Absolutely livid with on-call doctor, won't come out to see dd1

[Chiccadum]

I am absolutely livid with the on-call doctor. Dd1 has a temperature of 39.4 and is quite drowsy and has just been sick, I also have an 11 month old who is very very bad with teething. I phoned for a doctor to come out and one rang me back, all he said was 'well get her dressed and bring her in', I explained she was being sick (if she's sick in a taxi I have to pay £40.00), it's saturday night and I Can't get one for a couple of hours at least and I've got a baby who is ready for bed now and throwing tantrums because she's tired. His reply, 'well really i don't see your problem you have a couple of hours to get them ready then haven't you'.

Why the hell do we phone up to get a doctor out to see our children if they won't come out (this doctor is not from our own doctors surgery). I am absolutely livid and ended up hanging up on him and telling him I'll take dd1 to casualty instead if she gets worse.

A GP has (at the moment, it will change if the new contract comes into force) 24 hr, 365 day a year responsibility for his/her patients. We knew a local doc who went on hols to Canada, then locum cover failed and he had to come home as there was no-one else available.
But individual docs are held responsible for individual problems - therefore a locum who treats you badly can be hauled up infromnt of the GMC and charged because of their own personal negligence. This doesn't hold for nurses - if the nurse in a practice makes a mistake, the docs are responsible as his/her employer.
So if the locum makes a mistake it is the locums fault, and you can complain against them either to the practice who employed them or to the local health board (Scotland) or Health Authority (England & Wales) as they all have lists of approved locums. HTH

Wow, chiccadum, he doesn't get that high. But he goes slack around 39 C , so I've learned to do something before then. Truthfully, I do give the boys medicine.. I'm not willing to see how high it would go. Not that that's what you're doing, but I feel like I need to intervene a lot sooner. Kids react differently to fevers and mine don't do well. That's the really hard part for us. If nothing works we take him in.

Are your children asthmatic? I feel like I'm missing a whole part of the discussion.

I hope it gets better soon. Didn't mean to be counterproductive, just think that the "warnings" thing gets out of hand sometimes.

Sorry for the late answer. No, my children are fine on neurofen, but I used to work for Boots, and had to read up on the topic at one time. The problem is that it can cause bronchospasm, and this is more likely to happen if a patient has a previous history of asthma. It is not a total 'no-no' to use it, but is can be a bit riskier to do it.

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I had a quick google for up to date info on asthma and ibuprofen and found this in the Australian asthma council website

People with asthma purchasing analgesics need advice from their pharmacist.

"The prevalence of aspirin and NSAID-sensitive asthma in Australia is probably as low as 5-10 per cent in all adults with asthma," said Dr Christine Jenkins, thoracic physician and Chairman of the National Asthma Campaign. "In the majority of people with asthma, NSAIDs like ibuprofen are well tolerated and effective, as long as the patient has no previous history of aspirin or NSAID sensitivity or a significant history of dietary sensitivities that cause asthma."

Hope you had a better night.

JJ, I try my best to get calpol down her but she will not take it, I have to practically hold her down, and then she is usually sick afterwards. She was so drowsy when her temp was at 40.6 I don't think she realised she was having it. She still has a temperature of 39 this morning but has finally asked for something to eat. DD2 seems alot better in herself, she is cutting a molar though.

I have a problem getting Ds to take medicine. You can mix calpol with fromage frais and give it that way. Try not to leave it more than about half an hour before you give it. I realise that this might not help if your Dd doesn't want to eat. Have you tried giving her ice lollies to such to get some fluid into her? That somethimes works with my Dd.

If you cant get calpol down and she has a high temperature, try asking the doctor for suppositories (not nice, but when you have to), my ds had febrile convultions when he was 8 months due to high temperature, and now when he has sickness and a high temperature, I have to use them.

Suppositories for pain relief are the norm on the continent - the paracetamol version for infants is called Acetaminophen in UK but have heard it can be difficult to get hold of. It has the advantage of being a precise dose absorbed quickly rather than the hit and miss affair of giving them Calpol from a spoon, and for a baby it is really no hassle to administer. However have resisted this as far as possible for ds (nearly 5) as the battle is simply not worth it unless he is really sick. The drs here always give me a curious look when I ask for an alternative...We just keep supplies of Calpol and Nurofen for him!

Hope your daughters feel better soon Chiccadum,

LizS

my SIL lived in mainland Europe where suppositories are all the rage...she's quite comfortable using them and so are her children as far as I know.

Hi Chiccadum,
how are your two now?

Hi Chiccadum,
how are your two now?

Well, after a couple of horrendous days and sleepless nights my two seem to be on the mend. DD2 was really ill yesterday and spent nearly all day crying, she really didn't know what she wanted. Tonight is the first night that they have both been back in their beds so we'll have to see how they go. They still have a hacking cough, but doctor said that could last 7-10 days.

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Chicca glad they're improving, I bet that's a load off your mind. Hope you all get a good night's sleep tonight.

Well I was hoping for that as I haven't slept in 2 nights, but, as soon as I said it was contagious dh started sniffling, he is now saying how ill he feels, as girls are not quite 100% looks like I now have another to add to the equation.

Oh no, Chicca Let's hope you don't go down with it as well