Fuming

Apologies, some typos in there.

Our nurse practitioners all wear a nurse uniform, so it’s clear who they are. In any case, we are told we are seeing Nurse Soandso, or Dr Soandso. The care assistants who do bloods and BPs etc, wear a different uniform, similar to the ones they wear in hospitals.
You were clearly not told that you were seeing a nurse practitioner, who can prescribe antibiotics for you anyway, and just told you no, you’re not getting them. You’re right I’m sure, that the ear infection you got was caused by untreated tonsillitis.

At 71. I still have my tonsils and appendix…
Quite aware that something could go wrong with either of them, but hopefully not..

You hear so many stories like this nowadays - and not just from older people. Young women being told that they cannot have breast cancer and the like.

Certain illnesses are more common at different ages, but although less common it is still possible for a young person to have breastscancer and an older person to have tonsillitis.

Why are doctors, nurses, nurse practioners et al so ready to dismiss anyone turning up in the surgery, with an out of age group medical problem?

If you have sore throat you can. go to the pharmacist. Under the pharmacy first scheme you can be prescribed antibiotics if needed.
The pharmacist I saw for this was excellent.

The nurse practioners at our surgery are all lovely people.

But I am more than well aware, that they can easily get out of their depth, quite rapidly.

To be fair to them, they then do call in a doctor.
And then I sit there thinking, that I knew I needed a doctor in the first place.

I wish my GP practice would stop pestering me and sending people to take my blood etc without making an up front appointment. Ive had to complain about this several times to the practice manager and there was an up front arrangement made to text me the day before a visit. These people ring on multiple phones - like many people I dont answer unknown numbers - then bang at the door like they were the drugs squad. They have no idea how intimidating that can come across to a vulnerable elderly person who lives alone. I wish they would bugger off and pester people who are much sicker than I am.

Are you sure you did not see a practice paramedic? A quick check on your surgery website would show you who you were seen by.

Mind you doctors don't always get it right. I went through the menopause early and one day I was alarmed to find that I was peeing virtually undiluted blood so I went to see the doctor.
A young male doctor told me not to worry as it was just a period. It later turned out that I had kidney stones some of which I had passed causing the trauma and bleeding.

Nurse Practitioners are here to stay if out of their depth they will speak to the GP.

Like Tonsils.. most ear infections can clear on their own, many doctors take a "wait-and-see" approach. Children will get medicine for pain relief without antibiotics. Antibiotics aren't routinely prescribed because they, won't help an infection caused by a virus.
I would only take Antibiotics if I really needed them and it's definitely a infection.
GP's have over prescribed antibiotics in the past, that's why we now have antibiotics resistant infections.

Gargling with salt water for a sore throat has been common practice since time immemorial and even better, with soluble aspirin.
The advantage of the aspirin is that any swallowed will help to bring your temperature down. A raised temperature - if only slightly, as you describe- is just a sign that the body is fighting the infection.
You are guessing that the ear infection and what you think was tonsillitis are connected? Was the latter actually diagnosed?
So the treatment advised for you was perfectly OK -TBH I would not expect to see a Dr for those symptoms unless immunocompromised (as you may be) or with co- morbidities.
I’d try to fume less and save your energy but hope you are feeling better now!

I wanted to see a GP but was palmed off with a paramedic who made an incorrect diagnosis of hernia.

biglouis

I wish my GP practice would stop pestering me and sending people to take my blood etc without making an up front appointment. Ive had to complain about this several times to the practice manager and there was an up front arrangement made to text me the day before a visit. These people ring on multiple phones - like many people I dont answer unknown numbers - then bang at the door like they were the drugs squad. They have no idea how intimidating that can come across to a vulnerable elderly person who lives alone. I wish they would bugger off and pester people who are much sicker than I am.

You are so lucky if they are practically breaking your door in to take your blood pressure 🤣

Grantanow

I wanted to see a GP but was palmed off with a paramedic who made an incorrect diagnosis of hernia.

It was a Gp who miss-diagnosed my husbands strangulated hernia as a pulled muscle- you take pot luck these days

They can’t win biglouis, others really want to see a medic and you’re complaining they want to lookout for you, I’d be grateful.
Babs as suggested, consult a pharmacist if you can, I agree there can be an overuse of antibiotics.
I wonder why you’re so cross some time after the initial event?

Jaxjacky

They can’t win biglouis, others really want to see a medic and you’re complaining they want to lookout for you, I’d be grateful.
Babs as suggested, consult a pharmacist if you can, I agree there can be an overuse of antibiotics.
I wonder why you’re so cross some time after the initial event?

I wasn’t cross at the time because I thought the GP or the person I took to be a GP was right and that I couldn’t get tonsillitis at my age. It was only the other day that I found out otherwise.
The thing is you take them at their word, well I certainly won’t do that anymore.
And I think taking the medical profession at their word when a person still continues to feel poorly is an increasing problem, people should always insist investigations are done if they continue to feel pain. Of course am not talking about something like tonsillitis here but much more serious illnesses that can go undiagnosed.
And I don’t particularly want anti biotics, rarely take them, nor did I ask for them in my initial appointment though the young men thought I needed a lecture anyway.
But as it turned out I did need them on this occasion.

*young man not young men

It does seem ridiculous, visiting the gp with a sore throat when they don't even have a look.
I assume an adult person knows whether something has been going on too long, and isn't getting better by otc means.

That's what we have doctors for.

The two nurse practitioners in my surgery are excellent and have a good level of expertise, actually listen, and have more time than the GPs. They don’t wear uniforms but it clear who they are.

What really concerns me are the “physician associates” who are being employed now, and basically do a similar job to GPs supposedly under supervision, but cannot prescribe! Many people think because of “physician” in the title they are seeing a doctor when they are not. What is the point of a doctor undergoing many years of training if someone can call themselves a “physician” with a much less comprehensive, and shorter training.

They are in effect learning on the job, and when I saw one I asked her qualifications (a non medical degree) and a year post grad, and a year in the GP surgery.

For some things, I'd imagine they are perfectly well suited, but nobody is qualified to treat something they've not even looked at.

We have had bad experiences and very good experiences with nurse practitioners.

Two at our surgery were not good, one gave a reassurance about a melanoma which was wrong and could have led to very serious consequences, the other just incompetent. Another one at the surgery and one at the hospital dermatology department have so far been excellent 🤞

If you have tonsils you can get tonsillitis but it is rarer in older adults.

Your nurse practitioner is right about not taking antibiotics for a simple sore throat. Most adults have enough antibodies. However if the sore throat develops into a stiff swollen neck, acute fever, bad earache, and/or white spots on the tonsils, then go back to the GP or nurse practitioner.

I expect you could have got the above info from a reliable website or from 111, and saved your blood pressure .

GP surgeries have leaflets with info for patients. Should have a leaflet for tonsillitis or sore throat. Save everyon'e's time an anxiety.

I think the myth about older people not getting tonsillitis stems from the fact that large numbers of boomers had their tonsils whipped out. Often their adenoids were removed too. I often felt envious of the large numbers of my classmates who got to eat jelly and ice cream post op.

Nowadays T&As are not so readily removed.

Caleo

GP surgeries have leaflets with info for patients. Should have a leaflet for tonsillitis or sore throat. Save everyon'e's time an anxiety.

Isn’t it just the sort of common sense we grew up with?
You didn’t go to the doctor for minor things- Mum would look out the Angers Junior Aspirin for 99% of problems and Syrup of Figs for the other 1%!