Doctor's surgery (bit of a rant)

I am not a happy bunny

A couple of weeks ago I got a bit of an infection in my eye, I couldnt get a docs appointment so I went to the chemist and they gave me some eye drops, it cleared up (so I thought) and that was the end of that. Well, it was until saturday morning when along came the swelling again so, I got out the drops and used them all weekend, not working, eye getting bigger and now very painful.

I wake up this morning looking like i've gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson so, decided to ring the doctors, "no sorry no appointments this morning" says the receptionist, what about this afternoon/evening? I ask. "No sorry " she says "we're closed for training" Tomorrow then? "oh we have lots of appointments for tomorrow" Can i have one? "no sorry they are book on the day appointments and cannot be made in advance" at this point I slam down the phone, fling some clothes at Mia, we get dressed and we march over there at 8am. Still they wont budge so now nor will I. You can see a nurse at 11.am but thats it, I tell them to shove it and make my way back home, had 2nd thoughts so rang them to take the 11am slot. We can fit you in for 10am with a nurse, by this point I would have seen the cleaning lady so i took it.

Get there, explain whats happened, took the drops with me, these are not working, i tell the nurse, I will give you some more drops, she says, not the same stuff? I ask, Yes it will be the same stuff, No thank you I want something else as this is not working, ok i will give you some other drops and she writes a prescription, off I go to the chemist, when i get the drops, IT'S THE SAME BLOODY STUFF!!!!!!

So, now i will have to do battle all over again in the morning to get an appointment to see a doctor as she obviously didnt have a clue. I am so annoyed, i never go to the doctors unless i really need to, the place was heaving with people that looked perfectly fine all laughing and joking with each other, you are not sick, get out and stop hogging all the doctors!!!!

AARRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Thanks for listening

I would go to the minor injuries of your local hospital then. It could be just conjunctivitis but it maybe something a bit more serious.
You could have insisted on seeing the on call doctor, they cannot refuse you, or failing that, what I say is Oh well I will just have to ring up and ask for a home visit then, I always get an apoitment then.
But seriously, if it is really painful I would nip to your local minor injuries hun.
Elaine xxxx

I sympathise but I really like the phone on the day appointment system, so much better than waiting a week for an appointment. It seems to work really well in our surgery.

I may well end up doing that, thanks Elaine.

I rang at 7.15am all the appointments were gone, you could die waiting for an appointment at my surgery

It's the same at our surgery, they tell you to ring at 8am on the day you need the appointment, then without fail the line is engaged, when you do eventually get through they have no appointments left for that day.

Hope your eye clears up soon x

have to agree with you its almost impossible to get an appointment in our surgery unless its for my wee boy and then they find an appointment for you ! Which is fine wen its really him thats ill, but like you i dont go to doctors unless I really need to and when i do i cant get an appointment..

However my real niggle is that you cant just get a normal appointment so if i wanted an appointment in a weeks time to see a Dr as its not urgent then you cantr book that far in advance !!!! arrgghh

You poor thing i know how you feel i have had my share of run ins with the docs!
usually have to wait about two wks for an appt here, i have never got an emergency appt...god knows what i would do if i had a real emergency!!

have a glass of wine or even some vodka, Vodka Vixen and chill xx

Most pharmacists are very good - better than some doctors i think ! ask your pharmacist for some advice, say the drops are not working - i know you can get over the counter preparations for conjunctivitis now, not sure what its called but i was always prescribed Golden Eye Ointment by my doc so it may be the same stuff.

Usually we can't get past the ruddy receptionist at our docs - when you call they even ask you what you want the appointment for ! blinking cheek. I called them to come out to my son who was very poorly once and was told they don't make house calls to children i ended up taking him down to the surgery in his pj's, not very good if its something contagious....

Thanks all

I have calmed down a bit now

And.... I now have a party trick too, I can squeeze pus out of my eye, now how many people can say that??!!!

I do a great Rocky impression too

Now thats the best advice i've had all day!

I hope you get sorted out soon, its the last thing you need when you don't feel 100% a wrangle at the Dr's.

My Dr's have the book on the day system but we can make on line appointments and guess what, they offer advance booking on line, now how does that work! When I wanted to see a Dr I could only be seen by the nurse, so I grabbed it, she said to come back in a week and lo and behold the next week no nurse available but loads of Dr appointments!