Running out of positivity....beginn ing to struggle.

KateK, you don't sound like you've been looked after very well at all. I suppose you've investigated other surgeries nearby? Although I realise that isn't going to solve your problem immediately. Is someone travelling with you at least? Would hate to think of you travelling alone and not being well?

KateK I don't know if your travel tickets are for trains, but if so, make sure to request assistance in advance. It's worth doing!

Hope you'll feel well enough to go.

It certainly doesn't seem as though you're getting the attention that you should be at your surgery. It sounds as though you've been through the mill regarding medication and it must affect how you're feeling mentally as well as physically.

Katek I hope things get better soon. ((((hugs))) for you. I am lucky that I have no experience of this condition.

I feel quite uncared for which sounds a bit odd when you look at the sheer number of doctors I've seen. The nurse practitioner at the out of hours clinic was so kind that I felt quite looked after by her (if you know what I mean) I have been looking at other surgeries, but we're in a rural area and the nearest practices are all 10/12 miles in any direction. I'm not sure if we can actually register outwith our area but it's something I'm looking into. The current situation at our practice is causing much anxiety in the village and both Community Association and Council are monitoring things.

DH is travelling with me Gammon, thank you for your concern. I'll take my little travel nebuliser with me and I can use that on the train if I have to. MiniMouse-I hadn't actually thought about requesting assistance in advance. That's a very good idea and will save any anxieties changing trains and trying to rush between platforms. I'll get onto that first thing.

Yes, the psychology isn't doing too well at the moment. I will have to take control somehow before this gets any more out of hand.

katek. I have pm'd you with our (excellent) experience of Mobility Assistance. Well worth checking out!

Poor you.
You are being uncared for.
I would follow the advice of the last doctor you saw. And try and keep with him.
With asthma it is best to keep to one trusted main doctor if possible.

That is such a bad situation! You should have one regular doctor looking after you full time. I don't know how old you are katek, but once you are 75 it will be the law for one doctor to be allocated to you permanently. What is your practice going to do then?

I'm 65 Jings so a while to go yet. I only hope they've sorted themselves out by then. You're correct, it's a bad situation. In my gloomier moments I'm actually beginning to feel slightly panicky about how this is going to play out. I believe that those of us with long term conditions should be allocated one main doctor regardless of age as we do need continuity of care.

Soon-unfortunately the last doctor I saw was a sessional GP so I don't even know if he'll be there.

This is not good.

KateK have you been tested for anything else besides asthma? I ask because OH has asthma and about ten years ago he was very bad - the GP had sent him for a chest X ray which showed nothing. Eventually despite the meds he could hardly walk and I had to call the out of hours for a second time in the one day(Saturday). He was admitted to hospital and an MRI scan showed he actually had multiple embolisms around the outer edges of his lungs. They apparently are unlikely to kill you - it is large more central ones which do that. Some months after his warfarin treatment ceased he had them again and is now on warfarin for life.
It would look as if you need further investigation - I hope you manage to get to the bottom of the problem - do you have a nebuliser? OH finds that good if he is very bad. X x

Does your practice not have a dedicated asthma nurse? Ours does, and so does the practice in Scotland that my DGD attends. She has just been seen because of an exacerbation of her asthma. I wonder if the rotten summer we've been having is anything to with it. I hope you feel better soon, and that they get on top of the infection.

Just read this thread and am appalled at what has happened, katek. I've no advice to offer but I really hope you get better care very soon and that your illness is dealt with. Is there any chance you could see a doc in Shropshire? I know it's yet another one but...

Is there a specialist asthma clinic to which you could be referred, as it seems that would be the best thing? Also, as someone else has suggested, it might be that another, different medical problem is being ignored because of an assumption that the ongoing asthma is the problem. Has this been checked?

When my asthma has been really bad, about three times, I have gone to A&E at the nearest hospital (not that local to me), and have been put on a nebuliser and then admitted for a couple of days. This really nips it in the bud, and I feel much better very quickly.
Otherwise the GP's asthma nurse is excellent, as she has asthma herself.

Would it be any good to request to be referred to a specialist?

Even if it means paying I think for a consultation it is about £150.

It may be worth calling Asthma UK katek for advice. You can speak to a nurse-specialist Mond-Frid 9am to 5pm on 0300 222 5800.

As a fellow asthma sufferer I sympathise 100% and I hope that you soon feel a bit better and manage to enjoy your trip to see your brother.

Ithttp://www.asthma.org.uk/Default.aspx

Katek I am just wondering if you are also in the care of Respiratory Consultant - if not you really should be. Many also have specialist nurses who 'take over' the patient negating the need for repeated GP visits. It certainly worth pressing for a consultant appointment asap. Hope you pick up soon.

What you say about the "scattergun" antibiotic treatment resonates. Some just do not bang certain infections on the head and more suitable a/b's are not always able to be administered in tablet form but have to be IV. This may necessitate a hospital admission but is worth it for the end result.
Have you also had a blood yest to check for Hb?
Do read my pm re Mobility Assistance, we could not manage without it.

This is poor care from the GP practice. I do think the idea above about Asthma UK is an excellent one; I also think you should ask for an appointment with a chest physician - well, not ask, demand I think!

Are you really well enough for this trip? - please don't overdo it.

Take care of yourself.

katek You have multiple problems, not just the asthma, so you need someone who will take all your medical history into account. Your current GP practice doesn't sound as though they are capable of looking after you, so I think you should try to find another.

Meanwhile, make a fuss! Don't put up with it. Insist on a referral to a specialist.

Can you get to an And E dept or get a GP to send to Ambulatory care dept in the hospital? - they have access to all the services very quickly. They gave OH an MRI scan on the day he was sent there by the GP instead of needing to wait a few days or more. I think you need more looking after - if OH is not right after I have given him the volumiser etc or had a nebuliser I get him to the hospital - he has been kept in several times for a few days

Has anyone suggested phoning NHS 24 on 111?

The website www.nhs24.com/contactus/ says
"The helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When to phone

You should only phone the NHS 24 helpline:

- if you or someone you know is unwell
- when your doctor’s surgery is closed and you feel it can’t wait until it re-opens."
so perhaps do it after hours.

Thank you all so very, very much for your kind thoughts and words. This is the strength of Gransnet-being able to support one another in difficult times. I feel much better psychologically for having been able to tell my story and reassured that it's not just me being overdemanding. I'm always concerned I'm just going to be a nuisance.

There have been lots of good suggestions proferred and I'm certainly going to examine them. My practice is failing me so it's time I took matters into my own hands. I have neither an asthma nurse/plan or respiratory consultant so I think that will be my first port of call. I'm going to dig into the savings and ask for private referral to chest specialist. Our local BMI hospital also offers private GP care and I'm wondering about that-not on any permanent basis but just for a few appointments until this is sorted out. I know I shouldn't have to go privately but it appears that I may have to in this instance. No-not may, will!

I've also decided to backtrack on all medications to where I was before this started. (Apart from steroids-can't just stop those) They're not helping so I'm just filling myself full of drugs to no avail. Back to basics and increase nebuliser use until I see someone and get test results. I'm also going to investigate changing practices to somewhere that's a bit more stable. It may not be as convenient, but no point in convenience if the practice isn't helping.

I have had bloods done and apparently I'm actually quite healthy (!), all functions are normal, low cholesterol etc. Chest X-ray clear and I also had MRI few months ago for other reasons but as it was full body I presume any other areas of concern would have shown up.

I'm sitting on our lovely beach with dd1, dh, dgs and dgd-hoping all that sea air will help!

Thank you all. x

Katek you are entitled to NHS care and you do not have to pay privately but this would get you seen much faster and the consultant can easily put you on his/her NHS list if you stay local. Good luck with it- if you assert when at the GP don't get upset just keep saying I think its time I saw the specialist - they cant refuse you.