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?

I’ve been putting e45 and sudocrem on for the last 3 weeks

GPs cant win! Telephone isn’t good enough, now F2F isn’t good enough. They must despair.

Your boss needs to allow medical appointments, tell her that you’re going as it’s a medical requirement.

When did I say f2f wasn’t good enough?

im really happy to be seen today because hopefully if i need creams etc theyll be ready tomorrow and it might be calmed down a little for the wedding on sunday!

It quite clearly needs to be looked at or the GP wouldn’t have wanted to see you.

I know pharmacists are supposed to be the first port of call now, that what dh did for something. The pharmacist told him it was one thing and gave advice and said it was a non issue, but he didn’t feel right about it and went to the GP. It actually turned out to be something that needed an urgent hospital referral and the GP was absolutely scathing about the whole pharmacy first thing saying it caused a lot of issues to go undetected.

To be honest the last three or four times I’ve used them they’ve just sent me to my GP anyway. So by the time I’d seen one tomorrow, I’d have been waiting until Monday

Pharmacists are not prescribers. Nor do they have specialist training in dermatology.

They can only offer OTC preparations (that the op has tried) or specific medications covered by PGD. This wouldn't be covered.

The whole thing of elevating pharmacists to diagnostic prescribers really worries me. They do not have that training or experience and they do not have the correct documentation to ensure any advice is properly recorded. Many people who think they are 'speaking to a pharmacist' are actually speaking to shop staff or a dispenser.

I have been stood in the queue and overheard some dangerous and wrong nonsense being spouted to people who will then report 'the pharmacist said'.

Pharmacists are highly trained and uber qualified for their specific role. Which is not being a GP.

You need a prescription for steroid cream these days. No, the OP should not have gone to a pharmacy first. She has a face to face GP appointment which is a bit of an indicator of that, given that they hardly give out face to face appointments to anyone!

Ignore your boss OP. Unless she's a consultant dermatologist of course (plot twist).

God almighty why are so many people moaning that op didn't go to a pharmacy? She's explained more than once that the rash has got worse overnight and the nearest pharmacist she couldn't get to until tomorrow and if at that point a GP was needed it would have been another two days.
I agree your boss had no right to ask or comment. The econsult gave a GP appointment so there's nothing more to be said. Hope it's sorted op.

I know - I meant your boss, not you.

She’s not. No medical qualifications at all

Personally I wouldn’t bother a GP with this, I’d get some anti fungal cream and try that first.

Looks more like psoriasis to me

Basically your boss doesn't want to give you time off for a medical appointment, and therefore has decided your issue is 'minor and a GP appointment isn't required'. Probably hoping that you'll feel guilty/second guess yourself and cancel the appointment.

It's quite possible the rash is purely eczema and is due to the heat but equally it could be something like Lupus, which is an autoimmune disease that can effect the skin. It also doesn't like the sun or heat.

The GP is best placed to decide what the rash is, and it's definitely not down to your boss to decide if a GP appointment (face to face or otherwise) is necessary or not.

Go to your appointment, and hopefully the GP will be able to give you something to help.

😩😩😩😩 I’m really hopeful it’s just heat related. But seeing as it’s spreading today, I don’t think it is

I quite like the notion that GPs are mythical beings who can only be “bothered” when life is at stake. Don’t we pay them to be there for all sorts of medical care?

The GP is there for things you can’t treat at home - if the sudocrem isn’t working I would be trying other OTC treatments before taking up a GP appointment for a minor skin irritation.

I've a vision of it being highly contagious and your boss waking up tomorrow covered from head to toe in a rash.

But is it minor when I’ve been treating at home with e45 and sudocrem and despite that treatment it has doubled in size and spread overnight? And continues to spread today?

I really like my local pharmacist and they have been very helpful in the past. But I have heard pharmacists and other staff giving really dangerous advice/selling dangerous products.
They know their stuff about drug safety, but they are not diagnosticians.
There are many things that really do need a doctor.

lol! I don’t think so as despite spreading it is localised to my elbow. Begging it’s just heat rash because I can’t imagine dealing with something like psoriasis or eczema

I would say it is, seeing as you’ve only basically tried one treatment in three weeks and haven’t even asked a pharmacist for advice yet.

No it isn't and I would be worried about infection.

It’s sooo itchy now. It’s pissing me the fuck off because it’s all I can focus on!

Two. What else is there, and what am I meant to do if it continues to spread over the weekend?

The fact the doctor wants to do a face to face shows that they need to see it. If they thought it was something they could do over the phone they would. You're not unreasonable at all to book it off. Always best to be safe then sorry