Consultant appointments

I am just wondering if anyone else gets like this... because my asthma has not wanted to behave I have seen various asthma nurses, doctors and consultants over a period of years and each medical professional normally starts off with the we can get this under control speech.... The first few times I heard this I believed it and got excited and thought great... now it will be sorted. After several failed attempts and being pushed up the GP - consultant chain this is kind of washing thin... My GP with new consultant is like great now you will be sorted out, I am less than convinced and I guess untill I see improvements myself not going to get my hopes up. Anyone else feel like this???

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oh yes!

you go to the gp they try one thing, tweak meds a lil, no luck, refer to someone else - same thing happens - oh we cant sort you out - nope.

then they referred me to cons - she said oh its fine we will sort you out - just do this bit of tweaking and new action plan - no luck...

new cons seemed more optimistic hmmm... no luck yet but just started new xolair injections on thurs so we'll see,

good luck with your cons hope they find new combination of treatment/ meds to work for you

x x x

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Good luck with the xolair hope it works for you... I hate the tweaking especially as consultant leaving it three months at a time to try and see if it works (I understand the reasoning for it - just when spent last three years with poor control I have had just as much as i can stand of my asthma and not being able to breath properly). Normally know within a short space of time if it will work or not...

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thanks malawai

used to see previousl gp and consultant every 3 months or just under, grr... not good isi wen like u say u know by then if something works or not, but then dont u see your asthma nurse in between? as she can schange your meds for you and just get dr to sign script? my old asthma nurse at surgery used to?

my new cons i now see every 2-4 weeks, see him more than my family lol haha but at least that way can help keep an eye on u then and can help change meds more often if need be.

the breathlessness is the worst part... i can honestly sympathise dearly. hope things improve for us both soon malawi

x x

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Unfortunately I have got to the point with my asthma where it is pointless seeing my asthma nurse at GP surgery as they don't know what to do with me,see regular GP who is good but tells me to see consultant for long term meds and only sorts prescriptions out for pred and antibiotics when things start to go pear shaped. Asthma nurse at local hospital also does not want to know and has put in writting that I have to see local consultant. Local consultant is trying to bail out and is letting more specialised consultant deal with me as he does not know what else to try. New consultant is not happy local consultant not having any input at the moment as I am supposed to have local support in case of emergency. Which quite frankly is not happening... I know he is having a word with local consultant - so will see what changes. So basically changing meds is a nightmare... as no one wants the responsibility...

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so basically then, they need to have a meeting together to work out which cons is to be responsible overall for your care and your meds, cos its not fair on you, cos its you who is gonna be confused and suffering in the long run wiv the meds changes etc...

the way mine works - i have resp cons/ asthma nurse and local cons. resp cons only one responsible for changing meds. that can be a nightmare tho sometimes with gp getting the fax through etc. - very rarely tho, seems to work most of time. all have agreed as he is the specailist it should only be him. dont see gp or practice asthma nurse as need more spec care. maybe thats something they can look into for you - with just the asthma cons overlooking all your care/meds - make life easier for all concerned ?

x x

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Which hospital do you go to? Do you go to one that has a good profile for asthma and allergies? Whilst my asthma nurse at the GPs doesn't overly rate mine because they are so slow in communicating I am fortunate she trusts that I write EVERYTHING they say down so will prescribe the meds to me even though she doesn't tend to get it in writing for about another six weeks! Gp and asthjma nurse well aware I am out of their hands but still very reassuring and still able to treat and suggest other things like Kenalog injection this year.

Asthma nurse and GP fill the emergency gaps and act as dams whilst pushing for earlier appots as necessary. Do you live more westerly or easterly in WS?

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Nickynoo my specialist consultant is at Southampton so asthma and allergy is there thing. Unfortunately my GP where meds are concerned is not so trusting and will only prescribe the meds when the paperwork comes through. I normally get this faxed over from Southampton or given to me in writing to give to my GP. However with local consultant this is another story I get told to change meds and then nothing is actioned, this has happened on several occasions so have had to complain to PCT as this lack of communication has caused my health to deteriorate further due to lack of action at the appropriate time. Luckily, this time no permanent damage was caused but is could quite easily been another story. I live close to the Hampshire/West Sussex border and Southampton is only an hour away for me so not to far to travel.

Snowygirl Southampton is in charge for my asthma. Problem is I have got past the point where local nurses, GP and local consultant can deal with my asthma so all passing the buck to Southampton. In between appointments not much happens as no-one will change meds unless Southampton say so. So currently in limbo.

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I just wondered as Southampton Gen is also where I go and can understand your frustration with how slow they can be keeping GP up to speed. My asthma nurse or GP can't do anything as they couldn't even put me on what I am on but still feel I get a lot of support rom them whilst waiting to get to the hospital, like this last few weeks. April appt pushed back to August then Sept, then phoned and said I actually needed to see someone and bought forward to 13th but still need help whilst waiting and they are great even with just balancing pred to lowest possible amounts.

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NickyNoo at the moment Southampton seem ontop of things paperwork wise (more so than local consultant) the problem is Southampton does not deal with my day to day splats, so the problem is more local as no one wants to get involved. I have the same problem as you as on several off licence doses of meds which GP and nurses cannot prescribe.

Can sympathise with consultant appointments being moved I have had this happen a few times at local hospital, its not good when you are struggling is there any chance you can ask your GP to write and ask for an urgent referal or talk to consultants secretary for a cancellation appointment to get you seen sooner. Hope your asthma deciedes to behave itself soon...

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I phoned Dr Howarth's secretary in the end, she is lovely and got it moved back up to 13th June. I do find this the only difficulty as all my surgery can do is up pred doses I guess. Did suggest Kenalog though, which didn't help asthma so much but no hayfever sympoms is a bonus. Think they try to do anything possible because they can't 'fix' me!

You said they fax you GP so you can get your meds prescribed, do they do this quickly? As that is he one thing that does seem to drive my asthma nurse nuts,I can sometimes have been to the hospital twice or even three times before she has paperwork about first appointment.

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When dealing with consultant at Southampton he asked it to be faxed it straight away and it was done before I left the hospital by one of the nurses. At initial appointment all paperwork was faxed within two days I asume they were awaiting for test results.

When dealing with local consultant paperwork is not there thing either they do not send it or you wait months.