Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I woke up this morning w dreaded mastitis


I have a 6 wk old and a 3yr old toddler to look after

It's the second time I've had mastitis in 4 wks and last time I contained it using low dose antabuse.


I called at 8.15am for an appointment with Melbourne Grove but they said there were none available today.


As anyone knows, mastiitis left untreated can get really out of hand and I'm on my own with 2 kids to look after with chills/breast pain/weak etc etc


I said all I needed was a repeat prescription from last time, and my partner could pick it up from reception. This means I could nip it in the bud ahead of tm.


They said I could try emailing, but the response can take up to 48 hrs.


I emailed, twice but heard nothing back.


My partner went in and they refused to talk to my doctor or pass on a messgae/email to him. I really rate him as a doctor and trust him to help me as he totally sorted me out last time


How easy should it be to just get a repeat prescription for something? Or just get a message to a doctor?


I am feeding constantly and doing all the rec things, to keep it at bay. Hot baths/massaging etc but its just getting worse. I have inverted nipples which makes me prone apparently.


I'm really emotional and hormonal as it was mastitis that stopped me bf with my first child... but the reception staff are hugely unsympathetic and just huff and puff at you like I'm making a fuss.


Thankfully, they just called syaying I could come in for another appointment but w a different* doctor at 710.

I managed to get it down to 610.


All this feels like such a waste of time for everyone involved. I just get more and more disillusioned w that place...


Any suggestions for another gp nearby?

Link to comment
https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/28518-mastitis-hell/
Share on other sites

I second that. I must have seen 4 different GP's none at my surgey with suspected mastitis and none of them gave me any antibios! It wasn't until I got so bad in the middle of the night with fever, cold sweats etc that my husband called SELDOC who were amazing and sorted me right out. Such a brilliant service.


I hope you get more antibiotics soon and start getting better, it's such a horrible condition and doesn't help the general overwhelming feeling of having a tiny newborn and the stress of breastfeeding.


Take care.

DMC?

They are not perfect but I have always got a call back from a dr in those sort of circumstances

Hope you are on the mend soon. I had a terrible dose of mastitis once that turned into a deep access and took 3 months to treat inc iv antibiotics and surgical draining, so it's nothing to be messed with.

:( thanks for your comments


You can't help feeling really depressed by it all - bf is so hard


And the thought of getting up and going to doc makes me feel sick


Frustrating as I knoe if the doctor knew, he'd sort it out straight away but the front recpetion staff refuse to pass on ms


Its now in my second breast and fever 38.3 and I've only had it <24 hrs

In a case like this I'd be tempted say do you want me to go to A&E with my tiny baby and my older child or can someone fit me in?! I third Seldoc but you have to wait til your GP closes, they have always dealt with mine and my son's problems ASAP - never had to wait more than an hour for call back.

Been seen


Doctor was really nice and sorted me out with some antibiotics, but temp now 38.8 and its on both sides


I complained bout reception stasff and she just said 'they are not medically trained'


Unhelpful, as dose has to be high cos its so established, thrush likely and prob cessation of bf


Gutted


All completely avoidable

Hi Saila. I had a similar problem with Mastitis at DmC (had spoken to seldoc on Sunday night; knew what it was as had had it before; seldoc had faxed Dmc to say I had mastitis and should be treated with antibiotics but failed to use precise enough wording such that the reception staff refused to show it to a doctor or get me an appointment until late that day). The doc I saw was really apologetic and used the same "not trained medically" excuse re the reception staff. So, I guess it happens everywhere. I had mastitis 4 times - no longer bf'ing but if you are that prone maybe speak to your doctor about them prescribing you antibiotics to have to hand in case it develops again and you are in a similar situation. I plan on doing this for next time around (albeit can ask my mum in Ireland to write the script and just pay for the antibiotics in Ireland). Get better soon. Xx

This is what amazes me. Surely the mistake is that these untrained staff are ultimately making medical decisions.


Had I just accepted what they had told me, I would have ended up in a&e that's for sure. Instead it took stressful conversations to the point of arguing with the front desk staff who were combative at best. My partner also went in in person with a similar response but still the attitude was all wrong. Being stressed out like that with a high temperature isn't fun.


I ended up breaking down in the doctors office when she was shocked at how sick I was.


There seems to be a missing service at the Melbourne grove, and perhaps dmc, and that's for emergency cases that do not warrant going to a&e for. Without this, it is driving patients to become emergencies which makes zero sense.

I think it's worth speaking to the practice manager and making sure they know about it. When I had mastitis the first time I called and asked for an appt, when they said nothing available I said 'I have mastitis and a 3 week old baby' and they found me something immediately.


It's about the feeding of a newborn so high priority.


And, sorry you have had mastitis, it truly sucks.

Convex, what practice are you at cos we said all of this?


My partner pleaded saying that I was deteriorating by the hour with a 6 wk old. But they just told him there was nothing they could do.


They eventually called back with an appointment time of 710pm approx 12 hours after I first contacted them. By which time I was v sick.

DMC


I have to say they have their problems but overall they have done well by us


I think you should raise a complaint, imagine if you have to stop bf because they haven't trained their reception staff properly to prioritise patients. If they weren't sure they should have referred it to the practice manager or a doctor.

Saila I don't have any advice really, but you have my empathy. I hope you're soon on the mend. I found the kelly mom website useful on any issues to do with breastfeeding and this page on mastitis seems helpful (although I'm sure nothing you don't already know)


http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/recurrent-mastitis/


I just wanted to say this is the third such experience I have heard of in the last week where pregnant women or mothers with newborns have been subjected to crappy health care. It makes me incredibly angry.


Edited: rubbish spelling

Agree re DMC, they have issues but I've never been refused same day treatment for me re: pregnancy or BF related or my son and he is 2.5yrs now. Husband has been refused and sometimes I have had to fight but they do seem better able to prioritis if you (metaphorically) shout rather loudly...


Hope you can get the right meds and support (lactation consultant eg Katie Fisher?) to continue BF, take care x

Thanks for this link, really helpful


I'm pretty sure it's my useless inverted nipples. That's what i keep being told. Possibly being tired doesn't help


Apparently some mums just get it all the time which is fine, as long as I can treat it ASAP


I'm going to ask for a repeat prescription next time and give bf another go. But tbh, I can't have 2 days in bed each month sweating pints with a toddler and new born to look after. It's just not possible... Plus my partner can't keep taking days off to help out. :(

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • OOOOooooOOOooohhhHHHHHH 👜 👜 👜 
    • That's actually why the Sherlock Holmes stories were so popular. There was so little crime people found it exciting to imagine robberies and murders happening in London.
    • Yes, because of course there were no violent robberies in the olden days. Pretty much no crime happened at all I believe through the entire Victorian era.
    • Hi all, Im a Southwark council leaseholder and live downstairs in a ground floor flat, there is one flat above me, it's a house with individual front doors leading from the street into the shared pathway. My neighbour told me he has had a ring doorbell installed, no discussion as to how I would feel being on camera everytime I go in and out or in my front garden. I was told it's only for deliveries and doesn't record and only activates when pressed, however I don't know this and I feel really uncomfortable everytime I'm out in garden or on doorstep talking to people. Everytime I walk in/out, it lights up and in the eve it has a  infra red  light. Now I've read up that as he said its only for deliveries, he could set it so it only activates when pressed, however it activates with its motion sensor. Had he said to me about getting it installed, I could have had the opportunity to ask about it recording etc but nothing except it's being installed and when I arrived home it was there. I don't like being horrible to people however I feel I have not been considered in his decision and I feel very uncomfortable as, some times I have to stand on doorstep to get signal for my mobile and I really don't like the idea of being watched and listened to. Has anyone got any advice as I'm beginning to get angry as I've asked about it once and was told it only activates when pressed. I believe this is not true. I know southwark council say you need to ask permission to make sure the neighbours are OK with it, I don't really want to go down that road but I don't know how to approach the subject again. They also put a shed approx 3 foot from my back room window, these places are built so my window faces their rear garden and there upstairs window  faces mine. They said it's there temporarily, that was over a year ago and it does affect the light, plus I'm hoping to sell up soon and the view from window is mainly a dark brown shed. When I've mentioned this, I was told they have no where else to put it, whereas originally they said its only temporary, Also the floorboards above are bare and I get woke early morning and at night, the thudding is so bad my light shakes and window rattles, so I mentioned this and asked if they have rugs, I was told when they get the boards re sanded they will get rugs, I should have asked if they could get rugs and just take them up when boards being done, which I would have done had it been me living above someone, their attitude was I can just put up with it until they are ready. so they had the floor boards done, and the workmen was hammering screws, yes screws, in the floorboards, I spoke to workmen to ask how much longer and they said yes, are using screws to make less noise! I could hear the cordless screwdriver, not an issue but for every screw there were at least 8 whacks, the owners had gone out to avoid the noise  so I  spoke to workmen as the noise was unbearable, the sanding, not an issue at all, people need to get things done to their home and I'm fine that on occasions there will be temporary noise. now I have a nice crack on my bedroom ceiling, I mentioned this to owner but no response, he said there were alot of loose floorboards and it will be much better now, not so noisy, as though I don't know the difference between squeaking floor boards and thudding, and nothing was mentioned re the crack or that they now have rugs, which if it were me, I'd be trying to resolve the issue so we can get on with feeling happy in our homes. so I'm feeling it's a total lack of consideration. these places are old and Edwardian and I've lived here over 40 years, had 4 different neighbours and it's only now the noise of thudding is really bad and the people before had floorboards but nothing like this. As you can probably tell I'm really wound up and I don't want to end up exploding at them, I've always got on with neighbours and always said if there's a problem with my dog, pls let me know, always tell me, however I feel it's got to the point where I say something and I'm fobbed off. I know I should tell them but I'm angry, perhaps I should write them a letter. Any suggestions greatly appreciated and thank you for reading my rant. 
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...