Just had my worst experience with a doctor so far in my journey. I have not yet been diagnosed with Lupus but I been having a really bad “flare up” recently, the worst I have ever experienced.
Extreme exhaustion (needing to nap 3+ times a day) my brain can’t stay focused on anything, every morning my hands and fingers are crippled in pain, dizziness, aches and pains and severe puffiness in my face and hands.
My own doctor wasn’t available this week and I needed to see someone so I had to see this doctor who I was told had “years of experience”.
Today I went to see him and explained that I had been upset quite a few times this week over how awful I had been feeling & explained my symptoms. His response “Let me give you something that will cheer you up” - Prozac. I have no history of mental illness and instead of giving me medicine to treat the issues that were making me upset, anti depressants were the answer to mask everything. He completely dismissed all of my symptoms and basically said that it was all in my head.
The way he said it - if you are sad and someone twists your arm it hurts a lot, if you are really happy and someone twists your arm, it’s not going to hurt as much.
I am so angry and so upset. He also said that there is basically no point in me going to see a Rheumatologist next week as I don’t have the butterfly rash which means I don’t have lupus.
How can these doctors still have their licenses?
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ClodaghK
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A Doctor, sounds more like a complete idiot who can definitely do with further training!! You do not need to have a butterfly rash to have lupus, I can vouch for that. Make sure you keep your appointment as it's very important for your health. I too had a GP who wouldn't listen and by the time another one did, I had interstitial lung disease, now I may need to have a lung biopsy for query fibrosis. You know your own body, don't let his attitude give you any doubts
He was a total disgrace, I have really never felt so angry or upset. Thank you so much, I will definitely be keeping my appointment! I’m so sorry to hear that happened you. We certainly do know our own bodies x
You should have said, "if I kick you in the balls and you're on Prozac do you think it would hurt less?"
Sorry, it's disgusting how patients with genuine physical symptoms are treated and it makes me so cross. When I hear stuff like this it takes me back to the days of women being diagnosed with hysteria. Ridiculous.
And if you did need Prozac, so what, treat the MH problem and offer support, but that doesn't mean you don't need your other symptoms to be addressed and investigated.
Pleased to be of service. Hope the iPad is ok. I was in a particularly bad pain flare and am sick to death of this disease not being recognised for the torture that it is.I hope the iPad is ok. Cwtches to you x
Yes the I Pad is fine thank you. You are so right in what you said. I am convinced much of this awful treatment is mysogyny. I really hope that your flare eases xxx
This is brilliant!!! You are so right. It was a total disgrace. I don’t know how he still has his license. I complained to my GP Practice but they will probably go no further with it. I would just hate to see someone else having the same experience!
What a clown. I honestly don’t know how some of these idiots are still in a job. Definitely keep your appointment, I’m diagnosed and don’t have a rash and feeling the way you do you need to see a specialist. Take care of yourself 🤗🤗
Me either! Thank you so much, I will definitely be keeping my appointment!
I just wanted to reply with a load of 🤬🤗🤬 emojis but instead I thought I’d say that even the worst rheumatologist I’ve seen couldn’t sink as low as this GP. I wish I could come up with reposts on the spot like the one Happytulip suggested. But when we are spoken to in this way by a health professional it actually often renders us speechless with shock. Hopefully your rheumatologist will be the opposite kind of doctor and you will get diagnosed and treated.
Then you can send some information to him about connective tissue diseases inc Lupus and tell him that he will likely be needing Prozac himself soon when someone reports him to the GMC 😉xx
I think I lost my filter when I got medically retired. I had nothing to lose after that. I felt angry and still do that the hospital colleagues that I worked with misdiagnosed me and laughed at me several times when I suggested I had Lupus. I have even read what they wrote about me in my notes after requesting a copy of them.Turns out about a dozen drs were wrong including a professor (who had the worst haircut in the world), and I was right. They just didn't want to know.
Equally, I have worked hard to establish a really good working relationship and rapport with my immunological, cardiology, neurology, Rheumatology and pain consultant. I am on first name terms with their secretaries. I send them thank you cards and if I ever manage to get away I drop them a postcard, just to say thanks and to remind them that I am a person and not just a patient in clinic with a list of medical problems. I think it's important to call the ignorant doctors out but also to say thank you to the ones who really help.
That’s what I do (just dunnit when I left the last practice - lovely healthcare assistant and practice pharmacist got cards of thanks for brightening my days nothing for the rest - all total duffers) x
This is exactly how I felt all day yesterday, just completely speechless and baffled that I had that experience! My blood pressure was high too yesterday, luckily my own GP rang late last night to come back in this morning to check that.
I really hope I have a good experience with my Rheumatologist. I’m quite nervous but will be as prepared as possible.
Well I’m very relieved you have a good, caring GP and hope that Prozac guy was some twit just out on day release. I have changed GP because of twit I always get as my named GP. Bit scared now as got a UTI and never spoken to one of their main GPs - can’t seem to schedule an appointment using online system. Finally cancelled a locum one this afternoon as realised I’ve got a prior podiatrist appointment this afternoon. Then panicked as receptionist said that’s fine bye and put phone down before I’d had time to breathe. So just went in to give them a really dark grotty looking pee sample with my details and dip strip and name and date of my unopened antibiotic for same in June.
First time ever been in to new surgery and a nice looking older woman receptionist looked baffled as I’m fully masked with sun hat and what I realised afterwards was large a blob of sun cream between my eyes onto forehead and outside it’s grey and cold! I put it all in a sealable FFP2 mask bag.
So, given my notes are still not through from the old practice - a locum will probably phone me later and offer me Prozac too! But I’ll accept because apparently it is also used for Raynaud’s and, despite treatment, I’ve still got plenty of that! 🥶😊xx
Did he really say it was all in your head?!! Did he provide any explanation for why your symptoms were not lupus? Did the other GP refer you to a rheumatologist? If so, seems really inappropriate regarding his colleague.
Prescribing anti-depressants without psychotherapy is not the recommended practice, at least not in the US. You have reason to be angry. It sounds like he didn’t even screen you for depression. That is important for doctors to do.
Very sorry you had to endure this. You should bring it up with your GP when you see him.
Nope he didn’t give any other explanation as to what they could be. And I said “Okay, will the Rheumatologist deal with the joint pains, hand swelling, puffiness and exhaustion?” And his answer was to Laugh and say “No a Rheumatologist will only look at what’s on paper in front of him and if there’s nothing there, well it’s pointless”.
Yes it was the other GP (my regular one) that has referred me to a Rheumatologist. Yep it’s extremely scary to see how easy it was for him to just start me on anti depressants like it was no big deal at all, just one little pill in the morning to make me happy!
I have already had a phone call with my GP to explain & just say how distressing the experience was.. Thank you xx
Oh my goodness frustrating! I’ve had one of those before who said it definitely wasn’t lupus due to no butterfly rash n negative rheumatoid factor. Subsequently seeing a rheumatologist due to sky high positive dsDNA I had absolute barn door lupus and was diagnosed within months of my first symptoms n as soon as I got in front of the rheumatologist! What a numpty some gps are!
That is literally the exact same as what he said to me yesterday! I’m honestly still not over it. I’m so glad that you got to see the right people who listened!
Hi Clodagh I am so very sorry that you were treated so appallingly. It makes me so angry for you. When Doctors behave this way their over confidence and lack of compassion makes them indifferent and offensive. I had a similar experience with a Rheumatologist who said I had “ hysteria”. I suspect these doctors would not use the same approach with male patients. Please be careful with Prozac if you intend to take it. It can have some nasty side effects. If I were you I would opt to see a different doctor at the practice. Xx
It is really really tough to be treated this way. I’m lucky to have had a good experience to far but at times you almost lose faith in doctors and specialists and what happened me yesterday just really tipped me over the edge.
I’m so sorry that you had that horrible experience. I won’t be taking it, I’m just having one of many bumps in the road and it is mentally draining but we always get through it! My own GP has me on a months course of anti inflammatories now so hopefully I will get some relief from those.
Not everyone gets the butterfly rash. I didn't and still don't after over 7 years. It can be a long haul getting a diagnosis and even then, it's a bit hit and miss with any care and the Rheumatologists aren't always helpful.Many GP's don't know much about the condition either, which doesn't help.
I sympathise with you - as it can take a long time to get any kind of diagnosis. You may or may not have lupus but you sound ill and need much better care than you are getting.
You might have another type of autoimmune condition - there are many with overlapping symptoms. It took me over 2 years to get a diagnosis of lupus, sjogren's and fibromaylgia and you could have any one - or all three. Perhaps you could change your GP, if they are a group practice? I would suggest you talk to someone else at the surgery if possible and push to see a Rheumatologist for tests. However, it's not plain sailing even if you get that Rheumatology appointment remember. Meanwhile, I would get plenty of R & R, seek alternative support and be kind to yourself because it can be a long haul.
I am definitely fully prepared for a long road ahead. I really wish it was simple to diagnose but I know how difficult it is and how misleading some symptoms can be. It has been over a year for me already and I am only now getting to see a Rheumatologist!
Hopefully once I start seeing my rheumatologist we might edge that but closer to finding out what’s going on. It’s quite scary isn’t it and you just have to keep telling yourself not to give up on trying to get answers because you know there is something not right with your body.
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Doctors don't listen, so frustrated
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