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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Doctors ignoring me for a year and now it's come to this

380 replies

Laurawharton · 05/02/2023 03:46

Aibu to think I should go to a and e tomorrow (really don't want to as I know they are busy) or just face the fact that no one cares
Had a lump appear by my eye last Christmas. I thought it was a spot until it didn't move for 3 months so phoned the doctors who wouldn't see me face to face but told me that it would need to be off in a strict 6 month time scale if it's not gone by then. 6 months later I phoned to say it's still there and now larger. I had a different doctor who basically said 'and why are you telling us that go private it's cosmetic'. Phoned again to get a face to face as everyone was screaming cancer at me, finally got a face to face and told they don't know what it is but yeah go private to have it off or join a over 2 year waiting list.
Anyway about a month ago it grew big again so phoned them as I was concerned as it's so close to my eye and was starting to mess with my vision and give me headache and that side of my face kept going numb. They said they referred me but still heard nothing. Now it's the size of a golf ball red and angry closing up half my eye. Swollen both my eye lid and my under eye. Painful as hell I Carnt sleep don't want to eat, put it this way I was a size 16 now even size ten is a bit big on me. I Carnt sleep properly, people keep staring at me when I go out so I no longer want to leave the house. I saw the doctor again and all he said was he will send fresh pictures along to my referral.
I don't know what to do I'm scared I'm going to blind in one eye due to the pressure and I'm not sure how my face will now look after it's gone if they ever get round to it. How long can they leave me in this much pain.
Is it worth just going down a and e and seeing if they will do anything? my partner has already stopped me twice from taking matters into my own hands aka self removal. My thinking was if I mess up they will have to something, I know it's not the right thing to do but I'm so scared and in so much pain.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Crumpetdisappointment · 05/02/2023 14:03

she wont lose her sight, have you looked at the picture she posted? @JenniferBooth

007DoubleOSeven · 05/02/2023 14:03

JenniferBooth · 05/02/2023 14:01

Im willing to bet that the same people begrudging the OP an A&E visit would also be begrudging her getting benefits if she lost her sight.

Only after they'd been outraged she hadn't received better treatment or fought hard enough for medical attention

Unsure33 · 05/02/2023 14:05

JenniferBooth · 05/02/2023 14:01

Im willing to bet that the same people begrudging the OP an A&E visit would also be begrudging her getting benefits if she lost her sight.

I don’t think the OP a should take advice off the internet . I had shingles very close to my eye and was taken seriously because of the optic nerve . If the OP is in a lot of pain then surely they should go ? What if it is infected ?

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 05/02/2023 14:08

Rollonspring23 · 05/02/2023 12:55

Why not head to your walk in centre? It’s not a choice between A and E or GP, the walk in centre is there for things that need treating promptly but aren’t an emergency. It looks like it’s progressed and sounds like it could be infected in which case antibiotics are needed promptly, that doesn’t however mean an A and E visit is required. Or alternatively heading back to your GP tomorrow, as your condition has worsened. I hope you get sorted.

I went to the walk in centre with a Bartholins cyst and was sent to A&E as they don't deal with cysts. I'd tried getting through to my GP but got a recorded message at 8am saying all appointments had gone for the day so I had no other choice as I was in agony.

Unsure33 · 05/02/2023 14:11

Merryoldgoat · 05/02/2023 11:46

I’m not a ‘don’t go to A&E’ type but they won’t do anything.

That is almost certainly a cyst and looks infected. I agree that a course of antibiotics would help as my sister had a near identical situation and that helped a lot.

It will need excision but you will probably need to go private.

I think you are right , it could be infected and the fact it is close to the eye is causing pain . So it should be checked . The OP should check how much to go private and not just assume it’s thousands , it might not be . I know someone who had a ganglion cyst and it was considered cosmetic and she went private and it was not a huge amount of money . Perhaps the OP a should worry more about why she has lost a lot of weight if it’s not related ?

catsonahottinroof · 05/02/2023 14:11

I thought it looked like a cyst too. My dd keeps getting them and they normally get really big and painful quite quickly by which time we now go straight to A&E as GPs and 111 just send there anyway. It needs draining or it can cause complications.

LakieLady · 05/02/2023 14:13

Do you have Urgent Treatment Centres in your area, OP? That might be more appropriate than A&E.

The ones round my way have nurse practitioners who can prescribe, and if they think it needs A&E, they'll refer you on and you don't have to wait as long when you get there.

GrantShappsAteMyBrain · 05/02/2023 14:14

Wow. Definitely go to a & e. I can't believe how casual your GP is about this. I don't know if it's an emergency but none of us can know that. You have every right to go to a n to check out if it is an emergency or not. I can't believe the number of people telling you this isn't an emergency. Maybe it wasn't a year ago but it sure is.something that needs looking at now and not in two years..

Stop telling people that their problems aren't worthy of attention. What's wrong with you people? During lockdown we got a message from our local NHS telling us that a n e is still open to look at emergencies as too many people were avoiding it because of the stupid "save the NHS" message.

Hopefully it's nothing serious op but only a doctor can tell you that.

If you really insist on being a martyr and potentially risking your sight or your life because you think they are not worthy of getting a look at then you can also try to find a prescribing optician. They can usually deal with more issues than other opticians, prescribe medication and refer you. I saw one for an eye infection that standard anti biotics didn't help with and though he was part of a private optician he didn't charge me as he said my infection would be covered by the NHS. Your usual optician will.be able to advise you where to find a prescribing one.

Good luck (and please please please do get it checked out somewhere. You are not wasting anyone's time. That's what the NHS is here for. It's not just accidents, strokes and heart attacks. Other things can absolutely be an emergency).

Verbena17 · 05/02/2023 14:20

Laurawharton · 05/02/2023 05:39

Unfortunately I'm in the Midlands with only buses for transport I think the first bus is at 10 due to it being sunday

Is this any good - if you’re able to access privately?
Stoneygate Eye Hospital

whatadoodledo · 05/02/2023 14:21

@Sidge being referred onto a 2 year waiting list is not help Confused

JenniferBooth · 05/02/2023 14:25

Well said @GrantShappsAteMyBrain Im sick of people acting like the NHS is a church instead of a service.

justasking111 · 05/02/2023 14:33

I've had six eye operations to save my optic nerves. This is an emergency. My optician referred me in the first place to the eye clinic after my GP referred me urgently to my optician.

@Laurawharton I really hope you're being seen now

Sidge · 05/02/2023 14:37

whatadoodledo · 05/02/2023 14:21

@Sidge being referred onto a 2 year waiting list is not help Confused

What else are they supposed to do?

GPs have no control over waiting lists!

And if she sees them tomorrow with a now-infected cyst/lipoma I’m sure they’ll treat her accordingly.

Long waiting lists are shit. GPs will agree with you they are excessively long and it’s shit at the moment but they can’t magically shorten them.

Nocutenamesleft · 05/02/2023 14:38

Laurawharton · 05/02/2023 11:03

When the lump first came on my face it was small enough to be removed at the doctors I was told by the first one that said will have it removed in 6 months as it would be just consider minor op they had some one who does this type of thing think she was leaning towards it being a limpomas I think it's spelt. Unfortunately the male doctor didn't see the need for this and now it's the size and place it's gone to the doctors are having to refer me on.
By reactions since I've sent the photo means people now think it's not an emergency and I should sit and wait for my referral to come though even if it takes weeks or months. I just thought being in this much pain and it putting pressure on my eye and swollen around my eye that maybe the doctors wasn't taking it seriously.

Absolutely go to an and e. My friend had a lump that was near her eye. Huge like that. But not red. Red and angry usually means infection

anyway hers turned out to be tumour. 4 years they’d told her it was nothing!!! She had to have an op that cut all her nerves in her face and her face dropped for over 2 years

so yes go get it checked out. Pain management if nothing else.

OrchardBloom · 05/02/2023 14:38

My sister went to A&E and it saved her life. She did everything right and by the book, was told her pain was an ovarian cyst and it needed no treatment. In fact her ovarian lump was cancer and it was not until she wait 8 months for treatment via the GP that she went to A&E in desperation. Fast tracked for tests, 3 weeks later she was booked in for a radiacal hysterectomy and is now cancer free.

They told her that the weight loss was key...it raises huge red flags to any health professional, just not her GP! Go - advocate for yourself!

Mummyoflittledragon · 05/02/2023 14:41

CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson · 05/02/2023 13:11

I've only read the OP posts.

That looks like an abscess. Probably started as a sebaceous cyst given description which wasn't an emergency but it is now. So GP haven't necessarily been negligent as until it's infected it's not an urgent problem at all. But now it might be.

A and E is absolutely appropriate. If it is an abscess it needs draining or it won't get better.

I'm a doctor.

I am glad a doctor is cutting through the don’t go to A&E crowd.

I really hope that you’ve gone to A&E or the closest eye clinic op. The weight loss is also concerning.

bellswithwhistles · 05/02/2023 14:44

It's your eye You don't mess about with that!

A&E of course.

Why should a complaint be put in about the practice manager?! Doesn't sound like the OP has pushed to be physically seen at all. I would have gone in and raised merry hell. And if they were insisting it's nothing wrong and to go private, yes, I would get a credit card and go private. People do need to take responsibility themselves for how serious they think something is. It's like people waiting 4+ hour for an ambulance instead of just getting a taxi and going!

JenniferBooth · 05/02/2023 14:49

One of our taxi companies had fifty drivers pre lockdowns. Post lockdowns they have nineteen. Actions have consequences. Less taxi drivers means less chance of getting a taxi.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 05/02/2023 14:55

And if they were insisting it's nothing wrong and to go private, yes, I would get a credit card and go private. People do need to take responsibility themselves for how serious they think something is. It's like people waiting 4+ hour for an ambulance instead of just getting a taxi and going!

You do know that's it's not always as simple as 'get a credit card and go private'? Talk about blame the patient rather than the NHS

PollyAmour · 05/02/2023 15:10

Ouch, that looks so sore. Go to A&E. I'm shocked and upset on your behalf that you've been ignored for so long. It looks infected and angry, definitely some kind of emergency treatment is needed right now.

I'm not sure why you have lost so much weight though, has the pain affected your appetite? Or is the weight just dropping off for no obvious reason?

Sending you healing vibes and positive thoughts, I really hope you feel better soon.

newnamethanks · 05/02/2023 15:19

Outrageous OP, what treatment. Go to A&E immediately this shouldn't be ignored. I hope you recover very soon but you need treatment for that to happen, please act as soon as you can.

PreVerbalGerbil · 05/02/2023 15:26

I don’t know why people are still insisting this is an eye problem. It is a skin lump close to the eye. At worst it will swell and cause the eye to be more closed but this does not permanently affect vision. Unless it was impinging on the optic nerve which in this case is anatomically impossible.

I am a qualified eye care professional, not diagnosing from my armchair as previous posters have wrongly assumed. If you came into my triage room I would be sending you to main A&E as it would be dermatology or plastics dealing with this.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 05/02/2023 15:30

Sounds awful OP.

Hope you can get it sorted out soon.

Main thing I wanted to say is I have multiple lipomas and they are mainly on my limbs and torso - only one on my lower arm is noticeable so I'm lucky in that regard. So if it is a lipoma surely it's unusual in that location (did some research when they started becoming noticeable and GP just said they were normal as long as they don't cause pain etc). Also, never have I heard of a lipoma becoming angry like that so it should definitely be seen - a few posts from medics concur I see.

Something like that so close to the eye should surely be an urgent matter.

Best wishes OP x

Twinsmummy1812 · 05/02/2023 15:31

I have read your posts but not all the thread so I’m sorry if this has been said but it looks more like a skin issue than an eye issue. St Michael’s skin clinic (one in Shrewsbury and one in Much Wenlock) would be able to help you. It’s private so you’ll need to pay but they’re lovely and should be fairly quick. I would imagine it’s a cyst if it’s uncomfortable so should be easily dealt with. Good luck @Laurawharton

lljkk · 05/02/2023 15:37

bellac11 · 05/02/2023 12:43

If you cant eat or drink thats fairly life threatening.

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Well, not if it's norovirus. I mean, there's time.