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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To thinks that a GP's personal views shouldn't overide 'your health welfare'

67 replies

Oblomov · 19/09/2008 15:54

Bit of a long story. And I appreciate that I am in the AIBU section, so might get told off, if I keep adding info later, but .....

My GP has a 'less is more' attitude. She told me so. This doesn't sit with my view. My view is that it is of no concern, what her personal views are, I think her primary interest should be my welfare.

I am thinking that I should just change GP's, but although we have quite a big practice, it seems to me that quite a few of the GP's have this attitude. And i don't know who to change to.

There has been quite a few stories in press recently, about pharmacy staff refusing to administer morning after pill, becasue it goes against their beleifs. See, I think that is wrong. I consider my issue not dissimilar.

AIBU ?

OP posts:
littleducks · 19/09/2008 17:57

i dont think that she is a bad doctor or that she has actually put your health at risk but as a general rule i feel that it would be better if possible to see a dr whose opinion you are confident and judgement you trust, so changing gps might be an idea

lovecat · 19/09/2008 17:58

Too true, Expat - I had to beg the bitches nurses for some bloody paracetamol after surgery earlier this year because I was in so much pain I was crying - which is not me! - in fact, if it hadn't been for the social worker of the young girl in the bed next to me noticing that I was crying and taking it upon herself to go back to the nurses and ask WHY they hadn't given me anything for pain relief (I'd already asked, twice, they'd just given me a look and a 'well, you have had an operation, it's bound to be sore', then walked out of shouting distance), I'd have had to wait til I got home to get anything (social workers are okay in my book! )!

expatinscotland · 19/09/2008 18:03

oh, yes, i've had that happen to me, too here, lovecat. in fact i usually bring my own supplies these days.

i complain in writing or ask firmly to see their supervisor now. and follow up on complaints, too.

our GPs actually believe patients when they come in limping or tearing up in pain and try to help them.

lulumama · 19/09/2008 18:03

seems to me if you are not happy with her care, and have not been for 2 years, then you should change GPs.

but if you are in pain and pregnant, it is hard to get decent pain relief.

i am sorry you have had such a hard time

but i think that you need to chnage GP

Sidge · 19/09/2008 18:06

But you are very pregnant, so surely she is limited in the pain relief she can offer you?

I do sympathise, pain relief can be very poorly managed in primary care. Have you thought about carpal tunnel release surgery?

expatinscotland · 19/09/2008 18:07

co-cocodamol is okay during 3rd trimester pregnancy.

Sidge · 19/09/2008 20:49

But only in small doses and not too close to delivery as can cause respiratory depression - maybe the GP was being over cautious?

macdoodle · 19/09/2008 22:09

oh good another slag off GP thread love these - after a fucking horrid day at work , more than 50 patients (3 terminal cancer care and a poor suicidal girl) I really love to come here and see how we are all lazy pathetic waste of spaces because you don't get exactly what you want and

Original poster
Oblomov · 19/09/2008 22:13

Totally OTT comment from Macdoodle there.

OP posts:
apostrophe · 19/09/2008 22:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ScottishMummy · 19/09/2008 22:44

macdoodle tells it as it is at the coalface.scary traumatic and draining

expatinscotland · 20/09/2008 00:11

no one ever said ALL GPs were bad.

ours are wonderful. and in our previous surgery they were great, too.

but it's like anything else, they're not all good, either.

DH's childhood surgery was terrible. really, really bad. fobbed people with serious illnesses off - like my FIL's diabetes - for years until they were seriously ill.

SmugColditz · 20/09/2008 00:18

I swear my doctor will give me anything I ask for

He has given my antiboitics and steriods before, to use on ds1 (asthmatic with ear infection) with the words "You're both bright and neurotic enough not to be stupid with them, use them if you think he needs them"

Ds1 was 4.....

SmugColditz · 20/09/2008 00:20

Actually, I think he was right too. I am ds1's mother, I can make that judgement call. they trust us to take them to the damn doctor in the first place don't they?

EightiesChick · 20/09/2008 00:20

Not all GPs are awful. Many are really good. But as with any other professionals, that doesn't mean we should have to regard them all as saints who always do the absolute best thing.

This GP is not working with you, and you've lost confidence in her. Think you would be best finding another.

susia · 20/09/2008 00:22

Had terrible carpal tunnel when I was pg and had the injection twice. Went away for 4 months each time. Was going to have an operation as they can only do the injection twice apparantly then it went away

Dont know what I would have done without the injection. Couldn't even close my fingers enough to hold a toothbrush or do my shoe laces up.

Onestonetogo · 20/09/2008 00:33

Message withdrawn

shergar · 20/09/2008 00:44

You're pregnant, you have diabetes and your GP is being cautious about your having injected steroids. Where is this bastion of common sense based so that I can join their list? Sometimes there are no easy answers for pain relief, particularly in people with a complex medical history who are also pregnant. It's a shame that confidentiality etc. mean that we only ever get to hear one side of these stories as I bet your GP has a very different tale to tell.

YABU.

traceybath · 20/09/2008 08:24

There are good and bad gp's. I switched surgeries when i found the one i saw lacked empathy.

My new GP is wonderful - extremely kind and caring and sets out all the options for treatment. I always try and see him wherever possible.

Unfortunately it seems everyone loves him so there's always a wait for appointments with him.

So I'd just echo the others who say you need to find a more sympathetic GP which it sounds like you're doing.

Being pregnant and in pain is not fun.

TotalChaos · 20/09/2008 08:36

Macdoodle - I agree OP was rather vague and all encompassing. But it did become clearer that there was one specific instance about prescribing that OP had a gripe about. I am sorry you have had such a draining day - and I imagine that level of stress is typical.

In the instance I gave - I was a suicidal pregnant gal with OCD. OCD that had previously been diagnosed by a psychiatrist several years previous, so should have been clear from my notes. Nice guidance is that OCD treatment is ADs and/or CBT. Not sodding inner child counselling. With a twat who thought he could resolve OCD with inner child counselling and told me he didn't believe in ADs.

FairLadyRantALot · 20/09/2008 08:42

YANBU...Paracetamol is hardly adequate painrelief if you are in severe pain
Like Expat said it is not unusual for people to be undermedicated. Not sure, tbh, if money is maybe part of the problem here
Nervepain is, imo, one of the worst pain you can experience, and that will be he kind of pain you have when you suffer with Carpal tunnel syndrome....!
Pain is real torture, we have the pharmaceuticals available to us, so, why should someone have to suffer?

Oblov, my mum had carpal tunnel syndrome and had surgery and it did seem to help a lot.
Obviously NOT an option right now, but mihgt be in the future.

Original poster
Oblomov · 20/09/2008 09:30

Thank you. I wil speak to Practice Manager, and try and change to another GP who I feel is more supportive.

OP posts:
mm22bys · 20/09/2008 09:40

YANBU.

Dr's beliefs should not come into it. They are supposed to be scientific people, who look at a "problem", then look at on-balance is the best and safest option for a patient.

We have had to pursue private treatment for DS2, the NHS just doesn't have the resources to give the amount of therapy a lot of children need. Luckily we have the resources to fund this ourselves. DS2 is improving but we felt we had to tell our consultant (once again, top consultant at GOS) the route we had to follow to get the results out of DS2. We could tell he did not agree with us going private (we didn't tell him we had gone private for surgery and tests recommended by NHS) but I would bet my bottom pound if it was his child he would do anything in his power, including shock horror paying for the privelege, to try to help.

I know our situation is different to yours, but I do agree that dr's beliefs should not come into it, otherwise they should not have become drs but should be witch doctors (or similar IYKWIM)

Anna8888 · 20/09/2008 09:42

Oblomov - stop overanalysing and change GP .

My parents have very good, extensive private health insurance. When they moved back to the UK they "interviewed" all the potential GPs in their area to find the one who would be most sympathetic to their using what they could potentially afford to treat their health (ie working with consultants and specialists).

squigglywig · 20/09/2008 09:45

Being left in pain is one of the most humiliating and degrading experiences imho. I don't mean the pain itself is those things - but having someone who has the power to do something about simply decide not to is dreadful.

Whilst I'm sure the vast majority of medics do not do this there are some who do.

I've no idea what different needs your GP was trying to balance given your pregnancy Oblomov but I hope you find a better, long term, solution to this quickly.