Finally my referral

[Ratana21]

After a year of pleading and asking my dr for a referral I got it for a rheumy. As luck would have it my dr was out and I had a substitute dr. She was an awe that I haven't seen a specialist and can't believe I have been going through this with no meds or anything. My other dr was out sick lol...

[Wendy39]

Sounds like it was your lucky day! Can't believe that your GP wouldn't refer you to a rheumy with positive blood tests. I guess you could complain. But it's often different with so few GPS or rather good GPs these days. But you get your appointment and that's the most important thing. Keep us updated.

[Barnclown]

HURRAH 👏👏👏👏👏 you've made my day Ratana 👍👍👍👍

At the recent AGM of our wonderful local lupus uk support group, one of the rheumatologists at my brilliant lupus & Vasculitis clinic have a great talk on interpreting blood results. She made a BIG point to tell us that she & her colleagues are finding that gp's are much more informed about the significance of bloods results and much quicker to refer to lupus clinic than ever before. I'm not convinced, but this sub GP of yours sounds like one of these more informed gp's...am SO GLAD you met with her!

Hope you'll let us know how you get on @ rheumatology

🍀🍀🍀🍀 coco

PS maybe these great recent forum threads can be useful to you:

healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...

healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...

[Ratana21 in reply to Barnclown]

Thank you sooo much for the encouragement and info. I'll definitely post an update. My appt is Aug 8. Hope it goes well!

[friars126]

What fantastic news and a stroke of luck! I hope you get a good rheumy too

[larainehudson49]

Definitely complain!!

[Ratana21 in reply to larainehudson49]

I definitely am. I looked up her ratings and all of the complaints are similar to mine.

[Footygirl]

I have just been recommended to chat with PALS at my local hospital to voice my concerns over my GP. It would clarify options and they would be able to advise on whether you have grounds for complaint. Like a sounding board.

Could you try that?

Good luck

⚽️

[Ratana21 in reply to Footygirl]

Thank you so much. My GP is connected to a very well known hospital here in Atl and I did look up her ratings...all her complaints are similar to what I have been writing about in my posts here. I was hesitant to complain bc I felt bad but now I know I'd rather complain so others don't have to deal with such a terrible dr...telling me stop worrying and my results are negative bc she read my ANA wrong.

[Queencara78]

Hi there,

What is going on with GPs these days ? I understand you're frustration because I too have spent the last two years to receive some kind of further investigation of what I described as Trigeminal neuralgia (I wasn't aware of the name of this excruciating head pain when I first told my GP) and I recall her mentioning the temporomandibular and referred me to neurology until suspicion of fibromyalgia with migraine! neurology confirmed fibromyalgia, spotted restricted movement of my right eye, and his report said that he had considered demyelination but not enough evidence to need further investigation at this stage. So then spent the last year trying to persuade my GP to refer me again but this time for Trigeminal neuralgia which I discovered was the name of this condition, and even though the pain is associated with the same area of the face, the type of pain and duration is completely different.

My GP mistaking the condition, and my lack of education means I'm still waiting until the mid of Aug to actually find out the cause of TN but also hopefully start treatment.

It's ridiculous, but I guess the NHS is crumbling so what can we expect.

xx

[Ratana21 in reply to Queencara78]

And what's worse is - after waiting all the time for a referral- I have to wait almost 3-4 months to have my first appt. it's that ridiculous to just get an appt.