Four months ago I was referred for an urgent colonoscopy, at the time I was advised there would be a 9 weeks wait. A few weeks later I was asked to do a stool sample and post back, done asap. Then, after several attempts to find out test results as not being sent to GP due to hospital request, I was given a telephone consultation appointment which I had today yay!! The consultation lasted exactly 5 mins and 4 seconds. Pleasant enough, stool sample clear which was good news, apparently it is a new test and has 98% accuracy when diagnosing cancer of the bowel. I wanted to ask why I could not be told the result two months ago instead of having to wait but no chance.
He didn't once ask about my symptoms, when I mentioned excessive D he said it was prob something I was eating and may well be right, Although, I have kept a diary and apart from a certain brand of cheese nothing obvious showing. Just said keep a note of food and symptoms for 4 weeks and if any more symptoms to get back in touch. I mentioned recent ultrasound scan and before I could say anything he said it was ok and reeled off the organs checked, I replied that I had been told that my liver was showing NFALD and asked if that could that be the cause of the constant pain, to which he replied that was nothing as nearly everyone in this area has it! Nothing to worry about, asked if I should keep taking the Buscopan and Immodium and he replied yes, then take care, goodbye!
He was very polite but it felt very rushed. I'm glad the stool result was good but he didn't seem to have time to offer any alternative options as to what is causing this constant pain. I had/have questions I wanted to ask and wasn't given the chance. I feel a bit deflated really. I didn't get any answers, I've barely left the house for the past 7 months, missed important family occasions as I can't risk travelling as very little warning before movements. Even the dog is fed up as he has to listen to me moaning on our now shorter walks haha!
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Thank you b1b1b1 Not sure yet, am going to call the GP Practise tomorrow. Have to admit to being disappointed but had this thought, maybe he had only been told to look at that one problem and not anything else as happened with the ultrasound. Will see what happens when I call.
You could be right that he only was told to look at one problem. When you are suffering so much, however, a 5 minute 4 second consultation to me seems inappropriate. In fact, it makes me quite angry. They should understand that people have difficult and uncomfortable problems and need time to ask their questions. I am in the US, so the system is different and I guess that is part of it. I hope you will be able to get another gastro appointment reasonably soon. x
Thank you again, I was/am shocked at the speed and lack of discussion, when I checked my phone for the timing, I couldn't believe it really. Especially as I had a timeline of symptoms etc I thought he might ask about, and a few questions, nothing drastic but nope. See what tomorrow brings I guess. Take care x
What an awful way to be given results good or bad , no reassurances or any understanding of your fears and worry, it sounds as if he had something better to do !!, the only thing I think might be useful is maybe a chat with your own gp and hope to get some of your questions answered , of is it possible you could get a private appointment ?, sorry I wish I had better suggestions hopefully demesne else will , please let us know how you get on , we're all on the same journey .xxxx
1fedup Hope you are keeping well. I remember your kind words at the very start of this story. I've still not been able to see the GP as they are kept locked away in a cupboard somewhere :)) The Nurse knows of my concerns and has been very good but cannot answer all of my questions. I suspect I may well look at private appointments in the near future if nothing done soon. The consultant wasn't rude, quite pleasant really but is seems the call was just to give the result and nothing more other than keep a food diary. Still, we shall see. Take care x
It seems to me that this approach is increasingly common. Just deal with the presenting symptom/problem and ignore anything else which may be of relevance. Very short sighted in my view, and so frustrating for patients. You may need to be politely persistent to get some more answers. It sounds like you have an ally in the nurse, but you may have to be your own advocate.
I am sorry to say but the Doctors these day dont seem to ba able to connect to there patiences We need more face to face not on the phone.After 63 years off suffering stomach problems i just put up with it and take the pain killers when things get to bad.Hope things improve for you and all the best.
Thank you Winke. Funnily enough I was with a different GP practise a long distance away sadly and all through Covid they had face to face appointments. A triage GP would telephone first to see if it was something they could deal with over the phone and if not, you were given an appointment at one of two practises which were kitted out for people's safety. My mother's GP just told people to call 111 You can understand why Paramedics were fed up.
First of all, they need to give you a formal diagnosis. The elimination tests indicates IBS, but as the experts they need to name it for you.
Secondly, if it is IBS you need an appointment with a GP to help you with your symptoms. If your IBS is due to a gut bacterial imbalance which many people's are, you could try a scientifically studied probiotic such as Alflorex.
In terms of the pain, you may be suffering from visceral hypersensitivity. The first line treatment is amitriptyline which acts as a nerve pain agent in small doses. It has a constipating side effect which might help with the 'D'. However, I would try Alflorex first to avoid taking drugs, since Alflorex also helped me with the pain, plus it made me more tolerant to different foods.
If all this fails, ask the GP for referral to a FODMAP trained dietitian, who will take you through an elimination and reintroduction diet. Don't let the GP fob you off with a hand out or ask you to google it, since it is complex and needs support from a dietitian and it is not recommended to do this on your own.
Thank you xjrs I did have IBS many years ago through stress and was given Mebeverine but I never felt this level of pain. I have some continuous morphine from an old injury and use that when desperate. I'll look up visceral hypersensitivity but have just today been given amitriptyline so hopefully that will help, but will give Alflorex a try first. Also, I've to have a test for coeliac disease and have been referred to the Dietician partly as tried FODMAP in the past but failed to keep it up as like you say complex etc., Thanks again.
This story makes me so angry! There must have been sufficient concern that you needed an urgent colonoscopy. A nine week wait for the procedure is unacceptable, it should be two weeks if they are worried about bowel cancer! Thankfully in your case, this and your stool samples were clear but the relative lack of follow up is awful and I can appreciate you feel that your continuing symptoms are not being taken seriously. Can you contact the consultant's secretary to ask for another follow up? I would go back to my GP and have a frank and honest conversation about how you feel and that you need reassurance. I really hope you can resolve the situation. A complaint to PALS might no go amiss either x
The referral was made due to my symptoms and also as a lot of my family have died from bowel cancer, immediate relative etc., Practise not impressed although pleased with the test result, have been given Amitriptyline and to have a further blood test, depending on that result a referral will be sent again in 4 weeks with a request for a full examination.
I am sorry to say that my GP too was rather cold when I was formally diagnosed over the phone. Up to that point she had been excellent, having organised all the appropriate tests and procedures. From what I have heard this is quite common. In some respects, IBS is not something they can do anything about, however they seem to lack a certain empathy with it. I wasn't even offered access to a dietician!
The one i find the best that works for me is co-codamol but one of the side evicts is that it bungs you up so i then a laxative called laxido if you try it let me now how it works out
Punkpreacher and Winke, thank you. I have a high pain threshold but in the past was given continuous Morphine for an old injury, when desperate I go back to that for a few days otherwise I might not cope, running low now though. Co-Codamol is fine but on a bad day barely takes the edge off for me. Neither bung me up though :(((( I think stress sneaks in somewhere which doesn't help.
Unfortunately that is the NHS these days, I have had the same trouble with Doctors, and consultant’s, I was put under a Gynaecologist last August 2021, and not met her at all, I had two telephone conversations with her which lasted seven minutes I was Gobsmacked, every time I tried to put my concerns over to her she spoke above me,I am still suffering but my only alternative is to use my savings and go private, I paid into the NHS for fifty years it is disgraceful.
Sorry to hear of your troubles, I think some GP's slacked off over Covid and can't be bothered to get stuck in again. I really don't see how they can do these things by telephone, people definitely need to be examined if it has reached the consultant level of medicine. It's ludicrous. I too thought of going private but as edwangy posted earlier, when you go private they'll send you for all kinds of tests just to get the cash, edwangy has tried and is still no better off. I looked to see about a private colonoscopy but the nearest hospital doing them was nearly two hours drive away which was a bit risky for me unless I stay in a hotel the night before and after. But, then if something was found I probably couldn't afford the follow up and my GP might refuse to take over.
Doctors appointments aren't what they used to be pre-2020. They weren't so easy to get even then, and we were allowed a 10 minute consultation to discuss just ONE problem at one stage I recall.
Now I think that's reduced to FIVE minutes, only one problem to be discussed. At my local health centre so I heard, they are now asking people to queue outside at 8am if they need a same day appointment. That's pretty cruel, as people who feel ill and need a same day appt. aren't always able to do that!!
GPs are apparently working part time now.
And like someone else said earlier, private medicine makes you wonder...it will suit them financially to order umpteen tests, some maybe not even urgent or 100% relevant! Dare we trust? Some private doctors will be good, some maybe not so. It's a lottery. Look for reviews is probably an idea.
Have to say, my old GP practise was brilliant during the first lockdown, the receptionist would ask if you were willing to speak to her, she would then either make an GP or Nurse appointment or pass you to the triage GP who would discuss your problems and take it from there. The practise was temporarily re-organised to keep patients and staff safe. They were wonderful. Unfortunately I moved way out of their area :((My late mother's GP was the polar opposite absolutely useless, if you were lucky to get an appointment it could be conducted through an open window, 1 overworked nurse. If you needed a wound dressed it was DIY, if you were poorly etc., more often than not, they would just say to call 111 or an ambulance! They used to do the 08.00 thing where people queued in all weathers from around 07.30 to get an appointment that day and those that missed out had to do return the following day. Disgusting place. Imagine saying to your boss that you might be late in as you have to queue and then telling the boss you won't be in as you have been given a 14.30 appointment. This is how they did things years ago when not so many people had phones. and 70's. Like you say, it is cruel.
I looked at private medicine, I think the average was iro £280 for a consultation plus whatever for blood tests some quite pricey (Blood.London), then any other diagnostics, I think a colonoscopy was iro £1900 which may/may not be needed but it is could be very expensive.
I have just got a price for a private consultation it is £170 which is excellent to say what you have been quoted., as you say London prices ridiculous.
That's a really good price, I hope you get some satisfaction from hopefully a bit better care. The blood test prices I looked at were from a company called Blood.London. The consultation I was quoted was in Scotland. I've just had some more blood tests done at my GP so have to wait for the results. Good luck to you.
So sorry to read this. I think initial consultations are more often than not over the phone these days, unless your tests come up with something and they need to see you in clinic. I would definitely go back and seek a 2nd opinion.
You are right, the trouble is when they fail to explore possibilities or offer solutions. The call I received was simply test results and job done. Nothing about my symptoms or anything other than keep a food diary. Just daft! Second opinion is a good idea. Take care.
Hello, I’m sorry to hear you’ve been going through this.
Back at the start of lockdown I began having terrible pains lower right hand side and constantly going to the loo, I also had what I thought was bloody mucus.
To cut a very long story short I had all the stool tests, my GP referred me to the colorectal dept of my Hospital and one of their specialist nurses called to take my symptoms. Three weeks later I get a letter to say it doesn’t seem urgent so they are leaving me in the care of my GP. In the meantime I had lost 9lbs because I couldn’t eat as I was in so much pain. I kept on ringing my GP and eventually she referred me for a colonoscopy. During the wait I ended up in A&E as I was in so much pain, they gave me a CT scan, then the doctor there gave me steroids to tide me over as they suspected Crohns (as my mum had it).
Anyway, colonoscopy came back negative, but I was still in pain, so got referred to the Gastro dept to see a Consultant, who gave me Amitryptoline.
Now in 2022 I’m not too bad, I sometimes get pains so I take a couple of Buscopan (the Amitryptiline - sorry can’t spell it 😂 makes me feel like I have a terrible hangover so I’ve stopped taking it).
I also have RA by the way, and am on very harsh medications, which I think have played havoc with my stomach. I’m also having a LOT of stress due to an ongoing acrimonious divorce, so stress really doesn’t help.
I have also found Kefir helps me, a glass in the morning.
I hope something gets your pain sorted, it’s not fair to have to live like that.
Oh that sounds awful, poor you. I've just been given Amitryptiline (copied your spelling haha) for Tinnitus, the first dose has left me feeling pretty rough, so glad it's not just me. I suffer with bouts of stress and anxiety which I know affects my stomach etc., but I've never had anything like this before. It's shocking that so many people are suffering like this. take care.
I had a face to face with a consultant after my colonoscopy he told me nothing sinister . You have loopy bowel and adhesion round your bowel caused by scar tissue . Just take laxative and go back to your dr . Nothing I can do for you . When I asked about the pain he told me buscopan . But his words to me was I don’t have a magic wand to cure you . Trial and error . No help what do ever . If he mentioned a magic wand 3times I know where I wanted to stick his magic wand . He then wrote a letter to my dr saying I was a bit over whelmed by everthing but nothing untoward . Even writing this makes me angry left intears . 😦
Oh, that's just shocking. They need to use a bit of compassion and understanding when dealing with people and explain the whole scenario not just laxatives. How were you expected to know what a loopy bowel is especially when they tell you not to look it up on google! I can understand your anger and tears, poor you. Why couldn't they say "We'll try laxatives and Buscopan and see how you get on, then if that doesn't work we'll keep trying to find what does"? A bit of compassion goes a long way.
In the end I went private just for the consultant to explain my condition . He read my note seen my scan results and told me my loopy bowel was like a corkscrew and it was causing. Dysfunctional bowel so any waste takes along time to work through . Also scar tissue was also causing a narrowing round my bowel . So laxatives and diet as they are reluctant to remove the scar tissue . But at least he explained everything . So all in I spent £300 just to get everything explained to me .
Wow, I know you shouldn't have to resort to private treatment but that was really good and not too expensive, at least you now know what is wrong. I hope you keep well.
Jeez, they will be suggesting magic water next! I wonder if these consultants are generally in private practise, but pop in to 'help' the NHS to make themselves feel good but don't actually put in any effort to help patients.
Ha!! You should have stamped on his toe and when he cried out in pain, tell him to ignore it. I would have been sorely tempted to do just that. Some people have no clue until it happens to them.
I ended up in hospital last June .with the pain and feeling unwell . I asked the consultant for a scan he told me my blood salts where very low and once they got them up I would be fine . When I asked about the pain he said it’s your normal pain you must be use to it . Got discharged 8 days later no scan just blood salt up . Told I had to get referred by my own doctor for scan . So spent 8 days in hospital no scan but on a drip . As there was a queue for scan s
Dreadful, I've been waiting for surgery to my shoulder, the pain was becoming unbearable and due to other meds, my old GP suggested Continuous Morphine, it was wonderful and I was able to work without being in agony. Seems the hospital doctors can't be bothered to try. I hope it all gets sorted or has been already.
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Stool in bowel 
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After review with consultant
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