To be annoyed at how I was treated at the GP’s

[Onionbhajisandwich]

Bit of a back story here - I’ve been unwell with a really nasty chest infection for the last month. I’ve been to the GP’s 3 times so far due to difficulty breathing and at one point I was coughing up blood. I had a chest x ray about a week into the illness (due to coughing up blood) which was clear and I was checked for a blood clot which was also clear. I’ve currently had 3 courses of antibiotics but am still really short of breath - climbing the stairs, walking from the house to the car leave me really short of breath - this is not normal for me at all. I’m 40, asthmatic but generally fit and well otherwise. This illness has really knocked me off my feet. The GP tried to get another X Ray done last week but the local hospital called me and said they had no appointments or capacity to do another x ray.

Yesterday I woke up and as well as being short of breath, my face hurt, around my eyes and right cheek and into my teeth so I assumed a sinus infection. When I blew my nose, it was pink / orange so I guess there is bleeding from somewhere. I generally have a pretty high pain threshold but the pain in my face along with the awful cough and shortness of breath had me in tears.

I called the GP’s, asked for a same day appointment, gave the receptionist all the details and she booked me an appointment. I attended on time, was called in and after I explained the previous issues, the person (wasn’t a GP - some kind of nurse practitioner maybe) asked me why I though a same day appoint was justified. I really was (and still am) genuinely unwell and as it turned out, he went to talk to an actual GP who said I did need another course of antibiotics. He wasn’t nice about it. I left the practice in tears.

The whole exchange has been going round my head ever since - not sure if he was out of order or I was just over sensitive due to being unwell? Not sure whether I should say something to them or just make sure I don’t ever get booked in with him again.

No, I think this is poor.

Do you have a diagnosis of pneumonia or chest infection, OP?

If 3 sets of antibiotics haven’t cleared it then it’s most likely viral.
If you’re asthmatic what is your inhaler plan at the minute? It can take weeks to get a viral cough managed.
I can’t understand why you called the gp because there was a tiny bit of pink blood in the snot. That’s not really that uncommon or a major sign that something is wrong.

I'm surprised they haven't had you on steroids as well . Sounds like you've been receiving some very poor care

@lljkk i initially had a diagnosis of a chest infection a couple of weeks ago, although the GP I saw last week said it could have pneumonia but he couldn’t say for sure without an X-ray, which couldn’t be done.

personally I think it’s pneumonia as I can feel fluid bubbling on my lungs when I breath.

@Albiboba it wasn’t a tiny bit of blood. It was a lot and I called for an appointment because I felt really unwell as well as being in a huge amount of pain 🤷🏻‍♀️

That's really poor. I'd complain to be honest. If you needed antibiotics a same day appointment was absolutely justified, especially with the ongoing issues you've had. We need to move away from the narrative that NHS workers are heroes and we must never complain- they're humans like the rest of us, some good, some less so and if you receive service that's poor or impolite you should definitely complain.

If it was a lot of blood it would have looked like blood, not pink/orange.

I hope you feel better soon op.
Why don't you write a factual, constructive note about when your symptoms started, what AB's you have had and the dates, your breathlessness, the latest symptoms involving pain in your face.

I'd conclude by saying that you are feeling no better after a month, worse in fact and that the last appointment made you feel tearful and you need some help and advice to get better which will only come with an accurate diagnosis and optimal treatment plan.

Finish with hiw happy you've oreviously been with the practice and you hope this can be addressed and something done to help you feel better soon.

they were arseholes to you btw

This.

They didn't find pneumonia, your lungs are clear so you need to rest and let your body do its stuff.

Stay in bed, drink plenty of fluids, take a multi-vitamin, get lots of sleep and don't exert yourself. Track your temperature every 4 hours, and manage it with paracetamol. I know it's boring but there are some nasty viruses around.

No idea why u called the GP, a bit of pink/orange from yr nose.
If yr breathing is bad the advice has always been straight to A&E.

If antibiotics havent cleared it, it doesnt mean it is viral. There is a decent chance that it is bacterial and they havent treated it with the correct antibiotics yet. All bacteria are not the same and if they havent done a sputum culture, they dont know which microbe it might be.

You really need to get in for another Xray. Did the rude clinician use a stethoscope to listen to your chest - front and back? Can you get your GP to try again or at a different location, and as a complete long shot - do you have a minor injuries unit with Xray facilities that can do chest Xrays? Might be worth making a few calls. As a last resort A and E might be the only way to access one.

Totally uncalled for to make you feel bad when you are very low from illness.

Take good care of yourself and rest as other have said

YANBU - Its a six week wait for a routine appointment for our GP. They often tell you to call for a same day appointment if they think its something that cant wait 6 weeks. Its a very inefficient system.

As a PP has suggested document everything and put it in a written complaint to the practice manager. Pneumonia (if it is that) can be stubborn and I'm surprised they aren't reviewing your inhalers as well as getting you seen by a respiratory specialist. If you continue to deteriorate over the weekend and have a high temperature call 111 and present to A&E (I say call 111 because most A&E now requires a 111 booking appointment).

You can also get fungal pneumonia

Breathing issues can also be cardiac.

Get well soon

Is that evey A&E across the country @Isanyoneup ?

I don't know but I know my local one does it and I've seen on here a few people from different parts of the UK say theirs do it too.

Op did you have a scan to check for a clot?

Leave OP alone, my mum has chronic asthma and when she gets short of breath it’s sometimes scary for her and us. The GP receptionist always takes shortness of breath as a symptom seriously.

You’ll be shocked to know that 111 often call an ambulance for my mum if she has a cough and shortness of breath

OP, you were fine, you did nothing wrong.

People seem to hate women advocating for their health and prefer to see them as pushy for some reason.

I don’t see how that’s at all relevant to me saying that a little bit of pink when blowing your nose is not a lot of blood and isn’t a sign of anything itself.

Of course shortness of breath can be serious which is exactly why I asked the OP what her current inhaler plan is. It’s much more likely she needs a review of her inhalers and possibly a course of steroids rather than a 4th round of antibiotics.
Again the shortness of breath needs to be treated by a 10 puff boost of her blue inhaler and potentially A&E.
OP doesn’t say if she did this or if it gave her any relief.

You also said ‘I can’t understand why you called the gp because there was a tiny bit of pink blood in the snot.’, my post was in relation to both your posts.

It’s better of OP gets it checked out.

Years ago I had a non-stop sinusy cold and bit if a cough when pg with dd. I was given 5 days of amoxycillin 250mcg (or mg), didn't work, then 5 days 500 Amoxycillin, didn't work, then 7 days 500 amoxycillin, didn't work. A week later I was breathless and had dreadful chest pain. Got to the Dr's who called an ambulance in case I had a pulmonary embolism. I had pleurisy. I was in hospital on IV ABs for 3 days. The consultant said that if I'd been given a course if Augmentin for a week at the start the whole debacle would probably ha e been avoided.

I know ABs are slammed but between pregnancies I had: tonsillitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, chest infections, etc. I am naturally quite robust. Once I'd had the IV ABs I was right as rain and haven't had any if that for 25 years. I am convinced there was an underlying infection somewhere that amoxyxillin didn't hammer.

Of course you were right to get medical help OP Chest infections can be serious

That’s never been the advice! Most breathing issues can be delt with by GP’s.

If you can’t breathe or are having an asthma attack it’s 999.

I feel your pain!
I had an appointment with a nurse practitioner.
I have really stiff/sore ankles, probably menopausal related.

Her advice?
Wear 2 inch heels 🤣
I have never worn heels in my life, not going to start now.

I won't be having an appointed with her again, waste of both of our times.