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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be fed up with my GP

5 replies

GPfrustration · 26/11/2025 23:59

I have had some lousy health over the last year due to a combo of issues but it boils down to a lot of pain caused by chronic pain plus suspected endometriosis plus a large ovarian cyst that needs removing.

Add to this im also perimenopausal and its affecting both my physical health and worse, my mental health. Ive really struggled immensely and its been stressful getting help, to the extent ive complained to my GP surgery.

Without going into the full history, short version is ive been tried on a number of antidepressants as I cannot have HRT until after surgery as gynae dont want me having HRT until after, surgery is another 6 months plus away.

The anti depressants have caused me major side effects and my GP believes they caused serotonin syndrome so she said she would refer me to mental health services for help. That was in September. This was after telling me if I get side effects to just push through, despite my symptoms on previous meds also being the start of serotonin syndrome (I didn't realise until the bad reaction with the last tablet, luckily I stopped them and didnt push through- which the GP said was lucky!)

I could see the referral hadn't been done and so chased in October explaining I was really struggling hugely and needed some help. I was ignored for a week until I was sent a generic list of links to follow. I have chased a couple times and finally last week I chased again and then saw the referral suddenly appear as put through last monday.

I complained that it took 2 months to put this in despite me repeatedly chasing and telling them how much I was struggling. They came back and said the reason it took 2 months is because they wanted to get the wording right so it wasnt rejected as other referrals have been rejected.

To me this is a rubbish excuse that I do not believe. It doesnt take 2 months to get the right wording, nor does that mean that in all the times I chased they couldn't tell me this.

The same doctor was supposed to refer me for physio (its not a self refer kind of physio as it needs specialist input) back in august, this hasnt been done either. I am yet to hear the excuse for this.

I just want to know if im justified in feeling this excuse is a complete lie and fobbing me off in the hope I will just accept it. This is on top of countless errors with my care including catching 2 different medications that they tried to prescribe this year that would have had negative consequences for me.

In order to get anywhere this year ive also had to pay for private scans and consultations because getting a response from my GP is hit and miss, sometimes they respond, sometimes they just dont.

OP posts:
Cocoda · 27/11/2025 04:16

YANBU!! 2 months to make referrals is not acceptable. I am afraid poor treatment of patients is becoming the norm over the past few years. You can make a complaint to your surgery's Practice Manager. I would speak to him/her in the first instance to get the ball rolling: my surgery has an option to send an email to the Practice Manager via their website - but follow it up in writing as a formal complaint. There were, in the past, other ways for patients to make a complaint but not sure if those are available today: that is something you could enquire about. I am unsure whether PALS includes GP practices - perhaps you could find out? You could change your medical practice.. though it is appalling that you would have to consider this because of inadequate care provision at your registered practice. Have you dealt with only one GP? It might be worth consulting one of the other partners? I am so sorry that, at your point of need, you have been seriously let down by your Primary Care Team and hope that you soon receive the care you are entitled to. 💜🙏🏻

HelenaWaiting · 27/11/2025 07:24

I think you should go back to her. Serotonin syndrome is not a mental health condition, it is a series of symptoms which are a physical reaction to excess serotonin in the system. She should have done an emergency referral to general medical. If you have serotonin syndrome you need urgent treatment to reverse the symptoms and if you don't, she shouldn't be flaming telling you that you do! Go back to her, get an explanation for her diagnosis - what symptoms has she seen that led her to this conclusion? How does she intend to treat them? Should she not start treatment straight away? When is she referring you to a physician - SS needs careful monitoring and review of treatment. Onset can be alarmingly rapid. Go today. Don't take no for an answer.

Original poster
GPfrustration · 27/11/2025 10:45

Cocoda · 27/11/2025 04:16

YANBU!! 2 months to make referrals is not acceptable. I am afraid poor treatment of patients is becoming the norm over the past few years. You can make a complaint to your surgery's Practice Manager. I would speak to him/her in the first instance to get the ball rolling: my surgery has an option to send an email to the Practice Manager via their website - but follow it up in writing as a formal complaint. There were, in the past, other ways for patients to make a complaint but not sure if those are available today: that is something you could enquire about. I am unsure whether PALS includes GP practices - perhaps you could find out? You could change your medical practice.. though it is appalling that you would have to consider this because of inadequate care provision at your registered practice. Have you dealt with only one GP? It might be worth consulting one of the other partners? I am so sorry that, at your point of need, you have been seriously let down by your Primary Care Team and hope that you soon receive the care you are entitled to. 💜🙏🏻

Edited

This was a complaint to the practice manager where the she came back with this excuse. She said they wanted to get the wording and content right. She is still yet to come back to me about why my August physio referral hasnt been done.

I think its rubbish

OP posts:
Original poster
GPfrustration · 27/11/2025 10:47

HelenaWaiting · 27/11/2025 07:24

I think you should go back to her. Serotonin syndrome is not a mental health condition, it is a series of symptoms which are a physical reaction to excess serotonin in the system. She should have done an emergency referral to general medical. If you have serotonin syndrome you need urgent treatment to reverse the symptoms and if you don't, she shouldn't be flaming telling you that you do! Go back to her, get an explanation for her diagnosis - what symptoms has she seen that led her to this conclusion? How does she intend to treat them? Should she not start treatment straight away? When is she referring you to a physician - SS needs careful monitoring and review of treatment. Onset can be alarmingly rapid. Go today. Don't take no for an answer.

Sorry im not sure if I explained badly, I got serotonin syndrome from the medication, obviously this was stopped straight away by me but it took 3 days to speak to her and she said how lucky it was I had stopped the meds and didnt push through like she had told me to!

But she said there is no test for serotonin syndrome but it very much sounded like that. The thing is the medications before this had caused the start of the same thing and I had stopped them but the last med I pushed a little longer as she told me to and I was really unwell.

OP posts:
Original poster
GPfrustration · 27/11/2025 10:50

HelenaWaiting · 27/11/2025 07:24

I think you should go back to her. Serotonin syndrome is not a mental health condition, it is a series of symptoms which are a physical reaction to excess serotonin in the system. She should have done an emergency referral to general medical. If you have serotonin syndrome you need urgent treatment to reverse the symptoms and if you don't, she shouldn't be flaming telling you that you do! Go back to her, get an explanation for her diagnosis - what symptoms has she seen that led her to this conclusion? How does she intend to treat them? Should she not start treatment straight away? When is she referring you to a physician - SS needs careful monitoring and review of treatment. Onset can be alarmingly rapid. Go today. Don't take no for an answer.

This was back in September BTW and I am now awaiting a referral to mental health services who need to advise on medication as I am sensitive to them and the GP isnt sure what to try next.

But I never had a physical check after this, I monitored my own BP and heart rate at home but when I got the symptoms I stopped the medication and contacted the GP and it took days for them to get back to me.

OP posts:
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