View Full Version : Fobbed off repeatedly by GP
Nicole0134
30-10-19, 18:02
I've been back and forth to my GP for the last few months with a chronic cough and just feel I'm getting fobbed off since I mentioned I had HA....But I just feel so ill with various symptoms that I'm sure aren't ALL anxiety related. I have chest tightness, back pain, shortness of breath and this chronic cough.....and have just generally felt ill for the last 3 months. She suggested post nasal drip as I have had nasal pressure as well so I'm using a nasal spray daily but I've never felt this poorly for such a long time. I don't know what to do to get this sorted and am worried I may have cried wolf before due to HA and now I've got a real issue...the GP has stopped listening. It's seriously getting me down.
Make an appointment with an ENT, your symptoms are sinus related so that's the right dr to go to. You may have something as simple as allergies and they can help you with that.
Nicole0134
30-10-19, 18:32
Trouble is - in the UK the GPs are like the gatekeepers. You need a referral from them before you get to see a specialist. Would the sinus problems make me feel so generally ill though? And cause the back pain?
Sinus problems can absolutely make you feel sick.. been there.
Spring and fall are the worst for me.
That's crap that you have to get permission.
Tell your GP you want a referral
Sinus problems can absolutely make you feel sick.. been there.
Spring and fall are the worst for me.
That's crap that you have to get permission.
Tell your GP you want a referral
Yes it is CRAP and the 2nd problem is it's a 16 week wait to see a consultant over here after referral.
Bikermatt, 4 months ??? Why??? That's insane.
Bikermatt, 4 months ??? Why??? That's insane.
Cuts, cuts, cuts and to many people in the country.
Some areas of the UK can't even see a GP for 3 weeks.
Some waiting time examples for Consultants in my area.. Neurology 9 months, Gastroenterology 6 months, ENT 5 months, Cardiology 3 1/2 months and I know that scan pics aren't even being looked at for 5 weeks.
I've just waited for a certain speciality and by the time I go in January I will have waited 13 months.
Ok how can a person wait for 9 months for a neurologist or 3 1/2 months to see a cardiologist?
If you die waiting, who takes responsibility?
MyNameIsTerry
31-10-19, 02:19
Ok how can a person wait for 9 months for a neurologist or 3 1/2 months to see a cardiologist?
If you die waiting, who takes responsibility?
That's why we have fast track lanes. Everyone else goes into a big pot in a queue.
Four months sounds like a lot but that's not as Matt knows. Go back 30 years and the NHS was the same anyway. My mum waited 9 months to see a dermatologist 20 years ago. Last year it took 12 months from referral to tests to follow up for cardio. It was months to reach the cardiologist and then weeks-months for tests.
The NHS is great when you are in serious trouble. If you need A&E, have cancer or something else life threatening you are a priority. The NHS falls down when it comes to the low priorities where waiting times are bad. Electives can mean over a year with multiple cancellations.
Ok how can a person wait for 9 months for a neurologist or 3 1/2 months to see a cardiologist?
If you die waiting, who takes responsibility?
Russian Roulette.
Example: my Dad was found to have an Aortic Aneurism 4 years ago and had to wait 4 months to have the mechanical repair done.
My mate had thyroid cancer that was diagnosed in the January, he needed his thyroid removed and waited until the May.
The lady who lives a few doors down from me complained of stomach pain for 6 months before getting to see a Consultant, had colonoscopy and it took her a further 2 months to find out she had bowel cancer.
I always slag our healthcare system off here but the icing on the cake for me has been a very late cancer diagnosis for my cousin last year who passed away 10 days ago.
It's sub standard!
MyNameIsTerry
31-10-19, 02:45
Sorry to hear about your cousin, Matt :hugs:
Sadly it seems to be a case of who shouts loudest. Many people get left by the wayside rather than keep prodding their GP to chase things up.
You mentioned the paper trail old fashioned way they communicate in another thread and I would add how a GP is supposed to be responsible for continuity of care yet once you are referred off the hospital they are reluctant to chase things up on your behalf and you can be expected to dot it yourself even though they referred you there. Not all GP's, but some. My dad had to go to his GP (multiple times) because he was having post op complications (strangulated hernia op) and the hospital were rubbish with follow up and it took the GP agreeing to call them for them to miraculously find a slot to follow up on it when they were many months behind their scheduled follow up.
Sorry to hear about your cousin, Matt :hugs:
Sadly it seems to be a case of who shouts loudest. Many people get left by the wayside rather than keep prodding their GP to chase things up.
You mentioned the paper trail old fashioned way they communicate in another thread and I would add how a GP is supposed to be responsible for continuity of care yet once you are referred off the hospital they are reluctant to chase things up on your behalf and you can be expected to dot it yourself even though they referred you there. Not all GP's, but some. My dad had to go to his GP (multiple times) because he was having post op complications (strangulated hernia op) and the hospital were rubbish with follow up and it took the GP agreeing to call them for them to miraculously find a slot to follow up on it when they were many months behind their scheduled follow up.
Thanks Terry:bighug1:
People shouldn't have to be put through what your Dad went through.
As you know my little lad has been unwell and should've had repeat bloods after his hospital stay, they never ever happened due to paediatrics not following up properly. I phoned peadiatrics, phlebotomy and his GP but nobody could get their act together. Peadiatrics telling us they only do bloods for 5 and below, phlebotomy saying they don't do 6 year olds, his GP referring him a couple of times and saying if you don't hear anything phone the hospital.
A total and utter shambles that we just went round and round in circles with and just kept arriving back where we started time and again!
What a mess. Then over here in the US you can get very quick access to most specialities (except psychiatry in my region) but the insurance costs a fortune. There just doesn't seem to be any solution.
Nicole, I've had chronic cough problems from acid reflux. They had me try various allergy pills and sprays at first, but none of them did any good because it wasn't allergies at all.
What a mess. Then over here in the US you can get very quick access to most specialities (except psychiatry in my region) but the insurance costs a fortune. There just doesn't seem to be any solution.
Nicole, I've had chronic cough problems from acid reflux. They had me try various allergy pills and sprays at first, but none of them did any good because it wasn't allergies at all.
I begged my GP to refer me to the psych team in August and referred me urgently. It took 5 weeks for any contact to be made, when they did they said they would call with an appt date the following day, heard nothing for 13 days and when they did it was to give me an appt for mid December!
That's 4 1/2 months from referral to appt on an urgent.
I waited 8 months to see a psychiatrist here, but I also wasn't considered urgent. I don't know if they have a faster track if someone is suicidal. I hope they do, anyway.
Oh my goodness those wait times!!!! The longest I ever waited to see a specialist was 14 months and that was because it was a genetic dr at a university. My sister who has to go through the VA has to wait ridiculous amounts of time to see drs and have testing done. She had a mass on her ovary and they made her wait 3 months for an MRI.
3months for an MRI!,that’s ridiculous. I got a referral for one on a Wednesday and had it on the Monday, the receptionist phoned Thursday with a cancellation,but I couldn’t make it in time,the longest I have waited has been 6 weeks for an Orthopaedic Surgeon.
The NHS is great when you are in serious trouble. If you need A&E, have cancer or something else life threatening you are a priority. The NHS falls down when it comes to the low priorities where waiting times are bad. Electives can mean over a year with multiple cancellations.
Yeah, totally agree, they are great at 'crisis and life-threatening' - which I guess is better it is that way round than shite at life-threatening and great at lower priority. :roflmao:I still love the NHS.
Yeah, totally agree, they are great at 'crisis and life-threatening' - which I guess is better it is that way round than shite at life-threatening and great at lower priority. :roflmao:I still love the NHS.
:roflmao: Love it Carys:D
I would question how many people become crisis and life-threatening due to a very badly run, skint and struggling healthare system tho.
Without question we have become a treat the symptoms and not the cause country which makes No sense, it will just cost more in the long run.
I would question how many people become crisis and life-threatening due to a very badly run, skint and struggling healthare system tho.
Yup, indeed. I've said this before.....that its a case of waiting until you are near death and THEN you'll get treatment. Shame isn't is, struggling and skint.
Yup, indeed. I've said this before.....that its a case of waiting until you are near death and THEN you'll get treatment. Shame isn't is, struggling and skint.
Yep it is and much of it is deliberate.
I live in a town with a population of around 180000 and my hospital has lost many of it's services. People now can't even have a baby as maternity has been taken away, which now means a journey of 25 miles which could take an hr at busy times:doh:
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