How to get GP to listen?

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Sally79

29 Jun 2012 at 5:32PM

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Hi there,

This is my first post on here, so please forgive me if I fall foul of any rules of etiquette etc!

I'm a 33yo female with a history of AI problems, and I'm 90% certain that I have MS. I read a list of symptoms and it was like reading my life. You all know what they are, so I won't go over what I'm feeling. The issue I'm having is getting my GP to take me seriously. I've had two appointments where he pretty much laughed off my symptoms as "that's life" and told me to get more sleep (the first reason I went to see him was because I'd been unable to get out of bed for a week and the second because I was having Le Hermittes). I've called today for a follow up appointment (none were available) to say that I'd lost the feeling in my hand and had other symptoms, and the duty GP advised me to got to A&E to make sure I wasn't having a heart attack!

I really don't want to walk into another appointment and say that I've diagnosed myself off the internet, but I can't take much more of being fobbed off. How can I get over to my GP that I seriously think that MS is the problem, and get him to refer me for tests?

Thanks for your time.

Snow Leopard

29 Jun 2012 at 6:57PM

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Hi Sally, a difficult one to answer. A few options:

You can change your GP... either by seeing another GP in the same practice or changing practice altogether. Of course you might get another GP who doesn't take you seriously but hopefully not.

You could take someone else with you to see the GP. Someone who's prepared to say how badly your symptoms are affecting you (partner? mother?) and fight your corner. That might make the GP sit up and listen.

You could (and this is a bit extreme) take the duty GP's advice and go to A&E. After all a doctor advised you to do it and you could tell them that at the hospital. There's a chance that you might see a doctor there who would recognise that you need neurological tests. It is extreme but it would be acting on the duty doctor's advice!

I think, given those choices, I would go with taking someone with me to the GP. If that doesn't work, change GP.

Hope this helps and you can get him to listen and make referral.

Pat x

rizzo

29 Jun 2012 at 7:52PM

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Hi Sally, and welcome

L'Hermitte's is a very specific symptom indicating something wrong in the spinal cord. A GP who dismisses this is leaving him/herself open to a complaint at the very least. Unfortunately, most GPs know diddly squat about neurology so it's not uncommon for them to dismiss these sorts of symptoms without realising their importance.

Pat's advice is great, but if you aren't afraid of potentially burning your bridges with this GP, you could try challenging the knowledge with which he dismisses a classic symptom of spinal cord damage. Is he qualified in neurology? Surely a neurologist is best placed to decide whether or not there is cause for concern? Etc.

One thing - do NOT mention MS. (Jack Osbourne's diagnosis will have most GPs on high alert for people thinking they have MS.) Just say that you want some answers to why this is happening to you and that you have no idea what is causing them, but you have been told that it is most likely to be neurological and that's why you want to see a neurologist.

Nothing to do with GPs, but please keep an open mind about causes - it could be any number of things; only one of which is MS.

Karen x

Sally79

29 Jun 2012 at 8:18PM

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Thank you so much for coming back with advice. I really appreciate it.

I think the next stage will be taking my other half with me tothe GP and getting him to vocalise what I'm like at the moment. I know that MS has been in the press because of Jack Osbourne and that's why I didn't want to say I've self diagnosed, but as someone with a history of AI issues (Diabetes, Asthma and Arthritis) I know to take this kind of thing seriously.

I do have private healthcare via work, but my fear is that I can't get to see a neurologist without a referral, and if the GP won't refer me, I'm kind of stuck. I guess one option is to find the GP at my surgery who has an interet in Neurology (luckily, their website lists their areas of specialism/interest), take my other half along and beg him/her to refer me. Other than that, it's back to trying to explain to work that I'm just so shattered and numb that I can't do my job without any kind of diagnosis.

Thanks again.

pm64

29 Jun 2012 at 8:58PM

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Hi Sally.

I can only suggest that you see another doctor at the practise you go to.. I did this and new GP is taking me very seriously and treating me for some of the symptoms I have too (which I really needed!).

Private health care is great, but as you know, you still need a referral to a neurologist from your GP; so its wise to try to get them on your side (so to speak).

Explain to work what is going on as if you work in a large company they sometimes have their own doctors who may be able to refer you?

Good luck Sally. Limboland is a tough place to be xx

ClaireWWW

30 Jun 2012 at 5:51PM

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Taking my other half with me to my rheumatologist really helped as he was able to stress how bad things were day to day without me feeling like I was coming across like a drama queen.

I'm one of those that if someone asks me how I am, I automatically say 'good thanks', when inside I'm rattling off a long list of things that are wrong. I was brought up that it was attention seeking to discuss health issues and to grit your teeth and get on with life. For years I have had a boss who has 'martyr syndrome' which doesn't help and I can get embarrassed by the sheer length of the list of my symptoms!

jms

30 Jun 2012 at 6:26PM

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i had problems with my old GP not MS but he symple wasnt taking me seriously. I booked an appointment and when i got there sat down and refused to leave till he refured me to a spechalist. Stating that i know my body and you obviously dont know whats wrong. He didnt like it but did refure me to a spechalist. And suprise suprise there was somthing wrong with me that then got sorted. There is always the option of changing GP but there is no guarante the new one would be any different.
I hope this helps

james

fluffy54

01 Jul 2012 at 12:42AM

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Hi Sally, Its difficult, I had the same sort of reaction from my gp.

They did find a few other things wrong on the way -hypertension and

diabetes, but there are some signs that dont fit in with the other things becsusr I had the ms symptoms long before the.diabetes but Im a bit.closer to.neuro consult, close but still a long way away from dx. I've

been on at my.gp for months now and they've only recently

stared.to.listen, Good luck with dx, it just takes time and patience
(((hugs)))

F.xx

Sally79

01 Jul 2012 at 3:43AM

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Thanks, all of you. I see how it goes x

flatliner

01 Jul 2012 at 5:57PM

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HI sally this is bizare i have the exact same problem cant get taken seriously but fairly confident i have secondary progressive even if you get seen by a neurologist they may dismiss you.I have some advice first get the nhs birmingham vitamin D test from city assays I recommend that to anyone with MS.There is a place in cheltenham called cobalt they do cheap private 3.0 tesla MRIs but youll need a doctor referral and to travel there, thirdly ive tried enrolling on all the neurological studies at various universities,maybe try pals these are all the things im currently trying to do,hope there is help in there somewhere

flatliner

01 Jul 2012 at 5:57PM

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flatliner

01 Jul 2012 at 5:59PM

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Ohh another point if you are taking antidepressants and are reducing the dose this can give you something that feels like lhermites brain shocks

flatliner

07 Aug 2012 at 11:45AM

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I got interest from st barts london on the childhood onset MS,but cant get referral still.

flatliner

07 Aug 2012 at 11:45AM

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I got interest from st barts london on the childhood onset MS,but cant get referral still.

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