General Chat

I am really annoyed. A few weeks ago my bp was up so went to have checks and said I was concerned about my heart as there is so much heart trouble in my family and three people on my Dad's side have had pacemakers fitted. I had ecg and blood tests and bp taken again.
I phoned for the results and was told to come in and see the doctor, and she told me everything was ok, she said I needed no medication etc altho bp was still up, she did it again and it was the same as when the doc took it and similar to the nurse's readings. I took in a urine sample as instructed by nurse and the doctor tested it, saying there was an infection, white cells showing up. I told her I didn't seem to have any symptoms. ( I took it in to be tested for diabetes but the blood tests previously had showed no problem with sugar levels. I get worried as I have turned into my Mum and she had heart problems, died of her third heart attack and had diabetes too.) The doc said she would send the urine sample off for further tests so I rang a few days later to get result, was told she hadn't sent anything off. The receptionist called me back to say the doctor told her she decided not to send it off as I had no symptoms. That was February 18th.

On Monday I was woken by lots of pain around my kidney, the same one where I had a stone a few years ago and a similar pain. I started to drink lots of liquid to try and move anything out and the pain eased but came back and did so again on Tuesday as well. I had to cancel my counselling as I was feeling too rough to drive there.
I made an apptmt to go back to the doc on Tuesday, and took another sample in. Saw a new doctor who tested the sample and said the same as the previous doc, white cells so an infection rather than stone perhaps. She has sent the sample off (I hope) and gave me antibiotics.
Today I rang and complained to the Practice Manager about the delay in sorting out the sample/infection and also that I was told the previous doc couldn't access my ecg results but that nothing was flagged up so whoever looked at it couldn't have seen anything wrong! I wanted a better confirmation that things are ok.
The really good doctor who is always too hard to get an apptmt with rang me back with an unreserved apology that he must have misfiled my ecg but he has now found it and there is nothing to worry about with it. He wasn't happy about what happened with the water sample and apologised about that too, and also said I need treatment for the high bp. He has said he will see me about that and sort out what treatment is needed so I have to make an apptmt and see him, and also find out at the end of the week about the water sample results, whether I need further antib's or further tests.

Makes me sick (excuse the pun lol) that I can't trust my doctors to get things right, this isn't the first time it's happened but hopefully now the docs who messed up will be a bit more careful and I will get some treatment that helps me feel a bit better.

Moan over, just had a nice call from one of my son's half Maltese cousins who is expecting her second baby in June, on her own birthday and that cheered me up. Her parents are the ones who went to my son's Nanna's funeral recently in Malta, seems the plane was delayed take off so they only just arrived in time to go straight to the funeral. So glad they got there in time tho and they stayed for ten days to help sort things out afterwards and be company for the only daughter of the family who had been caring for her Mum at the flat she had lived in all her married life. Seems now Nanna has gone, the subsidised rent has increased 100%. Grandad was a Police officer and so got the flat cheap and altho he died quite young, Nanna was allowed to stay at the subsidised rent. At least D. can stay there, she has lived there all her life but will miss her Mum very badly.

Lizx

Blinky eck Liz, l do hope you get it sorted. l'm lucky so far with my doctor, but then l have'nt had anything anything really wrong with me.But l know that people do have awful stories to tell. l think alot of it is all surgeries are under so much preasure nowadays, so much blinky paperwork etc too.

Take care and l hope you get good results soon!!

love jude xx

Thanks Jude, it's great when you can trust your doctor but I and my Dad too, have had bad experiences with some doctors so I am wary nowadays and don't hesitate to speak to the Practice Manager if I think something is not right, as it will help others too. They are now going to change the way they report back ecg results I think the doctor said.
It was only from speaking to a woman I know who I bumped into at the surgery that I double checked my ecg results as she wasn't told her results years back and only because she pushed to check them was a serious condition noticed and treatment given. If she had just left things, she wouldn't be around now and her sons would have been motherless.

Lizx

Sorry to hear of all your problems Liz. I hope you are soon sorted out and a box of birds again.

Huia.

Digressing slightly, if you'll forgive me Liz
Regarding trusting doctors......


I have been registered with a medical centre..almost since it was opened in 1975, when the practice was quite new it was called Dr S****** and partners. in about 4 weeks time the last of the original Gp "crew" retires.........the end of an era methinks.......

Bob

Thanks Huia, not sure I will ever be a box of birds lol especially next week when o.h. is off work all week :>((( Hope you are ok and Phil too.

Bob, it will indeed be the end of an era. I hope you have a good rapport with some of the 'new' doctors.

I feel much happier now things are clearer and I will make the apptmt for as soon as I can get in with the male doc to sort out the meds for my high bp.
Touch wood, I haven't had any more pain in my kidney and hope the antibs are killing off the infection so I get an all clear on that count.

Lizx

I called the surgery on Friday pm to get the results of my test and was told the doc had seen them and marked them No infection. Later the original female doctor who had not sent the test off called me to tell me No infection! She didn't apologise for the confusion previously but said sometimes the infection isn't bad enough to show up. I still don't understand why both times there were white cells showing in my sample or why I had pain in my kidney on two days in a row, but touch wood, all ok at the mo so will hope everything is alright now.

The anitbiotics obviously weren't really needed but maybe if there was a tiny infection it's been knocked on the head now lol

Take care folks,
Lizx

Perhaps you should give the antibiotics to your OH, Liz!

Huia.

Hi Huia,

I had taken the three day course by the time I was told there is no infection lol Now had they been sleeping pills I could have doped o.h. to sleep through the week eh? Never thought of that lol

Lizxx