I've recently changed my doctors surgery to one that better understands the needs of an asthmatic.
At my previous surgery I requested an extra ventolin inhaler with my usual repeats because I'd had a heavy cold and my breathing had been erratic, usually there is no problem and my doctor knows that I come down with heavy colds a few times a year, anywho, this time it was refused, so I telephoned to see what the problem was to then find out that they were refusing to issue any of my inhalers because I was 'using to much'?!?! My doctor hadn't mentioned anything of the sort at my last review so I was told to see my doctor again and I might add that my inhalers were running very low at this stage so I was panicking. I was told that I couldn't see my doctor for at least 3 weeks and I had a little over a weeks worth of inhalers left, so I left that surgery and had to go through a whole rigmarole of of finding/joining a new one. I feel that I was treated without dignity or care whatsoever
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LandyBird
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That sounds awful. You'd have thought they would have booked you in for a review and given you one inhaler to tide you over till your appointment. Hope the other gp practice is better.
I won't comment as to what I think of that docs as I would be banned. When I became asthmatic the chemist saif to always order a new inhaler te moment I started one and as for relievers I have 3 dotted about the place.
You just cannot believe some docs, if I say I need to s3e a doc because of my asthma I always get in the same day otherwise its a three week wait
Sorry about the spelling mistakes haven't had enough coffee yet
Absolutely. I do hope the new one is better. Behind all the scandals in the NHS during the past twenty years, (but it is also a world-wide problem, just as bad in USA, Europe) is a muted, suppressed, ignored refrain from patients, families and friends of patients: "They didn't listen to us... They didn't listen to us... "
Every now and then there is a pious noise from the NHS about there being a "partnership" between patient and doctors and — supposedly — encouragement of the patients to be more proactive in their treatment.
I have to say that in all my decades of being an asthma sufferer (many), as well as having other conditions requiring medical attention, the worst culprits for not listening have been specialist registrars. The only GP who just didn't listen/not want to know was the GP I had as a child. The GPs I had when I finally left home and moved to another part of the country could be accused of not listening to my concerns about my not properly controlled asthma, but actually they were following the instructions of the respiratory consultant I had been referred to. The fact that I, the patient, was saying that the medication the consultant had put me on wasn't terribly effective was ignored until I ended up in hospital. At that point the consultant changed the medication. To be fair to those GPs I don't see what else they could have done. If they had gone against the instructions of the consultant and then something had gone wrong, they would almost certainly have been in serious trouble. Since then I have moved to other parts of the country twice and in both cases the GPs have been fine; the surgery I attend now is excellent. The GPs there treat me as an intelligent person and always take my concerns and any suggestions I might have seriously. I am, however, very aware that not everyone is so fortunate.
Yes that happened to me, I was refused Symbicort as receptionist said I had only got some 2 weeks before. I complained in writing and changed my doctor. No problems at all now. Good luck to you. I urge you to complain to help others.
Yes, I also urhe you to complain in writing. You did theabsolutely right thiñg in changing doctors. He was just stupid.
Agreeing with Smikra and Rose-Marie. You really do need to write in formal complaint to the practice manager of the surgery you have just left, explaining the circumstances that led to you leaving them. Medical centres and surgeries cannot act to deal with such stupidity (and so make changes to ensure it doesn't happen again) unless they are made aware that such things are going on.
I sorta had similar but it was with my new gp he asked for 24hrs to review my notes as what I told him was so gobsmacking he couldn't believe a gp had done such a horrible thing the next day he called me and said my medication was waiting for me and I was now one of his special patients since then he has been a sweetheart
I have 3 ventolin inhalers on my repeat prescription,,,,as I went to see my GP once and he said show me how you use your inhaler ,,,,to which I replied " I keep it by my bed "
Not going to help you much if your out shopping then is it ,,,,,hence I have three ,,,as and when needed ,,,,,one by my bed ,,,one in my handbag and one by my chair downstairs ,,,,,,but then again ,,,I ham very lucky ,,,,I have a BRILLIANT GP ,
Pretty appalling all round, refusing without warning, 3?? Weeks?? wait to see a doctor when you have acute symptoms??? Well shot of them I'd say; report your terrible treatment to the practice manager, and leave suitably scathing comments on the website for other potential patients to see. Sounds like some jumped-up has exceeded their authority. Heads should roll!
My husband has had the same problem today, I went to collect his inhalers from the chemist attatched to the surgery and they have refused his blue inhalers as he had ordered them too quickly! I explained that he works away a lot and likes to make sure he has plenty of inhalers in all of his bags and at home by the bed, they refused to prescribe them still and have said he needs to see the asthma nurse. This is impossible as she only works between 9 and 4, when my husband goes to work he could be anywhere in the country, 9 till 4 are not very useful hours. He's come home from work and has phoned the surgery, they are still refusing to budge and have told him to speak to the Dr who refused the prescription, they have no appointments till god knows when only phone on the day and knowing his drs as I do they are like gold dust. He has written a very strongly worded email to the practice manager and is probably going to leave the surgery and come to mine, our son has asthma and I'm having tests for it too and our asthma nurses see patients from 7.30am until 6pm, this will work better for my husband as he could have a 7.30am appointment and go to work afterwards. I think its absolutely disgusting that drs can refuse life saving medication to patients, especially when they are using their medication on a sensible way to prevent and treat asthma attacks. Oh and when I checked on his patient access account he last ordered his inhalers on the 5th December! I don't think that is too soon to need inhalers again!
Thank you all for the advice and support, I have sent a rather strongly worded email to the practice manager, I hope my complaint gets taken seriously so that no other body has to suffer as I did!
Hi that is awful no wonder you changed surgeries. I know new asthma research says that you shouldn't be using your asthma reliever more than 1/2 times a week so maybe that's why. My pharmacist told me that.
I have my annual review in a couple of week so will let everyone know if my asthma meds are changed. x
I've had this before, i could have slightly understood it if it was my daily dose inhaler which really should last a predictable length of time, or if i had been warned or given an appointment to resolve it on the day. but it was the reviler inhaler and it came completely out of nowhere and i left feeling like some druggie.
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