Doctor won't listen to me

[razzlematazzle]

I posted on here a few weeks back now after experiencing dreadful body aches and cramps for a number of weeks, along with nausea. I've also been having motion sickness and ringing in my ears on and off.

I've had all of the blood tests done and my vitamin D has come out at 51, which is adequate but still slightly low. I've been given tablets even though the doctor doesn't think that it's the cause of my symptoms!

Apparently my ear is full of wax, so I asked if it could possibly be labyrinthitis to which he said, possibly but it wouldn't explain the aches and pains.

The aches and pains are largely in my joints and I'm genuinely struggling to get around (climbing stairs etc) and they are waking me up during the night... particularly pain in my knees.

After visiting the Dr 6 times in 6 weeks with the same symptoms, he has concluded that I must be feeling stressed and anxious and that it's causing the aches and pains in my joints. I feel furious as I don't feel stressed or anxious about anything other than these horrible aches, pains and sickness. He says there's possibly something going on in my inner ear which explains the vertigo/sickness feeling but that the rest is a product of stress!

He's signed me off work for 2 weeks and I intend on taking it easy to see if it is 'stress' related. I'm not convinced however.
My question is: if all my blood results are clear and these symptoms continue, what is my doctors next course of action? I feel like I'm banging at a brick wall at the moment and nobody's listening to me. It seems hes reluctant to consider anything other than stress.

[TeaStory]

Ask for a referral to a rheumatologist - it could be ME/CFS or fibromyalgia.

[lougle]

Why have you visited the GP 6 times in 6 weeks with the same symptoms?

[Maybenot321]

Teastory's advice is good, also what about an ENT referral?
Could you tell us which blood tests your GP has done?
The symptoms of thyroid disorders are often weird & wonderful(; as are B12 deficiency.
I would ask the GP receptionist for a copy of your bloods.
The cynical part of me thinks women are far too quickly labelled stressed and neurotic by their GP, when often it is an undiagnosed physical illness.
Could you see another GP in the practice?

[razzlematazzle]

What does ENT stand for? I think pushing for a referral is going to be really hard as my doctor has seemingly translated my numerous visits to me having an anxiety disorder rather than there being a genuine physical issue that won't go away! How do I push for a referral? Do doctors have to oblige by the patient's request for a referral? I'm thinking about leaving it for 2 weeks and taking the vit D then going back if the cramps are still there and trying again to get him to make some form of referral. I will request a copy of my blood results too. I had 2 lots of blood tests done: they tested a range of vit deficiencies, thyroid, inflammation, cbc, full liver tests etc etc. The doctor says that is they're all ok, then all is ok! My albimum was low the first time I was tested... 33. They retested again and it was 39 so they've said the first result was likely incorrect. Makes me wonder how reliable these results actually are if that is the case?

[Maybenot321]

ENT-ear nose and throat .
Sometimes the thyroid results have a very wide range of "what is normal" IFYSWIM.
See how you feel after taking the vitamin D but if no better, then ask the GP please could you refer me for a specialist opinion? Good luck

[Pleasemrstweedie]

Never believe a doctor who tells you all your results are OK. There is a reference range yes, but it is where you fall within that reference range that defines whether you are OK/optimal or not.

Yes to getting a copy of your results. If you post them, there are a few of us who can interpret and signpost.

[razzlematazzle]

Great, I'll get a copy of them and post them when I can. It may be tomorrow when I post them if I can't get to the doctors before the end of the day.

[Maybenot321]

Be prepared for the "why do you need them?" reception question.
A. "For my records"😀

[Davinaaddict]

If it is the vit D, you might not feel the effects ease after 2 weeks. I'm on week 6 and am only just starting to see a decrease in my symptoms, but I was very low and have seen that it can take 2-3 months to recover from a deficiency. With yours being much higher though, you may bounce back quicker than me. Good luck.

[Blondie1953]

Hi I was feeling really ill four weeks ago arms legs going numb went to docs he asked if I’d started taking anything new I said hrt gel so he told me likely to be that and to stop taking it I told him I had been on it a couple of years ago but he still come off it week later feeling worse went back I said stopping the hrt had made no difference so he arranged for me to have blood tests whilst waiting for results went back was contemplating going to a & e but my docs said no come back we can access and give you a letter went back saw different doc who said was having anxiety attacks increased amitryptelone from 5mg to 10mg to relax me and told me to come back in a week - the next day my bloods had come back they had fast tracked them I was to go to surgery and see a doctor he explained my potassium magnesium and calcium levels were dangerously low he’d spoken to the hospital and they were sending an ambulance- luckily for me the other had checked for these differences as they don’t normally I have bloods done ever six months for diabetes so why don’t they use that to do a full blood test- money of course when I was admitted they said left much longer I could have died how many have died due to doctors not doing tests because of funds - very frightening🙁

[Blondie1953]

I came out of hospital last week before came out spoke to a staff nurse asked her advice on how to get doc listen to me and she said had to be assertive write down notes on what want ask - had to go to my gps few days later saw the one that informed me of my result so I started telling was feeling better numbness in arms legs gone but was feeling disorientated and before I could continue he interrupted and sai it was new meds I was on and I had to get used to them. When I got home I googled my problem with dangerous low potassium and magnesium and it said it effects your central nervous system and give you stroke like affects I am back again wed so will see how I go on - I’ve asked if their doctors are any better and they say no! It seem a case of if you can’t afford private health care you’ve no chance😒