Anxiety and panic...

Morning all... Every morning this week I have had to go the GP surgery for fasting blood tests.. my consultant (endocrinologist) ordered these for a medical problem which is being investigated. I don't go to the GP often at all and am always exactly on time but invariably have to wait ages and ages to actually get seen...this morning was a horror... the waiting room was packed and claustrophobic and quiet (my living nightmare scenario) and as I waited for my 9am time slot it became 9:35 ++ and I had been trying every tactic I know to control anxiety to prevent a full blown panic attack..finally I went to the receptionist to ask how near my appointment was (cos I was desperate to flee from that hell) and was told, "Just take a seat... You will be called ". The reason I am saying (moaning and commenting on it anyway) is that the receptionist is fully aware of ALL patients medical issues in this rural practice and that I have an exceedingly hard time with "waiting rooms and waiting times", which she is also aware of. Pateints are not permitted to wait outside or even ask that she, or a member of staff, just pop their head out of the front door and say, "Your turn"... We Just have to wait and wait and wait in that nightmare room until, at their convenience (never mind our inconvenience) until they are ready. Why can't medical personnel appreciate, understand and empathise with the difficulties that anxiety and panic patients suffer? It could have wept... I honestly don't think many of them have the first notion of what it feels like to have a panic attack...how hard the person is working to deal with its symptoms and how hard people have worked to actually get to some appointments in the first place. Today my world feels like a very cold, hard place...I know it isn't incidentally...it is also a lovely place...just felt trapped by the absolute necessity of having the darned blood tests done as requested and double trapped by a system which is often so rigid and unsympathetic that people feel like slabs of meat instead of troubled, frightened human beings. How sad that we don't have a voice within the system...just wish it could be appreciated by others how awful anxiety and panic REALLY is... Be wonderful if some of the unfeeling could experience it for a full 24 hours whilst waiting in the hell they think is acceptable! love to all. PD7979

[Hidden]

Hi

Just because you are part of a rural practice doesn't mean you should have to wait what seems unacceptable times for an appointment you make for a specific time. It is always the same, unless someone has suffered anxiety they have no idea of what we go through a little empathy would nice now and again, but some receptionists think they are a law unto themselves. I fortunately don't have your problem the most I have to wait is about 5 mins but it is a large practice. I hope all your tests come back ok.

Take care Kenny

[Hidden]

Thanks Kenny...me too! It's been a bit of a mammoth trial lately. I have one blood test left to do.. (tomorrow morning) and think I will arrive five minutes BEFORE the slot and TELL the receptionist that I I tend to wait outside (no more Nice guy for me...don't want to put myself through it for the fifth morning of the week). Just an observation...there are four GPs in my practice, umpteen nurses, with clinics and a separate blood work clinic... This morning only TWO elderly patents were slotted for the blood clinic at 8:50 and 9am...no body was called in after 9am, forty minutes after my allotted time. The receptionist is elderly (probably born with the practice) and not a fan of "townies" who have moved to the rural area and caused a huge growth in the practice numbers I daresay.... SO, Kenny, I agree with you, having thought about it calmly over a cuppa...she is probably a law unto herself. Tomorrow I intend to wait at her window until she sees fit to slide it open and say, "I suffer panic attacks and WILL be outside the front door ... when it's my turn I would appreciate you having some feelings and popping out to tell me it's my turn" and as a safeguard will give her a note to hand to the phlebotomist which tells her I am outside but not able to sit in a crowded room. we will see how it goes!

have a great day Kenny. PD7979xxx

[Hidden]

Hi, I totally agree with everything you say. I hate waiting my mind goes into overdrive. Luckily for me on the times I can get up there I wait outside in the car and either the receptionist or the dr will come out. The best thing would be if the dr sat in the car with me and I didn't have to go into that building!! I'm sure you will get what you want.

What gets me is where are all the other suffers? Do they not go to the Drs at all? I wonder this because the surgery a seem not have no understanding of how to deal with anxiety sufferers.

Take care and I hope the results of your tests are good for you xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Winter12'..have just seen your reply and It made me laugh so much about preferring it if the doctor sat in there with you so you didn't have to go in...I would wish that exact wish too! Let you know how it goes tomorrow PD79797xxxx

[Yummimummi]

Hi there hunni

Oh I soooo with you on this!

You could be describing my surgery, we have 2 receptionist and 6 doctors, 3 nurses. You'd be lucky to get an appointment this century!

I've had this with waiting to see a doctor, you arrive on time yet your waiting a life time to se them! If your more then 5 mins late they cancel! (Bloody cheek!)

I spoke with a doctor at the practice and told him the problems I was having and how rude the receptionist was, now when I go in I tell them where I am so they can get me.

Hope your tests come back ok x

[Hidden]

Thanks so much yummimummi...will let you know how it went tomorrowxxxxx

[Hidden]

PS ...you know we sometimes sit and wonder where our original,fear came from..well, three years ago I had to have an angiogram and it freaked me out, the thought of it. I told the staff before my appointment how afraid I was and on the day they kindly put me in the first bed in the day case ward which meant I would be seen first and at the beginning of the cardiology list at 9am (no food since 9am the previous night and a long drive to the hospital in Lincoln before the appointment). An emergency came in at bang on 9am and I wasn't able to get in until 3:30pm (of course all of us..a full ward) were put on hold. Nobody's fault and really sad for the poor guy who needed emergent surgical help....but I was frantic, claustrophobic, unable to get to where they had taken my clothing and bag, not able to have a drink or have any food and panicking like never before ...the feeling has remained with me and is one of the major triggers in my waiting room phobia..interesting but how to get over it when all NHS depts are so over booked and so busy? Something to take to CBT soon I think! Thanks to everyone who empathised with my days this week...it is so appreciated XXXX