GP meltdown.

I avoid my GP surgery as much as possible. Not because I have anything against the doctors but because I'm aware that as jayneayresister states there are too many time wasters and worried well and I don't want to add to those numbers.

Our GPS do not need to see half the patients who come through their doors. Most illness are trivial and will clear up by themselves. People, like my BiL, who are there almost every week and yet refuse to look at their lifestyle.

No wonder some of our GPs are not performing at their best. They must get sick and tired of this type of patient.

I'm not using this as an excuse for not giving the best possible attention to those who, like rubylady are in genuine need, but it must be a soul-destroying job, when you've trained for years to have to dish out prescriptions for conditions such as constipation when you really just long to say to the person in front of you 'You are wasting my time. Either start eating properly or go and buy something from the chemist and sort yourself out '.

It's sad that so many people have had bad experiences. Mine have almost all been good and I have nothing but praise for the GP who saw my GS when, just over a week ago, DS took him to the GP with a lump in his armpit. His feet have hardly touched the ground since. After many tests,scans, x-rays, at a well-known teaching hospital, yesterday, under anaesthetic, he was found to have a very large abscess and we all drew a long relieved breath that it was nothing more sinister.

My experience is that all the GPs I have seen are useless. I had text book symptoms of a brain haemorrhage which I diagnosed, to be told that I had anxiety and I was sent to a counsellor. I saw at least three doctors, and guess who was right, me, from reading a medical book ( no internet at the time) ..... I no longer trust doctors at all,
I cannot tell you how many times my family has been misdiagnosed.

I had the blood test today, and the chest x ray.

The very kind nurse took the blood test and told me that, unless I had had a phone call by close of play today, then all was fine. I have sat on pins all afternoon, waiting. Thankfully the telephone has not rung. So, it's not my heart then.

If it had been, she said I would have had to go into hospital straight away.

So, waiting on my chest x ray result now. The lady who did that was very nice too.

Exactly Caroline I keep being told by my cardiologist that this breathlessness and swollen ankles/legs is nothing to do with my aortic stenosis or my heart in general. So who am I to believe when my GP thinks it is? The most qualified? The surgeon? I am so confused over it all.

Thank you to you all though, you have put my mind at rest a bit if I do have to have it done soon. Of course, you will all be there to help me through it, so that makes it less scary.

I didn't have the blood test yesterday (Wednesday), I wasn't up to going back but I do have an appointment to go later today. And I will try to get the chest x ray done too. I have had a day, however, that I have wanted to pull the shutters down and hide today. Unfortunately I cannot bury my head in the sand and have to do this. It's been an awful year though and I will be glad when it's 2017, new optimism, new hope, new start.

my husband had an aortic valve replacement 10 years ago,a tissue one. He was told it's a 10 year life span and it's been 11 years and is still looking ok.
He had a knee replacement 18 months ago and said that operation was much worse than his heart operation.
I have to say he is starting to get breathless more now,and the specialist did say that may happen as the valve began to deteriorate but the scan says it's ok so we have to go with that.

I couldn't agree more, jayneayresister. DD1 is a GP and the work of her practice has got progressively more difficult over the years, with an aging population, gov funding constraints, and the problem of recruiting new partners. They are fighting on too many fronts.

I have been fortunate with my GPs - since I moved last year I now have a female GP - first time ever. However I can't fault my treatment so far, going next week with what may be a problem which needs further investigation, not sure until I see her.

I have a problem with the Platelet Level in my Blood, she is monitoring me & when I needed six teeth out last month she did all she could to ensure I was ok for proceedure (Blood may not clot properly), she emailed Haematology to get their opinion when Hospital was reluctant to go ahead.

GPs do have a hard time & I try not to go unless it's absolutely necessary. Being on GN makes me grateful my Health problems are relatively minor

jayneayresister please reassure your DCs that not all patients take them for granted, and do realise they are doing an almost thankless job within a lousy system.

Good post, Janeayressister, GPs have difficult, demanding jobs on the best of days

I think the GP's are just overburdened in a health system that has become unworkable! But apart from the politics - I know someone who had a valve op two years ago and is now doing fine (think she is late 70's). Long recovery but worth it. I think when you go to the Dr you might have to insist if you really want to be referred. When I was younger Drs seemed to know everything - maybe because we generally were more ignorant of medical matters. Now there is so much for them to know, that it must be so difficult. I have had very good medical advice this year and been referred several times (although I did not have to insist!). But I hate having to go to the Dr.!

I have had the valve replacement surgery, not pleasant at the time but the difference is amazing.
Please do not leave it too late, it really does give you a new lease of life.
I had an ECG and an ultrasound scan just 2 weeks ago and the consultant said my heart was really healthy and everything was fine.
Good luck

I have DCs that are Doctors and one told me that they get a referral league table of all the practices in the vicinity, sent to them. I don't know how often they get them, as I forgot to ask.
'But, but,' I said to her, ' so you have to decide who is the most worthy of getting a referral ? That sort of thing puts pressure on you not to refer.' 'Yep Mum' she said.

Believe me it is not easy being a GP. My lot say most people who come through the door have ailments that would clear up themselves in three weeks. There are a lot with vague symptoms such as ' I am tired all the time' A lot whose symptoms are caused by their stressful lives. The worried well are in there as well and the lonely. Then don't get me started on those who are self destructing with smoking, over eating and lack of exercise. They expect a GP to give them a pill to get them to feel like a 20 year old again. A GP is not allowed to be brutally candid.

Believe me, my dear children are compassionate loving people. They visit old people who are lonely and visit after hours to check up on people. They have cried in my presence when relating sad stories such as suicide. Who of us would like to cut down a young person who has hanged themselves? There are millions of interactions with GPs every day ( they get 10 mins per consultation) and if anything goes wrong they get chopped to bits.
I am so proud of them but their job is far from easy, as they are not God.

Good luck Rubylady. I know the feeling as I had a similar situation with my regular Dr giving me the same meds for flooding periods and anaemia for years. Then one day I saw a locum and he said why on earth hasn't something been done before now, and booked me in with consultant and I was in having a hysterectomy within a week! I had 20 fibroids!

Different medical problem, same issues. I had to go round every single GP in my practice, something I've never done before, with a very painful problem I ve had a year. Finally a locum who works one day a week listened and put me down for a scan. I'm still waiting in great pain daily, a month later, but I have hope at least that the scan will show something once I do get it. ( Scotland)

A listening doctor is worth her/his weight in gold. Wishing you all the best rubylady

Wish you the best Rubylady, seeing a different can be a great benefit especialy if they are young and keen.

I can only wish you the very best and hope that there is some progress made towards an improvement in your health. A friend once advised me to change something myself if I wanted things to change, and that's what you've done. Seen a different doctor. The start of better things I hope.

AMT101 Please inform me if your statement re GPs is UK wide or just England>

It is important not to tar all the regions with the same brush.

I am delighted that you saw a new GP who was prepared to get to grips with things - that must be giving you much more confidence.

Our surgery is now consisting purely of locums. No chance anymore of having a one to one with a doctor who actually cares about you and not the money. I'm sorry for sounding cynical ruby lady but my thoughts and prayers are with you. All the best.

Good luck with it all ruby lady ?

Don't tar all GPs with the same brush. When I asked for an ultrasound scan to see if I had an aortic aneurism, it was arranged within a week. I also had an internal scan some years ago as my mother died of cancer of the fallopian tubes.

Not sure if you all know but since your GP is now given responsibility for funding they try not to spend it! Anything that's expensive they avoid. MRIs are wonderful but they do them only as a last resort. It took me 2 years to get an ultrasound to check my ovaries as I was concerned about them.I ended up saying I'd pay for it myself.

It makes you wonder why these GPs who fob people off bother to become doctors in the first place.

I am glad to read that you were finally listened to. I hope it is sorted out for you very soon. Best wishes.