Dulwich Medical Centre New Low..

[DulwichFox]

Well anyone who thought it could not get any worse..

I visited DMC on Tues. with a swollen discoloured leg.. No doctors available but saw a Paramedic.

He was concerned it could be a clot and he got TWO doctors to see me. I was refered to K.C.H were I spent 6 hours.

After tests Kings thought It was 'probably' not a clot as they deemed me 'low risk' but needed urgent investigation by my G.P.

I went back to The DMC who said No Arranged Appointments and I needed to go in at 08.00 to make an 'on the day appointment.'

Went in to DMC today and was told no 'on the day appointments' I need to phone.. 'Now Thatas a joke'

The Desk staff said the Doctor would call me..

Desk staff said This has been the proceedure for the last 4 months.. That is Not true..

I'm at DMC several times a month over the last few years.. with various problems.

It just depends who is on the desk.. and not the doctors who are fine and can make a follow up appointment with no problem.

DulwichFox

[Robert Poste's Child]

Poor you, that's horrendous service. It seems a thoroughly disrespectful way to treat people and their time. You could escalate it by complaining to the practice manager (I did that once before I left them a few years back) and also let James Barber know, cc Helen Hayes, as this kind of thing has been going on for years there and needs some pressure to sort it out.

[Jeremy]

So you can't even queue up in the morning and get an appointment any more? Or book an appointment over the phone (no matter how far ahead?) The only system is to phone up, sit around all day waiting for a call back, then find out whether they're going to let you see a doctor or not?

[Robert Poste's Child]

The system seems designed to tire people out and make them go away. Without wishing to rehash all the previous comments on DMC, they have more people on their books than they can safely service and it's not fair on the local community.

[DulwichFox]

The Dr. did call me back and I did get an appointment for 10.30.

She arranged an Urgent appointment back at Kings for 13.30.. And I finally got the scan A&E refused to do.

She also arranged for me to see Haemotology and have an X-Ray..

Very releaved the scan showed no sign of a Thrombosis or Clot..

Now I have to wait the results of the X-Ray and make another appointment at DMC..

The doctors at D.M.C. are brilliant. but the place falls down on its admin policy..

DulwichFox

P.S. What I cannot understand is the place is nearly always EMPTY..

[Nigello]

Foxy,

You got a partially good result but only after a lot of faff. You really ought to demand to speak to the practice manager and put it in writing and copy it to Helen Hayes. For added effectiveness, add the URLs to the various EDF threads.

[DulwichFox]

This is the current state of my leg.. and it gets worse around bed time.. 23.00

I have now been discharged from the hospital with no diagnosis as to what is wrong and I just do not know what to do.

Kings and DMC have no idea what the problem is..

Foxy

[Louisa]

Foxy, having seen the photograph provided it looks to me like a fungal/bacterial infection called 'Cellulitis'. A treatment of antibiotics would be the best course of action if that were the case, but surely a doctor in A&E would be able to recognise such a common condition? Hence my apprehension on giving you a firm diagnosis, I am no doctor! Purely based on past experience it does look very familiar to me as this condition.

Have a read up on this NHS website and let us all know if any of these symptoms ring any bells.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Cellulitis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Louisa.

[DulwichFox]

Hi Lou..

I think you are right.. The doctor did say .. Have the scan.. X-ray and if all clear a course of Antibiotics.

Kings were not in a position to prescribe Antibiotics.

Just need to get to see a doctor after X-Ray results get back on Wed/Thurs.

Foxy

[Seabag]

If there's heat and it feels like your skin is about to rip off as you stand, and the skin goes vey smooth and glassy almost, then it could be Cellulitus. I've just had a third bout in about 5 years

However, there's usually a groin pain in the lymph glands to go with it. But if it is Cellulitus then move on that, as it's quite fast in it's progress.

Go to the Beckenham beacon if you get no luck, it's a drop in NHS place\

Take care

[Pickle]

Sorry to hear this DulwichFox. I've recently had a shocking experience with DMC too.

Please seek medical help in the morning. If it is cellulitis (difficult to tell from the photo) you do need to start on antibiotics sharpish, I wouldn't leave it until Monday. I've had it a few times on my lower legs as a result of insect bites, it's nasty.

Seldoc remain the glimmer of hope in SE22. Call them tomorrow and you will be seen. Sadly now if any of my family are unwell, we wait until after hours and use Seldoc, rather than the GP we've been signed up to for 13+ years.

[Robert Poste's Child]

Another option is to call NHS 111 and tell them what you suspect you have, that it's painful and you're concerned about waiting until Wednesday as you think it's getting worse. They may be able to contact your doctor or refer you to an urgent care centre (or whatever they're called now).

[heartblock]

Complain to PALs on both fronts A&E and DMC anyway.

- Kings A&E can write a script for antibiotics as can your GP, both could have given you antibiotics to cover you in case it was cellulitis while you waited for results. Meanwhile go straight back to an Emergency A&E ASAP, if they won't see you today go to Kings and sit it out and don't leave without a treatment or a diagnosis.

[Townleygreen]

If it is cellulitis you'll need a very strong antibiotic that only a hospital can prescribe. They don't let GPs free with those. Go back to A & E.

[indiepanda]

I would be surprised if Kings didn't recognise cellulitis, I had it treated there some years ago after some nasty insect bites got infected and the antibiotics the out of hours doctor gave me weren't strong enough.

If it's cellulitis the flesh will feel very hot to the touch. I also found (having got it in my calf) that it reduced my flexibility too - couldn't move the way I usually could.

[DulwichFox]

I got an appointment at SELDOC Dulwich Hospital and it was 'confirmed' as not being Celluitus by a doctor there.

He said it was Venous Flares.. which is 'harmless' but incurable.

he added it was down to my age and 'wearing socks'..

Yes.. Wearing Socks..

Could not make it up.. NHS ?

Foxy

[KalamityKel]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I got an appointment at SELDOC Dulwich Hospital

> and it was 'confirmed' as not being Celluitus by a

> doctor there.

>

> He said it was Venous Flares.. which is

> 'harmless' but incurable.

> he added it was down to my age and 'wearing

> socks'..

>

> Yes.. Wearing Socks..

>

> Could not make it up.. NHS ?

>

> Foxy

They might have meant socks that were perhaps too tight?

You can purchase "gentle grip" or non-elastic socks in lots of places these days which might help for future control :-)

[DulwichFox]

KalamityKel Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DulwichFox Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I got an appointment at SELDOC Dulwich Hospital

> > and it was 'confirmed' as not being Celluitus by

> a

> > doctor there.

> >

> > He said it was Venous Flares.. which is

> > 'harmless' but incurable.

> > he added it was down to my age and 'wearing

> > socks'..

> >

> > Yes.. Wearing Socks..

> >

> > Could not make it up.. NHS ?

> >

> > Foxy

>

>

> They might have meant socks that were perhaps too

> tight?

>

> You can purchase "gentle grip" or non-elastic

> socks in lots of places these days which might

> help for future control :-)

No.. The socks were loose . Where the sock was there was no swelling or bruising

infact only one leg is affected.. and rolling the sock up actually helps.

DulwichFox

[Tigres Pride]

I always understood venous flares to be the tiny blue thread-like veins that start appearing, usually on your upper leg or on the back of your lower leg. I've never heard of them causing your leg to swell or change colour?