can i trust my gp

[rachel m]

Hi all, I,m hoping someone can help me out in a tricky situation. Afwe years ago when my nerves were at their worst, i was constantly seeking medical attention from my gp, almost daily with panic attacks and thinking i was dying. He was very patient at first but began to loose his patience with me after a while, Anyway to cut a long story short, one particular night i was in agony with rib and stomach pain, my husband rang for him to come out. he was very abrupt in saying. ITS HER NERVES THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH HER. Later that night i had emergency surgery to remove an infected gall bladder plus 3 huge stones all thanks to my own instinct. A nyway since then i cant trust doctors and i know i need to see one as i have found a lump in my stomach but i feel like the boy who cried wolf. i,M TERRIFFIED OF NOT BEEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY AGAIN. Cant help in thinking they will fob me off with its just nerves again. x

[Ribbit]

Rachel, go to your GP with your head held high and tell them you've found a lump. Even though you have HA it doesn't mean you can't actually be ill, so you go. Make sure you do x

[footballking]

I always hear of these stories, where the GP tells you it's nerves then bang something bad happens. Count yourself lucky it was only your gallbladder and not something life threatening. If you can visibly see and feel the lump you are talking about, then you can not be a boy who cried wolf. As that is visible where as pain is not. So you can't be fobbed off.

Doctors are people, not gods. If you believe you have something wrong with you. Then go in and tell them your symptoms and stand your ground. It will make no difference to them if you die or not. Not that you will, just specifying that if it was them in that situation they would go pay for a scan privately the next day.

Trust your instinct.

[rachel m]

Thanks for replies guys. Footballking. It was serious i,m sorry to say. My op went well but i was diagnosed with sephtaseimia and was given the last rights. my gall bladder was so infected it had passed through my blood stream to my heart. Ispent 3 days in i.c.u. x

[footballking]

Thanks for replies guys. Footballking. It was serious i,m sorry to say. My op went well but i was diagnosed with sephtaseimia and was given the last rights. my gall bladder was so infected it had passed through my blood stream to my heart. Ispent 3 days in i.c.u. x

Ow, didn't realise, how long were you having the pain before you ended up going to hospital?

[rachel m]

mild symptoms for three years, Ijust thought it was nerve related. My GP put it down to anxiety because i,d presented him with this that and the other. THIS IS MY POINT. Now i dont have any trust in a gp because if i would have listerned to him last time i would be dead now. Thats why i am terrified now to go and see him because i,m still to terriffied of what happened last time. Iv no trust now and i feel so alone and scared. x

[Snoodlester]

Hi Rachel
Perhaps you should change doctors? I had a male doctor when I first joined the surgery, but he was next to useless, so I asked to change. I've now got a very understanding (albeit laid back) female doctor. I have to admit she does put all my symptoms down to anxiety, and I think in my case she's right (although I too wasn't convince and went to A&E and got an examination and a few tests). At the end of the day, we all know our own bodies, and we should have the right to get things checked out if necessary. If you're really worried your GP won't help, you could try the Walk In Centre.
Sue x

[MightyPC]

Rachel, I had no opinion on this until I got Ill in 2010 and was told I had HA even though I was presenting them with serious symptoms. I paid to go private in the end and had a bad experience with one dr. I've changed surgery and very rarely go now. Someone I know had problems with his gp and he now takes a dictaphone in with him and puts it on the table. Though his gp dosent like it, he is taken seriously, which he felt wasn't the case before. If you have no trust in your gp then I would change drs and start a fresh. Good luck

[chl_hobbs]

I feel the same and my story is slightly similar. I had a small.camera in my womb 18months ago. When I woke up.i kept telling the nurses and.drs.that I was in so much pain. They kept tellibg me it was wind.... Then an hour later I was being ambulanced to the main hospital told I probably wouldnt make it, and had a 4 hr op and 2 transfusions.to save my life. In ITU I was told the surgeon.had torn my spleen.without realising.

Now I donr trust anyone. I have ended up in a+e on numerous occasions -they even know me.now, as ive had pain (chest mostly.and tummy) and my gp surgery and each time they say its my anxiety making it worse. I feel like the boy who cried wolf too. The gp rings me.back and doeant even book me an appt which makes me worse. I suppose we are living proof of the mistakes they can.make which is scary.

Its so.hard and is.my main worry with HA X

[Lilharry]

Gosh I so know how you feel, although I haven't had anything serious happen yet. I have been through so many doctors over the last 6 months it's not funny. I have finally found one who is sympathetic and I'm going to stick with her. Ask for recommendations from people you know. I found my doctor by emailing the chronic fatigue organisation and asking who they would recommend. Maybe someone on here who lives near you can recommend a doctor who is good. You don't need someone who is going to pass off all your symptoms as HA, you need someone who will take you seriously.

[Frankie123]

If you really feel you cannot go to your GP then go for a private scan. I have done this on more than one occasion for reassurance. It is not usually that expensive.