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Original poster

Doctors diagnosed on symptoms in a letter -yes this is weird!!

29 replies

Celibin · 20/04/2011 10:24

Letter sent by colleagues to GP as stating I was ill at work. Gp sent me without any examination to a clinic. I was given pills which resulted in me lying in bed with horrible images swirling around and a headache to beat any hangover. This is so awful I am cringing while writing this. Went back to clinic who blamed GP. By chance a friend advised me I had been diagnosed with a common condition and the contents of the letter and medicines confirmed this. Yes they had gone ont the letter and no I did not have this condition. Further investigations just carried on with docs using letter. Weird so weird!

OP posts:

IngridBergman · 21/04/2011 10:23

Celibin I'm sorry but I am finding it really hard to understand your post. Could you start from the beginning and try explaining really clearly what has happened?

KurriKurri · 21/04/2011 10:37

Why were your colleagues sending letters to your GP?, how odd.

Do you mean your GP refer you to the clinic without seeing you him/herself?

That seems very odd, was it your regular GP?

Did the clinic not examine you or do an tests - just handed out pills? It all sounds very irregular, complaint-worthy in fact.

As far as your health is concerned, I would get back to a different GP explain what has happened and start again with a proper diagnosis.

Naturally you don't want to give too many details, so I'm reading between the lines a bit. I hope you are OK.

Original poster

Celibin · 21/04/2011 15:59

Thanks. I told you it was weird. The place of work is so strange! Yes it was my Gp-he got money from firm for report so he took it as an easy number. It gets worse and I was forced to take meds by Occupational Health or lose my job The whole thing turned out to be a money making business as OH hoping I would have to go there every 6 months cos they get paid heaps. Turned out I did not have a serious condition ( my relative is medically qual thank goodness) but I have to take these b pills. They think I am taking 2 but I only take one. They are causing SOME side effects and so I have to take more pills to counteract them . Nightmare. This is what happens when you have crap doctors and Managers who beleive docs are gods. Checked employment law: it is legal under "Duty of Care" However what interests me is how med treatment works when contract is between firm and doctors and not patient and doctor. I found out that this is very old fashioned employer : paternalistic employer with staff treated like children Yuck! Hate them!

OP posts:

BeakerTheMuppetMuppet · 21/04/2011 16:04

so your GP wrote an incorrect report for your employers as he was getting paid to do so? Then the Occupational Health people said you must take your meds (for this condition you do not have) or lose your job?

And you think your employers and your GP are in cahoots to make you go back to them at regular intervals as there is money involved?

where are you OP?

noddyholder · 21/04/2011 16:05

what sort of pills? Employers cannot force you to take drugs!

HerRoyalHighnessPrincessCervix · 21/04/2011 16:08

bizarre. occupational health cannot force you to take medication.

HerRoyalHighnessPrincessCervix · 21/04/2011 16:08

wot noddy said 3 minutes before i did.

BeakerTheMuppetMuppet · 21/04/2011 16:10

I don't understand the comment about crap doctors, OP. You CHOOSE your doctor, if you don't like the care, you can apply to another, or at least have a 2nd opinion surely?

MumInBeds · 21/04/2011 16:18

What condition was it said you have?

ShatnersBassoon · 21/04/2011 16:22

I don't understand how this could have happened. You can't be forced to take medication.

Get a second opinion, pronto.

madwomanintheattic · 21/04/2011 16:23

um. if you went to the clinic and they examined you and prescribed pills, they didn't dx by letter. the doc referred you by letter on the basis of work/ OH concerns.

the dx wasn't done on the basis of the letter, but by the clinic who examined you and prescribed the meds...?

i don't really understand, sorry. forget the money aspect for a minute and explain again what happened, your op is a bit mixed up.

quickchat · 21/04/2011 16:31

Umm, I think this may be a case of dilusional paranoia

madwomanintheattic · 21/04/2011 16:40

celibin,

if the meds are causing side effects, and you've been additionally prescribed more meds to counter side effects, you've been back to at least one more med professional as well?

you need to be really honest with the docs about what meds you are actually taking if you want whatever it is to be sorted out.

without wanting to state the obvious (and certainly not recommending not taking prescribed meds) the OH won't actually know whether you are taking 2, 1 or none, tbh. they presumably just know you are being treated for x.

if you are having mh issues, there are some very knowledgeable ladies around, with lots of personal experience.

IngridBergman · 21/04/2011 16:46

I'm still really confused, the OP's posts just don't make sense on several levels. Sorry Celibin, first of all you need to tell us where you are (what country, what area if possible).

Secondly, you should not be taking medication you don't need, for ANY reason even if it means you've been told you'll lose your job.

Thirdly can you elaborate on what condition you are supposed to have according to these people, and what meds you are on.

Then we might be able to help. Just short answers will be fine.

yoshysmum · 21/04/2011 18:11

Sounds like meds for mental health issues. They can muddle your thoughts up, so maybe that is why her post is jumbled.

Anyway no one can force you to take tablets unless you are so poorly that you are sectioned, so can the op just not take them?

stealthcat · 21/04/2011 18:21

Celibin

It sounds like you need to see a doctor to discuss what your health needs are at the moment, and to find a suitable medication for you, if that is what the doctor feels that you need.

Original poster

Celibin · 21/04/2011 18:26

I am totally honest with my GP. With OH I just play along . I had a second opinion and told to play the game : fitness for work etc The second opinion was a very Senior Consultant and we were totally honest with him. The first opinion docs had simply been a bit busy and had no time to do anything but go on the letter. I do not have a major condition because my medically qualified relatives would have done something about it before.They always do.But everyone I hae spoken to with any sense agrees it is a weird, weird story. Money making business.

OP posts:

Original poster

Celibin · 21/04/2011 18:35

Love my new Gps Tell them eveything. They are lovely and v thorough Yes the first reply is correct : my relatives put in complaints and wanted to sue but I decided not worth it. All rubbish.

OP posts:

madwomanintheattic · 21/04/2011 19:22

your medically qualified relatives don't accompany you to work though - and clearly something in the work setting was comples enough for OH to get involved/ ask for referral to specialist.

i don't believe the specialist had 'simply been a bit busy', just read a letter and prescribed you medication without assessing you. and i don't believe subsequently that a very senior consultant would have prescribed you further medication to counteract side effects if he/she believed that the original medication was prescribed in error.

whether or not you believe you have a major/ minor medical condition, you need to make an appointment with whoever the specialist is for this dx, to discuss your treatment plan and the dx, if you wish to challenge it.

the fact that you seem to have been through some of this before wrt your relatives (implying that they 'always do' look after you medically when you need it) implies that you have some ongoing issues which may have been complicated by different specialists being brought on board/ referred to by OH.

do you have access to any community psychiatric help? i'm assuming that the issues are of an ongoing mh nature by your reticence - my apols if this is not the case.

if you are reluctant to trust the specialists you have been referred to, i would make an appointment with your gp and ask them to intervene on your behalf. they will take your opinion seriously and take into account any existing or historical issues.

fwiw, if your OH dept were merely in it for the money, finding a reason to sack you, rather than refer you for help, would have been far more beneficial for them. is it possible you have misjudged the situation?

IngridBergman · 21/04/2011 19:33

So, is this about the statins for cholesterol or something entirely separate? If it's the same thing then there's no way your relatives would be able to tell your cholesterol levels just by looking at you. So I imagine this is a different condition.

If you don't answer my questions then I'm sorry but I can't help you at all.

Original poster

Celibin · 21/04/2011 19:45

Someone asked about MH ? Sectionning : I have asked relative on the phone(qualified in Neurosurgery): " main reason for most people is not attending 6 monthly appointments with a Specialist (Psychiatrist) so a diagnosis can be reached but each case is absolutely individual. It is the last resort."

OP posts:

IngridBergman · 21/04/2011 19:49

So you've been told you have MH problems by someone and your relative disagrees with this diagnosis?

Yet you are under pressure to take meds for the condition or you will face losing your job.

This sounds a very difficult situation. Do you even have a psychiatrist or a MH social worker assigned to you, whom you could discuss this with?

stealthcat · 21/04/2011 23:01

It is incorrect to say that the main reason for 'sectioning' is a failure to attend 6 monthly appointments.

IngridBergman · 22/04/2011 08:09

Wondering if maybe Quickchat had the right answer here. Having looked at some other threads.

Hope you are oK Op. Sorry we can't help very much.

Original poster

Celibin · 22/04/2011 17:59

Oh dear not clear start again. Ill at work (minor) Employers want doc to sort out .Employers not docs.But behaving like they know everything.Very weird. My rels ARE qualified and know docs etc.Gp not willing to help. Sent to clinic -totally honest with them Why not be honest? Clinic not interested in what say so gives treatment that worsens things. GP only interested once he gets to write report as he is paid so only consultaion he offers me is to write report not to investigate .Got it? and he is NHS not private Get second opinion (Qualified):told diagnosed on letter as staff too busy . Go to OH told must take treatment or else will not be signed as fit for work Second opinion unhappy and rels unhappy. We comeup with a condition so that can get back to work: OH happywith this : just tod them what they wanted to hear.I could tell you loads more re this but boring. So obviously money making and we pay from our taxes for these people. wish I had never seen current employers I think beong forced to lie for me anyway is terrible don't you think so?

OP posts:

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