"Three visits"

Despite having attended casualty in pain and been told to see my g.p. as I had "osteoarthritis", the pain and numbness in my left hip and back became alot worse and I called 111 for advice. I did not want to attend accident and emergency again.

The nurse advisor on 111 was very helpful and explained that if the pain was so bad I should be seen. She could arrange for me to be seen at Out of Hours emergency service. I agreed for an appointment exactly 12hrs after the first one, at lunchtime.

I struggled to walk in and was glad of the wait sitting down. The nurses were kind realising by the noises I was making and sitting rocking, I was in some pain.

The doctor took the same history and pressed on my back a couple of times. He asked for a urine sample as a courtesy, it was clear. His diagnosis was a muscle spasm in my back. Gave me diazepam to take along with my pain killers.

At midnight that night, I touched my back to find raised blisters and that I had Shingles. Yet again I contacted 111 and they sent me straight up to out of hours at 12 mid night. I went into see the doctor who asked me to lift my top. "Yes I had shingles, but then you knew that anyway" I was told. Im very glad somebody knew since the 3 doctors I saw didnt! She gave me the appropriate antiviral treatment and the whole visit took less than 5 mins and that was waiting for the prescription.

I certainly learnt alot from the 3 visits. Receptionists and nursing staff were pleasant and could appreciate the amount of pain I was in. The medical staff treated me very much like I was wasting their time. I am so disappointed. I only ever attend if its an emergency or have been advised to by 111.

Yes I did know from the blisters I had shingles starting and if I had a way to prescribe my own antiviral drugs I would have done that too. Unfortunately like every other normal person I have to be advised to see a doctor or make an appointment to see one. Well 3 actually. Very disappointed.

I am glad I do not have osteoarthritis or a muscular spasm in my back but shingles is in itself very very painful and itchy.