I have a lot of complex medical conditions, that are very rare in this country, that i have had for the past 12 years. I recently moved from being under the consultant I've had from the beginning of my illness in Truro, to being under a rheumatologist in RDE and i feel very let down since moving. The consultant in question has been very condescending in their implication i cannot possibly know what i'm talking about, even though i am their first ever patient to have this condition and having lived with it for years, i very well know what I'm talking about with it. During a flare up of my condition i recieved no support from them, just sent a letter (not the phonecall i requested) telling me to 'hang tight' because they were 'keen to see a flare up'. Knowing a flare up can put me out of action for several months, and having a mortgage to pay funnily enough i did not want to allow a flare up to continue coming for their convenience, nor because they want to see one. I felt this was an absolutely ludicrous thing to say to a patient. Given that my medical history shows that a very convenient method of preventing a flare up for me was a short course of steroid (which they outright refused to provide despite me pleading to look through my notes and they would see the evidence that 90% of the time it works for me) i was increasingly distressed at their refusal to do anything to help me unless i took time off work to go and see them, which i could not do.
All in all i felt totally let down, and luckily my GP was far more understanding, prescribed the short course for me and i felt better within days. I am now looking to change consultants as i do not wish to have to deal with this doctor again.
"Very Let Down"
About: Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford) Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford) Exeter EX2 5DW http://www.rdehospital.nhs.uk/
Posted via nhs.uk
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