To be angry at my doctor for insinuating I'm depressed when looking for a genuine diagnosis

[Lottiegal]

Probably should be in the health section I know but might pop along there in a mo. Brief history, I had some kind of 'crash' or chronic post viral thing while I was working 6 years ago, and ever since I've had some relapses when I get tired/run down. I haven't ever got a solid diagnosis of this from the doctors, even though I've moved a couple of times and been to different surgeries. I have also had three children in the interim (which I know is tiring) I'm now a sahm.

Since moving in the past year I have been ill on and off for months with various virus etc, but I have also been getting chest pains which have scared me. While I know this could be something to do with a virus, I wanted the docs to run some tests for heart problems and any other related things like thyroid/anaemia, and an ecg and chest xray, which was fine. They all came back clear.

Then over Christmas I was really poorly and the chest pains very bad so I went back and they still said they could find nothing wrong with me. That was almost three weeks ago and I still feel very tired as if I still have flu so went back to the docs yesterday and he was getting a bit shitty, listing all the things they have done to rule out anything serious, then he said are you depressed! He now wants me to do a test for depression and anxiety. I am in no way depressed (well only that I can't find out what's wrong, but anyone who know me would say I'm not, and I don't feel depressed)

I actually feel really angry with the doctor and feel like he doesn't believe I have genuine chest pain. Do you feel this is unreasonable? P.S I did have depressed as a teenager, which is his premiss for insinuating I have depression, but for that very reason that is why I know I am not depressed now iykwim.

[Lottiegal]

I don't know what else there is to do, just want to know whats causing the pain, as anyone would if they were having it. I think it may be muscular skeletal as I've had pleuresy too in the past, which is a similar pain. It just feels wierd to ignore a chest pain. I'm trying to carry on as normal and hope it goes, as it has done in the past. I guess if it's nothing serious, I should just forget it and take painkillers. If not I might try another doctor

[valiumredhead]

Can you ask to be referred to a physio?

[Lottiegal]

Ok MorrisZapp, I apologise for poor choice of words, I meant suggested

[MorrisZapp]

Nae worries Lottie, hope you get a decent diagnosis soon.

[Whitershadeofpale]

It could be costochondritis.

I had this and it was very painful at firdt but then felt very much like a pulled muscle. It is posiblethat you have an underlying auto-immune disorder which could result in low immune system and reoccurence of illnesses. This was true in my case.

[FryOneFatManic]

I know doctors can sometimes assume things based on previous medical history.

One of my late aunts was a nervous, highly strung type and had had treatment for anxiety when younger. She went to her doctor, saying she felt something was wrong in her lower stomach area, ie her undercarriage, as she described it to me.

Doctor apparently wanted to put her back onto her anxiety medication as there was nothing obvious to be seen. She went back and saw another doctor who decided to do tests to rule things out, including a smear test.

My aunt needed a hysterectomy for cevical cancer, luckily not too advanced at that point. Problem was, my aunt didn't really have words to described how she knew something wasn't right, that things did feel wrong. She died years later from an asbestos related cancer (but apparently not mesothelioma).

[SCOTCHandWRY]

Lottie - depression is of course a genuine diagnosis!

If you don't think it's depression, you need to think about possible causes for your symptoms - with causes such as auto immune issues, many do involve vague pains and symptoms, joint issues, hair loss, nail ridging, bloating and digestive problems and so on.

What is the nature of your chest pain? How would you describe it (location, stabbing or constant, does it come on after eating, before eating)? Do you have other pains in muscles or joints?

If you suspect fibro or something similar, certain foods are known to cause (or worsen) all sorts of autoimmune problems - gluten, other substances in wheat and other grains being highly "inflammatory" could be worth cutting from your diet (completely! No cheating!) for a short time (maybe a month or two), and you may find you feel much better (if not, carry on with your normal diet, but it's worth a try don't you think?)

Unfortunately sometimes the medical procession sometimes reach the conclusion that once a few tests have been done for obvious medical causes, then, especially if you are a woman, it's all in your head!

[Buddhastic]

Have you had your B 12 checked?

[narmada]

Have you been tested for vit D deficiency? It's not a common one but may be worth doing. If you're fed up of going to the docs, then you can buy an at-home test kit but I don't know how accurate they are.

[Oblomov]

I totally undertsand the OP. I have had quite a few GP's and others suggest I was depressed. But all the forms, which I 'beleived' i filled in honestly, said I was not. My dh and my mum insisted that I was not aswell, so atleast I felt supported. And when I finally got to CBT, which they insisted on, becasue they insisted I had depression, I was told I was neither depressed nor anxiety.
Over the last 4 years the suggestions of depression had really hacked me off.
I have never had the physical pains of the Op, but I 'get' the insult. You feel like someone is dismissing your actual issues and suggesting its 'all in your head', which can be very insulting.

[narmada]

I do totally understand what you mean Obvlomov (especially so given your 'treatment' over the years) but there is no need to be insulted by a suggestion of depression. I think you can be rightfully insulted if someone does not take your concerns seriously or tells you that it's all psychosomatic, but depression is not 'made up' or psychosomatic.

[5dcsinneedofacleaner]

OP I suffer with anxiety (health anxiety mostly) and what you describe is EXACTLY how I feel. I have had chest pain on and off for years.My heart is fine according to tests etc. The way I have had it explained is that when you are anxious (even if you dont realise you are feeling that way) you tense your muscles and after a while those muscles simply tire and that is what initially cause the aches and pains you then worry more and tense up more so you are in a cycle. The other part of it is that you get more aware of every single sensation - so you notice every twinge in a way that other people wouldnt.

I also feel like I am unwell alot but most of the time it IS anxiety related because when I calm down I start to feel well again. I am in no way depressed so the two dont always go hand in hand. When My doctor first put this forward i was a bit but a few years down the line it makes sense and knowing it has massively improved things for me, i get the aches and pains far less regularly.

[maddening]

CFS can result from a viral problem - has your gp looked in to that?

[Lottiegal]

I guess it could be many things. The initial diagnosis when I went to the docs after Christmas was Costochondritis or something similar that's virally related. I also started going to the gym in the couple of months leading up to Christmas which could have aggrivated it, although that doesn't necessarily explain why I'd had similar chest pain in the few years up till now as during that time I wasn't going to the gym. Doctors have passed it off before from carrying young children around, although I'm not doing that so much now as my youngest is walking.

Some of the test did show slightly low calcium (which is related to vit. D I think) but the doc didn't think this was related to the chest pain. I think i might ask for tests for autoimmune probs as I have come down with a lot of 'wierd' illnesses this past year including my eyes swelling up for no apparent reason and gastritis that went on for months. I guess it could be an intolerance too?

As for the anxiety, yes I have been worrying about the pains, so maybe it could be making it worse.

I wouldn't say I was insulted by the suggestion of depression, just slightly annoyed that it would take me down a whole different route of medication and medical enquiry that I felt deep down was unnecessary for me.

I'm just a bit fed up of being a walking medical encyclopedia as in my twenties I was really active and fit without being ill hardly ever :o)

[MadameCastafiore]

Sorry I don't see the difference between him testing you for a heart complaint or depression.

Depression can manifest itself through physical symptoms and sounds as though you have a fab GP who is covering all the bases.

I work on the mental health field and its nice to see a GP being so thorough.

From your symptoms I would have said testing you for depression was a wise move.

[MadameCastafiore]

I have had post viral arthritis, I wonder if their is a sort of post viral muscular illness that you could be suffering from?

[grimbletart]

Docs do have a tendency to suggest depression when they can't find another reason don't they though? My friend was treated for 'depression' for over a year - it was lymphoma. Luckily, she recovered after having her spleen removed and months of chemo.

[lalabaloo]

I would recommend getting checked for coeliac disease, its a simple blood test which is fairly accurate and then a biopsy to confirm if the blood test shows it

[OliviaPeacein2013Mumsnet]

@Lottiegal

Probably should be in the health section I know .

Do let us know if you'd like us to move it there..hope you can get some help with this.

[Megsdaughter]

Try listen to the Jeremy vine show from Monday I think it was. About 1.30 they were talking about Lupus. A lot of your symptoms sound familiar

[SuchFunHaHa]

I had this too sent me off to a psychologist for anxiety and depression, ignored my dx of HMS. Turned out I had severe sleep apnoea, PoTS and EDS my health was put at risk and the same happened to my kids consultant missed her EDS and Orthostatic Intollerance exact type to be dx, told me she needed MH assessment, she probably has PoTS too.

I also noticed how I became a second class citizen when it was thought to be MH issues and as it's physical I am beung treated very differently there are a lot of people out there treating the Mentally Ill badly. I am reporting a psychologist and CPN , I wouldn't have been able to if I wasn't physically ill, it worries me how mentally iill are mistreated.

[SuchFunHaHa]

Oh and a cardiologist who did an echo and ecg missed my PoTS!

[SuchFunHaHa]

Bugger that is what the psychologist told me that it was MH issues, I got dx after I stopped going. Very damaging to people to do that, Please report her she will do that to other poorley people.