i think , ive got the best health care team anyone could have ,, last week confirmed it for me ,, just lately ive been getting some wonky blood results ,, has some will know .. it started with high potasium levels ,, which was found to be just a blip ... followed with raised ATL " 47 " on the last test ,, its now 30 ,, then the third test within two weeks high white blood count ," 15 " now this comes into play ..
,,,,last week around 8.00 in the evening ,, i gets a phone call .. its my doctor ,, asking how i am feeling ?? he explains that some of my blood results are only slighty out , but just wondered how i felt , if i had a cold or just felt un well .. he said he wants to just keep an eye on things and will speak to my rheumy nurse in the morning ,, because there is a difference what he calls within normal limits and what rheumatology call normal .. so he would like to speak to the nurse for her advice .. then maybe see if we need to do another blood test ..
the following day , i get a call from emma my rheimy nurse ,, who says .. your doctor left me a message last night ,, at 9.00 .. asking if i could give you a call , and also him a call .. i explained to emma ,, my doc called me last night too ,, she says ,, dont he have a home to go to ,, i said it was his home where he called from .. she seemed shocked that a doctor would call patients from his own home in the evening .. just over a routine blood test ,, also told me it was nothing to worry about .. then today ,, i get another call from , rheumy nurse .. saying that all bloods are ok , from your last test .. and she will speak to my doctor .. i said you will be lucky to get him during the day ,, i never can .. she replied .. ive got his own mobile number and hes now got ours .. so that wont be a problem ..
i think i am so lucky ,, firstly to have a GP , who will call his patients from his own home out of hours , also will not let anything get passed him ,,blood result wise .. and secondly rheumatology / GP .. working together .. not just via e.mail / letters but actually communicating with one another . like my rheumy nurse said ,, ive got a docter who actually cares for patients..
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Yes you are very lucky Andy - but you know what you deserve it. It took you long time to get to the stage you are at remember. We all deserve it too and i count myself lucky with my GPs, but doubt they would phone from home. Just enjoy it and let it be an example to us all of what we should expect from NHS and these highly paid professionals. Tilda x
I agree that you are lucky and also that you deserve to be. I read your description way back when of how you got yourself downstairs of a morning on your backside ... this is serious sh*t and someone as courageous as you definitely deserves such a personal approach & I expect your doctor feels happy to provide this kind of service - it is why they train to be doctors in the first place.
It is good that you have a good old fashioned dr,i wish there was a few more like that. My rheumy nurse rang when my potassium levels went up and she asked me to go and have another blood test which turned out to be fine.. It is lovely that now they are on top of your treatment and you deserve it.xx
wow raised white cells can be due to an infection or taking steroids, when i spole to gp on phone he said white cells up... steroids I replied as yes he ..said that would/ could explain it..
It isn't the fact that your doc called you that I am impressed with, its the fact that he is liaising actively with the rheumatology nurse AND you! Its that kind of coordinated approach that seems to be lacking in a lot of areas. My doc is quite good with calling me about abnormal results and things like that, but really doesn't take any initiative to actively follow up or discuss problems with specialists etc, and as the specialists don't take any interest in me between clinic dates its a bit hopeless.
And yes, where do you live? Think I might consider moving!
Hi Andy, i count myself very lucky to, It is a shame that they are not all like that, i was talking to my nurse the other day at my surgery, And she mentioned a GP that they have there, she had to speak to him about signing a prescription for me, She was saying how miserable he always looks and some patients don't like to go to him, Good at his job but no friendly approach with patients and staff, she made me laugh when she had to call him, I've seen him myself before and didn't think much, he was the one that told me the reason i was getting pains in my feet, was because of the flat ballet shoes i was wearing for work, How wrong was he.... But my nurse is great, as you know my liver has gone up to 72 and has been rising for the past couple of months, bless her, she was so concerned, she said don't forget you need to speak to your GP, she also said, how are you feeling, I said I'm fine, i'm a lot better to be honest because of my knee, I said I've had a few dizzy spell, but i am going to spend some money now so i'm fine!! She laughed and said Shirley your WBC is high which states that you have a infection some where, do you think you have a cold coming, i said no, she said well you take it easy and make sure you see your GP, bless her she was more worried than me, But it really nice to know they care, Well glad things are looking up for you Andy you so deserve it to xx
I know we often moan about the NHS...but when it works it's great so really glad you've got some of the good ones. I think most of them do care, but are just so busy and overworked that they forget to show it. And great that bloods were good too! Polly
Ahhh this is so nice to read,what's it like being pampered like this :))) everything seems good now white cells if I'm correct if high,does this mean some sort of infection,but also cud be the lovely mtx,but she's reassured you all is good,so great .i think the dr looking at your bloods compared to ur nurse looking at them is two different things,I had a similar thing a couple of weeks ago didnt I,its so nice to know they care though,feel reassured you're loved :))) love Michelle xxx
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Update re MTX takes 6mths to work good news got appt next wk with rheumy!!
High potassium / flare up 
West Pennines abysmal changes
Frustrated with NHS service
