Looking for a Doctor in East Anglia

[hannah-rose]

Hello all,

I'm looking for a new doctor - I'm seeing one at Bedford Hospital at the moment but I want to find another either at the same hospital or at Addenbrookes in Cambridge or another hospital close by.

So far I've heard good things about Dr. Middleton at Addenbrookes and Mr Skipper at Bedford Hospital.

Any thoughts?

I'd like my new doctor to be friendly, caring and understanding. (My current one's horrible, I have never seen him smile once in a year of seeing him, I'm not exagerrating).

Suggestions welcome!

 

[StarGirrrrl]

You can ask for a referral to any Hospital but you can't specify a particular consultant sadly.

You could get in at another Hospital and then asked to be transferred over, it might work am not sure.

 

[beth]

Dr. Middleton at Addenbrookes

Yeah, he gets my vote (if you haven't already seen me mention him). I've seen a number of other consultants and registrars there and they have all seemed pleasant and understanding, and I was able to get what I needed from them.

 

[crag]

Hi Hannah, nice to meet you.

I'm from Peterborough and go to the city hospital, I'm also still undergoing tests to try and diagnose whatever is happening to my system! I so far have only had one follow up appointment with a surgeon but am waiting on my first appointment with a doctor at the moment. I'm sure I'll be on here afterwards so I'll make sure to put something about the general attitude of the doc as well!

I hope things improve for you in the meantime with your current doctor. Have you tried being a little more assertive and attempt to make him see things from your point of view? I'm not saying it's going to work but could be worth a shot? The surgeon I saw was still quite arrogant and impatient too, within a few minutes of our first 'official' meeting I said to him "I appreciate that you see many cases each day and that I am simply another one of them, but to ME this is a big deal and could potentially affect my life forever."

He didn't suddenly see the light and transform into Dr Compassion, but did at least start to look me in the eye when he spoke and slowed things down a little for me! Sorry if this is completely useless to you but it's about all I got right now, I'm new to this too!

Take care,

Craig

 

[hannah-rose]

Thanks Beth, I'm going to see my GP in the week to talk to him about the possibility of changing doctors so I shall mention Dr Middleton. I do have BUPA healthcare so I may check out whether I can see him privately depending how I get on.

Hey craq, good to meet you, I hope your tests go well, what are you having, have you had any tests before? I hope everything goes well, my doctors and nurses when I had mine were lovely, well nurses are always lovely which is a great thing to rely on

Unfortunately I did try and be assertive at my last consultation with him. He suggested I try steroids and I tried to tell him I was concerned about his diagnosis of crohn's because I feel fine and most of my tests were normal and perhaps we should try botox seeing as I presented with fissures but he just refused to listen. I'm an assertive, confident person but this man reduces me to tears every time I see him! Even when I was obviously distressed and being presented with possibly having a lifelong disease he was dismissive, defensive and cold. I got angry and said 'I've been comig to see you for over a year and I'm worse than I was at the beginning' and he implied it was my fault I was worse for missing a hospital appointment I've disliked him since the very first time I met him and If there's a chance I can see someone else I'll definitely take it. Also, and I'm not exagerrating here, I've never seen the man smile once the entire time I've been going to him. Not once!

I totally empathise with you, I think it must be a surgeon thing. Perhaps If I saw a gastro-doctor rather than a colorectal surgeon they might be nicer. I think you're right you do need to be assertive. Preferably go for calm and informed rather than crying and getting angry though that doesn't go down as well haha

 

[beth]

If you want to see a surgeon, then I can recommend Mr Nigel Hall, also at Addenbrookes, I saw him privately thanks to bupa. Surgeons are a funny breed. I think they have to be apart from their patients as cutting people about must be quite an odd feeling. Initially I found Mr Hall quiet and distant, but at the colonoscopy he was very reassuring and personable.

 

[littlemissh]

Another vote for Dr Middleton at Addenbrookes, really nice guy and knows his stuff. Dr Middleton does see people privately..he even has his own website. Dr Steven Middleton.

Hi Craig, who did you see at PCH and which gastro doc are you waiting to see?

Starr, you can specify a consultant but it needs to be done outside of 'choose and book'.

 

[hannah-rose]

Thanks guys cheered me up loads knowing it's possible to find a medical practitioner that can help me physically and hopefully emotionally too. I agree surgeons probably are just 'like that'. Even so, I reckon some of them would benefit from a little re-reading of the hippocratic oath.

'I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug...I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being...'

 

[crag]

From what you've said about his comments he definitely sounds like he's in the wrong profession, he seems to have an (arrogant) answer for everything! It really frustrates me that these are supposedly educated people and yet they can be so adolescent in their remarks, to say you feel the way you do because of one missed appointment is ridiculous! I know it's not much comfort but at least you can be sure that you're not alone in this!

As for me, I've had a CT scan which originally showed some inflammation in my small intestine, then had a colonoscopy which came back normal. Am currently waiting on a Barium X-ray, which the surgeon was honest enough to tell me I should've had two months ago whilst in hospital! The hospital gave me the wrong test and I was completely uneducated about tests, procedures etc then so had no idea! I'm planning to ring them on Tuesday to see if they have found me a date yet.

Hi littlemissH, the surgeon I saw was a Dr Menon, quite impatient and a little too dismissive with one question I made, but he at least tried to answer the ones I put to him! He's referred me to a Dr Naib (not sure of the spelling, as have no paperwork from him/her yet!) and has requested the Barium X-ray again so just gotta wait and see! I notice you said that you see Dr middleton, do you see him at Peterborough City as well? I'm just curious as he seems to be a good consultant who knows the field, from people's experiences on here.

Hope you're all having a good bank holiday weekend

 

[littlemissh]

Craig,It will be dr nair, he is the head of the gastro dept and a really nice, approachable guy-with a long waiting list though. He uses addenbrookes and st marks for extra tests and advice. He is the lead ibd physician. If you want any more info feel free to pm me.

 

[crag]

Thank you littlemiss, you've certainly put a smile on my face, which is some good going considering I'm assuming my normal morning hunched position on the sofa! I won't speak to the hospital until tomorrow but they sure wouldn't have been as honest about his crdentials as that so thank you again!

I presume you have had some experience with Dr Nair then? He definitely sounds like a refreshing change, all I ask is that they show a little compassion and understanding... just a little will do! If I do think of anything else I'll PM you, ta muchly, tis most appreciated! Hope you have yourself a good bank holiday, I will be as long as my bowels say "Si senor"! Only time will tell cos I sure as hell can't!!!

*Edit - Hannah, sorry I just realised I may have hijacked your thread a bit, it wasn't a deliberate thing, just my morning tact! lol.

I'll be sure to post something on here after my appointment so hopefully that might give you some options. I still don't have a date as yet for either my next procedure or appointment, I'm hoping that they can tell me something tomorrow. In the meantime, sorry again, have yourself a good bank holiday and I hope you get some improvements to your care soon.

 

[littlemissh]

Hannah , let us know how your doc hunt goes. I think some surgeons choose the surgical route because they prefer their patients asleep..not all thankfully!

 

[bluesifi]

Hi, I don't know any of the doctors at Cambridge, but I do see Dr Nair at City Hospital in Peterborough, he was the doctor that initially diagnosed Crohns for me and he was very nice and answered a number of questions for me.

 

[hannah-rose]

Hey Craig, just glad this thread helped you too! I hope you get on well at Peterborough Hosp. and feel better soon.

GOOD NEWS: I have found a new Doctor!!

After much anxiety, I got an appointment with a GP at my surgery today to discuss with her the side effects of my medication, and whether I could see a nicer Doctor.

I have to say she was absolutely incredible. I was really apprehensive before the apointment but she totally listened to my concerns about my so called 'diagnosis' and the treatment I had been receiving so far. She listened when I said I didn't like my surgeon and immediately and without question offered to refer me to a different doctor who she said was really good, and highly recommended. She totally empathised when I said I found the surgeon really cold and unfeeling and said she agreed with me in her own dealings with them. She then sat with me and talked me through some information about crohns and printed me off some info to take home. She recommended that as I have BUPA I see this new doctor privately and made sure it would definitely be free by the way she referred me and my symptoms - I now have an appointment on 10th May which she organised for me, and I've been told the doctor can spend up to 2 hours with me practising privately as opposed to about 20 minutes on the nhs.

She asked me about all my other symptoms eg. diarrhoea, pain, my CT, blood and colonoscopy tests etc and I said no I feel fine, I always have felt fine. I asked her if I should take the steroids then and she said I clearly have no inflammation in my body so no I should not take them, and that I should wait until I see my new doctor. I have nurses checking my ulcer regularly anyway to make sure it's healthy and not getting worse.

All in all I am SO happy and I never have to see that horrible man again!!! I definitely recommend speaking to your GP about any concerns you may have or for any advice or support. This is the first time in over 12 months that I have felt listened to, cared for and looked after by a Doctor.

Wooooh!

 

[crag]

Hey Hannah,
Really good news on your doctor situation, I'm happy that you finally feel as if you're being cared for. It sounds a bit crazy writing that as all doctors should have that sense of compassion and caring for their patients, but we all know that for the majority of people this isn't the case!

I wish you luck with your appointment next month, at least now you're looking forward to it with optimism rather than dread!

Take care,

Craig

 

[StarGirrrrl]

Hannah, I am so glad for you!! I am wanting a referral elsewhere but hoping to have a scan soon which will hopefully show what the previous one found, inflammation in my bowels (backed up by 5 years bloods), but disputed after a year following other tests normal.

Think my GI is wanting to hand me back to Rheumatology soon which will be fine with me!! He is so closed minded and ignoring clinical findings to suit his theory.

 

[hannah-rose]

Thanks guys I feel so much better already, the anxiety's subsided and I can just relax and know that someone is going to help me.

Your GI sounds like my surgeon, he gets an idea in his head and interprets everything to suit his theory. I'm really interested to see what my new doctor thinks about my health. AND, my appointment's now a week earlier as he had a cancellation woop woop