Hi everyone just an update as I finally got my GP appointment this morning.. He had the letter from the 13th January from the local Respiratory Consultant on his screen. He said look we have received this letter & the consultant suggests a course of antibiotics. I told him that letter was dated 13th January & I had already seen it on my NHS App & as going away I called 111 & arranged it myself. His response was oh that's good. No apology that iv'e waited another 3 weeks. he never asked if I was still coughing up gunk & to be honest it is less but still he didn't follow it through.
I said that I am supposed to be given 14 days of antibiotics & to have a sputum sample done each time I have an infection to make sure I am taking the right antibiotic. He waffled for a while then said as your Bronchiectasis is mild that's not necessary. I asked about the repeat sputum samples that the Consultant had asked him to do after the antibiotics in her letter but he said that I had had the antibiotics so just to wait for the hospital appointment to come through. I said I had received a letter to say there was a 36 week wait. His response was yes they are very busy. I give up. I said it looks like I have been referred to 2 different hospitals. He said he had left that for a secretary to arrange so he didn't know. So I'm no further forward. He said to make an appointment for 3 months. Watch this space!
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Otto11
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These GPs make me want to spit tacks. The lazy ignorant beggar obviously knows nothing about bronch and can't be bothered to find and follow the guidelines. You know more than he does! You need the management that you described to him to prevent your bronch from getting worse from more lung damage. By refusing to follow the consultant's requests he is deliberately neglecting your needs. You should not have to wait for the next consultant appt to have the sputum tested. It needs to be done now in case.you need more antibiotics. I do feel that you should talk to your practice manager, uttering the words 'formal complaint' failing that, call the consultant's secretary. Tell them that GP is refusing to follow consultant's instructions ( it should have been in her letter) and ask if con can write strongly yo GP to do what is requested.
Its extremely frustrating isn't it when they fob you off!
How's things with you anyway?
I just want to say thank you to you for having been a great friend to me when I was harassed by that incompetent letting agency at the old place when you told me to write to them and put in an official complaint!
I had told them how if they wanted to evict tenants then they go through the legal process and how harassment isn't part of that when they tried to bully us but were unsuccessful out of the place to avoid going through court to get us out by claiming we hadn't paid the rent and yes we had as it was there in black and white saying yes it was paid both in full and on time!
Things are fine now in my new place now time has gone by!
You were very brave in tackling those awful people. It is lovely to see that you are doing so well now and great when we hear news of what you are doing. I am not the same since I was so very ill in 2023 which is very frustrating but still soldier on.
Friday just gone I received an e mail in the evening saying that the sports centre I went to for 3 years has closed down and gone bankrupt and even though I wasn't surprised when I was told it was still a shock though!
It was a good job though last Friday that I booked the swim at 9am and not at 5pm as that really really would have hurt a lot harder thinking I was getting a swim at 5pm, going up there only to be told no I wasn't as the place had closed down!
Thanks. I don't currently have a consultant unfortunately. I had 3 years monitoring for lung nodules from 2017 which finished a few weeks before lockdown. the last CT showed mild Bronchiectasis. I had a couple of phone appointments during lockdown & then discharged. The letter said just to treat as Asthma but to follow the guidelines for antibiotics etc. I'm currently waiting to be re referred to either that hospital or my local hospital which is where my GP asked for advice & that consultant replied in her letter. I'm now not sure what is happening as I seem to have been referred to 2 different hospitals. I have a phone call from my Rheumatology nurse on Thursday ( they were the ones who found the first nodules) so I will ask her whats happening. I'm then going to contact my surgery about these repeat sputum samples. Why is nothing straightforward?
I'm afraid that we bronchs have to be extremely pro active in our own interests and vociferous in sourcing the right treatment. It's no use waiting for someone to refer you. They just won't. Bronchiectasis is made little of by doctors who do not know what they are doing and this leads to no / bad management of the condition.. which is what is happening with you. Take it in your own hands. Find a good bronch specialist and INSIST on a referral
Hi otto sounds like you are being fobbed off with the gp,I always have been given sputum pots and a pathology form to put a sample in from respiratory department usually physio nurse if a flare happens after seeing my consultant. I would definitely email or call your department to request a form and bypass the gp
My consultant allows me to bring a sputum sample directly to the respiratory team at my local hospital and I have various rescue packs of antibiotics to start and I also have mild bronchiectasis!Be persistent and speak to your consultants secretary
I am spitting feathers on your behalf Otto! Your GP needs a bomb putting under him. How can he be so blase? Grrr. Swizzy's advice sounds good, I would do that if I were you. Best wishes. Sally xx
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