Incompetent Surgery
Posted on 2002-12-20
I feel pretty angry right now. My doctors surgery is just completely incompetent and it's me thats going to suffer for it.
On a 'normal' day what happened to me today would make me pretty upset, but today I'm absolutely fuming. My own GP is on holiday now until the New Year, and the earliest appointment I could get is on the 2nd January 2003; so on Wednesday on my way home from the psychologists I took a letter to the surgery requesting additional meds to see me through to January. I was guaranteed that one of the other doctors would write a prescription on behalf of my G.P, and I could collect my tablets from the chemist today. (Apparently they are trying to get all prescriptions written by today as the surgery will be closed over Xmas, and obviously people would be going away over the holiday period and will also need their medication promptly).
Well..... I went to the chemist today to pick up my pills, and suprise suprise..... they haven't received a prescription for me. What the hell am I going to do now??? The pharmacist has given me 5 days supply of all my tablets, but this isn't going to last me all over Xmas. I can't even get any sleeping tablets as apparently it is illegal to supply the ones I'm on without a green prescription request from a doctor, and I can't get an earlier appointment as my own doc wont be there, and the other one is fully booked. I can't go to see anyone at the 'drop in' center as they will not prescribe 'repeat' meds, and I can't telephone the out of hours surgery for the same reason.
It looks to me as though I shall be getting sick over the holidays through no fault of my own.
I've thought about changing doctors, but in all honesty I don't want to. I've thought about writing a complaint letter, but I don't want to be seen as a 'difficult' patient either. Things seemed to go pear shaped when my usual G.P went on maternity leave - and everything has been a shambles ever since. My usual doctor is due back at the end of January though so I am keeping my fingers crossed that things improve on her return. I don't want to have to start from scratch again with another doctor who doesn't understand what it's like to have M.E/CFS and Depression. It's taken just over two years to get this far.....
I feel so let down. I'm being made to feel as though I don't count, as though I'm just another statistic instead of a person with emotions. Is it any wonder that my depression isn't getting any better if I am being treated like this by the very people that are supposed to be helping me get better??? I mean for fucks sake, I am STILL waiting for the doctors report for my Uni course which I requested 2 months ago.
I tried to explain my low mood to Mr B earlier when he called but his comment was 'Don't let it get to you, there is nothing you can do about it so just forget what has happened today and get on with enjoying Christmas'.
How can I though??? I need my medication just to get though the day.