To be so fucked off with GP

[AtALoss22]

I'm feeling so stressed with this situation.

Basically my 1 year old baby has sounded wheezy and chesty now for well over 6 months.

I've taken him to the doctor so many times and each time I'm dismissed. I even took him to the hospital once as I was desperate and really worried but felt I was being fobbed off by the GP. The doctor at the hospital confirmed he could hear the crackling in his chest and gave us antibiotics for a chest infection. They haven't helped at all.

I'm waiting for the doctor again to give us yet another appointment and DH is taking time out of work to come with me. You would hope in this day and age it wouldn't make a difference but I'm hoping having a man there will help (I was accused of being an anxious first time mother).

Everyone has commented about it. Nursery, family, friends, everyone. Nursery have again said to me today that he sounded really bad all morning.

I'm at such a loss I could cry. He's not even particularly unwell in himself although he does have periods of being off food and high temp but there is something just not right and no one will listen

Okay so thank you for all your replies!

I saw another doctor today who I've not seen before and thankfully he was brilliant. Said he was really surprised no one had suggested more investigation or treatment.

He's not diagnosed asthma as PP says he said most children grow out of wheezing but he has prescribed him an inhaler. He's also prescribed him some dissolvable steroid tablets to help as he said the wheeze was quite bad so he wanted to really help open up his wind pipe.

He's also prescribed some more antibiotics as he thinks there is still an infection in one of his lungs.

He wants to see him again in a week if he's not improved and two regardless for a checkup.

I feel so relieved someone has finally taken me seriously! He was really shocked no other doctor had thought it necessary to treat which makes me feel I wasn't going mad at least!

Thank goodness!

Excellent outcome OP. I hope your DS gets better very quickly.

To the people saying make the asthma nurse see him - is that how it works at your surgery? At ours, the practice nurses with asthma training will carry out annual reviews on patients with a diagnosis and maybe give advice on using inhalers etc. They don't get involved in diagnosing however, especially not for babies .

Brilliant result OP. In future you can always ask for them to take an oxygen reading - that was the thing that triggered DD being blue-lighted to hospital. Her symptoms were atypical apparently - happy and active with a very loud obvious wheeze, low oxygen levels but no crackling heard. The doctor at the children's ward ordered an x ray that showed "a well-established, bilateral infection" where "the reason we can't hear crackling is that the airways are so tight". She had been pale and wheezy for weeks and dismissed by several GPS . DD is fine now, has asthma but is well controlled with inhalers.

My dd was exactly the same. She had a terrible bout if bronchiolitis at 4 weeks. She was resuscitated in the ambulance and on cpap for several days. Her continued wheeze and breathing issues were initially put down to damage from infection and cpap. It went on for so long Sshe was tested for cysticfibrosis, whooping cough, pneumonia and countless other things. Turns out she had severe dairy and soya allergies and was reacting to my breast milk. She eventually grew out of them at about 3. She does have asthma likely related to the very early initial illness. Good luck with your little one.

So glad you've found a good GP.

I just took my DS to a private GP this morning for the same issue. I couldn't face the Monday morning phone queue for our NHS GP and they're also so rushed and always want to give antibiotics or an inhaler. It cost me £70 but at least it was a full check over and thoughtful response. We also go given dissolvable steroids.

Hope your little one is better soon.

Great result OP. Glad you have the help you need.

@Justhere345

Hi have you considered an issue with dairy? That can sometimes cause a wheeze and chest issues. It can create alot of mucus

I know you've already said you'd look into it, but just to second this: My son has - among other things - a dairy intolerance, and the one time he ate cheese he definitely developed a pronounced wheeze, and a rattling sound.

And yes, Piriton can be given from the age of 1 (and sometimes even younger, depending on your GP), just be aware it also has a sedative effect.

When your instinct tells you something is up, trust it, but keep an open mind as to what the underlying issue could be. I can only imagine how frustrating this feeling of not being taken serious are, especially when it comes to your DC.

Whatever it is, I hope you figure it out or your DC miraculously grows out of it!

Oh I missed your last update! Brilliant! And all because of your perseverance!

Whenever I get no joy from a GP (have had my fair share of health issues) I switch to a different GP, and have even switched to a different GP practice. It was life changing. I’m also a nurse so I know a little bit about how to assert myself with doctors and how the system works.

Even if this is nothing serious, I think you should have been referred to a specialist by now even just to make sure. In the next appointment insist on the following answers:
-What does the GP think is causing the chest issue?
-Can you be referred to a paediatric specialist, and if not, what is the reasoning behind this decision?
What the appointment shouldn’t be about: disputing that there is an issue. If this is what you are experiencing then get another GP pronto. If you still get nowhere by the weekend, here’s what I would do:
On Saturday call 111/do online 111.
They will assess and hopefully refer you to the on call GP in your area, possibly one at the hospital. They might give you an appointment for that day. Take it from there.

@Pleasegodgotosleep

My dd was exactly the same. She had a terrible bout if bronchiolitis at 4 weeks. She was resuscitated in the ambulance and on cpap for several days. Her continued wheeze and breathing issues were initially put down to damage from infection and cpap. It went on for so long Sshe was tested for cysticfibrosis, whooping cough, pneumonia and countless other things. Turns out she had severe dairy and soya allergies and was reacting to my breast milk. She eventually grew out of them at about 3. She does have asthma likely related to the very early initial illness. Good luck with your little one.

This is very similar re the bronch! DS had a bad case of bronchiolitis in August last year and it's not been right since then really. He too was admitted and required oxygen.

@oohmamama

Ask for an appointment with the asthma Nurse at your GP surgery.

Please don't. In most surgeries the 'asthma nurse' does annual reviews for people with already diagnosed asthma, they would not see a child with no diagnosis and even if they were diagnosed, they would be unlikely to review a child that young as it is unusual to have the diagnosis that early so would be managed by a GP.

In msot surgeries, the 'asthma nurse' has done a few days asthma training, or a 6 month part time diploma 10 years ago that is no longer relevant.

I'm a practice nurse - I get called the 'asthma nurse' as I do asthma reviews, but while I am good at my job and fairly informed on asthma, anything complicated or not properly diagnosed goes to the people with a medical degree! I may participate in the diagnostic process, but I'm not diagnosing anyone.

I was going to suggest Laryngomalacia but it is present from birth and I reread and saw your little one is 1 and it has been six months not the whole time. I’m not sure it can occur like that.

My nephew was diagnosed when quite tiny and he’s just turned 1 now, he sounds like he has a horrendous chest and wheeze but doctors kept saying he was fine as no sign of infection in lungs but it was quite scary in such a young baby. My sis was finally listened to and nephew had to have a tiny camera in his throat to have a look and confirm.

His vocal cords are definitely strengthening as he’s growing thank goodness so we’re hoping it will resolve by itself and he won’t need any intervention.

I’m not saying it is this, it just sounds very much like nephew, sounds very poorly when he’s bad but actually ok in himself and that’s what came of our situation.

Hope you get some answers op

Along with asthma and allergies have a read up on Laryngomalacia and see if that strikes any bells.

Best of luck. But mostly trust your gut. Take him to A&E if you have too. Or call your GP practice and ask to see another doctor.

Sorry I was typing, posted and now seen others have suggested Laryngomalacia!

So pleased you've found a Dr who's listening. Hope the treatments help you little one.

Am so glad you've made progress OP.

It is hard as kids DO get so many respiratory bugs at that age - as I said before my DD has been coughing virtually continuously for nine months! But if nursery started saying it was out of the ordinary that would ring alarm bells for me and obviously it was right that it did for you too.

Here's hoping the treatment works and he grows out of all difficulties.

@RagzRebooted

I got an appointment with the asthma nurse at my clinic after a bout of Pneumatitis kicked wheezing off in my DD and the docs refused inhalers.

She was brilliant, got her a brown and blue inhaler. She now has asthma diagnosed.

Be prepared that steroids can cause insomnia. I'm not sure if baby ones are the same but it's worthwhile giving them first thing in the morning.