GP dismissing sexual abuse impact. *TRIGGER*

[ShamanYou]

NB - I'm a long-standing male member, MNHQ can confirm if necessary.

I was raped and sexually assaulted as a child, I was 14. It's left me with PTSD, GAD, Anxiety, Depression and a propensity to hate myself. The incident happened the start of July.

I'm prescribed a few (5) diazepam and zopiclone each month as I also have CPTSD and deep-lying issues.

I've had a phone appointment this afternoon with a training doctor. I was requesting more of both drugs, I am already having flashbacks, insomnia and panic attacks. Self harm will soon follow.

I explained the entire incident, the psychological and physical effects and why I was asking for more medication. He completely blew me off stating that rape and sexual assault from "that long ago" couldn't possibly be having such an enormous effect 30 years on.

I'm just numb, the next month is going to be utter fucking hell. My pulse soars and shallow breathing just thinking about it.

I'm not sure what to do, he's a trainee doctor and I don't want to blot his copybook but his attitude stank.

He's right, YABU
He's wrong, YANBU.

Any thoughts most appreciated.

YANBU!!

Hopefully requesting another appointment with a qualified doctor will get a more helpful repsonse.

I would also put in a complaint, I'm afraid. What an utterly ignorant thing for him to say!!

Sending hugs.x.

I would be emailing a complaint about that GP. Maybe they will get further training. Of course something so awful will have an impact years later. What an idiotic and ignorant thing to say!

Firstly, I'm so sorry that this is your history. You've done well to survive it and seek help.

Secondly, the trainee needs to be advised better before he harms anyone else. He has already harmed you, and that's not okay. His career is not your responsibility. He has failed you very badly.

He's young, if a trainee, and needs support himself so he learns to do better. And the way to get that is to speak to a senior partner and explain.

It's reasonable to question patients who are seeking controlled drugs. It's wholly unacceptable to hold forth on the psychiatric ramifications of serious abuse, at all, let alone so harmfully. He's not a psychiatrist - he's not even a GP yet!

You aren't responsible for his career: he is. You haven't blotted his copybook: he has. But they need to know if he's doing this so he can be stopped from making it a habit, and you need competent and professional care.

Again, I'm so sorry. You have deserved very much better.

Definitely email the practice manager. In your email state that you were not happy with the doctors attitude and that you would like an appointment or telephone call with the senior GP at the practice. If I have read your op correctly, you take a very small amount of these medications to see you through the hardest times and you are having therapy, thereby taking positive steps to reduce your use in future.

Also state that you do not wish to have to contact the Care Quality Commission but will if necessary as the consequences of the way the trainee spoke to you could have been severe if you were someone even more fragile than you are.

This sounds dreadful, kindest wishes to you.

Sorry, I couldn't quite understand - did the doctor refuse to prescribe you your usual month worth of medication?

If so, that decision needs to be reviewed asap by a more experienced doctor as you do not just suddenly stop taking diazepam.

The comment that he made was hurtful, inaccurate and something that the doctor needs more training in. I have no idea why doctors make these sorts of comments, but they so often do.

Email the practice manager re: the meds (if you don't have them) and also to flag up concerns about the doctor's lack of knowledge in CTPD. .

Also, reading through your post again, when was the last time that you had a proper medication review (if ever?)

Have you been seen by a psychiatrist?

I ask because both of those drugs tend to be prescribed in the 'short-term' and I wonder if antidepressants would help level out your anxiety and help you sleep.

Sorry if this isn't relevant or you've already been down that route.

He's a training Doctor. . Then he needs to be stripped of his training and struck off before he even begins. He's clearly not fit for a career in the medical field.

And Yes C125H. We do all mistakes. However there's no time for error in the medical world. Plus a mistake is putting a red top in a white wash not dismissing sexual abuse. You can't learn compassion. You've either got it or you haven't. It's got nothing to do with how far into his training he is. Please don't make excuses for him, there are none.

I’m so so sorry this happened to you. You are not responsible for blotting his copybook as it were - that is his responsibility entirely and not yours.

You shared your experiences with him and he did you a disservice. It’s true that some doctors may be reluctant to repeat prescribe those medications but if you need to come off them you should receive support to do so.

And he is wrong, so very wrong, to attempt to tell you how you are affected by your own experiences or to put a time limit on trauma.

I don’t have any useful advice. I just wanted you to know that this wasn’t ok, that it wasn’t your fault, that you deserve support and you shouldn’t be having to fight to get it.

That's a bit extreme.

He needs training, mentoring and support to be a better doctor.

That's what training is about.

And OP needs her experience to be validated, for it to be acknowledged that his remarks were inaccurate and hurtful, and for her mental health to be taken seriously.

No better advice than what's here already, but OP and another one horrified at your treatment x

Speak with manager and also report him to the GMC. Maybe you should change doctors too.

Please don't lose hope. I'm so sorry you're having to go through this. I hope things get better. Look after yourself and be kind to yourself.

I’m sorry you’ve had such a bad experience. Not all medical professionals understand or accept C-PTSD and they may have a minimum of mental health training - neither is an excuse for not listening. I’m also concerned that your therapy isn’t so helpful. A therapist working from a trauma perspective would be a good fit. An approach such as EMDR could also help you a lot. 30 years is far too long to suffer like this. Are you within an IAPT service at the moment?

Ask to speak to practice manager. Thats not the right attitude for him to take. Something needs to be said so they might think twice next time.

He was wrong to minimise your MH issues and the effect of what happened to you.

However, it was not wrong to not give you the medication with out a review or with out knowing you. You need to contact the practice and have a face to face meeting to discuss what is the best way forward it maybe meds, it maybe something else. And yes do report what Juniour doctor said..

Definitely take this further. It’s not about blotting his copybook, it’s about making someone aware that this doctors needs education in some areas x

It's a bit extreme, those people claiming a trainee should be struck off or reported to the GMC when you have only heard one side of a story.

OP I think the practice manager is not going to be able to overrule a doctor's clinical judgement but should be able to arrange an appointment with a more experienced GP for you to raise your concerns and try to resolve the issue. Good luck

"And OP needs her experience to be validated"
OP has stated they are male but, yes, they need their experience and feelings to be validated.
The doctor must be a fucking idiot to not realise this will likely have a lifelong impact. He isn't in the right job if he hasn't the ability to realise that. You can't train someone to have empathy and sympathy and to believe what someone says to them. They are never going to be a good doctor!

I would definitely write a letter of complaint to the Practice Manager and escalate it if it is not dealt with appropriately.

OP, in addition to a formal written complaint, please phone the practice again tomorrow and insist on speaking to another doctor. If you have no luck contact the MH crisis team for your area (you are in crisis if you are going to self-harm).

I am also so sorry, OP, that there are vile people in the world who did these horrendous things to you. I hope that you will eventually find that therapy will help you overcome these traumas.

I'm so sorry OP, that's awful, really disgraceful. Surely there is information on your medical records that this trainee should have read?

I hope that you raise it. Have you been in touch with NAPAC at all?

They can support you in this and also around Mental Health support. It does not matter how long ago it was. They are lovely people and many of their people are survivors themselves.

Thinking of you,
napac.org.uk/about/

Sorry OP, I missed that you were male.

Hope that I haven't caused offence.

I‘m so sorry OP, your trauma should not have been dismissed in that way. Definitely make a complaint in writing to the practice manager and request an appointment with a different and more competent GP. That trainee doctor needs to be pulled up before more damage is done.

I'm so sorry. My brother was a victim and it nearly destroyed him. I hope you get the support you need.

Hi OP

I’m a GP and a GP trainer (supervisor of trainee GPs) and firstly I’m so sorry you had this experience and secondly please do raise it with the practice. This junior doctor’s supervisor needs to know, the trainee needs some urgent intervention/training/boot to the rear end and at the very least needs to write to you to apologise. C-PTST is real but there are unfortunately some ignorant arseholes even amongst doctors who would disagree.

I'm so sorry for what was done to you and the doctors response. Of course these things can and do have long term consequences.

The information that this can have long term impact is hardly niche info is it. I mean just the other day 'whatever happened to Tony Slattery' was on which touched on this type of situation.

@ShamanYou

Are you OK?