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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
TheGoogleMum · 05/02/2023 11:07

If they thought it could be cancer you would have been seen by a specialist already. I think non urgent waiting lists to see specialists are terrible at the moment. Is not being able to see a new symptom? I wonder if you should GP again tomorrow? I don't know enough about these things to know if they could offer you anything or make your referral anymore urgent

DinkyDaisy · 05/02/2023 11:09

Sorry if missed information but why hasn't GP prescribed antibiotics already? If hasn't, clearly doesn't think infection.
If my face was going numb, I was losing weight and my life severely impacted as ops is I would be pushing hard for action.
Good luck op if going to A&E. Do not belittle the impact this is having on you by making jokes.

Waitingaround · 05/02/2023 11:14

Personally I think Minor injuries or A&E for antibiotics and a check over. People go with much less

CaraVann · 05/02/2023 11:17

Did you mentioned the weight loss to the gp? Have you been actively trying to lose weight op? A&E is definitely the right place if this is causing you so much discomfort but the weight loss, if unplanned, needs to be mentioned. Tell them everything you have been experiencing recently.

LakieLady · 05/02/2023 11:25

I know not everyone has the money to go private, OP, but there's a dermatologist in Brighton who does photo/telephone consultations and only charges £50. I wonder if there might be something similar in your area, it might be affordable and would get things moving a bit more quickly.

My stepson's just consulted them about what he thought was an abscess on his back, because he couldn't get to see his GP.

She thinks it's an infected cyst, prescribed antibiotics, and is emailing his GP to suggest they refer him through the NHS.

zingally · 05/02/2023 11:25

You've let it get to the size of a GOLF BALL before deciding to push this? Jesus. Go to the hospital NOW.

Everyonehasavoice · 05/02/2023 11:29

Apologies for stating the obvious….but….A&E is for emergencies.

Why don’t you ask the gp why they’ve been fobbing you off for so long…..threaten to report them to GMC. Send in email, so it’s official.

That should get things moving

AtrociousCircumstance · 05/02/2023 11:37

Bollocks. Go to A&E.

DoorstoManual · 05/02/2023 11:37

Cyst

Warm not too hot face flannel to draw the poison out.

Google magnesium sulphate.

Oh and at the risk of stating the obvious, it is neither an accident nor an emergency.

AtrociousCircumstance · 05/02/2023 11:41

Lots of unqualified medical advice here OP.

It’s a massive angry lump near your eye and it needs to be dealt with. You’ve already been patient and tried to deal with it via GP. You’re in pain and you don’t know what exactly it is. Go and get it checked out.

Schnooze · 05/02/2023 11:44

Dies it make your eye just uncomfortable or are you actually experiencing worse? If worse go to a&e, if not then ring 111 and ask if you perhaps need antibiotics.

Original poster
Laurawharton · 05/02/2023 11:45

Everyonehasavoice · 05/02/2023 11:29

Apologies for stating the obvious….but….A&E is for emergencies.

Why don’t you ask the gp why they’ve been fobbing you off for so long…..threaten to report them to GMC. Send in email, so it’s official.

That should get things moving

This is exactly why I started this thread as I don't want to go for them to look at me like I'm wasting there time. I just think the lack of sleep and pain and pressure on my eye is getting to me, I haven't got great vision as it is as was born with a squint I had to have operated on. sometimes find it hard to focus and now I feel like I'm loosing the battle to try and actually see properly and focus. Also being scared to leave the house is also getting me down but I Carnt take the pointing and staring anymore, also not being able to see that great and being a bit disoriented isn't great aswell.
But yes maybe they are doing everything and I'm being impatient and a bit emotional about the whole thing.

OP posts:
ittakes2 · 05/02/2023 11:45

It looks red and inflamed to me so maybe its infected. Just ring 111 or go to A&E or even the eye hospital - choose something right for you. Ignore people telling you to wait you obviously posted on here because you are stressed and in pain - and no one on the internet can judge or assess your pain but you. I have several lymphoma - none of which hurt. Google Dr Pimple Popper and you'll see loads of them (don't attempt to clear yourself though) but you will see from her videos these people have even bigger ones than you and they are not in pain with them. Lymphoma or not - you have pain and blurry vision and need to see someone ASAP.

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.

AtrociousCircumstance · 05/02/2023 11:49

OP stop being so passive and controlled by the disapproval of some other random people on the internet - go to A&E. You’ve got blurred vision, pain and what is obviously raging infection by your eye.

Everyonehasavoice · 05/02/2023 11:51

Laurawharton · 05/02/2023 11:45

This is exactly why I started this thread as I don't want to go for them to look at me like I'm wasting there time. I just think the lack of sleep and pain and pressure on my eye is getting to me, I haven't got great vision as it is as was born with a squint I had to have operated on. sometimes find it hard to focus and now I feel like I'm loosing the battle to try and actually see properly and focus. Also being scared to leave the house is also getting me down but I Carnt take the pointing and staring anymore, also not being able to see that great and being a bit disoriented isn't great aswell.
But yes maybe they are doing everything and I'm being impatient and a bit emotional about the whole thing.

Show quote history

You’re not being impatient and you have every right to be emotional
the gps have been ignoring you
Ask them for a time frame to be seen and point out when you first approached them with this issue.

As a last resort go and sit in another gps surgery and wait for a last minute appointment, I did this with one of my DSs once as I couldn't get an appointment at my own surgery for weeks. I lied and said we were on holiday.

If that’s what it takes

DinkyDaisy · 05/02/2023 11:51

So, if an infection needs treating asap...like today.
How does the op get antibiotics today?
111?
A&E?
35 pounds with a service like Superdrug on lone for video, private doctors appointment?
She is in pain, it is getting bigger, it is impacting her eyesight, she is losing weight for some reason...

bellac11 · 05/02/2023 11:55

I wouldnt go to A+E for that. If it started being painful a while ago I would have gone back t the GP, or even saw a pharmacist, or even phoned the out of hours GP to see if someone could see if its infected

Its not surprisingly the area around it is numb, it might be pressing on nerve endings.
They will remove it easily enough when they get you to the top of the list but its not an accident or an emergency, its not life threatening.

bellac11 · 05/02/2023 11:56

DinkyDaisy · 05/02/2023 11:51

So, if an infection needs treating asap...like today.
How does the op get antibiotics today?
111?
A&E?
35 pounds with a service like Superdrug on lone for video, private doctors appointment?
She is in pain, it is getting bigger, it is impacting her eyesight, she is losing weight for some reason...

111 of course, they will prescribe antibiotics, OP can send them a picture if necessary, OP can go and collect from the pharmacy.

DinkyDaisy · 05/02/2023 12:00

Link I sent is for Superdrug skin doctor. You can do GP online as well I think.
However, sitting on 111 until get action might be option.

ScrantonDunderMifflin · 05/02/2023 12:00

I'd call 111 OP x

Godlovesall26 · 05/02/2023 12:01

I’d call 111 also

Crumpetdisappointment · 05/02/2023 12:01

I would have gone back t the GP, or even saw a pharmacist, or even phoned the out of hours GP to see if someone could see if its infected
i agree- or minor injuries

twitterexile · 05/02/2023 12:02

OP ignore all of the armchair doctors on here. Go to A&E and tell them that things have worsened, you have pain, numbness and that it is now impacting your vision. Do NOT let people make you feel bad for doing this.