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Gp's And Obesity

Be reasonable Lucy, GPs are not psychics. If you want a double appointment book one, for all they know you may be going with a wart on the end of your nose!
Anyway it would be an odd surgery that had a GP sitting at the front desk making appointments.
GPs are certainly not sacred cows here.

I had a telephone call from my GP this am and she wants me to go in so I was given an appointment for next week.
I am perfectly happy with the attention I have had.

This discussion is closed for me now.
D.
 
lindisfel said:
It is possible for all to lose weight but the torture that causes is too much to tolerate.
We know that the expression of our genes can change. Identical twins seperated at birth and living different lifestyles can have different metabolisms.
D.
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That’s a bold statement to make which is not necessarily true particularly if there is an underlying problem. I was told a few years ago by a consultant that I was one of his few patients who could truly blame their metabolism for their weight and I would find it almost impossible to lose any weight without my body going into starvation mode and shutting down - which was why my GP sent me to him in the first place. He gave me a stark choice - eat healthily and stay as I was ie overweight or go on a low calorie diet and accept the consequences. Needless to say I chose the former!
 
the discussion is not closed for me. At my surgery it is impossible to book a double appointment, only the GP can authorise one. And if the GP, due to their blaming my hormones or weight or whatever refuse to grant me further tests or a double appointment or referral, I am stuck.

I live in a place where there is only one surgery available. My comments are valid and true.

My comments in my previous post were general, and not a reply to you personally.
 
I had to smile when I was reading the stuff on the video at the surgery today. 'How to make the most of your 10 minutes....stick to one ailment. Book another appointment if you have more than one!' Well firstly some ailments are connected but the patient may not realise this and secondly and most importantly...why stick to one thing? Surely it's more efficient to fit as much in as you can. My nice doctor saw me about a lump on my side, a dupuytren's contracture and acid reflux all in 8 minutes. He made an appointment for me to see another GP to get the lump removed, gave me a prescription for the acid reflux and also advised me to get some synthetic saliva. He printed out a leaflet about the dupuytren's and explained why it was that and not a ganglion. Another leaflet about the acid reflux. Well that saved 2 x 10 minute appointments. We were both happy.

I would be very happy if he hadn't moved on.
 
Our GP surgery has a notice on each of the clinicians' doors, 'one problem, one appointment'. I just go in and announce "I am your problem"! Though I do try to book a double appointment if I think I need more than 10 minutes, and refuse to discuss the reason with the receptionist within earshot of the patients in the waiting room.
 

I would be happier if my GP did not spend five of my allotted ten minutes talking about stains rather than the the problems I go to see him with.
 
Guzzler said:
I would be happier if my GP did not spend five of my allotted ten minutes talking about stains rather than the the problems I go to see him with.
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I have had this difficulty with the nurse practitioner, who, because of the shortage of GPs, is doing the job of a GP. I went with a problem with my wrist. She chose to vo over the blood test results that the nurse had already reviewed the previous week and declared fine. Started rattling on about high dose statins. At which point I told her she wasn't sticking to the one problem one appointment rule. When I did get to see the GP a week later, and told him I was not happy with the nurse practitioner consultation, he said she was only following the NICE protocol re the statins. I pointed out that perhaps she was selective about protocols as she wasn't following the practice one problem one.
 
It's rules, rules, rules isn't it? When did common sense go out of the window? Years back (about 28 lol) I made an appointment to see my GP because I had 'a silly little rash' on my shoulder. An hour before my appointment was due my 4 year old had a bad asthma attack. I asked the receptionist if she could change the appointment and give it to my son as his need was greater than mine. The GP saw my son, gave us a nebuliser to take home with us and then asked to look at my rash. I said it was fine, it didn't matter. She insisted. It was shingles, so she gave me a prescription for it. I also had a babe in arms with me. Nowadays I suppose I would have to have waited another week to get an appointment for myself.
 
I’ve never thought to book a double appt., my GP gives all his patients as much time as they need. As a result he always runs late so I go prepared with something to read! But here’s a thought, if you have the facility to book appts on line I wonder if the system would let you book two consecutive 10 min appts? I know I can have up to three appts booked on line at any one time but would it smell a rat if they were consecutive ones?
 
Pipp said:
I pointed out that perhaps she was selective about protocols as she wasn't following the practice one problem one.
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I will remember this, it's brilliant. I am beginning to like rules
 
lindisfel said:
Well I hope you guys at diabetes.co.uk are working to get the guidelines changed as Nina and others are in the States.
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Collectively, we (all the members here plus management admin etc) are, I believe the " You guys at diabetes.co.uk" and each have our part to play in educating the powers that be). As bulk biker has mentioned, Arjun and Charlotte have been very influential, and continue to promote the low carb message. Also, the doctors Unwin, Dr David Unwin the GP (Southport GP, one of our members) with his own work to assist his patients with low carb diet. Innovative and bold in approach when the NHS protocol hasn't worked for patients with T2. I admire those individuals, like zand, those lone voices who dare to challenge the HCPs giving dietary advice that is clearly not working for them, and indeed making them ill. I make a point of taking print outs of Dr Unwins' published work to appointments with medical practitioners I haven't already told about Low Carbing. I doubt many have much time to spend reading and following it up.
Which brings me to the crux of the matter. My gripe is not about GPs and HCPs in general. Surely nobody wants to demonise them. Indeed, the GP at my surgery is one of the nicest, kindest people I know. He is just often overwhelmed by the shackles of the system, having to follow guidelines, tick box mentality, and the volume of work.
 
Almost forgot to mention. DCUK Low Carb programme is available and approved for GPs to prescribe on NHS.
 
Pipp said:
Almost forgot to mention. DCUK Low Carb programme is available and approved for GPs to prescribe on NHS.
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And far better value than Slimming World or Weightwatchers I'd hazard a guess...
 
I am not surprised the doctors are less than perfect if most of their patients are like the whingeing lot on this thread. I book an appointment on line, write out notes before I go and 10 minutes is always enough, in fact the doctor usually asks if there is anything else to discuss while I am there.
 

Not every ones experience mirrors your own for instance some still don't have access to on line booking. So all I can say is bully for you.

Just by the way I am able to book on line also and the ten minutes of my last appointment stretched to 15 to 20 minutes. But we don't all have it so easy.
 

It must be nice to have such straightforward problems.
 
Mr_Pot said:
Just wanted to apply a bit of balance.
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Sometimes hard to do when GPs themselves are 'whinging' about overwork, needing more training and having to deal with so many people who are ill because they just plain eat too much.

How's that for balance?
 
Guzzler said:
Sometimes hard to do when GPs themselves are 'whinging' about overwork, needing more training and having to deal with so many people who are ill because they just plain eat too much.

How's that for balance?
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Luckily for me my problems have been minor but my wife who is on 9 different drugs and is going into hospital for surgery next week has had similar efficient treatment at the same practice but a different doctor. It's not all gloom and doom as someone reading this thread might conclude,. Maybe it is a "postcode lottery".
 
Mr_Pot said:
Maybe it is a "postcode lottery".
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Now that I do agree with

And I am glad that Mrs Pot has been treated so well and efficiently and wish her well for her surgery and a speedy recovery.

I just wish it were the same for everyone irrespective of where they happen to live I like you am relatively lucky with my present GP but the previous one was a nightmare.
 
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