What could this be? Getting a GP apt for overview is impossible so they'll only look at one thing

[itsgettingweird]

I started suffering a sore eye in June. Thought maybe hay fever (although late for me) and used eye drops and anti histamines.

Progressed to watering with stabbing pain at night with fluid running from nose on same side.

6 weeks of trying for an apt with GP I was told to ring 111 as not urgent after this timeframe.

Was diagnosed with cluster headaches and after being refused apt again (despite GP saying to go back in 2 weeks) I went back through 111 for more medicine and because I'd had daytime attacked.

GP then called me in and referred to neurology.

I moved surgery's after this because I'd had an awful time with one of the receptionists making me feel like a nuisance and demanding for wanting an appointment and to request a repeat of the medication I'd been told I'd need to take long term.

New surgery as wonderful. Receptionist have been so helpful and after doing an e consult I spoke to GP.

However they will only discuss the cluster headaches. (Has written to neurologist for advice).

Thing is I have had other symptoms and I'm convinced they are related as have started since cluster headaches and are worse during cluster periods.

But I will need to do e consults for each of these things separately as apparently that's how Gp apt's work nowadays 🤷‍♀️

The main issue is have is pain in my left leg (clusters are right side). Extreme muscle tightness (especially back on my thigh) and sitting gives me pins and needles in that leg. I also get bad pain in my L foot when i touch it but not really when I walk?!

Heavy head feeling which makes me feel like I need to twist my neck and tight muscles in my neck.

Very sensitive hands. Touching cold things in supermarket fridges or cold meat to cut hurts. Also when getting things off shelves if I bang my hands (the back mostly) off other boxes it really hurts to the point I feel almost angry for a few seconds?!

When I sit at a certain angle sometimes I get a pain in my lower back. But not a muscle back ache pain and I can't explain it well. Almost like a pressure pain between the top of my bum cheeks as if there's a swelling there.

Sometimes I feel like water is running over my trunk or a very slight pain or itching that passes and is annoying rather than painful but noticeable enough to annoy me!

I had a hysterectomy 2.5 years ago but kept my ovaries and constant requests for my FSH to be tested are ignored.

Yes, I going to be that year who does 5 spectate e consults about each and every symptom because basically the GP said they only deal with one thing at a time.

But I can't help think it's all connected and if anyone has any ideas or things I could try to help - I'm all ears

It's not one appointment per symptom, it's one appointment per condition.

If you think everything is linked, it's one appointment.

Also - if your eyes still hurt, have you been to an optician?

What I do , I have complex multiple health issues , is do an e consult but state on it that I would like a face to face appointment . So far it’s always worked , may have to wait a week or two and then when I am there I get lots of niggles dealt with at once .

I did an e consult but the GP said the other symptoms are cluster headaches and so can only deal with that on that phone consult.

Yea to optician. Did that when I couldn't see GP originally. Have narrow angles and referred to specialist but not glaucoma. I do have dry eye though but I always get that during a cluster attack.

Should also add my bladder seems off too. Some days I constantly feel like I need to wee, others I feel like I'm retaining fluid and some days I'm weeing constantly 😂

I tried this. I said I wanted an overview of everything and was given a phone consult.

Then told they could only deal with cluster headaches as they don't think other stuff is related.

I'd LOVE to sit in front of someone and try and connect the dots. But I think it won't happen until May when I see the neurologist.

Try again and tell them that you need a face to face as you cannot guarantee being able to go somewhere private for a phone call .

Could you afford a private GP appointment? They're much longer and could advise on how to move things forwards with the NHS hopefully and what to ask for etc.

I might be oversimplifying, but couldn’t you say “OK, please give me two appointments … one for the headaches, and one for this additional condition with a bunch of interlinked symptoms”

What you're describing sounds neurological and you need to get it across to them that you believe they're linked. I would urge you to get seen as soon as you can.

Quite a lot of if sounds like MS. The water and tingling sensation particularly. Cluster headaches are more common in people with MS too.

Don't panic though, if it is the medications are improving all the time. Also if it is check out Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis for lots of evidence backed lifestyle advice. I know a lot of people who have followed if whilst waiting for diagnosis as it's generally good for health anyway.

PS - I realise that’s easy to say and not easy to do. I am currently very similar to you with about a dozen things wrong with me, that I am sure are related, and have been thinking the same thing ie how do I get someone to look at them holistically. Here they don’t even do econsults. But I might just take my own advice and insist on an appointment.

The GP has written to neurology to ask if they can try other frontline treatments (that only neurologist can prescribe) or expedite my apt.

The GP was really good and listened. It's just I think the way the system works it'll be the neurologist who connects any dots if they are there to be connected. In the meantime I'm questioning what the dots mean!!!

I agree I think it's neurological.