To be pissed off that my GP casually tossed a diagnosis at me

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

I went to doctors on Monday as I felt like death and was feeling tight in my chest, felt like I was probably getting a chest infection. I had pneumonia and was hospitalised 7 years ago and since then I have been prone to chest infections every winter. I have suspected this is somehow related to the pneumonia but at the time I was told I had recovered well and shouldn't have long-term issues. So I have just been cautious, made sure I don't ignore symptoms of chest infections and had the flu jab this year. Anyway the GP examined me and said that my lungs sounded ok but as I clearly had a virus and a temperature (I was very hot and sweating which was embarrassing) he prescribed me a course of antibiotics, he said "as you have bronchiectasis you already know you are prone to infection in your lungs" I said "huh?" or something equally incoherent and said that I hadn't had that made explicit to me he said something about damage/ scarring to the lungs meaning I am vulnerable to infection and then it was here's your prescription thank you and goodbye!

So now I am googling bronchiectasis and it is a little bit scary sounding and I am pissed off that it hasn't been explained properly to me. I am going to get an appointment to find out when this diagnosis got put on my medical records and what I should be doing to manage it. But surely I should have known this already!? Anyone else been blindsided by a doctor like this??

I am diabetic, and take a variety of medications. My gripe is the change of medications etc. without notification! I only found out when they were added (aspirin) or removed (aspirin, testing sticks). Apparently, this was in line with NICE recommendations. Nice of them to tell me.

Not the point, but if you have a virus then antibiotics are worse than useless as they only kill bacteria. Can I suggest you check with GP before taking them, or the pharmacist?

I've had this twice now. The first time they didn't tell me for 2 years that I had an underactive thyroid so I went without medication all that time when I could have been taking it. The second time they told me I was diabetic, I'm not and when I said it was a mistake I was retested, but I still get invited to clinics every couple of months.

I think half the time, consiltantletters and discharge summaries are added to your notes and the GP either isn't alerted or doesn't have the time to read them. The other half the time they read it, it makes it onto your notes, but YOU haven't received a copy of said letter or discharge summary.

I've taken to taking copies with me when I attend for follow ups with my GP, that way, if they've not received anything they can read it there and then and usually ask if they can scan my copy in (they use electronic patient records at my GP surgery now). Or else if ive nit had anytjing they will print it out for me.

There used to be a terrible GP there who believed I was a hysterical teenager. My parents argued the toss and she reluctantly agreed to send me for so be tests. Consultant report came back saying I had Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. When we went to follow up and started talking about physio and management options she stopped us and asked what we were on about. We said the consultant's diagnosis. No word of a lie, she said to us she hadn't even bothered to read it as she was convinced there was nothing wrong.

Same doctor also added to my notes at 17 that I had Endometriosis (after tests that confirmed it), but always maintained to me my periods were normal and there was nothing she could do. I found out the truth when I was 33 when they went electronic and they gave me online access to my medical records. Thankfully I had an 8 year old DS conceived without issue, I can imagine I would have been devastated had I not known and/or had struggled to conceive.

Can't say much about bronchiectasis, except that after being ill for 2 months (and being asthmatic and always having a bad chest) I had a scan looking for it yesterday because a GP has finally taken pity on me after 8 weeks of being ill.

When 5 months pregnant I was off on holiday and the day I went I had a midwife's appt. I mentioned I had been having a fair bit of mild pain and was it anything to worry about and she just said 'oh, no idea, but it could be the start of a miscarriage'. I was 5 months gone! I worried for a few days wandering around Disneyworld (with health insurance!) then forgot about it. In the end my DS had to be pulled (literally) out, so keen was he to stay in the warm with food forever supplied. I swear he would still be in there now if he could be (and he's nearly 30!)

@HoppingPavlova

Its not really feasible for GPs to spent every appointment reading out every previous diagnosis to check the person had been apprised at the time

I agree .But don't twist my post ,I wasn't suggesting that .It was ONE diagnosis ,the one relevant to the presenting problem .
And not noticing that the patient wasn't aware and understood the implications has led to another appointment .And increased the call on the GP's time .

Gp's are human ,under pressure ,pushed for time ( something they share with a lot of us ) as such ,and knowing that their colleagues have the same issues they should try to avoid making assumptions and listen to the patient .

I've had many of these, mainly because I've had GAD on my notes from a diagnosis by a psychiatrist, so every time I had an illness, anxiety was blamed. I have recently changed doctors and am now taken seriously as I did not request my notes to be sent to him.

Examples I have had:

1. Problem breathing = a symptom of anxiety! Went for 2nd opinion to new doctor, sent me for x-rays and my left lung wasn't working due to an infection!

1. Extreme digestive pain = symptom of anxiety - googled it myself and found I was wheat intolerant, never had it before.

1. Constant cystitis = symptom of anxiety, 2nd opinion = bladder hole too small, I needed an op to fix. Had a 5 minute operation to stretch bladder, screamed when I had to wee from pain. Cystitis still there. Went to an actual Urologist who confirmed I was sensitive to all soft drinks and fruit juices. So since giving those up (I didn't drink much of either btw, never had one since!)

1. Confirmed as having asthma, given a pump which felt like death a couple days later - 2nd diagnosis was anxiety. 3rd diagnosis, my lungs are extremely strong but had a mild bronchitis that didn't have flue like symptoms. Given antibiotics, all gone!

I have checked with the GP @wantmorenow in the sense that they prescribed antibiotics - I am aware that it only helps infections from bacteria but that appears to be the situation here and I am midway through my prescription it seems to have helped ease the chest infection so I guess it's what was needed.

@RB68 - I will enquire about the need for genetic testing - I know my Dad was a smoker and "functioning" alcoholic so his lifestyle contributed to his shortened life span - but his father died at roughly the same age in the 1960s - also heart failure so the genes are not looking good either.

@shesaneasyllama - wow your GP really fucked up there - I know there are fantastic people in the NHS and we are really lucky to have it but that doesn't mean we have to gloss over the issues - sometimes Drs get things wrong or make incorrect assumptions and sometimes the overstretched system does not allow the time needed to get things right. It is important to feel empowered to ask questions or challenge what a gp says if they have not explained something properly. I have made an appointment in a couple of weeks to check exactly what my medical records state about my lungs and ensure I understand. I actually think that is a good use of an appointment.

I didn't find out that I'd had a post-partum haemorrhage with DC1 until it was casually mentioned in an ante-natal appointment with DC2. It did rather explain why I felt shit in the first few weeks after having DC1.

Medical professionals can be so flippant about this stuff.

I had an echo cardiogram to check for Marfans and got a letter saying I had trace mitral regurgitation. No explanation what this thing was, so I just knew my heart wasn't right but not how bad it was! Helpful!!

At 10 weeks pregnant, went to see a consultant about a previous condition. Asked if it would affect pregnancy in any way. Consultant waved hand in my face saying no and making me feel stupid just asking.
Went to obstetrician. Turns out it affects the pregnancy and now nearing the end of the second trimester, I'm having emergency appointments in different cities to find out the safest way to give birth. I left that obstetrician appointment in tears because I thought everything was fine and left with a high risk pregnancy. If a doctor doesn't know they should just say instead of guessing

Endoftheline

I wonder if that's how I apparently have had varicose veins for the last 40 years and a duodenal ulcer in 1980. I do remember exactly what I did see the GP about back then: fortunately nothing that has required any particular follow-up or monitoring.

Those are only 2 of the things I know are wrong as they show up on the doctors computer screen. I hate to think what else is in my computer record that's wrong.

Sorry op been away at work all day. Glad the website was helpful. For initial presentation rather than on going syptoms is the part that fits the diagnosis. Mild bronchiectasis is often unproductive unless your unwell. It sounds like you maybe the mild end of the spectrum and sometimes with non respiratory specialists this results in them no mention it. Not that that's right. Simple advice and exercises will help it stay mild.

I've recently been diagnosed with bronchiectasis. I unearthed a letter from a chest consultant 30 years ago to my GP saying I had this yet no-one told me so it hasn't been as well managed as it should have. Luckily patients are copied into letters nowadays.