AIBU to think the GP was too dismissive

[nowisreallynottherighttime]

I posted recently about my 20 year old son’s reluctance to see the doctor regarding a swelling a lump in his testicle. After weeks of pulling my hair out he finally agreed he needed to be seen.

Yesterday he had a telephone consultation where he explained he had groin pain, lower back pain, heaviness in his testicle and a small lump. The doctor’s first response was leave it for another 3 weeks and come back, then he asked my son if he’d searched his symptoms on line and what did he think was wrong, my son told him he had absolutely no idea. The doctor agreed to see him, at the consultation he didn’t address the groin/back pain had a quick feel of the testicle and said there are a couple of lumps and bumps but don’t worry about them.

My son is not reassured at all, would you get a second opinion or would you be happy with what the doctor said. As I don’t have testicles and have never had a testicle examination it’s hard to figure out whether he was being dismissive or not.

That doesn't sound very reassuring. I would seek a second opinion.

I'd imagine the Dr would know what to look out for with a testicle examination. It's up to your son if he wants to see someone else.

2nd opinion. Absolutely.

Yes, I would encourage him to seek a second opinion. I think normally men would be sent for an ultrasound. It is absolutely fine to ask to see a different GP.

I don't think that sounds great. He should return. And if he's again told 'don't worry about the lumps and bumps' he needs an explanation of what the lumps and bumps are and why that's nothing to worry about.

Get your son to contact the Practice Manager and explain that he has been left in fear of all sorts as the GP did not seem to take into account all symptoms presented or explain anything, that he feels asking him what Dr Google had said was incredibly innapropriate and that he is now more worried than he was prior to the appointment.

Ask specifically for another appointment with another GP, as soon as possible, and to never have to see the first GP again as he has absolutely no confidence in him.

GPS do not have magic xray hands, I have no confidence in a GP having a feel quite frankly. Get a second opinion, go private if you have to and can afford it.

Did you go with your DS to his appointment, or is he telling you what the gp said? Because if it's the latter, your DS may not be telling you the full story. I really doubt the GP would just have said there's nothing to worry about without a further explanation. Did your DS actually tell him about his other symptoms at the consultation?
If your DS is still concerned after lockdown, get him to make another appointment with a different gp.

I think normally men would be sent for an ultrasound.

Many (?most) GPs would ordinarily refer for ultrasound but if the GP who saw your son is fairly confident they are something like an epidiymal cyst of a varicocele then they would refer for a routine uss (if at all). Routine scan referrals are not being done or even booked in many places at the moment so a referral for something benign is likely to be rejected by the radiology department.

Definitely worth your son asking the doctor what he thought the lumps were though to hopefully put his mind at rest.

Not good enough, needs further investigation.

I didn’t go with my son, but I completely believe what he said. It has taken me weeks to persuade him to go, he really doesn’t like going to see the doctor so for him not to seize the opportunity to say ‘the doctor says it’s fine’ and leave it at that does indicate something is bothering him. I have also seen the doctor he saw myself, he told me I couldn’t possibly be peri menopausal as I still have periods. He is a trainee GP, so maybe lacking a little experience.

Good grief. Yes, go back! What Samphire said is perfect.

He should be sent for an ultrasound scan surely your GP can arrange that?

Absolutely go back.

When my baby was a few months old I thought his scrotum looked odd and saw three separate doctors about it. They all casually examined him, said everything felt fine and just to go back if it still looked misshapen at 18 months.

I went back when he was 18 months old, the GP referred him for an ultrasound scan and it transpired that everything wasn’t “fine” and in fact he only had one visible testicle.

He had to go for an operation to try and locate his missing testicle, which they did very high up behind one of his kidneys, but due to it having been inside his body for 18 months it was damaged beyond repair so had to be removed.

The surgeon said that if it had been detected when my son was a baby then the operation could have taken place much earlier and the testicle could most likely have been saved.

GPs can be very dismissive at times to the detriment of their patients.

Please tell your son to get a second opinion if he isn’t happy.

Not to scare you but a few years ago my sister had a lump in her breast, went to the GP and was told it’s probably a cyst as women of 25 don’t get breast cancer. When my sister questioned the doctor she was told that she (the doctor) was right and my sister knew nothing and told her to leave in quite an aggressive manner.

My sister got a second opinion and turns out it was breast cancer, luckily caught early and treated.

The first doctor she saw left the practice and I believe left the country when we looked into a formal complaint/malpractice suit.

Unfortunately like in all professions, there are good people and bad people, competent and incompetent. Just because they are a doctor and we’re not, doesn’t mean they are always right. You know your body and symptoms. Keep pushing for another visit to a different GP

Not to scare/worry you any more, but my DP had the same symptoms and it ended up being stage one testicular cancer. When he first went to the GP it was only because he had found a lump. The pains in his lower back and heavy feeling in his testicle developed in the couple of weeks between ultrasound and surgery. He was lucky in that it was caught early and there was no spread outside the testicle.

The GP he saw was really good and referred him for a scan which was done within a week, within 3 weeks of the appointment he had had the surgery.

I know services are stretched at the moment but I would definitely seek a second opinion. It’s such a scary and worrying thing to go through and I have my fingers crossed for your son that it is nothing serious

Your son should go back for a second opinion with a more experienced GP. I didn’t realise from your OP that he’d seen a GP trainee and it would also be worth giving some feedback to the practice so his trainer can discuss it with him.

In his early twenties (he's now 41) my DH felt a thickening in one of the tubes in his testicle, had no other symptoms. Went immediately to the GP who confirmed the thickening and sent immediately for ultrasound, which came through within 2 weeks. This confirmed the thickening as some scarring on the tube but nothing sinister. Given testicular cancer is most common in young men I would be going immediately back to a different GP or if you can afford it to a private doctor either private GP to get immediate referral for ultrasound or private urologist.

I've no idea if your ds needs to worry (and I hope he doesn't) but you have already evidence of how crap the GP's advice to you has been - being factually incorrect is a big deal! I don't know how GPs are trained, does someone more senior review their cases at the start?
Why not call and make another appointment. Do you know the name of any other GP so you can request them by name - though maybe not a bad thing to specify that you don't want dr x.

Testes do have lumps and bumps, but given the experience I'd definitely be asking for a second opinion. I've found females to be much better and more reassuring.

I would ask to see a different GP.

go back he isn’t too young for something so sinister

Please get your son to go back...my son aged 23 recently had similar and had an ultrasound...all is well thankfully but he must get checked out properly.

GP here. This is background not individual medical advice. It's fairly easy to tell a lump within the testicle (which needs an urgent USS to rule out cancer) from one within the scrotum but separate to the testicle (which need a routine USS as they are generally benign and the USS is just for reassurance). It may be that your son had the latter and that routine USS isn't available at the moment. I would ask for a phone consultation with the GP to clarify what was found on examination.

Absolutely!!!! The drs missed 4 life threatening symptoms with me. One was blood clots on my lungs!!!!! Which they told me was a panic attack. Defo if you don't feel assured. Get it checked. I wish I'd of been more confident with my blood clots (I had 7 blood clots. In my brain. My arm. Stomach. All missed). Dr told me I couldn't breathe because I was panicking. He said I needed to leave. On the way out I collapsed unconscious in a hallway. The a and e consultant had come to try and find me. He searched for hours. Found me collapsed. Saved my
Life.

I see him often. (Due to the damage it left). I tell him everything. Remember when you saved my life? He always relies. Well at least my training did one person good. Which is all that matters.

So yes. Get it checked. Get it checked 10 tines if you must. Till you feel ok. I'm a huge advocate for we know our own bodies.