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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed at the Doctors

51 replies

Sleepyslops · 10/07/2018 14:26

I am going on holiday next month and my period is now due whilst I am away. I was quite regular, but last month it was late which means I am likely now due to be taking AF with me.

Just rang the Doctors to get an appt to see if there's anything they can give me... 31st July is the first available appt. No nurse appts at all. No phone appts either.

I don't know what to do. I feel mad that they are so booked up they don't even have appts for weeks.

OP posts:
MatildaTheCat · 10/07/2018 14:27

Can you get to a family planning clinic? They should be able to help if you are looking for a contraceptive pill to delay your period.

Original poster
Sleepyslops · 10/07/2018 14:29

Is that what they would give me? I can look for one of those. I really don't want AF as I'm very heavy and flood for the first 4 days or so.

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 10/07/2018 14:30

How old are you? I was refused as I'm ancient.

KneesupGaston · 10/07/2018 14:31

Don't they have a prescription line you can leave a message with a special request on?

ebeneezergood · 10/07/2018 14:33

Hi. You can get a prescription for Norehisterone from Superdrug online - they will deliver it too.

MatildaTheCat · 10/07/2018 14:33

This should help you how to delay your period

gamerwidow · 10/07/2018 14:33

It is frustrating it’s taken me nearly 6 weeks to get a referral to a specialist for an illness. 3 weeks to wait for first appointment sent for blood test 10 days to wait for phone appointment to be sent for another blood test 10 days to wait for another appointment to be told they will refer me to a specialist.
I don’t blame the practice staff I know they’re over stretched an under resourced but having to wait 3 weeks for an appointment is surely starting to put peoples health at risk in some cases.

honeysucklejasmine · 10/07/2018 14:35

You are angry at the wrong people.

I wonder if anything will change, now Jeremy Cunt has gone to be Foreign Secretary.

Original poster
Sleepyslops · 10/07/2018 14:37

Thanks all :)

Oh Gamer, that's terrible! I feel the same too. I was wanting to discuss my medication too - I am on anti-depressants.

Thanks, Matilda. I will look at that site :)

Terry - I am 33. Husband had the snip 6 years ago so contraception hasn't been a problem.

OP posts:
ZeroFuchsGiven · 10/07/2018 14:40

You were seriously going to take up a GP appointment because you don't fancy being on your period on holiday? Hmm

chipsandgin · 10/07/2018 14:43

Definitely angry at the wrong people - the NHS is on it's knees due to lack of funding (and being quietly privatised and sold off bit by bit, but that's another story). Every Doctor and NHS worker I know carries on delivering the best service they can against the odds - and they are all, without exception in despair (I have 4 Doctors in the family).

If you don't already then vote whatever you can to get the Tories out next time and hopefully the NHS can be saved before it is too late and deliver what it set out to do - for everyone...

Politics aside, I've been prescribed Norethisterone as have the same issue as you coming up (although never tried it and not looking forward to the bloating and acne apparently!).

You can get it online - but also you only have to take it for three days prior to the anticipated arrival of AF, so if you had an appointment on 31st July - as long as you aren't due before 4th August you'll be fine.

Original poster
Sleepyslops · 10/07/2018 14:43

Yes, Zero. As I stated previously, I flood for the first 4 days... by this I mean leak through my clothing onto the towel I sit on.

I also wanted to discuss my medication.

I think it's quite sensible to speak to a doctor about delaying my period with medication when I am on anti-depressants. I don't know if it's ok to take these norethisterone with my meds or not.

OP posts:
MatildaTheCat · 10/07/2018 14:49

A pharmacist can discuss medication with you. Also, around us there are private GPS where you can get a same day appointment. So between all the options discussed you should be able to see someone to get advice and it doesn’t have to be your own GP.

I agree it’s awful you can’t get an appointment though and to the pp who wondered how you could be so shameless as to use the nhs for this: no GP would remotely mind being asked.

Rocinante1 · 10/07/2018 14:51

So you know your surgery is way overbooked and struggling to fit in patients, and you want an appointment to get contraception just so you don't have your period on holiday?

The cost of the doctors time, the cost of the pharmacists time and the cost of the drug will all be funded for you... just so you have a better time on holiday.

I'm gobsmacked. That's not what the BUS should be used for.

Rocinante1 · 10/07/2018 14:51

*NHS

Original poster
Sleepyslops · 10/07/2018 14:56

Oh, give over rocinante. You are gobsmacked because someone who is already on medication doesn't want to self-medicate without doctors advice... I don't want my period as I will leak on the bedding and chairs etc on holiday. I don't know if it's ok to take hormonal tablets with my current meds. Now Matilda has told me that I can speak to a pharmacist I will do that.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sleepyslops · 10/07/2018 14:58

Thanks Matilda. I didn't realise you could do that. I have never skipped a period before and I only go to the GP to discuss my PTSD medications. I haven't been for a while so thought a review would be good as I think my dosage needs changing and I could kill two birds with one stone. I will talk to the pharmacist though (about the period) - much faster and easier.

OP posts:
Rocinante1 · 10/07/2018 14:59

It's quite obvious that you can speak to a pharmacist about that. There are signs up in most doctors surgery saying to ask the pharmacist first, then make an appointment only if necessary. Because too many people, like you, want to take up an appointment for something that is not an actual illness or problem. It's inconvenient, but you're clearly in an area where the NHS is struggling, and you want to put more pressure on by wasting their time for this.

Original poster
Sleepyslops · 10/07/2018 15:02

It is inconvenient, you are correct. I dislike going to the GP which is why month after month I have put up with the periods. Now I am going on holiday I don't want to have to take all my pads and tampons and extra clothing, washing powder etc to try deal with it. I literally bleed through a tampon, pad and clothing. I work from home most of the time and have to sit on a towel. Its not nice.

OP posts:
JustVent · 10/07/2018 15:02

*annoyed with.

Dodie66 · 10/07/2018 15:03

At our surgery they have telephone appointments. We just ring and ask. To speak to our GP and they call me back later in the day when they have time
Why don’t you try that?

Dragonniamh · 10/07/2018 15:03

I've got no idea why you're getting such a hard time here, OP.

It's perfectly normal to have a phone appointment to get a doctor to prescribe norethisterone. I'm a GP, and do this a lot, especially during the summer. It doesn't take long at all - just a 60 second chat and then a prescription.

It's perfectly normal and not at all 'selfish' to not want your period on holiday, too. Some posters on here have a very strange attitude, particularly Rocinante1. Ignore her.

Carriemac · 10/07/2018 15:07

you need a mirena not a prescription, no one should have to put up with periods like that, holiday or no holiday

Original poster
Sleepyslops · 10/07/2018 15:09

Thanks Dragon. I have pretty bad anxiety about going to the GP as I find it hard to talk about my mental health problems and I don't feel like I deserve their time, so feeling pretty upset that I worked myself up to get knocked back.

OP posts:
Allergictoironing · 10/07/2018 15:09

Rocinante1 There's a difference between wanting a better time on holiday, and not wanting to be away when you have constant flooding which restricts your holiday to almost not being worth going. I get the feeling you've never suffered from very heavy periods or you would understand the practical issues.

Also, how many of those other GP appointments are minor conditions that a pharmacist could deal with - there's people who go to the GP for standard over the counter type medications because they don't pay for prescriptions, people who see the GP for the smallest of things that should be self-medicated at home. In this case, the OP is trying to ask a comparatively simple question but does need medical advice, and has even asked for a telephone consultation rather than a face to face which would save time.