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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Should the GP not have been able to do this?

206 replies

ohthatbloodycat · 09/07/2021 20:35

This strikes me as a bit ridiculous, but do correct me if you feel I'm in the wrong.
My 15 year old got her ears pierced as a birthday treat a week ago. I think the earring on one side had been fitted a bit too tightly; it had always been tender, but got sore last night. My plan had been to go to the piercing place in the morning to ask their advice.
This morning when my daughter woke up, the stud part at the front had completely embedded itself in her lobe. All you could see was the butterfly sticking out the back. Her ear became swollen and very painful, unsurprisingly enough. I should add that she cleaned them each day religiously, and the other ear was fine.
Because the skin had closed over it in the night, I wasn't able to pull it out myself. I phoned our GP surgery for some advice. The receptionist checked and then came back to say that the GP wouldn't do it, and the practice nurse was busy all day. I then had the faff of phoning 111 (on GP's advice) and they eventually sorted me out an appointment at the A&E hospital miles away. There was no time to take the bus (I don't have a car currently), so I spent £20 on a taxi there. And then the bus on the way home. My daughter wasn't numbed up, or anything like that. The nurse warned her that it would be painful, as he pulled the stud through the skin of her ear. And it was, but over quickly thankfully!
This seemed like a palaver for a simple procedure, that surely the GP could have carried out. Rather than leave the paediatric A&E department to sort it out, particularly as Covid cases have risen in my city.
Even the NHS phone operator sounded surprised that they had refused to do it.
AIBU?

OP posts:

ArnoldBee · 09/07/2021 21:42

My hubby has just had to wait 3 weeks for a gp appt for Cellulitis as they have been over capacity. We sat for 4 hours in the car park of the urgent care centre to try and get treatment which we knew he needed antibiotics. In your case we would have given it a go ourselves before going to A and E.

EmpressSuiko · 09/07/2021 21:45

When I was young I had an allergic reaction to a pair of earrings and both became imbedded in my ears over night, we were sent straight up to the hospital to get it sorted but I was too young so no idea if it was something a gp could sort.
I will say for any further piercings sort out a well known and experienced piercer with good reviews, they are usually part of tattoo studios and have a lot more knowledge and expertise when it comes to piercings.

Walkaround · 09/07/2021 21:45

I would have gone to minor injuries with that - it’s clearly a minor injury… I wouldn’t even have thought about asking for a GP appointment to sort it, given the existence of minor injuries units, tbh, as it was self-evidently a minor issue that needed resolving quickly.

twig1234 · 09/07/2021 21:47

@MonkeyPuddle

I’m a practice nurse and it’s not something I’d remove purely as I’ve never done it nor had any training on it and frankly could cause a bit of damage if I cocked it up. I would give a go on my own child mind you.

And for the posters who say the surgeries aren’t open we’ve been triaging, seeing, calling hundreds of patients daily. Today I’ve seen over 25. But yeah, just sat there, developing a side hustle. I was remote triaging while pumping breast milk on my 20 minute lunch break. Fuck me. Fuck this.

Yep agree, I see posts constantly that say gp practices are closed, we are sitting on our arses. I try to ignore but I do occasionally think 'oh fuck off' Minor illness clinic, 30 pts back to back f2f some telephone. Mainly f2f. No one in my surgery has a side line in making masks... However back to the op I actually agree that she tried to do the right thing. Some surgery gps will help some will refer. I would have helped but again if I have no free appt? I hope her ear is ok.

chaosrabbitland · 09/07/2021 21:48

i had this problem with an infected steel nose ring many years ago in canada , i tried pulling it out and couldnt for love or money , so it was half wedged and hurting like hell , doctors walk in surgerys are different over there and for the sum of 50 bucks he proceded to unveil 2 large forboding tweezers and yard it out of my nose , it hurt as much having it taken out as it did to have it put in , its possible that gp surgerys possible dont have this kind of equpiment maybe , or maybe canadian doctors have a much more can do attitude than english ones , he was joking how many different things hed seen , but my jammed nose ring was his first !

Regularsizedrudy · 09/07/2021 21:49

Superdrug!? Oh noooo

Butchyrestingface · 09/07/2021 21:49

This morning when my daughter woke up, the stud part at the front had completely embedded itself in her lobe. All you could see was the butterfly sticking out the back. Her ear became swollen and very painful, unsurprisingly enough. I should add that she cleaned them each day religiously, and the other ear was fine.

This happened to me when I was 12 (30 years ago). Think it was an allergic reaction. It was the practice nurse who teased the star-shaped studs out back then, not a GP. Pain was considerable.

Sillyduckseverywhere · 09/07/2021 21:52

@ohthatbloodycat

I did, so please read the full thread. The piercer (a well known, national one) refused to sort it.

So Claire's then? They are shocking, not surprising they refused to touch it. Piercings should not be done with (virtually impossible to sterilise) guns wielded by undertrained people. Please don't go back there.

MichelleScarn · 09/07/2021 21:53

@ancientgran

I once heard a doctor in an A&E talking about things that were an issue for him. He said he hated having to treat children who had problems with piercings, his view was parents should be prosecuted for child abuse. Might be a bit extreme but I suppose he knows more about it than I do.

I don't think extreme at all, because they're an adult who's care you are in, they can permanently leave you marked with metal?

PinkDaffodil2 · 09/07/2021 21:58

It isn’t a GP job unless the particular surgery has an extra contract for minor injuries. GP is reasonable for antibiotics but wouldn’t have anyone trained / indemnified for urgent procedures and it isn’t in the GP contract.
It would be unfair to squeeze you in at the expense of someone who needs an appointment for something that is a GP job and only the GP can provide.
Minor ops is entirely appropriate. Or DIY if you felt brave. Rubbish of the piercer not to offer any aftercare.

slashlover · 09/07/2021 21:59

@ohthatbloodycat

It was Superdrug, with a fully grown adult. And yes, I absolutely did go. They were prompt to refund me.

Why are people still asking if it's Claire's? OP clarified over an hour ago that it was SUPERDRUG.

Original poster

ohthatbloodycat · 09/07/2021 21:59

Thanks for the replies. Having read my OP, I do agree that I didn't make myself clear about visiting the piercer. But I did do it, before phoning the GP.
I won't be visiting the same place again, so no worries there! And it wasn't Claire's tears hair out but I guess they're all of a similar ilk, unless a professional outfit.
Lesson learnt!

OP posts:

Original poster

ohthatbloodycat · 09/07/2021 22:00

@slashlover

Thanks!

OP posts:

Miseryl · 09/07/2021 22:01

Piercing guns are rank and dirty. Should've taken her to a proper piercer.

Feather12 · 09/07/2021 22:02

I am surprised anyone would still get a piercing with a gun. Especially 15 year olds. (Doing it themselves with a needle and some ice maybe). As already said, a trained piercer would have sorted that out quickly. Was it a piercing in a tender place? Or just the lobes?

ancientgran · 09/07/2021 22:02

@MichelleScarn I know nothing about piercings, I don't have any, my mother and sister never had them, my daughter hasn't got them. My DD did want them when she was a child and I always said you can do what you want to your body when you are 18, until then unless it is medically necessary we will just leave it as it is. I don't understand why anyone would do something potentially harmful to their child but lots of people do it. I'm not sure there would be much support for a child abuse prosecution but I do sympathise with the doctor who must feel it is a. a waste of his time and b. he probably doesn't like seeing a child needlessly in pain.

Dazedandconfused170 · 09/07/2021 22:02

Something similar happened to me when I was younger it got completely stuck in my ear. Luckily the piercing place cut it off but they did struggle. They said if they’re unable to do it to go to A&E, I don’t think I would have called them GP tbh

Original poster

ohthatbloodycat · 09/07/2021 22:02

@Miseryl

Piercing guns are rank and dirty. Should've taken her to a proper piercer.

Yup. Lesson learnt, as I said before.

OP posts:

bloodyhell19 · 09/07/2021 22:03

Please don't go to a beauty suppliers to get piercings... Particularly if they use a piercing gun. They're not fit for purpose and impossible to effectively clean properly. Go to an actual piercer.

I had something similar happen with a nose piercing and had to go to A&E for the removal as it needed anaesthetic. Your GP was correct to send you to the hospital, why waste time going to the surgery only to be sent to the hospital if your daughter needed a local anaesthetic for removal. YABU.

Paddling654 · 09/07/2021 22:05

People can be very rude! I think you did everything you could, OP. It doesn't surprise me that the piercers couldn't sort it out - they're piercers, not medics! At the same time, there's a limit to what GPs are trained to do, you know! My family is riddled with them and they don't do things like this. They have to do special training just to cut a little cyst off and they usually haven't done that training! It's a pity the practice nurse wasn't willing to have a go but I can see why she wouldn't.

FlyingBattie · 09/07/2021 22:07

OPs Child is 15 and quite able to consent to ear piercing. It's not in any way child abuse, that is insanity.
There is an argument against piercing babies or very young children but FGS, a 15 year old should have some body autonomy and be able to get their ears pierced if they want to!

Original poster

ohthatbloodycat · 09/07/2021 22:09

Thanks. It has been a shit day all in, and I regret posting on here, and some of the replies have got me down. I don't think I understand Mumsnet very well at times. Ah well, at least her ear is now sorted, which is the main thing.
Talk about a birthday treat gone wrong!

OP posts:

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 09/07/2021 22:11

@MonkeyPuddle

Don't worry, the majority of sensible folk know that you are all working hard. I've had brilliant service from my GP surgery over the past few months. Thank you for everything you and your colleagues are doing!

Tistheseason17 · 09/07/2021 22:11

Your daughter needed urgent care. Your GP is not set up as a minor injuries unit or urgent care like A&E. Minor surgery (incisions/excisions) are not core GP work. Minor injuries unit or children's A&E were most appropriate.
YABU.

WilsonMilson · 09/07/2021 22:12

Total waste of NHS time, surely you could have done this yourself.

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