Doctors and Agoraphobia

[solent]

How do you agoraphics cope when you need to see a doctor? he last time I visited to renew my meds I got so anxious during the thrity minute wait to see him that I couldn't even sit in the chair while we where chatting and I had to pace about the room.

Do you find doctors (in the UK) are willing to make a home visit if you are too anxious to go and see them?

[thevoicewithinme]

Hi Solent.

I don't visit the Doctor anymore as it's too far for me to go...and I guess, I just pray that I won't come down ill. I think if my GP thought it was urgent enough though, that they would come out to me...but I found recently that GP's really dont like doing home visits, as I tried to get one out to my 5 year old son and they wouldn't come out..even though they know that I am agoraphobic, so I had to get someone to take him for me.

[sunnydays]

I became agoraphobic some months ago and couldn't get to the doctor's surgery so I asked him for a home visit. He came but was horrible. Barely spoke to me and slammed his case down on the floor. He gave me a prescription for Citalopram but told me I would have to visit him at the surgery next time. As if I could!

The outcome of all this was that he refused to give my another prescription because I couldn't go to the surgery. In the end my sister took me down but it was hell. I didn't see him but insisted on seeing another doctor there.

I now have a fear of doctors due to this appalling man.

love
Sunny

[Graz]

Sunny, it's certainly a good idea to see another doctor. He sounds unprofessional to say the least!

I felt the same way the last time I went- it certainly didn't help that the buzzer calling in the next patients was so loud and kept making me jump. I had to leave the waiting room a few times because of this.

[helenclaire]

I have never tried to get a home visit due to being agoraphobic, but in the time when i found it too difficult to leave home i would make telephone appointments instead, that way if the doctor thought it was something he needed to see me about he would see me at the end of surgery when it was really quiet so i wouldnt have to wait in the waiting room i just about coped with this, but i am pretty certain if i couldnt go that he would come and see me, he also arranged for me to have my blood tests done at home when i needed them regularly for thyroid problems as they only do them in the morning at the surgery and there was no way i could go there when it is so busy, so i had the community nurse come to me once a month.
It would seem i have been pretty lucky with my gp but it does make me annoyed when people just expect you to be able to go, they obviously do not know how hard it is and do not seem to want to understand.

[Alabasterlyn]

It's difficult to get a GP to do a home visit for anyone these days unless they are so ill that they literally cannot get out of bed. For those of us with agoraphobia most GP's take the stance that in reality we are capable of getting to the surgery and also they seem to think it will actually does us good to push ourselves to the surgery. Quite honestly most of them really don't understand how we feel as we look 'normal' to them. I guess we have to remember that although they are GP's they still don't understand what it feels like to be unable to leave the home.

[Nechtan]

It's just your luck I think depending on the GP.

In the last 2 years or so I've seen my doc once and that was a home visit. It took some coaxing and when he came he let me know that it would not be happening again. That aside he was very good and understanding while he was there.

I wouldn't ask again to be honest because I know what the response would be but my trouble now is that i can't even have people in the house without it causing me panic so catch 22. My worry is that at some point I will need to see the doctor for something but luckily so far I've been fine. The dentist is obviously another worry.

All the best

Necthan

[SHERLOCK]

Well it wouldn't be so bad if you got to see the doctor at the time on your appointment, and not 20 to 30 minutes later, by the time you go in to see them you forget what your going for, and besides you might have another appointment somewhere else, but still don't matter to them as long as you don't upset their day, you can tell I don't go a bundle on Doctors can't you!

[xxlisaxx08]

My doctor has never came out to my home to visit me i've always had to attend the practise to see him. It's always a nightmare!! Normally like a 40 minute wait and the waiting room is always crowded sometimes I go and hide in the toilet if my anxiety is getting so bad that I feel i'm going to lose control (lol) I have no problem going to my psychologist now though. It's normally quiet and I can go straight in without any wait.

[choccy25]

I would drag myself down there and sit in pools of sweat in the surgery.

One time I was unable to make a review appointment for my AD. I rang up the surgery after my missed appointment and told them I needed medication urgently as I had ran out of the AD.

They said I could pick one up the next day, went in which took alot. They said I had to come back as the prescription wasnt signed yet.
This is now two days without medication.

I went in the next day and was told I wasnt allowed it as I had missed the review of medication appointment. I had to book a time with the gp. The next available time was two days later.

Apparently some of the nurses had tried to ring my home number. They said they couldnt get through because I hadnt given them the right number. I was in a terrible state but made them ring it in front of me.. guess what it rang through straight away.

I was begging the nurse to help me get the medication and mid panic attack she told me that all i could do was visit the nearest NHS walk in centre.. about half a mile away.

I dragged myself down there in tears, sat for two hours saw the centre gp who didnt really understand english. She said I had to see my gp and she couldnt do anything. I made her ring my surgery and she realised (ting) that I was desperate for help.

Imade a nasty complaint to the surgery and ever since then the staff have treated me with contempt. No apologies or anything.

This has worsened my anxiety and more so for the gp surgery. Thank god I dont take AD anymore.

[pianoplayer]

How do you agoraphics cope when you need to see a doctor? he last time I visited to renew my meds I got so anxious during the thrity minute wait to see him that I couldn't even sit in the chair while we where chatting and I had to pace about the room.

Do you find doctors (in the UK) are willing to make a home visit if you are too anxious to go and see them?

My practice is a nightmare. Despite being asthmatic, having abnormal t waves on an ECG, spinal problems, a non-malignant tumour on my kidney, them reducing a low dose of valium they refuse to come out. I have developed agoraphobia as a result of too much stress and not being listened to by the practice. In affect they have put my life at risk. Disgusted

[Bonnibelle]

My GP is fab, he comes to see me this last year, he's seen me 3 times. I have chronic fatigue and an underactive thyroid and he totally gets how it's made me anxious again so he will do a home visit. He is great. He is coming here Friday to do my blood test.

I know I am very lucky to have found a GP who will do this. Not all GP's are as understanding about anxiety.

B

[Shezney]

The receptionist are usually understanding if you say you can't sit in the waiting room , they can put you in another room or make sure you are seen as soon as you go in. Also you could ask for a phone appointment if it's something that doesn't actually need a doctor in person.