To be pissed at my doctors and complain

[Ladylalaboo1]

Could be being unreasonable because I'm in pain but I don't think I am! I am prone to bladder infections, specifically upper bladder, not urinary tract infections. Have about 4-5 a year, have asked to be referred a few times over the years but nothing has ever materialised. My issue is the same policy applies each time I ring and request antibiotics to help me with the infection. I have to drop a sample off which they test then they will give antibiotics. About 9 times out of 10 my dip stick result comes back as no infection, will send to lab, if I need any more help then to wait until next week and ring again for appointment, other wise ring out of hours over weekend. I knew this morning when I rang it would say no infection, so when I dropped my sample off during my dinner break I wrote on the slip my concerns that whilst I know the process, my sample would probably state it didn't have infection but that I know my own body, know these symptoms like the back of my hand, and have on occasion had kidney infections because I've not had antibiotics in time to help clear the infection, so could they please still prescribe me some so it doesn't get worse over the weekend meaning I have to waste my time and the nhs' by ringing 111 going to out of hours and getting antibiotics eventually when I could just get them straight away. 30 mins later text comes through no infection wait the weekend ring back in the week. I work in a school so was teaching and couldn't ring until after if finished which was too late so I'm now up in agony , as symptoms get worse and have just rang 111 and I'm waiting for an out of hours appointment ( 6hour + wait) for them to hopefully prescribe me the antibiotics. I just feel really let down and unheard. There's been articles recently about how unreliable the dip stick test is for urine infections ( less then 50% accurate) and woman are just routinely being ignored and not listened too. I'm angry that my notes from previous infections have been ignored and they have just don't the bare minimum leaving me in pain and for the infection to continue when I could have had antibiotics by now. I'm just fed up with it really and wish we as women were heard more and listened too. The doctor who tested my sample was male, which , isn't always the case, but I definitely think doesn't help when it comes to empathy and understanding the utter discomfort a bladder infection can bring. I'm just so angry and wish it wasn't so difficult to be heard!! So I think I want to just email the gp and complain, if anything , just so they can make a note and in future I or other women don't have to jump through hoops for basic medical care?!? The dip stick test was invented over 50 years ago has never been replaced or even changed slightly and is so outdated. Just wish I could advocate for myself easier 😭 sorry I know it's a tantrum I'm just in pain and it sucks to be a woman sometimes !

OP you sound like I was a few years ago.

The problem with keep taking antibiotics is you will eventually become resistant to them and they won't work anyway. You'll be out of options and still not cured. This happened to me. I also went through buckets of D-mannose and all at home remedies.

I was referred to urology. A cystoscopy showed a normal bladder but an empathetic consultant who diagnosed IC.

He wrote to my GP and I now have Hiprex 1G on repeat prescription. I have it in the house all the time and you take a dose when you feel any niggle, after sex, daily if you like. It's antibacterial and only works on the bladder - it has changed my life!

Request this instead, even during the interim of your referral. 🙏

You do realise the GP themselves is unlikely to have dipped your urine? This isn’t a sexism/misogyny issue.

Obviously it’s not a literal reference to the specific urine dip. It’s a general issue with the treatment and attention given to illnesses that tend to afflict women disproportionately. The research that goes into them, the effort to treat, the understanding and so on. The ‘your test was clear therefore never mind we’re leaving you in chronic and debilitating pain call.’

@Carpooler the OP wrote “The doctor who tested my sample was male, which , isn't always the case, but I definitely think doesn't help when it comes to empathy and understanding the utter discomfort a bladder infection can bring.”

I’ve worked in healthcare a very long time and just don’t recognise this at all. We don’t make clinical decisions and prescribe based on how much empathy we have with the patients experience. We do it based on the clinical evidence before us.

Of course the doctors should be looking at the bigger picture but as I understand it the OP is waiting for a referral.

Wow this is really helpful thank you so much will definitely be asking about this ! Xxx

@Sidge unfortunately though misogyny in healthcare does happen. Whether it's conscious or not it's well documented and known that women are frequently let down and left to suffer more so than men within healthcare. Not just patients but workers also. Whilst your experience isn't one of sexism, that's what it is, YOUR experience, whereas a quick google search will show you hundreds of articles and study's taken that have proved sexism is alive within the healthcare system throughout the uk and then universally. It's a gender bias that a lot of people don't even realise exists but it definitely does and it needs to be called out. It's not that the doctor who was male looked at my sample and decided oh she's female forget it. It's that the very idea of pushing the issue, trying to find a reason for the infections and pushing on with a plan rather than just leaving it at the first hurdle is something that's less likely to be done if you are female. It's statistically how it is within healthcare. Almost like institutional misogyny. Again google it and read various women's accounts on this very issue and the numerous accounts from female nhs workers and studies they have done proving this very thing exists.

I can’t comment on your condition, but whenever we’ve needed consultant referrals, we always ask to be copied in on the letters. We then have a name to be able to contact the doctor’s secretary and find out how long the waiting list is and whether we can get on their short cancellation list.

Might be worth a try.

I eventually got a diagnosis of over active bladder syndrome. Cystoscopy and level of pain were not consistent with IC. The main difference (for me) was than when I have had a UTi..it stung like heck when I urinated. With OABS..it felt like my bladder was full all the time but didn't hurt to urinate?

Lots of clear urine dips and 3 day courses of nitrofurantoin first.

Definitely agree on women being let down in health care - it is a known problem, even down to thinking women are simply poor at handling mild pain (when it’s actually something causing quite serious pain).

Really hope the letter works and you manage to get it investigated, OP.

I hear you, OP.

Brilliant new podcast on chronic urinary tract infections (CUTIS), highly recommend if you're wanting to learn more about the little know topic of CUTIs. Its brilliantly researched and a really important topic everyone should be aware of!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/54Thd0K0vAkSeJrZGoyz56?si=tM-UFF3RTDKtwdWpxAnZtg

Ah excellent will give it a listen! Thank you