To think urgent should mean urgent??

[seasid]

TMI but I have had blood in my stools for the past months and extreme stomach pain and bloating to the point that I can’t eat without belly going rock solid and agonisingly painful. I had a stool test (the one bringing with c) and my result was 1904. The guideline was anything over 100 is a risk, 100-250 is a high risk and over 250 is concerning and requires an urgent appointment.

so considering my result is almost two thousand and I have blood in my stool - I should be seen urgently. Apparently not, I got put on the ‘normal urgent’ list and have been waiting almost two months. I chase up every single week and am being told to just ‘wait’. I’m severely concerned and no one is helping me and I’m so gutted that my symptoms are severe and my test results are severe yet I’m being treated as if it’s just slightly high results instead of results that are sky high.

Assuming it's NHS, they have a different definition of "urgent" which basically works from when they can be bothered to find an appointment rather than the needs of the patient. Basically, you "may" get prioritised over other less urgent patients for any appointments when they become available, but that's about it. They're not going to make a new appointment slot for you and it's a lottery whether the appointments clerk will contact you in case of a cancelled appointment slot becoming free.

Honestly, if youre concerned and can manage it financially I would get a private test

If this is your thoughts about the NHS then I assume you’ll be loving Fartage’s policy of everyone paying for private health insurance?
please stop disrespecting the NHS and its staff…it’s pretty pathetic of you.

Yes, it’s awful. The NHS is a shambles.

My dad died recently while on their urgent waiting list for a neurology appointment and scan. He had been waiting for an urgent appointment for 8 months.

I agree. Best to do this if you can.

Those numbers are not especially high for IBD I'm afraid. My daughter's were 2300 last time she was in a flare and people get over 6k sometimes.

They are at a level that suggests IBD but the numbers don't always tally exactly with the severity of the disease - for example people with small bowel Crohn's often have lower calprotectin numbers, but that doesn't mean they are less unwell.

I assume you are waiting for gastro consultant? And then cameras? It is horrible and I hope the wait isn't too long. You can always present at A and E if it's unbearable.

Wtf!? It's not "pathetic" it's accurate.

People are dying on waiting lists all the time. My "urgent cancer referral" that was promised in under four weeks on the letter took 5 months. I'm very lucky I didn't actually have cancer or I would have died on the list like other people I know who have died on the waiting lists.

It's a bloody shit show.

What is pathetic is people worshipping a failing health service like it's some sacred cow that cannot be criticised while it actively harms its patients and shaming others for not doing the same.

I lost half of my reproductive system and a large chunk of bowel to endometriosis whilst waiting 15 years for a diagnosis because the NHS treats women like shit. Oh my baby nearly died during my high risk pregnancy too because no one gave a shit about me then either.

The only decent care I've ever had I've had to pay for. And this god awful service isn't free, we pay for it through tax and you can't opt out when you pay for private treatment so you end up paying twice. Anyone forcing the attitude of we should shut up and be grateful on other people should be embarrassed.

If you feel really unwell then go to A&E. This is the advice DD was given when she had similar symptoms and was waiting to be seen by gastro. DD was admitted when she went to A&E and diagnosed while an inpatient.

It's called a calcoprotectin test. I'm surprised you haven't been given a colonoscopy on the 2 week wait if you have blood in your stools. What are you eating? I have ulcerative colitis and if I am having a flare I eat very bland food like fish, rice, eggs, white bread. Also try peppermint tea to ease the bloating. I hope you get seen and treated soon.

Has your GP arranged a FIT test ? I wonder if that would move you up the scale to have a colonoscopy on the two week pathway to at least get the ball rolling .

I've spent 25+ years in the NHS and I agree with them TBH. I didn't read the post you're replying to as being nasty or derogatory but just honest.

We can't create extra slots where there aren't any. Urgent means we want to see you sooner, but ultimately if we can't, we can't. Urgent means urgent. Stat means RIGHT NOW. We're doing our best, but it IS a lottery as to whether it's you who gets called out of the dozen(plus) urgent cases when a cancellation comes up.

No, what's pathetic is my OH still waiting for an "urgent" MRI scan connected with his cancer that he was referred for by the oncologist six months ago!

It's a complete shit show and people need to stop believing the "World leading" crap.

It sounds like you’ve had a high calprotectin test and the approach sounds appropriate. The symptoms and high test result would be indicative of IBD, not cancer so you won’t be on the 2 week cancer referral pathway.

I had exactly the same and went on the urgent referral list. I had my appointment about 5 months later, but then everything happened very fast, CT scan, more bloods, colonoscopy all within about a week. I was diagnosed with pancreatic insufficiency, though they were investigating Crohn’s.

It’s hard waiting, but you have to be mindful that even though it’s awful, the really urgent appointments are for people who need them, for whom waiting 2-5 months would be the difference between curable and incurable. The waiting sucked. It took me a year and a half for a diagnosis. But when I actually had cancer (totally unrelated), I was very grateful that those very urgent appointments were available to me.

Don’t hesitate though to keep them updated on any changes. Find the consultant’s secretary’s email and email with updates so you stay on the radar. If those changes mean you become more of an urgent case, they can push you through.

I used to work in a fixtures surgery. Unfortunately, the word ‘urgent’ was overused and abused, and could up d mean anything needed that day, or that week.

However, repetitive blood in stools must be a red flag.

Did they say what could be causing the solid stomach bloating? I know someone who suffers from this, and is trying to to work out the cause.

A couple of years ago, my poor 11 year old DC had calpro over 2000 and blood and mucus in stools, severe anaemia, losing weight, not growing, couldn’t get out of bed and had to wait 4 months for a scope. And that was with me jumping up and down and making a LOT of noise (was diagnosed with Crohn’s eventually).

I haven't got such concerning symptoms as many PPs, but I was referred 'urgently' to dermatology for severe skin problems. This was in early July, and no appointment yet.
I must have tried every cream under the sun, had at least 4 doctors appointments, been prescribed steroid creams and antifungal tablets to no avail.
Finally tried sudocrem which has improved things a little. I've no idea if I should use this, but am desperate for anything now.
I hope you get an appointment very soon.

The Tories destroyed the NHS and this is our new reality

That's awful! I was diagnosed after a blood test showed I was anaemic. I did a fit test which came back positive and had a colonoscopy 6 days later! That was 2021 so not long ago. It must be a postcode lottery.

Shocked you weren't put on the 2 week cancer pathway for a colonoscopy. Not saying it is cancer but most doctors would go for the worst and then work backwards.

There isn’t only two options here. We can recognise the current system is a shambles of a lot of people trying their best without adequate resource and management, without saying that we need a USA-style insurance based system.

Worshipping a dysfunctional institution isn’t the right answer either.

The NHS and the people working there can do things wrong and can deliver suboptimal outcomes, even when trying their best. But it’s made of up of humans and I’m not sure everyone can do their best every single day when under institutional strain. There’s no superheroes working there.

I have been on the urgent pathway twice in the last two months (for 2 completely different things - just bad luck I think) and this is the exact opposite of the treatment I have had, both from HCPs and the system itself which has been nothing short of amazing. So that blanket condemnation of the nhs is just not right.

OP I’m not surprised you’re worried. How helpful are your GP receptionists? Could they do some chasing / know what buttons to press? Could you afford a private consultation? Just to get onto the system?

I really do wish you all the very best

Go into A&E. If you present more than once with the same complaint they have to investigate. You need further tests, colonoscopy etc. Make sure you're taking a gentle iron supplement in the meantime. Losing blood means losing iron

This is someone's opinion of the NHS based on their experience of it. Other people may have better experiences, some may even have worse.

Complaining of disrespect and calling people pathetic is not going to fix the real and many problems within the NHS. Politicians of all stripes looking at various ways of addressing those problems just might find a way to fix them.

Thank you. If there is any suspicion of cancer /malignancy, you will be referred to the 2 week pathway

I discovered that 'critical' is when the NHS takes action. I was 'urgent' for almost 4 months then, when I finally saw the consultant, I was told I had to be admitted immediately and was operated on the following day because it was actually 'critical'.

It's not surprising that more and more people are taking out private health insurance anyway as well as contributing via NI. Hardworking staff in the NHS doesn't change the fact that some serious reform (not the party!) is needed.