I am annoyed, disappointed, downhearted and in pain. I was diagnosed with RA three years ago. I have failed on all medication including two anti-tnf's and had a knee replacement a year ago. I am still waiting for the Drug's Committee approval on Simponi (a new anti-tnf). I have been waiting three months now. Funding has been approved.

My lovely GP has left and moved onto pastures new. Therefore I saw this morning his replacement for a medication review. The conversation went like this:-

HIM "You have not had a recent blood test" (no good morning and how are you)

ME "It is booked for tomorrow morning, I have had difficulty getting an appointment because of Christmas"

HIM "What can I do for you" (aha maybe he is not that bad)

ME "I have been asked to come in for a medication review and need further Methotrexate, Naproxen, Tramadol and Paracetemol"

HIM "Let me have a look at your hands .......... hmm you don't seen to have RA"

ME - stunned into silence that this GP who has only seen me for about two minutes should go against my Consultant and Rheumy team who have given me wonderful treatment for three years.

ME - "I am in a lot of pain at the moment and am struggling to keep on working. I spoke to the Rheumy team yesterday and they suggested that you could prescribe me a short course of steriods to try and keep me going for a while"

HIM - "I am not prescribing you anything further until you have had your blood test. If your ESR is above say 15 then I may consider it. You must be aware that all this medication you are taking is not doing you any good and there could be serious side effects. Does the Naproxen work?"

ME - "My ESR has never been above 15 but I have severe joint damaged as evidenced by the knee replacement and I need the other knee replaced in the not too distant future. It is difficult to say whether the Naproxen is working as I am in continual pain.

HIM - "You should stop the Naproxen as it can give you stomach problems. Do not take anything that you think may be harming you"

ME - "Well can I have my prescription for Methotrexate as I do not have enough for this weekend?"

HIM - Yes. Come back and see me next week


Is it me, or was that totally inappropriate? I am waiting for a phone call back from the Rheumy team and will NEVER see that GP again.

Jackie
xx

What a plonker

Definately move on from there...!!

I agree Jackie, never see that one again.
It scares me because my lovely GP is nearing retirement and I don't like the other 2 docs in the practise.
Hope you can get some mtx for the weekend.

Love Doreen xx

He must have xray eyes if he can look at your hands and declare that you don't have RA!!! Write to the practise manager and suggest he needs some rheumy training. And change your GP. What an idiot!
Sue

I am completely dumbfounded!!! You definitely need to complain about him.

hi Jackie,

words fail me !!

i think i would have broke down and cried in what he said, as you seem to have hit a brick wall with him.

hope there is another GP at the Surgery for you.

Suzanne x

Thank you all for your kind replies.

The GP is a new partner to the practice. Luckily there are another five to choose from. Twenty one years ago I moved to Telford and joined a newly formed practice and never had problems with any of the GP's. We grew together as a family and practice and they saw us through many years of infertility treatment, the birth of my Daughter and my Husband's illness. Five years ago, they changed the boundary for eligibility to continue with this practice. We were dumped. Despite appeal we had to move to my new practice. What is really galling is that shortly after this, a new GP joined my old practice, I worked with her throughout her hospital and GP training (I used to run the Admin of the Postgraduate Medical Centre where she trained). She also has RA herself. I managed to get a private consultation with her once and she tried to buck the system to get me back into her practice with no avail. She would have been my perfect GP.

HOWEVER ..............

My lovely Rheumy nurse phoned me this afternoon so that the new Simponi anti-tnf has finally been approved by the drugs committee What started as a bad day has now improved and I feel so much better. They are using a new home delivery service for the injections as they have always used Home Care for all their drugs which need to be delivered, but unfortunately someone on high has said that they cannot have all their eggs in one basket. I have just got to wait for a new contract to be set up. The Consultant is going to chivy them along on Monday.

I told my Rheumy nurse about the "consultation" I had with my GP and she was furious. She said "sometimes they think they know more than the qualified RA team and try and flex their muscles". She said to take no notice of him. To say that I had not got RA by looking at my hands is ridiculous. She said he obviously needs some long overdue training in RA. What is worrying is that he cannot be more than early thirties so can only have been qualified a short while. It appears that basic doctor training is still not including much about RA (unless he was away on that day).

She also said to carry on taking the Naproxen as the RA team are well aware of the possible side effects of anti-inflammatories but it would be totally detrimental to my health to stop this at the current time. She is going to mention this GP to my Consultant and ask him to look into this.

Thank God for my wonderful Rheumy team.

Jackie
xx

Hi Jackie - Glad to hear you have been accepted for the anti tnf. Forget today and look forward to getting your new drug.

Sheila x

Hello Jackie,


Gosh unbeleivable I certainly would not go to that Doctor again.

So glad you have been accepted for the new drug that certainly gets your hopes up again. Good luck that you get to
start it quickly.

Rose

I'm so pleased the simponi is on it's way

Stupid gp upsetting and rude. My rheumy is infuriated with the level of ra knowledge in dr's and the public in general

If I had a £1 for people who tell me I can't have ra because I'm young or my hands don't look too bad or its time to give up booze, quit the citrus fruit, go abroad or take essence of hippy gnats pee I'd be a rich woman

It's 100times more upsetting when you're down about things
Much love

Jenni xx