Thoughts on seeing GP

[TinyLady]

As I don't really have a team around me I consider you all my team (no pressure).

I think I might have a chest infection. It started last Thursday and is getting worse each day and my chest hurts and I'm wheezing and trying to cough stuff up. I also have fever.

I have been chasing my GP since 28th November to sort my shoulder. Today I got a response saying no appointments until Next Year now. So I replied saying I was concerned about above symptoms and think I should see a GP sooner.

I've had no response (since lunch time). Am I making a fuss? Should I be concerned? To be honest the thought of going out to the GP exhausts me and makes me want to cry. So maybe I can just leave it a bit longer? But I am also worried because Ii am really not feeling well at all.

Any thoughts?

[Maria C]

I would be making a fuss. The longer you leave it, the longer it will take to get treated. You don’t want to be getting worse this close to Christmas. 🤗

[Zante]

TinyLady given the situation with your gp surgery has been ongoing and this isn't the first time u have had zero care or appropriate service from them, would it be worthwhile looking into changing practices? Even if another surgery involved needing extra distance to get to... you don't exactly go regularly to your gp now so might be worth any extra travel.

you are entitled to change practices if somewhere else has a vacancy and willing to take a patient on.

another idea for the chest infection is to have someone contact 111 for u. They might be able to arrange a visit from someone not connected to gp surgery? Or a local non emergency care centre? I don't know what's available within your area.
but constantly having the issues with gp must make u want to change surgery's?

I hope u can make some headway. Does it have to be an actual gp? Our health centre has pharmacists who prescribed me antibiotics and also a prescribing nurse. And Our surgery is tiny with only 4 drs! X

[Bowler]

TL, have you tried NHS111 on line, available 24/7.

https://111.nhs.uk/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=NHS_111_EM&utm_term=Call_EM&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6pLt8-X5-wIVDZntCh3PfQLYEAAYAiAAEgJqtPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[TinyLady]

Zante all the GP surgeries round here have a terrible reputation. No idea which I would change to.

I looked on 111 online and put my symptoms in and it just told me to phone 999 for an Ambulance. So not much help. 111 phone line is inundated with calls because of the Strep A scare.

Emergency care centre is a long way away from me - about 45 mins drive.

Never had antibiotics before (before MND never bothered with GP) so not sure whether a local pharmacy or someone can diagnose me and prescribe?

I think I will try the online triage form tomorrow and see if I can get seen.

Do other people see their GP regularly/ easily? I'd love home visits really. It's such a struggle to get me loaded in the car and not always got a carer to take me, so then I can't go.

[Ellie]

TinyLady Do whatever it takes to have someone listen to your chest with a stethoscope and check you out - be it to your GP, 111 or Pharmacist, stress that you use NIV and you have an MND.
You don't want or need it to get worse.

Covid? xx

[TinyLady]

Ellie I will try to find someone tomorrow.

I haven't tested for covid but I'd be surprised if it was. Its just my chest. Only cough when the wheezing/ pressure builds up, like if I move or eat/ drink. Other than fever and headache I'm OK. Oh, my voice is hoarse and even quieter than usual, but throat not especially sore.

I think 111 will just panic and all I want is my bed tonight!

[Zante]

TinyLady in an actual chemist they would only be able to sell you something that was not a prescription only medication.

The pharmacist I mentioned works in our gp surgery.

For me ref seeing gp i have been asked to see my gp every 6 to 8 weeks. She is brilliant. Before diagnosis it wasn't very easy to get an appointment!! They did an on the day triage thing where a Dr would call u first to see if u needed an on the day appointment. This is all new format since covid.

I have a part time gp who only sees a handful of her patients with an advanced booking appointment and I am fortunately one of them. Only because she has put on my notes she wants to see me regularly.

To be honest it's usually quite difficult to get a gp appointment at our surgery in advance. but if u phone at 830am they are pretty good.

I don't know if your dr offers this but we have an online questionnaire thing u fill in with the symptoms problems etc and a Dr contacts u within 48 hours. U even get an email with copy of what u put! X

[Zante]

Sorry I take so long to write type etc my replies are out of time by the time they appear. X

[TinyLady]

Yes Zante my GP wants to see me every 6 weeks. But it's so difficult to get an appointment and so hard to go there, sit and wait etc so I rarely have the energy to try. I'd love regular pre planned appointments. I feel like everything is a fight for me and I'm exhausted and feel invisible. If I never contacted them they would never notice or contact me.

As I can't phone at 8am I am going to try the online triage form. But it's not going to sort everything I need to see them about. I was told to just email ad they would always sort me out. But they don't. They ognore me or make me feel guilty for asking. So tired from fighting for everything but clearly my body is not ready to give up yet.

[Ellie]

I think 111 will just panic and all I want is my bed tonight!

If it comes to it, remember that you always have the choice of declining a paramedic's 'invitation' to go to A&E - not that I advocate going against medical advice. xx

[Zante]

OK so my gp also asked to see me every 6 weeks and she said for me to say to receptionist " my name is .... and Dr ... asked to see me every 6 weeks as I have mnd and so I am.due an appointment next week" . This definitely works for me. U could ask someone to phone for u and say just that. X

[Piglet]

TinyLady you could ask to speak to the practice manager and explain your dilemma. Its shocking that theyve not got back to you.
Most surgery’s say ring at 8. 30 to get a appointment for that day. Alternative there are walk in centres but I notice you said it’s quite a distance. It may be worth trying that though if you get no joy with surgery. Good luck xx

[TinyLady]

Thanks everyone. It is the deputy practice manager I am told to email. She just says they are very busy and no appointments until New Year. That's when I explained I was now unwell and needed to see a GP sooner. Not sure if she has even read that email. It took two weeks to reply to my initial request.

My chest hurts and I'm fed up. So I'm going to have to battle to get seen tomorrow. I need to be getting better, not worse. Wish me luck. Hopefully I will have a positive update this time tomorrow!

[Deb]

Oh TinyLady, it's so hard to believe you can't get a doctor's appointment and I totally understand how you just want and need to rest.

I know this won't help you at the moment but my neurologist advised me to keep broad spectrum antibiotics in the house. This is not an alternative to medical advice but so as not to waste time if I suspect an infection. I rarely see or speak with a GP but if I e mail for a repeat prescription it's delivered quickly.

Hope you manage some rest and get better news tomorrow xxx