Hi LG,

Glad to hear that your bloods are going somewhat better, but with room for improvement. I always ask for a blue butterfly needle because it is smaller than the green one and allows your blood to flow more slowly.

In case you get another refusal to use a butterfly you could consider taking along some of your own. But be sure to get them from a totally reputable source !! I have heard rumours about these kinds of things being cleaned and repackaged in some countries for sale a 2nd time around. Aargh!

dt

Hi again LG,

I’m back on because I thought about my previous advice to take your own butterflys and I think this would be refused on the grounds that the source could not be guaranteed. So, I take that advice back.

I have never been refused by the NHS if I requested a butterfly. I have never heard of such a thing. You should definitely not go to the same place again. A hospital would seem like a good idea. It would do no harm when you organise your appointment at the hospital to inform them that you will be requesting a blue butterfly and ask them if that is going to work for them, otherwise you are not interested. It would be a pity to turn up and get another refusal, not to mention demoralising.

dt

These days, I refuse anything that I suspect will not work and ask for an experienced technician, one that does not appear to be nervous. Lots of stabs and lumps later for me to learn that it is better to stand my ground….. in a nice way ha ha

Good luck.

Hi LG, sorry to hear that you had to put up with that sort of prejudice at reception.

But glad the actual draw went so well and fingers crossed for great results for you.

Hoorah, job done at last! But only after you had to go through a ton of unnecessary sh** to get to the right person who would get it done.

I’m not sure that it is about stigma, or let’s say I think it is about more than that. I think it is about power and the misuse of power. You get all the little Hitlers who feel the need to make it clear to you that you are in their jurisdiction now and you had better tow the line. And if you don’t bow down and scrape and grovel and do what you are told, well then heaven help you.

I can’t see this deplorable state of affairs changing any time soon either. The only answer is to find other more palatable alternatives to go to when help is required. This is easier if you can pay for it than if you can’t, but some resources are still free, like the fixhepC website, and information on the internet.

I just ordered and received my first blood tests done privately. No doc necessary to do it for me for a big fat fee. Didn’t cost that much. Results came in one day on their website, all the information there in front of me with the interpretation and a doc’s consultation included if I wanted to request it. I’d have paid the money just to feel how good it felt, how empowering, to order my own blood results without having to jump through a dozen hoops and explain why I wanted them to some a’hole who was invested in keeping that information from me. Information is power. It always has been. The power mongers are losing their little fiefdoms to the age of the internet and the spread of knowledge that was once their exclusive domain. We need them less and less and they hate it. None of what we are all engaged in here now would have been possible even 20 years ago.

I admire your tenacity LG. If you want to take it on I’d love to read what you write about your experiences.
dt

“I have only ever experienced this kind of thing regarding HepC – Every other area of NHS that I have needed consultation with, have been excellent and pleasant too ”

It has been my misfortune to have seen it in other areas too, most of all in the care of the elderly. My mother needed various kinds of care in her last years and it seemed to me that I spend all of my waking moments keeping her safe from harm from the very people who were charged with her welfare. From doctors, to district nurses, to home carers, to hospitals, I dare not even start to describe here what I have seen done to old defenseless people who had no family to stand up for them. My fury about it is just too much. So when I hear you describe these things I recognise them and I know where they can go when unrestrained.

I don’t trust myself to say any more about it except that I think that after a certain age, going to the doc in UK could be a dangerous occupation. Going into hospital is definitely not advised. If and when I get clear of hepC, I intend to steer well clear and use all the alternatives at my disposal.

dt

Honestly LG, that’s disgusting but sadly, too familiar for me here in Oz. I’m glad you held your ground and got through it but this endless judgement, prejudice and obnoxious behaviour we have to endure is outrageous. We are meant to be in the PC era (Politically Correct) and get constantly bawled out for using inappropriate terms for bloody everything – yet, something like HepC we’re still treated like pariahs by so many.
The Liver Clinic I attend in the Public Hospital has posters everywhere about staff not accepting verbal abuse, threats, intimidation etc (fair enough) yet I’ve still had to endure some Specialists ‘attack’ me and the general Hepc patient population for our appalling ‘lifestyles’ and treatment of our bodies!
Aaaah, yes, it’s time to bring out the

I feel better already