Is anyone else terrible at speaking to their gp? How do you get across your problem?

[Booksonbooks]

I haven’t been well lately and have needed various antibiotics and tests. Nothing serious just silly little things.

During all of this my anxiety has gone through the roof - I have been taking fluoxetine for 5 years.

I moved house a year ago and have never been to my gp in person - appointments are over the phone (3 appointments in the year).

I tried to ask about the anxiety last time but somehow managed to crap it up and say I was fine.

I think never having been there and it being in the phone has totally destroyed what tiny social skill I had.

I really need advice on this because I can’t decide anymore what symptoms are illness and what Is anxiety and my gp just keeps giving me more antibiotics over the phone.

Well start with the anxiety issue. Say I am having some problems with anxiety then describe symptoms. Then come on to an other illness issues

Write down what you plan to say.

Write it down. Either read it out or give them the paper or email it.

Do they do econsult? Having specific and detailed questions to answer in writing might help

Thanks for replying I feel a bit pathetic writing this post!

Last week I contacted the go because I had symptoms of a uti again.

Before the call you have to go through an online triage bad in that I wrote that I was having anxiety problems but when he called he didn’t ask about it and just said to keep my hospital appointment (for a totally different issue).

I called about the symptoms of a uti which was mainly back pain around my kidney area. He gave me antibiotics but told me to decide fit myself if I need them for 3 or 7 days.

So now I still have pretty bad back pain, and I’m lying here obsessing over how many days I should take these for and feeling shaky and useless!

Please - yes it was econsult they use. I filled it in for back pain and anxiety.

Yes! I have really quite serious mental and physical health problems but all appointments for the last year have been by phone and I just can't advocate for myself on the phone

In the past I've written it down in case I couldn't speak. Obviously you can't just pass paper over now, but, I've had to to send photos of things recently by email. Could you type what you want to say, and when you make the appointment tell the receptionist that you find talking on the phone difficult and will be emailing details across, please ensure the doctor has sight of these for your consultation.