Sick of crap NHS services

[Digsy 10]

I've been in bed most of the day because its easier than killing myself running upstairs to the lav.

I did manage to get out of bed for a few hours to attend a business meeting in my living room because agorophobia or no, we all still have to put an effort in and earn some pennies.

I'm sure if I wasn't sick I'd only wind up somewhere else, or maybe I'll take some advice and try go for a walk, it looks like its been sunny, although the wind has been abit nippy.

Edited March 27, 2009 by Digsy

[Solomon1 10]

Deep red (blood) foam, fades to pink foam, fades to white foam, mucous starts to appear amongst the foam, then its just mucous, then its just saliva from the back of my throat

 

ok, the good news is you don't have a bacterial chest infection (hooray!).

 

the bad news is, its likely that you have a viral bronchial infection, for which there is no treatment .

 

mild bronchial infections can cause bleeding, coughing, breathlessness and the foam is from all the hacking, basically.

 

chest infections for smokers can take weeks to resolve.

 

if, however, it starts to get worse, then you really need a chest xray.

 

how old are you digs?

[Digsy 10]

ok, the good news is you don't have a bacterial chest infection (hooray!).

 

the bad news is, its likely that you have a viral bronchial infection, for which there is no treatment .

 

mild bronchial infections can cause bleeding, coughing, breathlessness and the foam is from all the hacking, basically.

 

chest infections for smokers can take weeks to resolve.

 

if, however, it starts to get worse, then you really need a chest xray.

 

how old are you digs?

 

I'm 31 mate, been smoking 15 years, I'm hoping it is something that will just go away sooner or later, its annoying.

Me and the wife have been disgussing quitting for a few months, we was going to quit when we ran out, but my father in law brought us some backy from spain so that aint happening for a few weeks yet.

And I have no idea on whether I have the will power for it, never attempted to quit before, always been a happy smoker, but I aint liking the idea of a three month chest infection next year.

And I'm kinda liking the idea of healthy lungs by the time I'm 38.

I feel alot worse than I have been doing, out of the whole two months, the only two days I've found it a struggle is when I've whinged on here about it, laid up in bed, so twice.

But I don't know how worse it has to be to warrant an x-ray, NHS direct said its best to have one last week, and my doctor confirmed that today, so I have an x-ray booked for monday, I'm hoping it comes out good and that its just me fevering away here, I'd hate to think of the worst, I visited my mate in intensive care when he had pneumonia, and it aint a place I want to be.

Edited March 27, 2009 by Digsy

[Solomon1 10]

I'm 31 mate

 

ok. that really works in your favour!

 

i'm an asthmatic and suffer a bit with chest infections too...and i know they ain't a barrel of laughs .

 

what works for me is....

 

avoiding cow's milk (it makes you produce more mucous)

gentle exercise (to stimulate the ole immune system)

early nights (better for immune system)

expectorant cough medicine (something that helps to loosen all the gunk in your lungs so that you can cough it up better)

halls soothers

 

you might find this link useful too on bronchitis...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronchitis

 

 

been smoking 15 years, I'm hoping it is something that will just go away sooner or later, its annoying.

Me and the wife have been disgussing quitting for a few months, we was going to quit when we ran out, but my father in law brought us some back backy from spain so that aint happening for a few weeks yet.

And I have no idea on whether I have the will power for it, never attempted to quit before, always been a happy smoker, but I aint liking the idea of a three month chest infection next year.

And I'm kinda liking the idea of healthy lungs by the time I'm 38.

 

have you thought about hypnotherapy digsy?

 

and here's another link for the nhs quitting service...

 

http://smokefree.nhs.uk/?WT.mc_id=search

 

goodluck mate, hope you feel better soon

[Digsy 10]

have you thought about hypnotherapy digsy?

 

Not really, we do have a hypnotist in the family though, so maybe I could get a freebie, try and cure the agorophobia too.

In fact whilst he's at it, he can hypnotise my teenager into doing some chores, and not asking for money.

[big_g 10]

A few weeks (almost seven) ago I was sat in work feeling absolutely freezing. Then I had a cough and a slight sore throat – then a cold. In addition, I had horrendous bronchial noises – you could hear me breathing before I got into a room. Also was breathless – even at rest.

 

After three weeks I’d had enough. Went to the doctors who looked in my ears, then down my throat, took my temp (37.4 – I didn’t assume that was high) – “Yes, you’ve got a bit of a cold and some sort of infection” – then listened to my chest. “Actually, you’ve got a severe chest infection”. She told me off for going to work and advised me to return to the doctor’s if no better.

 

Anyhow, after loads of visits to the doctors, different antibiotics – an inhaler to treat suspected “Infection induced asthma”, about a week and a half off work, I’m finally feeling better.

 

As mentioned, I went to the doctor’s. I’ve used the walk-in-centre before but I don’t rate them for some things. Sometimes they excel – sometimes not. Given a choice though – I’d see the doctor before going to the walk in clinic.

 

If you can manage to get to the doctor’s, do so. I know what you’re saying about the distance and how you’ll have to rely on someone to take you there but, it’s your health. Look after it. As someone else said, the walk in centre has nurses – your doctor’s has doctors.

 

Our doctor’s surgery allows you to call in towards the end of morning and afternoon surgery for urgent stuff where you don’t have an appointment.

 

That would be my advice. Get on the phone on Monday and see what you can do. If you have to fork out for a taxi – so be it but …

 

G

 

Just re-read one of your posts. I don't think that cough medicine is advised for a bad cough - it's probably fine if you don't have a cough . I'll hunt out where I found that but it was on a few health sites for bronchitus (sp).

Edited March 28, 2009 by big_g

[Halibut 12]

You don't need willpower to give up smoking, you need Allen Carrs 'Easyway to stop smoking' I was on 20-30 a day and haven't smoked for a fortnight. Piece of ****.

[Digsy 10]

A few weeks (almost seven) ago I was sat in work feeling absolutely freezing. Then I had a cough and a slight sore throat – then a cold. In addition, I had horrendous bronchial noises – you could hear me breathing before I got into a room. Also was breathless – even at rest.

 

After three weeks I’d had enough. Went to the doctors who looked in my ears, then down my throat, took my temp (37.4 – I didn’t assume that was high) – “Yes, you’ve got a bit of a cold and some sort of infection” – then listened to my chest. “Actually, you’ve got a severe chest infection”. She told me off for going to work and advised me to return to the doctor’s if no better.

 

Anyhow, after loads of visits to the doctors, different antibiotics – an inhaler to treat suspected “Infection induced asthma”, about a week and a half off work, I’m finally feeling better.

 

As mentioned, I went to the doctor’s. I’ve used the walk-in-centre before but I don’t rate them for some things. Sometimes they excel – sometimes not. Given a choice though – I’d see the doctor before going to the walk in clinic.

 

If you can manage to get to the doctor’s, do so. I know what you’re saying about the distance and how you’ll have to rely on someone to take you there but, it’s your health. Look after it. As someone else said, the walk in centre has nurses – your doctor’s has doctors.

 

Our doctor’s surgery allows you to call in towards the end of morning and afternoon surgery for urgent stuff where you don’t have an appointment.

 

That would be my advice. Get on the phone on Monday and see what you can do. If you have to fork out for a taxi – so be it but …

 

G

 

Just re-read one of your posts. I don't think that cough medicine is advised for a bad cough. I'll hunt out where I found that but it was on a few health sites for bronchitus (sp).

 

You talk a lot of sense, it was my wife that spurred me into phoning NHS direct, and they instructed me that in my condition, phone the doctors and ask for a call out.

My doctor made the call out today, she might not have been here, but she called out, which is all NHS direct asked for, and instructed me on the next steps to take. Which I will follow gladly, if it means me getting better, even if they say, right digsy when you finish your dirty, nasty, filthy, stinky, soul destroying, health damaging habits phone the helpline and we'll send you some chuddies.

[bagger 10]

I'm speechless !

Is this a wind up?

 

It's definately a wind up. Either that or he's a bored adolescent.

[Annette K 10]

I am quite shocked by some of the nasty comments directed at the NHS. To say how little we pay as an individual the service is incredible. I do not doubt that things go wrong and that improvements are always important. Money could be spent a lot wiser in some cases (i.e. databases that even the expert cannot agree on) but all in all the service is invaluable.

 

I have spoken to my father a few days ago about medical care. He lives in Germany and there you require medical insurance. Currently he is paying approx a 1000 Euros a month for himself and my mums insurance is around 600 Euros. Every quarter, if he does need to go to see the Doctors, he has to pay an additional 10 Euro admin fee to the surgery and if he requires any medication he has to pay for them as well. Oh, he does has to wait as well to see his doctor. Unlike this country if you are privately insured. The doctors are then available immediately.

 

I was on the waiting list before and yes it is very annoying at the time, but my condition was by no means life threatening. The treatment I have received once my time came was very good.

Someone I know had to go to A&E because he had chest pains. His back site did not even touch the seat in the waiting area. Luckily it wasn't anything serious but again the level of care he has received was incredible.

The staff needs to prioritse the cases and for non life threathing conditions the waiting time is longer. You phoned someone and explained what is happening and then did not follow their advice. That is no-one elses fault but your own.

 

Also, in order to get help you need to accept help. It seems to me that you find it approriate to expect everyone to come to you to sort things out for you. If you can make to the walk-in centre, why couldn't you make it to your doctors surgery?

 

I am sorry you are unwell and I hope you are feeling better very soon, but please do not scream about a service that is invaluable to this country. I for one would be unable to afford private medical insurance. My friend would have not been able to go to the hospital with his chest problems.... Where would the majority of this country be without the NHS?

[archaeobard 11]

Can't say I've ever had a bad experience with the NHS since they look after my rheumatoid arthritis quite well. So I suppose I am biased in that respect.

 

Although I was off work for 3 weeks in January with some horrid infection similar to the OP without the blood though. My GP said it was viral and I'd have to deal with it on my own, which was hard since the medication I'm on for RA suppresses my immune system. Then in the middle of the thing I had my regular RA blood tests. A month later (when I was well again) I went back to my specialist they mentioned that my blood results were all over the place and asked me if I had been ill. I said my GP told me I had a viral infection, "Oh no," said my specialist, "these results indicate a bacterial infection." So I suppose if my GP had ordered a blood test I'd have had some antibiotics and I'd not have struggled for as long as I did. But the presenting symptoms could have been either, guess they were trying to save money. Admittedly, the situation could have turned nasty.

 

I agree it is probably not the best course of action to smoke if you have a serious chest infection. I smoke, but when I was really ill, a fag was the last thing on my mind. I must be a light smoker in comparison to the OP, a 25 gram pack lasts me two weeks or more. So perhaps I am not as dependant on cigs. But Digsy, I can't imagine you are doing yourself any favours by smoking when you are so ill. On the other hand, my aunt smokes 40 a day and she has terrible asthma, probably because she smokes 40 a day...there is no accounting for sense.

 

I hope you get better soon Digsy and you get the treatment you need for all your ails.

[perplexed 10]

I'm speechless !

Is this a wind up?

 

I'm inclined to think so. I'm off to buy a large sack of salt to take with some of these posts.