So Much For Being Prepared!

So I've had my appointment with the GP. He talked over me, said my symptoms could be a sign of something else and what were my expectations from today's visit. I said I expected to be helped to understand what was going on because after 7 months of investigations I was no further forward. He said that pains come and go and its just life!!!

He ignored all I had to say about my symptoms and said the TSH blood test was a really good indication of thyroid function and he could take another blood test and say "Come on lab, give this a full thyroid screening, if you feel like it". My mouth must have dropped open at that point but I recovered enough to ask him who decides on the test - him or the lab. He said he would get me full blood screening, liver function, full thyroid and as appointments were only ten minute slots, it was a starting point and I could make another appointment to talk more at a later date.

I said I was in pain, dis-satisfied with his answer and added that I thought his brushing of off my comments were making me sound hysterical. He said "Well you know where the word hysterical comes from?" I said "It is from the Greek meaning things to do with the uterus and gives the word hysterectomy, which was coined to indicate hysteria" He looked taken aback and I asked if he was blaming my symptoms on the menopause because if he looked at my notes he would see that I had never complained or suffered from menopause symptoms.

He knew I was annoyed.He prescribed me a drug for nerve pain. When I got home and read the contraindications it was not to be used with stomach medications (which I take to protect my stomach from ibruprofen damage) or with the painkillers I take!!

So today I rang the practice manager and registered a complaint about the lack of concern, diagnosis and medication for my health problems. I said I wanted my treatment discussed with my usual GP and the one I saw yesterday. She was really helpful and said to get my blood tests - which I asked her to read out what he had ordered on the blod test form - and lo and behold he had only requested another TSH test!!! Practice manager was not amused and said she wanted to get a satisfactory conclusion and would organise the meetings with the two doctors and would arrange for a doctor of my choice from the practice to see me after blood test results were back.

So there's my first taste of trying to get on a thyroxine trial and/or see an endocrinologist. Not a pretty picture.

[greygoose]

Well done you! I think you handled that brilliantly. OK, so the result wasn't what you wanted, but at least they now know that you're a force to be reckoned with!

That doctor is obviously an arrogant ............. (chose your own expletive). How dare he talk to people like that! As to his remark about pains coming and going, what sort of a doctor is he, exactly? Did he get his degree in a packet of cornflakes? But you put him in his place with the hysteria! lol

I do hope something practical comes of it all soon, and that you get your referal and/or thyroxine.

Hugs, Grey

[NBob]

Marvellous, well done.

It appears that you handled your doctor with real assertiveness.

Patients need to have confidence to stop this sort of behaviour. I hope that other members reading this take heart from SuzieC511's appraoch and begin to challenge the nonsense that some GP think they can get away with.

You also said something that i said to my GP re tests.

i said that the lab is in no position to decide what tests to carry out. the lab is not my doctor, my GP is my doctor. According to Good Medical Practice, it is for my doctor and me to decide what tests to carry out not the lab.

if the lab doesnt do a test asked for, they are acting beyond their powers.