General Chat

I have always been up todate with a variety of appointments such as Smear Test. Dentist, etc and up until 2017 my Mammograms. I was due one in Oct 2020 but as I was still feeling sore from heart surgery, I telephoned and cancelled it.

They advised not to wait another 3 years(mobile unit here only comes every 3 years) but maybe in 2021 when I feel able to, request an appointment from the centre in Inverness.

However with Covid and my general health I have not been able to rebook.
Its now over 4 years since my last one. I have never had a bad result but always have kept up to date until now.

With Covid etc, has anyone else missed a routine Mammogram?

Florence in the Hebrides

And they just expect you to hop on a bus do they?

I've not missed a mammaogram as I am over 70, but have to decide if I want to carry on. However I haven't had my usual call for an asthma test, nor a blood pressure check. Nor have I been offered a shingles jab, although I believe I can book one.

I have seen the Doctor a couple of times and she spotted that I hadn't had my yearly blood test. (it's due to one of my BP meds) I never get called for this and have to rquest it. This time it raised a few issues. Booked a a retest (three week wait) went along only to be told they had mesaged me the day before cancelling it. The receptionist kept calling my GP 'he' except they are a 'she,' she also didn't want to book me for a starving test because they don't do them anymore??? Another two week wait and all seems well.

Now all I've got to do is try and book a shingles jab.

I am over 70 and will no longer receive an automatic appointment. They gave me a phone number at my last scan and said I can request one when the time comes. I have it on my calendar and will definitely make an appointment as I know several people over my age who have had breast cancer. I don’t understand why they stop the screening at seventy when it seems to be so common in older women

By coincidence I have my Shingles jab this morning. I actually had it in 2019 and wouldn’t wish that on anybody as it was so painful

Did you give it to me? :-D

You have to wait 12 months after an attack before you can get the jab.

I don’t think so :-)
The nurse was thirty five minutes late for the appointment, then she had to search for a form on her computer and print it off. Then she had to go and wait for a doctor to sign it off to say I could have it, that took ten minutes Then she had to go and find the vaccine and prepare it before sticking a very large needle in my arm
:-(
No wonder the appointments run so late. They contacted me and told me to come in, so surely they could have looked at my medical records and had the form ready beforehand

Not missed a mammogram as my last one was 2020 I also now have to request one which is the same as for smear tests because I am over the cut off age to be recalled for these tests. Daft really as cancer doesn't mind about age.

Our surgery hasn't been doing non urgent blood tests etc since covid started. I had to go to an urgent care unit when I had an infection that needed antibiotics as my dr had no phone appointments available and we have to have the phone call first but he has been at another surgery doing jabs . We have had our 3 jabs now and all of them were done by nurses or volunteers .

I recently booked one,but had a call from docs yesterday to say they dont do them after 69yrs apparently over 69 you are less likely to get cervical cancer.
i was just booking as it was some years,no problems but thought as i was maybe having to have a mammo,hit 2 birds with one stone as they say.
had a bit of discomfort boob,so made appt to see nurse ,will ring me in 2 weeks time,said the usual thing 2 paras 4 times a day,told her no pain but she said take them,so if i remember i do,80 in a few weeks time,brain 24 but body knows its age now.was looking forward to a robot squeezing me boob :-)have called the machine sid,

wendy

Yes names...hop on a bus lol

I would have to get an appointment, ring patient travel, then apply for an escort.Wait until thats approved which takes about 2 days. Then sort a flight and only 1 in the am now as flights been cut. Its a real palava but not sure i want to wait until end of next year!

I have been having smear tests 3 yearly and am 60. When i queried why its not 5 yearly as in other places. they said its policy here 3 yearly until whenever.

Wendy...Sid..love it. Mind you last time i had a mammogram it was sooo sore. I do have rather large boobies and thought they were going to go pop!

Florence in the hebrides

There was another reason for skimping on blood tests a little while ago, not sure if it still applies.

Apparently there was a nationwide shortage of the little glass tubes they put the blood into, so 'routine' blood tests were suspended, and only 'vital' blood tests carried out.

Joan, your OH is almost out of time for the shingles jab, once he is 80 he can’t have it.

I know of a couple of people who reached 80 without being called and missing out. It is recommended that one has it even if they have already had shingles.

Probably worth phoning the surgery and asking about it along with his thyroid test.