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AIBU?

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Original poster

Really frustrated with the NHS

109 replies

BabyCatMama · 22/01/2025 11:25

They keep asking if things are an emergency or I can't get an appointment. Well one thing that isn't an emergency is I have had a fungal infection covering my feet for years last year. Nothing at the pharmacy helps. My skin is bleeding and cracking. When you try to tell the doctor all of your health problems they say they don't have time for all this. I've lots of issues that I just ignore because I only get time for serious things.

I just say I'm in agonising pain and there's no appointments left. Today they did say someone will call me in a few days. But I'm on weak sleeping pills that don't work and I don't know if I will be able to be awake at the time they call me. I told my psychiatrist these ones don't work and he said lets just see. Why don't they listen to you ?

The pain medication I'm on isn't strong enough and I've seen several doctors and they refuse to prescribe anything stronger. And I'm taking paracetamol with codeine every day and it's making me ill. Like it's burning my stomach so they gave me something to coat my stomach but I just think if it's doing that to my stomach how is my liver taking it ?

My psychiatrist office just doesn't answer the phone. They just send letters that I can't attend he appointment because my sleeping pills aren't working. Then they wrote to me saying they were taking me off the patient list for not attending appointments even though I had phoned and left messages on the answering machine. I have a psychotic illness and can't take the meds I was last prescribed because of horrible side effects.

I can't call the GP to repeat my prescription I have to have in a form every month and it is on the other side of town from me and I can't always afford to travel there and back every month.

I bought a private prescription for pain meds last month but it was a hundred pounds. I can't afford it this month. I have bought meds online for half the price but I can't really afford it and I'm worried about being poisoned.

I'm thinking about going to see a private GP next month they charge £50 an appointment. But a private psychiatrist would be 2 or 300 hundred. This is why people aren't working. They are staying unwell because of this. I don't know is it this bad for everyone ? If it is how is this allowed for go on. Why has no one sued them ?

OP posts:
SpeedyMcNobhead · 22/01/2025 14:24

The way you speak about the pain meds is a red flag for addiction. You need to be more measured. And also consider the possibility of addiction.

Gps do not like to give out pain
meds so much anymore it seems. At 1 week post surgery of having my leg broken and then pinned and played and I was refused dihydrocodiene from the GP. I was discharged from hospital with some and some oxycodone…I wasn’t asking for more oxy, just a weeks worth of dihydrocodiene, I was told (correctly) that the first two weeks were worst for pain. GP still bloody refused

MyProudHare · 22/01/2025 14:19

Where's your nearest walk in centre / urgent care? I'd go there to get your feet sorted.

Original poster
BabyCatMama · 22/01/2025 14:18

I have seen a doctor face to face for the back pain, he said there aren't any disks out of place and I will just have to wait for physiotherapy which will be 4 to 5 months. I said I'm in severe pain and the cocodamol isn't working and he said well don't take it then

OP posts:
Original poster
BabyCatMama · 22/01/2025 14:16

My practise isn't doing routine appointments only urgent appointments I said I was in pain so they said that would be urgent and I will get a call in a few days. I know the psychiatrist has offered me appointments but they don't answer the phone

OP posts:
MissEloiseBridgerton · 22/01/2025 14:10

If you're not engaging with psych services then they will take you off their list. They have given you many appointments which you have not attended. You can't complain about not getting an appointment, when you haven't attended the ones you have been given.

Ask the GP receptionist for a routine appointment if you don't feel it's an emergency. It might be in a couple of weeks but those are your options. If you want to be seen urgently, you need to ask for an urgent appointment to be seen on the day.

CriticalOverthinking · 22/01/2025 13:52

A fungal infection that bad and for so long is surely an emergency. Couldn't you just say yes it's an emergency and see your gp and get that sorted.

Back pain so bad you're taking coedine daily is also urgent, again second appointment with gp first, tell them it's an emergency and get that going too.
They won't address everything in one appointment so it will be a minimum of 2, you might be able to ask about a referral to the psychiatrist in one of them or short term sleeping pills but be prepared to need a seperate appointment.

Don't feel you can't say it's an emergency- it's affecting your life in such a huge way it definitely is.

The NHS is in a state and unfortunately we as patients have to 'play the game'.

Original poster
BabyCatMama · 22/01/2025 13:39

@Ssrissri I'm not addicted to it I've just been having pain in my back for a while. It's too severe sometimes so I bought the codeine without paracetamol from a private doctor so I can take a higher dose. I think writing is a good idea. I have found 2 stamps and I am going to write a letter to my psychiatrist to start with. I don't know if they will be able to take me back without being referred again though. It's so hard to have a normal life with my sleep like this maybe they will understand they have to give me something stronger if I can't even show up for medical appointments

OP posts:
Ssrissri · 22/01/2025 12:07

Op@BabyCatMama you shouldn’t be taking codeine every day long term, is the GP aware of this? It also has a lot of drug interactions and depending on what you are on for your psychosis and sleeping meds, I would ask for a medication review…if you are resorting to private prescriptions ,there is a problem there . Do you think you have an addiction issue? Have you tried an online email to your GP listing all your challenges, as it seems that there are many ,including difficulty engaging with services and appointments offered? It’s really common that people with enduring mental health challenges receive poor physical care so trying to communicate with your gp and put it in writing could be a start? I know it’s really difficult but I think putting things in writing is crucial as there is a “ paper trail” whereas verbal converse at not be recorded fully or acute on.

toomuchfaff · 22/01/2025 12:01

A fungal infection covering your feet for over a year, the GP you are so desperate to see may not be the best medical professional to treat.

Not sure who is, but a call to 111 would be my first point to understand "who" that best medical professional may be.