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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Paediatric hospital appointments

38 replies

Whatthefunk · 20/12/2018 15:09

Hi all. My son has has an infected, ingrown toenail, for the best part of a year. He's had 4 courses of antibiotics, and numerous trips to the doctors. We've been referred to the podiatrist, but have been waiting for an appointment for 12 weeks. Is this normal ?

OP posts:
Musicaltheatremum · 20/12/2018 15:10

12 weeks plus is standard up here for podiatry. Gastroenterology us 72 weeks now. It's sad.

goldengummybear · 20/12/2018 15:12

Musical - is there a way of finding out how long waiting lists are? My son is waiting to see a paediatrician.

UhUhUhDennis · 20/12/2018 15:13

Just go private. A chiropodist/podiatrist appointment is usually about £50 they can remove the toe nail too.

Original poster
Whatthefunk · 20/12/2018 15:14

God how depressing. He's in agony and because he can't do as much exercise, hes starting to gain weight, which is getting him down...

OP posts:
Original poster
Whatthefunk · 20/12/2018 15:15

Sadly, we just can't afford it. To remove the nail, it's £250...

OP posts:
Sirzy · 20/12/2018 15:15

That quick!

SnuggyBuggy · 20/12/2018 15:16

Sadly yes

christmaschristmaschristmas · 20/12/2018 15:17

A private podiatrist might be able to do something to alleviate other than remove the nail.

Poor kid.

steff13 · 20/12/2018 15:21

My son had surgery on his ingrown toenails, and it's been wonderful for him. He was 16 when he had it, he's 19 now. He said the pain from the recovery was less than the pain of walking around with the ingrown nails.

Maybe if you could do it privately like a PP suggested, you could get it done with more quickly?

Littlefrog99 · 20/12/2018 15:21

@goldengummybear

If you want to find out approximately how long you'll be waiting for you can ring the hospital you've been referred to and ask for the new appointments team. They may not be able to give you an exact time but they are aware how long waiting lists are for each speciality.

Original poster
Whatthefunk · 20/12/2018 15:23

Honestly if I could afford to go private, I would...

OP posts:
goldengummybear · 20/12/2018 15:23

Thank you LittleFrog

christmaschristmaschristmas · 20/12/2018 15:24

Have you rang up and asked to be considered for cancellations?

wagnbobble · 20/12/2018 15:29

Do you live anywhere near a Podiatry training college - I had mine done as a teenager at one in Birmingham ( now Birmingham Met College) for free. Look at College of podiatry website .He doesn't need the nail removing , just a slither taken off both sides and the nail bed cauterising in these areas . Works a treat

steff13 · 20/12/2018 15:30

Hmm. $250 is a lot of money, but not a crazy amount. Is there maybe something you could sell? Or someone you could borrow it from?

UhUhUhDennis · 20/12/2018 15:39

250? Where have you been quoted that? Shop around or as above sell stuff or work extra hours or encourage your son to work some casual hours to raise the money.

UhUhUhDennis · 20/12/2018 15:40

Assuming your son is old enough to work. I had it in my head he's 16 but looking back I must have made that up!

elliejjtiny · 20/12/2018 15:42

Sadly that's fairly normal. It was 3 years from me raising concerns about ds's hearing to getting grommets.

Original poster
Whatthefunk · 20/12/2018 16:07

He's 11 with a gammy foot... a job is not possible

OP posts:
Redken24 · 20/12/2018 16:15

Who's cutting his toenails? Take him to a private one to get the Ingrown one fixed (cheap as to get done) and stop cutting and instead file!

UhUhUhDennis · 20/12/2018 16:18

My husband had a really serious ingrown infected toe nail for years. Got better on and off and eventually was removed under General anaesthetic. He never missed a day of work, so don't let your DS fool you,yes he's too young to work but he's not too ill to not be able to exercise etc. Anyway good luck hope it gets sorted but I would investigate and shop around other options to get it sorted sooner if you can.

Mummyshark2018 · 20/12/2018 16:25

Things have got really bad with the NHS. I suffered badly with ingrowing toenails all my life, so painful. Actually was take. To A&E when I was 11 as the wee so Badly affected (had been away for 3 weeks on an exchange student trip so they didn't know how bad they had got). That was extremely painful. Have also had my two big toenails removed (due to bad infection) by a gp. Didn't need a podiatry appt. is there not a local walk in centre you could take him to?

Mummyshark2018 · 20/12/2018 16:28

@UhUhUhDennis
I'm guessing by your lack of sympathy you have never had an ingrowing toenail? They are extremely painful and yes when I had both my toenails removed when I was 11 I did have a few days at home unable to walk (luckily it was summer but I would have had time off). I couldn't get shoes on as the bandages were so big and I also couldn't wear normal shoes due to pain prior to getting them done. Open toe sandals which wouldn't be I ideal now that it's winter

Mummyshark2018 · 20/12/2018 16:30

Sorry for typos!

shamofamockery · 20/12/2018 18:03

Why do these threads always end up with "go private / sell something / take in laundry". What utter nonsense. Some people are just not able to!!

OP would anything change if you went to A&E? I'd never usually say that but if he's in that much pain and unable to get around it's no less severe than a sprained ankle which millions of people go to A&E for every year!!