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Original poster

Am i within my rights to complain??

38 replies

WhereDoIGo · 01/08/2007 10:21

Cut a long story short. Me and DH ttc for 2 years apart from a chemical almost two years ago nothing . Now I have 2ds's aged 3 and 4 so always assumed there would not have been a problem until now.....
Went to my GP who was brilliant said he would like to test my progesterone levels to see how well i ovulate if at all. First bloods came back with a level of 28 (they prefer over 30 to safely say you ovualted) he was happy with this result as it shows that here lies the problem and was ready to refer me to gynae. In between this i went to see another doctor for a completley unrelated matter. I then received a letter from this doctor 'outlining a plan' wtf?? He wants me to have bloods done for 5 months to investigate the cause (uh haven't we already figured that out?) so i begrudgingly went back and had my results this morning and they were 21.5 He is still insisting that i have threee more monthly tests before anything else is done. In my area to see the gynae from the minute your put on the list its about a six mointh wait. Basically he is saying that i potentially am going to have to wait because he has 'removed' me from the list i was put on by MY gp. So i need to know if i am within my rights to complain or whether i'm being stupid and as he is a doctor i should listen to him as he knows best? Any advice would be great as i'm tearing my hair out

OP posts:
Original poster
WhereDoIGo · 04/08/2007 21:20

I appreciate all your answers and advice. And i completley agree that i can't go in there screaming the odds. So i have made an appointment with the doctor in question but they couldn't fit me in until the 20th August. The thing that annoys me is that it is quite clear from my results as the reason i'm not getting pregnant. And i'm not sure why i am being put through a few more months worth of these tests when it is clear i am just not ovulating. Would it be worth advising the doctor that if he doesn't refer me then i will just write a referral myself and go over his head then so to speak?

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ib · 04/08/2007 21:47

Can't you just change GPs? Isn't there another practice you can go to? I never bother fighting, just go somewhere ese until you find someone who will give me what I want. If you register with someone else your current practice will lose money, as they get paid for having people on their lists.

I say vote with your feet...

macdoodle · 04/08/2007 22:18

Just a bit confused - aside from complaining about what you think has gone wrong - can you clarify ??
You are 25 , you have 2 DC ?from a previous P or this one ?? , you are now TTC no 3 ? with a new P, your porgesterone levels are lowish ??
Are you seeking referral for investigation of low progesterone (unlikely to be anything sinister needing treatment your GP is probably most appropriate to investigate this initially) or for TTC - if the latter you will have no luck on NHS if you have 2 DC already you will be excluded from any fertility referrals on the NHS in almost all places I guess ??
So saying if this is the issue your GP should have communicated this better !

macdoodle · 04/08/2007 22:20

Oh and under new GP contract from 2004 GP's no longer get paid per patient - it is far more complicated than that - they really won't care if you change GP's (if you can find one who will take you)..

elasticsortinghandstand · 04/08/2007 22:25

maybe the second GP is the family planning spcialist in the practice and oversaw your case?
can't you get an appt (non urgent) in advance, if you explain your predicament?

elasticsortinghandstand · 04/08/2007 22:26

oh just re-read,
or perhaps the obs and gynae person specifies a 5 (was it) month test?

Original poster
WhereDoIGo · 04/08/2007 22:27

Just to clarify... I have 2 ds's from a previous partner ds1 took almost a year but tbh i was still young and not really taking that much notice in regards to my cycles. Ds 2 took 6 months. I am now married to DH and we have been ttc for 2 year. I went to my GP as nothing was happpening and he was happy to investigate and also refer me to gynae - he is fully aware that i have 2ds and still happy to refer me. I'm not saying this other doctor would not refer me, what i meant was he is trying to get me to have three more pointless blood tests when we have already established the cause (not ovulating)
As for going to another GP i don't see why i should have to change surgerys (not that its an eay task) just because of this certain doctor and his inabilty to want to help.

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macdoodle · 04/08/2007 22:32

Hon I seriously doubt you will get an accepted referral for TTC with 2 DC even though now have new partner(and probably no indication for referral for low progesterone as really only significant if TTC)..maybe first dr was unaware of this and was too embaressed to say - make another appointment and just go and ask don't be angry or cry - GP's are human most will listen to your concerns and should explain what/why they are doing it...if you are desperate TTC (considering you are young) I would start exploring private options and you can ask your GP about this as well...
Good luck whatever happens

Original poster
WhereDoIGo · 04/08/2007 22:41

elastic
my gp said that he would do a hormone test to establish if i was ovulating as i had been doing ov tests for months (i know there not a hundred percent) and was getting no surge. He then said that if that showed signs of no ov he would be happy to refer me as in his words 'women of your age especially having previous pregnancies dont just stop ovualting without a reason'

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Original poster
WhereDoIGo · 04/08/2007 22:43

Like i have said my GP knows me and is completley aware and i even told him that i understand i am not a priority. i have seen him on more than one occasion and he did refer me.Its the other doctor that has taken me off the list for no apprent reason

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elasticsortinghandstand · 04/08/2007 22:57

how VERY frustrating for you.
sigh.
good luck with it

nooka · 05/08/2007 19:36

WhereDoIGo, what you need from your practice is an explanation of the policies re referral. If you can't get an appointment for a while, try ringing up your local PALS service (the number will be on your PCT's web site) because it may be that there are very sensible reasons for your practice doing the tests (for example the local consultants say referrals can't be made without them, or they have moved the diagnostic testing from the hospital to the GP) and the PALS service should be able to find them out. As you can only get referred through your GP (unless you want to pay for a private consultation) you need to work with them on this. You can certainly complain about the lack of information/explanation though.

Original poster
WhereDoIGo · 29/08/2007 22:32

Just an update if anyone is interested
I went to see this dr in question on the 20th ................. and he apologised profusely that the results of my bloods didn't load on their system but looking further he can see quite clearly that i need to be referred!!!!
I am so happy and it has made me feel so much more positive that something is finally getting done
I am very at myself for letting me get so annoyed when it was sorted out quickily
Any advice on what to expect on my gynae app would be helpful though

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