To expect more from a GP consult?

[SickOfBeingTired2019]

I went to the doctor today as I just can't seem to shake off the constant feelings of nausea and tiredness. I've been struggling with sleeping, averaging 2-5 hours of broken sleep a night, I always feel like crying and I've lost 6 pounds since Christmas. The gp just checked I wasn't pregnant then laughed it off and said this is how all stay at home mums feel and have I tried going to bed earlier? I asked for a blood test to check my iron levels and she huffed about like I was being a drama queen before referring me for one amd telling me to just be less run down. I feel like I wasn't taken seriously because in her eyes I'm "just a mum". Surely feeling like this isn't normal for all mums? And how does one become less rundown?

Ask them to check your thyroid,I felt shocking before mine was diagnosed as under active

Can you ask to be seen by a different doctor? Be very very businesslike:

You have a list of symptoms

• unexplained weight loss
• disturbed sleep (with resulting tiredness)
• stabbing pains in pelvis
• frequent need to wee

These symptoms have persisted for x months and have worsened over that time.

You have taken steps to help yourself with the sleeping to no good effect; some other symptoms have been investigated as per test results.

But all symptoms remain unexplained.

What are the next steps to investigate and resolve this?

Avoid the SAHM/bone tired start point, it's irrelevant. Your response from the GP is downright sexist - if you were a man presenting with these symptoms this would have been investigated after the second visit.

If you don't get a satisfactory response put in a formal complaint to the practice manager, the CCG and your local Healthwatch.

I felt like this for ages. Eventually I had full bloods done. vitamen B12 and D deficiency. I feel totaly different since taking supplements

6lb of weight loss can be very little actually. Depends on your starting weight it's usually looked at as a percentage loss. So not necessarily alarming.

I actually paid for a Thriva blood test recently as I was feeling exhausted and knew I didn't want a patronising comment about 'that's how all mums feel'.

I tested my B vitamins, thyroid, cholesterol, iron levels, blood sugar, insulin and Vitamin D. Luckily, it turns out I'm pretty healthy- a bit low on folate and low on Vitamin D. So I've been making a real effort to increase my fruit and veg intake and I'm taking a Vitamin D supplement as there's just not enough sun around!

It was good to put my mind at rest- I know I could have got the tests free on the NHS but this way I could choose exactly the tests I wanted. It was pretty easy doing the finger prick too and the first test is half price- that's why I went for the whole lot! I'm going to do them again in a few months but just focus on the ones I feel I want to track.

Another thought is that you could be doing too much exercise, or the wrong sort? Lots of steady state cardio can increase your cortisol levels, making you feel more stressed and making it harder to sleep. Could you try a HIIT class instead one day and maybe a couple of days with resistance exercises?

I'll definitely second taking Magnesium! It's critical for your central nervous system health. Your GP sounds like a bit of a dick, can you ask to see a different GP? Being that tired isn't normal. RE your stabby pains, Is your tummy bloated and/or has your stool cycle changed?

Your GP is unbelievably shit. If you've mentioned stabbing pelvic pains and increased urinary urgency, that's definitely enough to merit further investigation (without wanting to worry you).

Coupled with unexplained weight loss and overwhelming tiredness, even more so. See another GP urgently, and make sure you mention all the symptoms you've mentioned on here - just list them out, and refused to budge until they've taken you seriously.

I went to GP about 7 years ago saying I regulary felt exhausted with a bad headache when I woke up, stiff and achy all over - and so tired I was calling in sick and going back to bed as soon as I got children to school / nursery. I was also really really hungry.

Result they told me to get some new pillows and take paracetamol as it probably just emanated from neckache. It did nothing for me and I went back a couple of times. Blood tests showed nothing. They just told me to get more rest

At that point DP was working away a lot, however he stopped doing that in early 2016 and as a result was around enough to observe me having full on seizures in my sleep.

I went back to GPs armed with this information and this time off to the neurology department. I got diagnosed with nocturnal epilepsy in mid 2016 was put on meds and have had 3 seizures in the last 2 years - down for 3-4 a month

First thing neurologist said to me was "did you tell the GP about these symptoms because they are absolutely textbook"

Sorry went off at a bit of a tangent though.

What I mean is YANBU and do persist

I had trouble sleeping for years, and absolutely awful insomnia in the weeks before I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. GPs tell me that it's only an overactive thyroid that causes insomnia, but I slept so much better when finally medicated - I'd had symptoms for years.

Did they test ferritin when they did your iron levels? That's a measure of stored iron. I had normal haemoglobin but very low ferritin, which can also make you tired and cause issues with sleep.

Keep pushing for more tests. Also, dont just take bog standard multi vitamins, you need 100% of the daily amounts for all the ones the pp was saying. Most multivits have pitiful amounts of minerals in them and just focus on the vitamins. Also the recommended amount of vit d is way way below what you need if you have low levels (which you will because it is March in the UK!). So take 3-4000 iui a day

Would she dismiss a man who had the same symptoms as "it's just part of having children". I doubt it.

Take some Nytol, not the herbal variety though. You'll sleep like a baby. It's over the counter and not expensive.

Did they check for diabetes? See a different gp.

Thank you for all your replies. I think they tested ferriten, also had my thyroid checked a few years ago and it was fine.

I just find it so demoralising being fobbed off everytime. My DH went awhile back when he was sick and was listened to, lots of tests, referrals and wasn't made to feel like he was wasting their time.
I had an ovarian cyst removed about 10 years ago, I'm wondering now if they've come back and that explains the pain. I think I'll avoid mentioning the exhaustion as they just seem to focus on that, and instead just insist that they look into the pelvic pain.

An hour a day on the treadmill - so probably about 6 miles? And if that's every day then that's 42 miles a week, or over 30 even if it's just week days. That's equivalent mileage to the marathon training I'm doing at the moment and I'm shattered. Maybe change some sessions to weights/strength & conditioning instead? Although I do think your GP should also investigate your symptoms

I'm not running flat out on the treadmill, more just slow a slow jog, so only about 4 miles or so a day. I've been mixing it up too, switching the treadmill out for the exercycle or stairclimber.

Sounds exactly like when I had my B12 and foliate deficiency. Except I had started to get confused and forget things. I had my over 40 blood test and they forgot to ring me for 6 months to tell me I had severely low levels.

I went to the doctor with general exhaustion and a concern I had early onset dementia and they finally realised that they hadn't given me the urgent medication I was supposed to have.

I think if you feel ill you sometimes have to really push it with gp. Following 4 appointments with symptoms of uti and fatigue- unable to get up stairs at work I was admitted to hospital 2 days after the last visit during which the gp laughed at my symptoms. I ended up with a massive kidney stone blocking my kidney which caused the kidney to fail, nephrostomy bag, 2 weeks in hospital, sepsis and anaemia that needed a transfusion

How old are you?

I had this exact same thing experience with a long list of symptoms and a year of them. The GP’s also said my thyroid was fine and then that I should reduce my expectations of life- exact words.

Long story short, saw a private doctor who did a lot of tests inc a proper thyroid panel, NHS only test a pituitary hormone that sends the message to the thyroid, TSH, not the thyroid hormones themselves. I was severely hypothyroid, as a result my endocrine system had collapsed and I barely made any hormones of any kind and I wasn’t absorbing nutrients. I was very very ill.

My advice, order a kit from Medichecks, check all hormones inc extensive thyroid testing, including vitamins and minerals. They have bundles for this. Not saying you have a thyroid problem but you’ve likely not been properly tested. If something comes up from them, take it to your GP or if you have the money, see a private doctor as they tend to be better at complex women’s health issues.

I think many of the posters here are missing your follow-up mention of stabbing pelvic pain and increased urinary urgency, OP, and so a lot of the advice is only addressing what you mentioned in your OP.

I'd really advise seeing a better GP, listing all your symptoms (but listing tiredness as the final one), and pushing hard for further investigations. If you do your own blood testing, this won't necessarily address the pelvic symptoms - I would seek better expert input rather than second guessing at home.

B12, D and Thyroid. But don't take any supplements with b12 in before having your bloods done. It will give a false high.
Get a printout of results and post on a FB support group for advice. I always get a print out now as you can be just in 'normal' levels. Feel crap and they will just says everything is fine.

I think many of the posters here are missing your follow-up mention of stabbing pelvic pain and increased urinary urgency,

I did, definitely see a GP for that, right away. Maybe a different one, or a private gynaecologist?

Id go back and see a different gp. The wee and stabbing pain should have been addressed.
I'm just out from my own gp, had gone last week to get bloods done and went back today to get a coil change and the results. My b12 is on the low end of recommendations so she has put me on a course of injections and told me to up my folic acid through a good multi vitamin. Go back and insist on being dealt with properly .

Could you afford private blood tests? They aren't super expensive and can be sorted out online.

Good luck- I was dismissed in a similar way by a go who told me that it was cause I was a sahm and told me she had the easier life cause she went to work

Turned out I was Perinmenopausal