Been given a face to face appointment at my GP… AIBU to call and push back?

[tulipsinbloomnow]

I have another ongoing issue which I am under the hospital for, but I’ve been told I need to approach my GP for pain relief at the moment.

I did this a couple of months ago and got a phone call and a prescription no problem. I’m running out and need some more. This time I filled out the new AI questionnaire and it’s given me an urgent appointment for tomorrow. I called up the surgery and they said it’s because the AI has flagged me as being at risk of arthritis (???) or a DVT!!! I asked the receptionist if this was right as a DVT is pretty serious and I’m sure I don’t have one, but apparently because I’ve ticked that I get swelling it’s a risk factor and I now need to come in.

I just think this is so silly and I’m taking up an appointment for something that’s really not that serious! I just feel like I’ll look such a knob tomorrow sat there. AIBU to call back and push back?

No you’re not. No mans land would be you need to be seen, the hospital say see your GP and the GP says see the hospital. You’ve got an appointment, which is exactly what you need.

I imagine someone refusing to be seen whilst asking for painkillers is quite the red flag.

I’m not refusing, I just feel like it’s such a waste of an appointment. I’m also going to go in and get emotional (because despite it being minor, it’s really starting to have an impact on my day to day life), which is just going to make me look even worse too. I work in the NHS, so I know how bad people have it and me crying over some joint pain just makes me feel like an arsehole to be honest

Hmmm... what pain relief are you after?

I'll be honest, reading between the lines it looks to me like you were expecting to just be able to ring, have a quick check in over the phone and have your pain relief issued. And now you're feeling anxious and scared that they want to see you in person, because you think they will query the pain relief or may not issue it. I'm curious why you're so set on avoiding seeing them in person.

They want to see you, so you do need to go if you want your pain relief issuing.

But you can make it clear to the dr that you didn’t request a face-to-face appointment and it has only happened because their system insisted on it. Then if the dr agrees it was unnecessary he/she might use your case as evidence to try to change their system.

But even if they do decide a face-to-face appointment was unnecessary in your case, or even if it’s unnecessary in 95% of cases, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing if it picks up the 5% for whom it does turn out to have been necessary.

I find face to face appointments far more beneficial than any telephone appointment.

Being in pain doesn’t make you an arsehole in the slightest.

oh are you in charge of this thread?

You can't just keep ringing to get pain medication. Of course they are going to flag that and assess it. I think that is what is bothering you tbh.

With the greatest of respect..... Piss off with that attitude.

Crying over pain is a HUGELY valid reason for anyone to seek medical care.

I don't know what you do in the NHS - you could be a cleaner, a morgue assistant, a neurosurgeon or a CEO, but imagine working in healthcare and thinking that someone in enough pain to be left crying is wasting an appointment?

Woman up. You need to be seen. You know perfectly well you are not wasting anyone's time. No, you probably don't have a painful terminal cancer but someone will always "have it worse" and that doesn't invalidate anyone's need for care.

Someone with a broken leg requiring a simple cast doesn't have it as bad as someone with a broken leg that requires multiple surgeries - but they still have a broken leg.

Of you are right and it's absolitely nothing to worry about, just smile sweetly and apologise for the waste of time. If the systems inappropriately identifying non urgent issues they'll sort it swiftly. It beats a phone apt because you won't be hovering over ypur phone for half a day.

I’m not after opiates, I’m not bothered if I do need to go in it just seems so silly to me.

I’ve currently got naproxen and was looking for some more of that. I’m mainly peed off because it means a morning off work, and a morning of leave used!

If it isn't opiates it might still be something that needs to be looked at in conjunction with the swelling. ETA I thought it might be Naproxen. Asking to see you doesn't seem silly to me.

You certainly seem bothered. Disproportionately so, for what should be a quick painless appointment.

Why are you being so weird about this?

I’m mainly peed off because it means a morning off work, and a morning of leave used!

Really? As that’s not what you said in the OP and you haven’t mentioned it at all till now.

I’m not being weird. I just really resent taking a morning off work for something so minor.

No, she should not apologise for wasting anyone's time. Is this how bad the NHS is? that having a face-to-face appointment is a huge deal and something that people should agonise over.
Surely a lot of GP time is taken up with fairly routine matters, interspersed with patients who have serious medical conditions.
This thread seems like a lot of drama over something very straightforward. Just go to the bloody appointment and stop overthinking it.

Because i thought it was implied. I don’t know why you’ve got it in your head I’m after some really strong drugs, when all I want is another prescription of the naproxen I was given.

Something that makes you emotional and upset because it is starting to have an impact on your day to day life is anything but minor.

I’m also going to go in and get emotional (because despite it being minor, it’s really starting to have an impact on my day to day life), which is just going to make me look even worse too

I'm guessing the reason you are cross is because you have to wait until tomorrow and you were hoping for just a prescription you could collect today and go and get filled.

Tbh OP making such a fuss over wanting to be seen by the doctor before prescribing prescription painkillers is a bit of a red flag that you have some dependency on the painkillers.

I didn’t say anything at all about drugs.

And, no. The issue being wasted time off is in no way implied by: I just think this is so silly and I’m taking up an appointment for something that’s really not that serious! I just feel like I’ll look such a knob tomorrow sat there.

This is a non-issue. Just go to the appointment and stop being silly.

You mentioned 5 times that is was because you would feel like a knob, it was taking an appointment from someone else, you were going to get emotional, then when the comments didn't go your way, it was because you didn't want to take time off.

Naproxen are quite a strong medicine.
They are prescription only for a reason.

Sounds like you need to be seen tho. Also good that they’re keeping an eye on you.

Given you have arthritis, are you carrying extra weight? Perhaps they’ll be discussing weight management drugs? Or alternate drug management. Or ask them personally to sort the Dihydrocodeine prescription. Go prepared.

Go, at least it’ll be an opportunity to touch base with an actual human. Rare these days! 💐

Naproxen can have side effects, and in general repeat prescriptions need to have an eye kept on them.