WIBU to complain about GP?

[Rabbitsandtennis]

Sorry in advance for long post!

I’m 26 and otherwise healthy. Since April I’ve had persistent abdominal pain. It niggles me most of the time and walking makes it worse - to the point where sometimes it’s like being stabbed in the stomach and I have to stop and get a taxi home/ get dh to collect me. I also frequently get constipation.

I went to gps when it started and they’ve sent me for pelvic and abdominal ultrasounds, taken numerous blood tests and urine samples but are still none the wiser. I’ve discussed all my symptoms in detail, many a time and emphasised that my quality of life is impacted.

I went to see my gp today to discuss latest abdominal ultrasound (all clear) and he asked if I thought it was “an emotional thing”, said I should do a Pilates class (if I was up to doing a Pilates class I wouldn’t be there - as I’ve tried to explain) and should come back to see him in January if it hasn’t cleared up. He didn’t want to refer me to a specialist and prescribed me a low dose of Amitriptyline - to relieve pain but nothing else.

I’m not a hypochondriac btw! I’m an intelligent young professional, and otherwise very happy with my life. I am not booking countless appointments for fun and I’m frustrated with not being able to go about my daily life as I used to. The half hour walk I’ve made to work for years is often too much for me now and I struggle to get out the house at evenings or weekends; if I try to walk too far, the pain is too much. I feel that my gp is patronising me and not taking me seriously by just suggesting I leave it for another few months.

Anyway my sister is a nurse and outraged on my behalf. She says I should put a complaint in to the GP practice.

So WIBU to do this? Has anyone here done it? A complaint isn’t going to magically cure me of course, and I’ve already booked a private GP appointment, but my sister says it’s important. Any other advice / words of comfort welcomed.

@possomblossom Thanks, will do. Weirdly there have been 3 cases of grumbling appendix in my family, but again, GP said it wasn’t likely and not worth further investigation

I've actually had a similar pain in the same place on and off for the past few months. The bloods and ultrasound came back normal and my GP said next step is a gastroenterologist.

I don’t know if a complaint would be likely to resolve things to your satisfaction. But if you are unhappy with your GP’s suggestion that you don’t return until Jan I would ignore it and return again as soon as you need to. Best of luck.

Have you had a colonoscopy? Could it be Divericulitis?

No, no mention of gastroenterologist or a colonoscopy. I guess I can ask about those next.

Sounds a lot like me when I had gallstones. Have you had a gallbladder scan? Does it get worse when you eat foods high in fat? Sorry you're going through this xx

@NoDontLookAtMeImShy No it wasn't- reread her post. However, OP graciously came back, apologized and clarified which was mature and nice of her it
You on the other hand could do with a lesson on manners. Calling people imbeciles for pointing out something offensive and then to tell the person who apologized not to? Wow, that's pretty low of you.

@wellhelloyou ooh ok, I’m not sure (fairly healthy diet bar the odd flump) but I’ll watch out for it and add it to my list. Thanks.

Sometimes it doesn't take fatty food to bring on an attack. When I was really bad just prior to my operation an apple could bring on the intense pain.

Do you get any pain on your ribs? Any upper back?

@wellhelloyou sometimes, yes, not as frequently though.

It could of course be something else but I would be pushing for a gallbladder scan

I think I'd get a second opinion rather than complain. It does sound like they've taken your pain seriously and often random symptoms can be psychological but I do agree you should keep pushing if you don't improve

There you go greatexpectations, proving my point.

Did you actually add anything helpful to the thread? I'm going to scroll back and see....

Nope!

I'd suggest you read up on endometriosis and abdominal adhesions. Your symptoms sound similar to mine, which I suffered for 30 years with every scan, blood test and examination coming up negative. It was only when they did a laparoscopy that they found my abdomen was full of adhesions. The bowel pain and being unable to walk far due to pain are classic symptoms of adhesions. You can also develop them due to past operations. There are a multitude of symptoms, so if it clicks with your experience, try to read as much as you can from a variety of sources.

Whatever the cause, please don't feel alone. It's a well documented issue, women's pain not being taken as seriously by many medics. It took me breaking down in tears in an appointment with one consultant, after decades of being patronised or brushed off by a multitude of GPs and Consultants. I hope you find the answers you need.

I work with medical notes (although not a medic) and would agree with sass below about considering/researching endometriosis. Unfortunately I regularly see medical histories where women have suffered for years with all sorts of tests and and scans coming back clear before endometriosis is finally investigated and diagnosed.

I'd suggest colonoscopy, that sounds a lot like beginning of IBS or possibly diverticulitis (v painful and difficult to diagnose). Perhaps go push for a second opinion?

When I had gallstones I was in agony but nobody diagnosed them for ages.
I ended up at hospital one night and was given diamorphine for the pain (I think it was that).
The Dr actually queried whether I was a person who went to hospital to score hits of drugs!
For what it's worth, I was a 27 year old teacher and my boyfriend at the time, luckily, was a surgeon so he put her right in no uncertain terms.
They are not gods and sometimes get it very wrong.
I would absolutely complain. Try and get your sister to go with you.
Also, just wanted to send sympathy and say I hope you do feel better soon

Abdominal US doesn't always pick up kidney stones (I know this as I was recently referred for a CT scan after an US to check for kidney stones, as my ureter was 'dilated' prior to me urinating mid-way during US (clearly I didn't pee on the sonographer lol, he told me to go and empty my bladder). As it turns out I never had the CT scan.

Kidney stones would be my thoughts or gynae. I'd ask for referral to gynae maybe?

Based on what you’ve told us, my initial DDX would be:
Diverticulitis
Crohns
IBS
Endometriosis
Gallstones
Kidney stones

Obviously though I’ve not examined you. Is it worth trying to see a different GP and talking through with them which of those can be confidently excluded from the tests done so far?

Sympathies OP.

I'm suffering a lot with Castro problems right now too. The difference is I had an ultra sound and I do have a gallbladder full of gallstones. My Gp won't refer me for anything as I've only had 2 'attacks' of crippling pain (abdominal, chest and back pain so severe I called an Ambulance at first as I thought it was a heart attack!). The GP she'll only refer me to see about gallbladder removal after 6 or 7 of these attacks. Great. I'm also suffering general grumbling indigestion. The Gp says it has nothing to do with gallstones which I don't quite believe.

As you say it's generally on the right side but sometimes in the middle it sounds similar to gallstones.

I would definitely push for a second opinion, especially as you said several family members have had appendix problems.

Forgot to mention in my previous comment that my endometriosis was dismissed as IBS throughout the 30 years. I had a colonoscopy and every type of IBS meds, none of which helped. I do have IBS symptoms, but they're likely caused by my adhesions which are narrowing the colon. One ovary was enmeshed within the wall of the large intestine, which is why I had such awful bowel pain when I also had ovarian cysts. Yet doctors kept insisting that cysts cannot result in bowel pain. Endo adhesions can spread anywhere in the body apart from the spleen, so it's always worth considering when a multitude of symptoms simply don't add up.

Sympathies here op. I had lower abdo pain for a long time, though not as bad as you are describing as exercise helped to ease it slightly not make it worse.

It felt like period type pain when it started and got particularly bad around 2 years ago. My gp referred me on to hospital and a rather horrible consultant who asked me why on earth I thought I had diverticular disease. I said because it was two gp's diagnosis and I hadnt just decided one morning.

I had a colonoscopy and the staff told me it was pretty bad and they removed a polyps at the same time. This is not a nice procedure and I think my gp was initially trying to find other ways of managing it so it wasn't a case of not acting.

Clearly posters on the internet cannot offer you a diagnosis op but I thought my pain was stomach related initially. Lower pelvic pain can present like this and it even made my legs ache.

I still get pain now and then but nothing like it was. If I have a bad patch, I have antibiotics but I avoid them if I can.

I do hope you get this sorted op, because it is having a real impact upon your quality of life.

Years back, I got told my headaches were of an emotional nature. No, they were because I had a badly deviated septum.

That's outrageous Millicent. Gallstones are agony and can lead to complications, like pancreatitis and peritonitis. I'd go to A&E next time you have an attack. Or ask for a second opinion/referral.