To ask you to help me word this query to my GP?

[Betty789]

I am having a complicated time of it health wise just now, with several seemingly unrelated symptoms. GP has been reasonably good and has done lots of blood tests, made a referral for a hospital consultation etc. However this is only when I've asked and pushed and I feel like anything that's been investigated has been at my suggestion. I don't think she'd run tests just because I ask about them, so I'm presuming she thinks they might be worth considering. These are looking separately at various issues I'm having.

I also feel she attributes a lot to my age (menopausal) and to a recent bereavement. And she might be right! But I don't want to ignore things and presume it's all age or stress related.

I'm concerned about a couple of auto immune conditions, and feel like my symptoms are linked rather than all being separate.

I'm seeing her again next week and what I want to say is I'm concerned about x, could we look into this please? But I find her quite intimidating. Can anyone possibly help with the actual wording of how I can say that? Should I just say "do you think x is a possibly?"

Every appointment seems such a rush, I get flustered and feel she fobs me off and sends me out again. I need better skills in dealing with her!

I had a GP before just like this and it was beyond frustrating. She also blamed menopause and I was only 35 at the time!

In the end, I just wrote it down on a page.
This is probably excess info but I did something like this.

Symptoms with a description:

• Fatigue (late for work twice, sleeping through alarms etc)
• Sore eyes (constant feeling like I'm going to fall sleep)
• Afraid to drive (concerned I'll nod off)
• Pains in legs (sharp, worse at night)
• Weak (various times if day)
• Hair loss (shedding everywhere, so bad pther people are commenting in it)
• Tingling fingers (right hand, index finger, and ring figure mainly)
• Funny taste in mouth/bad breathe(metallic etc, dentist found nothing & said it's not related to oral hygiene)

Big things I had ruled out - examples

Doesn't appear to be impacted by:

• Diet
• Exercise
• Menstrual Cycle
• No headaches
• No issues with bowel movements
• No vomiting
• No issues with lungs/breathing

Things people have suggested:

• Coeliac
• Thyroid
• Anemia

Honestly, it got me nothing other than a consultants referral immediately but the consultant looked at the list and listed 5 possibilities straight off and after tests, I had 3 of them.

Also, ask if she has done full blood work, not just standard blood tests.

Longer than I mean it to be but just keep pushing until you get it resolved.

You said she had referred you for a hospital consultation - do you feel that given your concerns it's to the correct clinic (rheumatology I'm guessing)? Tbh, it may be that there's not a lot more she can do except wait for the opinion of the specialist who will have a better idea of extra tests that could help with ruling things in or out and with better knowledge of more unusual conditions/presentations.

Thank you so much this is really helpful. I like the idea of further explaining the impact of the symptoms.
I think my referral is suitable for that individual symptom, but not for the holistic "package" of symptoms!

Have you had your b12/folate tested?

GPs get around 15 mins per appointment and this includes pre-reading and documentation post consultation, so try and be concise. Be specific and be direct.

What is the referral?

Thank you all.
We only get 10 mins here.
I took my list and got through it, not without tears tho. I wish I didn't cry every bloody time. It really did help though, so thank you for that suggestion. My referral is re pain which I am experiencing, but I'm concerned it's about pain management rather than why the pain is there in the first place.
I now also have a referral to neurology, but with an estimated 18mth waiting list!

I’m concerned about x because of abc.

What is reassuring you that x is not the problem?

I’m still feeling worried. How we would check to make sure it’s not x, and what are the downsides of checking?

Thank you, these are great.
She hasn't said that she thinks I'm wrong, or that x y or z isn't a possibility. It just annoys me that it's down to me to suggest it!