Finally booked doc's appt, but...

Everyday living
1

…can’t get anything sooner than a fortnight.

Admittedly, I’ve been putting it off for ages, but my pain control needs sorting out. I haven’t been on any prescription pain meds since co-codamol started making me nauseous, several months ago.

Although my doc and I discussed it over the phone, and she advised me to take ibuprofen instead, if that still agrees with me, she never issued a replacement prescription. So I still have a valid prescription for drugs I cannot take, but none for the ones I actually am taking, which I’m back to buying over-the-counter. I can only get them in rationed amounts, and following interrogation, just like before I was diagnosed.

Plus I am paying for them all the time, despite having a prescription pre-payment card, valid for a year.

So although I’ve been managing, more or less, eking out my meagre over-the-counter allowance, finally enough was enough, and I decided I must get something prescibed officially, to replace the ones I can’t take any more.

I thought it would all be sorted out in a couple of days, and I was so looking forward to everything being regular and above board again, but it’s another two weeks before I can even see her. So at least that long still making do with rationed painkillers.

I know I’ve been silly to leave it so long in the first place, but having finally seen the light as it were, I thought I might be in there tonight or tomorrow, and emerge clutching my brand new prescription.

No such luck, eh? Got all excited for nothing.

In other news, turns out my neuro appointment I agreed to a year ago falls Easter week, which I wouldn’t have been aware of at the time. Which puts paid to any thoughts of going away that week. So thinking I might need to ring up and cancel that, now. Surprised my neuro’s working, to be honest. Shall we take a bet on who cancels first? Bet it will go back weeks if I cancel. 12 weeks, do you reckon?

Tina

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Hello Tina,

This sounds a horrible situation for you. I am sorry that I can’t offer much help, but just to tell you that I wish you all the best, and hope that the time pases very quickly - a fortnight should soon whizz by.

Best of luck,

Moira

3

Thanks Moira,

I’ve put up with it this long, so I guess another fortnight won’t hurt (well, haha, it WILL hurt I s’pose, but no more than I’ve already tolerated for ages).

I think it’s just the disappointment of finally thinking: “OK, enough! I’m going to get it sorted!”, and imagining it would all be fixed by the weekend, only to find I won’t even discuss it for a fortnight.

T.

x

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Hi Tina, that is a shocking length of time for you to wait to see a gp, I guess as you say it’s also the disappointment of having to wait so long when you thought it would be sorted much sooner. As for the neuro, yes, I’m surprised too thtat he/she is working Easter weekend, so guesses as to who will cancel first, I think you will cos you will decide you want to go away for the weekend. Sounds nice, actually, going away for the weekend. The last time I had to make an appointment to see the nurse (a year in advance) they booked me in for a local holiday weekend, then cancelled it, then the next one wasn’t suitable and neither was the next one or the next one ! Thing is nurse won’t let me book at my previous appointment, they send one out, so it took many phone calls to get me sorted whereas if she had just let me pop into the office to book my own appointment I would have got a suitable one. Sign, I share your frustration. Cheryl:)

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Hi Cheryl,

Well, I wasn’t really thinking of going anywhere exotic. It’s just I haven’t seen Mum in nearly a year, with me not being well, and her not well enough to come to me either.

Back before she broke her ankle so badly, last Spring, we were thinking she might be able to come to Bristol on the train, and we could both check into a hotel for a bit of pampering (so I wouldn’t have to cook or clean the house up - less said about that the better :wink: ).

But I don’t think she’ll ever make the journey on the train now, and as I don’t drive either, it’s getting increasingly hard for me to do it in the opposite direction.

So I was thinking I ought to try, before it becomes impossible (I’m already finding the prospect daunting, but have done for a few years now - even when my dad was still alive).

That’s all it was, really. I thought I might go over for the Easter weekend. But transport is always terrible on a bank hol. - there’s always a rail replacement bus service, or diversions that make the journey take three times as long. Absolutely NOT compatible with MS. So if I went, I’d probably aim to come back on a normal weekday - which would be the Tuesday.

Which is - guess what - Neuro Day! It’s not even in the afternoon, so that if I aimed to get back about lunchtime, I could still go. Basically, I’d have to be back by the evening of the Bank Hol - I can’t take the extra day.

I vividly rememember being asked if I preferred a Tuesday or a Wednesday, and saying: “Oh, whatever. It doesn’t make any difference, a year ahead, does it?”

But what she hadn’t mentioned was it was Easter, in which case I’d probably have said: “Not that week at all, just in case I want to go away.”

Grrrrrr.

T.

x

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Hi tina…gosh what a bumer re prescription for the meds you now want and need…;-( as I mentioned in a onther post…getting to the Gp is not as easy as you would think!! ll Personally its pants…and am kicking myself for not continuing my private health care insurance when I let my job at the vets to go self employed…

The neuro appt isnt a a great date either… not sure what is best really…could you wait another poss 12 wks if you asked for another more suitable date? If not then i would keep that appt…and maybe try and work something around that for going away re easter? If neuro canacels forst then I would insist on a date very soon after the original …now that would be unfiar to make you wait 12 wks if they cancelled!!

em

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Hi Tina

Do you think it maybe worthwhile ringing the gp as he maybe able to do a script over the phone, and that way he could put it on your repeat at the same time. This is, of course, assuming you have an understanding gp, I am lucky with mine.

Can’t think the neuro will be working Easter time, reckon it might be a cancellation in the post shortly. Just hope that you wont have to wait a long time for a new appointment, as this was not your fault.

Take care.

Pam

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this post goes to show what a postcode lottery we live in when it comes to the NHS. If I need to speak to my GP I call the practice and will have a call back later that day. On the occassions I have had to call the MS nurses I have also had a call back on the same day, even though their voicemail does say it can take 48 working hours.

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Hi Tina,

Your surgery sounds like something out of the past. Two weeks for an appointment, oh no, I agree with Pam ring the gp and goes so far as to ask to speak to him directly, or maybe get an emergency appointment.

Worth a try, good luck.

Janet x

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Hello Anitra,

The length of time waiting to se your doc is very wrong. A good tip i was told was to ring up the docs sec every day to ask if there are any cancellations. This has worked for lots of people i know. I so hope you get sorted out soon!! Its no joke being fobbed off all the time.

I allso hope you and your mother get to see one and other soon. My mum and my husband are my best friends. My mum is reg blind with a little bit of site in just one eye. I thank god every day for them being around.

I have read lots of your advise and articles over the last couple of years. You always come across as being a strong and lovely person!!

((((HUGS))) Jane xx domesticgoddess.

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2weeks omg if I ring my surgery at 8.30 you get an app that day with the doc of your choice? Hope you get things sorted julsiexx