Doctors won’t see me (saga continues)

[TheCatsPaws]

Previous posts about severe anxiety, recurrent miscarriages.

Had a D&C on Wednesday. Yesterday had a raging temperature, coloured discharge and general unwell feeling. Rang EPU who said to make an emergency doctors appointment today re possible infection.

Got an emergency appointment today. Stuck in traffic for half an hour because road is covered in snow. Rang GP, stuck on phone for 20 minutes. Got told by a receptionist that “sorry you’re too late, we won’t see you”

I explained I had surgery on Wednesday and the ward thinks I have an infection, and wants me to see a dr today. “Sorry that’s our policy”. After much arguing, I asked if she’ll be personally responsible if I get sepsis to which she just quoted policy at me again.

AIBU to be fuming? I’m going down to the surgery and demanding to see the manager right now.

That's terrible granny

DS1 has a lifelong disease. It will kill him. He's an adult now, but when he was little I had many battles with receptionists who said he didn't need antibiotics on repeat prescription. They keep him alive.

I really HATE blanket policies like this, and I think they make the NHS a less humane place.

I understand the stresses and strains that the system is under. But sick people need help and support, not inflexible and blanket policies. It can all feel incredibly tough and cruel when you are not well, to have to deal with a "computer says no/system can't be changed" attitude. I worry about people who are vulnerable and have MH issues dealing with a system that essentially demands that people are rational and well in order to interface wiht it.

you're in a horrendous situation at the moment OP. I just wanted to say that when I was in a very similar situation, my GP sent me straight to A&E - so be prepared for that, take a small overnight bag just in case. All the best

Jesus OP, there are some really callous responses on here. You clearly did your best to get there on time, you had something which very much needed seeing, the receptionist sounds very unprofessional. Of course you should have been seen, even if you had to sit and wait for a bit. I bet in the snow lots and lots of people turned up late, including possibly some of the doctors as they got stuck in snow too. We aren't equipped to deal with snow in this country - it's a rare event compared to some countries. So people do turn up late to things. Everyone knows that.

I hope you're ok and have some real life support as it sounds like you're really going through it.

Whattodoaboutthis in fact you are incorrect.

It does not cost anything like £100 to miss an appointment, probably even less than £20. That £100 figure is based on the erroneous assumption that a missed appointment costs the same as a used appointment. This would mean that the GP uses all the same consumables and does not do any other work while the missed appointment happens. In fact, most bookings systems allow for a certain number of DNAs and overbook accordingly so the doctor is busy seeing the next patient. If you're interested, you can listen to a health economist and a statistician chat about the question here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09l2351

Given that the snow conditions are bad enough to more than triple your journey time, it's both highly unlikely that everybody else will be on time and the receptionists ought to show a bit more sense in juggling appointments.

If somebody rings in to say that they are on their way but the weather conditions are such that it much worse than they expected and they cannot get there safely on time - they could pull patients through in the order they arrive if somebody's late rather than have the doctor twiddling their thumbs for starters, or re-jig the time that's usually set aside for admin or clinics.

The practice really should have a bad weather protocol to kick in on days like this ensure maximum safety for staff and patients as well as making best use of the time available whilst recognising that not everybody will be able to safely get there on time, even leaving extra extra early.

Firstly, I’m sorry for all you’re going through. Secondly, you’re receiving some absolutely abysmal and downright dangerous advice from people on here. If you suspect sepsis, it cannot wait 6+ hours. Also, seeing a GP would only delay access to what would actually save your life which is antibiotics. Please contact your EPU again and explain your situation. Best of luck.

I know it won't be a popular view on MN but I'd go to A&E. They'll scan you etc where as GPs will make you wait and fob you off. Having been misdiagnosed by 4 doctors over 3 days and becoming seriously ill which has written off the rest of my life pretty much I have VERY little confidence in GPs.

I know it won't be a popular view on MN but I'd go to A&E

This is, in fact, the advice Marie Stopes give in case of the symptoms OP is describing.

I am so sorry you are having such a terrible time. I understand as I spent 11 years with the continual heartbreak of losing much wanted children and on at least two occasions was in a life threatening condition. I do however think that when we are going through awful times we can become a little selfish - I did for sure, I was totally selfish and thought only of my own needs and that of the lost children. So the advice I would give myself now, and also to you is to ask you to please remember that other patients too may have urgent medical issues, some life threatening, some not, such in urgent need of medical attention, some who can wait a little longer. I am sure I needed reminding of that from time to time also. So missing an appointment, even due to circumstances beyond your control, could mess up the already stretched system and mean someone else, also in dire need, would have to wait longer. Unfortunately by looking at patients in the waiting room neither receptionists or other patients can determine how serious a need that patient might be in - that's the job of the doctor. I wish you well, seriously, but please try and remember others too may have urgent or life threatening issues also. My mum recently died of a brain haemorrhage and her care home had been unable to get her a doctor's appointment the day beforehand when she was feeling unwell, but that was not the receptionists fault, or that of the other patients, it was the stretched system. But had she been able to get that appointment other patients would not have known how seriously ill she was, and equally other patients could equally have had life threatening issues we did not know of. Good luck with your appointment this evening, I am glad you managed to get one while still treating the receptionist with the respect they deserve.

Can anyone advise if my symptoms do sound like sepsis or infection? I’ve got a highish temperature (thermometer isn’t working so can’t get a number but I feel warm to touch), my head is banging and my entire face, jaw, and neck hurts. My joints hurt with my wrists, ankles and knees being the worst affected. It feels like I’ve been beaten up and every step I take hurts. I don’t feel confused about reality or like I’m in a dream though, I am conscious and aware.

My son had suspected sepsis when he was born and was in intensive care for a bit, so I really don’t want to get that bad.

I would go to A&E.

You need to know things like blood pressure, pulse rate, breathing rate, oxygen saturation’s.
But you don’t sound right. Have a read.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/sepsis/

OP ring your surgery and speak to a doctor, not a receptionist. You need urgent medical care.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/sepsis/

Scroll down for adult symptoms.

Don’t wait if you genuinely feel you have symptoms of sepsis. It certainly sounds like something is infecting you - whether that is viral, bacterial, related to the miscarriage or not It is impossible to say.

I have low BP naturally. After surgery the hospital didn’t want to discharge me because it was low but my temp and all else was fine so in the end they let me go.

OP. Get some sort of medical intervention. If you don't get it soon, and it turns out to be sepsis, you're going to be in a dire situation and you'll be kicking yourself for not going to A&E.

You need to see someone urgently. All those symptoms are a sign of a significant infection.

With those symptoms and recent medical history, I'd go to A&E.

6 pages with the same advice now.

For goodness sake just go to A&E.

You need to go to a&e. I got an infection after an erpc, with 48 hours it was raging, I had symptoms like yours, and was put on IV antibiotics immediately on arriving at hospital and repeat erpc. I can't see how it would get better on its own.

Do you have someone available to take you to A&E?
Just go and get yourself in front of a trained medical professional.

I only have my mum who can give me a lift, but she hates driving in snow (she also has bad anxiety) and she’s looking after my two year old today as I feel so poorly. That’s why I’ve been putting off going to A&E however I don’t think I should be, I did wonder if I was over reacting but the responses have shown me I am not.

You need to go to A&E with post-op complications. The EPU should really have taken responsibility for you.

I’d get some medical attention first, then perhaps when you are feeling better, contact your GP practice manager. They are right in having a policy about missed appointments, however in this case, the receptionist should have discussed with the GP before refusing you. In my practice, GP’s will obviously make exceptions for urgent cases.

If you cant drive and have no one who can take you call an ambulance.