feeling like a nusiance

I think the Doctor would rather see you now than let the blister develope into a sore ! I once aplogised for my visit and was told it was better to be seen than fester at home

I went to the GP with back end problems on Thursday and she thanked me for coming and said it was lovely to see me! Obviously she liked the look of my back end!

It’s what doctors are for travelsafar, if something is troubling you best get it sorted. In the meantime you could ask a pharmacist about the blister, but do get it checked by someone. If it’s any help when I worked in primary care I heard a lot of muttering from GPs about patients leaving ailments for too long and so making treatment more difficult. Hope it all settles soon.

My GP is sick of the sight of me, I'm sure. I think I've been at least once a week with one of my GC since Christmas with ongoing problems not responding to various treatments. I apologised for continually bothering him last week, and he was so reassuring that I was doing the right thing by persisting. He said one issue in particular would never have been picked up in time had I not brought him in again with my query.
My advice is: you know yourself best, and if something feels wrong you should see the doctor. You will either get treatment or reassurance, whichever is needed. And some things are very easily dealt with when seen at an early stage. We shouldn't be afraid to look after ourselves, we make sure everyone else does, don't we??

I'm sorry you have so much bothering you, travelsafar. I certainly don't think you should worry about seeing your GP about them all. Dealing with health problems, whatever they are, is their job. It's what we pay them for (via our taxes).

Obversely, I've been feeling a bit pestered by my GP lately. I've no complaints about the treatment I've received for pain over many years, nor any about treatment for high blood pressure more recently. What's irritating me is repeated requests for blood samples. I think they want to measure cholesterol and blood sugars. It is conscientious of them to pursue this, I keep telling myself, but here's the thing: last year I fainted in the street because of the pain of gut cramps (IBS; I forgot that citric acid can have a bad effect on me and had been eating a daily slice of elderflower wedding cake (made by me) at the time of the royal wedding. Since the weather was warm and I'd been busy outdoors I'd been drinking elderflower cordial as well. I won't forget about citric acid effects again!). Anyway, I got carted off to hospital where they tested everything and took some blood (several phials). Nobody seemed impressed with my self-diagnosis. I was fine and went back home later the same day and back to work next morning.

My GP then got in touch to get more blood from me. I went along and gave them it.

No-one contacted me about the results of whatever tests they did so I assumed all was well, or at least not abnormal.

So now I'm irritated because I don't see why they're on at me for more blood tests, especially as they want me to be fasting when they take the blood. It'd be all right if they could take it at 0530 before I eat and go to work.

Having written all that down I do see that I am lucky to have a conscientious GP. Maybe I'll bumble along during some annual leave when I can manage the fasting requirement. I know that for many people going without breakfast is very easy and what they do anyway. It is not easy for me. I never go without breakfast (porridge) and I need it (and tea) as soon as I get up. Once, when rushing for a new secondary school bus I left home without eating. My dad noticed no empty cereal bowl and brought in two marmalade sandwiches for me ?.

I never had a day off in seven years at that school.

Some things can be dealt with by a pharmacist so might be your first port of call for minor issues like skin problems.

Not inclined to ‘bother’ my GP after my last visit about a year ago. Bad pain in foot and ankle probably from arthritis I thought. Could hardly walk. Very painful. Let it go on for several weeks keeping the worst of the pain under control with paracetamol.

Gave in and visited. Probably arthritis says GP agreeing with my diagnosis.
‘What do you expect me to do about it?’ he asks ‘just keep taking the paracetamol’

Waste of my time.

Nobody seemed impressed with my self-diagnosis says Baggs and therein lies an interesting thought.

I rarely go as I am scared of bad news. It's pathetic. However, last year I had a rash on my back, arms and it was particularly nasty on my leg and my ankle was swollen. I think I went to the GP about five times. I saw three different GPs and nothing was working. It went eventuality after nearly a year. I used to think they were thinking 'not you again' but I'm sure they weren't. My DH once apologised to a GP for going a few times and he replied that some people go in do day!

Anja, I have knee pain which causes lower leg and now foot pain. Last time I went to GP he told me that I could take 8 paracetamol per day. That I know, because it says so on the box.
I felt as if I should've dealt with it myself, although he was perfectly pleasant.
I accompany DH to his GP appointments, only because he's had so many changes in medications since his triple heart bypass a year ago. Last visit the GP asked how he was feeling and DH has replied that he had a continually runny nose. GP answered that he had, too (GP had a cold).
I've noticed that my left hand has become shaky. I'm putting it down to age and possible stress. ?

Every day not do day

Many years ago I had cause, unusual for me, to visit my GP for 3 or 4 separate issues in as many weeks. On the last occasion, as I got up to leave his room, I turned and apologised for coming in so frequently. He looked up and said, "Mrs B, come back and sit down." (I did). "Don't ever, ever, base your need to see me on the number of times you've been in!", he said, "If you have a health issue that you think needs checking, then you come here, even if you only came in the previous day!"
So that's what I do now

Marelli it’s pathetic isn’t it? I now deal with most things myself especially pain management.

If I do ever feel I need a professional opinion I’ll say ‘NOT Dr.So&So’ please, in fact neither of the male GPs please.

With just one or two notable exceptions I’ve found female GPS much more thoughtful and approachable.

PS you might like to check out the shaky hand though

The last time I visited GP he asked if he had requested my attendance. I told him no but I really was not well and thought I would discuss it with him, he dismissed me by saying " not being rude but you are old and medicine is not an exact science ". Really not worth the two week wait for an appointment and expect better when I was being treated for cancer.

His definition of rude is???

ill-mannered, bad-mannered, impolite, discourteous, impertinent, insolent, presumptuous, uncivil, disrespectful, unmannerly, ill-bred, churlish, crass, curt, brusque, blunt, ungracious, graceless, brash, unpleasant, disagreeable, offhand, short, sharp.....do any of these synonyms ring true harrigran?

Another male GP I notice....

I'm the world's worst offender for not seeing the GP. I'm lucky if I go once a year yet there are things that need to be sorted and I can't do anything without the obligatory doctor's note. I'd prefer the " no fuss " and get on with it approach---get it over and done with without the waiting bit. The waiting is worse than what you went for. For me it is anyway.

I've had BCC's removed in the past and one has returned in the same place as before and a couple more have appeared.
It's not the thought of their removal as it's relatively painless it's the thought of those who are worse off than myself, besides the telling off that my D gives me and of course the waiting which gets my insides anxious. Some nurses are this way inclined and not always good patients.

I think what it is is that a few years ago if I rang for an appointment I'd either get one the same day or the next day which was great to get your problem sorted there and then but because the wait can be 2/3 weeks it puts me off and so the time goes on. The less time you waited gave you less time to think/wonder what the " ailment " could be.

Sad to say that over the years I have little confidence in the GP's at my surgery. For a start there have been a lot of different faces which tells me that the continuity of perhaps seeing the same one has all but gone. 2/3 years ago I saw a junior doctor who couldn't understand head nor tail of the readings of the mobile ECG device that I'd worn for a week. He then vanished out of the room to another colleague, came back and asked me if I could have another fitting to which I refused.

Hence my non-visits to the surgery.No wonder my BP was sky-high at the time----I was furious !
I do see the practice nurse/sister every 8 weeks for my INR and that's about it.Due next Thursday.

I too find it problematic when to visit the doctor. I wonder if there is a list somewhere of symptoms that need urgent attention, and symptoms that should be looked at by doctor but not urgently.

I 've found nurse practitioners to be efficient and aware of what needs attention but I suppose every practice does not have one of those.

bathsheba has a conscientious GP too. ?

I think most doctors know the real hypochondriacs, but I do understand how you feel.. I'm the same..I hardly ever went to the doctors, but now I do think it's important to go with any worrying, unusual pains..unfortunately these seem to increase as we age!...
Now, trying to make that appointment is completely another matter!

Yes - since hitting 60 I seem to be having several health issues / visits to the GP. I go about one thing and come out with something else! ( eg high cholesterol / low iron!) Not to mention various aches and pains. Feel OLD until my mum reminds me I'm a youngster!! She's 92!!

Harrigran, that is an absolutely disgusting way to treat you and worthy of a serious complaint, he has no right to talk to you that way. As others have rightly said, Drs are there because we pay our taxes, and it’s their job to set our minds at rest when anything is troubling us. We all get niggles as we get older and of course we need to know what we should or shouldn’t be worried about. In that scenario i would’ve stood up so that I’m looking down on him, and asked him calmly who the hell he thinks he is talking too and demanded an apology. He clearly needs a job description !

Anyone else use the Isabel Symptom Checker? It's the one the doctors use. (Mine does)

symptomchecker.isabelhealthcare.com/

Hi
Did you have a flu jab - they can cause all kinds of bad reactions.
Any new medication - have you read the leaflet that comes with it.
Artificial sweeteners cause a lot of strange symptoms - the laxatives for colonoscopy usually are full of these, avaid them like the plague, they can interfere with thyroid and make us fat.
In a way I feel sorry for GP's they don't have much in their toolbox- unlike us we have over 4000 different remedies all non toxic and safe.
In my work as a homeopath I see lots of people with all kinds of symptoms that the GP's can't sort.