"No respect of a patients decision on treatment"

This story has been published by Healthwatch Oldham on behalf of someone who wishes to remain anonymous. Any response to this story will be fed back to the individual involved.

I received a phone call from my GP practice to make an appointment for a medication review. I accepted the appointment and the GP told me they thought it wise if I started taking anti-coagulant drugs to thin my blood to prevent a stroke. It was being offered to all patients over the age of 65.

I asked if they were joking as I had a serious blood disorder and did not have enough platelets in my blood as it did not clot properly and I suffered serious bleeding problems.

In 1989 I had my spleen removed and fortunately my platelets are completely normal. The doctor was quite insistent but I refused.

Several days later I received another phone call from the practice to go for an asthma review with the practice nurse. As I suffer from post-traumatic shock and panic attacks due to a very bad experience 16 years ago. I was feeling panicky when I went to see the nurse. The nurse told me my pulse rate was very high and she would let the doctor know.

I then received a phone call to ask me to pick up a letter from the practice, which was a hospital appointment at cardiology two days later, for an ECG. As the nurse said my pulse rate was high I had to see a doctor, who decided to change my heart tablets I have been taking for 30 years to beta blockers which I had been told in the past I could not take because of my asthma. The nurse wanted to admit me but I refused. The nurse also wanted me to take the anti-coagulant drugs which I also refused.

I was then fitted with a heart monitor for 48 hours. Several days later I attended the hospital again and although my pulse rate had gone down a lot the doctor I saw was very aggressive as I refused to take the drugs. The doctor even lied and said I had my spleen removed because I had too many platelets. The doctor became even more aggressive so I asked to check my recent blood test. The doctor checked and said it was completely normal. So why would I need to go on blood thinning drugs? I think this is a very dangerous practice. I have had a discussion with my GP and made it clear that I want treating when I am ill and am not being used to test dangerous drugs and putting my life at risk when I am feeling healthier now than I was 24 years ago when I had to finish work because of my poor health. The doctor has accepted this.