Can you say more than one problem at a doctors appointment?!

[EssJayyCee]

I have left things for too long and I now have alot of issues that i want to address.

Is this allowed? I feel like the doctor will get annoyed with me for listing.

You can book a double appt if you have lots to discuss.

Depends if they're quick things to address if not as a pp suggested book a double appointment!

The appointments are ten minutes so you won’t realistically have time to discuss more than one, agree with above pp to book a double slot but tbh if there are more than two issues you may need to go back

Depends on the surgery and the individual GP. Even with a double appt some will only let you discuss two. The problem with that is that individual problems can be interlinked, and if you don't get chance to say then things can be missed.

Go in and tell the Doctor straight away you have more than one thing. Tell them which one is bothering you most.

It will depend a bit if they are running to time and how complex each thing is.

Ask for a double appointment if they do them but not all Practices do.

Hope you get everything sorted.

It’s usually one issue as they don’t simply have the time to address everything, I have to book a double appointment if I have more then one concern.

I did this when I went (I don't go very often and had a lot of "niggles") Rather than discuss them one by one I wrote a short bullet point list and gave it to the doctor at the start of the appointment, verbally apologising for the number and asking if we could get through as many as possible in the time. Doctor was fine with that. Good luck

Case in point. I am currently in the waiting room at my GP. My appointment time was 70 minutes ago. Only three people have give in before me and they’ve all taken at least 20 minutes.

I’m not annoyed (I am hungry though) but if every person takes this long, the Doctor is never going home!!!

SeaViewBliss

Nah, the number of DNAs will cancel it out

Write down a list and hand it over. Much faster. Also, what you think are separate problems may turn out to be related.

GPs do not appreciate lists! In the 10 minutes there is just about enough time to discuss one problem properly, and examine you if needed. It's not good practice for GPs to skim over multiple problems as none of them will be covered properly, so my advice would be to lead with the problem causing you most concern. I hope your appointment goes well, book further appointments if needed.

I'm a gp, I hate being presented with more than one.
There's still only 10 min to cover it all so if you have 5 probs do you think each can be coveted fully in 2 mins?
That's not a criticism but I just find a lot of people don't understand that if I do t cover something fully and get it wrong it will be me taking the blame and getting sued.

Best plan is tell the receptionist what you need to cover (don't need to go in depth) and she can hopefully book you double appointment.
Depends what it is too, at mine we have physios etc you can book in directly with so gp isn't always the best to book with it that makes sense

God sorry about my spelling and typing!

Last time I did have two issues to discuss but when I mentioned it to the GP she said: "It will only have to be one as I'm running late" but as the two problems were interlinked, I managed to quickly mention both. Didn't know you are supposed to discuss only one or book a double appointment.

I have pissed off Dr before buy having 3-4 things to mention. I wouldn't do it now.

I do. I save them up.

Yes but while its understandable why you say this ( I do sympathise) there is a real issue here with not being able to see your GP fo multiple symptoms (even a double appointment doesnt allow more than 1-3 things) even though it can be a case of them all adding up to a route cause. As patients we're often made to feel rather a nuisance if we turn up too often or persist with seeking route cause resolutions for ongoing poor health. I don't think there are enough GPs emplyed to service the population adequately anymore. There definitely was a time when your regular pra ctice doctor could see you and discuss your current issues (obviously within reason) without them getting starchy if you need to address more than one issue at a time. I don't think doctors have the time to do the job properly anymore tbh, not that they aren't competant, just that they're too busy, under massive pressure and constraints and i dint know, maybe they aren't allowed to admit budget/liability being a part of the decision making process when it comes to being able to justify ordering tests/referals etc but if obviously is, we all know money is THE issue. No fast fix for systemic issues. But we need treat people as whole systems- to look more at the causes rather than just treating individual symptoms every few months in 10 min appointments without having time or enough interest in joining the dots. The way people are being processed in and out as fast as possible is a false economy... maladies that given proper analysis and care early on could perhaps have been resolved maybe become chronic and complex and cost more. It feels like GPs are too burnt out to care these days, like 15-20 years ago they used to behave more humane and interested in helping, these days its as if they don't want to be in the job at all. Its not just me, so many friends and family gave said similar things especially re their doc not being interested in resolving illness cause or having any time to do the job effectively.
I don't want to rant at you, its a demanding job, and you may be very compassionate and invested, but i wanted to share the patient perspective because, we only bring lists because we're maybe trying to be concise, stressed that we wont be heard - that we wont be helped, seriously most people aren't trying to find new illnesses to ask about as a morbid hobby or through hypochondria. Sorry, just so stressed feels like accountants have over the world these days😢

I have exactly this issue.
Multiple symptoms that I feel are connected, but I'm only allowed to talk about one at a time.
So far I've had my knees xrayed and canestan cream given to me.

I got a bollocking the one time I tried to discuss 2 things in 1 appt.

Not quite sure what else I should have done. The GP said I could have asked for a double appt, but the reality is I fought the receptionist to get added to the "sit and wait" for that day after ringing 3 days in a row and being told to do one

It's really off putting.
I'm barely functioning, and it's getting worse and worse, but I'm now nervous about "bothering" the gp again, even though I spend part of every day crying with pain and exhaustion.

I often bring up 3 or 4 issues. I talk very fast, apologise but don't move til I'm sorted. Hardly ever even take my 10 mins. Having said that I haven't seen an actual gp for 3 or 4 years. We only get to see nurse practitioners here. They're great, though, so no complaints.

Ah, I'll have to practice my fast talking skills. I could probably do it without moving my lips if I need to.

Yes, yes. Now you're getting the idea. But remember, don't move from your chair...even when they open the surgery door! 😉☺

Agree 100 percent with @lucinder

@biscoffbaby

I'm a gp, I hate being presented with more than one. There's still only 10 min to cover it all so if you have 5 probs do you think each can be coveted fully in 2 mins? That's not a criticism but I just find a lot of people don't understand that if I do t cover something fully and get it wrong it will be me taking the blame and getting sued.

Best plan is tell the receptionist what you need to cover (don't need to go in depth) and she can hopefully book you double appointment.
Depends what it is too, at mine we have physios etc you can book in directly with so gp isn't always the best to book with it that makes sense

But surely if a patient can't tell you all their symptoms you could miss a diagnosis?

@moonbedazzled

Yes, yes. Now you're getting the idea. But remember, don't move from your chair...even when they open the surgery door! 😉☺

I can picture my chair with me on it, outside the surgery... "Ooh, and there's this rash, and my hairloss, and, and....."