Very down after seeing GP

[Salteena]

I don't often post in health but about a month ago I asked for advice about my increasingly painful, achey arms....Vitamin D deficiency was mentioned as a possible cause.

Well, I put off going to the GP as I usually do (I rarely feel I'm ill enough to 'bother' them), but the arm pain developed into joint pain, hip and leg pain, in fact all-over-body pain, as though my actual bones were aching. Add to that a very stiff neck, which is unusual; disturbed sleep pattern, feeling depressed, increasingly frequent migraine-like headaches and sometimes a really weird tightening feeling in my chest - not pain, but a squeezing sensation.

I know chest problems shouldn't really be ignored so I did make an appt, after a struggle. Had to wait 3 weeks in fact, and even then couldn't get to see my normal GP.

Anyway, I came away feeling as though I could burst into tears, which is not me at all. He sent me for bloods but flatly refused to add a check of my Vitamin D levels. Apparently it's VERY uncommon for people to be deficient, he says - which is not the impression I get from these threads. I asked him twice (politely I might add) and he just said no. He also mentioned that it 'costs money' for that particular test and he'd only start to even consider it if some of the other results indicated there might be a need. Am menopausal btw, but don't have any of the usual troublesome symptoms with that.

Basically he thought I just had 'wear and tear'. Which I know is perfectly likely to be a factor with some of it, but I've been feeling so increasingly wretched that I find it hard to believe there isn't something more happening.

I know it must be infuriating for doctors when patients come in having semi-diagnosed themselves, but I feel, really, pretty much dismissed as a time-waster. He wasn't what you'd call empathetic.

Sorry this is so long but I just wanted to blurt it all out, as there's no-one to talk to about this! AIBU to feel ?

I should mention the lack of vit d had nothing to do with the thyroid op it was just lucky my consultant said it could be a lack of vit d from my symptoms. After the fiasco with my GP I have his agreement to treat myself "as it makes you feel better". He should have given me a pat on the head as well!!!!
I am the biggest convert to supplementing with vit d3 going.
By the way its D3 to take and not D2

Nanatothree, no I am the biggest convert!

Haven't read the whole thread, but I've had lots of aches. Not too surprising as went through early menopause due to Breast Cancer treatment. I thought aches were just down to that, but someone on the Tamoxifen thread told me to take D3 and omg what a difference. I haven't bothered with GP, just researched it and bought myself to try - been on them for about 6 weeks now. Seriously though just do it. I feel so much better.

I think sometimes it's difficult for GP's to appreciate the impact the inability to do something or the pain of doing something has on you. My mum who was felled by a major stroke aged 70 5 years ago and had previously been very active - walking, riding, etc was effectively told that she was lucky to be alive, just about walking and get on with it. She was well aware that of all of that, but her efforts to try and improve her mobility to somewhere near her original levels were completely dismissed.

I have terrible back pain, permanent bursitis in both hips and shoulder pain after an accident for which I have to take pain relief regularly - if I request a different treatment or stronger pain relief I'm often greeted with disbelief - fgs woman, you're upright and mobile, what more do you want - is the feeling I get from them. It's very disheartening. Best of luck getting it resolved, def demand to see a different doctor too.

GP sound very dissmissive. You must go back and see a different GP.

So, having lurked on this thread, I've finally paid to have my Vit D levels tested.

They've come back as 27.0 nmol/L, or just into Deficiency rather than Insufficiency.

Can I ask those who've had doctors take their deficiency seriously, or who saw big improvements, whether that sounds outrageously low, or just a bit low?

I also have a GP who looks me straight in the eye and says M.E. is a sign of attention seeking and Munchausens, and I haven't really debilitatingly ill for nearly a decade. So I'm not really thinking of going there for help.