Grumpy Old Lady in pain

[Loco99]

A follow up to my previous post..

Is it my fault?

That I didn’t give them enough relevant information when I phoned? How do I know what is relevant when I’m not a trained medical professional and I can’t see what comes up on their computer screen against my name? Would it hurt for them to ask a few questions before telling me they have no appointments for three weeks !!!

That I asked for the Diabetic Nurse by mistake when I was feeling dizzy?

(I’m still feeling dizzy 9 months later but this has been dismissed and not investigated)

By the way this is the same Diabetic Nurse who phoned me up in January and sent me on a NHS pre diabetic course, most probably without having a proper grasp of my complete medical history despite me having PMR and a case of Covid! I think she only looked at the numbers! (When I phoned a few days ago it was obvious she didn’t know who I was!) She might have thousands of patients but not many go on the NHS course. It did no harm whatsoever and was quite beneficial but it does prove a point.

That I don’t know that everyone in the whole of the UK including me can take 8 paracetamols daily for the rest of their life?

That I have only been back in the UK for five years after living in Africa and don’t know about the extensive use of Paracetamol in the NHS?

(What would have happened if I had self diagnosed? taken loads of Paracetamol tablets and caused liver damage - then I would have been the idiot! )

That despite the fact that I have stomach cramps and pain no one has decided it might be a good idea to actually examine my tummy? I don’t get embarrassed, I have two grown up children and have had numerous operations!

That despite me handing over in person extensive notes from my previous GP covering my medical history and a letter from my previous rheumatologist, they seem to have completely ignored them? I have only been in the practice for five years and they seemed unaware until this week that I have PMR at all despite me having a script for Prednisolone!

That I had to resort to the 111 service in desperation because my GP’s frontline service is so woefully inadequate?

*****

An aside…Are receptionists not trained to be able to tell from people’s voices when they are confused, in pain, making things up? I know it is a very difficult job but I’m sure most of them have this skill. I was feeling really ill and might not have made much sense at all but they could have taken thirty seconds try and find out what I was on about. I had to beg and plead to eventually get a telephone consultation with a doctor.

*****

The fact that I managed to ‘survive’ this thankfully isolated medical gaslighting is due mainly to luck and the fact that despite quite a few medical issues, I am fit, healthy, mobile and haven’t lost all my marbles - yet!

What changed everything in the first place? Emergency surgery and its aftermath. I should have been given more post operative information at the hospital but the hospital is a bit like a war zone at the moment, over capacity with very few beds available and patients in the corridors of A&E. The hospital staff without exception were fantastic. My practice should have been able to fill in the gaps but it was impossible to get through to ‘a real person’ at my GP’s surgery for even a ten minute chat!

By the way, I haven’t seen or needed to see an actual doctor in that practice for four years which might be a blessing.

There is one exceptionally good Advanced Nurse Practitioner in the practice, if only I had been ‘allowed’ to talk to her for a few minutes recently, it might have saved me a lot of anguish, pain and the NHS considerable expense.

I must also mention a fantastic 111 lady doctor who saved my sanity when I was trying to fathom out what was wrong with me probably unrealistic expectations due to inadequate post operative information and disinterest from the GPs surgery.

So that is why I’m getting the hell out of Dodge!

PS. I have found another practice and will transfer to them today.

[123-go]

That’s quite a horror story, Loco99! I would be surprised if no one had ever met with a degree of frustration with a GP receptionist but your story takes the biscuit! Since the practise of ‘triage by receptionist’ became widespread I have noticed a number of members here complaining about attitudes. If I am polite in the way I speak to a receptionist I expect a polite response. It would be a good idea if we, the patients, had an idea of the extent of training to triage our GP receptionists had received; this could easily be shown on the surgery’s website.

I hope you receive more respect and professionalism from staff at your new surgery.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

"That I don’t know that everyone in the whole of the UK including me can take 8 paracetamols daily for the rest of their life?"

Did someone tell you that? As it isn't actually strictly true - older patients shouldn't take more than 6 tablets per day, Long term use of paracetamol is ALSO associated with problems - in fact, I'm surprised they haven't already started to talk about limiting its use as was done with other pain killers GPs relied on.

That aside - I do hope you are going to make a complaint to the relevant authorities about this practice. Because if they aren't already, they should be "in measures" because they are failing big time.

[Loco99 in reply to PMRpro]

The 8 Paracetamols a day came from the Advanced Nurse Practitioner! I have enough common sense to take that with a pinch of salt but it is very concerning.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Loco99]

It is OK short term - not that it does much good - but not without knowing WHY you have pain.

[Loco99]

An update - staggered into another practice this morning and registered straightaway! It was like being in a different world. Organised, sympathetic and compassionate care. I have been referred to A&E to be seen by the surgical team who operated on me. Still in a bit of pain but a great weight has been lifted off me just because I was taken seriously and listened to. I’m glad I followed my instincts and am not taking 8 Paracetamols a day!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Loco99]

I had a similar experience when the rubbish surgery that had nearly killed my husband by neglecting symptoms - they actually asked me to remove myself and refused to treat my daughter's clinical depression because HE didn't think she was depressed. He didn't bargain with me driving to the local psychiatric unitl where she had recently been discharged to his care and seeking out her doctor there. Who agree with me and told me to go to the practice in the other option village and register there. Like you, we were seen immediately I had completed the form and never looked back. My husband remained with the plonkers - until he got more visits asking how he was from MY doctor than his own. This was post chemo, major surgery and radiotherapy! His practice just put obstacles to everything.

[Sillydogsmum in reply to Loco99]

Sound so much better. Totally unacceptable not to put a hand on your tum. Your original post dissappeared?

[Loco99]

Another update - my husband had a CT scan this week, the old practice can only give him a telephone consult with a doctor in mid December! He will be changing practices tomorrow! We are waiting in A&E, just spoke to a couple who go to the same practice. They had similar problems and were so frustrated they had to make threats to get to speak to someone! We don’t think there is a real doctor there at all. So the nurses etc. are pretending that the practice is functioning, misleading people and putting lives in danger all for appearances! You really couldn’t make it up!

[Bcol in reply to Loco99]

Sounds like the practice needs reporting to whichever health authority is running your area. It is an appalling and totally unacceptable scenario.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bcol]

Couldn't agree more - they are taking money from the NHS under false pretences because they aren't providing the service they are contracted to.

[piglette]

My GP has just diagnosed someone in my village with a hernia. As the waiting time was so long the person decided to go privately. Lucky he did, it was not a hernia, it was cancer!

[Daffodilia]

We found a new GP was the answer - good luck

[borednow in reply to Daffodilia]

Me too!!!

[Linlang]

So sorry to hear of your pain and frustration. I was a radiographer and worked in both nhs and private sectors and would hate to be working in nhs today.l

Where do you live. Be very assertive . You have rights and they have a contract to help you.

Good luck x

I was referred just diagnosed with lymphadema medics know little cause no cure I think drs not interested. To go to gp and told can’t help don’t know much is awful. I have had to research myself…..

[Loco99 in reply to Linlang]

Linlang that sounds terrible, perhaps there is a group like this for lymphadema somewhere on the internet.

I gained a lot of medical knowledge from this group. I wanted to know all about PMR as I hadn’t heard anything about it before being diagnosed, this group was a godsend. Some of the people here know a lot more than most doctors. I think you should know about the medical conditions you have but it seems as though a lot of ‘professionals’ don’t like being asked lots of questions by their patients!

I have been thinking about reporting the practice but events are unfolding at quite a pace at the moment and there may be more disgruntled patients out there. If they are being this rude and negligent they will upset too many people. That’s my theory but my husband thinks there might be some who won’t bother. Another of my theories, the area in question is quite affluent (although we aren’t) Some of their patients will no doubt be retired from the corporate world and not be prepared to put up with bad treatment. I think they have made a mistake by treating patients as if they were stupid, some of us may have battered bodies but our brains are still razor sharp!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Loco99]

There are a lot who won't bother - and a lot who don't know they can or how to. Someone needs to take the first step - maybe even looking to find out is others would join them

[Linlang]

this group for pmr is super.there is a charity and helpline which helps - no nhs funding…and a few groups but my nearest is reading many miles away. Had to find out all this myself

[Linlang in reply to Linlang]

Reporting is difficult. There are lawyers specialising in claims and often do no win no cost

I wish you well