Your GP is likely to be breaking the law if s/he doesn't treat you because s/he thinks It's Just Your Age. The Equalities Act 2010 makes discrimination on the ground of age illegal. You can report the GP to the PCT or CCG in April or to the Equalities commission. You can also remind th GP that his Code of Practice - Good Medical Practice at paragraph 3b states that s/he must “take steps to alleviate pain and distress whether or not a cure may be possible”
the link is here
Very interesting and informative and another tool to our arsenal, thank you! When I was first diagnosed with Hashi's and put on the usual Levothyroxine, I started having muscle cramps and spasms, especially in my ribcage whenever I laughed or twisted my body to look behind me etc. When I raised that concern with my GP because that was one of the side-effects mentioned in the PIL, he turned around quite patronisingly and told me that 'well, you've never been this age before...' This was before I knew much about the condition because I was quite new to it. 10 years on, and I have managed to educate myself about my condition and the drugs (including their side-effects) quite intensively and my GPs have learned not to talk to me like that anymore, because I can argue the points from a medical perspective! As long as you put them in their place very politely (!!!), they don't even realise they've been steamrollered... Lol! Knowledge IS power, and every little helps!
I totally agree that knowledge is power. The more patients know about their rights, the better. I thing that some GPs abuse their position to cover up for their laziness. Age is not a disease, its an excuse.
I also agree that the way to deal with GPs is from a position of knowledge using that knowledge to bring confidence. That confidence allows a patient to speak calmly and assertively, maintaining the high ground.
At age thirty they told me all my problems ere because I was fat.
I got to a perfect weight by age 48, and suddenly all my problems were due to my age...
Well I wasnt old when I was 30...
Actually, I'm younger now at 55..... with hypothyroidism and hashis well treated
the population is getting older and some GPs can no longer use age as an excuse for their laziness. The World Health Organisation is actively promoting Healthy Ageing allowing people to be "old" without poor health. Poor health isn't a sign of ageing its a sign of poor health care, in my view
Absolutely agree, it makes me so angry when i think back to 15yrs ago when i was first diagnosed. I saw 5 different dr's. One told me i was tired all the time because i was a single mum, another told me i must up my excersize and cut down on what i ate as i was putting on weight. Oh and when my hair was falling out and i had very dry skin it was because i was stressed. Of course i was stressed as they weren't listening to me!!
And that was without all the hideous gynie problems, that as a dr you wldv thought they wldv connected. Luckily i was training at the time in anatomy learning all about the endocrine system and realised mine was shot to bits i had to ask for a thyroid test. The the stupid dr told me i was fine. Only to find out that i had been boarderline and shldv been tested 3 mnths later. So i then went on suffering for another 18mnths. There is no excuse for shoddy lazy, rude, patronising Dr's. Im afraid i tell them how it is now. I once told a very patronisng Endo that he might have studied this disease but seeing as he didn't suffer from it how cld he possibly have a clue how i was feeling.
So all i can say to any newbies is don't take any crap, its your body, your life. And your basic human right to be treated properly.
How many symptoms did you have before seeing your GP?
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