Category: Health

This survey I had to input quite a bit as I have had to use the NHS in the last month.

Overall it was excellent, it was just getting through A&E that was the issue, this is mainly down to lack of staff and so many people needing help.

Today I had a call regarding my SVT and from the information that I provided and with Christmas / New Year coming up, he has extended the medication into early January.

The main issue was still a clot on inside of the left knee. It wasn’t causing me pain, but there was a still a lump there.

This morning I did another Health Insight Survey.

This time I actually had input to enter, as I have had to use the NHS in the last month, which for the most part was very good, considering all the pressure they are under.

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Well just after 9am, I get a call from the anticoagulant team and said could I get there for 11am to have an ultra sound and see them.  Impressed that they called so early, but also showed the seriousness of the issue.

Thankfully this time there was no issue with parking.

I had my ultra sound and they were showing me on the screen where all the clots were in the left leg, I said, well I haven’t wasted your time, which they said no.

I then had my appointment and from the results of the scan, said that I had SVT, which is blood clots in the outer veins, which isn’t as bad as DVT, but if not treated could still cause the blood clots to travel around my body and cause more issue.

I was given 6 weeks of blood thinner tablet and to be contacted next week and after 5 weeks.

I have to say they were brilliant and very helpful and showed the NHS at its best. Let’s hope the tablet does what it should do.

For the last few days, I have had pain in my left leg and noticed some swelling was appearing. With not long coming back from holiday I was concerned about this.

Finally the pain that was much that I went to our urgent care centre for help and advice.

I was seen by a triage nurse quite quickly, but then had a 2 hours wait for a doctor, which was a complete waste of time, as he didn’t really look at my leg and I was told to go to A&E, after seeing him for less than a minute. It does make me wander what they can treat here.

So I drove over to the A&E, this was mid-afternoon, but could not find anywhere to park. In the end I decided to drive back home and get Claire to come and if we couldn’t park, at least she could drop me off and come back later.

This time we were able to park, after checking in, again saw the triage nurse quite quickly, though she wasn’t impressive with the service I had at the urgent care and marked me urgent.

Though I was still there for 4 hours. Once I saw a doctor and they looked at my leg, they said they would refer me to the anticoagulant team and should hear from them tomorrow. I was given anti biotic and blood thinner tablet.

We finally got home, just after 9pm.

This morning, I actually had a face to face doctor’s appointment. Of course they were running late, but this was down to a GP going ill. The appointment was because about 5 or 6  times this year, I have had a reaction to something, that has caused my mouth (inside and out) plus lips to swell and my hands and wrist too. Which has never happened to me before.

We believe it is nuts or seeds, but would like it confirmed.

I was hoping that I would have an allergy test there and then, but of course in this day and again, you have to be sent elsewhere for that to be done.

Well see how long, especially as the doctor marked it urgent.