AIBU to ask what you’ve had to do to get a doctor to take your pain or symptoms seriously?

I have to tell them I have a PhD. My PhD is nothing related to any medical field but suddenly they talk to me like a man person rather than at me with an eye roll.

Either that or I bring my DH along to act as a golem so they can talk to him instead about the pain I am experiencing.

The problem is even if you find a sympathetic GP, their hands are often tied by the outdated NICE guidelines.

There are many things that affect mainly females - ferritin folate, B12 etc that are woefully marked as ok according to NICE but anywhere else would be too low and treated.

Many people have to turn to forums such as health unlocked and Facebook groups, self inject or supplement to feel even vaguely human. Until practices are overhauled- particularly those that affect women, nothing will change.

Many symptoms are not properly investigated - fibro being a common diagnosis when whilst it is a perfectly valid diagnosis, it should only be given once everything else has been ruled out or investigated. It's easier to send the woman away with anti depressants and an easy label instead of actually looking just to whether it could be anything else.

If you get past your GP with a referral, you then face the same level (or worse) of dismissal from a registrar or consultant.

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For me years of repeated appointments being fobbed off with IBS finally diagnosed with severe endometriosis. Had two unnecessary CT scans. One to rule out kidney stones (symptoms nothing like kidney stones) and an abdominal CT which GP eventually admitted was the wrong scan to send me for and should have been referred for an ultrasound sound.

I had to pay privately to see a GP initially just to rule out possible infection.

I will say once I got past the GP and finally referred to a gynaecologist I didn’t have to push and fight any further but strongly believe that was down to me choosing NHS pathway at a private hospital. Meant all appointments and operations have been an hour away from home instead of ten minutes drown the road and still a year long wait between ops but finally have a diagnosis and treatment plan.

I had all my symptoms listed out alongside the list of symptoms of my condition - endometriosis. When he didn’t want to refer me I said ‘Please can you write in my notes that I have all of the symptoms and you are refusing to refer me’ - then I was referred.

The waiting list for surgery was years long so I went private and I had stage 4 endometriosis which is the worst. I paid around £5k for surgery.

I suspect my fertility would have been damaged if I had waited for the NHS, I’m lucky to have two children.

If you find out let me know 😢

I had to almost die before they removed my gallbladder, I had a week long flare up and couldn't stand straight. I went to my drs surgery to discuss some (unrelated, I have hypothyroidism) blood results. The practitioner asked what was going on and I explained, then collapsed. She called 999 and gave me a pain killing injection. I spent 9 days in hospital.

Pay thousands, privately.

I was correct to do so.

I ended up putting in a formal complaint, got referred and left the surgery

I told my Dr I was in lots of pain and,I suspected it was gallstones,he told me I wouldn't be sitting there like I was if it was gallstones,it was latter confirmed that yes I had gallstones.