Cannot believe it. But on Monday when I had my cataract op in my left eye, one set of eye drops were not available. Was told they would be delivered on Wednesday, meaning I would miss a day. They did not arrive. Tried in vain to ring the pharmacy at the hospital yesterday afternoon and again this morning to see where the drops had got to. Finally got through a short while ago and was told they would arrive today between 9,30am-12. This means I have missed two days of drops that were needed. Then a short while ago my doctor's surgery rang to say did I want them to prescribe my eye drops. When I asked which drops they meant was told they had received a letter from the eye clinic dated August 16th to say I needed some drops which I had previously been prescribed and which I was to take for two weeks only to get the pressure down in my left eye. After a follow-up was told the pressure had gone down and I could stop taking those particular drops. On Monday after the op was asked if I need a prescription for those particular drops and I told them that they had only been prescribed for for two weeks use. Today the doctor's receptionist said they had been asked to prescribe them for me and had added them to my repeat prescription, so had to go through all the explaining again! Also puzzling because has the doctors surgery only just got the letter or have they been sitting on it for the last three weeks! So after all this fiasco I do not know whether I am supposed to be taking these extra drops or not. Luckily I have a cataract op follow-up this coming Monday so will check then. It doesn't seem to me that the left hand know what the right hand is doing, certainly vary wary of trusting what is being said to me at the moment!
VERY WORRYING!: Cannot believe it. But on... - Glaucoma UK
VERY WORRYING!
Glad you had your operation, but it does sound like a muddle since.
Could you phone the opthalmic surgeon's secretary at the hospital to help sort it out ?
There is always an answer machine at our hospital when I phone and they will usually reply, if not I keep trying.
Did they give you an emergency number to phone after your op ?
I had one and used it when necessary.
I think the problem is that they are so busy and sometimes forget to explain properly.
Having worked in the NHS years ago I do know what it is like to be rushed every day. I emigrated to get decent working conditions.
Over 40 years later I still get the odd bad dream...always about things going wrong.
Maybe that is why I almost expect problems and try hard to avert them. Sadly as you say it is sometimes baffling.
Do keep trying to get the correct drops. There are Eye liason officers in many hospitals, perhaps they could help.
The Glaucoma Uk Helpline has often helped me get on the right track.
All the best.
Thanks for your reply. I did have an emergency phone number for the day unit where I had the cataract op done, but they just told me to ring the hospital pharmacy regarding the drops I should have had three days ago. As for the other drops, which as far as I am concerned were only for two weeks in duration, I will check about those when I have my follow-up appointment on Monday. If I don't get anywhere will then ry toe consultant's secretary as you suggest as I will not be seeing a consultant on Monday - apart from the op haven't seen one for several years now and seem to get different answers from all the junior/trainee doctors that I am seeing!
I think it is completely unacceptable that you have gone days without the required eye drops after your operation. I don't think any excuse is valid,that's all it would be an excuse not a reasonable explanation . I certainly hope on Monday you will be able to get some clarification at your check up.
Did your operation all go to plan and how is your eye feeling? X
Hi. Finally got the missing drops, but strangely had a second phone call from my doctor's surgery regarding the ones I was only asked to take for two days a few weeks ago. The letter was dated August 16th and had only just reached them! Had to explain it all again, so will certainly be taking this up at the eye clinic on Monday. Eye not too bad, bit of flickering going on in the outer edge at the moment but hope it all settles down soon. The right eye still has settled after nearly 7 weeks as I keep seeing light reflection all round the eye from the lights in my home at night time (not the fluorescent one in the kitchen though, but all the bulb-type lights). Just hope I don't experience the same in the left ehe as I will certainly go crazy! x
As Sunshine says you have enough to deal with after an a op without worrying about missing drops and calls from your surgery. You get to the point when you are just totally fed up with it all. Hopefully the flickering will settle down, although it is taking it's time and I really do hope you don't experience the same with the left one . Hope you get good news about wee Bletchley today,I've got everything crossed for him x
Thanks Witchie. Bletchley is hiding under the bed at the moment - he knew days ago that he was going to the vets today (unfortunately appointment is not until 12.30pm, so a long while to wait and no breakfast for him either). Today he looked down in the dumps and after using his litter tray retreated underneath the bed. Always difficult to get him out and we have to resort to putting the electric tooth brush on and pointing it under the bed while the other one of us tries to catch him when he runs out the other way. All very fraught before we even get him in his carrier and to the vets. Don't think we will be feeling like any lunch today, but hopefully dinner if all is goes well.
Aww wee boy, he's obviously very intuitive and knows what's coming. I wouldn't be able to eat either I would be stressing but yes hopefully you will feel like dinner. Let me know and let it be good news x
Hi, Just back from the vets. When I took him at lunch time I was told the vet couldn't feel anything abnormal, so hopes were high. But having just collected Bletchley have been told the scan shows the cancer is still there. It has improved marginally but the chemo/steroid treatment just seems to have kept it stable. Was given two options - to try a different treatment which is a capsule every three weeks or do nothing. The vet said he was amazed that Bletchley seemed so well in himself and was obviously enjoying life plus he has maintained his weight, so we have decided to try the capsules and see what happens. The main thing is to keep an eye on him and if he starts to seem unwell or stops enjoying life then that will be the time to take a different decision, hard as it will be.
Oh I know that's not the news you wanted for him,I'm sorry he's not in remission but the fact he hasn't lost weight and is well in himself shows he's a wee fighter. I would have made the same choice as you and hopefully the capsules will work. It's heartbreaking when our wee animals get sick. I think he deserves a special treat for his dinner tonight as he's been a brave boy. Hugs to you both x
Thanks Witchie. He will be getting some chicken tomorrow from my Mum. As we are veggies he doesn't get it very often, although I have cooked him some at times which shows how much we love him. He certainly is a fighter. We had him as a stray kitten that turned up at my Mum's 12 years ago. We tried to find out where he came from, to no avail. He wasn't chipped and was about 4 months old. He also looked as if he had had a bit of a rough life as his back legs were scared and he had a tick in one of his eyes. Both long healed now. We found him during the first week of September in fact a day after our wedding anniversary) and wondered whether someone had got him to keep their kids amused during the school holidays and after they went back to school he was dumped. As it was an enigma where he had come from, we thought about calling him Enigma but decided it wouldn't work as a name to keep calling out - so hence Bletchley after Bletchley Park where the Enigma code was broken! x
Aww his story is so sad but he is clearly so well loved now and he knows it . What a great name for him, I thought you might have lived near Bletchley park and hence your name too. I am a big believer in fate and I think you were meant to find him, I bet he was your best ever belated anniversary present. I'm veggie too,I have been since I was 17, whereas my partner eats chicken and fish yuk,so my dog Lu does get treated with both. Bletchley definitely deserves some chicken, he is a wee warrior. X
Hi Witchie, Although I do not live anywhere near Bletchley Park (I live in Norfolk), I am a 1940s re-enactor and have been to Bletchley Park many times. I think you are right that we were meant to find Bletchley. Our last cat had died just over a year before and we were thinking of getting another kitten. We believe that our three previous cats sent him to us as our house didn't feel like a home without a feline. We have been veggies since 1980, but after my husband had a heart attack a few years ago he was advised to eat oily fish as well. So, unfortunately, we have that a couple of times a week. And of course Bletchley gets his share. As cats cannot survive on a veggie diet (they cannot make their own vitamins unlike a dog) the rest of the time it is Felix Good As You Like pouches (and chicken now and again donated by my Mum). x
Oh I would love to go to Bletchley Park, how brilliant you do re-enactments . Do you travel all over the country to do them ? I love the fashion from the 1940s and have some really great coats from that era . My partner has always said cats choose you and not the other way round,he was a cat person until Lu and still does love cats. Your husband's health obviously comes first and I'm sure Bletchley is very happy everytime it's fish day. 😺 X
If you ever get the chance (not knowing what part of the country you live as it could be too far away) Bletchley Park is well worth a visit. One can spend all day here. It used to be a lot bigger and better though as some of the site has been sold to build houses on! But it is a fascinating place and the mansion is lovely. We used to travel to different parts of the country, but now stay more local. Of course we haven't been able to do any re-enactments for the past 18 months. My wardrobe seems to have more genuine 1940s clothing than normal clothing at the moment - sometimes I wear the dresses, suits and coats when going out anywhere special. But we also re-enact military style as well. Whether we get back into the re-enactment scene remains to be see, particular as the group we belonged to has now disbanded. It's chicken day for our Bletchley today. He always seems to know when we get back home that there is chicken - even if he is outside at the time and I put it into the fridge straightaway. He certainly has more than his share of senses! x
I live in Scotland and at the moment we are staying pretty close to home, hopefully that will change at some point. I will definitely put Bletchley Park on my list, much to my partner's dismay,he detests history and old buildings but I love both and he luckily just goes along with it.I love the 1940s hair styles too but I've got crazy mad curls but I could be a land girl with my hair tied up in s scarf 😁. Oh I'm envious I just have coats, I hope you do get to go back to re-enactments at some point. The military re-enactments sound great.
Happy chicken day to Bletchley, Lu would be envious she's going to have to make do with dog food. !!! He obviously can just sense the chicken .
Time for my big Sunday clean 😞. Enjoy your day x
Hope you manage to get to Bletchley Park one day. Luckily for me, my husband loves history and old buildings! Mind you Bletchley Park may suit your partner if he is into code breaking, electronics etc. Plus there is a computer museum there! We too are not going anywhere at the moment - apart from hospital, vets and to visit my Mum. Hope we can all get out and about more next year!. Enjoy your Sunday clean. x
Actually my partner did electronics at uni and he is a computer geek !!! X
Ah. In that case he probably would like Bletchley Park. Our Bletchley enjoyed his chicken yesterday and there is a little over for him today! x
Oh bless him, he will be very happy today again. I'm just getting ready to take Lu for a day out, a picnic lunch ,a run in the park and then a walk along the esplanade 😀. Hugs to Bletchley x
Sounds like a lovely day out for you and Lu. Wish we were going out instead of to the eye clinic this afternoon! If the weather holds we are thinking of taking a trip to the coast our way later in the week. Enjoy your day and hugs to Lu. x
Of course you have your check up. Hope all went well . That's us just in, we are all tired but happy. A day out makes all the difference 😀 x
Glad to hear you all had an enjoyable day yesterday. We hope to go out in the next day or so for a walk along the coast. Check-up went OK, they didn' tell me much, just that the pressures were not that high (21 each eye) and that the right eye would take a long while to settle due to the severe astigmatisms. Too early to say what the left eye is doing at the moment as to whether I will have the same problems (hope not). Didn't say how long - but how long is a piece of string! Got an appointment for another 6 weeks to see what the pressures are doing and if I need extra drops or not. Been told to see my optician in about 5 weeks, but will probably wait until after my next appointment at the eye clinic first. Have a lovely day. x
I guess if they were concerned about anything they would say,so I suppose that means everything is ok. Our eyes can all tolerate different pressure so hopefully 21 would be ok for you if it's no lower in 6 weeks. It's all a wait and see when it comes to our eyes. Oh so it's the astigmatism that's causing all your issues in your right eye, so it's the long haul for it to settle. Fingers crossed the left eye doesn't go the same way. I think I waited 8 weeks after my second cataract op till I went to opticians,my prescription had changed a lot.Definitely take yourself of to the coast for a walk,a blast of sea air always does you good. I'm about to put on wellies and raincoat and go to beach with Lu,crab flavoured kisses here I come 😊 x
Enjoy your rainy crab kisses walk with Lou. x
Oh bless you Engima I totally understand your frustration having been there so many times with drops. However the drops that you need to take after your cataract operation I would consider essential. I cannot believe you have had to wait. You have enough to deal with re the op let alone worry about medications as well. I’ve only just seen your post so hopefully you may have resolved this now. I really feel for you. Is your eye ok? x
Thanks Sunshine. Eye not too bad thanks. For more see my reply to Witchie! How did your biopsy go on Tuesday. Hope you are OK. x
The hospital would have known a few days before surgery that you'd, and possibly other patients, would need that drop so they should have ensured that they had enough bottles for you all
What a nightmare for you , it’s always seems lately the patient is the one running around trying to find eye drops . These are routine operations and imo there should be a system where they know they have enough stock of drops to allocate for the procedures they are performing .
Yes, I agree they should have had enough supplies. Would have thought they had stock taking on a daily basis really.
if your eye hospital is in a similar state to ours they are in complete chaos. No staff, huge backlog of work, covid restrictions mean they see far fewer patients in the clinics........have experienced all this this year in relation to my treatment.... so sad.
Sounds familiar. Not a good year to have treatment of any kind really.
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