To be upset at the GPs comment

[Element4056]

A month ago I noticed a rash forming on my now 17 week old son's forehead. I applied organic coconut oil twice daily to see if it would help. After a few days of this it hadn't cleared, so I called my GP.
GP asked me to bring my son in and after checking him over, prescribed some cream to apply for a week. After a week I noticed that the rash hasn't cleared and in fact spread down his face and across his cheeks. I called and spoke a different GP, and again was prescribed different cream to apply for a week.
Yesterday I noticed that he has a rash all over his back. Clusters of this and different to the rash on his face. I also noticed a rash on his stomach. This morning I called the GP and also mentioned that my son is restless when feeding (he is EBF). We have had issues with feeding for the last two weeks of which I have been in touch with my health visitor. GP asked to bring him in.
My husband went in to see the GP with my son and the GP made a comment towards the end that I feel was unfair. He told my husband in an annoyed voice that he has seen our son plenty of times in such a short time. Suggested that I called often about him. My husband commented that as a new mother I do worry about our son.
I feel really annoyed the GP commented this. As though I've been ringing in for a common cold or a sniffle! I've been made to feel like I shouldn't be calling in and I'm wasting their time.
Any parent with unexplained rashes on their 4 month old would also call their GP for advice. Especially rashes all his back, stomach and face.
Sorry for the rant. It has made me upset and questioning myself.

Oh god our old Dr used to make me feel as though I was making a fuss any time I took our DC in. Didn’t matter what it was about. My DH thought I was exaggerating until he had to take our DS in once...soon saw what the issue was. We’ve moved surgery now and it’s completely different and very much, if in doubt, call.

@MagpieSong

My son used to get serious sepsis infections that could be picked up early and dealt with avoiding hospital IF the GP read the specialist letter and prescribed correct antibiotics prior to sample results returning from lab (the issue was always the same bacteria as stated in letter). GPs STILL often made me feel like I wasted their time and sometimes refused to read the letter at all. It was a battle just to get the urine tested to confirm infection. Don’t take it personally, some GPs have a terrible bedside manner. Your husband also should have supported you and told the GP they were being unnecessarily rude.

I don’t understand why GP’s have such a problem with taking the advice of specialists? My Mum often needs a much longer course of medication than would normally be given, and the Consultant had written to the GP’s twice to ask them what to do and in what circumstances. They just ignore it, it say they can’t find either of the letters, or say well we’ll just give you this much for now, then you can come bag (and beg). It really pisses me off!

I don’t trust GPs with anything except the most mundane stuff. Get a referral to the allergy clinic and mention the ezcema to them. In many areas you can self-refer but if not just ask the surgery to do it.

Grumpy, how discouraging. GPs might not be perfect or get everything 100% right but every day they diagnose or refer on thousands of cases, which action leads to people getting treated or on the road to treatment or diagnosis.

Rightly so, most clinics require a referral....and that comes from the GP. It is absolutely right that the public cannot self diagnose to see a specialist and just refer themselves. Resources are limited and most of us are not experts to make those judgements.

If someone has seen a GP several times about an issue and the GP has not just Ed that a referral is needed, a patient can ask about that. The GP will usually be able to explain clearly why they don’t think it’s needed. If as a patient you still feel you’d like to be referred you can say this and if it’s been an on going issue they usuallly will refer you. However, people should expect to see the GP first and not to just be able to self refer.

Private medicine requires GP referral (might be private GP or NHS one) before seeing a specialist is authorised or treatment okayed. Of course it must be the same in the NHS. A system of triage by experts is needed. Otherwise every person who self-diagnoses on the internet would be referring themselves to specialists costing the NHS millions in un-needed appointments. What a waste.

Yes, there are times when you have to push a bit and yes there are some occasions where GPs might not get it right,but to suggest these are the majority is just crazy.

@WombatChocolate when it comes to my DC.. yes they have all (all 6) been crap. Which is unusual because for me they have been fantastic.

I’ll compare it to me calling to explain I felt unexplainably exhausted in the first trimester of my second pregnancy (a pretty subjective symptom I hope you’ll agree): immediately checked iron/glucose tests recently performed by midwives, ok. Booked me in for next day blood test to check for any thyroid issues. Booked separate appt for general check at the GP where they could go through my previous birth and symptoms more closely.

I was taken very seriously and immediately referred for further investigatory testing.. because I felt exhausted.

I had to take my DC 6 times (!!!) seeing 6 different GPs when his face was leaking clear fluid and he was writhing around every night not sleeping more than 45 minutes for them to umm/ahh/it’s normal for eczema/here’s some steroid cream/here’s stronger steroid cream/here’s our strongest steroid cream. It wasn’t normal what I was describing/presenting them with.

It doesn’t seem like this is the only case, lots of mothers I read threads from on here don’t seem to be listened to by their GP when it comes to their DC.

Wombatchocolate
“ GP. It is absolutely right that the public cannot self diagnose to see a specialist and just refer themselves.” I think people can go directly to a specialist in Germany. Perhaps in this case it would be a paediatrician first.

You were right to get it checked, if you hadn’t, chances are you would have ended up going eventually and it would be said to you why did you not get it checked sooner so I would forget about that comment!!!

@WetWeekends, I know. I think this was a case of assuming I was some over anxious FTM who had no idea what she was talking about. I had to literally hold up the urine sample full of rock salt sized crystals in front of her before she agreed to test it! She still would not take the letter though.

Also to the pp saying people are too quick to judge GPs - I disagree. I give them a good chance and am very thankful for good ones. However, their lack of action caused a febrile seizure in my son as well as hospital stays that could have been avoided. Are all GPs like that? No. Are some? Absolutely. I even phoned a lab to get results because they got stuck in some stupid folder at the GPs and the GP kept saying they weren’t in yet (it does NOT take 3 weeks for a culture). The lab tech was super helpful, faxed them over to GP and phoned them to say give these to Mum urgently. Some GPs and GP receptionists are a nightmare to deal with. It’s not a rare experience on speaking to other parents inpatient with their children.