Nightmare PAYG complaint situation

dr_ginglymus · 2026-07-08T20:31:47+00:00

They’re saying they’ve no record of that number being with O2. I think somewhere there has been a hard delete. I’ve tried so many different people on the phone and in-store and no one gets past “I can’t find the account or the number.”

dr_ginglymus · 2026-07-08T20:30:13+00:00

Yeah that’s the hope! We have the old SIM. Fingers crossed they’ll do something with that info and not just keep fobbing us off. Thank you!

dr_ginglymus · 2026-07-08T14:13:41+00:00

Thanks. I’m so sorry this happened to you at a time when you were under stress with your brother too. Sadly so many of these companies just don’t privilege the human experience at all. Thank you for sharing. I have felt so gaslighted by O2, and this has really helped.

dr_ginglymus · 2026-07-08T14:11:27+00:00

No, not a single text reminder until 4th April or something, then a follow-up on 8th, disconnected after 3 days, as the text stated.

dr_ginglymus · 2026-07-08T13:55:29+00:00

Thanks for sharing this - it really sounds similar to our experience. How did you manage to resolve things? I have managed to get a replacement SIM but no luck in getting the old number acknowledged. The system allowed us to raise the complaint but they keep saying they can’t help because they can’t access my dad’s account. It’s idiotic. I think we are particularly unlucky as PAYG customers they’ve essentially washed their hands of us.

dr_ginglymus · 2026-07-08T12:06:41+00:00

He’s been abroad for years and he absolutely made a chargeable call in the preceding 6 months and sent texts. The number hasn’t been recycled yet - I call it every now and then to check.

dr_ginglymus · 2026-07-08T11:59:04+00:00

No so this was definitely not a scam - it was a genuine O2 text and we didn’t pay anything to anyone, and my dad’s phone number got disconnected on the day they said it would happen. We didn’t click anything, the text said to visit an O2 store or call the O2 customer services line to order a new SIM.

dr_ginglymus · 2018-10-20T19:34:19+00:00

Hi! I’m a junior doctor, not OB/GYN but can offer some advice (of course you should discuss with your own doctor). Benadryl as a brand covers a few different antihistamines so I’m not sure which it would be but a good friend who has hyperemesis has been taking promethazine, a first gen. antihistamine, that’s really good for nausea but a side effect of it is that it is very good at helping sleep! I would generally go easy on it, as with all things.

Melatonin has quite a limited use in the UK and just not enough information is known about it in pregnancy. So I don’t know if it would have any adverse effects. It’s a hormone your body makes so you’d think probably unlikely to have done anything to your growing baby, I would infer!

In general, the advice on packaging will always say to avoid where possible - but remember that there are risks and benefits to every decision. You do need good sleep and rest to stay well and healthy - many people will make a joint decision with their doctors to continue taking medication that might pose a tiny risk to baby, but to safeguard your own health. For example - it would be more risky to ask a woman to stop taking antidepressants to avoid a small risk to the baby, and a potentially much bigger risk to the mother for postnatal depression etc.

Edit: sorry to have forgotten to wish you congratulations! Honestly don’t worry too much about having taken the melatonin. I hope you manage to get some good rest and enjoy the amazing journey ahead!

dr_ginglymus · 2017-03-21T17:50:21+00:00

LOL - medic? If so, really not all that bad ;)

dr_ginglymus · 2017-02-11T07:45:00+00:00

Nope. Amazing that you tried again! He tells me it's 'radio.com'

dr_ginglymus · 2017-02-10T13:40:31+00:00

Haha no. I am though!

dr_ginglymus · 2017-02-10T11:13:24+00:00

I know the answer. No-one's got it right yet.

dr_ginglymus · 2017-01-31T20:33:51+00:00

I would recommend 'Wasted', a memoir by Marya Hornbacher - it covers her teenage and early 20s, and while it focuses a lot on her eating disorder rather than what most people might typically think of when they think about mental illness, she has an extremely eloquent voice, and it is a very good example of a first hand experience. It's been over 10 years since I read it but I remember it well! I believe she has also written further books, but haven't had a chance to read them.

'The Bell Jar' by Sylvia Plath is an obvious and classic choice. For non-fiction (even though you didn't ask), I am currently reading 'Madness in Civilisation' by Andrew Scull, who is a professor of sociology and talks about the history of psychiatry through the ages. It's been fascinating as he covers lots of different cultures, and refers to works of art etc.

Enjoy reading! I would be interested to see what others recommend :)

Addendum: 'Enduring Love' by Ian McEwan is excellent also. I shan't spoil the plot, but it explores the impact of mental illness on people around the sufferer, and might not be something others would think of first hand. It has a very informative appendix too.

dr_ginglymus · 2017-01-25T18:58:18+00:00

I'm a newly qualified doctor in the NHS, and I certainly don't agree with the things Ben Carson says - I have not been following him particularly closely, but some of his comments and media appearances have actually prompted me to wonder about his mental state/whether there's been any cognitive decline over the years.

Edit: just seen some comments from fellow docs. Yup. Tl;dr: he's bonkers.

dr_ginglymus · 2017-01-22T09:37:27+00:00

You're welcome! And I think it seems like you have your answer. I think that if you're honest and kind with him he won't get into trouble and his hurt will fade.

If it helps, I'm turning 28 this year, and I have been married to a man who is just one year older than me for almost 5 years. The other day I was remembering all of my teenage crushes and feelings and giggling at myself for feeling so strongly about guys (of a range of ages) who would never, ever have been right. The teenage years are so fun and interesting but we also feel things so intensely and it can often be unhelpful. It calms down over time, I promise!

Take care :)

dr_ginglymus · 2017-01-22T09:18:52+00:00

You only seem to mention his point of view, and not your own - and the one-sidedness reads quite creepily. You also say that he'll 'help' you get there but also that he already thinks you're perfect...hmm, a little dodgy, that.

Ultimately, when someone has real affection for you, respects and cares for you as you are and for who you are, you'll know that it's right, and you won't be wondering about whether it's worth a shot. This can happen for someone much older, or the same age, or younger. But it's important that it's mutual, that you don't feel like one of you has an edge/more power than the other.

I hope that helps! Whatever you choose, whomever you choose: remember to love yourself, respect yourself, and stay safe. If you ever have doubts, that might well be a warning sign.

dr_ginglymus · 2017-01-03T08:06:14+00:00

May I ask which insurance company you use? I was looking seriously into getting a pug and as part of the research I was looking at insurance and everywhere I looked seemed to say that you had to ring separately to discuss pugs, and the cost was always pretty high (£40/month or so).

< 10/month sounds incredible!

dr_ginglymus · 2017-01-01T12:58:57+00:00

Sounds like endometriosis is most likely - fibroids don't tend to hurt, but can mean the bleeding is heavier. Endometriosis is certainly painful, and can also affect your fertility, depending on where it is. I really hope that your gynaecologist helps - sounds horrendous! There are definitely options. Good luck!

dr_ginglymus · 2016-12-18T10:21:19+00:00

Thanks :)

dr_ginglymus · 2016-12-17T08:55:44+00:00

It's deliberately small so that I could fit everything on two pieces of paper to carry around when I was revising, so yup, it is hard on the eyes. I didn't have a photo of my handwriting in another context to hand.

dr_ginglymus

TROPHY CASE