To worry about what the GP will think?

[wasiweirdonthephone]

For some reason I have a real hang up about people hearing me on the phone, unless it’s the person at the other end of the line. I can’t stand it. I’m ND and I think maybe this is just a personality quirk of mine.

I was on the phone to the GP and went to take the call upstairs, announcing to DH that I was going to take a private call. DH claims he didn’t hear me and wanted to know what it was so he came upstairs into the bedroom and asked if I was ok. I mouthed I’m on the phone and he didn’t catch it, lingering in the doorway for about 5-10 seconds. I told the GP to bear with me and then was frantically mouthing at DH to go out. I don’t think I actually spoke. It was another 5 or 10 seconds or so before he shut the door and did this.

It was a bit weird and I’m hoping the GP didn’t hear anything. If they did would they put it on my record? I just felt embarrassed about being on the phone and was asking for another week on my sick note, some of the questions asked were personal. I’d tell DH separately but just didn’t want him privy to a medical conversation.

Before the pile on I know it’s ’not normal’ to take phone calls in another room and is a bit of a weird thing to do but just wondering if the GP will think it was weird or not really think anything of it

I honestly don't think the GP will have noticed.

My DP always leaves the room to take a phone call. I thought it was a bit weird as it's not something we do in our family, but having overheard some of the boring conversations he has, I now appreciate it. He usually leaves the room when I start talking on the phone.

I doubt the GP would have even noticed. Don’t worry about it

GP won't care. People are very private about medical stuff here (am not British) it's not weird at all to take a call from GP in another room. What on earth would GP put in your record about this?

You husband is the weird one for following you upstairs! Why did he do that?

Kindly OP, you are overthinking this!

GP will just think that you've been interrupted by the postman / a child / DH and not think about it at all. I wouldn't have even registered.

Regarding taking calls in other rooms, it's a bit odd. If it was a change in behaviour I'd say it's a red flag, but if this is how you've always been it's not particularly noteworthy.

Personally, I cannot keep still when I'm on the phone. I have to get up and walk around and around the house, back and forth. So we all have quirks - don't be self-conscious about them. But similarly be aware that it's a you thing, so don't get angry at DH for missing the cue.

Apparently he thought I said I’m taking a picture not a phone call!

The GP will have so many other things to deal with that they won’t remember anything about it as soon as they put the phone down. There’s absolutely no chance they would waste time writing about it in records

Then why did he linger when you were clearly not taking a photo? Why would he need to watch you taking a photo anyway

Does he have form for invading your privacy? H following me around like the cat would drive me nuts.

I think all of this sounds absolutely normal.

Taking medical phone calls in another room? Normal.

Mouthing "go away" etc audibly? Also fully normal. Even if your GP heard, they won't think it's at all strange. (They might assume you were talking to kids, though - your husband sounds a bit obtuse.)

I would imagine at least 50% of the calls that your GP makes to patients probably start with one or both of these things. They're a GP, they know people don't like to broadcast their medical data, and they know a lot of people aren't going to be on their own when they get the call.

If it makes you feel better OP, I had to try and discuss rectal bleeding with my GP whilst stuck on a bus that was stuck in traffic. Driver wouldn’t let me off and I didn’t want to not talk to the GP as I really needed them to do a referral for a colonoscopy for me.

I’m a GP. Wouldn’t think twice about this, and think it’s a perfectly “normal” thing to do. The only thing that might have happened is they might have put the phone down and called you back if it was silent for a while thinking there was a problem with the connection, but that clearly wasn’t the case so I doubt they even noticed. Don’t worry!

I have worked in a General Practice and I can say with certainty that they won't have noticed or cared. People always pause to speak to their kids/say hi to neighbours etc etc during phone appointments. It won't go in your notes so please don't worry. It's also totally ok to go into another room to take a call, I would do the same even for non personal matters.

Your husband was being annoyed on purpose and knew perfectly well what you were doing

GP won't care

the gp would probably just think your line went for a few seconds x

They won't be bothered
I get a call from haematology every month and guaranteed I have to say "hang on while I finish with a customer/tell my manager"

I doubt the doctor would even have noticed but I don't really understand why the big fuss and frantic mouthing? Surely you just say out loud I'm on the phone DH just give me a minute.

It's totally normal to take a medical call privately away from others. The doctor was talking to you and listening to you, not possible random others making background noise. And what could they put on your medical records 'person could be heard asking another person to leave the room'? Why would they think or need to write something like that?
It's all fine. Please don't worry.

Funnily enough I was on the phone extending my sick note for stress/anxiety so as you can see this has become another anxiety 😂 (I am managing it well and already feeling better).

Thank you everyone who’s commented! I also think DH was possibly just being nosey!

Honestly if I were you I'd be a lot more bothered about DH wanting to listen in to my private phone call than what my GP thought about it.

This

I don't like talking on the phone in front of others either and think there's nothing wrong with going to another room, particularly when it's a personal topic. As others have said the GP won't have registered it, interruptions will happen all the time (kids, partners, someone at the door etc) and even if they did there'd be no reason to put that in your notes.