can’t get a gp appointment

[pinklemonade84]

I’ve tried for the past two days to get a gp appointment for a blocked, very painful ear, that I think is infected. It started the night before last following 3 weeks of a horrific cold. And despite phoning bang on 8 each morning I can’t get an appointment until after dh has gone to work with the car at 2pm

The pain is unbearable and actually makes me cry and paracetamol or ibuprofen don’t seem to be touching it

I’m not sure what else I can do. Home remedies aren’t working and I have no transport after 2pm to get to out of hours

I’m sorry for the woe is me post, but I’m feeling so sorry for myself and just want to feel better

@PoshPenny I asked him today to try and get tomorrow off so that I could use the car but he instantly dismissed the idea

Mil has said if it comes to it she will be able to take me as she finishes early on a Wednesday. Just keeping everything crossed that I can get an appointment

What about asking your husband to drop you off there at 8am (or whenever opens). They’ll offer you an appt as you there. Worst case scenario is you wait hours (and possibly have to get a taxi home, but only in one direction).

I had this and it is excruciating pain. Both my eardrums burst in the end as I just couldn't get an appointment and couldn't afford to not go to work. Felt better once they burst but it took a very long time to regain hearing properly. I would advise the sit and wait method at the gp...I wish I had.

his wife is in pain and he dismissed the idea - that is awful.

the phone lines for our gp open at 8am but they don’t open the doors until 8.25 and by then the appointments are all gone, it’s absolutelt ridiculous

I’m going to look into changing medical practice as there’s one closer to home that is linked with 3 others that we could also get appointments at if needs be

@Quartz2208 he’s not all that bad honestly

He took unpaid time off work on the anniversary of my mum’s death as I felt awful, was emotional and didn’t feel that I could cope with our toddler on top of all of that. So he’s probably wary about potentially needing to do the same again

Hopefully they'll prescribe you proper codeine when you get seen. I got codeine, antibiotics and a steroid ear spray.

thank you everyone

dh is going to pop to a 24hr pharmacy on his way home for me and I’m trying a warm drink to see if that will soothe it at all

Your surgery is 13 miles away? You must live very rurally, to only have one car. That must be an issue?

From your OP, they are offering you an appointment, but after 2pm? Can a neighbour or friend not take you? Or a taxi just this once?

An ear infection is not for A&E, unless you are septic.

@Superchill the gp ooh is held at the local hospital which is 13 miles away

I wouldn’t go to a&e with an ear infection

We only have one car because that’s all that we can afford

You don't need to attend OOH, though, if your own GP is offering an appt after 2pm. OOH isn't until after 6 or 8pm, depending on your area.

this isn't 'I can't get a GP appointment.' This is 'I can't get a GP appointment at the exact time I want one', which is slightly different.

actually @Superchill it’s I can’t get a gp appointment when I have transport readily available

Yesterday and today because of mil’s working hours and not being able to afford public transport, I was unable to take up the appointments offered. She has said that she will take me to an appointment tomorrow afternoon if that’s what I’m offered, though fingers crossed it doesn’t come to that

How far is your GP, though? You've made out it's 13 miles, when that is the OOH service. How far is your surgery? How much is public transport to your own GP surgery?

It sounds like you're terribly isolated, on the breadline, and ill. How awful.

So are they not giving morning appointments at all then?
They open phonelines at 8 and give out evening appointments, open the doors at 8.30 and accomodate the walk ins.
If you ring again tomorrow and ask for an appointment, they say 4.30, you can say 'what about the following morning'

I think it is dreadful, sick people trying to navigate this appointments system. If I had an earache like that i would not be thinking straight, i hope you get seen by a doctor tomorrow.

@Superchill if you read my 2nd post on the first page properly you will see that I say it is 13 miles to the nearest out of hours

Our gp is a 6-7 minute drive into town. Public transport is £4.50 (more for a taxi), which I don’t have until we get paid.

I don’t understand why you’re pulling apart my posts and being sarcastic too! It’s not just my family that are struggling money wise. You must be so fortunate not to be struggling like this!

@3luckystars by the time I can eventually get through all of the morning appointments are gone. I’ve asked for an appointment for the following morning in the past and all the receptionists say is to call back in the morning as they can’t prebook the appointments

They cant prebook appointments?

What a load of bull. I really hope you get to see someone today. Good luck.

How horrid for you.
Could you get a practice nurse appointment? Or even a telephone appointment with your GP and explain your transport problems.
Sounds like you really should see someone today op, you must be in such pain.

I’ve actually managed to get in with the gp at 10.00 this morning

We’ve woken up to snow, so, that’s going to be a fun journey. I’m just so relieved that I’ve got an appointment

I'm glad you've got an appointment. To coin a MN phrase, you don't have a GP problem, you have a DH problem! Would you leave him in excruciating pain in the same circumstances?

I know it's tricky to leave work but he could only take the time he needs and offer to make it up. In this situation I feel he should be putting you first. Please don't set your bar this low.

PS you will know get a lot of MNers berating you for not having taxi money. Ignore them, other people will understand what January a few days before payday is like. If your DH is so unhelpful to you though I would be trying to build up a small amount of money separately for you for future emergencies, if you can.

I hope you feel better soon.

Just wanted to say too that our local minor injuries unit also sees people for things like ear infection too so might be worth calling them in the future.

I was hospitalised once with unbearable ear pain. They had to give me morphine.

So you aren’t being unreasonable

I’ve got antibiotics for a week

I had to go home for an hour as the dr was stuck in traffic because of the snow, but I’m just glad to have seen them eventually today and to be getting treatment

Thank you everyone for the helpful suggestions, I do appreciate it xx

Glad you got sorted.

But it wasn't a GP problem, it was a transport problem. Perhaps when you get paid, make sure you always keep a fiver for such emergencies? Or put by £1/50p per week for a few weeks. Many people in the world have to walk miles/save for their care. At least ours is free at the point of delivery, if you can travel to the nearest GP.

I wasn't being sarky. You sound very isolated (no one can give you a lift, unable to travel even 6 minutes), unwell, and in poverty. That sucks.

Maybe checking if you're paying as little as you can for internet access or phone contract, you may be able to shave a few quid off the costs of those so you can save 50p/week for a few weeks for these kind of emergencies?

Did you get some painkillers OP?