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Doctors ignoring my kidney failure

I've had several previous blood tests (all more than a year ago now) where they said I had high creatine levels and my kidney function was slightly below normal but that it wasn't something that warranted doing anything about or worrying about. I also get bad stomach pain that comes in waves and during a wave of pain I will often not be able to stand up until it goes away. The pain is getting worse and more frequent so I had an appointment with my uni's college doctor today. I'm on my year abroad and the appointment was online with a "doctor" from my UK uni so obviously I knew they wouldn't be able to prescribe anything or do any blood tests. But his apparent medical conclusion was that the pain is likely just from anxiety and the stress of living alone in another country but that I can get medical help here if it gets unbearable.

I'm planning to see a proper doctor in the UK as I go home for Christmas in a few weeks but him suggesting it was AnXieTy is very discouraging (I've also had the pain for much longer than I've been living abroad and I brought up my past blood test results). I was expecting him to suggest that I should see a doctor to get blood tests and be prescribed stronger painkillers, which is what I'm going to push for when I see a doctor at home.

But completely dismissing me in that way is insulting and worrying as I know my kidney readings were below normal last time I had a blood test and are almost certainly worse now. But it seems like doctors won't accept that it's time to take action about it until I'm literally dying and need a transplant. I don't see why they'd rather me wait to become seriously ill than just be willing to treat the problem in its current form.

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Reply 1

Hey OP

I'm not a medical professional
But a borderline result would not necessarily mean your kidneys are falling

It could even be a nutrition issue
But if you are in pain, then perhaps you should push for further testing. / 2nd opinion as a lot can change in a year

Source
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/creatinine-test/#:~:text=Low%20for%20you%2C%20it%20may,blood%20creatinine%20aren't%20common.

Reply 2

Original post
by Anonymous
I've had several previous blood tests (all more than a year ago now) where they said I had high creatine levels and my kidney function was slightly below normal but that it wasn't something that warranted doing anything about or worrying about. I also get bad stomach pain that comes in waves and during a wave of pain I will often not be able to stand up until it goes away. The pain is getting worse and more frequent so I had an appointment with my uni's college doctor today. I'm on my year abroad and the appointment was online with a "doctor" from my UK uni so obviously I knew they wouldn't be able to prescribe anything or do any blood tests. But his apparent medical conclusion was that the pain is likely just from anxiety and the stress of living alone in another country but that I can get medical help here if it gets unbearable.
I'm planning to see a proper doctor in the UK as I go home for Christmas in a few weeks but him suggesting it was AnXieTy is very discouraging (I've also had the pain for much longer than I've been living abroad and I brought up my past blood test results). I was expecting him to suggest that I should see a doctor to get blood tests and be prescribed stronger painkillers, which is what I'm going to push for when I see a doctor at home.
But completely dismissing me in that way is insulting and worrying as I know my kidney readings were below normal last time I had a blood test and are almost certainly worse now. But it seems like doctors won't accept that it's time to take action about it until I'm literally dying and need a transplant. I don't see why they'd rather me wait to become seriously ill than just be willing to treat the problem in its current form.

Where are you studying? I imagine that if you’re in Europe you have sufficient medical insurance to go and see a GP tomorrow. Unlike the UK it won’t take you 2 weeks to be seen and believe it or not most of them will speak English.

Reply 3

If multiple doctors have suggested you have anxiety, perhaps there is some truth in that?
Weren’t you worried about a brain tumour a short while ago? Now you’re dying of kidney failure?

I’d suggest knocking the drinking on the head rather than pushing for more painkillers as from previous threads you’re already abusing those.

Apols for remembering your medical history as I know you find that frustrating.

Reply 5

Original post
by Admit-One
Weren’t you worried about a brain tumour a short while ago? Now you’re dying of kidney failure?
I’d suggest knocking the drinking on the head rather than pushing for more painkillers as from previous threads you’re already abusing those.
Apols for remembering your medical history as I know you find that frustrating.

The post literally didn't mention drinking and it isn't part of this particular problem at all

Reply 6

Original post
by black tea
If multiple doctors have suggested you have anxiety, perhaps there is some truth in that?

There isn't truth in it, it's their catch all response to dismiss women's pain as them just being dramatic, hysterical or over emotional

Reply 7

Original post
by Anonymous
There isn't truth in it, it's their catch all response to dismiss women's pain as them just being dramatic, hysterical or over emotional

No offence, but your posts on here do suggest quite significant health (and not just health) anxiety...

I'm not saying your pain isn't real, but anxiety certainly can exacerbate physical symptoms and addressing the anxiety can really help the underlying physical symptoms too. You will disagree, of course, but I hope you do come around to the idea of accepting help for your mental health one day.

Reply 8

Original post
by black tea
No offence, but your posts on here do suggest quite significant health (and not just health) anxiety...
I'm not saying your pain isn't real, but anxiety certainly can exacerbate physical symptoms and addressing the anxiety can really help the underlying physical symptoms you. You will disagree, of course, but I hope you do come around to the idea of accepting help for your mental health one day.

I’m not against accepting help for my mental health. When doctors suggest it’s anxiety, they aren’t offering me any treatment or medication for anxiety, they’re using it as an excuse to deny me treatment. It’s not an offer to treat me for anxiety, it’s “you’re just imagining your pain because of anxiety so no action is necessary, go away” (obviously I’m not saying that’s a direct quote)
Original post
by Euapp
Where are you studying? I imagine that if you’re in Europe you have sufficient medical insurance to go and see a GP tomorrow. Unlike the UK it won’t take you 2 weeks to be seen and believe it or not most of them will speak English.


2 weeks would actually be a fast turnaround for a GP appointment in my area...last time I needed one it took over a month :frown:

Reply 10

Out of interest what were you actually hoping for with an internet consultation? You are not in the UK so any prescription could not be made up for you whilst you are abroad. Just get an appointment with a local GP if you are seriously worried.

Reply 11

Original post
by artful_lounger
2 weeks would actually be a fast turnaround for a GP appointment in my area...last time I needed one it took over a month :frown:

Whereas I’m sitting in my GP’s surgery right now having phoned up 20 minutes ago! ( But I’m not in the UK and will have to pay part of my appointment costs even though it’s not a private appointment)
Original post
by Euapp
Whereas I’m sitting in my GP’s surgery right now having phoned up 20 minutes ago! ( But I’m not in the UK and will have to pay part of my appointment costs even though it’s not a private appointment)

I mean to be fair I could pay for a private GP appointment in the UK and get one quickly if I wanted. I'd rather not pay for the appointment at all though!

Reply 13

Original post
by Anonymous
I’m not against accepting help for my mental health. When doctors suggest it’s anxiety, they aren’t offering me any treatment or medication for anxiety, they’re using it as an excuse to deny me treatment. It’s not an offer to treat me for anxiety, it’s “you’re just imagining your pain because of anxiety so no action is necessary, go away” (obviously I’m not saying that’s a direct quote)

Well have you actually asked them what they would suggest for your anxiety? There are people for whom being told symptoms are due to anxiety is enough reassurance, but since it's an ongoing issue, it's worth specifically saying you want to explore options of managing the anxiety.

Reply 14

Original post
by artful_lounger
I mean to be fair I could pay for a private GP appointment in the UK and get one quickly if I wanted. I'd rather not pay for the appointment at all though!

So would I but even the state system here requires roughly a 30% contribution from the patient. Hence the almost compulsory private insurance in parallel

Reply 15

Original post
by Euapp
Out of interest what were you actually hoping for with an internet consultation? You are not in the UK so any prescription could not be made up for you whilst you are abroad. Just get an appointment with a local GP if you are seriously worried.

I said in the post that I know they can’t prescribe me anything online, I was expecting an indication of what I will be prescribed when I see a GP in person rather than being dismissed.

Reply 16

Original post
by black tea
Well have you actually asked them what they would suggest for your anxiety? There are people for whom being told symptoms are due to anxiety is enough reassurance, but since it's an ongoing issue, it's worth specifically saying you want to explore options of managing the anxiety.

Yes I’m planning to try and get benzos when I see a GP in the UK while I’m home for Christmas

Reply 17

Original post
by Anonymous
Yes I’m planning to try and get benzos when I see a GP in the UK while I’m home for Christmas

And when they refuse to give you benzos because they are not the appropriate treatment, you will come back and complain that they are dismissing you because you are female :rolleyes:
(edited 11 months ago)

Reply 18

Original post
by black tea
And when they refuse to give you benzos because they are not the appointment treatment, you will come back and complain that they are dismissing you because you are female :rolleyes:

If I'm sent away and refused because doctors are more like to perceive young women as being dramatic and exaggerating their pain then yes I will. I've been seeing doctors about the same issues since I was around 12-13 (I'm now 21) and am yet to receive appropriate treatment.

Reply 19

Original post
by Anonymous
If I'm sent away and refused because doctors are more like to perceive young women as being dramatic and exaggerating their pain then yes I will. I've been seeing doctors about the same issues since I was around 12-13 (I'm now 21) and am yet to receive appropriate treatment.

But you are dramatic and you do exaggerate.

(See thread title.)

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