Livid afters GP appointment

[Chantev]

I related with some of you who had dreadful appt with their GP. I had a bout of recurrent shingles symptoms, went to see GP one who I have not seen before but I was desperate. She point blank refused to prescribe some antiviral and wanted to palm me off with paracetamol and an ear spray. Told me if I felt unwell to go to walk in clinics or to call 111. I requested a second opinion "I can't drag another doctor here for that". i told her that this was unsatisfactory and left her room fuming. Went to reception asked to see the lead surgery doctor who is not available until the 28 Dec. So asked if I should go home and die. I was not impressed demanded a new appt soonest which I got yesterday. Got in touch with a friend who is an authority in immunology and described my symptoms advised me to go back and insist for antiviral. The GP yesterday acknowledged that I had all the signs of recurrent shingles. Prescribed antiviral and spray for my ear. My question to you wise ones, should I make a formal complaint?

[PMRpro]

Yes.

I wonder if she realises that what she did is the reason that A&E is under siege? You had an appointment, for a perfectly good reason which you have been told to watch out for (I'm assuming you are on an immunosuppressant drug) and she did not do her job.

You can buy paracetamol dirt cheap at Lidl or Aldi - you need a prescription for acyclovir. So if she was "keeping costs down" she made the wrong decision. Not good enough if she can't identify the chronically ill patient who DOES need something.

[Chantev in reply to PMRpro]

Great this is exactly my sentiments. I only go to Gp at last resort usually rely on my follow up for Lupus at the Rheumatology. I am on hydro chloroquine. I felt she was most unsympathetic and unprofessional as silvergilt mentioned she did not read my file properly. She was aware that I had been on Acyclovir before but felt uncomfortable putting her signature to the prescription was her exact words.

[PMRpro in reply to Chantev]

Jeepers - anyone would think you'd asked for oxycodone! I would do my utmost to be sure she wasn't feeling uncomfortable about giving someone a drug who really needed it NOW ever again! (Yes, I know you need acyclovir NOW not in a week's time). If you haven't got the confidence - don't occupy a post where it is essential and take the money...

[Silvergilt]

Ugh. Yes, make a formal complaint. Someone didn't read your file. You're not a 'worried well' but that was clearly what they leapt to and didn't bother to look through your history.

[Chantev]

Thanks for your support will surely follow it up.

[Hidden in reply to Chantev]

Earlier this year I came across a GP who threw a stool sample in the bin that I'd been asked to bring in by the nurse and didn't examine my abdomen as the nurse requested. She told me that I'd made up this nurse referral and said that my high PV and rising CRP were just fine and sent me packing.

When I somehow came across her comments about me on my notes (my own GP printed them off for me for a new GP practice) I was so shocked by what she'd written about me that I wrote a ruthless letter of formal complaint about her to the practice manager. The nurse's referral was directly under her comment that I had made this referral up!

I received a slightly half hearted apology with advice that future GPs would be able see that she had misrepresented me. But they may not have noticed this detail so I asked the next GP practice to scan my letter on alongside the offending comment.

I was reassured to learn that my complaint would form part of her ongoing professional review for the rest of this year. Subsequent GPs have all been very helpful and supportive towards me ever since!

So yes I would write and lodge a complaint - it's important that that those of us with chronic illnesses/ autoimmune diseases have some protection from these kind of duffers!

[happytulip]

Yes!

[DenverKUK]

I would complain. I had a similar problem with a gp/nurse but I had a nasty sinus infection and I've always required antibiotics to get rid of mine. Was told by the nurse is just have to get over it in time. Phoned gp two days later dying basically (was in the middle of completing a dissertation and working full time and raising two kids) and was told they don't give antibiotics for that even though my previous gp did. Went to out of hours and was instantly met with sympathy and antibiotics. The out of hours gp was unimpressed and said more GPS need to listen to patients who know their own bodies. I complained to my surgery and got a written apology and they've been brilliant with me ever since.

I'd have been seething. I'm glad you've got it sorted now but you should complain. They need to understand its not OK to be dismissive x

[Mifford]

Yes you should complain. We are very aware of what we do and don't need and probably have a better knowledge than the gps sometimes - plus if you're like me you've had to fight to get diagnosed and know not to just accept what a doctor says blindly. But what if she does that to somebody who doesn't fight like that and who accepts that the doctor knows best?

I had similar this week when my thyroid test came back at 2.6 and they told me on the phone it was "normal" - it's not been anywhere near that high since I started thyroid treatment 10 years ago so I told them no it's FAR too high for me so can they let the doctors know I will be increasing my thyroxine this week. The practice manager rang me back 2 hours later to say the doctor had looked at it and said it's normal and there is no need to increase the medication. I politely asked her if she could refer the doctor to the note permanently held in my records from the endocrinologist stating that my tsh needs to stay below 0.9 and my previous test 6 months ago where I was at 0.5. I stopped myself from saying I wasn't asking about an increase I was merely informing them! I thought the same then - the number of people who would have just accepted being told it was "normal" on the first call without digging any deeper

[Chantev in reply to Mifford]

Thanks for your support you are right I know my body better than the GP. Will be taking steps to make a formal complaint.

[4373]

Yes!