worried

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21

hi girls…little update…lump is bigger again over the last week so i phoned the clinic and still another 7 weeks to wait to get allocated an appointment on the routine list…i’m off back to see a different gp on monday to see what she thinks…
my mum is coming home from the middle east this week to spend the summer here in scotland so i will be telling her this weekend,haven’t told her before now as she would’ve wanted to come straight home…hopefully something is done before her time to go back at end of july…i know she won’t want to go back if i haven’t been seen…
i’ll update you on monday once i’ve been to the docs…xXx

22

Hi Scotlass,

Thanks for the update. Hope the different GP has more ideas.

Don’t forget to let us know what happens.

E

23

hi girls…been back to the gp today…got a female i’ve never seen before and she was brilliant,didn’t give me the whole ‘‘you’re too young speech’’ and didn’t patronise me for being so worried,just listened to my concerns and acted on them…the previous gp had the lump noted in his referral as being 2-3 cms but after examination today it is considerably larger,so another referral is being done.mums home now too so got another link in my support chain…hopefully we will have some answers before she is due to fly back out…K.xx

24

Hi Scotlass,

Thanks for letting us know how you are going on. Let’s hope the lady GP has made an urgent referral. I just don’t think the medics realise how scary it is when we find a lump.

Hope all goes well with you now.

E

25

I am so frustrated today…My urgent referral following mondays gp appointment and examination hasn’t even left the surgery yet because get this!!! the typist is on holiday this week so have to wait for one of the other receptionists to have time to do it!!! before it can be emailed to the clinic…i am really beginning to lose all faith in my g.p surgery,it doesn’t seem to matter who i see,some part of the surgery is always letting me down…if it’s not the doctor then it’s the office staff…feeling very down today,i was doing really well but the total lack of support from my so called medical service is knocking me down…don’t know what else to do…xx

26

Hi Scotlass,

I am so very sorry that you are being treated so badly. Urgent referrals should be treated urgently, even if the typist is on holiday.

If it were me I would go to the surgery tomorrow, see the practice manager and ask if the referral could possibly be done whilst you are there. Explain that you are on the verge of a nervous breakdown and beg her/him to help you. Be upset rather than angry as anger will get you nowhere at the docs. Crying might work.

I just remembered that you are in Scotland and maybe the practice manager has a different name.

In the meantime, keep your chin up, try to stay cool and give yourself a treat this evening. Anything to take your mind off the worry.

Will keep my fingers crossed for you and here’s a cyber hug.

E

27

Thanks for your positive message E…i think going to the surgery in the morning and trying to get something done is a very good idea because i can’t go on like this.i think we do have a practice manager…i just can’t see how they can be so laid back and non caring about everything…crying will be easy enough as it’s all i can seem to do since i spoke to them…they just don’t get it…i am seriously considering making a complaint against them to the medical board because this is getting beyond a joke now…to be sitting here worrying and trying not to think the worst while they are more concerned about being short staffed is really not acceptable…
my only positive note today is that previous referrals have been logged as when the doctor made them and not when the clinic received them so perhaps if it is done tomorrow or monday i shouldn’t have long to wait(not holding my breath tho)…

thanks again E…xx

28

i have found the crying to work too, and you could always lie and say your mum has told you that you had a close relative with breast cancer at 29 and does that affect the urgency of your refferall? You justneed to get into the testing stage asap and by whatever means you can!

29

hi tors…thanks for your message…i don’t need to lie as i do have family history which does go well on a referral but as you can imagine the office staff need to actually send it before it has any effect…I am going in there tomorrow and i am not leaving until i have some answers and it is proven that my referral has been sent…i didn’t want to get to this stage with them but they are playing with life here…isn’t it lucky for the typist to have holidays when i’m sitting here and can’t plan anything because every thing is in limbo…patients healthcare shouldn’t be suffering because they don’t have adequate holiday cover but it quite clearly is…why is it that all of us on here can the see the wrong in this but the medical service can’t…oh jeeprs i’ve started ranting now…good practice for tomorrow though!!..it is so helpfull hearing from all of you,thanks girls…xx

30

how did you get on?

31

hey tors…went round this morning and it had been typed first thing and was awaiting the gp’s signature…i phoned this afternoon and it has been emailed through today so hopefully when i call the clinic on monday they will have an appointment for me…i am going to lodge a formal complaint with the nhs though because this treatment i have received fron them is atrocious…Kerry…xx

32

well done on getting it done! Yes i would lodge a complaint too, they have been v rubbish. I would think about changing your gp too. Mine have been brilliant and reliable and it has made the world of difference.

33

thanks tors…moving gp’s sounds like a good idea…theres only one other gp surgery here in my town but surely they can’t be any worse than what i have now…let’s hope i have some positive news for you all next week…Kerry…xXx

34

fingers crossed for monday Kerry

Lxxx

35

Hi Kerry,

I am so glad that your referral has gone through at last. I have checked throughout the day waiting for you to give us an update.

Hope all turns out well for you.

E

36

good luck hope all goes well on
Monday X

37

well girls once again my gp surgery has managed to spin a yarn and lie about my referral…it was only emailed to the clinic this morning not on friday like they had told me…looked into going private today but would need another referral from my gp and will have still have 2-3 week wait for a consultation…will phone the clinic tomorrow to see if theres and progress…Kerry…x

38

Hi Kerry,

Time to make a complaint I think. You need to start with the practice manager before you go any higher. I do hope that you have kept details of all that has happened.

Hope you have good news tomorrow.

E

39

yeah i have every appointment and phone call logged in my diary and it will all be going in my complaint.I don’t think i will get anywhere with the practice manager,i am going straight to the nhs board complaints officer…Once i have my appointment with the clinic i am going to change myself and the children to the other surgery in my town…fingers crossed i get some answers tomorrow…Thanks E…x

40

Dear Scotlass

I’m a Scottish lady who has been though the most appalling time with my GPs. I have sympathy for your situation. I only hope you don’t live in the same area. I can offer advise with regards to complaining as I have played the system right up to Ombudsman (SPSO)level. In my own particular case it would not have mattered what level I complained at, they cover up and don’t admit anything. What you have to have is paper evidence. It will only be what is written down in paper that counts. If your GPs have written down everything then you will be in a better position. Most don’t write everything down and for me this has been a problem - they deny I asked for a mammogram when I know very well I did and there is no note of this in my clinical records. My advice to you is to ask for a copy of your clinical records in the first instance. See what they have in fact written down then take it from there.

I know this may sound mad but a few people have asked me why I didn’t just turn up at Accident and Emergency.

Like someone else has said, most lumps are not cancerous, but you have to get them checked and the quicker you can put your mind at rest the better. Don’t allow them to mess with your life.

I hope all goes well for you.

Jeannie