So I am Type II Brittle Asthmatic and my asthma has always been quite difficult to manage and as a result I am on quite a strong regiment of medication.
Anyway, 6 years ago I had probably one of my worst attacks in recent years where I was hospitalised for nearly a week, I was 17 and from what I remembered one of my lungs was hit by a chest infection and the other was struggling to managed with the extra work load.
After that attack the hospital seemed to want to take the tactic of avoiding having me in hospital with asthma attacks again. Generally I will have one to two asthma attacks per year and so the hospital's idea was to give me the tools I need to treat an asthma attack from home.
I was told I was to have an emergency supply of prednisolone at home at all times and if I were to have an asthma attack that was severe enough, to take a full blue inhaler before ringing 999. And by full blue inhaler, they meant a brand new full to the brim one and empty it.
Along with that I also have my preventer, the most powerful dose of Symbicort, 3 times in the evening, 3 times in the morning.
Anyway, at first I had GPs who were very good about this but I had to move practices eventually and they got really stingy. 1 blue inhaler per month, they outright refused to prescribe the prednisolone. It really did get stupid when the GP added my preventer to being also used doubly as a reliever if the blue wasn't adequate. Great plan in principle however they expected me to do this with one Symbicort per month. It barely lasts on such a high dose as a preventer. Let alone doubling as a reliever.
The result was my asthma ended up getting really bad and I felt I had nowhere to turn as the GP seemed to try and put the blame on me. I saw several doctors in the practice and they all just acted like it was my fault my asthma was so bad when in fact I wasn't getting the medication in line with what the hospital had advised during my last attack which lead to future hospitalisations.
I eventually switched to my university GP who seemed extremely appalled with my previous GP practice and have since made sure I get 2 ventolins per month (if need be, that way I have one spare for an asthma attack), have started prescribing my emergency supply of prednisolone as and when needed which they monitor when it has ran out (asking why, etc), they also prescribe me two preventers each month too so I have one that can double up as a reliever.
As a result I have seen improvement in my asthma and have managed to handle my asthma without hospitalisation. I just feel appalled that my previous GP practice put my asthma at risk though by not following the care plan the hospital put in place.
Who can I complain to regarding this as I would like to make sure this doesn't happen in the future to other asthmatics accessing this same GP practice?
Fostair - New Inhaler
