got onto the party even though i have been under pressure ( sorry for the pun!)

xx

[CDreamer]

It shouldn’t have to be like that. Well done for persistence and hope that you never get a repeat of that appalling service. Least your GP seems on the ball but she can’t be available all the time so I think I would still put a letter into the Practice Manager saying how good your GP is but how hard it is to get hold of anyone when you are so worried.

[wilsond in reply to CDreamer]

Yes I drafted one yesterday thought I'd sleep on it. That's a good idea CD.Thank you x

[bassets]

Good for you!

[Singwell]

Definitely make a formal complaint. Works wonders. The whole system thete probably needs to pull its socks up and your complaint will help others. Send a copy to the local NHS Trust who oversee the practice too. You're absolutely right to be worried about these fluctuations in BP. And once you get to 180 and 100+ in diastolic that requires attention.

[wilsond in reply to Singwell]

Exactly my point I knew things were getting serious but the last two ' Drs' didnt seem concerned!!! It is settling down now 🤞🤞

[Cha275rL]

That’s shocking wilsond, and all that hassle wouldn’t have helped your BP one little bit. Would definitely lodge a complaint, the GPs are not doing their jobs properly any more imo.

[wilsond in reply to Cha275rL]

Thank you for this,yes not very good is it ?

[ETHEL103]

Hi .I so recognise your predicament. I too have been fobbed off on several occasions with a locum that is just useless .My lovely gp also made a note on my notes to be given a call by him but this hasn't worked.An awful situation.

[wilsond in reply to ETHEL103]

It seems quite common talking to a friend of mine . Terrible state of affairs! Xx

[BobD Volunteer in reply to ETHEL103]

Locums are not always bad. My GP where I lived in Essex was useless or worse and it was a locum who diagnosed my original heart problems which my GP was treating as digestive!

[ETHEL103 in reply to BobD]

That's great Bob.And yes I guess it was a sweeping statement but just speaking from personal experience is all.

[irene75359]

Well done for persisting and getting through to your own GP. Absolutely shocking behaviour by the locum, I completely agree that needs a letter of complaint, I hope you get a satisfactory response. No wonder your blood pressure was sky-high!

[beach_bum]

Put your 2 cents in here.... ratemds.com/best-doctors/eng/

[wilsond in reply to beach_bum]

That's handy to know thanks!

[beach_bum in reply to wilsond]

A handy tool indeed, however, read the comments for negative reviews carefully as well. Some can be petty and authored by "entitled Karens" ...eg " the waiting room was cold" or "receptionist looked exhausted" sort of thing.We need to keep in mind that these people have been run ragged for the past 2 years, and are on their last legs.

2 years of being swamped daily with covid cases, being spit on, assaulted, screamed at by those they are trying to save...all while wearing full PPE and masks for 18 hr shifts, and now because of shortages, double shifts are the norm. My sister in law is a NP in the ER cardiac unit, and she tells me they go to the staff bathroom to weep. The effect this is having on staff, in her words..."carnage".

They are human, not androids, and need understanding and compassion during these trying times.

[wilsond in reply to beach_bum]

Oh yes I will stick to the facts and just try to raise awareness that thus want appropriate.I can only guess at the toll all this has taken,on hospital staff .They must be reeling.

However,it seems from comments here and in my circles that our GPs ( UK) have had it relatively calmer,and in fact far fewer actual face to face appointment s,just a 2 minute phone call mostly.

Take care and best wishes x

[beach_bum in reply to wilsond]

Thanks...and just a note about GP's having a "calmer" experience...many, including mine, do rotating ER duty, and they are also doing general hospital work...doing rounds of their patients in cancer wards, new moms in maternity wards, etc etc...things most specialists do not have on their plate, so bless the GP's who are the Swiss-Army-Knife doctors of the medical world. I am only 1 of 1,200 patients on his roster.

[belindalore]

The other pandemic in the world seems to be terrible healthcare. It's unbelievable and unacceptable how Drs are treating the patients. Here in the USA you not only have to deal with some bad Drs but you have to deal with the insurance companies. If you have a problem you have to appeal to the insurance company. Not many Drs will go up against the insurance companies on your behalf. It's as I always say, profit over patient. Too many elderly people here just feel like they don't matter.

[wilsond in reply to belindalore]

Sad state of affairs!

[LindaDaisy]

I have Left Ventricular Non Compaction, permanent AF, left Bundle branch block and heart failure. Every time I see a doctor at my surgery for whatever reason, they take an ECG and call an ambulance, despite me telling them the readings normal for me. So I waste a day and tax payers money sitting in A&E. Finally I asked to see the practice manager to ask if I can have a relationship with one doctor in the practice who could just read up a little on my condition. Then if I try and see that doctor they will just see it’s me and listen to me about whatever I’ve come in for. She suggested I email my doctor and tell her the problem and also ask that a flag is put on my notes saying I have a complex cardiac condition.It’s so frustrating.

[wilsond in reply to LindaDaisy]

What a carry on! Hope you get somewhere xx

[MissTia123]

It’s so frustrating when no one listens and tries to help, I think health staff are so overwhelmed with all things Covid right now those of is with ongoing conditions go to the back of the line. My yearly follow up got cancelled due to the latest ‘surge’ which I understand but my AF has been playing up and I do have things to discuss, I guess we just have to ride it out as best we can. Hope you get sorted soon!