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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think my DH should be given a face to face appointment?

34 replies

Washimal · 26/03/2021 18:35

DH is 37, not overweight, doesn't smoke and doesn't drink much. He's never had any major health issues and until recently was very rarely ill.

Since around June or July, he's had these episodes of feeling lightheaded. He describes it as feeling like everything is moving everytime he moves his head. After a few hours the lightheadedness will be accompanied by nausea, but no vomiting. This lasts for 2-3 days and on the last day he also has diarrhoea. It's relatively short lived but really unpleasant for him and he's pretty much incapacitated for those 2-3 days.

This has happened 4 times now. On the first occasion he assumed it was just a weird bug and did nothing. The second time it happened he called the GP and she asked him "what do you think could be causing it?" So she was clearly stumped. She didn't want to see him but prescribed an anti-emetic tablet that he says helped a little but not much, and told him to rest. The third time he called the GP again and they still didn't want to see him, just asked if he'd still got the tablets and said to keep taking them. That was a few weeks ago. Now, it's happening again. He was lightheaded yesterday all day but tried to carry on as normal (working from home) and today he's laid up in bed feeling very sick and light-headed again.

DH says there's no point calling the Doctor because they won't do anything. I think he needs to call them and be a bit more assertive this time (in a polite way, I'm not suggesting he demand anything or be rude) in asking for a proper face to face appointment and some investigations. Surely they should at least be checking his blood pressure and taking some blood or something?

I appreciate that they don't want lots of people coming into the surgery because of covid but i'm starting to worry there might be something seriously wrong

OP posts:

Garlia · 26/03/2021 18:37

Definitely worth asking for a face to face appointment, I'd be concerned too.

itbemay1 · 26/03/2021 18:39

I'd expect him to be seen to check his BP and some blood to be taken, sounds like possible vertigo, ring 111 they might be able to book you in with the GP I know ours do in London. Hope he's ok

halllftheworllldawway · 26/03/2021 18:39

Yes I think I would be insisting on a face to face appointment now.

Covid is bad. But it doesn't mean that every other illness has gone away and doesn't need investigating. It's very short sighted to just fob patients off because of covid restrictions.

MissConductUS · 26/03/2021 18:40

Can you get a home blood pressure monitor? That's the first thing I'd check. Having your BP taken at the doctor's office doesn't tell you much. It needs to be done while he is experiencing the lightheadedness.

Albgo · 26/03/2021 18:41

I'm 40. I had similar symptoms in February. Took a while to get diagnosed as initially believed to be vertigo, out I turns out I had a stroke. Probably not the case for your husband, but he shouldn't be letting the GP surgery fob him off.

SellFridges · 26/03/2021 18:41

DH had something similar a few years ago. To be honest, it ended up being put down to something viral (and then post viral) or possibly migraines. It wouldn’t have made much difference him seeing a GP in person, although after a year or so he was referred to ophthalmology as his glasses prescription also changed.

It still happens sometimes, but we have also connected it to a related anxiety as he was very incapacitated at first and very worried as a result.

Things that helped DH were having regular eye tests, using steroid nose spray after a cold (his tubes were getting blocked which exacerbated any dizziness), and boringly, regular walks.

MrMucker · 26/03/2021 19:18

No qualified GP, but I could bhave written those symptoms myself, and I think It is labarinthitus, sorry, cant spell it?
also known as vertigo.
Although the word vertigo is commonly misused as "fear of heights.
It is a probably harmless condition of the inner ear, and there is treatment , although because the meds relate to Beta blockers they do have side effects.
I have struggled with it for years, it is indescribably horrible when it happens, but then I discovered something called "vestibular rehabilitation" which you can get youtubes for. Have a look.
My GP told me also that occurence of it can relate to viral infection of an unrelated nature-you get a virus eg a cold, then when just as it clears, you get a bout of labarinthitus.
Again, I am not a medical expert, but I just recognise your description completely. It is scary when it happens, but f he needs to lie down to cope, then that is what he must do. It passes, it does

MrMucker · 26/03/2021 19:22

...meant to add-you must get him checked out though for a proper look

Doingitaloneandproud · 26/03/2021 19:23

I would ask for a face to face appointment. Other people have medical issues aside from Covid and I'm surprised your GP isn't offering appointments, mine calls but they do ask to see you, if they need to check you over. There's going to be a lot of missed health issues from the pandemic
I hope you get a face to face appointment soon for him

littlepattilou · 26/03/2021 19:26

I agree. But if your GP surgery is anything like mine (and some others,) he would have more chance of flying to the moon on a malteser.

@Washimal take him to A & E.

littlepattilou · 26/03/2021 19:27

he would have more chance of flying to the moon on a malteser. (Than getting a face to face appointment!)

ScissorsBike · 26/03/2021 19:35

That's vertigo. Ask for a GP familiar with carrying out the Epley manoeuvre, and your husband will be right as rain.

TrickyD · 26/03/2021 19:37

I had similar symptoms three years ago. Swimming head when I moved especially when turning in bed. GP did a phone consultation and prescribed sea sickness pills. 🙄
Heart rate was so low I kept telling DH the monitor must be faulty. Luckily he ignored me, rang 111 who sent an ambulance who took me to hospital and the next day I was fitted with a pacemaker.

Press for a face to face consultation, meanwhile get a blood pressure monitor and/or heart beat checker and If his heart rate is low ring 111.

Bunnybigears · 26/03/2021 19:38

Yep sounds like Vertigo, he can call and ask for a face to face but it really depends on the practise if they will do it or not.

Suzi888 · 26/03/2021 19:40

Ring 111 perhaps, or ask a pharmacist.

LAgeDeRaisin · 26/03/2021 19:42

To help with the worry about the GP (and because I see this a lot) we are trained through medical school to always ask ICE:

Ideas: what do you think is wrong
Concerns: what are you worried about
Expectations: what are you hoping to get out of this consultation (eg medication, advice, a referral, an ear to listen etc)

All doctors should ask this- it doesn't mean we're stumped, it's a core part of teaching and taught throughout the medical profession.

Re. appointments, a face to face would be a good idea. How much is he telling the GP? Sometimes men brush things off or play them down (in my opinion this can sometimes be worse if the doctor is female- when I did my GP rotation it wasn't uncommon to have a wife bring her husband in and lay down the truth of the situation ) Maybe write down some concerns that he can relay: blood pressure, vertigo (needs a Dix Hallpike/Epley) systemic symptoms (accompanying diarrhoea, any weight loss, stool changes, vomiting?). Tell them it affects his activities of daily living eg he can't go shopping/cook/clean/work.

It sounds very like BPPV/similar but I can understand you're worried and he needs to be seen, even if just for peace of mind. Get him back on the phone.

LAgeDeRaisin · 26/03/2021 19:42

Especially if the diarrhoea was just a one off

Standrewsschool · 26/03/2021 19:45

I think it’s Vertigo (which isn’t a fear of heights) as well. Was the tablets Stematil (prochloperazine)? I always take these when get a bout of dizziness.

Sparrow91 · 26/03/2021 19:49

Sounds like labyrinthitis - this can be viral and unless you get meds it can keep coming back.

Best thing in tandem is to rest completely, and limit movement as much as possible. Definitely push for a face to face appt.

ssd · 26/03/2021 19:51

I was just coming on to day labrynthitis too.

NoSquirrels · 26/03/2021 19:52

Does it always end with diarrhoea?

Because like others vertigo is the obvious first assumption, but migraines also present in lots of different ways and aren’t always a blinding headache - the episodic nature could be migraines.

I think get a heart rate monitor & blood pressure and go from there.

GreggsScaryTeeth · 26/03/2021 19:53

I was also going to say labarinthitus.

ittakes2 · 26/03/2021 19:59

I would ask for a face to face but also buy a blood pressure machine I think they are about £20 on Amazon. He should then take his blood pressure when feeling faint to see if there is a difference.

NailsNeedDoing · 26/03/2021 19:59

I’m not sure it makes a difference if he sees the GP face to face, but the GP needs to take him seriously enough to refer him for investigation. I hope you can persuade your DH to be more assertive at another appointment.

LazyDaisy22 · 26/03/2021 20:03

I have Meniere’s disease and have very similar symptoms. There is medication to help and other things you can do - e.g a low salt diet. But yes, your DH should definitely be seen by his GP. Could you perhaps phone for him if he’s having an attack at the moment and insist on an appointment?

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