Fainted 4 times in 2 weeks. Next available GP appointment 31 Aug

[WillitFit]

I've never fainted before in my life (52 years) but seem to have suddenly started in the last fortnight.

I've explained symptoms to GP receptionist (like you must to get offered any appointment these days) and the best they can possibly do for me is 31 Aug.

Is that OK? I mean, can it wait that long or should I do "something" else?

If you can afford it and are genuinely worried what about seeing a private GP. You'd probably get an appointment tomorrow if you lived near me. Assume it's not too dissimilar in other areas.

Practice nurse here.
Just go to out of hours and lay it on thick. I've done it myself.
I can quite beIieve there are no GP appointments. Our clinics are rammed for weeks ahead.
I've had cardiac issues recently and ended up at A&E twice due to a similar access problem, was admitted at one of those following an ECG I would otherwise have waited weeks for at the surgery.

How do you go about seeing a GP privately and what happens next if you need referring?

What is "out of hours". As far as I know here, that means 111 or A&E?

OK, so I just did the standing up test suggested. I'd been sitting for quite a while and did indeed go very woozy (and felt sick) , so sat back down quite quickly, but my heart rate dropped quite a few beats rather than increasing. It went very high when I sat back down, but returning to normal within a minute or so.

Oh lord ,this what we've come to .
OP I'm so sorry ,I think go to A&E .Maybe you'll have to lie and say you 've fainted twice in last 12 hours or something .
good luck .

Ring 111 and lay it on thick. IME they sent nearly everyone to A&E anyway. Then you can say you were advised to attend.
Be prepared to wait though. I went in with chest pain and palpitations and still had to sit and wait.

I tried again in a more controlled way. Stood up carefully iyswim. Immediately on standing heart rate dropped a few beats (I have a watch to measure it) but within less than a minute it had increased by 32 beats...I literally just stood still, no other movement.

I would consider going to A and E and laying it on thick, maybe you hit your head the last time you fainted? Might you have chest pain? You shouldnt have to, but you do need to be assessed and have an ECG and blood work done.

As far as a private doctor, try googling private GP and then add your town.

I'm not saying it's the same as what I had but I went through a period of fainting and couldn't even do housework for fear of passing out is I exerted myself or bent down.
I tried getting lots of rest, drank lots and ate regularly and added salt to my meals. Assumed low blood pressure.
If you don't go to a&e id ring gp and insist on getting a blood test asap and looking at the results myself!

You don’t have a history of fainting so unless you are very dehydrated or have recently started on new medication I would be worried you have a heart arrhythmia. You need an ECG plus a 24-hr ECG.

Are you drinking enough? It's hot weather, you've had Covid, your BP is low.

Self help first - as a minimum are you drinking 3l water a day, more on hotter days?

(As well as other investigations)

Agree. I’d either phone nhs24 or go for a private go appointment (followed up by a complaint to your GP!) - Lloyds pharmacy do private GP telephone appointments now, I say a poster fir it today in our pharmacy.

I would go private too.

FFS, don't go to A&E just because you feel a bit faint! That's how they end up packed to the rafters with cases that are neither accidents nor emergencies.

Sounds like more than a simple faint but anyway going private ASAP will probably get you best care.

You've got me all panicky now. I'm due away this week, I was hoping when I booked the appointment to have one lined up for when I got back, but I don't really want to do anything before I go....unless I really need to?

See someone privately before you go?

Have you tried doing NHS 111 online? It'll ask you questions and see if you need a call back. They can usually get you an apt at an out of hours clinic to see a GP.

@WillitFit im an A&E dr. If you were my mum/friend I’d be taking you there right now. Next time you faint you could suffer a serious head injury, or crash your car. It may be nothing or you may be flipping in and out of a life threatening arrhythmia…..amongst a long list of other possibilities. please just go to A&E.

This. I did. It's not uncommon.

The OP doesn't 'feel a bit faint',4 faints over a couple of weeks isn't something that should be ignored.

OP, what did NHS111 say when you called, and have you had any further faints since you spoke to them?

I would class that as an urgent visit. Ring back and ask for emergency appointment.

Stop this. It's not the patients' fault A&E is "packed to the rafters" when you can't get a GP appointment for five and a half weeks

And who are you (or I) to decide if it's a simple faint? I'd like an expert opinion on whether suddenly starting to faint regularly is "simple". I was more than happy to wait a while, but over a month?