Hopping mad, furious, about to burst a blood vessel: ultrasound scan, fibroids, oestrogen dominance associated with Hashimoto's,

Need to vent, fellow Thyroid People:

Off my own back - because i have an uncaring, revenue focused, obstructive, disinterested, hostile NHS GP, i wrote to her (cannot stomach seeing her - she has the gluten effect on me) and asked for another scan as she had not bothered to monitor my fibroids since the last scan (which i also pro actively arranged 2 yrs ago).

This despite a history of previous surgery for a giant fibroid following 3 blood transfusions and a 9month course of Zoladex.

So icalled the scan people ahead and asked would i be able to get a copy of the result from them, as relationship with gp broken down, they said yes. Today the stenographer refuses to give me a copy. I had a stand up row with her. She quoted the DPA and duty of care (an alien concept to the nhs and my gp in particular), how my caring sharing gp is the one who needs to communicate the results to me in case there is something nasty - as if my GP would give a sh&t (unless there were funding points to be had)

Under the DPA i am in fact entitled to a copy of any and all data about myself.

Also, the scan hurt so badly i feel as though i have been violated, it was a disgusting experience and an hour later i still feel pain internally. I feel as though she did me an injury. I shouted out that she was hurting me to be told "just bear it because i am pressing really hard".

I am so ANGry as i now have to waste valuable energy fighting with the scan people for a copy of MY OWN RESULTS WHICH I AM ENTITLED TO. I will go without the results before i communicate with my gp practice (already feel the gluten effect coming on)

I did manage to glean from her that they were bigger - which i knew myself hence requesting the scan. I plan to take a copy - when i get it - to my private GP which is what i do with all my nhs results so that I can get a professional view.

Anyhow what concerns me (because i have excruciating pain) is that she said there was a cyst on my ovary. I could not remember my last period so she could not say whether it was normal or not. Got home and checked and it is 3 weeks since my last period. Is this a normal point in the cycle to have a cyst?

I get my period every 3 weeks (cycle getting shorter all the time)

I'd be really grateful if some one could tell me.

And yes I am deliberately leaving this post open so that EVERYONE can read it

[alangardner]

hi there 'blue' , the only thing that I can comment on is this ......[ and I have done this before and it has worked on many occasions ] .....telephone the hospital switchboard and request to be put through to the chief executives office and explain what your anger is with regarding to your formal request for a copy of the results and the FACT that under the data protection act THIS CANNOT BE REFUSED as to do so is against the law ...... and that you intend , not satisfied WILL LODGE A FORMAL C ORPORATE COMPLAINT AGAINST THE HOSPITAL WITH THE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT ------ this has always worked for me [ I can hear the size 12 hitting the rear end while I have been on the phone ] .....and also re-iterate that you wish a copy of these results within 7 working days directly from the hospital .......believe me it really does work and you will never be fobbed off again .......hope this helps you alan x

[jaxnbreeze]

I hope you get all the info. you need. I also have a female GP who I can't bear to even look at now since she refused to refer to a gyny. (now sorted out thankfully). I always see the other dr. in the practice and I couldn't I would leave as I don't consider this woman has my best interests at heart.

[Framboise]

Did you have a scan done today and was it those results that they refused to give you, or was it the results of an older scan they refused to let you have?

I think there's something about not letting you have your results before a GP sees them, in a case of a GP ordering a test, or a consultant if they've ordered it, or them having to give you the results in the first instance, but I can't remember where I've read that. I know that when I've had MRIs etc I've been told they can't let me have the results until the consultant has seen them, but then the consultant has usually given me digital copies to keep. However if these were old results that you were asking for, then there's no reason for them to refuse.

As for the pain, that's wrong, a procedure shouldn't hurt like that and I'd certainly complain to someone about it, but who listens these days!!!

[lisabax]

If you don't fancy talking to the chief executive of the hospital trust, you could go to PALS, (patient advice and liaison service). I think all hospitals have one, or if not will have some kind of complaints service. My local hospital PALS sort things out very quickly, and as you say, you are entitled to your results, and you shouldn't have pain from a scan.

[anbuma]

im trying to get an appt to see rheumy .involving PALS a year on and still no joy.seems the dr is not bothering to reply to them.

[chihiro]

Oh dear sounds like you had a horrid day. So sorry you were in a lot of pain and weren't treated very nicely. The only thing I know about results is that anytime I've had something requested by the GP, the GP has had to look at it before it could be released to me. This was for blood tests and an u/s on my ovaries to check for cysts.

As for the cyst...if you are getting irregular cycles it is hard to tell whether that was an ovulation time type cyst or if it was more than that. If you are getting your period regularly every 3 weeks then I would say that it was a cyst that needs monitoring at the very least.

Again really sorry it was painful...been there many times before and I know how horrid it is. Sending hugs.

x

[Hidden]

Thanks for listening everyone. I have had 3 scans before, and NONE caused this kind of pain. In fact, it is now 3.5 hours later and I am still in pain. Yes it was today's results.

I can guarantee my GP will not even look at them, she will file them.

Thanks for the advice, Oh i have dealt with PALS, i have reported a hospital to the Infomration Commissioner - in fact I have reported by own government employer to the Information Commissioner in relation to the DPA.

I am well versed and experienced enough, it is just that i HATE the way the NHS saps my energy.

Alangardner, the results go to a clinic somewhere else- I have already written a delightfully polite letter to them - if that does not work, I will send one of my "don't f*ck with me letters" for which i am very well known.

[Duchy82]

My ultra sound scan for a humongous cyst last year was incredibly painful but it was soooo big they didn't even have to do an internal scan and i looked 6months pregnant and was 6lbs lighter after surgical removal, incidentally they phoned gynae straight away i got send there to make an appt and for a bloodform for bloodtests to be done the same day.

It baffles me that they won't give you the results, I've been told any findings by the sonographer there and then everytime I've had a scan and I've had quite a few in the last few years.

[Clutter]

Why not write requesting a copy of your results once your GP has reviewed them. Address your request to the practice manager if there is one.

Hope the pain has eased.

[Bacatti]

Hi Bluedaffodil,

I don't have an answer to your question but I just wanted to say that this is, sadly, extremely familiar to me as a scenario. If it is at all possible to change GP it might be worth it in the long run. Having such a fraught relationship with a very resistance and hostile primary care provider is a major cause for upset and distress. I couldn't even get copies of my bloods for over a year. It's simply not good enough. We need to be far more American in our approach to health care providers and insist on better treatment.

[Hidden in reply to Bacatti]

Been there, done that - they are all cr8p which is why i wont bother moving again. I recently wrote to all the ones whose catchment area I am in to ask if they would do the things my gp wont (eg follow my specialist recs for iron infusions, ndt, creon, etc etc). Hald never replied and those that did said no.

What concerns me is i have extreme pain during intercourse - for years. I think it is the cyst that she mentioned yesterday which she dismissed. I know my gp would be dismissive too - so what do i do?