To have a face to face doctors appointment for this?

[itchyelbowsandswollenankles]

I have a patch of what I think is eczema on my elbow. It turned up in the last heatwave and was a small dry patch on my elbow. It’s grown over the last three weeks and it’s now quite big, red and itchy.

I filled in the e consult for my doctors surgery and it’s given me a face to face appointment this afternoon in case it’s anything more serious. I’ve obviously had to tell my boss to book it off, and she’s said she thinks it’s ridiculous to see a GP over something so minor!

AIBU to have booked this?

Why did you tell your boss the reason you have a gp appointment? Anyway, it's good to have it checked out properly to make sure it's nothing serious.

She asked why it’s only been booked in this morning and I explained that it’s because they think it’s something more serious, she took a look at it (my elbows are visible and it’s pretty unsightly!), and she then said it’s ridiculous to even think about booking an appointment for that. I was fully expecting them to say to go to the pharmacy

Surely the doctor is a better judge of what medical care you need than your boss?

The doctors don’t triage anymore! It’s all based on an AI thing, so because this falls into the category of a red spreading rash, it flags up that it could be something like meningitis

It may be serious, it may not. But that is not your boss's call. She's purely looking at it from an inconvenience point of view. You are not a robot. Humans have weird & uncomfortable things go wrong with our bodies. Get it checked & ignore her huffing & puffing. Good luck!

Your boss is not a GP. She also shouldn't ever ask why you're going, let alone pass comment about if you need to be seen or not.

Man, some of the shit people take from their bosses never ceases to amaze me. It would be a cold day in hell beifre I’d let my boss have an opinion on my medical matters.

It’d great that your GP wants to take a look at it. Count yourself lucky.

What did the pharmacist say?

Sometimes things need to be seen in person and so I do get why a face to face appointment is probably easier and less of a waste of time in the long run.

Your boss had no right to ask why you were going to the GP. I wouldn't have told them anything, this is your private medical information. She is not a doctor and can not determine whether you need to see someone face to face, that has been decided by the e consultation. The medical professionals put those parameters in and they have determined you need a face to face GP appointment. Your boss is way out of line on this.

I have to admit the more I think of it the more silly I feel. The more I look at it the more certain I am its eczema, but nothing is clearing it up

She asked why it’s only been booked in this morning'
It's none of her fucking business!!

I’ve not seen one, in fairness. Usually the surgery will tell you to go and see one, and I’d have had to go tomorrow morning due to work. But they asked me to come in face to face

That looks like it could be psoriasis (disclaimer - I’m not a doctor) which the NHS specifically recommend seeing a GP for. I suspect the NHS have a better idea than your manager

The only thing that makes me think it isn’t is that I’m in my late 20s and I’ve never had anything like it before, and it feels quite random to pop up now! I’m hoping I go in and get laughed at for seeing a doctor for heat rash to be honest

I went to a pharmacist recently as I had a rash/fungal infection on my stomach. I felt it didn't justify a GP appointment.

Pharmacist said I needed to see the GP but also gave me an over the counter cream as an interim measure that cost more than a prescription.

Go to the GP.

I sent in photos originally for the same thing but then had to go in for a f2f as it got worse. The doctor took my pulse and BP but as one of the patches was weeping he took a swab to test for infection.

Having eczema is thoroughly demoralising.

Edit: the point of my post being an in person visit is worth it and might save you some time in the long run.

Honestly it just feels like it’s typical for me, I’ve lost a ton of weight in the last two years and now just as I’m more confident to uncover my arms, this happens

So sorry to hear that. It's horrible especially at this time of year.

I’d have seen a pharmacist first. I did last week, DC had what looked like eczema but hasn’t had it for years so went to a pharmacy, she had a look and we got a plan.

I mean in fairness you should have gone to pharmacy first and seen what they advised. Have you used a mild steriod cream like hydrocortisone? Then if that doesn't clear it, go to GP.

But your boss shouldn't be asking why your going to the GP, it's none of her business and she doesn't get an opinion.

To be fair I was totally expecting to be told to go and see one. But I don’t have the ability to see one till tomorrow and it’s really aggravating me today so I did the form

It’s so itchy, I can’t believe it. I’m going to a wedding on Sunday too!

Is your boss a doctor?

I wouldn’t ring the surgery and wait for them to tell me to go to the pharmacist.

For something like that I would have popped in to the pharmacist on the way to work/lunch break and got their advice.

Then if you did still need to ring the GP and they told you to go to the pharmacist, you could say you’ve already been.

Honestly I wouldn’t worry about it now.
You’ve got an appointment and you’re not wasting anyone’s time by going.

If the surgery gave you an appointment following your e consult then the GP must think it is necessary.
It is none of your boss's business and I don't understand why they even know why you are going. It is confidential medical information.