Feeling so ill and sick of my GP practice.

Hi,

Thanks for replying and sorry to read your troubles and i wish you a speedy recovery!

I'm so annoyed i was saying to my partner last night that every single time i've been to my gp since March (many many times) i've said i'm really, really feeling unwell somethings not right. It was only 11 days ago my gp really did have a paniced look on his face when i'd lost another lot of weight in 3 weeks he asked for more blood tests and fast tracked me to the gastro consultant. My gp surgery couldn't do my blood tests for 6 days so i asked for the form as you can go to my local hospital and have them done straight away if you go and queue up. Because i had the form with the many bloods he wanted i looked them up and it was all the standard ones plus two tumor marker blood tests and prostate.They all came back normal but i dont know how accurate they are.

If this turns out to be something serious i'm going to make them pay! I've had to push for my ultrasound, first lot of blood tests, gastro referral which had been done mid June but changed to fast track June 30th and the gastro was a muppet! I asked my gp for a chest x ray 6 weeks ago and i've only just got an appointment through for Wednesday. So i've had a continuous pain in my side since January and first visited my gp at the start of March when i started feeling really unwell and i'm no further on getting a diagnosis.

Cheers

Sorry was you ct scan with contrast or without? I want to make sure i get the correct one.

Thanks

I was also left in pain for months before they got round to giving me open cholecystectomy. Then the labs found a cancerous growth in the gallbladder wall and five weeks later I had to have a liver resection. This is also a rare cancer. I feel that gallstones are just dismissed as trivial by some doctors. My GP laughed when I mentioned I was waiting for elective cholecystectomy! The fact that most gallbladders can be removed laparoscopically seems to minimise the seriousness of the illness in their eyes. I can only compare my pain to giving birth but without the respite between contractions and sometimes my attacks lasted four days at a time during which I couldn't sleep or eat. I was exhausted by the time I got surgery.

I understand how hard pressed the NHS is (I used to work in the NHS before I retired) but patients should not be left in such bad pain as delay increases the possibility of complications: gallbladder rupturing and causing peritonitis, developing jaundice and being in danger of septic shock as a result, and stones affecting the liver, pancreas or bowel.

I'm 67, otherwise fit and active, and I've rarely needed to see a doctor. I don't go running to my GP with every sniffle so I think I should be taken seriously when I am ill. As you say nobody knows your body like you do yourself.

As it's an existing condition, I doubt if you'd be covered. Would you really want to go ahead and risk being taken ill anyway? Think you've probably got a good case to recover at least some of the cost providing you've not seen a medic in the past for similar. Think it also depends on the terms of your insurance, which vary from company to company. Also depends on whether GP would provide documentation to say you're unfit to travel. Sorry to sound so negative, but it's an unusual situation. Trouble is you could have an attack while you're away but on the other hand it could be weeks before another attack occurs. Why not ring the insurance company and ask?

I'd call the gp back and tell him you want to do the mri, too.  It took 3 weeks to get scheduled for the mri, and it might show something.  How long do you want to wait for the ct scan?

Yes thats what i thought. The gp left it to me to cancel the mri, so i may just go and have it done anyway. What i find frustrating is i was fast tracked to see the gastro for rapid weight loss who's ordered the ct scan. When i phoned Friday i was told if i haven't heard anything within 2 weeks phone the ct department. The lack of urgency is outstanding!

I can't imagine how frustrated you must feel! Believe me, I've been there; feeling frightened, frustrated and sick as a dog, while for the doctors and techs it was "just another day at work." The worst is lying there waiting to have a test performed, or going in for a test and listening to the staff talk and laugh and joke around you.  Not that one would want a funereal atmosphere--just a little respect for you and your feelings would go a long way, but they don't seem to get it.  

Hi Matt, as Lynda said I would go and have the mri anyway. Ring up the ct dept and find out whats going on and if your able get on the cancellation list but really  as it was fast track they should have given you an appointment within 2 weeks.

Let me know how you get on.

Hi Katherine, Thanks, im going to go and have it done i might aswel whilst i'm waiting for my ct scan. My letter for the mri mentions nothing about fasting first so i phoned them and was told i can eat as normal before but that doesn't sound correct to me. As you say if i was fast tracked for my gastro app why am i still waiting for my ct scan as my gastro app will have been 2 weeks ago this coming Thursday.

Hi Matt. yes I would go and have it done, ordinary mri you cat eat normally. I had an mrcp which is a type of mri scan but I did need to fast before hand and they gave me pineapple juice to drink as it helps to show up the organs better.

I would phone about your ct scan as from my experience you should've got a date by now. I'm surprised that they haven't phoned you.

Let me know how you get on.

Thanks Katherine, I will give the ct department a call in the morning and try and get an update. I'm also very surprised i haven't heard anything.

Thank you

I have managed to see a private doctor! I have had bloods done and have my post op Friday and op booked for 28th. This can't come quickly enough!

Thats good news for you Sam! If i can ask, you saw a gastro private but having the op on the NHS? Also i seem to remember your troubles started last year? and gallstones were seen straight away with an ultrasound scan?

Thanks

Phoned the ct department at the hospital this morning. They had me down as urgent and offered me an appointment for this coming Monday at 4pm. I will now do what my gp said and cancel the MRI for Sunday as i can't see the point if i'm having a ct with contrast on Monday.

Now my next question (can you tell i hate anything medical!) Whats iv contrast like? I would much prefer it in my hand rather than my arm, has anybody had it in their hand rather than arm? Do they inject you then take the needle out? I think the consultant said the abdomen ct scan is about 30mins?

Thanks everyone

Hi Matt, oh thats good. With mine I had to lie down with my right arm out as they've got a gadget that automatically injects you without anyone needing to be with you they just set it all up before they disappear. To be honest I can't remember if it was arm or hand but I think it was in my arm but I've had so many tests over the past 18 months I could be wrong. They wrap you up all nice and warm too and make sure that you're comfy as these room can be quite cold. When you go into the machine it scans you first without the contrast and then the contrast is injected automatically into your body. They do communicate with you the whole way through and tell you whats happening. It feels very warm as it goes through your body and it can make you feel like you want to pee which they did warn me about. Once its all done they come in and take it all out of your arm. I can't remember how long it took but it wasn't very long probably not as long as 30 mins more like 15 mins.

Its not too bad as tests go but they didn't find anything on mine hence all the others.

Good luck and let me know how you get on. You won't hear at the time what the results are but your consultant should be in contact within a couple of weeks afterwards to discuss the results.

Hi again

I was an inpatient when I had my ct scan, so I already had a cannula in place. They made me drink the pineapple juice stuff before, then injected the dye into the cannula. I felt a warm rush all over and it felt like I was passing urine as they had warned me. There is no pain, except for a sharp stab as they insert a cannula. Having had MRI previously, I expected it to be similar but it was over literally within thirty seconds. My cannula was left in situ, but I assume if you're a day patient, they remove it soon afterwards. Really nothing to worry about!

Hi Katherine, Thanks once again for an informative reply. I phoned the ct department yesterday as my appointment letter had arrived and i wanted to ask some questions and they were very nice and helpful.

I also received my copy of the letter the gastro has sent to my gp. I must say i'm not a happy bunny! It makes no mention of my nausea, upper back pain or lightheadedness. So not only was he not listening he also stated during the consultation that i wouldn't get a hida scan as my blood tests and ultrasound were normal. And the closing line of the letter says, if my ct scan comes back normal he would be quite happy to leave my care back in the hands of my gp! rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Great info.

The letter also states i have no area of tenderness and i'd told the consultant i can't lay of my right side.

The letter gives the tel no of the secretaries of the gastroenterology department of my hospital and i'm going to phone and complain once i've had my ct scan. The guy didn't listen! It's my 4 year olds graduation from nursery tomorrow and i'm not going to go feeling like i'm going to pass out or throw up.

When you research the NHS websites it pretty much implies unless you have gallstones your gallbladder can't cause problems.

Hi Matt, sorry for the delay in replying. I know my letter didn't say everything but it did state the main points to my gp. 

Yes I would phone up because if nothing shows up on an ultrasound and ct then they should be giving you and mrcp and the hida scan as the others won't show up a non functioning gallbladder. I would ask to see a different gastro, what would your gp say? It was my gp who recommended this website to me.  

It doesn't sound very helpful to me but unfortunately there are still doctors that don't recognise some conditions.

Don't stress too much about it as it'll make you feel worse, I don't know if you're able to have a private consultation and then they'll refer you back to the nhs for treatment, it might get you diagnosed a bit quicker and they do listen as you have more time. 

Let me know how you get on.

Hi katherine, Thanks for replying.

Not sure what my gp would say, but i'm going to ask my doctor about seeing another consultant. I'm going to look into a private cobsultation but all the private consultants round my way are the ones that work at my local hospital.

I have my ct with contrast on Monday, so hoping that will throw something up. Although i'm dreading it.

Thanks x

HI matt, sorry for the delayed reply. I hope everything goes well today with your CT scan, let me know how you get on. Its not that bad as tests go its just going into hospital that I dread.

Yes its the same in my area that the consultants are the same for the nhs and private but you can choose who you'd like to see so you don't have to see the same one that you've seen before. You would need a gp referral to see have a private consultation, I wouldn't worry what they would say as its your choice. I did find that it really helped me as you get more time to talk and the test he put me in for I didn't have to wait so long either even though the test was nhs.

Let me know how you get on today. Take care x

So kind of you wishing me luck! I'm going to go to my gp at the end of the week, then maybe (slim chance) my ct results might be back and have a moan about the situation! And ask for a dif gastro. Didn't go out all weekend due to feeling sick and dizzy, can't carry on like this! I just can't understand why the NHS seems to be like this with everyone on this forum!

They assume you've brought it on yourself- that's why. They think we stuff ourselves with pies, chips, cakes, chocolate and ice cream, etc even if we don't. There are other reasons other than being overweight for gallstones to form such as genetic predisposition, but they lump everyone together no matter what size they are. Some of the nurses on the wards I was on were much bigger than me. I recall husband going to GP years ago with a sore elbow. Fat GP told him it was because he was overweight!!??

Agree! It's seems to be the way the NHS gets away with things using the blame game! We all do things that aren't good for us, it's impossible not to! I bet Eric Pickles would'nt be treated in this way! That's pathetic what that gp said to your husband!

Went ok, everybody was great! They had trouble getting the canulla in though, three attempts in my right arm and got it in on the second attempt on my left arm. I asked to try my hand first as even having blood tests they struggle to find a vein.

Thanks Katherine x

It made us laugh! Honestly the GP was bigger than my husband!

So a little update. I knew my gp surgery would have my ct scan results Friday, so i booked an appointment. It wasn't my usual gp and my ct results were all normal. She wouldn't entertain the fact that it could still be my gallbladder as the ultrasound and ct scan showed no stones. She said so your main problem is the pain, doh well why do you think i've been to the surgery regulary for nearly 5 months. She tried to give me a prescription for co codamol, so i told her not to bother as i have some of them at home. So i've come to the conclusion thatgp's are being instructed to treat symptoms not trying to find the cause to save money.

So all i can do now is wait for the letter from the gastro consultant confirming the ct results feeling light headed, nauseous and in pain! rrrrrr

Anybody had the lightheadedness? Feel like i'm going to fall over when i move around.

Hi Matt, its good you've got your results but not so good the reaction of your gp. To be honest I didn't bother going back to my gp once I was seeing a gastro as they haven't the knowledge and expertise to deal with this. The only time I went back to my gp was after I had my gallbladder removed and I was still in pain and I saw a newly qualified gp and they haven't got the experience as he said I was complicated and not text book when all I needed was something to help me to sleep and stop the pain! Luckily I wasn't too upset as I know their skill base so I had to wait for the gastro to get back to me to point me in the right direction. So don't be too disheartened with your gp, that's why they're not consultants and they treat other ailments a consultant really wouldn't want to know about. A consultant has to do several more years training than a gp.

Hopefully your gastro will either put you in for an mrcp or straight away to a hida scan to see how your gallbladder is working, thats what mine did anyway. 

Yes some days I did get very light headed but I believe alot was due to the fact that I wasn't eating as much as the pain was so bad. Sometimes I couldn't go anywhere because of the pain and the dizziness that I had.

Let me know when you get a letter and hopefully they'll have you in for an appointment too to talk about what to do next. Take care.

Thanks Katherine, What worries me is the letter i got from my first gastro appintment states that if my ct scan is normal he would be happy to hand me back to my gp. Will just have to see what happens i suppose. I'm happy the ct was all normal though as the big C does cross your mind.

Sorry for moaning all the time everyone! I'm not Victor Meldrew honestly!

My GP admitted she knew nothing about gallbladders!! ?

Maybe go back to the first GP?

I can't understand why they don't know anything about gallbladders? It takes 10 minutes reading on the internet. Don't think i will go back to my surgery now until i've had the official letter from the gastro about my ct results.

GPs seem to rely on an app where you type in symptoms and out come a list of possible causes and what tests to do and drugs to prescribe. I'm not saying they're all like this but they seem to have largely lost the ability to diagnose. Recently husband had bursitis on knee. They lanced it at an Urgent Care Centre but it was still oozing and his dressings needed changing, so he made an appointment with the practice nurse. 'Oh we don't do that sort of thing here!' She's a NURSE! What does she do then? Oh she's a nurse prescriber, which was originally the job of a doctor and she's now way too important to be bothered to change a dressing. The whole world seems to have gone mad. No wonder patients are frustrated and angry at the way they are being treated. I changed the dressing myself, despite being four weeks post op from liver resection, but it looked so bad, we ended up in hospital and he was admitted, had surgery and was an inpatient for over a week.

Yes that is always very thankful. Don't worry about saying how you feeli thats what we're all here for. I think it all depends on the gp and to be honest they know about gallstones but not sure after that. It was my gp that put me onto this site so I know she used this but even this site hasn't got everything on it.

You need to push for a hida scan to see how your gallbladder is working and thats the only way to test for this. All my symptoms were classic gallstones but all the tests came back clear except the hida scan. You may need to push with your gastro for this or perhaps ring his secretary and see whats happening next and she can look and see whats written.

Give them a call and let me know whats happening. Good luck.

That's shocking! The NHS needs a massive shack up. The way things are with delay tactics is costing them more money! All these people being hospitalised for lack of urgency whilst waiting for treatment rather than getting them treated and sorted is costing the NHS fortunes, well i keep saying the NHS fortunes i should say us fortunes!

Thanks Katherine, I asked the gastro about a HIDA scan at the initial consultation and he said i wouldn't get one as my ultrasound and bloods have bèen normal, so now my ct was normal i'm not sure what will happen. They probably don't want to give them as they take 1 1/2 hours.

Hi Matt! All my tests came back normal( blood work, abdominal ultrasound, colonoscopy, endoscopy, etc) I did ask for a HIDA scan and it was abnormal , my GB was not working properly , the HIDA scan is the only test that can tell how your Gallbladder is functioning , ultrasound would show stones but not how your GB is working , you do need the HIDA scan , I would push for it!

Hi Matt, the only results that were a bit erractic were my liver function results but they were still in the satisfactory range. I would ask to see another gastro if he won't do one as this is the only test to show the workings of a gallbladder. I have seen on here before normal results for everything and eventually they did remove the gallbladder only to find that it had impacted on the liver so causing the pain. And you wouldn't see any of this on any of the tests that they give. 

Ask again and push for an appointment to see your gastro again. Take care and let me know.

I thought I had replied but phones being rubbish ! Just got back off holiday ( risked it however no pain for 2 weeks due to be so food concious ) I am having it all done privately thanks to insurance as a benefit of work ! Initially I was referred for a scan. I had to fast for 6 hours. This scan did not work as the gall bladder was still to contracted to see anything. I had to go back a week later after a 12 hour fast the scan was still unclear but he did say there appears to be multiple stones. Had an appointment with the gp 2 weeks later who then sent off for referral. 4 months later I had still not heard anything and had finished my teacher training so decides to use my private insurance to get it sorted. Pain for well over well over 12 months . Due to go in for surgery on Friday !!

Thanks for replying Sam. Good luck for Friday!

My GP said she didn't fully understand the results of scans etc to do with gallbladder either. Tbh id rather she was honest than tried to blag it haha. But does go out of her way to find out from consultants what things mean xx