No Empathy

[Dunstablian]

Don't know about your GP but mine appears to be totally devoid of empathy. I know pain is subjective but it appears that my GP cannot treat a condition he cannot actually see"

[Madlegs1]

Yes-- that seems to be a common theme these days.

I wonder is it because they are so overworked?

Still doesn't excuse poor basic listening skills🤕

I hope you get better treatment from someone in the practice.

🤕💚☘️🍀

[Dunstablian in reply to Madlegs1]

Many thanks

[celticsftw]

Hello, my sympathies for your situation, I am concerned about the the treatment of pain (including my own) and wonder if GPs have any consistent approach for chronic pain - are some people getting effective pain relief and others being ignored. I have a medication review soon and am interested in how others are being 'dealt with'

[Dunstablian in reply to celticsftw]

What pain relief is available and dosage depends entirely on the GP. I have been requesting a more radical approach by my GP to my pain relief than i am currently on, which i believe is too low. For example, my neighbour same age similar health issues on 1200mg a day Gabapentin. I am on 300mg. His medication works well mine does not. Have asked my GP to up my dose to see if it works for me as it does him. Without success to date. I remain on low dose Oxycodone low dose Gabapentin and in severe pain 24/7

[annaemmalucy in reply to Dunstablian]

How about asking for a second opinion?

[Dunstablian in reply to annaemmalucy]

I have actually thought of that. I asked for one earlier after months of undiagnosed pain and was subsequently diagnosed with Chronic Pancreatitis, so thank you, i will certainly consider this.

[Konagirl60 in reply to Dunstablian]

Can you bring an advocate to your next appointment? Maybe the doctor will be a little nicer.

[Dunstablian in reply to Konagirl60]

Is that possible ?

[Konagirl60 in reply to Dunstablian]

Yes. The one I hired saved my life.

[Dunstablian in reply to Konagirl60]

Then its something i will explore many thanks...

[kenster1]

Back in the day we had one Dr for the whole village he was great now they don't care

[Dunstablian in reply to kenster1]

Cannot see same doctor twice.

[Crystallmatters]

yes I remember those days , it was a good proper , experience. Someone that knew you and your family and had time to help.

[kev60]

Hi, yes I agree some gp’s have no empathy for anything it’s just a job to them. I have had good and bad doctors over the years , my problem is although I have a lot of problems medically if I sit still I look quite healthy. I have come to realise that you need to be firm but polite and make sure it’s on your records. Good luck. Kevin

[Konagirl60]

I developed an athletic injury…my right pudendal nerve was pinched in three places.

My GP of 21 years-at the time did NOT believe me. She did order some blood tests and my C-reactive protein was through the roof. My blood sugar was elevated to. She had me come back to discuss these results.

At first she said you’re in for a heart attack and I explained the stress I had been living in as we’d had a whole house fire and were in a rental home for 9 months while the house was being restored and renovated. ( I had paid house insurance for 21 years and I’d been claim free ). There were no financial concerns.

After explaining the above my GP turned into a tyrant screaming at me , “ Do you smoke?! “. I told her the truth that no I don’t smoke, I told her I think cigarettes are cancer sticks and a complete waste of money. I was a single Mom with a long established career.

Every appointment afterwards she screamed at me. I was sitting on ice, carrying a cooler with ice packs, pain patches and medicines everywhere I went.

Long story short…I was left misdiagnosed with a type of bi-polar and left poly/drugged to no avail. I was left to die in agony. I got help from a doctor in Toronto, a specialist in Minneapolis and I acquired my decompression surgery because I hired and paid a registered nurse consultant.

My GP failed me 100%. No apologies….no accountability. She’s retired now. I want to sue her in civil court,

[Crystallmatters in reply to Konagirl60]

You did brilliant under the circumstances, with all the bad luck you did not need a pillock of that doctor. It is sad but we know are own bodies but a lot of the time we are told we don’t know what is going on, because the doctor certainly doesn’t. In your case and mine and many other you listen to , we are told to go and rest . You did the best thing , well done, I hope things are a lot better. Regards David

[Dunstablian in reply to Crystallmatters]

You probably won't believe this but during an extended consultation with my GP today, he actually agreed to increase my pain med by 5mg a day but when i looked on line at my medications he had actually REDUCED it by 5mg. I am speechless. I have sent him a message on my surgery communication portal. I must now wait and see what he is playing at.

[Konagirl60 in reply to Dunstablian]

Who made that mistake? Was it the doctor or his/her medical office assistant?

This is NOT acceptable treatment for anyone suffering chronic pain. Our Sympathetic Nervous Systems are so highly agitated and the longer pain lasts the more chances of acquiring Central Sensitization which is not comfortable at all.

Complain if you have to……

[Dunstablian in reply to Konagirl60]

It was my GP !!!!

[Dunstablian in reply to Konagirl60]

So sorry to hear this but sadly i am not surprised.

[PainConcernProjects Partner Community Champion Pain Concern]

Hi Dunstablian,

I'm sorry to read your experience with your GP. I understand it is frustrating when we don't feel heard or listened to. We have had positive comments about our navigator tool, which aids discussion between patient and medical professional. You may like to take a look at this here and consider using it at future appointments: painconcern.org.uk/product/...

Something I found useful in the past was keeping a pain diary (showing pain intensity, symptoms and pain location over time). It may also help you identify things that cause a pain flare if you include things like activity level, mood and foods too. A pain diary seemed to help me with being taken more seriously.

-Pain Concern Admin

[Dunstablian in reply to PainConcernProjects]

Many thanks....

[mascotty02]

Hi Dunstablian, sorry you had to come on here for this, and I do know where you are coming from, did you know that you can ask to see a different GP in your practice? I went through a couple of them until I had one who knew about cancer and directly dealt with it, I feel a lot better now, hope this helps for you and good luck

[Dunstablian in reply to mascotty02]

Sadly they are all the same, lately all but the partner who owns the practice are agency GP's

[mascotty02 in reply to Dunstablian]

Hi Dunstablian, That's a real shame, I was talking to my pharmacist only the other week and she said that you can actually change your surgery if there is another one around your area, in which I am sure there will be, hope this helps

[Dunstablian in reply to mascotty02]

Many thanks....

[Crystallmatters]

I am really sorry to hear this, I again am not surprised as I feel their is a real concern over how much in true detail a doctor with such limited time really knows us and the understanding of our condition. Even if we are being offered the best medication as the practice watches its budget. It seems a lot is based on pacifying us and not really getting to the understanding of what is really going on with our Pain / Brain / the course of our pain, not guessing but to truly help us have confidence in the system. This is a classic case of what many of us have experienced and we think we are going mad, it does not help the loop of pain.

I know this is hard especially when you are struggling with life, I do, with help I have now a chart with all my medications and how they hopefully are supposed to work. Why because I have experienced the same as you . This is incredible but once many years ago I was sitting with my doctor and he was talking about my medication when after a while, I said are you sure you have me on your screen , this does not sound like me , he looked shifty and no it was not me, he thought I was someone else. It just shows you in the small now window they can spend with you and flashing you up on the screen . It is not enough to help you properly.

Pain and the body the Brain needs care, it needs understanding, It is so sad there is not the help out there most of the time to help us. We get more help and understanding off this site.

Please make sure you hit him / her back with how and why did you get this wrong and please start to understand my condition and help me with it properly and with some care as I am like you just a human wanting to get what ever bit of quality life back.

So sorry don't let it get you down , gain something back from there mistake.

Best of luck David

[Dunstablian in reply to Crystallmatters]

Many thanks David, totally agree with your comments...

[Macblank]

The children in charge have decided truth and adult words are too much for you all, despite others liking my comment.