Do you see your GP with covid?

[guiltynetter]

I tested positive for covid yesterday and just feel so poorly. I'd like to just ask for some medical advice but just wondered if I would contact my usual gp or do I need to ring somewhere else? Obviously I wouldn't be going into the surgery just a telephone appt.

Thanks.

Ring usual gp. They’ll try to help you over the phone. If they think you need face to face assessment, they’ll refer you to a ‘hot’ clinic. Most gp practices are trying to remain ‘cold’, but there will be one that is designated for Covid assessment.

I'm sure they'd be fine with giving some advice over the phone, but bear in mind that it won't really be substantially different to information you would get on the official NHS page for Covid. Unless you have some really worrying symptoms. How are you feeling? Do you have an oximeter in the house to check your oxygen sats? Hope you're ok.

Yeah I suppose maybe they couldn't say any different to the NHS pages which I've already read

I have a sats monitor and no worry there I'm 97% but it's just my temperature I can't get it to go down. It's 40.9 and hasn't come down after paracetamol and Ibruprofen and I can't stop shaking. I feel so weak also I've just had a shower sitting down 😢

Ring 111, most GP practices have a message advising this if it's a Covid related query.

I rang my GP on day 5 for advice on asthma management as pretty much every virus I get develops into a chest infection. I have several underlying conditions (albeit none at a level to qualify me for a jab in group 6) so she referred me to the Covid Monitoring Service. She did give me general advice too, she told me to monitor my oxygen via my pulse oximeter, to walk 40 paces and do new readings to check it doesn't fall, some breathing tips to reduce chest infection risk etc.

A few days later it was clear I had a chest infection and 111 prescribed me antibiotics over the phone.

GP, Covid Monitoring and 111 all said there were local services who were seeing people in isolation if it was deemed they needed to be seen to check breathing, for secondary infections etc. So don't worry, if you did need to be seen there are clinics for people with Covid.

I called my drs surgery. I has a telephone apt and they referred me to the covid hub at the local hospital. A hot clinic, if you like. They checked me out and prescribed antibs for Sinusitis

I needed to see GP for anti-sickness and diazepam (I was panicking that I might have needed to go into hospital). GP also prescribed an inhaler to help with my breathing difficulties.

My dh was really poorly with covid, not hospital poorly but ill all the same. I practically begged the gp to let him have an appointment and he wouldn't see him, he had 2 telephone consultations instead.

With a temp that high I think you should phone 111

Was quite hard to get DD3 seen with non covid cough/chest issues. We had to take her to a 'covid hub' despite having a negative PCR and symptoms starting more than 2 weeks previously. She didn't get to see an actual doctor face-to-face but we saw the nurse who kept running back and forwards relaying messages between us and the GP who was somewhere up the corridor. Was a bit strange but very glad of the reassurance that DD was ok.

they keep saying that they have new drugs and treatments now for people who are at risk of getting it badly - but that they have to be taken before things get bad. So I wonder how they decide who is in those categories and whether you get the preventative medicines - can 111 prescribe them or give advice I wonder?

That temp is high. Very high

Great thread op. Seems silly but I wouldn’t be sure. Not had it or cared for anyone who has. Kind of been imagining staying at home alone unless 999 required and of course that’s nonsense and doctors/advice/meds are sometimes required.
Really hope you feel better soon.

Thanks for the comments. I've managed to get my temp down a little with a second dose of paracetamol and Ibruprofen but only to 38.5 but at least at that temp I feel slightly more human. Going to take the painkillers regularly instead of just when I feel like death to try and keep me topped up. It's been 40.9 for 2 days now. I sobbed this morning I felt so ill 🙈 I thought the vaccine was meant to make you have mild symptoms...

You can alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen to keep your temperature under control.

And I still would strongly suggest speaking to 111 if it goes that high again.

Glad you are feeling a bit better. Take care.