Breathlessness and a GP that listens

[Redsea]

Hi Everyone, Been to the GP today regarding my medication and the debilitating breathlessness I am experiencing. Well, my Doctor listened to my concerns and agreed with me that, although I didn't have visible oedema, ie swollen feet ,ankles etc, I felt as though someone had literally blow me up and he agreed with me. He has now prescribed a diuretic, and hopefully this will have some affect, allowing me to feel human again!. Have to go back to see him next week and if my problem persists, I will be referred back to the Cardiologist. At least iam being listened to, it did take a change of GP though and the best thing I have done. I sometimes think the older GPs are not up to date with the many changes in medicine which is why some patients have to be really persistent until they are taken seriously. Fingers crossed my problem will be resolved. Thanks .

[dunestar]

Definitely worth holding on to him! It's a bit of a generalisation but how doctors approach their patients depends on what the prevailing thinking was when they went through medical school. My niece is not long out of medical school and is now training to become a GP. Current approach is very much co-working with the patient. But of course some patients don't like that approach. I guess the best doctors can suss out what approach suits the individual patient.

[Sunnie2day]

Good on you making a change until you finally found a GP willing to listen, and I think I have to agree about the 'young ones' being a bit more open to listening than some of the 'older more experienced ones' who've been in the trenches so long they think they know what we're going to say before we say so they try to speed things up by talking over/down to us.

My GP was a junior and has moved onto a new trust to finish up her training - and I'm really going to miss her as she was frankly incredible. Five minutes into the first visit with her she was on the telephone getting me booked for the Rapid Access Chest Pain unit, and until she left the surgery was amazing about follow-ups/chasing-ups, etc. I've been assigned now to her supervisory GP and he's good, but I am SO going to miss that young woman!