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Hypertension - Desperately looking for private specialist as NHS ignores me.

Posted , 6 users are following.

alpha88806
alpha88806

Sorry if I post here but I am looking everywhere with no luck so would really appreciate some urgent advice as I believe I am being mistreated for a health condition. If you have some advice on where to ask, I would also appreciate.

I am a male in my mid 20s and about a week ago got symptoms of high blood pressure (hypertension) including palpitations, head throbbing and readings of up to 180/100. I ran to the A&E at Royal London Hospital who checked my urine, blood and heart (ECG), and read my pressure twice again (it had reduced to avg 135-140/90), ultimately saying that it was "nothing" but to follow up with my GP.

I never smoke, never drink (teetotaller), but exercise only once a week on the weekend and am a bit overweight due to that and not ideal eating habits. However, starting from some time before the symptoms started, I had started a very healthy diet. Based on various things I read on the internet, my gut feeling is that the symptoms were triggered by this sudden change in my diet, something I did wrong. Maybe I got some ingredient wrong.

While waiting for the GP appointment (5 days later) my head throbbing got worse. All this despite eating only healthy food typically recommended to reduce blood pressure (bananas, garlic, vegetarial meals, only salmon or tuna as fish, no added salts, no sugar, no chocolate, no saturated fats, lots of vegetables). So either my diet is wrong or something is extremely wrong in my system.

My GP at the Spitalfields Practice checked me - I explained to her everything and she just kept joking in a somewhat patronizing tone that I am too young for any serious illness, that I don't need to see a nutritionist/dietitian, that I only need to monitor my pressure for about a week and then she will decide. She ignored the fact that my head throbbing had worsened and was completely vague about my diet and exercise. Honestly, I felt my GP ignored me and was only following a script.

Unfortunately, the last time a GP told me "oh it's nothing, you are too young for this kind of issue, you are only overly anxious" I got a chronic movement disorder that lasted for 8 years with pain. Had the GP listened to me, I would have prevented my situation from becoming chronic!

I don't want that to happen ever again. I know how dangerous high blood pressure can be, and also the consequences of medical treatment. Many have told me that with my age I should do my best to avoid getting to a stage where I will need medication, but that's what will happen if the NHS and my GP keep ignoring what I tell them.

This is why I am ready to pay to get proper advice, to be listened and to not be ignored. I want to do my best to prevent this from getting chronic or worse and get treated naturally.

If anyone knows someone, a doctor, a medical centre, a private practice, here in London, who deal with hypertension or related and are more competent and take things more seriously than the NHS, I would appreciate if you could recommend them to me.

Thank you very much in advance!

0 likes, 28 replies

28 Replies

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  • alpha88806
    alpha88806

    Posted

    Symptoms are worse - moreover I think I caught a cold and fever, which is making everything like hell.

    I am so worried day and night and just don't know what to do anymore.

    Well if I do find that something is actually wrong with me... isn't it bad enough that my GP said that I have nothing when I clearly have serious symptoms? Shouldn't she get fired for incompetence / false judgment? I truly can't help hating those people when I simply keep getting worse and worse. All she could have done was listen to me. I need some closure for their incompetence!

    So I guess I have to start my question from scratch: if my GP ignores me, whom else can I ask?

    Who is a good specialist in these matters (or how can I find someone who knows about it)?

    I know you all are trying to help... but I guess this is (as I have experienced already in the past) yet another case of GP/NHS incompetence OR greed/cold-heartedness.

  • alpha88806
    alpha88806

    Posted

    (when I say "she should have listened to me" I mean that she shouldn't have shrugged off my symptoms and my accounts on what I felt, my pains, everything... come on, seriously?!)
  • jane243
    jane243

    Posted

    I'm sure you could find another GP at your practice, one who would listen to you. We shouldn't grumble too much with the NHS and our GPs, the vast majority are brilliant. If you lived in France as my daughter does you would have much more to grumble about.
  • jane243
    jane243

    Posted

    You could of course go to A&E rather than your own dr.
  • amsjo
    amsjo

    Posted

    A&E is for accidents and emergencies only so not a good place to go unless an accident or emergency .. you should instead ring 111 or find your nearest walk in clinic, but in reality it will be to see your GP as it is not an emergency. However I think that the GP has shown that it is not Hypertension but maybe it is stress and anxiety that needs to be looked at, and this may need you to start trusting doctors. Going private is hugely expensive so unless you have a good amount of spare money you will need to perhaps try to find an NHS doctor that you can trust and build a relationship with. Rather than going for the first available appointment perhaps look at the drs in your practice and ask to see one of them. Explain how you feel .. if they have ruled out hypertension then talk about how anxious you are feeling and your headaches.

    Learn to relax, it is as important as exercise and healthy food.

    Good luck

  • jane243
    jane243

    Posted

    You are quite right Amsjo re. A&E but what else can you say - actually you've said it - find another GP.
  • alexays
    alexays

    Posted

    When I was in my twenties I actually went to A&E suffering from heart palpitations, which I believe is similar to what the original poster has experienced. You BP was initially high, but subsequently has settled down to normal range. You appear to be somewhat overweight, stressed and prone to fits of anger.

    I prescribe a sensible diet, regular, including vigorous exercise, and relaxation. I would recommend you stop wasting the NHS's ( and evryone else's on this thread's) time and, if you intend to go private with your physchosomatic illness, your money.

    In short ( and I normally hate shouting) but I feel it in this case is warranted:

    THERE IS NOTHING PHYSICALLY WRONG WITH YOU!

  • jane243
    jane243

    Posted

    Well said alexsays !!!!
  • amsjo
    amsjo

    Posted

    Unfortunately physical illness is only part of our health and well being with mental illnesses playing another huge part. Both deserve to be treated with respect and dignity no matter how frustrating they become!

    It is better to' time waste' on a message board where you can feel safe and reassured than constantly ringing GP's etc.

    Reality is we will all die one day so best to trailblaze and live life to the full, than to be scared and anxious about everything and miss out on so much.

  • alpha88806
    alpha88806

    Posted

    alexays, I appreciate you trying to reassure me as everyone else is doing - but I hope you understand I previously had an experience with NHS (multiple doctors, GP, specialists, etc) where they told me I had "nothing" but then I suffered for 8 years of chronic pain - only to find out that something had gone wrong with my spine muscles. It took physios months to actually fix it (and 1000s of my own savings) and they told me I should have gone there straight after the incident. Back in the days I had full trust of doctors because I was young and they are, well, allmighty doctors.

    I am a very, very peaceful and calm person - except in situations like these.

    There are two reasons I'm worried - both based on my previous experience:

    1. Something is wrong with me, albeit maybe not appearing severe, but could get worse if not identified and treated promptly - I don't want to wait another 8 years and spend a fortune on something that could have been prevented or curbed earlier.

    2. The head symptoms come no matter what my state of mind is - whether I enjoy myself, am distracted by a comedy show, walk while talking to people, - it's definitely not based on my state of mind. And gosh I'm not an emo kid.

  • amsjo
    amsjo

    Posted

    Have you had your eyes checked yet?
  • derek76
    derek76

    Posted

    Amsjo:

    What was the endocrine problem and what tests found it?

    Presumably you are no longer on BP medications.

  • Inquisitive
    Inquisitive alpha88806

    Posted

    Having worked in community mental health for some time before retirement and having read all the responses, there is concensus that you are experiencing panic attacks but seem determined to ascribe the symptoms to being of a physical origin. Those who advise a less self-absorbed approach are likely to be correct. You continually state that no one is listening to you but you are also not listening to the advice given. Having and good diet and being a "well balanced person" doesn't stop you from experiencing panic attacks. A good counsellor would be able to guide you through various techniques to resolve these episodes. Stress causes many natural and automatic processes to kick in but if allowed to develop uncontrolled, they will inevitably result in physical distress. Controlling how you respond to stressors is the route to self-management of your episodes of high blood pressure. Persistent high blood pressure is almost always an enduring condition but there doesn't have to be an underlying illness. Episodic high blood pressure invariably has a psychological/stressor origin, especially if similar situations result in the onset of the episode.

    GP's are busy people, so if you don't have confidence in your practice, find another or go to a private clinic, the web is full of them.

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