How confident are you about your GP’s ability to mana... - NRAS
How confident are you about your GP’s ability to manage your RA effectively?
221 Voters
Feel that it took a long process and was almost 6 months of going back and fore before getting referred to Rheumatology Clinic. I feel that I am the one in the middle between the GP and the RA clinic.
Hi Rockpool60, long time since we last spoke, hope you are still coping?> i agree with what you say. It was over a year before he reffered me to the hospital. Just fed me with pills to keep me quiet. weemikec
Feel frustrated with the GP as it seems pointless to tell them about my RA issues because they keep saying wait for your next rheumy appointment and discuss with them.
My gp seems more proactive than my consultant
When we moved to Somerset years ago I had enormous trouble with my GPs who seemed to resent the fact that I wanted a say in which hospital and consultant I should see. This despite the fact that I had had RA for 15 years and been treated at the RNOH (London) for 12 or more. My feeling was that my GP and others in the practice knew very little about the disease. I ended up seeing a private consultant for several years, until it became evident that I needed one of the biologic drugs. I then went to the local hospital as suggested by the GPs. The consultant and I agreed that I would try gold before the biologic and the GP then objected to the fact that the gold would have to be administered in his surgery. My situation has been resolved to some extent by the local hospital taking over the administration of the biologic drug and the advent of capable specialist nurses. I must also say that Rheumatology has a very low priority in the hospital and that for several years I didn't see the same consultant twice because the hospital chose to replace the one who left with a series of locums.
I, 95% of the time speak to my consultants as the GP's have very little or no knowlegde of 'Adult onset Stills Disease'. My GP's look at the list of medication I'm on, and I tell them I'm on Enbrel, then tell me to get intouch with my Rhuemy. None of them knew what Enbrel was!! I'll get off my soap box now, my GP's are like a red rage to a bull. Take care Ann xx
Seems a pass the parcel process between GP and Rheumatogy four years into RA with neither taking responsibility. With two recent hospitalized infections we have some very serious issues to discuss and the last week when I visited the GP he gave me fact sheets from the primary care trust on Methotrexate and Sulphazalzine. After four years I think I know pretty much every thing about the two drugs and there side effects and expect discussion between GP and Consultant re the above.
Hi
I think I am pretty lucky. Have been with my consultant for the 12 years I have had RA - I only need to see him periodically as I have a brilliant Nurse Specialist who, when she needs to, speaks to him about any changes. I am currently back seeing hime directly as there is a chance of trying MabThera - have had 2 anti TNF trials, not very successful. He listens, we discuss, look at the pros and cons, and what it would mean for me as the individual. He knows I am the best person to know what is going on for me.
With this in mind I also am lucky to have a great patient/GP relationship - there is a mutual respect and understanding. If I need antibiotics/steriods etc I call him and have a phone consult, yes I do visit him to discuss more indepth needs, but again he knows I know ME best.
Have had to see another GP in the practice in the last 2 weeks as had a recent diagnosise of GCA - must say was reluctant, but he too has been great. I am one lucky person, who really could not knock the service I have had from the NHS. Saw GP Mon with syptoms of GCA on Monday - meds commenced that evening, eyes checked on the Weds, and biopsy on Thurs - next appoint with GP Fri and Rheumy next week...
Feel rubbish, but what a service..
Hazel
One of the doctors in my surgery deals with all those with rheumatic problems and on dmards so he is quite knowledgeable about the drugs and the disease, he defers to the consultant and would be in agreement with any action she takes. I find it difficult to discuss anything other than ra with him, any of the emotional or other problems i have had i prefer to take them to another gp.
my GP was brilliant and recognized my symptoms very quickly and referred me to my local clinic in Christchurch they look after my RA my GP who is EXCELLENT deals with my other disabilities .
My consultant has just given a talk to our N.R.A.S group this evening they are very supportive to their RA patients .
kate
When I first went to a GP with symptoms of RA - she said I should expect a few aches & pains at my age (59 then) and to take Aspirin (to which I am allergic). I then found myself a Consultant Rheumatologist, got a (grudiging) referral and got properly diagnosed and treated.
My present GP doesn't have much knowledge of RA and luckily she defers to my Consultant - who is very caring and I am lucky to get apts with him quite quickly. I agree that RA is not taken seriously enough. I must admit though, before I had it I honestly had no idea how debilitating & painful it could be.
My GP advises me to speak to my consultant if I want to ask a question. My consultant is brilliant he has managed my disease and kept me in work. RA is not taken seriously in the NHS I believe it is seen as a geriatric condition, my consultant has the support of the RA nurse who is great however there is no physician support which means there is no progression for young doctors to specialise in this field. The condition needs to be taken seriously because it is an autoimmune disease that can cause a multitude of disabilities.
My GP sent me to another GP who had more knowledge -- then I was refered to the Rheumatology Clinic after an X ray on a finger and a blood test.
I had very little knowledge of RA until I was diagnosed 18 months ago -- aged 58.
My treatment at the R A clinic has been very good since then.
My treatment is by the Rheumatology Clinic doctor the GP only issues the prescriptions that are controled from the hospital. I have to manage my own annual Chest Xray and ask the hospital for bloood tests to monitor my ESR etc. When I have had a flare uo with my RA I went to my GP and they wrote to the hospital and did not want to interfer with the treatment. My original diagnose was for OA but after being treated for over 8 years with drugs for OA the diagnosis was changed to RA since then there has been a steady improvement in my mobility and level of pain except when I had a flare up. My treatment at the R A clinic has been very good .
Although I live in Australia so my vote is probably not required. My GP is very good, easy to talk with and classified me as a Chronic Patient. Which means I can get an appointment with her at any time, or if she is not there see another Dr. Also get free dental care and physio. My blood tests go to her and the rheumatologist. He is also someone I can ring at any time and is always willing to try something else for me. At the present time I am feeling really good after 18 months of pain etc. On MTX 25g and Folate 3 times a week 10mg, 3mg Prednisone night & morning plus Actonel
If it wasnt for my GP and others at my surgery I would not have been diagnosed or treated. They have been through this with me for the past 4 years when Rheumatology dept have tried to ignore, put off and delay need for apts, care and response to RA flare ups. I hope to change hsps in the near future. Only lipservice is paid and since complaining to PALS no better treatment just covering their backs now. Absolutely appalling and still suffering. Thank god for my GP and her colleagues at the surgery without whom I would not be here today.
When my (good) GP retired, my notes were passed to another doctor, who called me in to see him. Once we were both settled, he turned to me and said "Blood results like this indicate one of two things - Alcohol or Drugs - which one is yours"
Needless to say, I wrote to the practice and complained, demanding an apology, and that my notes were passed to a competent Doctor.
My GP was very good. When I was in The middle of a flare made a positive diagnosis, and promptly refereed me to the hospital. Waited 4weeks for a fast fast tract appt.. started on drugs ASAP.. Now on metho injections..
Previous pains for over 2years, diagnosed as a symptoms of previous health issue. So probably miss diagnosed for sometime
Carole.
The GP I have now and the previous on too actually just tell me to talk to my consultant or my RA nurse . He does not take any interest at all in my RA . HE will take a lot of interest in health issues that he actually diagnosed . my late onset asthma may heart and any other problems but not Ra OA or AS ...
I had a major flare in May went to open surgery and the doctor turned round and said nothing I can do for you. Had another painful flare 2 weeks ago in shoulder extreme pain even though on fentynal patches, rang surgery for steroid injection to relieve the joint was told I would have to wait a week. My surgery has 8 doctors and 4 nurses and only one doctor can do injection. I find that it is impossible for me to get extra help at my surgery during flare up and have even ended up going to casualty for help and been given morphine injection so I do not have any confidence in my surgeries knowledge of RA.
Issy
The only GP practice in my area is very large and has 10 GPs, many of whom are part-time, so seeing a particular GP is very difficult and may take a couple of weeks. When you need to see a doctor quickly,you are assigned to whoever has a space and consequently you never seem to see the same practitioner twice! For anyone with a chronic condition, like RA, this makes life very difficult and extremely frustrating as there is next to no continuity ! I would have very little confidence that my RA would be adequately managed in this sort of practice so I normally turn to the rheumatology department of the hospital for anything which is specific to my RA.
After moving house last year we also had to change GP. I am fortunate that in our new practice we have a GP with a special interest in Rheumatology. This was not the case at my previous surgery and as a result I was not referred early. In my experience, few GP's have had the oppurtunity to work in Rheumatology.
My experience is exactly the same as mins'. And like pinkbirdie's experience GPs' lack of knowledge delayed my referral and in the meantime I incurred permanent damage that might have been avoided. (I think that 'lack of knowledge' is quite a positive interpretation given that I managed to work out what was probably wrong at about the same time as one of the GPs - with their training & experience shouldn't at least one of them have beaten me to it?)
I am really blessed with a good GP. He is very understanding, and has referred me to a specialist at the Hospital. Delays in treatment are due to the cutbacks by the NHS. Appointments at the Hospital are available only at four month intervals. In which time patients suffer, and hopefully manage to stay alive. Zannie.
My gp is in a medical centre and since ra I found it hard work trying to get any hehowever out off the twenty doctors in the centre I've found one who like the rest don't know much but at least he trys, however it can take me two weeks or more to get an appointment with him. So in emergencys I just have to see whoever is free, I went the other week not long after having a
infusion off toczillimab because I had a rash a swollen eye felt sick dizzy and really weak, I was given antibiotics and told it was a virus even thought I explained I started to feel like this after the infusion and I had just felt worse day by day after it, I was told not to worry. Eight hours later my sister phoned an ambulance, I couldn't see, as both eyes had swelled so bad they were shut, the rash I had, had doubled and blistered all over my face neck, eyes and head, I was totally out off it and didn't know were I was or what was happening, I was in a huge amount off pain one because I hadn't kept anything down for days so by this time all the morphine I usually take slow release had stopped working and my eyes felt as if someone was constantly sticking red hot pokers in them, along with the pain from my eyes face head and neck being totally swollen and blistered so I was given a drip for fluids, antihistamines, morphine via iv and antibiotics via drip too and was told it was a major allergic reaction, also my throat had just started to swell by the time I got to hospital so glad I was in the right place for them to sort it quickly. All because our GPS don't know enough about the drugs, and infusions, we receive. I know they can't learn every condition there is however if a patient in there case has a condition they don't know much about and is prescribed medication they don't know much about then they should take the time and effort to learn as much as they can just like the one GP out off the twenty in our surgery has.
It took my GP 6 months 3 appointments (i didnt want to make a fuss) 2 lots of blood tests and a complaint to refer me to a rheumatologist, his wife, whos also a GP spotted it in bloods results but told me i had to talk to him about it. If it wasnt for my mum actually demanding he do something about it and starting the complaint i dont think id be where i am now. Even now when i go to see him for a prescription review his only question is "any problems?" I once took a list in to see his reaction but while trying to talk to him it became more obvious he was more interested in his computer screen...
It has taken my GP over a year n a half to even diagnose anything at all except to say yes u had a fall so ur body is in trauma,jus take paracetamols,etc ets.....he has no adv n no clue what RA is n jus reads the notes the consultant writes.......my consultant is preety good n the nurse is excellent ......if I need adv I call them......
I tend to use GPs just for pain killers and counselling referrals, I did manage to get a cortisol injection through my GP once but that wasn't easy! when I was diagnosed my GP at the time was very quick to suspect and test for RA, we had to move very shortly after that and change GP surgery, the new one has loads of different GPs so it is a bit hit and miss how good a visit will be.
HOW CAN YOU DISCUS THINGS IN 5 MIN AT THE MOST WITH MINE
My GP was brilliant when it came to making the diagnosis and urgent referral, however, now he doesnt want to know. Im now on shared care and he doesnt even let me know what my blood results are let alone testing my bp, urine or das score or anything.
I am well controlled on Mtx - but my GP just glazes over if I ever ask her about it
