Banging my head against a brick wall. Grrrrrr

[velvet55]

Hello all

Stand by I am Going to have a RANT !!!

( Most of you know the problem I am having with my GP to get a referral to a specialist. I had a chest x ray last week and I have an enlarged heart and my BP has been high since Christmas. My recent spirometer test showed all my readings are down on last year )

Today the senior practice GP called me...Here we go...

GP. hello , why do you want a referral.

Me. To find out exactly what is causing my copd.

GP. I've told you...you have emphysema.

Me. How do you know.

GP, Because you used to smoke.

Me. That's two very sweeping statements you have made there...Can I have a referral for a second opinion from a specialist !!

GP. You don't need one as you are being managed in house, and you haven't got any worse, and you have not had any exacerbations.

Me. Yes I have.. and... Yes I have.

GP.....Silence

Me. I have had 4 since Christmas, as you can see in my notes..4 Lots of antibiotics and four lots of steroids.

GP Well that's about what I would expect with your condition

Me. I have also been about my high blood pressure monthly, each time you have upped my meds and I am now on eight times the dose that used to keep it under control and it's still high,

and after the chest x-ray that I requested last week, I have an enlarged heart.

GP. We are doing an ultra sound on that at the surgery.

Me. As the heart and lungs work together I would like to see a specialist, can you give me a referral !!

GP. Can you come into the surgery next week and see me.

Me. Of course I will doctor...Then will you give me a referral !!.

GP. Goodbye.

Oh I do feel better getting that lot off my chest. I am now laughing about how ridiculous it was....If I hadn't heard it with my own ears I would never have believed it.

If you have ploughed your way through this lot, many thanks

love

Ranting Velvet xx

[aberdeenman]

Hi violet good on you give him both barrels again next week lol

Tam

[knitter]

An iron fist in a velvet glove...as the saying goes.

[Bevvy]

Suggest you write things down that you want to say before you see GP. That way you won't be so agitated that you don't get your points across.

Also maybe take someone with you? Might help.

Best of luck.

[sassy59]

You go and see your GP Velvet and don't leave until you get that referral. You have every right to a 2nd opinion so tell him that too! We are all behind you all the way! Keep fighting, although you shouldn't have to. Wishing you well. xxxx

[Mooskie]

I was getting .very poor care from my GP and told .my home care nurse. Seems she had a conversation with him and when I saw him next, he couldn't do enough! Seems this COPD diagnosis justifies every health issue! "Oh it's due to the COPD...nothing can be done"....blah blah blah. Keep fighting for your .health!

[knitter]

Just to say I have just looked at the NHS Choices website about COPD, and all these latest posts are on the site courtesy of HU. I didn't know that would happen

[Lynda1952]

Poor you Velvet. So frustrating for you. Why are some doctors so reluctant for you to see a specialist, it just does not make sense. It sounded like something from a farce! Keep up the fight. - you WILL win (sometime!) xx

[Hidden]

Oh just make an official complaint about him. That is a dangerous attitude which he has. You should not be held up and put through such stress when all they have to do is write a letter. xx

[Hidden]

Hi Velvet well done, I know exactly how you feel coz that's the battle I am having with my doctors.

On the NICE guidelines it says if a patient has a smoking history then consider COPD. The trouble is doctors often only do that and will not look for anything else which could be causing the problem I wonder how many correct diagnosies are missed because of this and how many die earlier than they should have done? x

[Hidden]

Oh it also says in the NICE guidelines that you can't be turned down if you request a second opinion! x

[casper99]

Well done Velvet, your entitled to know exactly what's going on, not what he presumes. Stick at it. xx

[hufferpuffer]

Well done Velvet! It's your health and you deserve the very best! , go girl go! give him both barrels lol! huff xxx

[Azure_Sky]

You would probably get a better result if you saw him face to face. He might not be so cocky with you glaring at him. Pointing at him helps, they hate being pointed at. If you know his name you can look up his qualifications. You would be amazed how much they vary. A proper Doctor is an MD and if very good has MRCP after his/her name.

[Colours23]

I've heard it all before....that's how it goes....ha ha ha . You have to laugh, they have to wait til you get very ill or they don't believe you, don't forget the cuts ,that is really neglect ....... Only the very rich can have private. Bloody stupidity in this country!!!!! Cuts you can't get treated ....Negligence all the way!!!!!!sue them!!

[Male_1960]

You need to try to think like the GP does.

First, why would he not want to refer you? Could it be that the referral takes money out of the practice funds? That would certainly be one reason to try to not to refer people.

If it IS a monetary issue, then what would your GP not want? A claim for medical negligence probably. So, if he continues to refuse your referral request, then ask him to write to you confirming that the referral isn't, in his professional opinion, necessary.

I am guessing no GP would want to sign something like that because, if it turns out that you DID have a problem and he had ignored it, that's a big risk for him and his practice.

Better yet, go back with a pre-typed letter to that effect and tell him you either want that letter signed of the referral form.

[Offcut in reply to Male_1960]

They may charge for the letter? But I like that idea a lot.

Our surgery had a big sign up stating how many people did not turn up and they were irresponsible for not doing so. I had a test booked with the resp nurse and booked in but after 30 minutes past my appointment time I went to reception to see if she was running late to be told she is not here today? I asked were the sign is for the people that did turn up and were not informed they could not be seen? I just got glared at

[Azure_Sky in reply to Male_1960]

I would think financial considerations are definitely the reason. I got a letter from the ENT department to let me know I am on a waiting list to go on the waiting list. Very strange. They are manipulating the figures I reckon.

[Lisachamp]

Hi velvet i had the same problem with my gp a year and half down the line i made yet another appointment and said that iwasnt leaving the doctors room till i got a referal to see consultant i got a referal lol take care hope it works out for you x

Lisa x

[juney_99_antique]

Next time you see him just say you want a second opinion, if you don't get one you are getting in touch with the Medical Council and if they come down on his side of things, say you are going to the newspapers. EVERYONE is entitled to a second opinion. Do not give in to this. Take care.