I am so annoyed with my GP

[isittimetoflounceyet]

I've asked them twice if I could have a Covid jab this autumn, and they said point blank no. Last year, I had the jab in November. I'm 60+, have pre-diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Guess what? I started to feel a bit shivery this morning and I now feel like I've got the flu coming on, so I did a test just to be on the safe side. Bright red positive. Damn - and I saw one of my friends yesterday evening, who is in the middle of chemotherapy.

I am so cross.

Maybe it depends how high your blood pressure is?

Loads of people in the UK have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I imagine there's a cut off point somewhere.

I have no idea who's telling you that - of course you are eligible for both the flu and covid vaccine if you are being treated for cancer!

And @isittimetoflounceyet - if your DH is immunosuppressed and assuming you live with him, you are also eligible for both vaccines as either a household contact or carer for him. Once you've recovered from Covid, book online via the NHS - you just need to tick the box stating you live with a clinically vulnerable person.

ps. even if you had been vaccinated, it likely wouldn't have prevented you from transmitting it to your friend yesterday, BUT if you were completely symptomless at the time, the transmission risk is fairly low and hopefully you haven't passed it on (and assuming your friend is vaccinated anyway, so will have some protection from becoming severely ill if he/she does contract it).

Hope you stay reasonably well and manage to fight it off.

I know it reduces the severity but it's contagious so doesn't stop you catching it!

Honestly, I’m not. I checked the NHS app. I’m not eligible. Most people with cancer aren’t. You have to be immunocompromised and I’m not. The NHS list is very clear.

You're not entitled to the jab, despite wanting to be.
The GP didn't make the rules so stop taking it out on them.
And judging by the attitude coming across in your posts, yes it is time to flounce. Cheerio!

This.

The booster doesn't mean that you can't catch or transmit the virus. So whether you had it or not you could easily be in the same position now.

Your GP has followed the rules, and you aren't in a vulnerable group.

@isittimetoflounceyet I'm sorry you are feeling poorly and I'm sorry you feel you have been missed from the vaccination programme this year.

However, the searches we are sent (I'm a Practice Manager) to identify eligible patients look for people with conditions x, y, z, but they don't consider the cumulative effect of a number of conditions, such as your situation.

I hope you feel better soon.

I think other posters are right, you could have used the NHS booking app and bypassed the GP. There's a box in the booking process where you tick if you live with someone vulnerable, if you'd ticked that you would have been able to book for the vaccination, I would imagine.

It was a social event and I didn't know he was going to be there.

MacMillan disagree with you. The NHS site clearly states that the lists are summaries and not exhaustive. My friend has cancer and is only 42 - she has had the booster this year because she has cancer. She is not currently immunosuppressed.
https://www.macmillan.org.uk/coronavirus/vaccine

I'm 53, so not automatically eligible. But I went online and ticked the box for being a cater (which I am!) and got an appointment straight away. No one asked for proof - I did take my carers card just in case, but didn't need it.

I don't consider that I am fit enough to not need it. I have long-term issues, as well as those I've already mentioned I have constant sinusitis they can't get to the bottom of, and am very prone to bronchitis. I also used to get asthma when I was younger and still get out of breath if I'm unwell.

I'm sorry you are feeling rubbish, but PP are correct. The inclusion criteria is much tighter this year. It's over 65's + the conditions on the list. Pre-diabetes, and by previous asthma don't count I'm afraid. It's not your GP's decision, it's the national guidelines.

Previously the inclusion list was wider and most clinicians, myself included, were able to use some judgement. Even if someone didn't have a named condition, if they were likely to be eligible in a few weeks time when their age group was called we would go ahead.

But you don’t meet the criteria for it this year? So you aren’t entitled to it! YABVU

He went to a social event. Anyone, including someone with no symptoms, could transmit the virus to him. If he is at risk, as I am, then you know to make choices for yourself, not expect others to make them for you.

I think your friend is accepting of the potential risks if he is attending a social event so perhaps try not to feel bad. For the future, you can get your jab at Boots and other pharmacies ,if you meet the criteria that’s set that year, as up to age 64 can get it with certain health conditions .

I had the vaccine in October an still caught cold a month later. I was very poorly with it too

You could have just walked in to a vaccine centre and got a jab (or booked online).
All my friends have had it. We all said we were carers (we all are to some extent but not the degree they ask for).
No one checked.
The take up has been so low even those in the high risk groups are low uptake.
I don’t feel bad - they would be thrown away because uptake is low.

Thank you, you're one of the few people who have been sympathetic. I didn't get to talk to a doctor, I was stopped by the receptionist brick wall, who wouldn't even book me a telephone consultation. Point blank no. That's who I'm pissed off with really. DH and I were talking about it last night, and again early this morning, and I was going to try again early next week. Having known someone otherwise fit and healthy who died of it in their 50's is not nice.

I'm sorry, I assumed (obviously incorrectly) that you were undergoing treatment and therefore would be eligible. My apologies.

Those health conditions don't qualify you. You need your have a diabetes diagnosis.

And it's not your GP's decision

Why are you blaming your GP?

I am undergoing treatment, but I’m still not eligible.

You're not eligible based on the criteria you've given which is why they said no

My mother, on chemo, immunosuppressed, caught Covid the day she was vaccinated. She accepts the risks of going out and about and is prepared to take them.

She actually wasn’t too ill. The chest infection four weeks later has had her admitted though. Again she accepts the risks of leading as normal a life as possible with incurable blood cancer and harsh chemo.