Wait time for appointments?

[malin]

If you are having a problem/worry/new sympton, not feeling well/feeling worse etc, and you are worried about it and want to have checked out, how long do you usually have to wait until you get an appointment with your doctor?

I've been having some new sinus/nose issues/symptoms lately and coupled with feeling crap (extremely bad fatigue, feverishness, joint pains that wont go away etc) I am a bit worried and want to see my ENT and Rheumatology doctors. I called to book an urgent appointment with my ENT today and was told there are no appoinments at all until the 15th August. I haven't tried the rheumy yet so will see what happens there but I think that is very bad. The 15th is almost 4 weeks away? I know I could always go to A&E if things were that bad but they probably don't have a clue what Wegs is or what to look for, besided, my nose issues aren't "a&e" type problems.

Am I overreacting or is the wait time for an appoinment quite bad?

[pberggren1]

At most I have to wait over the weekend. But usually I get in the same day unless my doc is away. As soon as I feel crappy I go for labs then see my doc later that day or the next day to see the results.

Now, it sounds like you could easily be flaring Malin. Don't you have a fast line of communication with you Wegs doc like I do? You need to have this checked out by your Wegs doc ASAP. NO WAITING AROUND!!!!!

[Hammy8241]

Your Rheumy is the key Malin. At Portsmouth we ave a help line which we call - answerphone. They normally call back within 4 hours and get the advice needed. But, they do say it's not for emergencies, which is normally what WE think it is so the waiting in is a pain.

Another option is to get your GP to call you.(easier than appointments although you normally have to go through a nurse first!) They won't know what to do so will get you refered quickly.

Although I'll probably get told off by others, If you can't be seen quickly, I'd be considering increasing the pred for a few days and monitor the symptoms.

Good luck in getting it back onto the level again.

[gunnyl]

My rheumy has me on her Cell Phone and I have her on mine. I can text her and she will give me instructions and if I need to see her I can get in the same day if she is working. If it's an emergency she will meet me at the ER. ENT is maybe a little more of a wait but he has given me instructions to call the Rheumy in cases of certain conditions and she will dose me accordingly.
I have to say that my Rheumy is the best. I just noticed purpura on my legs last week and was starting to feel some joint pain and she texted me instructions, called me in a Medrol Pack and put me back on Prednisone with dosage instructions at the end of the Medrol Pack. Had me in to do labs and told me to hold my regular appointment because it was a flare and not systemic. I wouldn't trade her for the World! She regularly texts me to check on my status. She doesn't do that with all of her patients but all of her Wegeners Patients get the same treatment because of the seriousness of what we have.

GL

[Hammy8241]

Sounds good. But this is the UK! It is free And good , but speedy it's not.

[gunnyl]

I understand "Free" but that's a concept... You pay for it in Taxes. To me as a Wegeners Patient, speed is of the essence..... I'll be praying for more speedy care for you over there in the UK, especially for Wegeners patients. Now, if you ever move to Texas; I've got the Doctors you will want on your Team!

[vdub]

I have the cell phones of both my endo and PCP. I can get hold of them at any time night or day. Just the other day, my endo texted me from a private plane while she was flying to Montana. As for blood tests, my endo and rheumy have blanket blood draw orders -- I can get pretty much what I want when I feel I need it. I consider the blood draws and cell numbers all a privilage and try not to abuse them. In 2 and half years I've only used them once and that was all just a week ago.....

[mishb]

I can email or phone my rheumy and she will reply during the same day.
To get an appointment at the GP, most times you can get in within a couple of hours but definately the same day or you can go straight in a wait for an hour and then be seen without a prior appointment.

For my Rheumy or ENT the earliest you can see them without a planned/prior appointment is two weeks, however if I go to the A&E at the City hospital where my specialists are......they will come down whilst I am there......just a few hours wait.

I hope things start to come good again soon, Malin.
Take care

[JanW]

Same day or next day for me if I have a problem.

[Sangye]

PCP: I can usually get in the same day but I might get another doctor if it's not one of her clinic days.
Rheumy: I can email him (via his receptionist), and he usually gets back to me right away. He only has clinic hours once a week and is always booked. The few times that I was in really bad shape he worked me in on the next available clinic day.
ENT: He only has clinic hours once a week as well, but if I'm in bad shape I can usually get in the same week.
Neuro-opthalmologist: He can't get me in sooner than 3 weeks and tells me to go to JHU's Eye ER if I need to get seen sooner.
Endocrinologist: I can email her with questions. Can't get in sooner than 4-5 months unless it's urgent.

They're all at JHU.