AIBU to be miffed at GP experience?

[Purrrrplexed]

Here comes a wall of miffed text, sorry.

Had a "funny turn" a few weeks ago. Felt very unwell and had a racing heart after laying down in bed, tried to sleep it off, it escalated and then culminated in what appeared at the time to be seizure-like activity in my legs. It passed, and I needed to pee very badly all of a sudden.

Went to the GP the following Monday to report this, as it was scary and horrible/ GP ordered a full wack of bloods. Bloods came back: low on vit D, slightly elevated thyroid hormone, one slightly elevated liver test, slightly under threshold calcium. All else normal, GP prescribed high dose vit D (that stuff is great, it's taken care of dizziness I'd been feeling for months!).

Felt fine for a couple of weeks, then the "funny turn" repeated, but in a milder way, same symptoms, but seemed somewhat diluted. Went to the GP the next morning, was told to go to a&e. Did so, all normal except ECG showed high heart rate, Dismissed from a&e and told to go to GP (of course!). Had to wait a few days as weekend was in the way, during which time it happened again, with 1 added symptom: a pain that felt like rather intense heartburn. I'm not prone to heartburn at all, having only ever had it mildly in the final weeks of pregnancy.

Sorry for all the detail, I'm trying to avoid a drip feed of info, and I think it's important to explain there were a lot of things going on before the point of the heartburn. Heart rate has been slightly high since the third "funny turn." I know this because I have a pulse oximeter, bought because I thought it would be a good thing to have during covid for reassurance. Heartrate mostly staying above 120. My normal is 75-85 ish. Temp slightly high but not worryingly so.

Seemingly unrelated, I've had chest pains for 6 years but that followed a really mean chest infection so I have written it off as a pissed off chest wall and have no concerns about it. In the same area this pain manifests I get a strong muscle spasm if I lean over a certain way, this has also gone on for years and is not a concern to me.

GP, who is a trainee, albeit one who is far enough into training to see patients alone and make calls on what he thinks is wrong, and to have a student sit in on an appointment, but has to have it okayed by a senior Dr at the practice before making referrals or prescribing. GP wanted to send me for one of those 24 hour ECG harness jobbies to see if there's some strange things going on with my heart, and told me as much. I waited while GP ran this past another Dr.

Other Dr overwrote what my GP was suggesting and decided it's bloody GORD (reflux) even though I have no GORD symptoms, never have, and literally only had one non-pregnancy related instance of heartburn during the "funny turn" that began with a racing heart. Insisted I have to take meds for GORD. GP was very apologetic about this as it's not what he wanted.

The reasoning behind this is that the area my chest hurts in could be epigastric pain. I don't think it is: when that pain happens it's painful to the touch on the surface, to me, it's very clearly related to that old nasty chest infection! Probably pleurisy. How could it be GORD when the allegedly epigastric pain has gone on for 6 years and the heartburn happened once, during a bloody funny turn? I didn't even have the chest pain during any of the funny turns!

I agreed to try the meds anyway and took the first one yesterday, a couple of hours later my stomach was agitated and my appetite went and hasn't come back over 24 hours later. Heart rate still high. IT'S ALMOST AS IF I TOOK A MED I DIDN'T NEED.

I feel really annoyed that the "senior" Dr who hadn't even spoken to me decided to give me reflux meds based one one small part of a larger picture, against what the GP who saw me and did my obs was suggesting. Annoyingly, in the leaflet of the reflux meds it lists palpitations and chest pain as a common side effect facepalm

Am I unreasonable to feel extremely miffed? I'm borderline angry. It would be different if the GP I saw was thinking GORD but he wasn't.

I don't like going to the GP, I don't go unless I feel like I absolutely have to, I want to know what caused the weirdness but feel like I'll just be constantly dismissed by the nameless superior who has not even seen me yet overrides what my GP thinks.

Has anyone here had a similar funny turn? If so what was it? I hate not knowing!

When my daughter rang 111 with intense heart burn they sent an ambulance with a paramedic to assess and do an ECG as it can be a symptom of heart issues. I would be going back and asking for a second opinion.

What's meds did they give for GORD?

How old are you and what is your family history for heart disease? For what it's worth I agree with you, it doesn't sound like GORD, and you do need the 24 hr ECG. I'd go back and argue,pointing out that heart disease is often missed in women as the symptoms are more subtle than in men

Agree with other posters, you need a 24 hr tape and check if they did a full thyroid check. Out of interest, what dose of Vit D have you been prescribed?

@Cabbagepie I think I'll request a second opinion on Friday- but the if the GP that overrode the one I saw is one of the awkward ones it might not go down very well. I hope your daughter is okay!

@Hankunamatata It's Lansoprazole

@InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream I'm 38, no known history of it on the maternal side but no idea on the other side, no contact with them at all. I'm ready to argue (politely) now, but felt like I couldn't say no to trying the GORD meds, because after all, I'm not a doctor and wasn't aware of the symptoms of it enough to know it didn't fit- that I found out when I got home and googled it.

@blowupthehouseandmove They did a Serum TSH level test and it came in at slightly above range, 6.0 which I'll have repeat bloods for in a couple of weeks to see if I might need a low dose of thyroid medication. I was prescribed 50,000 IU weekly for 6 weeks of vitamin D, to be followed by a regular dose daily. My levels were only 13 nmol (range being 50.00-200).

Thank you all for posting, I wasn't sure if I was being silly or not, all I know is the funny turns were scary and I don't want to be brushed off by someone who hasn't even seen me.

Well your Vit D level is on the floor and you're hypothyroid, you might want to head over to Healthunlocked- fantastic advice over there about thyroid and Vit levels-sounds like lots of your levels might be seriously out of whack and GP's usually aren't the best as dealing with it. Good luck!

Very interesting. I have also had the same symptoms. Had bloods done and given vit D..like you. Told to phone back about the rest but havent managed to get though

Can you use your pulse oximeter to see if the pulse rate rises over 30bpm on standing? Your funny turns sound a little like my pots syndrome symptoms. Not sure if you have had covid, but there has been an increase in pots diagnosis following covid.

@InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream Thankyou. Apparently it's "subclinical" but if it's worse or the same at repeat bloods I might have to take medication. I didn't want to jump straight to meds without being sure it wasn't a one off, as in the past my levels have fluctuated quite a bit- and I never even knew it til I had a scare during a pregnancy and queried possible thyroid issues with another GP, who looked at my records and showed me I'd had it tested during bloods a few times in earlier years- no one ever told me! Even though one of those results was 5.9. It's not a great surgery tbh, so wasn't surprised. The difference I felt within a very short time after taking the first large dose of vit D was amazing, I was convinced then that the funny turn had been a one off caused by that, but since it repeated despite feeling a lot better in general I'm unsure. I'll update when (if) I get an answer.

@user1471427614 Perhaps go down in person at the time they tell you to call. I prefer to go down because the chances of actually getting an appointment are better. Did you even have the leg shaking? That bit really baffles me the most!

@InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream

Well your Vit D level is on the floor and you're hypothyroid, you might want to head over to Healthunlocked- fantastic advice over there about thyroid and Vit levels-sounds like lots of your levels might be seriously out of whack and GP's usually aren't the best as dealing with it. Good luck!

I second having a look at Healthunlocked. A TSH of 6 is enough to make you feel really ill. Years ago you’d have been treated for a TSH of 4 but NICE changed the goalposts. Your thyroid needs treatment ASAP.

Also should have asked if you had other thyroid tests T4 and T3 ?
British GPs are notoriously bad at treating thyroids appropriately ( as I know from many years of hypothyroidism )

Could it be a gallbladder infection, my friend used to get attacks like this and sometimes she'd pass out too, she also had bad heartburn and palpitations. X

I'm a GP Trainee and there's absolutely nothing to stop me from requesting a 24hour tape if there's is a need. Doesn't cost the patient, GP or the practice. If there's a clinical indication, which in your case there is, ie the high heart rate and funny turns, then I will just ask for it. Or the very least, an ECG. Does your surgery have a practice nurse that does ECG?

@Stormwhale I wondered about pots, but thought that was only when going from sitting or laying down to standing, my funny turns all happened when laying in bed- one as soon as laying down, two after some time, seemingly randomly. I've seen it go up over 30 sometimes, like after climbing stairs but mostly it's just constantly running high, in the 120s. I will ask the GP about pots. I don't think I've had covid, just the occasional cold.

@Suzanne999 No T3 or T4, it just says Serum TSH level. I'll ask about T3 and T4 on Friday. Will have a look at Healthunlocked.

@lisaandalan I'll ask the GP about that specifically. When I asked about infection in general the GP said unlikely because I'd "look sicker" (pale, etc).

After losing my dad to a brain haemorrhage that would have been caught two years previously and operated on had a senior doctor not over ruled a junior doctor your perfectly in your rights to be miffed about this doctor overruling. This senior GP has dismissed your symptoms, call back and ask to see another doctor not the trainer or the senior doctor. Everyone is entitled to a second or even third opinion. Stick to your guns and don’t let them fob you off!

@Doggywoof I had an ECG there after the first funny turn, but it wasn't til after the second funny turn that my heart rate stayed elevated. That did show in the results of an ECG at a&e but I didn't meet the criteria for further investigation there. That's when I was told to go back to the GP whereupon I was palmed off with the reflux meds. My local GP practice doesn't have a great rep, I'm not surprised the GP I saw was subject to some other Dr scuppering his intentions. He was apologetic when telling me about the reflux, I felt a bit sorry for him.

@Nixster87 I'm so sorry for your loss, that's horrific. You're right I've been dismissed. I do wonder if they were even listening properly, and might have only heard "heartburn" at the end of a sentence. I will give the trainee I saw one last chance because he is very attentive and takes things seriously, but I'll also request the name of who this "senior" is, and suggest he instead go to one of the other ones there, one who my mother sees and who is not a dismissive arse.

I had funny turns before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (under active thyroid). A high heart rate can also and more usually be symptom of hyperthyroidism (over active thyroid) but I have had an elevated heart rate when hypothyroid and under medicated. It’s quite confusing but I would also recommend HealthUnlocked as a very helpful resource.

@CiderWithLizzie Did your legs shake too? Just registered with Healthunlocked, looks pretty useful!

I have gord did have high heart rate, pulse BUT they did do the 24 hour test and a week long test. I had an echocardiogram. My heart is fine. Despite a few visits to A and E via ambulance. I have learned to eat little and often. Don't eat well before bedtime.

BUT you must insist the doctor rules out heart problems. Write down the episode, duration, rates get yourself a bp monitor from Boots. Keep pushing.

My legs didn’t shake but I had lots of other symptoms as I became more and more hypothyroid without treatment, including tingling hands and feet, feeling spaced out, dark vision, exhaustion etc.

@justasking111 Did you also have the other symptoms of gord or was it just the high heart rate? I will insist as best I can, the fact that the GP wanted to do the 24h monitor is enough for me to push, he was the one that saw me after all, I value his opinion more than a possibly rather disinterested "superior." I don't eat right before bed.

@CiderWithLizzie I do get random tingling an exhaustion. Had chalked it up to the low vit D!

Thyroid is a pain. Mine was 7.5 and they said it didn't need treating as it was only slightly(!) above range. I pushed on the guidelines and had it retested and it was 7.6 and they begrudgingly gave me 25 of levo
Given I'm 5ft 10, this did fuck all and they upped it to 50. I pushed again and am now on 75
Haematology have written twice to say I need a referral to endocrinologist but they won't do it. He helped with my thyroid dose by asking my GP if they were still using homeopathy on the NHS or were they giving me the tiny dose for another reason

I also had the same vitamin d levels! Did the full course and now take a high dose of 4000 daily

You need to push for more investigations. A heart rate over 100 at rest is clinically abnormal. I would suggest that it was linked to your thyroid, but I wouldnt want you to just stick with that path and not focus on cardiology. Heart burn type pain is a classic sign of heart attack in women. Please go back to the GP and ask for a work up for heart attacks. There are blood tests they can do to see if your heart cells are inflamed like troponin levels and c-reactive protein levels. You have red flashing flags for heart issues and need both an immediate risk type work up and a holter monitor to look for arrthymia.

In the meantime, take the full rda of magnesium daily (at bedtime) the prescribed vit d, add some selenium and make sure you are using idoised salt (and salt your food well)