What should i have expected from seeing a consultant ? been diagnosed with copd for 12 years seen a consultant once in all that time until yesterday ,so i go in with my list of questions ,did i get the chance to ask ,no
As i said in a post Feb time the respiratory nurse wouldn't give me a spiro test ,said it wouldn't tell me or her anything !!!!! I asked too see a consultant so three months down the line i see him , im sat there puffing and panting like we do thinking to myself or well at least i will get an xray ,maybe C Tscan, blood tests and he would listen too my chest . Well i was wrong all he was interested in was getting me off the lowest dose of steroids that my doctor had put me on 12 months ago that had helped me significantly ,
would he listen no i mentioned the spiro as i was been pushed out of the door and yes in 12 months my fev1 had dropped to 20 from 26
the nurse took the results into him she returned and said , nurse will see you in 12months now i am sure this is an age thing ,but still think i should be treated the same as anyone younger .Did i expect too much from this horrible man ?
Thanks to you all xx
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No that sounds dreadful! I would ring the helpline in the morning and ask their advise. How awful for you. No you deserved better than that. Lots of love TAD xx
Omg what a shocker Dorothy. You should have had much better treatment than that and he should have listened to your questions and carried out some tests. I agree, ring the helpline and have a chat with them. x
Unfortunately, we live in a country where you are 'shelved' medically over a certain age - it's disgusting!! Please do speak to the BLF Helpline - or ask your GP to refer you to a different consultant (you do have that right, so insist on it). We shouldn't need to go through this crap because of our age. Very best of luck xx
Its disgusting, this consultant is retired and goes in to help, if you put locum consultant in your search engine you will see how much they get paid for one session its criminal
I have received so much more support from the chest consultant that I asked to see....scans. blood tests. Time to have things explained and ask questions. Ask to see a better one. X
Wow that was not what I would of expected. Has your GP put you in for any x rays lately was it them they based their decision to ignore you? It would of been nice to know I would of thought. Funny they want me off my seretide too. maybe it is because they cost £50.00 each?
My first visit to a consultant this year she gave me a good examination and I had the full tests and even sleep apnea test. But the second appointment was with another person who went though an old CT scan and when I pointed out the white lumps on the scan he turned it off and put me in for another xray. I always ask to be cc'd in on letters to my GP. When I got it the dates were all over the place and wrong, I rang to see if they had my notes correct. The Lung function was correct but on the letter he has added he has not looked at my last xray!!!
Yes the only time I saw a consultant (Bucks) after being hospitalised I was treated like a geriatric! He wasn't interested in my problems and was writing his report before I got in the door in next to no time. When I got a copy of the report he had written about a conversation which never happened. I was completely gutted at not getting any help at all.
As far as I,m aware in this country it is illegal to discriminate against somebody on grounds of age.This is appalling treatment and you should complain via your GP initially if not satisfied with that outcome get in touch with your MP.I have a great consultant and GP and sometimes forget how lucky I am.Hope you get sorted soon ,good luck.D.
Dorothy, I am finding it difficult to believe you couldn't get a word in. lol. No, you deserve better than that sweetheart and if I were you I would make a complaint officially. Have a word with your GP to find out what your options are and go from there.
H i Bobby i am going too have a word with my eldest daughter her job is care quality commission
(she inspects hospitals ) and will take it from there , i really don't want to go there again they were running a TB clinic in the next room !!
I am so fed up its not just me people in this area say, if you get to see a consultant you know your half dead lol take care Bobby Dorothyxx
I have just noticed you are in West Yorkshire - have you been referred to the specialist respiratory team? You can get a referral from your Doctor/practise nurse (in our case) and they visit at home and, although not prescribing nurses, can fast track to consultants etc. and check your meds. are suitable. Worth a try - I found it be googling. Good Luck TAD xx
Hi Tad at the moment i am having physio twice a week at home ,lucky me and they have mentioned the respiratory team and going too see if they will visit me so things are moving that way thanks again Tad xxx
How disappointing it is when consultants don't listen properly.
I have a lovely consultant, with her for 2yrs now after a complaint to my gp about a retired locum at a different hospital. However my last 2 appointments I haven't seen her and it hasn't been good. First, her junior, who couldn't tell me anything about the results i was waiting for, CT san, heart scan etc. Then last month, having decided to ask for her personally (something I was told I could do on arrival) - she was not there, unwell! Just my luck! Anyway, a locum this time. A very nice man but he was never going to do other than a little chat. So no further forward and another 4 months to wait till my next appointment. I get the feeling that maybe she has done all she can testwise and medication wise and so there is nothing more she can actively do to improve me. So I have been put in the 'stable and monitoring' club.
I on the other hand want her to find out why my sats dropped so quickly and do something about it. The reality is - she probably can't.
I think the 'good' specialist consultants take on the new 'interesting' cases and pass ordinary cases to their underlings. I suppose, in reality, they can't see everyone so they do have to delegate. When I have had to see a consultant as a gp referal I often get a locum. Presumably the main wo/man is already all booked up.
I have often said that since I retired I seem to have 'old woman' written on my brow in hospital! I am 63!! My husband says I am imagining it but I do feel I am treated differently now that I am not an 'economic contributor' to society! Some politician was quoted saying that once and it stuck in my mind.
Hi thank you for your reply yes i know what you mean ,i have 72 on my brow !! i did see the top man but he wasn't interested in what i had too say , nurse told me to take a list of questions ,i did only 5 questions the main one that was worrying me wasnt about myself . I told him my father had never smoked and before i could say my daughter and grandaughter have never smoked and are always having chest infections he said yes genetics could come into it now i know there is a blood test to define that was i offered it no end of conversation take care xx
I understand your frustration. I learned to restrict my questions to around 3 or 4 each time as they have a limited time for each person. It's like going to the doctors - which problem shall I focus on today!!! My gp gets ansty if I have more than 2 things to discuss. So I learn to work their way.
I don't know about copd and genetics but if he said it could be a risk factor then tell your daughter and she can go to her gp to discuss this. I don't think your consultant saw this as his remit. Try coming at it from the other side!
I went to see a consultant December 13 he said he would run sleep app test and many others he said I looked very good and not like his usual patients I was well dressed came through the door feeling like I wanted to go back and punch him had been on ab's and steroids for that long I could not remember. We are now in May 14 and still no test I have now checked which hospital he works at and will avoid them he was about as much use as a ashtray on a motorbike God help us is all I can say
Thanks for your reply yes god help us all . 8years ago i broke my leg and ankle hadto have pins screws and plates it took the surgeon twice as long as normal to repair ,i was in hospital almost 4 weeks and was shown more compassion from the orthopedic surgeon regarding my lungs than any lung consultant . you take care
Dorothyxx
My mother always told me that women over a certain age become 'invisible' and she was right. As a middle aged woman myself I will not see male middle aged doctors as too many times I have been treated like a neurotic attention seeking woman. I wonder if it's the same with male consultants? I only see female doctors or young male ones now (well a bit of eye candy never did anyone any harm did it?). x
No I wonder myself sometimes why I bothered saying about the symptoms I have and think do they think well you have copd so you will get these problems. I have just gone back on steroids again this week how do they make you feel? I get down as well because I am on tablets for depression so I know I need to exercise more but feel as though I haven't the energy plus I have put some weight on never had this problem before.any suggestions out there?would be grateful thank you,
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