This isn't cancer related (well I hope it isn't). I've been suffering with sores on my chin, arm and now a couple on my breast some of them I have had for a month and are taking a long time to heal. I tried to get in to see a GP for some follow up but he wasn't free for a couple of weeks so I booked in for a phone call but he never called.
I tried to to get to see any GP this morning but they were full so I was put on a list for a telephone call. A GP called about half an hour ago and said they would need to see me but there were no appointment so I would have to cll back first thing Monday morning. He also asked if I had got their letter regarding some blood test for cholesterol I had at the end of April (I am on statins). He mentioned that my blood glucose was a bit high and they would need to see me for that.
Now I know I am going to worry all weekend because that's what I do - I am even crying now because everything around my health feels like such a battle. I don't know what do - I could go to a walk in centre but they wouldn't have my blood test results they could check out my sores and prescribe some cream or antibiotics if I need them. Or do I wait?
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ScardyCat40
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Just sending through a virtual hug ((())) Horrid to think of you being upset.
If the sores have been there for a month, I don't suppose that a few more days will make much difference. However if you feel you have reached the end of your teather, I would head off to the doctors in person and let them see how upset you are. If there aren't any appointments on Monday either, it won't make any difference if they have to squeeze you in today or monday will it.
No the paper bag is to hide the sores on my chin I look a bl**dy mess. Just rang the practice and asked to speak to the Practice Manager. I was in floods of tears and that's the only reason he agreed to book me an appointment for Monday morning. Surely if a GP says I need to be seen I should be booked an appointment not be expected to keep ringing up every day.
I'm really sorry you're having such a rubbish time with your GP surgery. I think Vicky's advice is right. Book the earliest appointment you can - hopefully with a GP you feel comfortable with. That is as much as you can influence at the moment. Spend the remainder of the weekend congratulating yourself on achieving that and then be kind to yourself.
I hope you can put this out of your mind once you have an appointment in the bag and that you can enjoy your weekend.
Love, hugs, and a paper tissue to dry your eyes. xxxx Love Annie
Don't fret - it is maddening that you have had to go through this just to see your GP. I had a similar response recently while worried about what was probably a slight urine infection. I rang the nurses wing of the surgery, and they just did all the tests for me - but they know me and book me in as and when I want.
I hope it's all sorted with a good result very soon.
Its terrible you did not get an appointment straight away. Each time I phone my doctor I mention I have cancer and I get an appointment that day or the following morning. I think we have enough to cope with without waiting for an appointment. Next time insist you have an appointment straight away .
I know was just a bit shocked about my blood test result. They didn't even tick the glucose box I did because previous tests have shown that my cholesterol and triglycerides are high so I think they should check both as they both require a fasting blood test.
So sorry that this is happening....have you considered asking a pharmacist ? This is free , you don,t need an appointment and as you know qualified pharmacists do a 4 year Masters degree and then another year in practice. If there is an independent near you then consider asking.
So sorry you have had such a hard time getting an appointment. You haven't been getting good enough care from your GP practice and I do hope things will improve in that respect once you have seen the doctor on Monday. Do let us know.
I hope you will be able to relax a little bit over the weekend.
Sending you lots of love and cyberhugs
Mary xx
Hi, When I was having trouble seeing my GP I mentioned it to the specialist nurse at the hospice (or oncs?) and she made sure the surgery had a tag on my records that I was to have immediate appointments. Made life a lot easier. I'm sure the idea of going to a pharmacist about the sores is a wise one in the circumstances. It would give you more pressure to see the GP if they say you should see him. All gps should keep emergency appointments free, and I should think you qualify for one. Don't give up, but over the weekend the chemist is a good bet.
I have an appointment with a GP Monday morning after complaining to the practice manager. I guess I'm worried that I might be developing diabetes now then of course my mind goes to the cancer and wonders if there are some cancers cells interfering with my pancreas. I am keeping my self busy so I don't ruminate on it.
Thanks Viv I love that I can come on here with all my little paranoid worries and get support from you all. It makes coping so much easier.
Oh I went over to Huddersfield this morning to meet some friends and do a parkrun. Wheb we got there one of the runners had collapsed with a heart attack and so the run was cancelled
Ok I went to see the GP this morning he was very young (I know this means I am getting older) but he was very kind. I am pre-diabetic my blood sugar was 6.8 but I can still turn this around by making some life-style changes and cutting back on the sweet stuff, which will be hard work. He has also prescribed some antibioitcs for the sores and I have to go back on Friday to see how I am getting on.
I did ask if this could be related to my cancer and if he thought there might be cancer cells interfering with my pancreas. I wasn't exactly inspired with confidence when he said he didn't think the cancer treatment was responsible as this is not what I asked. I'll just mention it when I go for my next routine check up at The Christie.
Glad you've got at least some answers. I guess the truth is the GP does not really know what has caused it, rather than it being something sinister.
My dad was borderline diabetic and he has controlled this through his diet by doing intermittent fasting (also called 2/5 diet). Basically you have a reduced diet of 500 calories for two days a week. Not only has it brought his blood sugar down but he has lost over a stone.
He has given me the book and told me the author recommends it is a good diet for cancer patients to follow as cancer feeds on sugar also.
This is really not the right way to treat a cancer patient whether your new problem has anything to do with the cancer or not. We have enough to deal with without all these stresses.
If you are still worried to whether the skin sores are cancer related I would contact your oncologist nurse and ask her advice. Tell her how the GP surgery mess you around and she may suggest you bring your next oncology appointment forward.
Ever since my cancer diagnosis, any problem I have contacted the oncologist. When she has advised me to see the GP, I tell the surgeries receptionist this when I ask for an appointment.
If the GP really can`t fit me in, I have been seen by the practise nurse in charge and then she has called the GP in.
I know you have had your appointment now, but I hope you are never messed around like this again. We don`t need it, do we luvie.
Awwww thanks Tina sometimes I feel like such a drama queen I think I have developed anxieties around my health since this all happened.
I was recommended to go and see the new health care assistant in the practice and was fortunate to get to see her this morning as well. However she doesn't really deal with diabetes with but cholesterol and I take statins so my cholesterol is starting to come down. However she wasn't happy that the GP hadn't organised a repeat blood test as it could be a one off so I am having it checked again tomorrow morning but I have to go somewhere else for the blood test as my NHS authority doesn't fund GP practices for this.
I am more worried about the pre-diabetes being related to the cancer i.e. that it might be evidence of spread to the pancreas???
The sore bother me because they hurt and they look ugly but I think I will give the CNS nurse a ring thanks.
The infection on your skin could have ( in theory) raised your blood glucose a bit. Also if the cancer was spreading to your pancreas it would surely have manifest itself in different ways such as bloating etc.
There was an article in the Guardian earlier this week about a man who reversed his pre-diabetes condition with diet and exercise. I understand that this is entirely possible , but as we all know is really hard.
Oh dolly, you are not a drama queen at all - I`d be just as anxious sweet lady, I think we all would be.
I have also had one or two fits of paranoia since my cancer diagnosis, even though most people seem to think Its gone now and I am cured, I do remind them I have a 50% risk of it coming back at some point and a 80% risk of breast cancer. I feel as though I am the only one allowed to say` I am lucky`, if anyone else says it, I just want to rip their heads off. I hate it when folk say `be positive`, I remind them how difficult that is when they continue to tell me story`s of all the people they hear about, who never made it arghhh! Mostly this is from my husbands side of the family, I feel sure they think I`m a drama queen!!!!!!!
I hate that as well I have to bite my tongue when people including doctors say I 'had' cancer. I automatically want to correct them to I 'have' cancer because I've been told by various oncologists that it isn't curable and that the likelihood of reoccurence is high
Also my sister-in-law who went through the menopause naturally which (is also gradually), can
not seem to understand the difference between that and surgical menopause!!!!!!!
Yes, I`m confused about the cure thing too. My oncologist always feels hopeful of a cure, she says that she has seen many ladies who have won the battle. But at what stage are we considered cured? I really think her aim is to keep me positive. I was diagnosed at a stage 2c which also confuses me because it had spread to the edge of the bowel slightly and there were calls all over my momentum. Un yet they diagnosed it at a stage 2c because IT WAS CONTAINED??????????
I also had a high grade tumour which I am aware is more likely to come back - yes they tell me but it also responds better to treatment???????????????? But what good is that if it came back. I say IF because that's what they keep on telling me.
I do get very mixed messages all the time, to be honest I don`t think anybody really knows apart from the stars above.
Another thing that I find confusing I have never had breast cancer and to my knowledge no one on my maternal side of the family have either. But my two daughters and myself run with an 80 -85% risk because we have the brac one gene mutation. Because of this and because I have been considering double bilateral surgery, I am now under a breast oncologist ???????????? I seem to be treated more so with cotton gloves than my cousin who has actually had breast cancer and why do they discharge us after 5 years if we haven`t had a re occurrence, surely it can still return after that time. My argument with this one is `I haven`t even had breast cancer, yet`
Keep us posted how you get on at the doctors, as if we don`t have enough problems, bless you.
Take good care of yourself and I hope you get a lot of TLC
Ok just back from the docs the good news is that my second blood test showed that my blood glucose was in a normal range so must have just been a blip.
However my sores aren't really responding to the antibiotics I'm on and one of the sores on my back as got worse. The young GP (he looks like Harry Potter) called in the scary GP for a second opinion. Instead of telling me nicely he ordered me to put my top back on.
They've swabbed the worst one and took a photo of it to send to a dermatologist and I've just been for some blood tests for liver, kidney, vasculitus and autoimmune.
They don't really know yet what is causing it I am a medical mystery
Hi babe, just catching up on missed items after a busy couple of weeks. So sorry you have been feeling so rotten hope stuff starts to improve soon. I would push for a dermatologist referral if you don't get answers quickly. My faith in GP knowledge has been severely shaken by this whole experience - they get one or two lectures on specific things, cannot have deep knowledge of those specifics (indeed it is not their aim to do so - but to be generalists and first line point of contact) and it is quite clear they must (not their fault) often work via a process of elimination and best guesswork. That is simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH for those like us for whom random symptoms can be clues as to what else is going on. And especially so because of the emotional roller coaster we remain on for life, as a result.
Hope you will soon feel a bit more cheerful, and less like a paper bag lady.
Thanks I am back at the GP this morning I finished my second lot of antibiotics this week. some of them are going and some are still persisting. struggling a bit of breathlessness as well that seems out of proportion to the effort I am putting in.
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Frustrated with my GP
Scared and not sure what to do
What a dreadful journey for my best friend!
Going mad frustration and concern 
