Have I been a twat or should the GP surgery have given me an appointment?

[Isgreasl]

For context I am a single parent and I work full time so I may be feeling a bit overwhelmed with stress. I don’t know if I’m being unreasonable.

I have had swelling on my toe after falling. It swelled up really fast and has lessened since but the bruising is still bad. I asked for an appointment for the GP to review and I was told to go to a minor injuries unit as it might need an x ray. Minor injuries is 40 minute drive (we are remote) and will take almost an entire day to be seen. I can’t go in first thing as I need to drop DD at nursery (unless I wanted to take her with me which I don’t!).

I have asked them again for an appointment and asked for it to be escalated as I’m not happy with being told to go to minor injuries. I’m really exhausted and confused as to whether I’m in the right here?! From what I’ve read it’s usual to have a few signs looked at with the toe to decide if an x ray is needed and that this is something a GP could do.

Just leave it.... already sounds like it's getting better. Seems that you don't need either a GP or minor injuries, tbh.

Cross post. You use medical tape you have in your first aid box.

@AphroditesSeashell ok thank you

I wouldn’t seek medical attention for a bruised toe.

@Pillypolly i was worried as it was very swollen

No I don’t think there is any treatment. They will just advise ice, rest, ibuprofen, etc. So there isn’t really any point in seeking care to confirm this.

Sorry op I agree GP won’t help.

Tape your toe like this - not tight, just to give it support. You’ll need padding between the toes like this.

Just tape it up and carry on, very unlikely you need much medical intervention at all.

I broke my toe a few weeks ago. Called 111 who booked me in at minor injuries.
xray and I was given a special shoe to keep the weight off the toe. Then a follow up with the fracture clinic 2 weeks later.

3 hours in minor injuries including waiting time and 30 mins at the fracture clinic.

Can you get to your pharmacy? They will advise.

Nope, not unless they are Clarke Kent (and have xray vision).

It is more efficient on the NHS to go to see one service - minor injuries - than to go to the GP first, who will have no choice but to send you to the same service, and then go - ie two NHS clinical slots.

Just go to minor injuries.

Get DD to nursery then go? You have a medical reason not to go to work, would they be arsey about you not going in in this case?

Fwiw I live in a city with two major teaching hospitals where a&e waits can be 12h plus. Minor injuries is a much swifter turnaround and the last time I went with DD they x-rayed her suspected broken arm within an hour.

What do you expect the GP to actually do at the appointment?

S/he can’t see whether it’s broken. Even if it was they couldn’t do anything about it

No, GPs only know what medications to give out. Useless at other things

No i dont think demanding a doctors appointment in this situation is what is needed

I’m sorry OP, but this comment is exactly why the general population need educating on whether to go to a GP, Pharmacy, Minor Injuries, A&E etc.

You need to keep your foot elevated, use ice packs, ibuprofen and avoid putting too much weight on it. If it’s agony and the swelling is increasing then go to Minor Injuries if you’re really concerned.

All the GP would do is prescribe some antibiotics if they thought it looked infected. But from what you’ve described it doesn’t sound like it’s infected at all, just bruised.

If a chemist told you that they don't sell a particular drug that would make you better but the chemist 40 minutes away does sell that drug what would you do?

Keep going back to the chemist that doesn't sell the drug or drive the chemist that does sell the drug?

My son walked around with a broken wrist for a week because I believed the medical opinion that it was just sprained. You just can’t tell without an xray.

Nope, you'd need an x-ray. My DC and I have had broken limbs and impossible to tell without an x-ray, unless it is super painful and obvious. The less obvious ones are the ones that you need an x-ray for. Good luck.

If you think it's getting better and you can walk on it, you can take a risk on it not being broken and see how it goes. You could let a pharmacist have a look if you want a more professional opinion and if they are easy to get to. I don't think a GP would risk saying it's definitely not broken so that will just be an extra thing rather than the end of it.

I agree. I have broken my big toe twice. The first time I went to minor injuries and had an x ray. They taped it to the next toe to stabilise it and it gradually healed. No other treatment. The second time I didn’t go to the doctor or hospital. Just taped it, rested it and it gradually healed. I really don’t think there is anything much to be done. Only seek treatment if it is getting worse.

A broken toe is usually not a big issue and you can probably deal with it without disruption. But inevitably something will happen in your life, or with your DD, home, wider family etc. which will need urgent attention that you can’t ignore. Start thinking about contingency plans now. Identify who will look after your DD in an emergency.

if you did get a GP apt chances are he could not do a lot without an x ray to show for any breaks etc so you would just be told the same advice