Consideration from GP

I’m sorry you had such an upsetting call with the GP but I’m not surprised . I honestly find GP’s pretty hopeless ! In fact if it was down to my GP I might be dying now instead of cured! I research my own illnesses and push for what I want ! I’m lucky in that they are usually cooperative 1) to get rid of me 2) not to bother doing the job. So if I were you I would love to make my own decision! I find NHS hospitals marvellous ! GP’s hopeless. I would listen to the specialists in the hospital. Weigh up risks of delaying it v risk of Covid. If you lose chance of treatment, or it’s vital, more important. But if it’s for something not life threatening maybe ok to delay. Is your hospital a good one in a good area with a good reputation? Big difference between Imperial health in London and Liverpool pathway hospitals.

I have also followed your posts and I am so sorry this all happened with the GP. Re the hospital visit and treatment my brother had to go and have some treatment two weeks ago, he first saw a receptionist who had a mask on and was directed to the nurse who was fully gowned, then he was sat in a waiting room that usually took about 50 people, there were two other gents in there and they all sat as far apart as possible. Once he was taken through he saw nobody else but the nurse who treated him, everyone was gowned and masked. I hope this helps a bit. Do try and speak to the nice Dr next time.

As to GP's being busy. How is it that I can get a same day appointment with most of our doctors without any bother. The last appointment I had my GP said she was working from home so did not have all the info with her. She was very nice and caring but she rang me on time and did not give the impression she was over stretched.

In answer to your question about the consultants Lucky I have a friend whose son is a consultant. He went back to his normal work this week doing endoscopies. Instead of doing 20 a day he is now doing 4 because after each one the room has to be deep cleaned and he has to changed his PPE. He is very frustrated.

On the whole I have great GPs, but the one thing which I find unhelpful is when they sonetimes say, "you need to be pragmatic" which I find the most unhelpful word ever, if like me - and you - you have to weigh up things, (as I have multiple illnesses). I am always that person who if I write a list of pros and cons for something they usually come to the same tally!! Pragmatic is the same to me!!

I certainly know my GPs are 'tense' right now, as one GP and her husband, (a hospital Cardiology Consultant), have both been very ill with Covid-19 and 3 or 4 staff have had it too, but not as bad.

One lovely young lady GP who calls me for a Telephone Consultation weekly - due to several serious issues with my health right now - which I really appreciate, is back doing full-time, when she normally does 2/3 days, and her husband is working at home, plus home schooling their eldest and taking care of their toddler. I can understand many GPs are struggling.

I think at this point in time you simply have to speak to family, and anyone medical you might happen to know, and along with their input, go with your gut instinct too on making a decision.

Inishowen, good closed diverticular disease group on fb, join out if can.

Luckygirl, that was bad of GP, see another one when next able to. Am sorry for your loss. Good luck deciding re op.

Sorry, not feeling good but wanted to send best wishes.

I have no advice or experience in this but reading through the replies to the original posting I am in awe of the lovely people who can give great advice & sympathy.
This is what GN does so very well.
I hope you get it all sorted out soon.xx

Would it help to make a list of pros and cons re the hospital appointment.

What will happen if I go ahead?

What will happen if I don’t?

I agree with your Doc - you are the only one that can make that decision - however, it could have been put over in a nicer way.

Good luck

I am shocked that the receptionist, at first, would not book an appointment for you, it’s not up to the receptionist to say that you can’t have an appointment. Very glad that the second time the receptionist was a bit kinder. Although we are all going through a difficult time, all the more reason to be a bit kinder to each other.

Lucky ,I am sorry that you were treated like ,there really no excuse for bad manners,I too had a similar experience last week.so I rang again and.asked for.another GP to call me back.I wrote my concerns down which he answered and this was the outcome I needed,perhaps you could try again.I hope you are successful.

I think your GP may be under alot of stress as lots are working more than usual at the moment. As I'm not privy to the actual conversation, the problem is she can't professionally advise what you should do. She should outline everything but ultimately the decision is yours. See what another doctor advises or speak to the hospital.

Have you anyone you can chat to to speak it through with? A friend or family member.

Lucky I am so sorry that you were treated like this, especially when you must be feeling so emotionally raw. It hurts, doesn't it. My Dd was treated very rudely by one of the doctors at her surgery, so she went to the reception desk and requested that a note be put on her records that she did not wish to be treated by that particular doctor ever again. She didn't give a reason but felt that that was enough to make it clear that she was unhappy with her treatment.

I phoned on Tuesday for an appointment with my doctor as I was severely breathless. I suspected I had a clot in my lung and told the receptionist this. It took two hours for the doctor to ring me back! Then I went to the surgery car park where the doctor tested my oxygen levels and eventually she sent me to A&E. stayed in overnight and I had several blood clots in my lung. I’m home with blood thinners but no advice on how to exercise etc. No family nearby.

Luckygirl
I’m so sorry you had such a poor experience from your doctor and receptionist. No receptionist has any right at all to deny you an appointment. She is not a doctor and is not able to make medical decisions. You also had a poor quality consultation with your doctor, so I would request a second consultation with a different doctor in the practice, as others have said.

I’m very sorry for your loss, and especially at this really difficult time for everyone

Luckygirl, my condolences for the loss of your husband at this most difficult time.

Whatever decision you make, and we have no concept of your medical situation, take care and follow all professional advice.

It's sad that your G P has not spoken words that have been of more comfort or support to you.

Be safe, be strong and look after yourself.

Really empathise Luckygirl. At this time any little thing can make me cry. Surely a GP of all people would understand this is really hard for all of us. Definitely go to another GP in the practice. I am a bit surprised because I imagined in this unusual period, people were being kinder. Anyway as I said I do empathise Luckygirl. Hope your procedure eventually works out x

I am on lock down now for 12 weeks, but had a post op follow up telephone appointment with my Consultant last Friday - all i well other than having had only ONE lot of catheter care in 14 days, I ended up back in hospital again twice with a raging kidney infection not surprisingly, but they also discovered a 3cm solid lesion on my left kidney too ...... so today I am off for a CT Scan. Hopefully the speediness of the scan doesn't mean anything other than that they haven't much to do?? It is scary I agree, but I will go masked and gloved etc as they will also be .... good luck with your decision Lucky x

GPS are notcbusycyouccan get a phone appointment and video consultation straight away at our surgery.My GP has told me how strange it is with no patient at the surgery.One of our GP as gone back to work in ITU as he felt he could do more with his time there.Its only a temporary arrangement

annemac
I need to correct you I’m afraid. My daughter and her husband are GPs. Last weekend by son in law did a shift during which time he visited nine care homes that had Covid19 patients. He only had two masks for the whole shift. In addition both my daughter and her husband are still doing some one on one surgeries. They do not know who will walk through the door and if they are seeing a patient rather than doing a phone consultation, it means the patient needs to be examined. Personal examinations require the doctor and patient to be in close contact, a patient cannot be examined from a distance of two metres. Your comment’GPs are not busy’ I find to be disgraceful. You are wrong on so many counts, GP receptionist or not, you clearly know nothing about their jobs. The reputation of GP receptionists who know better than the doctor is clearly alive and well.

The GP is surely there to pay attention to you as you weigh up the facts and to offer an opinion if you have missed a salient point? Otherwise what is the point of their existence?. If they are not interested in people then we would be better served by a bank of computers that weigh up the options and print out the results.

I am so sorry. One time you needed a bit of support - can understand that the GP can’t make up your mind for you BUT she could have been a bit more understanding and gone through the pro’s and con’s of having it / not having it done. You must have felt totally let down - bless you

This has made me so angry. Where is the compassion especially at a time like this when lots of people are isolated in their homes. Of course Luckygirl you have to make an informed decision and your GP should have been more helpful and no receptionist should have refused to give you a consultation with your dr. However, you still have to decide what to do so if you can I would ask to speak to another dr ,do not take no for an answer. I used to be a gp receptionist and I know that drs give the most attention to the patient who shouts the loudest. If you don’t get what you need then write a strongly worded letter to your local health authority. I’m so sorry for your recent loss but please don’t bring this back to you being sensitive. It should be on your notes you had a recent bereavement. GP’s are not busy and are taking nothing to do with virus patients , hospitals are dealing with that. Good luck and sending positive thoughts to you.

Our hospital is issuing conflicting information. We had a text saying that we would be contacted before appointments to advose whether to attend. The website says to attend as normal unless in the vulnerable groups. DS has an apointment in 2 weeks, hes in the vulnerable group (i.e the same as fhe over 70s) so Im not prepared to risk it for a routine annual appointment with rheumatology.

Lucky girl,
I am so very sorry to hear of your awful experience and that you are so sad and upset .
Please dont misunderstand me if I say a little on behalf of your GP .
I am a retired GP so I know what it can be like . I also know how terrible it is for all doctors at the moment. My daughter is a GP and is often ringing me in tears at the terrible situation
I know your doctor should have done her best to be polite and considerate to you despite the circumstances... but you do not know what had happened the same morning. Apart from dealing with umpteen patients she may just have been informed that her patient she sent to hospital last week with Covid-19 has died . She may have a parent who is in ICU or even died recently....doctors tend not ot take time off for things like family death. I was back at work a week after losing my lovely Mum 2 years ago ... and not a single patient asked me how I was ( it works both ways !)
She may be feeling poorly herself .
Doctors are human .
These are difficult , difficult times .
While I am , again sorry you felt she was rude and off hand please bear in mind what the NHS is dealing with.
These are unprecedented days . Everyone is doing their best not to collapse.
Your doctor probably went home that night and cried, like so many NHS workers are doing .
Please forgive her. If she has been your doctor for a long time she must have had some good points.
When this is over , why dont you go and talk with her. She will probably be pleased to see you and may well feel able to discuss how she was feeling .
I hope I haven't upset you but saying this .
I just know how hard it is , even after years of experience, dealing with some problems when there are much bigger ones to deal with xx

the thing is, a gp can't make decisions for you They lay facts out and you have to decide. The silences were for you to way up things! A very upsetting time for you.

Sorry for your loss, Lucky. Bereavement is difficult even in better times, let alone now, when our friends and relations can't visit us.
My son is a doctor and is under a lot of stress at the moment. He told me he is certain he will catch the virus. They do not have enough PPE. His wife is also a doctor in the same practice. They have 2 adult children still at home and one has asthma, so I am worried that if the parents catch it and take it home she will be very at risk.