Doctor cut me off

[Gingermuffin]

Apologies if this is long but I just want to be clear and what I've said here is pretty much what I tried to say to the GP.

I will start by saying I am not the type to rush to the doctors with the first sign of anything. I know that most illnesses in kids are most likely viruses that can't be helped by anything more than TLC, calpol etc where necessary and keeping a close eye and I make sure that I always consult the NHS and other websites before I make an appointment.

For the last week or so DS (4.5y) has had a horrible cough mainly at night which has been a pain but nothing to worry about. Last night however he had a high fever and was really out of it. He seemed to recover before bedtime but this morning he was burning up again and vomited which was bright green. Not the cough induced kind of vomiting, it was spontaneous and the poor little bugger was throwing up for a good couple of minutes.

Despite alternating calpol and nurofen every couple of hours, his temperature (38.9) didn't come down much all day, at the lowest it was about 38. He actually seemed fine in himself though apart from being lethargic and a bit more cuddly until in the middle of talking he went white, his temp shot up higher again and he started shivering like crazy despite being snuggled up and couldn't stay awake. He was rousable, responsive and not confused but not able to stay awake for any length of time.

I called 111 and relayed all of the above and they advised to keep a close eye and get him seen within 6 hours either by our own GP or out of hours so I phoned my GP and managed to get an appointment for 5.10pm today.

About 40 minutes before the appointment he perked up a bit and his temperature came down a lot although only to around 38 a and I took him to the appointment and tried to explain the events of today as above, which looks quite long as a MN post but in the context of a Drs appointment I think it's pretty much to the point and covers the facts.

About 30 seconds into explaining (I got as far as trying to explain that he seemed better apart from the temp but suddenly got much worse) the doctor told me to stop talking and told me that my son has a cold and ended the appointment. At first I was embarrassed and felt like a total time waster but once I got home I Sam more confused. Was IBU to take him in the first place or was HBU?

For what it's worth DSs temp shot back up, I've given him some more calpol and he's currently asleep but I'm keeping a close eye on him and will ring 111 again if he gets worse.

[Allthewaves]

If he become very ill again take him to walk in or out of hours

[FastWindow]

If you were local to me the gp wouldn't touch you, he'd be straight to the urgent care place. Where is this pile of rubbish NHS care happening? Ring 111 again I would. This thing seems to start with a high temperature, not culminate in one.

[AutumnalLeaves38]

Am bumping this for you, OP...hopefully a wise MNer with some medical knowledge (and a less abrupt manner) will come along asap.

Really hope your little boy recovers soon; horrible for you to see him suffer.

[Gingermuffin]

All the GPs and nurses I've seen at my surgery which I joined 5 years ago have been amazing until this one. I just wasn't sure if I was making something out of nothing as DS did seem a lot better or if I was right to check anyway.

Normally they would listen to me and give me advice based on what I said as well as his condition at the time and normally I am a lot more confident but he really threw me by cutting me off and we left with me baffled and embarrassed and DS confused and wondering why I dragged him out.

[Gingermuffin]

Thanks for the replies by the way much appreciated.

[SparkleSoiree]

I hope your little boy gets better soon gingermuffin. There's nothing worse when your child is poorly and you can't do anything much to improve things for them, you just have to wait it out.

Re. the GP, unfortunately, like everything, there are good ones and bad ones. They are only human at the end of the day and he may have been having a particularly bad day but having said that, he should have remained professional and at least let you finish what you were in the middle of saying. I've never had a GP cut me off mid sentence and I've seen many doctors over the years!

Please don't allow this experience to affect your confidence in doctors or how you use the NHS, most doctors are nice and if you think your son needs medical attention you do what you have to in order to get him seen. Most doctors will understand that.

[Gingermuffin]

Thank you, I won't let it affect my confidence in GPS all together or even my doctors surgery as I have had good advice and treatment for me and my children in the past.

I just haven't dealt with this particular load of symptoms before with the kids and I'm still wondering if I'm being way over cautious and it is just a cold or i don't know. I'm knackered and all the GP did was confuse me. Being told it's nothing should make me feel at ease but I'm more stressed than I was before and poor DS is still flicking between fine but hot and tired and really shivery and just awful when he's awake.

[Beeziekn33ze]

Worth complaining about GP, that's no way to treat you. I seem to see a different GP (some trainees) each time I go to my health centre but luckily they've all been courteous and patient. Differing advice but that's another matter!
Hope your son is soon better. The vomit, as well as the temperature, sounds worrying.

[midsummabreak]

What is wrong with seeing gp for treatment for ongoing fever above 38, alternating in spiking fever, with cough, green vomit? Some GP have lost touch with reality and have become de-sensitised after seeing so many unwell clients.

[Isadora2007]

My son used to always vomit when he got a high temp. His temp -like your sons- would shoot up very quickly. This often peaked as he vomited- as if vomiting was a symptom or a result of high temp.
Hope he is feeling better soon- does he say anything is sore like ears or throat?

[Baylisiana]

Once when I was at the GPs surgery a wonderful, quite elderly lady I kind of knew went into to see a doctor I knew was not great, after her appointment she came out, went straight back up to the desk and asked for an urgent appointment. They were confused and said, 'but haven't you just seen X?', and she replied, 'yes, I have seen X, and now I'd like to see a doctor'. Was so funny.

On another occasion I had seen X and been brushed off with, come back if carries on for three months, we don't investigate till then. Didn't have to go back in three months, it escalated and ended up in hospital way before that, doing damage she might have averted by doing her job.

Sorry to derail slightly, just wanted to say YANBU and shouldn't have been cut off. Don't hesitate to ignore and get another opinion immediately if you think needed, you sound very sensible.

[ScarlettSahara]

Hi Ginger -am a doctor with experience in GP work and paeds - have been having time out.
The GP really should have been more patient- did he at least listen to your son's chest & examine his ears and throat?
I would monitor your son and go to walk-in if his temperature is not improving after 48 hours or he is deteriorating or you feel more concerned.

The golden rule for me was "always listen to the parent's concerns since they know their child best".
Your GP might be right - could be viral but you need to monitor and your GP should have explained & said the timeframe for your son improving & to call again if concerned.
Hope things start to improve.

[midsummabreak]

get him straight to another Dr to get the care your 4year old DS needs He needs treatment to bring down the fever and treat green vomit, cough, lethargy, sleeping all the time- It all sounds quite scary. Could it be something nasty such as bacterial infection-hence green vomit? Please get urgent medical care

[Broken11Girl]

That GP was very rude. You wnbu to complain.
It doesn't sound like nothing, or a cold, at all.

[midsummabreak]

Also calpol/neurofen is usually 4 hourly but only for a short time, and I'm not sure 4 year old DS tummy is really up to more of that if green vomit? Hope DS improves soon

[ScarlettSahara]

Oh and you did absolutely the right thing to seek a medical opinion so don't doubt yourself. Most doctors would say you had done the right thing asking for an appointment for a young child with these symptoms so please don't let that stop you ringing again or going to A and E if you become more concerned. I am sure you know to check for a rash too. If the vomiting did not settle or he developed persistent headache I would seek urgent help.

[ScarlettSahara]

The green vomit will be bile and should not be cause for alarm- it is his general condition and making sure the temperature is resolving that is important.

[Schwifty]

Good luck Ginger - isn't it just Sod's Law that dcs / pets / us etc perk up at the last minute! Hope he gets well soon and that the lovely and informative replies have helped.

[GizmoFrisby]

I'd put a complaint in. Some gps are absolutely useless. Hope your son is better soon. My dd has also had temp and really bad cough, I took her to my gps and she told me it was bronchitis and gave antibiotics she's been great since then. Maybe take him back and ask for different GP

[Miserylovescompany2]

Without checking chest/pulse/temperature how could the GP know it was nothing other than a cold? Children are notorious for perking up in the GP's surgery. The GP shouldn't of spoken to you in that way.

If the symptoms come back, I'd go to your out of hours and get him checked over. Hopefully, he's over the worst of it...

[CurlsLDN]

Hello op, I have had a v similar situation. I too got my son (2yrs) along for an appointment at the end of the day, and before he'd even examined him the dr brushed it off as a cold.
Both dh and I were there and insisted he was examined before we would leave. It turned out he had hfm, ear infection and tonsillitis! The dr was suitably embarassed and even called us 5 'mins after we left to reiterate that if he got any worse we should seek urgent care.

I don't blame the dr, I know they are extremely stretched and I am glad he was able to take to time and help us in the end. I do think you should push for a thorough examination of his symptoms worsen again

[myoriginal3]

You were not incorrect to have brought him to gp. Hope he's better today?

[Goodfood1]

YNBU how did the night go? if he's still bad you should go back and ask nt to see that particular doctor. Do hope however that he is better today

[Gooseberryfools]

38.9 is a high tempurure but not a really high temperature. The sleepiness,the shivering, the throwing up are standard when ill. The fact he'd only been ill for a short time, his eyes weren't rolling in his sockets, he was fully present, his temperature had come down with calpol are positive. Personally I wouldn't have gone to the GP. However the GP should have listened to you properly. It's certainly worth calllibg the surgerys practice manager and explaining how dismissive the GP was.

[toptoe]

gp should at the very least listen to all the symptoms. Don't use that one again. I would consider this null and void and call the surgery for another appointment with a different gp. Ask for a telephone app if you think your dc may be too ill or contagious. Start with the vomitting green stuff for over a minute, the high temp for a couple of days and the shivering fever he's had for the last day or so. To me it sounds like a chest infection but I'm no hcp.