Doctor wants a face to face consult today after I filled in the online booking system. Now panicking !

[drivinmecrazy]

Used our doctors surgery online system this morning.
Every other time I've used it I've been offered a telephone consult, which suits me fine.

I've just got a call from the surgery saying doctor wants to see me at 3.45.

Trying not to panic now.

It's so rare to get a face to face here so now my mind is going into overdrive.

I have terrible health anxiety at the best of times but now it's gone into overdrive

Why are you panicking? Before covid it was the norm to have face to face appointments, it doesn't mean anything bad?

Well it completely depends on what the issue is, it doesn’t necessarily mean they think it’s anything sinister.

Well what did you fill in on the form? If it’s something where they’ll want to ‘examine’ you, you’ll obviously need a face to face.

They could also have a policy around X amounts of telephone consults before they call you in to see you in person. My GP is like that, you can only have phone appts & repeat scripts a certain number of times before they haul you in to take a look at you.

I haven't had a face to face since Covid.
Didn't consider my symptoms that much of a concern.

I'm sure it's nothing but am going to worry all day now

They may need to check your blood pressure or something. Calm down they haven’t called an ambulance for you they just want to discuss/examine in person.

I mean you are getting to see a person face to face that's a good thing, you are obviously needing to see a Dr or you wouldn't be filling in a form, I don't understand why you are panicking.

You are wasting your life worrying over this, honestly. I got told I needed an appointment last week, I said I can’t attend as I’m working plus I know I’ll be referred for a scan anyway, tney said the GP had asked for it. So I said I can’t attend and I’ll have a Phone call appointment, and yes, I was referred for a scan.

There are lots of conditions that require them to actually see or touch you, or take your temperature, heart rate , blood pressure, all sorts! Skin problems, injuries, swelling, urine or blood test. Actually not many things they can diagnose without seeing you. It's good that they are seeing you and I really would try not to worry too much

Totally the norm in my practice; count your blessings!

I would be worried too, but I suspect even if I had a tumour the size of a football I wouldn't get a face to face appointment at my surgery.

The only time they see you in person is if there is some box they need to tick. Have you recently had a big birthday? They have targets for seeing patients every ten years and asking whether you smoke and drink. Might be something like that.

I know my feelings are irrational and normally I'd think I'd hit the jackpot to get an appointment but for some reason I'm feeling incredibly anxious.

And as a result I've just googled my symptoms which I never do, now I know why.

I actually wanted a telephone appt. today, since I’ve got a horrible bug (not COVID I’ve tested) and I don’t want to spread it around the waiting room. But no, they don’t do phone appts. any more. So I’ve got to go in, and spread my non-covid germs around instead.

Googling symptoms always leads to cancer or some other devastating illness. Or a result that your symptoms could be nothing or cancer. Ignore that.

I hope your appointment goes well. Maybe it's just because it's been a while and he wants to take your blood pressure or has things he or she needs to examine in person.

It'd be worth mentioning to your GP about your anxiety. They will be able to help you with it.

Please stay away from google, google says everyone is dying from something or other.

I hope your appointment goes ok @drivinmecrazy. It’s a good thing that your doctor isn’t letting you slip through the cracks.

I think (especially amongst women) you can get so used to being told something is minor that it’s really disconcerting to have some really random symptoms taken seriously because you’ve been so conditioned.

Please try to calm down. There's no point in worrying about something non-existent and you're more likely to give yourself health problems if your cortisol levels are regularly raised.

Even traditionally alarming things like lumps have the possibility of being cysts rather than tumours, and are often not the portent of doom they are made out to be.

Try not to panic. It may be absolutely nothing but they may not have seen you in a while and so want to be thorough or know they will request bloods etc

I think this post is spot on.
So used to being brushed off.

I'm going to spend the day gardening, so much as the discomfort allows, and try and enjoy the sunshine!

Oh no Dr google will have you expired before your appointment!

I get that over the phone is normal now but it really shouldn't be you should be able to see a GP or a nurse if you are looking for an appointment it will be fine.

Maybe it was a cancellation.

I had a minor thing I needed to see a Dr about ( it was minor but I did need to be seen in person or have an online consultation) There was no urgency and I was happy to wait but I got given a cancellation the same morning. I felt a bit of a fraud. The visit only lasted 2 or 3 minutes so hopefully the Doctor gained some time to catch up on other work.

How did you get on @drivinmecrazy

Two week pathway 😔

Oh lovey take care.

Try not to worry. It’s often nothing, they just want to check and don’t want to miss anything. What area is it?

Sorry to hear that. I've been on the two week pathway a couple of times and it hasn't been anything. Good to know they're being proactive though.

Last time I tried filling out an online form (which says you have to do to get a telephone consultation, which is what I wanted) it came out with they refused to give me an appointment because I should go to A&E.

I am confident that I should not have gone to A&E. The last time (in fact only time I have been for me) I went to A&E I spent 12 hours to be told I had pleurisy and nothing they can do.

I have a pain first thing in the morning, just under my ribs which I suspect may be related to gall stones, but thought it should be checked out. It goes as soon as I start moving. It's not agonising, and I had an ECG when I went in with pleurisy and another a year ago with a health check the surgery offered.

But because I mentioned the pain is in my chest it automatically told me to go to A&E. When I phoned to ask for a telephone consultation they told me the only way I could book one was use the online form...

So the result is that no one has seen me.
Success story there!