u/partenzedepartures

I just wanted to ask any insider opinion. It reads grim but I'm not an NHS employee.

For context I am female

Edit 2 - thanks for all of your comments. It has really changed my perception and I realise that this was not acceptable. I would like to just forget about it and move on but I would absolutely hate for someone else to feel like this. So I will make a complaint.

Edit - just wanted to add I’m not accusing the dr of deliberately doing anything bad. I just feel like the whole appt may have been handled badly?

I’ve had an issue ongoing for a couple of years that I haven’t seen a dr about. Last week I sucked up courage and contacted my surgery as it got worse out of nowhere. I had a phone call with a clinician who was lovely, he listened to my anxieties around the exam and my symptoms/ issues. It’s on my notes re anxiety around rectal exam. I had my appt today with female GP.

As soon as I walk in she’s staring at me, I thought I was in the wrong room! She didn’t say hello, take a seat, it was just so awkward. She asked my name and said “you have anal fissure and want examination?” To which I replied yes. She gave me very vague instructions, and then carried out the rectal exam. Half way through I have an inner panic thinking oh no what if she tries to go inside? So I say I don’t want internal exam. She poked and prodded a bit to check for pain and moved the “area” around to visualise. After, she says she can’t see anything as I was too tense and it’s probably piles, but luckily ( and unfortunately, Was very undignified!) I took photos last week, and I showed her. She said yes from photos she can see multiple fissures/tears higher up. She said I will give you GTN cream, but I said I’m concerned this may cause me bad symptoms due to my medical history, and if I can have the second line treatment cream. She said confirm with your consultant and we will give you GTN.

As soon as I left I was holding back tears and went home and cried so much. But I didn’t know *why*. But thinking about it -

I was not offered a chaperone. Chaperone wasn’t even discussed. The procedure was not explained to me whatsoever and it was based on “rectal exam”. That’s the only info I had. I’ve never had one I don’t know what that would entail apart from someone looking at my butt? And that I had to guess half way through what she might or might not do. I was sat down for 15 seconds before I was told to go to the bed and instructed to remove clothes and lay down. No questions, discussion of symptoms, questions about my bleeding. But she wrote down “small amount of bleeding when passing stool” on notes. Yet I’ve had large amounts in the past. Very minimal discussion after.

I was a victim of rape a few months ago. This is also on my recent notes. I also have ADHD, on my notes. I just assumed a bit more care would be taken.

Not holding too much against it but everything I’ve read about my specific symptoms (multiple fissures and how pain presents) NHS says that this is red flag and needs IBD queried.

I just feel so so rubbish after this morning. I don’t know what to do or if it’s because I’m sensitive. I’m not going to take offence if you think the issue is my sensitivity, rather than anything the doctor did wrong.

When I was a teenager I approached my GP about acne.

I had months of gaslighting: "it's not as bad as you think", "your skin will get better as you age", etc.

I tried a few treatments on the promise that if they didn't work they would refer me to a dermatologist. 2 years and various treatments later they refused, until I complained.

Then the consultant dermatologist determined that I should receive roaccutane. I haven't had acne in over 17 years now.

I later developed severe depression, diagnosed bipolar type 2.

Massive gaslighting again: "your life can't be so bad because you can afford an expensive coat", labelled an awkward patient because I complained about their incompetence, "you're the ONLY one having these issues with our service and everyone else thinks we're brilliant", etc.

What's with the gaslighting in the NHS?

I have issues with my ears and the GP gave me nasal spray to clear them but I also have issues with wax clogging up my canal and had all this cleared thinking I'd get an appointment soon. The referral letter says to contact the hospital if not heard anything by a particular date and when I did was told it could be up to nine months when I get to the top of the list and an appointment letter sent out? I knew the NHS was in a bad shape, but never realised it was this bad till now 😫

Hi everyone,

I’ve reached my limit. Every time before I drive into a new town or a different part of London, I find myself sitting on the sofa for 10-15 minutes beforehand, virtually "driving" down streets on Google Maps Street View just to try and read the blurry parking signs.

It’s a joke. I either spend half my life on Street View or end up circling for 20 minutes with my car.

I’m a dev, and I’m looking at building a community-driven map to solve this. I’ve found a way to host it for next to nothing, so it’ll be free for everyone. Not looking to make money, I just want to stop the "Google Maps squinting" ritual( maybe like Waze for parking ??? )

The concept:
• No more Street View: Instead of you hunting for signs, the map just tells you the rules for the street you're looking at.
• The "Arrival" Slider: You set your arrival time (e.g., 6:30 PM) and the map highlights which streets actually become free or legal at that exact time.
• Community Updates: If a council changes a sign, someone snaps a photo, and the map updates for everyone else instantly.

I need your honest take:

1. Would you use something like this to avoid the "pre-trip" Google Maps research?
2. If you found a great "secret" spot where the restrictions end early, would you actually share it on the app, or would you keep it to yourself?

Just an extra noted: As this will be community-driven, if you guys think you won't use it, please just tell me straight. I don't want to go through another round of frustration building something that nobody actually wants to contribute to.

Note: I double checked, there is no bloody way to get this data from gov.uk or councils…..

Also: There are already paid apps for this but I want to build something free for everyone and feel proud of it.

You can easily say gtfo and pay for one of those apps :)