Worried

[Beclover]

Reaching out as was diagnosed nearly 2 years ago with fatty liver had scan recently results came back in 2 days g.p requested urgent appointment but appointment not till 17 days if it was really really bad would there leave me 17 days any advice thank you x

[purplecatlady1]

Hi Beclover

I would imagine that if there was anything really urgent, they would be seeing you a lot quicker than that. I had an ultrasound last year and had a call from the gp's surgery 2 days later, insisting that I attend that day to discuss the results.

Equally on another occasion, I had stomach biopsies done, I rang to get the results, the receptionist said she couldn't give me the results, the doctor wanted to see me and the earliest she could see me was 10 days time. I worried myself sick for those 10 days, convinced that I had stomach cancer. No, the biopsies were all normal, the doctor just wanted to discuss how my acid reflux was!

I hope that you get answers soon and that it is nothing to worry about.

All the best

Annie

[Beclover in reply to purplecatlady1]

Thank you 💕 x

[ChannaZ]

Hey there!I have fatty liver diagnosed a year ago.

I live in Australia so may work differently here but the drs here explained to me that if the results are really really urgent, they phone you directly as soon as the results are in. I often get recall message notifications to make an appointment after having my bloods. It used to freak me out to. Hope it's all good for you.

[QuietButBold]

Hello Beclover,

I had a thought about this - I don't know if lots of GPs do this - our GP Practice (England) uses a triage system of Green / Amber / Red to describe the nature of the appointment.

Over recent years, depending on the issue, when I look at my appointment booking online e.g. via Patient Access or the website version of the NHS app, the appointment name might be:

"Green - Dr (name of my own GP)" - 3+ working weeks away date,

"Amber - Dr (sometimes the name of another GP in the Practice)" - usually inside the 2 week wait pathway,

through to

"Red - Any Available GP" - an urgent appointment within the same week of contact (by me or an Hospital Clinician's report).

I think the system is (as much as anything) designed to help the Administration Team know what is sensible to do if a Patient needs to reschedule an appointment.

However, reflecting upon several of my own healthcare outcomes over recent years; in our Practice, it also seems to correlate with a GP's flag of concern level (having read my online triage symptoms / new information report when requesting an appointment at the Practice).

If I am anxious about appointment arrangements, one of my relatives reminds me: "No news travels quite as fast as bad news!". They are correct. If my GP is particularly concerned - they will have telephoned me, without prior warning, on occasion more than once in the same dsy if they have expressed a concern, got things moving, and then updated me with details what I need to know is happening next.

If your post were a neighbour sharing a concern with me over a cup of coffee one morning - I think would suggest four things:

1) Try to note down your questions and concerns, as they come to you - so you are ready for your appointment (and that way; "parking" the worry if possible until you attend your appointment),

2) Read / re-read the BLT's "Questions To Ask Your Doctor" and "Liver Disease Patient Charter":

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

3) If you are still concerned, why not have a chat with the BLT Helpline (they would likely know what is usual for most people):

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

4) Aim to (regularly) give both your mind and body a proper break from this stressful time - by doing something active outdoors, visit people / places you enjoy (or resume an indoor hobby / pastime, or invite a relative over to your house e.g. if leaving home for an activity is a barrier for you at the moment).

Take care.

[JulyAugust]

Hi, people can have fatty liver disease and not even know about it…there are not necessarily any symptoms. Health professionals do not consider it an emergency and in fact the person with fatty liver can regain a healthy (or healthier) liver if they cut back on the cause which is usually fatty foods and alcohol. It’s a self-inflicted condition which can be put right if it’s not too far advanced.