I’m done with GP’s and Hospitals

[NorfolkGal]

From now on, I’m just going to sink into my bed and take whatever is coming. I’ve had it with medics and hospitals. I posted on here telling you all my symptoms, tiredness from waking up to going to bed, weakness, no energy, and feeling unwell, as advise I seeked help. First I rang my Community Matron who was unavailable so I contacted the Arrhythmia nurse at Norwich Hospital who said I should see the doctor at the surgery. I made an appointment, I saw him at 10.45. I can’t fault his concern but although my blood tests reveal I am low of folic acid, he would not prescribe any and said they could do more harm than good and ordered more blood tests. So I drive across the road to Cromer hospital and here at phlebotomy we have a ticket machine and then you sit and wait your turn. The display was showing 97 and my ticket number was 57, so that’s 60 people in the queue. I enquired at reception if they would ask the phlebotomist to see me earlier as I was feeling very ill and weak, which she did but was told there are no priorities allowed, I had to sit and wait, so as I had to also go for a chest X-ray , and I knew I had time, I did that. An hour later the display was showing 15. So they had seen 18 in an hour. I waited for a while but became too ill so I went back to the car leaving a friend to keep an eye on the display board. While in the car I felt very faint and phoned the GP to see if they could prioritise my visit for bloods or can the surgery nurse take blood, but they told me they could not get a reply on the phone and their nurses did not need to take bloods as the hospital is opposite. I was told to return to the doctors where they could monitor me and decided to send me to hospital 45 minutes away in Norwich. When I arrived there, I was wheeled in a chair, placed in a corner of a waiting room.... so after a while, realising that it would be several hours before being seen, and all I really needed was my blood taken, told the reception that I didn’t think it was necessary for me be there and went home. It is totally unacceptable for people to wait over 4 and half hours for a blood test especially if you are poorly. Ok, I’ve had my rant, you don’t need to reply, I know I will die from Heart failure, I am at stage 3-4 and I’m ready

[Copsem]

Poor you . Sounds like a rotten day . Hope you are comfortable at home now . Being ill is a full time job it seems 😰

[daisy2311]

If I was in your position, I would present at A & E. The GP and local hospital is not helping you which I would like to say is unbelievable but it isn't unfortunately in today's world. If you go to A & E with your symptoms, particularly breathlessness, you will be treated as a priority and should be investigated. By the sounds of things, you are in North Norfolk and the nearest A & E is N &N which I appreciate is a bit of a drive, but I feel this is now the only way to get the help you need.

[NorfolkGal in reply to daisy2311]

I did go to A&E yesterday , transported in an ambulance from docs surgery by a London crew who think Norfolk folk fake their illnesses. I don’t know what he said to desk on arrival but they asked me why are you here, so I went home

[Alison_L in reply to NorfolkGal]

Having been transported from my GP's to hospital by London Ambulance myself yesterday, I have only the greatest praise for them. My GP had given me a letter to hand to A&E. The paramedics took that and handed it over when they booked me in. All very smooth.

I had to wait 7 hours with various blood tests and ECGs before they decided I was fine and they sent me home.

[NorfolkGal in reply to Alison_L]

I asked my GP for a letter and he just printed out a summary!!

[Benzman]

Our local hospital also works with a ticket machine for phlebotomy but if you arrive 30-45 minutes before closing time the queue is usual down to the teens. The last time we went we were in and out within 10 minutes rather than the 2 -3 hours for the rest of the day.

Don't give up.

Next time you feel really faint - 999 - then you will get seen.

Good luck, keep fighting!

[Twobells]

Complain to PALS

[Wotsup]

I agree entirely. Living in Norfolk makes it very difficult to keep travelling to hospital and a horrendous expense with transport (taxi). Then the long waits to be seen adds to the stress.

[Quovadisuk]

I know exactly how you feel . Can I refer you to my post a few days earlier I have pasted it below to save you the search OK .

Travelled to London for care / Taking back control

Quovadisuk

Quovadisuk•

5 days ago•6 Replies

At last, I travelled to London yesterday to Royal Brompton and Harfield for care that should have been in place several years ago by my local hospital trust ... and before you ask YES it was still under the NHS .

I have been suffering from heart trouble for some years and have had two stents in 2017 and another on Jan 2019 ... all these whilst on holiday and all in the same hospital and the same surgeon !!!

I have been in hopsital loads of times in this period in the UK even as an in patient and each time I had been told by my local hospital and cardio team that the tests were normal. My hospital file must be three inches thick ( I have seen it) Yet with all the history at their fingertips and previous stents they still say nothing is wrong ... The last escapade having a further stent in January having been rushed to hospital by ambulance for the second time in two years , made up my mind I needed to go elsewehere ....

I contacted my GP, on my return and had an immediate and urgent request to be seen by another cardioloigist at The Royal at my request , being the leading heart specialist in the UK and maybe even Europe. I even undertook research through their website to select a cardiologist I could get on and work with.

I spoke to the Royal, explaining my situation and am pleased to say I was able to receive an appointment within three weeks of the request made . In the interim my local hospital could only offer an appointment late April ??

The appointment was mid morning but arrived early just in case , within that time I hade an ECG a blood test and saw the cardiologist to discuss my situation and to take notes and to check my heart whilst there, and I was still able to leave before my appointment was actually due.

They have immediately put together a comprehensive plan together for me with a wide variety of heart tests to be done including a stress test , scan and a more detailed heart scan through MRI imaging ......... and this will be scheduled within the next few weeks with a formal review in 12 weeks of the results.

To me whatever the results, this is the most positive outcome for my care I have experienced to date and all through me taking ownership of my own care and not taking NO for an answer.

If you feel that you aren't getting the care in your area , PLEASE go and discuss this with your GP and request a CHANGE ...... if your GP is lethargic or not willing to listen then consider changing the GP. As harsh as this sounds, you cannot continue to listen to dinosaurs ANY MORE !!

You DON'T have to take SECOND BEST . This may be your only opportunity to take control of you LIFE. Be POSITIVE, take CONTROL OF YOUR CARE .

All the very best to everyone !!

[Snowdrops_17 in reply to Quovadisuk]

I totally agree with your positive action taking control. I could not go on feeling unwell and knowing something is wrong with me. I have suffered a heart attack 9 days ago and was admitted as an emergency by ambulance. Paramedics were brilliant, surgeon excellent in James Cook University Hospital. But I do admit changing my GP as when you voice a concern they don't really have the time to investigate this further. They knew I had heart problems in my family, Mother's side, and my cholesterol was nearly 5, now it is 5,9! If you feel out of breath during exertion, climbing stairs or just walking down the street, constantly fatigued after work and you need 9 or 10, 11 hours sleep, sorry something can't be right then. well, it escalated in January and February started feeling really tired after work. Then 3 weeks ago I experienced a tight chest now and then, whilst working and then 26th Feb had a heart attack. But on the road of recovery, but need another stent procedure on the 18th of March. Anyway just hope our friend here will take control over his situation very soon.

[Dockdog in reply to Quovadisuk]

Absolutely agree with your comments on the Royal Brompton versus other NHS Trusts. I had a similar experience to you and cannot speak more highly regarding the treatment and tests with the RB. My op was there a year ago and without it I doubt I would be here now. Marvelous place and I know it is a specialist hospital but why oh why can we not get more expertise and support from other NHS trusts in the country?

[Dickydon]

The sad fact about this country is we’re too over populated for such a small country. People are living longer, not necessary healthier, queues are getting longer too. People are growing more and more frustrated whilst not being able to change things; people rushing around like headless chickens with their heads buried in their phones catching up with Facebook, Twitter, bumping into lamposts walking out on Zebra crossings without looking left or right and all other unnecessary deeds people do on their devices when we should be looking at the road ahead of us and keeping within the white line - even more so now - thank goodness I don’t do any of those social media distractive things apart from this forum and a diabetic one.

But your frustrations and anger at the ineptness of the way people act and react in the hospitals and health practices is all a result of the way we have all become thanks to the loony liberals whose ideas have brought havoc on the majority of our lives through legislative actions and it’s not good, thus preventing honest hard working individuals trying to deal with the simplest of problems in their lives and not getting very far with it; and there doesn’t seem to be an immediate positive solution to any of it for the majority of us. It’s almost we’re in the evolutionary wrong time and evolutionary wrong place!

Hope you find some normality when your understandable frustrations and health problems are sorted.

[trebor5558]

Please dont give up! x

[VelvetSky]

Hi NorfolkGal, I sympathise with you, so much time is spent waiting around. I went to the cardiac clinic for the first time yesterday, 5 weeks after a heart attack, stent fitted, then another blood clot in heart. Like you I still feel so ill. Waited ages to be seen.

Anyway I was being nagged about Statins at the clinic and asked exactly what my cholesterol readings are, told 5.6, which I said wasn't too bad at 71 with Diabetes, then the nurse tells me this is a reading from 2015 and they haven't done one since despite my being in hospital three times in the last five weeks. Had a blood test today at the doctors surgery to find current readings. I have been told by the phlebotomy nurse that at the end of the month we can't have hospital blood tests at the surgery any more, like you we could die waiting for a hospital blood test. You couldn't make it up!

[NorfolkGal in reply to VelvetSky]

I just hope some medics read this and understand our frustration x

[Ianc2]

Go and see your MP in one of his/her local 'surgeries', take your notes and point out the inadequacies of the local Healthcare system and ask him what he is going to do about it. Do the same with the 'Opposition' would be MP. May not work but may help you to feel better.