so down!!

[worrywuss]

hiya, im feeling very peed off and down at the minute. i need to know whats wrong with me but both the drs at the surgery i go to have put all my symptoms down to acid and anxiety!!

hw would they know that when they havent even tested me for anything apart from my thyroid :( only once have they examined me, just a quick prod around my tummy and listed to my chest and that was it!!

i just feel theres more to it than acid and anxiety - i dont feel anxious really and i feel they are not listening to my sypmtoms properly. they were going to reffer me to the hospital for an endoscopy but now they wont even do that.

im thinking of just going to a & e and telling them i want testing for things as my drs are crap and arent taking me seriously, what do you think?
will they do any tests at a & e ?

thanks for any advice

Rachel x

[claireypoo]

Hi hon

Sorry you feel so down - i have health anx too and it is vile!

What are your symptoms?

If it helps any... I remember feeling like this when i first had anx - i even wrote a letter to my doctor saying that i didn't feel heard and that i wanted it taken seriously. I found the letter the other day from 2 years ago and realised that the symptoms i was describing and was so worried about being imminently dangerous actually read like an anxiety symptom hand book! Still at the time I was so worried and felt so helpless against the docs so I know where you are coming from!

I hope you feel better soon
Claireypoo

[hogwarts]

I with agree with you i felt the same when i first got anxiety i thought the doctor wasn't listen to me my sister is a nurse and i went to a+e were i live cus my sister was there and they said its anxiety i know how you are feeling try and be strong you can fight it.

Gareth xxxxx

[lass]

Hi,

If you are concerned about your symptoms, you are perfectly within your rights to insist on a second opinion with a specialist. Obviously on the NHS this would all take time and would leave you waiting around for apointments - from my experience, this isn't great on the nerves but at least you would feel thoroughly investigated!

I also feel it is important to have good trust in your GP, and it sounds like you don't have this. Are there any other GPs in your practice you can see; or failing that, another practice nearby that you would be happier with?

Personally, I wouldn't go to A&E unless it WAS an emergency, as they are so overstretched at the best of times. And chances are, unless they considered it an emergency too, they would send you back to your GP!!!

I do understand how you feel. I was lucky enough for my GP to say to me - "Look, I am sure what you have is IBS, stress and anxiety; however I don't think you will rest until this is proved to you and therefore I am referring you for tests", and subsequently I had blood tests and sigmoidoscopy that all came back normal. (I would agree though that she only once had a little prod around my tummy, I never felt I was properly physically examined!).

Did this 100% reassure me? Of course not! However for the most part I can accept that I DO have anxiety that comes and goes, and that my tummy and bowel symptoms, although not "normal", have not actually changed for the worse in the last year so therefore must be "normal" for me.

Only you know how severe or worrying your symptoms are, and if they are causing you a lot of distress then I think you should either see another GP or ask for a referral to a specialist. Don't be fobbed off - you have rights!!!

Best of luck, I hope you get the help you want.

Caroline

[manmoor]

Hi Rachel,

I too hate it when our health anxiety is so high we get all worked up its horrible. I've been where you are countless times in the 10 years I've had health anxiety and so know how you feel hun. Be strong and remember you are not alone we are all here for you when times are tough. xxx

"When There Was Only One It Was Then That I Carried You."

[russ]

Hi Rachel,

Sorry you are feeling down.

I would say if you feel you want to go back to the GP do so and ask to see another doctor. Explain your concerns.

I would not suggest going to A&E unless it is an emergency. I did that and the doctor I saw said she had no powers to refer me and I'd have to go back to my GP!

The only thing I'd say is Doctors are very skilled. They know what to look for, if you have a serious illness they are highly likely to pick it up. Also, they can tell a great deal from your records, etc.

As the doctors said to me "medicine is evidence based", just because we feel we *may* (very unlikely) have x,y,z illness it does not mean there is a medical case to justify tests, scans, resources etc.

[worrywuss]

thank you everybody

ive been thinking for a while now weather to change practices and will look into it as there are no more drs at my surgery to give me a second opinion.

my symptoms have been worrying me for a while and the drs just leave it up to my imagination as to whats wrong with me, i have to ask what his diagnosis is all the time!! i also told him i didnt believe him the other day and he just laughed at me!!!

my symptoms are:
a really warm feeling ( sometimes aching ) at the top of my tummy
tiredness
sore throat that feels a bit swollen inside
keep having to clear my throat all the time
chest and breathing pains ( more like a chest infection sort of pains )
a sweet taste in the back of my throat ( sometimes metallic too )
headaches and dizziness

it really feels like theres something wrong with my lungs as my breathing is funny and my chest hurts inside quite a bit. its 24-7 but dont notice it as much when im kept busy. the pain is not severe at all just really uncomfortable. the dr checked my chest with his stethoscope and he said my lungs were clear

the only reason i havent been to a & e yet is because i know my symptoms wont be classed as an emergency but its soooo frustrating to not know for sure, i asked the dr i i needed a scan or anything and he said no as that will only fuel the anxiety which sounded crackers to me!!!

rachel ( *fed up* ) xxx

[Gray7_2]

Rachel hi.

I feel I am a few steps in front of what you are going through.

I would be happy to let you know how I get on with my referals and tests as last Sept I had a stressfull incident that has left me with big health worries every since.

I have been to the doctors on countless occassions, the local walk in clinic and A+E so many times I can't remember.
They have so many records on me they just ask me how I am in myself, which rreally gets my back up.

It all started with chest pains and breathing difficulties.
The doctors have dissmissed me so many time I too don't know where to turn.

I also wrote a letter to my GP telling him about my symptoms which are very similar to yours.

My advice, when you go to doctors and try and tell them about your "symptoms",how you feel tell them what symptoms you have.

For us to become "whole" again we need reassurances not being told it is all in the mind

If they still insist look them in the eye and tell them how you feel ie. not your mind problems but your symptoms.
When you have finished telling them keep looking them in the eye and await a response.
When you are telling them point to the areas of concern as they cannot ignore what you are telling them if you show them.


I have to go home now as this is works pc.

Have a good weekend.

G

[russ]

I have to disagree with Gray.

Yes we need correct medical supervision, HOWEVER, we cannot seek constant reassurance, that is not the way to beat anxiety in my view.

It is like a addict, we are looking for the fix of reassurance. If we come to depend on that everytime we have x,y,z problem, where will we end up?

The issue here is getting the correct medical supervision and treatment. I myself have not had all the tests I could, but that does not mean I should have every test going if I have already been given a diagnosis for another problem?

This is not the United States where doctors send people for a whole range of tests not for medical reasons, but to either make money or avoid legal action in the 0.1% of cases they may potentially get wrong.

Yes Doctors get it wrong, but we are probably more likely to die in an accident than from a wrong diagnosis, especially if you have been to a GP several times.

Get a second opinion, but to start to seek constant reassurance could be the start of another problem, in my experience it isn't the end, because you'll always want another test for another illness.

Just my views!

take care,