How to get treatment?

seven-day-weekend

Toothsmith wrote: »

So several months and several times - does that mean about once a month?
It really shouldn't be the case - but NHS GP Drs really are very busy people, and you need to make yourself 'stick out' a bit if you feel something is wrong and you want treatment for it.

You might well have done this - in which case being fobbed off is unforgivable - but your husband needs to let the Dr know that this problem is persistent, it is worrying him, and that it is not getting better.

If he is just turning up once a month saying "oh Dr, I've still got this bit of a cough and my throat feels burny now and again" - then nothing is going to ring an alarm bell to a Dr with a waiting room full and running half an hour behind. (As I said - not ideal but this is the 'beloved' NHS we have these days)

He doesn't need to be rude or angry, but he does need to say "This has been going on for several months now, it is badly affecting my life, and I really would like to get to the bottom of what is happening. Nothing we have tried has helped so far. Please can you refer me to somebody?"

As I said - you don't have to be rude - but sometimes you just need to be politely assertive.

Thank you, that is what he is going to do. It is obviously necessary to bow and scrape to get any treatment these days . I would have liked to think it might be the DOCTOR'S idea to refer him, rather than my husbands.

Having said that, any treatment I have had for a condition I have had for years has always been due to me telling the Dr what to do.

Very sad.

seven-day-weekend

sheramber wrote: »

While not a diagnosis your husband's symptoms are like mine - due to acid reflux.

The acid burns the throat causing pain and coughing/retching

Mine is controlled with tablets.

A hiatus hernia can also be the cause.

So the problem may not be with his throat.

Thanks yes, the one Dr said that, and gave him some Gaviscon.

jenniewb

Hope you get some answers OP, but just to add that the best way I was advised by a GP to get help (by my own GP) was that if there is a problem and treatment suggested has not worked, keep turning up and presenting with the problem. When you stop going for appointments your GP assumes you are fine, they don't assume if you stop a treatment halfway through due to chronic pain (my experience) that you are in pain and could not continue, they assume that cancelled appointments or even no-shows are a way of you indirectly saying you are fine and don't need any more help. In that vein, keep making appointments if you are not satisfied with what has been advised, prescribed or suggested.


There may be a wait but if you explain you are happy to wait (and many of us wouldn't have the choice so it's OK to say this) they will refer and these days you often get a choice between a few nearby hospitals with varying waiting lists- check the star rating and feedback scores and any ratings from professional assessments (and check the date to see how long these assessments were done to see how much value you need to place on it) as the last thing you want is to wait for ages and find you are not happy or doubtful with the way any tests or treatments were carried out.


If you need any help with what to bring to the GP when you go back, things like a diary of when the symptoms occurred, how long they were for and what or how they affected your partner will all help to show how intrusive the symptoms are and if things have worsened or are worse than the GP thinks they are. You didn't say if you were at the appointments with your partner and I could be grossly stereotyping here but IMO, men tend to underestimate their symptoms when discussing them with Doctors or make out they are no big deal and the main issue is a curiosity and bit of frustration rather than it being something that worries them or causes problems elsewhere in their daily life. It may not be something your partner wants and that's OK but if he is attending his appointments by himself, helping him write a quick script so everything is included and a noted reminder scribbled down to not follow every other description with "but it's not a big deal really" or words to that effect

sheramber

You do have to tell it exactly as it is. Don't just say it affects my sleep- tell him I only got 2 hours sleep etc. Detail every way you are affected.

Describe the pain exactly as you feel it. My GP sat up when I said the pain had downgraded from excruciating to painful. Give it a number from 1-10 with 10 the worst pain. Everybody has a different pain tolerance. Unless your GP knows you , rather than you are a bum on a seat, he does not know how you are affected unless you spell it out.

If you are not getting anywhere with your usual GP is there another in the practice you could see instead.

trailingspouse

You don't have to 'bow and scrape'. You just have to tell the doctor clearly what the problem is. They're not mind readers - if they give you antibiotics and you say 'Thanks', they'll assume that you're happy with the outcome of the appointment.

Your husband needs to see himself as part of the team - at the end of the day we are all responsible for our own health, but sometimes we need help from a professional. That doesn't mean the professional just tells you what to do and you do it and you get better - it means you join the conversation, explain that it hasn't worked, explain fully what the problem is, discuss options, and go back if it still hasn't worked.

To be fair to the doctor, most coughs sort themselves out without any intervention at all. If it's still persisting, then there may be a secondary infection (hence trying the antibiotics). If it's still persisting after that, then go back and explain in detail what the problem is and how it's affecting you.

rach_k

I agree with other posters in that your husband needs to be very clear about the problem with the doctor. Have you been with him to appointments? I think many people find it difficult to overcome Britishness at the doctor and will admit to mild discomfort when they can barely walk, say thank you when nothing useful has been offered and then leave and not go back! Having a second person there to insist that you tell it exactly like it is can be a real help, so if you haven't been in the room with him at the appointments, I'd do that next.

It sounds like, fairly or unfairly, you (and your husband?) have lost confidence in his GP but if there is more than one doctor at the practice he should be able to ask to see another doctor there. Why not do that? A fresh set of eyes might help.

seven-day-weekend

Thanks all for your advice. I suppose we expected the Dr to do something, without being asked, when he knew my husband was no better, after months of the same symptoms. However, I know from my own experience that I have to tell him what medication to give me for my long-term condition.so I don't know why we expected different. You shouldn't have to keep going loads of times before anything is done, but still, that is obviously how it is these days.

We are not allowed to see another Dr in the practice unless our own Dr is unavailable.

Thanks all again for your advice.

bunk_bed

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Update: I have rung Benenden (keep forgetting we are members) and they have said get the Dr to refer, ask him how long it is going to be and if it is too long they will help out. They also said you can't self-refer so that answered that question.

Thanks for the replies.

It's a shame you can't self-refer. That (to me) defeats the object of having private health cover, if you've got to wait for the NHS to get their finger out in order to be able to access the private health care.

bunk_bed

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Thanks yes, the one Dr said that, and gave him some Gaviscon.

.. which you can get OTC from the Chemists!!!

There's a lot of patient-blaming on this thread, sadly. Probably typical of our society, where the NHS appears to be our national religion.

seven-day-weekend

bunk_bed wrote: »

.. which you can get OTC from the Chemists!!!

There's a lot of patient-blaming on this thread, sadly. Probably typical of our society, where the NHS appears to be our national religion.

Yes, I thought that (although am grateful for peoples' help and opinions). It shouldn't have to take the patient umpteen visits saying the same thing before the Dr gives him a proper examination, or to refer them without being asked when it is no better after several months.

What about people who can't keep going back, or don't have the wherewithall to google their symptoms and be pro-active?

There is a sign in the surgery saying if you have a cough for longer than a few weeks, then see the Dr. Why? So they can not even examine you properly?

Anyway, thanks all for your input, it has been very enlightening.