Falling apart at 60+ Are GPs really interested?
Discussion
One inevitability that has hit me now is that as you progress through the 60 barrier, many of us seem to be collecting ailments at an increasingly alarming rate...
...what makes it worse is the attitude that some GPs (in fact many) seem to take when discussing the 'new problem' with them in the hope that there is a fix!
The impression frequently is..."well you are getting old aren't you! What you do expect?". They may not actually say it, but you can see the line plastered across their foreheads when they actually say.. "hmmmm, yes ...a difficult one! Take paracetamol and you will be fine!"
I for one seem to be accumulating problems with hand numbness, occasional sharp pains in the wrist (that make you drop what you are holding), nerves in the thumb and forefingers getting stabbing pains and feeling if they have just been set on fire, tight feelings in my forearms, pains in my heels, tighness in my calves and achilles heels, pains in my hips occassionally...etc etc
...but although I know from my own research that some of these symptoms are possible down to arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, trapped nerves, etc etc, can I get a proper investigation done? ...Naaaa! Mobility is very important to me, including retaining it for as loong as I can, but seems that GPS don't really bother when you hit my age... and I have seen this problem with my parents as they get older too!
Rant over.
...what makes it worse is the attitude that some GPs (in fact many) seem to take when discussing the 'new problem' with them in the hope that there is a fix!
The impression frequently is..."well you are getting old aren't you! What you do expect?". They may not actually say it, but you can see the line plastered across their foreheads when they actually say.. "hmmmm, yes ...a difficult one! Take paracetamol and you will be fine!"
I for one seem to be accumulating problems with hand numbness, occasional sharp pains in the wrist (that make you drop what you are holding), nerves in the thumb and forefingers getting stabbing pains and feeling if they have just been set on fire, tight feelings in my forearms, pains in my heels, tighness in my calves and achilles heels, pains in my hips occassionally...etc etc
...but although I know from my own research that some of these symptoms are possible down to arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, trapped nerves, etc etc, can I get a proper investigation done? ...Naaaa! Mobility is very important to me, including retaining it for as loong as I can, but seems that GPS don't really bother when you hit my age... and I have seen this problem with my parents as they get older too!
Rant over.
Oh I absolutely agree..one ailment, One appt!
trouble is these days is you have absolutely no control over what GP you see, and if you do want to see a specific one, invariably you can wait for a month or more.
The old days of having your own specific favorite you could call on is long gone...its a lottery, one which I am very unhappy about!
trouble is these days is you have absolutely no control over what GP you see, and if you do want to see a specific one, invariably you can wait for a month or more.
The old days of having your own specific favorite you could call on is long gone...its a lottery, one which I am very unhappy about!
Think GP's should have a wake-up call regarding the elderly...but I can't see that happening until there is a unfortunate major event...
Over the years the rose-tinted glasses have fallen off in respect to GP's, and the way they are regarded with 'reverence' by many. The notion that they are somehow elite and can do no wrong has been promoted over the years, but....they are people, with the same prejudices, the same drives and the same failures as anyone else...
Sure, they have fairly long and arduous training, but so do many other skilled professions on and off the job, and indeed there are a few very good ones, as there are again in any chosen discipline. But they are 'in business' to earn a living... a very good one at that!
Over the years the rose-tinted glasses have fallen off in respect to GP's, and the way they are regarded with 'reverence' by many. The notion that they are somehow elite and can do no wrong has been promoted over the years, but....they are people, with the same prejudices, the same drives and the same failures as anyone else...
Sure, they have fairly long and arduous training, but so do many other skilled professions on and off the job, and indeed there are a few very good ones, as there are again in any chosen discipline. But they are 'in business' to earn a living... a very good one at that!
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