Hi there , here is yet another good example of why I posted the original post.
Just over 2 months ago I called my doctors , I had a lump on my left testicle. I got a call back from a practise nurse. I told her I was in alot of pain from lump and in my groin , stomach etc. As the pain was great she said straight to A AND E. In case it was a twist. I did this And was told it was an infection and got antibiotics. I took these for 2 weeks , things began to worsen my urine was stinging my pain was worse and I was feeling really unwell. I got an appointment at doctors, he said I had a urine infection I had to leave a sample and take a different tablet, I told him about the lump still being there , he dismissed me in a patronising way and said not connected. So i took the tablets and waited on results. While taking them I did feel a tiny bit better but not that it had cleared. I got results back I had ecoli in my urine. 2 days after the antibiotics symptoms returned worse than before.
I had no energy was feeling really unwell hot sweaty just really horrible.
So called again, only got a voice appointment.
I was given a double dose of antibiotics, bare in mind I've still not been examined by a g.p.
So took these tablets , the 3rd set of antibiotics, same again bit better when taking but 2 days after felt terrible again. In the mean time a 2nd sample showed ecoli.
Back to doctors, finally got examined, and another course of the first antibiotic. I took these but still felt shocking ,symptoms getting worse and worse.
Docs again , voice appointment, I had left another sample ,apparently it came back clear. I explained how bad I was feeling and given a different antibiotic. My 5th course. In between the doc who did examine me suggested a scan , he called a week after and apologised as he forgot to book one .Lol
I went last Monday after feeling even worse over the weekend. I got to a point on Monday I could not even stand up, so stood for a drink of water and had to lay down , I was really really ill.
Tuesday morning I called 111, who told me to call the doctors. I had a long standing appointment at 10.35 so waited. I was so poorly by this point, sitting was impossible I just had to lay down all the time,
I got taken to my appointment , too ill to drive, got to the surgery and had to lay across 2 chairs, on a scale of 1 to 10 for illness I was about 15 lol.
I seen the doctor he said my vitals were fine and I needed more antibiotics, my partner said he need to examine me, he laid me down and pressed all over my stomach. I was in so much pain and my partner suggest I might need hospital . He finally agreed. Please note the account of this appointment was from my good lady as i cannot even remember being there.
So off to a and e.
I have just spent 5 days on a drip , with numerous drugs fluid etc, they had to take numerous samples and cultures were sent to the lab, they had to concoct an antibiotic as the infection had gotten so bad, I really think had the doc sent me home I may have been touch and go.
So hospital made me as comfortable as possible while the lab found something that would work.
I was in so much pain I could not lift my head , I didn't eat for 3 days I was really out of things.
Eventually the correct antibiotics through a drip, and I began to come round slowly, 3 days later I get home, still not great but it's because my body kidneys liver bladder etc have been through alot.
Looking like a slow recovery of around 2 to 3 weeks of rest . Lots of fluids and broad spectrum tablet antibiotics to clear any after infections.
So i guess I am super disappointed it took 2 months for a number of gp to realise after 5 antibiotics and my health deteriorating that I didn't require further help.
Sorry for the novel guys.
My outcome yet again
Cop out. This time it's court though as i think i nearly died.
Cheers
Dave
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Davek723
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This sounds absolutely awful, and I swear I’ve read it’s dangerous to keep prescribing antibiotics like that... remember that if this is the NHS it is very hard to win in court though, but I wish you all the best
This is the second time in 3 years I've ended up in hospital due to doctors. So not letting it go this time .I honestly thought it was too late for me , guess I've been lucky.
So sorry to hear this sad story. That you have suffered for so long till you were dangerously ill, it does not bear thinking about. Glad you are begining to recover and I do hope you take this matter further when you feel able. We must not allow these sort of incidences to continue but unfortunately it does happen and even today people are shy of reporting poor care practices. I've just been through a poor care incidence that could have killed me just like you, so understand how you must feel. Many people are just so glad to get better they would not dream of bringing it to the bosses attention, but in other proffessions a complaint is not seen in the same way. Best Wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.
Hi there, thank you for your reply, hope you are also doing better.
Think you totally get the point , these practices would not be tolerated by any other employer I can think of.
I will take a few days and then begin the process, I think it's time to stand up , Im aware it may cause me future problems with health care. On the other hand things may get better. If not for me it may help others in the future.
This was just so serious I don't think I can just sit back.
I had a chat with my partner and she agrees we need to take this further.
I don't believe doctors are busy and trying their best cuts it anymore.
Every Best Wish. I've been this way myself on more than one occassion but am pleased to say there has been some inprovement in recent years to make the process easier and your health care should not be jepodised because you spoke the truth. But I accept your concerns in this respect. Acas can sometimes be a better way to address the issue. Good luck to you both.
I agree you need to take this further, but court isn't the place to start. Have you made a formal complaint to the Practice Manager of the surgery? That is the first step, but to help it along copy in your local Healthwatch and the CQC. you could also talk to your local PALS office (probably run by the CCG) to explain you will be making a formal complaint and ask them how best to do it.
You had enough of the 'red flags' that they should have made some proper investigations and a physical examination much sooner. However, some practices think that these telephone only encounters are a brilliant answer. They aren't. It actually makes things worse for teh GPS as they have the same number of encounters with patients in a day, only because telephone encounters can be made more quickly, they don't have the time or the mental energy to make sound decisions sometimes.
Also try to remove the emotion from the complaint. Stick to the facts only at first. Later on you can tell them how much it effected you, but if you start out with that they might dismiss it all as a 'psychological' problem rather than looking at the facts and seeing how they missed a diagnoses.
Glad you finally got the right antibiotics, but you really shouldn't have ended up in hospital.
I will try and be brief on why Im thinking court action.
3 years ago , due to my condition I had a fall on my stairs. I fell upwards and landed on my side, I was badly bruises up my right side rib area, I attended my gp , she lifted my shirt and said just bruised , pain killers. Over the next few days pain worse could not lay down so went back , different gp still no examination diagnosed as muscular. Crazy pain getting worse struggling to get up and down etc, so 3rd visit, different gp, "it's rib pain muscular and will take time to heal" oh still no one has touched me. After about 8 weeks still getting worse, doctor finally lays me down examined me. Didn't think anything wrong but booked x-ray. Appointment came for it about 2 weeks away. Unfortunately before this happened I collapsed at home , struggling to breath and in agony. Ended up blue lighted to Hospital.
Doctor there said muscular and spasms lol, my partner went mad, he agreed an x-ray, he was very dismissive. He returned after x-ray and said the lower part of my lung had collapsed.
I had another x-ray 6 weeks later this bit resolved. Still in agony tho. Done all the practice manager, pals , nhs England etc.
Over a year and a half later I got a scan it turns out I had 2 severe fractures on my ribs. There's had not healed correctly, and I have ended up with calcification around these rib fractures meaning I will always have issues.
This is the same doctors as this new episode and I've kind of had enough of it .
Hope that clears up why this time i wont go down the route you suggested.
I would hate for this to happen to anyone else ,so if nothing else I can achieve that I'd be happy. If it means these doctors think twice in future and treat people with more respect , win. I've never taken this action before so really not got beyond that on expectations. Guess an apology might be too much to ask lol.
I feel that when there has been mismanagement of treatment the important thing is that lessons are learnt for future patients. The NHS is struggling and like any organisation mistakes are made especially with the increasing demands made on its limited resources.
My husband has a complaint pending with our local health board . We are clear however that what he wants is a review of the system and not compensation. Money is a huge issue for every Health Board and compensation claims eat into that limited available money.
I hope you get some answers and your apology and can move on.
I wish you all the luck in the world. These doctors should be held to task for what you have been through.Its awful,such negligence I cant believe it. Get everyone on board, the newspapers,media ,they need exposing for not doing their job properly. Thank goodness you had a partner who was prepared to tell them what they should be doing.
Thanks for the extra information, it does sound like you need to go further with this. I assume you have familiarised yourself with the GMC details about this?
I understand the statutory time limitations for negligence is three years so it might be too late to take the earlier problems into consideration. talking to Healthwatch, and PALS will get things started, but I suspect that The Patients Association will probably be the best place to go next: patients-association.org.uk
Apologises if you already know all this stuff! Good luck!
This is awful and I am glad you finally got the treatment you needed and deserved.
I remember once a doctor trying to give me Penicillan despite me telling him I was allergic to it. He didn't believe me coz it wasn't on my records and clearly thought I was making it up. The first time it had happened I had a severe reaction and rang the doctors who said an anti histamine would help. Well it eventually passed and I made sure I didn't take penicillan any more. I was told by the doctor that the first time won't kill me but the second time might.
The second doctor gave me a prescription for penicillan! Now if I hadn't noticed that it could have killed me. Fortunately I did and got it changed. It is now on my records. I am sure my death would have been recorded as an unknown allergy to penicillan. I wonder how many types of these things are covered up and just written off? x
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Don't know what to do no more other then give up.!!
Excessive pain
