Thanks Marcus, but sorry, it’s not an infection. I know your wife wouldn’t be able to tell that without seeing me or knowing the history, but despite lab tests, no infection has ever been found. Frustratingly, this means antibiotics don’t touch it.
Ordinary optician is no good either: they just say: “You need to see your doctor”. Back to square one!
It does look like an infection, but it’s not.
I suspect a link with MS, myself, because I started having these eye problems in roughly the same timescale as the onset of other symptoms. Seems an odd coincidence, if it has absolutely nothing to do with it.
Nobody in the Medical Profession seems to listen to me, however.
We must be really lucky with our gp practice! A couple of years ago they changed the system so that only a few advance appointments are available for each doctor but this stops all the people who just make an appointment in case they might need one and then forget to cancel (it used to be 50+ per month). I have never not been able to get an ppointment on the day since this changed, perhaps not with your usual gp but if I need an appointment quickly then I’ll see any of the others. We also are able to book on line via Patient.co.uk, , does yours have this facility? Could be worth asking as ours don’t actually publicise this vey well! They release all the days appointments at 8.00 am online so I get my iPad ready on the site at 7.30 before it gets busy. Hope you find a less stressful way! Lilbill x
When I first moved to where I live now (East London) I registered with a one man GP practice where you couldn’t book an appointment at all. Instead, what happened was that there were set times when the surgery was open, and provided you arrived during those set times you just took your place at the back of the queue and you were guaranteed to be seen.
It was a brilliant system, and it meant that you could for example wake up in the morning feeling unwell, and be in the doctors surgery being examined within hours. It was a sad day when he retired.
Maybe all GPs should be obliged to have at least one or two walk in sessions like this per week. These would be more suited to non urgent or routine cases, leaving the pre-bookable sessions for those who had more complex needs.
It makes me annoyed when you see the current advertising campaign on TV regarding Bowel Cancer (ie “…if you have the symptoms for more than three weeks, tell you doctor…”)
Hi Tina, Had the same problem last week which was highly unusual for me. New doc told me I had sciatica or slipped disc and told me to stop my amatriptyline. Ms nurse today, and as a very large lady, told me that if it wasnt ms she’d stolen Kate Moss’ figure! Back on amatriptyline tonight! Chis
Hmmm. Interesting. When I had the episode that led to my diagnosis, back in 2010, my GP first guessed at “slipped disc”.
So presenting symptoms can be very similar.
In a patient with no history of anything wrong, I can understand why “slipped disc” would be a natural assumption.
But in someone already diagnosed with MS? Why would classic MS symptoms be down to a slipped disc, and not their MS? I suppose, for some unfortunate souls, it’s possible to have both.
But if someone with MS has symptoms that, in anyone else, would indicate a slipped disc, my first assumption would be it’s their MS.
Sounds like the doc you saw didn’t know the first thing about MS, and didn’t realise it can look very like a slipped disc!
I have just had a letter asking me if I wanted to join the surgery’s own Heart Clinic Scheme (funny that, given the number of heart clinics I have attended there). Instructions were to contact the relevant nurse by ringing a certain number (which happens to be the standard contact number for the surgery). So I rang, selected the option for “Appointments”, and waited …and waited … and waited … and hung up. Later that afternoon, I went in to the surgery. Straight up to the Reception Desk. Showed the letter. Was told “Oh, you have got to ring the number”. Actually it sounded more like “Ohyougottaringthenumber”. Then the receptionist told me that she could not make an appointment on her computer (so why was she there?). I am in there this afternoon to see one of the doctors for something different - so I will have another try.
It was a bit like last year - needed a course of oral steroids to deal with a relapse, and had to have a urine sample tested for UTI first. Collected a sample tube from reception and was told that the test would take five days, as it had to be sent to the local District Hospital. I took the sample in the next morning and a different receptionist said that the Surgery Nurses did all the UTI tests at lunchtime and I should ring back at 2pm.
Some receptionists are brilliant, some are useless. If you have a small surgery there will probably only be two receptionists who have been there for years (and think that they own it), if it’s a large surgery, there will be a load of part-timers, and who you get will be a matter of chance.
Many years ago - the receptionist at our surgery - was such an ogre!! - You could not make appointments - just turn up - get asked very loudly ‘why do you need to see the doctor - whats wrong with you?’ - then take a number and sit and wait.
Years later - when my mum was in hospital - who should be in the next bed but the ‘Ogre’ - now retired - and still shouting out at the nurses and ordering everyone about!
Oh yes, “WHY do you need to see the doctor?” used to be a really common one. They must have been trained to stop doing that now, because I haven’t heard it for quite a while.
But sometimes it still does help to say why, even if they don’t ask, otherwise they tend to assume everything is lowest priority.
