I asked my 16 year old to take a day off college tomorrow i dont know if im doing the right thimg or not

[aufolandedonmyface]

my 16 year old started college in september was fine at first but rhe last few weeks has been extremely tired , lost weight not sure if its related or not but it has been a quick loss - she went fr size 14 trousers to size 10 in around 4-6 weeks. She has been just lying down when she gets home , too tired to go to clubs she normally goes to. She struggled to walk around shops even and that was on a saturday so no college. She sleeps well.

i took her to the gp a few days ago
and he made me feel like i was over reacting and kept asking her things like “do you have an eating disorder” . She has had a folic acid deficiency in the past and i really had to push for just a test for that an anemia. she has the blood test next week. She recently had a 5 day heart monitor on after fainting iver a year ago ( it took that long to get it) but tbh she has no symptoms of anything like that.

She is only at college three days a week today is her second day this week and she looks awful. Shes just lying on her bed and has been since 5 when she got home. She was not feeling strong enough to go to an group she normally loves tonight.

I am really concerned about her and ive told her i think she should really take tomorrow off (shes not in friday anyway) and rest. She has the blood test next wednesday.

am i just over reacting here to normal teenage things because the gp made me feel like a crazy old woman!

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Any update OP? If you've yet to see the GP please ask them to check her vitamin b12 levels as well as the diabetes checks. She is presenting the same way I did right before my pernicious anaemia diagnosis. I lost a load of weight and the fatigue was unreal. You mentioned she had a folate deficiency before. This can coincide with a b12 deficiency and if they treated the folate deficiency without checking her b12 levels first it could have made her a lot worse. Something to do with folate that hides a b12 deficiency. I can't quite remember what though. I ended up with a few blood transfusions and loading injections for two weeks before I felt slightly better and was then put on an injection once every three months for life. Whatever it is, I hope you get to the bottom of it and she feels much better soon.

Go to A&E

Find a female gp ask for a thyroid check. This happened to me when I left school it is tiredness like I have never known. I hope you get some answers and I hope your daughter is ok. You are not over reacting.

I came on to say excactly that…..I hope she gets sorted soon bless her, what a worrying time for you both xx

I don’t understand why you have to wait until next week for blood tests? Why can’t you get them done today? Or over the weekend?

The GP needs to also do a B12 test, a liver function test and also do a full blood count and a c-reactive proteins test. At some point she needs to be checked for diabetes and her thyroid and possibly other endocrine disorders.

I have a lot of health conditions and have had to fought to get diagnosed. One was misdiagnosed for seven years and it almost killed me. Four members of my family have died from cancer. All of the women had their symptoms dismissed. These were symptoms that were blatantly obvious for cancer. At least two of my relatives could have been saved. A third died in absolute agony because the pain she was experiencing was advanced ovarian cancer and the doctors wouldn’t even order tests and assumed she was drug seeking.

There are so many things it could be for your daughter and I don’t think your daughter’s GP has done enough. Some of the conditions are easily treatable.

Does your daughter look well? Does she have a tan? The reason I ask is because that can be a symptom - but it’s also a massive red flag for Addisons disease. I’m wondering why the doctor was so dismissive. The only possibility could be if your daughter looks well.

At some point she needs to be checked for diabetes…

No, if Type 1 is suspected, action needs to be taken urgently. Not “at some point”. Around 10 children a year are still dying from DKA due to undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes. Even if there was only a tiny chance the OP’s daughter could have it, it should have been tested for, especially with a grandparent with Type 1.

I’m not saying this is what this girl has, but it should be ruled out. There’s a recent campaign highlighting this - that Type 1 should be in GPs’ minds:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8ex68544xko

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Hope you managed to get some answers from the GP today. Sending hugs x

So have you seen a gp today and got some tests done? You didnt say when your appointment was with the private gp but one way or another I hope investigations have started.

Wait for blood test results and push for more detailed tests if you aren’t happy.
In the meantime make sure she’s eating decent food ie protein/meat and 3 veg, lots of fruit and no junk food/drinks.
Please don’t let them tell you it can’t be this, that or the other because she’s too young.
Personally I would encourage her to go out/college as you’ve got to make sure she doesn’t cut herself off from ‘normal’ life.

I don’t understand why you have to wait until next week for blood tests?

Because that is when the NHS appointment is- I can't get a blood test any earlier than that unless I went private.

Same here. My GP wouldn't do it, I'd have to wait for an appointment with a HCP.

Is she telling the truth about her eating. Eating disorders are very secretive. Have you actually seen her eating? They make them very tired, faint, their personality change, they become insular and not wanting to mix. It doesn't mean she will want to hide her body there are a lot of stereotypes about ED's. Also could be purging. I would just cover this base because they are very dangerous. The gp sounds terrible, he should have told you to leave as well and spoke to her separately as that's what my gp did and my child was only 11. She was very concerned about the weight loss and blood tests and referral made to Ed clinic.

I hope you are getting some progress from your private GP appt today OP.

My son was also recently diagnosed with Addisons. He was in his final year at uni and we out his weight loss down to stress initially. GP also thought this and sent him away. Only went he went into full blown adrenal crisis did we get seen by a hospital. Many health professionals are not aware of Addisons and it's symptoms. Salt levels in blood would be the first check but aren't routinely done. Always better to be sure and ask for this to be checked also.

This was my first thought.

Hi OP, I hope you got some answers today. Your daughtef has been on my mind,xsnsbim a stranger, so you must be worried sick! Could you please give an update on your DD when you have time? 💐

Bet they ride out the “she’s too young to have cancer” line - it’s so completely unacceptable

the fact she had this should have triggered alarm bells the first time she saw the gp yet they suggested she’s got an eating disorder.

and ya know it could be something and nothing or it could be that or it could be something serious but I am just so bloody annoyed for this poor girl and her mum being dismissed like that. It makes me so mad

I hope your husband has/had a positive outcome. Sending love

No i didnt they added a few more tests to the blood tests next week but nothing else theybhad no appointments . She is ok today and we have the private gp tomorrow. My husband is going to speak to them and my dad who worked for 40 years in heamatology.

i dont really have any other updates to be honest she seems ok shes eaten today shes watching tv. We are goign to do the finger prick again tonight and tomorrow just to have a fuller picture to give the doctor tomorrow. The gp surgery pretty much said tis not high enough to be diagnostic and they would add the diabetes test to her blood next week.

Today i took her to chose whatwvr she wanted in sainsburys and i asked her if she wanted to watch some films after lunch so i could like just keep her around. She happiky muched theough a chicken breast a pesto mozarella salad and a huge toblerone and qe watched film for a few hours wuthout her moving at all so i just dont see rhat shes limiting her eating but i mean i have 0 experience of anything like that so maybe i al
missing something i just dont know.

That's good news that she's felt well today and has been settled. Sounds like things are moving. Hope you get some more news from the private GP tomorrow.

Think you’re on the wrong thread!

The blood test they do will show an average blood sugar level over the past few months. If the private gp can offer a faster test and result take the offer.

There may be nothing much wrong but she needs tests.

I'm glad this had a happy ending. I lost a friend to an eating disorder.

Actually, strangely enough, it tends to be intelligent girls, often of the high-achieving perfectionist variety. It usually isn't about weight, per se, but rather about something they can control/ make "perfect", that then gets out of control.

Glad your DD has worked through this.

I hate the fat-shaming threads on here that hold a certain (low) weight up as an "achievement" for this very reason.