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General health

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Original poster

telephone message from GP..now worried sick. Catalogue of health probs!

16 replies

smoggie · 02/05/2006 22:33

A brief summary of my seemingly declining health since the birth of ds2 in March'05 to put todays phone call in context.
All OK until October when I was admitted with renal colic and suspected kidney stones. Had a CT and there's another stone in right kidney for which I'm currently having lithotripsy to try to basically blast it away. 1st course of treatment unsucessful so have to try again. January - I notice fairly large lump in neck (lymph node area). Dh (who is a doc) and I pretty worried so got a private referral, had an ultrasound and looks OK but is a little bigger now and COnsultant advising to get it out just because its causing some restriction of movement and aching.
Since Jan have been really really run down, most recently had a hacking cough for about 3 months and had flu. WEnt to doc last week, got some antibiotics and she sent me for a chest x-ray. Came home from work today to a message from my GP to ring her as soon as I could. 5.30pm rang..obviously not there but was told I have to go for a repeat x-ray...don;t know why, but I can speak to her when she's next in on....wait for it...Friday!. Now is it just me or do you feel that if she has phoned me with such a worrying message I should be able to speak to somebody a little sooner than Friday?
I'm worried sick now. Do you think its OK to ring tomorrow and ask to speak to another GP to find out why I have to hve a repeat x-ray and how to get it sorted before Friday? DH doesn't work in GP-land so he's not sure, but thinks prob should ring as they've caused me to worry with the phone call so it's only fair that they should have somebody else available to speak to me -it s not exactly my fault that my GP only works p/t.
I don't know if its just me (us) adding too many things together(lymph node, cough, dodgy chest x-ray) and coming up with our usual pessimistic (hopefully) wrong answer and we're panicking uneccesarily.
Until this year I've had absolutely nothing whatsoever wrong with me and just feel like I'm physically falling apart.

OP posts:

misdee · 02/05/2006 22:36

call in the morning and ask to speak to another gp at the practise.

hope its just a badly taken x-ray that has proved inconclusive.

tortoise · 02/05/2006 22:36

I think i would phone tomorrow.Friday is a long time to wait.
Hope its nothing bad,but its natural to worry.

chapsmum · 02/05/2006 22:55

You would be perfectly within your rights to phone and ask, even the receptionist could read you the report which you husband could help you understand.
The fact you re being called for anothe Xray and not to see the GP would suggest the Xray has either been inconclusive or they want to check on the progress of a pnemonia etc.
If there was anything sinister surely it would be the dr you would see to arrange more tests and not just a repeat Xray as this would not really show anything more than the first one IYSWIM
Call tomorrow and I hope things work out for you.

Original poster

smoggie · 03/05/2006 06:42

thank you - good to know I'm not overreacting by wanting to speak to somebody sooner than Fri!

OP posts:

Twiglett · 03/05/2006 06:46

of course you should speak to someone before friday

I think probably the x-ray was just inconclusive or they are checking on progression of your chest infection

you have my sympathy and empathy .. I had a vile 3 month chest infection in september and am only now truly getting over it

good luck

(acidopholus / flouradix and acupuncture are my miraculous road to recovery treatments if it helps)

throckenholt · 03/05/2006 07:37

definitely speak to another gp in the practise - they must cover for each other's patients all the time if they are part-time - one of the benefits of working in a practise.

Original poster

smoggie · 03/05/2006 10:02

Ok are you ready for this - apparently there's an ill defined shadow in my left lower lung, but it could well be.....a nipple shadow!!!!!
So, I have to go and have another one done with 'nipple markers' on to double check. How hilarious....hopefully! Apparently this happens quite a bit on women who've been recently lactating. there you go - hopefully problem solved!

OP posts:

throckenholt · 03/05/2006 10:08

so why don't they ask if you have been breastfeeding recently and use the markers anyway ?

Hope everything is clear when you get the results.

Original poster

smoggie · 03/05/2006 10:16

I know, if its a common prob you'd think they would have this covered. Also, it was 6 months ago when I stopped bf. GP says sometimes the area behind the nipple gets a bit dense leading to the possibility of a shadow appearing. We'll see.

OP posts:

Berries · 03/05/2006 10:19

have you been checked for glandular fever?

Original poster

smoggie · 03/05/2006 10:47

No, but had this whilst at Uni, can you get this again? I've now finished the anti-b's and this mornign have started with a sore throat againa dn coughing. Arghhhh
After the initial relief, I'm now getting a bit paranoid again - just thinking about my anatomy and as I have v small boobies 36A/AA, not sure that my nipple would be low enough to be in the lower lobe. Don't know enough about the anatony tbh. Am going at lunchtime to get the repeat x-ray done.

Also waiting for boss to email back so that I can go in and hand in my notice to become a SAHM - see thread on chat. It's all go today!

OP posts:

chapsmum · 03/05/2006 11:11

"a shadow" as I am sure your dp will tell you can be infection, try not to worry
fingers crossed for you

Berries · 03/05/2006 11:30

Think you can get it more than once. I only ask as symptoms seem v like mine when I had it (dd2 was 15 months at the time). Also, dh had a 'shadow' on the lung, turned out to be pneumonia which could laso tie in with your symptoms. Hope you find out soon.

LeahE · 03/05/2006 11:32

Can you get spangly tassley nipple markers?

Original poster

smoggie · 03/05/2006 12:47

Did wonder about that!! Should have taken along the joke Anne Summers ones I got in a brant tub last year . No, unfortunately in true NHS style the nipple markers were highly sophisticated...erm.....paperclips bent into a triangle and attached with micropore tape LOL.
Not sure about the outcome as the radiographer came into the room afterwards and aske me to check that I def had them on my nipples, so either the shadow was still there or there wasn't one there this time. Dunno, she said I had to wait till they got my old x-ray up for her to check and she mumbeled something about not being able to see, so I'm hoping that the shadow just wasnt' there. Will have to wait now till the GP gets the results.

OP posts:

mummage · 09/05/2006 13:37

How long do you have to wait to get the results? Hope it goes ok x

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