View Full Version : Why will my gp not take me seriously?
Have many gp's at my surgery and have seen all of them at one time or another. Problem is, I get the impression that one of the gp's has plastered 'ANXIETY ALERT' all over my notes in big red letters, and now none of them seem to take me seriously!
Ok, so Ive suffered from chronic throat infections for months and phobia left me avoiding much needed surgery, but said surgey is now done and I feel worse than before!!!!
All I want is them to try and give me a diagnosis... I have had none, nothing confirmed and no reason as to why I feel so ill. 'It may be all anxiety related', 'it may be chronic fatigue syndrome' a lot of maybes, but no diagnosis and not many tests either (2 sets of bloods since Nov 09).
So frustrating - I feel like I have flu 24/7, weak, exhausted, shaky and off balance. Is there any wonder I looked to Dr Goole for advice when my own gp is so naff?
Anyone else feel this? Do I need to go in and demand that they take me seriously?
Thanks,
Jill x
Hmm... difficult one this. I know that at group practices, the GPs will discuss patients that are flagged up as being very frequent visitors, and also patients that will flit between one GP and another.
I suppose the question is, do you trust any of them? Do you feel that the standard of care is generally good? Do other people you know think it's a good practice to be a patient at? If the answer to these questions is no, particularly if this is backed up by other peoples' opinions, then maybe it's time for a change to another practice if there is one locally. Ask around the people you know or work with; good GPs are worth their weight in gold.
If you do have chronic fatigue syndrome though, I know it's hellishly difficult to diagnose as there aren't any specific tests for it. If you have had two sets of bloods that have come back OK though, then there is a good chance that it's actually anxiety-related. However, what your GP should be doing is offering you some CBT or counselling to help you through it.
Hope this helps.
Hi Jill,
I can totally relate to this. My experience of the medical fraternity both private & NHS is of some what dismay and had I not personally experienced this myself I would not have believed it.
I have never suffered from HA, neither have I been a regular at my GP surgery up until January this year. My story follows.
From Boxing Day I had terrible bloating in my lower abdomen and found it difficult to do my trousers up. From then onwards, I was waking in the night to pee, constantly having a full bladder feeling, going often but producing very little output. I put this down to the cold, snowy weather we had after Xmas but when I started to have excruciating loin pain and general malaise my mrs begged me to go to the GP. I saw the nurse I have seen in the past for travel vaccinations, BP check etc and have always got on well with her. She asked if I had overdone the booze over Xmas and laughed. Upon checking my urine it showed blood in it. She gave me some antibiotics and said it was probably an infection or kidney stone. After a week on the antibiotics the pain became worst and my whole stomach bloated and I still felt ill. A friend of a friend who is a nurse said that I should have my bladder and kidneys checked for tumours as men rarely get waterworks infections. After completing the course I had to have my urine re-checked. I could not see the nurse so had to see the GP, all was clear. I said that I was still rough and what this person had said. He laughed and said you are too young, I’m 39. To keep this brief, I visited the Dr on two further occasions as my stomach was so bloated I looked pregnant, was in considerable pain, had diarrhoea, was passing blood and felt awful. His reply was you drink too much. After explaining that I only drink on a Friday or Saturday and that I had not had a drink for 5 weeks, I couldn’t accept his diagnosis.
I left the surgery totally dissatisfied and with no faith in the GP. I phoned a private surgeon specialising in gastric problems that I had seen a few years back when I had a bad bout of acid reflux and received an appointment the next day. Explained everything to him and after examining the ultrasounds that he had requested the first time I had seen him, he arranged for me to have an upper GI endscopogy as he mentioned that my Gallbladder wall was thicken and could be the root of the problem. I asked why this was not pointed out to me at the time and he changed the subject.
The endoscope was clear but he had written on my notes bile in duodenum – biliary colic? He said that he would see me in 10 days time after he had the ulcer tests back. 8 days had passed and I had not received my appointment. I phoned his office and told that he was on holiday for 3 weeks! Still in pain, I went to see the nurse that I saw originally and she said that she could not do anything as I was under the private surgeon. After enduring 3 weeks of torture I saw the surgeon and his first words to me were “why are you back, I am seeing too much of you” He then denied what he had said and written on my notes. Luckily my mrs was there at the appointment and witnessed what was said and written after the endoscope, so she questioned him on it. Getting angry he said that I was presenting him with new symptoms, which was untrue apart from losing 3kgs in a week. I mentioned that a colleague’s daughter had similar symptoms and had been diagnosed with bowel cancer. He said you are too young. When I mentioned this girl was 29 and that there was no family history of it he said is this your problem? You think you have cancer? He reluctantly agreed to do a colonoscopy and said ring my receptionist after 24hrs. Another letter was sent to my GP, cc to me, saying that I had heightened anxiety and he only agreed to do the colonoscopy to ease my mind.
My partner phoned to book the procedure. The secretary (his wife) said she would check the book for my date. Not putting my partner on hold the secretary said to someone “It’s that Mr *****, you know the worrier. He doesn’t really need the procedure so is not being treated as a priority. He has got his partner to ring up. She then gave a date for 5 weeks later and this is private!
I phoned straight back. Hello it’s Mr ******, you know the worrier, the guy that has paid your husband in excess of £2k. When you are medically qualified you can comment. You and your husband are some double act? Forget the appointment”
I phoned the insurance company to complain about this guy and was told to look for another Dr to have the colonoscopy done which I did and upon explaining my symptoms which I was told cannot be ignored I received a date for 5 days later. Upon having the procedure it was found that I had extreme spasm in my colon and some diverticitus. This was reported back to my GP.
Still not feeling to clever and having starting to have all over body pain along with bloating and bladder problem. I visited the GP. He said “ you have had a camera up and down there is nothing wrong with you” He pointed to my chest and said, next you will have pain there and think you are having a heart attack and laughed. He then prescribed Citalopram which I said I didn’t need. “ I feel ill, not depressed” He also referred me to a councillor.
The councillor discharged me the same day saying that there was nothing wrong and that my questions were warranted and that it was for the Dr to answer not her as she was not medically qualified. I returned to the GP and he referred me to another councillor. Again, I was told the same thing.
I made an appointment to see a Professor of urology to check my bladder and kidneys. He said no one is too young for cancer, mentioned that he had operated on 3 x 30 year olds that week and that the Dr should have sent my urine to a lab for analyse but the NHS being the NHS, they probably thinking of cost rather than the patient . He scanned my kidneys and bladder and conducted other tests. All clear apart from bladder in spasm, so had bladder tumour test – clear, and blood in urine again. The urine was sent to the lab and all clear of excess blood cells. The Prof said that he would write to the GP requesting my urine is checked bi monthly and that in his opinion I should not be on cits.
I went to see the nurse again as I still did not feel right. I could see on the screen “thinks he has cancer”. Also binge drinker. She read the letters and notes and said that I had been treated appallingly in her opinion and recommended that I write in and request a copy of my notes.
She agreed to do blood tests, LFT, KFT, CRP, ESR, FBC, GGT some 5 months after all this has happened. All okay apart from inflammation levels raised. She also checked my GGT level which I am told is an indication of alcohol consumption. I scored 23 which put me in the bracket of a light drinker. My records have been amended accordingly I am glad to say. I received a call from the Dr and was requested to have the bloods done again. All clear.
Despite the aliments that have been discovered from the various tests I paid for, the GP puts me on Cits and has refused to take me off them despite 2 councillors and a Prof saying I should not be on them!
So I have decided to take myself of the cits, which caused me to put 5kgs on, cutting down to 10mg and have nearly completed a week of this. I will see the nurse tomorrow to inform her of what I have done and should be free of these in a week or two.
My conclusion would be never to show any anxiety to a GP, or suggested that you may have such and such. Never be too truthful either. From saying that I like a drink on a Friday or Saturday I was falsely labelled as a binge drinker though I believe a lot of this is due to my GPs religion.
I was losing weight, passing blood through stools and urine, comments made by colleagues and friends that I looked awful. No referral was made, no bloods taken nor was I taken seriously or physically examined by my GP, evident to suggest that the Dr thinks money before patients. I have been labelled as a worrier that thinks he has cancer. This is on my records!
I have had to refer myself to specialists and pay in excess of £4k for tests and consultation fees. I feel let down!
There are only 2 Drs at my surgery and if I were to change practices and as you say, Drs talk, and I will probably be treated much the same. I have decided to register at my partner`s local surgery which is in another area so I can start with a clean slate.
If you have reached the end of this well done! Sorry to have gone on.
Hey mightypc that's some story. I would be fuming if I were you wife. I've totally lost faith in the NHS ( and I work for them!! ) and GP's! All mine ever do is palm everything off as anxiety. I am sooooo sick of it. There was one decent lady there but she has left! And left me with all these numptys!
As soon as you have one word mentioned about anxiety on your notes you're marked for life! They put every symptom down as 'anxiety' it really pisses me off. I had to push for my ENT appointment for the Naso Endoscopy and I was only referred 'routine' because of my age (26) I get told: 'i'm too young to have cancer' what a crock of shit that is!!! My best friends brother died a year ago from a brain tumor! Age 21. I don't mean to scare people...... I'm just trying to explain that GP's aren't always right and they palm you off as 'anxious' 'worrier' etc.....
When I went on Monday I said to the doc I know my name flashes up everytime I come here; however I have never been a hypochondriac in my life, I've never been signed off sick, never been to A&E!!!!!! Look at my notes prior to all this happening when was I last in?! Years ago!!!!! Now for ****s sake listen to me (that's what I feel like saying) I'm so stressed about this all. I am back there tomorrow. I am demanding a scan and ultrasound. I'm bringing my mum for back up. I will tell them straight. I'm so annoyed at being 'labled' I feel PAIN! PAIN IS AN INDICATION SOMETHING IS WRONG!!! do you think I like coming here every other week! I want answers!
I totally sympathise with you all that are having trouble with the NHS! I'm a specialist dental nurse and work with cancer patients. When I went to my GP in my uniform and badges I was treated completly differently!!! Amazing huh! Scared because I work for the same trust they run scared and push the boat out! Unfortunately I couldn't get into see that guy again. So I shall put my uniform on tomorrow and see where it gets me?! I mean how bad is that!!! Talk about the 'general' public being singled out. Just shows you. Same thing happened when I had the camera down my throat! As she is sending me for a Barium Swallow! Asking me where/what department I work on!!!!
God bless you all. I hope you push and get answers!
Nina xx
I thought I was the only one that thought GP's aren't doing their job right. When I was 14, I saw 4 doctors about a constant hard cough I had for months on end and was told it was just a cold ( a cold thats lasts for months, yeah right) and I was even told to take paracetamol because of I had a temperture ( which I didn't). I eventually had to, thanks to the internet, diagnosis myself with asthma as it runs in the family. Ever since I have been taking inhalers and been seeing the nurse and I have never felt better. I'm not saying diagnosis yourself but I think you know better when your GP is in the wrong.
Hi
When I ring the docs I can hear the receptionist groan:huh:, out of the 7 Docs there is only one I trust:winks: and he does everything he can to avoid me:unsure:. Then there is the Doc who told me to pull myself together and get on with life and that there is nothing wrong with me:ohmy:, I save him for when my piles are really bad as I know how much he enjoys looking at them:yesyes:.
I have a chronic immune problem and have been unable to convince my Rheumatologist how ill i am after she stopped my medication 3 years ago:ohmy:. I even paid for a private consultation and got it in writing that I had not one but two immune problems:unsure: which she took no notice of at all:mad:. All my trust in her has gone so I wrote and told her I wouldn't see her again and she was so rude she didn't even bother to reply:wacko:.
Jumpy, love the comment about the piles haha! Mightypc, neen, Lynsey and jumpy, glad Im not on my own with this!
Blue angel, my gp's are usually great, have been with them all my life and they have alwayse been spot on with me so far, so really dont want to change. Both my bloods showed a low level infection was present, which we all thought was my throat probs. Guess I will have to see how I get on, but if things dont pick up I will most def demand further tests.... just a diagnosis, thats all I ask for.... yes Im anxious, but yes, Im also ill! xxx
ladybird64
15-07-10, 20:59
Hello Mighty :)
Sorry if I'm being dim but can I ask if you have actually now received a definitive diagnosis after all the tests you have had done?
Hi all, Ladybird, answer to that is no. I have been feeling alot better then I have bad periods of aches, pains - mainly back, shoulder and joints.
Totally agree Nina, pain is an indication that something is wrong. I just think that where I am the Drs are no that good. A colleague of mine daughter had terrible stomach pains, bloating and constipation. She visited the Dr 3 times and given laxetives. On the last visit she burst into tears and refused to leave his office until something was done. He sent her for a scan and 2 days later they removed a 2.5kg tumour from her bowel. Unfortuantely it had spread to her liver etc and 2 months later she was dead aged 29. Had that Dr examined her he would have felt something was not right. This maybe controversial but I think that some GPs will not examine people and make diagnosises on their religious beliefs. ie. You drink at weekends, oh you are a binge drinker. You drink daily. Oh, you have a drink problem. My religion says alcohol is forbidden it`s wrong. F*** your beliefs, do the job professionally that you are paid to do and do not judge or gauge patients until you have the facts and medical proof.
I forgot to mention in my last thread, that on one visit to the Dr, we were interuppted by his mobile. He then proceeded to got a car brochure from his briefcase and started discussing his new car and insurance. He ended the call, apologised then said "where were we"? I knew then I was wasting my time.
Good luck to you all, and I am aware that not all GPs are like mine. I do know that there are very good ones out there.
Hey thats a really shit thing to happen - age 29 through complete neglect. That really pisses me off! 29! And because she was 29 they put her in the bracket of 'she's too young' for cancer like they have me for my throat! I had such an ordeal today at the docs! I burst into tears, in his office (it's a group practice) and said I want help. I want more tests. He was such a *******. Really was, couldn't give a shit about my concerns and my symptoms. Told him you keep palming me off as anxious. It's wrong. He said: 'what do you want from me Nina' I said HELP, MORE TESTS..... I KNOW MY OWN BODY - THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For ****s sake.
So with that he printed a form for ultrasound; however prior to that when I had said I want a scan and and ultrasound he told me I couldn't have one! I said WHY??????????? He said: 'because they saw nothing on the Naso endoscopy' I said: 'yes they did - they told me I have LPR - silent reflux so that wasn't nothing was it' I said so wy do my symptoms feels worse? This has been going on for 3 MONTHS. I wan't answers. I have headaches constantly, a lump feeling in my throat and neck ache. I want tests. Just because one thing has been ruled out doesn't mean that it's not something else. The **** just wanted me out of his office! I was crying my eyes out. I told him I will be taking this further.
I called PALS and my local PCT (Primary Care Trust) and I have wrote a letter of complaint via them and they are going to be investigating. I now I have to wait for the PCT to get back in touch when they have contacted the surgery. They will then want to know what I want from them. I want a formal apology, a scan and to be treated with respect. I want the GP to have relevant training on how to deal with patients and I also want the whole practice to have training on Anxiety! Because telling a patient with anxiety 'to go for a swim' 'pull yourself together' is not a diagnosis. If I wasn't a strong character and was easily intimidated what would happen to that patient???????????? I am sooooooooooooo ****ing angry! Sorry for swearing!!! I'll keep you all posted about the outcome.......
Nina xx
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