[7589200]

what is your BMI?

[supraman]

Seems really unfair to be honest, nor does he seem very professional in his manner for taking a patient seriously enough, especially with the amount of evidence you show him.
Switch your GP, how would your mother find out, it's none of her business who you go to

[Anonymous]

(Original post by Vohamanah)
You don't appear to have any mental health issues, or psychological disorders, you don't sound like you need counselling. What else can he do?

I disagree with almost everything you have said, but this really takes the cake.

The OP has contemplated suicide and can't walk into a room full of people without having a panic attack. I'd say it sounds quite likely that they have mental health issues and could benefit from counseling.

[madders94]

(Original post by Vohamanah)
I'm sorry that you're having a hard time, but what do you really expect the GP to do? Fair enough it sounds like he could improve on his bedside manner, but social anxiety and low self-esteem because of bullying isn't a medical condition. He can't prescribe something to make it go away. Its something you do have to deal with yourself. NHS resources are pushed enough as it is without people consulting their GP abuot things they just cannot help with. They are not a shoulder to cry on, they are there to help with your medical problems. You don't appear to have any mental health issues, or psychological disorders, you don't sound like you need counselling. What else can he do?

Yes, there's nothing the GP can do about depression and anxiety... which is why a GP is usually the one to refer you for NHS counselling or medication are you serious? GPs like the one in the OP's post are the reason why so many cases of depression and anxiety go unnoticed until it's too late, because the person realizes they have a problem, does the brave thing and seeks help, and their GP is one of those "Depression doesn't exist, you'll be cured by a hot bath and a walk in the park" types when really, at the very least a talking therapy is needed.

[emthedrummer]

What kind of stuff are you eating? You should try cutting out sugar. No grains, no processed foods, plenty of fat for 21 days. I eat like that all the time, but me and my mum got my brother on it for maybe a couple of months and his acne cleared right up. It's mad how much food affects your health and well-being. I suffered from mood swings, but then I cut out the grains and sugar and bam! Better concentration, I don't freak out so easily. Sugar is awful for your mood, and it's in everything!

[Cherriesxo]

(Original post by Anonymous)
He does refer me, after YEARS of pestering. He isnt doing anything about the hirsutism or the possible PCOS. Not even bloods. PCOS runs in the family and I have nearly all the symptoms. Nor did he do anything when i went to him and I was so down that I was considering offing myself. It was a few weeks after my gran died, while I was being bullied at home and school, failing my GCSE's, acne getting worse, about to be thrown out of our house and my social anxiety was getting so bad that during class all i could think about was people talking/laughing about me and everytime i walked into a classroom my palms would sweat, i wouldnt me able to look at anything but my feet. I would spend the hour just praying that the teacher didnt get me to answer a question. His answer was that i should get over it because lifes just like that. Not even a word of comfort.

The money goes on facials and skin stuff. Each fortnight I have a facial that costs around £30. The remaining £60 is spent dermalogica/ liz earle/ amie products.

Anyway, thank you for the post and to everyone else that replied. Im not going to report him but I will change to a different GP.

Ohh okay, sorry I didn't realise it was that bad. I don't know if it's the same where you are, but my GP is also useless so when I phone up the doctor's surgery I just ask to see a different doctor. It's always worked and the ones I see are so much better than the GP I'm registered with. They have done referrals for me, given medication, ordered bloods etc. Also, your mum doesn't need to know that you're going to the doctor at all. Everything should be confidential between yourself and the new doctor and they legally can't tell her anything without your permission. Your old GP won't be able to say anything either, since (again, legally) he shouldn't be accessing your medical records unless he's got a very good reason e.g. you're in the room with him. Good luck.

[EffieFlowers]

Phone up the doctors surgery and request a specific other doctor. They don't have any issues with that at my surgery

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies everyone! The only GP's at my surgery is the doctor i see and his wife. I saw a locum there once, when my GP was off sick. He ordered a few tests, but when i came to pick up the forms, my usual GP had cancelled them.

Anyway, im going to change GP's. I told my mum yesterday and she went off on one. Smashed a plate above my head and ruined the wallpaper in my room. Really hope the new doc can help with the anxiety or theres no way im going to be able to go to any lectures at uni!

[Anonymous]

(Original post by Anonymous)
I told my mum yesterday and she went off on one. Smashed a plate above my head and ruined the wallpaper in my room.

Your mum smashed a plate against a wall because you told her you wanted to change GPs No offense but your mum sounds like she's got a screw loose.

[Anonymous]

(Original post by Anonymous)
Your mum smashed a plate against a wall because you told her you wanted to change GPs No offense but your mum sounds like she's got a screw loose.

Her mind runs away with her sometimes. She's convinced that I've changed because im trying to hide something. My old GP would tell my grandad everything and hence she would find out. As my new one will, hopefully, not do this, she'll have no clue whats been discussed unless i tell her. She thinks im pregnant or something and thats why ive decided to change. It doesnt matter what i tell her, she thinks im lying.

[OU Student]

(Original post by Anonymous)
As my new one will, hopefully, not do this, she'll have no clue whats been discussed unless i tell her.

Which is how it should be. The doctor has no right to tell your family anything unless you're at risk of danger or harming yourself. Or something like that anyway.

[Jamie]

(Original post by Anonymous)
If not anon please deletes!

Basically I've had various problems over the years and my awful doctor NEVER refers me! I.e. i was going to him for months about hair loss. Refused to believe me. Eventually he ordered bloods which showed really low iron. Went on three iron tabs a day for 5 months. Iron came back up, hair loss continued. I was told to wait a while for my body to 'stabilise' again. Three months later, went to the doctor, took a brush and brished my hair in front of him. The brush was FULL of hair. Atleast 100+ strands. That was the second time id brushed my hair! He referred me to a dermatologist.

Dermatologist diagnosed two types of alopecia. One where its generak and all over hair loss, and other where its worse in certain patches and I had completely smooth bald spots. He prescribed a steroid cream and told me to come back after a couple of months. Went back, bald spots cleared but still really bad general hair loss. He found that my iron was a little low again, told me o take iron tabs again and then, after three months go to my doc and have bloods taken. If iron normal, and hair loss still continues, I would be referred again. Did this. Iron normal and hair loss continuing, albeit a little less. HE WONT RE-REFER ME!!!!!!

Then my bleeding acne. I have sever acne. I mean SEVERE. Blackheads, whiteheads, cysts.......
My diet is good. I take supplements. I wear sunscreen. I remove sweat instantly after excersize. I drink 1.5L of water a day. I take herbal remedies. And i have a brilliant skin care routine. The cost of my skin products is around £120 a month, so i never have any money left over!

At 13, after two years of acne I went to the docs. Told it was normal. At 14 went back. I now had quite bad scarring, both pigmentation and icepick. Yes, when i was younger and stupid I used to pick. At 15 I was finally referred (to the same derm above, who 'dealt' with my hair). Given erythromycin and duac and another topical cream. Didnt work. Tried to go back. Had to be re referred. Doc refused. Much protesing. At 17, went back to the same derm. Still gave erythromycin, despite it not working at ALL and epiduo. Went to the my doctor and begged to be referred elsewhere. Would not do it. Finally, with another derm, taking tetracycline wjich id helping a litle and on the waiting lost for roaccutane. My point is that it tooks so long for him to do anything and now I have really bad scarring.

I also suffer from hirsutism and he refuses to do ANYTHING about it. He wont even test for PCOS, despite that my two of my aunts have it, i have acne, thinning hair, oily skin. Everything but irregular periods. The hirsutism is bad. I mean BAD. Not just a little fluff. He also knows that I am a carer for my mum, have problems with social anxiety and very low self esteem after years of bullying at school and home from my mum. His reply? Get over it.

The worst thing? He tells my grandad EVERYTHING. About 30 odd years ago my grandad helped him set up and everything and they are very close freinds. He tells him when i go to see him and so on. I cant change GP's as my mum wont let me and she would get suspicious.

Help!

Very mixed up post.

So you have 2 medical issues - low iron and hair loss.
He referred you on for hair loss to a dermatologist.

He did a blood test which diagnosed the low iron and gave you a prescription for iron meds for this. The tablets worked but hair loss continued.
Some motnhs later the dermatologist repeated your iron levels and they were 'slightly low again' so they said to get your GP to recheck in 3 months.

Seems obvious to me the iron has sod all to do with the hair loss.
So it is unnecessary for your GP to re-refer. He has already referred and the problem has not been fixed.

Instead the dermatologist needs to stop screwing around and see you again. Call their secretary.

Your skin issues - again the GP has tried all the standard treatments over the standard time frame and when they failed has referred you on to the specialist.


As far as medical aspects go it all seems rather appropriate to me.

The confidentiality matter is different. If your grandfather is not your legal guardian then your medical issues should not be discussed. However you say you are the carer for your abusive mother and don't mention your father which makes it all slightly confusing.
Is your bullying ?disabled mother your legal guardian.


Of all the things you need to sort out in your life I think your GP is not top on the list. Or shouldn't be.

[hslt]

Acne is an absolute pain to treat. Treatments that work for some people don't work for others. It sounds like you've already been tried on a whole bucket of treatments. There's no magic cure for acne, they have clearly been doing what they can for you. You've been referred to dermatologists three times and you're still not happy. There's only so much your GP can do.

OP also mentions roaccutane - which is linked to depression. Given your history this is most likely why this wasn't tried OP.

PCOS is not the only caus of hirsutism. More to the point are you sure its not just a normal amount of body hair? If your GP has seen it and is not concerned about a sinister cause, I think you may be overreacting.

You seem to be jumping to the conclusion that you have PCOS because of your family history, but your symptoms can easily be explained (see above). One of the main indicators of PCOS is irregular periods or no periods, and you've said your periods are normal. All you are basing PCOS on is the fact people have it in your family, when as far as I am aware it is rare for PCOS to be hereditary in any event. Your only other symptoms are hair loss, which has already been diagnosed as alopecia, body hair and acne, which is not at all unusual.

This is bad, and factually incorrect, advice.

One of the main, if not THE main risk factor for PCOS is a family history of PCOS.

Also, the diagnostic criteria for PCOS are that a women must have two of: Oligo/anovulation (i.e. irregular periods), excess androgen activity, ultrasound evidence of polycystic ovaries.

Clinically it is pretty evident that the OP has excess androgen activity (alopecia, acne, hirsuitism), and an ultrasound scan has not been done. It seems very strange that the GP has not ordered this, but perhaps he has done other bloods (LH/FSH/androgens/GTT would be useful, but not entirely diagnostic) which the OP doesn't realise.

Further, the patients continued low iron could be a sign of menorrhagia (common in PCOS). This is something that might not come out in a history, women often only knowing normal periods as what they've always had. We may, therefore, already have reached a diagnosis of PCOS.

Either way, the cost of an ultrasound scan is pretty minimal, so I'd be pretty peeved if the doctor didn't have a good reason for not giving me one in a fairly classic sounding PCOS history.

Of course the OP may be a skinny young women, with completely normal periods, very mild acne, and very minimal hair loss, normal androgen levels (by blood test) and a large case of hypocondriac - very hard to tell over the internet.

.

It sounds like you have already decided you have PCOS and are frustrated that your doctor won't agree with you. But that's not the doctor's job. He's doing his actual job, but just not finding what you want him to find. But maybe it isn't there to find.

This is true though, and it seems likely that the doctor has a good reason for disagreeing. Are you sure that tests haven't been done???

There are, however, bad GPs out there. Or GPs who have bad days. Or patients who are very difficult to deal with.

He might mention in passing that he's seen you recently, but I don't think there's any cause for concern unless he's giving your Grandad confidential medial information, which should be covered by the doctor/patient

Telling anyone that anyone is your patient at all is a breach of confidentiality. Certainly telling someone that you've seen someone recently as a patient is a breach of confidentiality.

It is absolutely indefensible, even if 'in passing', and evidently has had a negative impact on this patient. If someone were to complain, the GP could expect a surprisingly harsh response.

I am sorry if you think I'm being a bit harsh, but reading through your post it sounds like you go to the GP a lot and kick up quite a fuss when they don't do what you want. GPs have a really tough job, and I think to their credit the vast majority of them do a very good job. They aren't miracle workers, but they do what they can.

True enough