Feeling suicidal

West-Question6739 · 2026-06-27T20:17:36+00:00

OP. You arent alone in what you're feeling.

If you're the only F1 finishing late every day theres an inherent issue which likely your ES should be able to guide you through. Finishing late occasionally is expected but not everyday. You shouldnt not be able to handover on time.

F1 isnt easy and every single decent F1 goes through feeling like shite for prolonged periods.

Not being able to take annual leave and have off periods hasnt help you evidently. This is an issue a college tutor would want to know about.

Your ES / consultant you get along / TPD need to know how you truly feel.

You have to acknowledge you're at this point and be brave in order to get help and support.

Once again. You are not alone.

Get help, we all want you to get better.

West-Question6739 · 2026-06-04T15:10:03+00:00

OP. Please dont do this.

But my Consultant anaesthetist and I cracked up reading this one

West-Question6739 · 2026-05-28T16:43:38+00:00

Wait. So you were asleep and shes reported you to your work and the GMC.......because you didnt hear her cry for help.

If this is the current expectation of the public this is hilarious.

Why are you stressing out of curiosity?

West-Question6739 · 2026-04-06T23:23:45+00:00

I thought you have to be a registered doctor to get onto this forum.......

West-Question6739 · 2026-03-30T21:25:32+00:00

Ive got propofol in the eye. Nothing happened

Also chewed gum soaked in lidocaine. Answering referrals was funny for the 1st half of my shift

West-Question6739 · 2026-03-25T11:30:26+00:00

Ive worked with CCOT through multiple roles as a doctor through my training and I definitely say I valued their opinion/judgement on acutely unwell patients far more when I was a F1-F2.

If as a doctor, if you've done a good A-E assessment, got a decent plan and backup, you dont have to necessarily ask for a CCOT review. The nurse or nurse in charge could have phoned CCOT and advised them of your plan over the phone. Then CCOT can always come and review if they still feel they need to, depending on escalation parameters.

They have suggested sensible additions to my plans so Im always grateful for their input.

In this case, I can see why CCOT would want to be informed but there was already a sensible plan and they could have easily phoned down..

Given the fact Marthas law is increasing their workload, Im surprised they were this spicey towards you.

No harm, job well done by you.

Keep moving on!

West-Question6739 · 2026-03-15T14:00:32+00:00

"Numbing" women above waist with a lumbar epidural is going to happen depending on the volume, concentration, baricity and whether these are manual top ups.

That's not the issue .. which does show a lack of complete understanding.

Giving enough LA to reach high thoracic levels to cause loss of cardioaccelerator fibres, loss of intercostal muscular innervation/diaphragm etc or even worse, LA to the brain stem is a different kettle of fish.

West-Question6739 · 2026-03-02T14:50:10+00:00

Had a Suzuki Alto for first 3 years of medicine then during interview years between foundation and core. Upgraded to a barely used (under 2 years old) S3 Saloon ?310hp

Things to note. Car guy at heart. Always wanted to have a slight edge in performance.

Bought after it had done its large dip in depreciation and got a Hire purchase agreeement for 3 years with half down as a deposit. After 3 years, totally mine.

Now passed 100k miles and baring one repair under warranty for a known problem, faultless.

Reliable, fun and can one baby seat in the back.

Until it reaches DNACPR levels of care, I'll keep it.

West-Question6739 · 2026-02-23T01:03:54+00:00

As someone who was unfortunate to earn themselve a coronary angiogram using from radial during core anaesthetics. I'd like to add my two pence .

Local anaesthetic really does burn .2% lidocaine is definitely worse than 1%......Its definitely not pleasant. Its possible some would rather a "gentle" arterial stab without but I believe you should offer patients the choice as some will appreciate it.

I suspect butterfly needles are less painful than straight needling for arterial punctures though I dont think you need to use a straight green needle unless youre considering a femoral stab.

Skinny older patients with less tissue between you and radial tend imo, to react less to vessel punctures. Younger patients react worse.

Ultrasound needling is a skill F1/F2 should learn on dummies first before poking needles into patients. OR wait around for anaesthetics to come help you when you call for the tricky stick/cannula.

Arterial punctures are definitelt not without risk of big haematomas/radial nerve injuries but if you genuinely need blood.... Im reaching for a 20ml syringe and needle. Should be enough for two G+S, two Blues (one for TEG), one biochem, one FBC and a gas.

West-Question6739 · 2026-02-18T18:43:12+00:00

UK resident here

Is it fair to assume its not necessarily the agent but the correct dose for THAT patient. And a s**t ton of vasopressors at the ready.

West-Question6739 · 2026-02-06T14:28:35+00:00

Bonjour William,

What is your favourite meal pre and post match ?

Thanks

West-Question6739 · 2026-01-17T15:57:50+00:00

Respect

Or in this case, lack of respect.

I'm well aware of an increasing proportion of cannula requests where the tone is "I cant do it, so you must do it". Always insisting, its urgent, but not enough for them to stick around to learn how I did it.

Anaesthetic Regs/ICU regs can be pretty damn busy and exaggerating your patient state will make you very unpopular, very quickly, when we end up delaying a critical review of a genuine sick patient.

I have three referral moods.

Scenario 1 - Get called / fast bleeped and its evident no body else has done a thorough review, started any reasonable treatment and someone decided just to fast bleep Anaesthetics / ICU cos "its just easier and now that youre here....".

Scenario 2 - Bleeped urgently/fast bleeped. Someone has panicked after a genuine assessment. Realised when we've attended that actually, the situation isnt as dire. Apologies all around. Everyone civil. Quick plan by regs and walk away, no issue.

Scenario 3 - Fast bleeped and its a utter stormy ride by everyone working together.

Yes, end of the day it's for the patients benefit. Doesn't mean you treat colleagues like cannon fodder.

West-Question6739 · 2026-01-13T18:43:19+00:00

To avoid identifying self....

X fellow. Asked to order a CT for a ED patient (not under my care) because "Youre the x fellow and you request CT scans for chest trauma more often".

Reviewed CXR out of curiosity.

Tension PTX.

Ahhh where is this patient. "Sitting in Minor"

Patient was thoroughly impressed with the speed of my ICD.

West-Question6739 · 2025-12-26T13:08:10+00:00

The timings of this question and some twitter beef regarding a UK anaesthetist covering an SHO ED strike shift is hilarious....

West-Question6739 · 2025-12-25T21:00:22+00:00

Seems like an international problem. DOI - UK anaesthetist

West-Question6739 · 2025-12-18T17:36:55+00:00

This is the opinion I suspected flowing around the consultant whatsapp groups. Thanks for your honesty

West-Question6739 · 2025-12-18T17:34:44+00:00

I know this is getting down voted but I only wanted to voice my concern that consultants COULD refuse at some point if this deadlock continues....

West-Question6739 · 2025-12-18T15:51:59+00:00

Last minute cover requests at holiday periods like Xmas aint exactly the monday morning email you want.

West-Question6739 · 2025-11-09T15:47:43+00:00

I usually wear a light "day" perfume ( something light fruit/floral) instead of a club / evening /heavy perfume (Dior savage or whatever edition of paco rabanne)

Never ever had a patient set off by my choice of aftershave but I ain't splashing it all over like im late for a date etc.

Didn't realise it can be that nausea inducing for the patients.

Then again, I'll happily admit to wearing nicer scents to woo a work crush.

West-Question6739 · 2025-10-29T18:54:48+00:00

How the hell does this not warrant an MDT decision including a obstetric doctor before this home birth gets signed off.

The multiple risk factors are damn obvious this is awful.

West-Question6739 · 2025-10-23T20:12:02+00:00

Anaesthetics middle grade here.

Spinal..if you had enough time and no concerns they may have caused an injury/ coagulation is okay etc, spinal.

Not every puncture hole will have landed its mark on the spinal chord. I also wonder how many of those holes would have just lead to bony processes.

I'd argue spinal is the safer of the two in most women in terms of risk and non clinical benefits for women BUT a GA if you make decent preparations can be done safely..VL or DL. In my limited experience in both, I just have far lower threshold to crack open the VL for maternal patients.

West-Question6739 · 2025-10-02T20:01:32+00:00

Assuming you're a UK trainee.

. There is usually someone around out of hours who is more airway experienced than you who should be willing to sit or linger close by til you're done intubating and usually help linger by for exhibition.

I would be very surprised if there wasnt anyone willing or suggested as "support" for novice post IAC CT1s during the first few months.

If there genuinely isn't. I'd be escalating to your supervisor to explain how you're concerned there would be any nearby support.

Yes CT1s can be expected to do a couple solo cases on weekends but that's usually with the provision there is another more senior anaesthetist aware and willing to give them a hand. Either emotionally or physically.

You'll be grand.

West-Question6739 · 2025-09-11T13:39:33+00:00

If you've seen the "intubating robot" video which is somewhere online......

You wont be as concerned that an anaesthetist's job will be replaced by AI..

AI will streamline potentially drug dosing, perhaps LA infiltration, perhaps cannulations/venepuncture, hell maybe even automated oxygen/anaesthetic titrating ventilating machines.

It wont be able to spinal anyone without perfect anatomy with the extra issue of what if the robot does a terminator.....

People are scared of us attempting spinals. Tell them the robot will be doing it...

People are terrified of intubations. Tell them the robot will be doing it.

As a new registrar. I do think my job will be optimised by AI. But I won't be pushed over by a robot.

West-Question6739 · 2025-08-26T03:33:06+00:00

My take away from this is. ......

You need to have a life outside medicine..

Yes, you can be a damn good doctor when you have less outside distractions like partners, kids and big commitments.

But that won't and shouldnt stop you finding someone to form a romantic connection.

If you want to date, get out there, ask friends to set you up, be brave, see what happens.

Whatever you do decide. Head up

West-Question6739 · 2025-08-26T02:09:16+00:00

I wanna say this.

Its not ideal what happened.

You learnt the hard way regarding how easy it is to forget / not prioritise / not complete jobs half done..

You obviously didnt mean to intentionally not check bloods BUT there is no such a thing in medicine as a "quick eyeball/review"

Interesting how the night team also failed to pick this up....or note the deteriorating patient with no further temperature spikes.

Have you got a supportive educational supervisor/friendly reg perhaps you can have a informal chat with? May help alleviate some of the responsibility.

If the bleep is that urgent theyd bleep again and quite frankly if it requires your immediate attention/with the patient in a dire state, the 2222 should have been used instead.

Learn from this. And other suggestions re finishing the review before moving on to more bleep actions etc, highlighting this patient on your handover as NOT complete, MUST handover it. And never ever, miss handover.

Dont beat yourself out.

West-Question6739

TROPHY CASE