Weird symptoms

[TheLazyGirlBlog]

I'm going to ask here in case anyone else has had similar. I've got precisely nowhere with my (awful) GP.
For as long as I can remember, I've had really heavy periods, to the point that, as a young teen a gynecologist put me on the pill to try and regulate them. My Mum always said it was something she'd had too, but after having my sister and I, they calmed down.

The thing is, with me they didn't, they got worse, and other symptoms have started too. I have no idea if its related but by my (not regular at all) cycle, they always occur between 3 days to a fortnight before my period starts.

I now get (and have done for two years) constant dizziness. Even when lying in bed at night, if I turn a certain way (either left or right depending, or both) I go dizzy. I get it all day too, and if I dare try and bend over a little, I feel the ground come up to meet me. I often wake up feeling sick, and sometimes I am actually sick. I also have strands and strands of my hair fall out. Recently, I've started to itch all over too.

I am really worried, as the dizziness is a pain in the arse when you have to get two kids to school. Not only that but the first two days of my period I don't want to leave the house as I'm scared to.

Any advice or has anyone had the same?

Would initially suggest you change GP practice if you have not already done so - no point at all seeing an awful GP.

You need a referral to a gynae really to determine what is happening here. Heavy periods can be indicative of fibroids but endometriosis as well can cause heavy (and painful) bleeding to arise.

All your symptoms needs proper investigating now and you will need to be persistant in order to get answers.

I assume you've had a blood test for iron deficiency?

Yes, not that- that was the first thing I thought of. Was tested for all sorts, in the blood test, diabetes, under/over active thyroid, all sorts.

I had heard about the Endometriosis, so went to see our practice Nurse. She agreed (although was stumped on the dizziness part) but said she'd had to send me to the (male) GP as she can't make referrals. Said it was just a case of sitting while he tapped it on his PC.
Went to the GP, for a younger guy he is surprisingly old fashioned. He said he didn't agree there was an issue, that "all women have periods, most just get on with it", and accused me of "thinking of an excuse to have a sterilisation" (I'd been to him after having my DS and having placenta abruption, was told not to consider having more children, both partner and I happy with our two children, but as I was 27 when I had my DS1 he refused to refer me. I'm now 30 btw). He said I was having dizziness as a result of drinking (I don't drink). He also used my previous bouts of depression to accuse me of over egging the situation (mental health never manifested itself in any hypochondria). Same GP refuses to send ds1 for allergy testing. He's bloody useless, however, rest of the practice (bar his secretary, also a dragon), is great but the other GPS say they wont refer without your named GPs say so (ridiculous). I have tried speaking to the Practice Manager about switching but there is no room and he acts like its a tiny misunderstanding and gets away with his rudeness.

Oh my god! What an arse!

I would write to the practice manager and tell them that their refusal to change you over to a new gp is causing your health to deteriorate!

I don't know anything about complaint procedures but at the moment you are being refused the treatment you need.

Is there another surgery you could switch to?

I've never heard of the not referring you without say so of named gp thing before!

So when he blamed your drinking did you just say i don't drink? And so on . . .

You poor thing. I have been there with rubbish GP's and I have always gone for second, third, even fourth opinions. When you know something is wrong then you've absolutely to to trust your instincts and do NOT let them fob you off.

I was dizzy for 18 months from a condition called vestibular neuritis. My hair fell out too but that was fro the stress/panic of being dizzy. I had vestibular therapy and now I am ok again. There are a whole host of conditions that cause dizziness such as VN, labyrinthitis, benign paroxysmal vertigo (sp), but the best way to get sorted is a referral to a neurologist for diagnosis and appropriate treatment. No one has to live with dizziness. Go to www.thedizzylounge.com for day to day support.

On the periods I also sympathise as I have endometriosis. I would ask to be referred to a gynae also.

Best of luck and DO NOT give up xx

So how long have you been dizzy and is it linked each month to your period?

This is awful - your GP sounds atrocious. Yes, definately write to the practice manager and I would change to a completely different surgery if at all possible. You can always complain to the Health Service Ombudsman if you don't feel you have a satisfactory response.

I felt I had to repond to your post when I read that as well as refusing to try and find out what is causing your symptoms, he is also refusing to send your DS for allergy testing. I have a very similar GP (thinks I'm a hypochondriac even though I hardly ever go there )who told me that he didn't think my then 6 year old DS was allergic to peanuts, even though I'd given 3 examples of him reacting to them. He sent me away thinking I was a neurotic mother. Anyway, I managed to get another GP in the practice to refer him and he has the highest level of allergy to peanuts and needs an epipen. Don't be fobbed off by this tosser.

I'm a practice manager and that sounds awful. Any GP can refer without consulting the named GP - Christ, when on earth did any of you last see your actual GP?!! I'm not even sure who mine is!!!

Write to the practice manager. They may well send you a complaint form if they're trying to dodge the issue - so make sure you fill that in. They have 40 working days to investigate your complaint (I think, I'm in Wales and it may be a bit different elsewhere) and then they HAVE to respond. If they don't chase them and tell them you're going to the public ombudsman. They should have already sent you their contact details.
If you're not happy with their response you can still take it further with the ombudsman.

DO NOT get fobbed off. Arseholes like this give GP surgeries a bad name, and most of us do honestly try our best in pretty tough circumstances!

My DD has endemitriosis and has noticed some of the same symptoms including hair loss

Hope. Why does it cause hair loss?

No idea if there is a medical official link, but she was so stressed by the other symptoms that it could have been worry, or it may be depleted iron and other minerals. Who knows.
It has all improved since she had an operation which should give a few years respite