I Need Assistance!!

[seal1990]

Hello! I may have put this in the wrong place but hopefully someone can give me some advice?
To give some background - I am not close to my mother and therefore I can't ask her, and I am a bit embarrassed to ask my MIL, (I know, I know, if it's that embarrassing how can I ask strangers right?!)
ahem
So. I'm 27 years old, and I've only recently started to check my breasts on a regular basis. So to be perfectly honest, I have no idea what is normal and what is not. But I have noticed that my breast has been really painful over a couple of weeks, also it seems to have changed shape around the nipple. I'm trying to avoid Google because it usually makes me more paranoid than anything else... I also tried to make an appointment with my GP but I was told that - "If it's a lady problem, you will have to see the lady doctor." (This by the 'head' GP who is male, and spoke to me on the phone...)
The main issue is, I am freaking out, but I don't know if I should be concerned or not! Plus, the lady doctor is on annual leave at the moment so I don't know how I can get help from the doctor.
Sorry this is so long! Thanks for sticking with me!
Seal xxx

Hi didn't want to leave you without a reply. I don't have massive experience in this area but I had pain before and it was just hormones and mild infection. Try not to worry you are very young for anything serious. If you are really worried you can go private for a one off consultation to speed things up. Sounds odd that a male doc can't check you out though? Please don't panic google is the worst when it comes to this stuff - just go to doc asap and go from there. Lots of luck.

Tell me about it, I couldn't believe it when he said that... I mean, I understand the need to have a chaperone if necessary but to be refused an appointment seems exceptionally old school.
Thank you for your reply!

Hi, I'm a GP and I think you need to be pushier. Of course a male doctor should be able to examine you.

Well done for not googling, please resist the temptation, it will only make you more anxious (at your age, it's very unlikely to be anything serious but you are right to get it checked).

Good luck.

I have encountered this, (male,) GP once in a physical appointment, and it was my first one in this practice so I asked about my birth control etc and he said then - "If you have women's problems, we have a lady doctor you should see." So I then had to make a further appointment with the lady before I was allowed birth control pills again.

Your GP sounds like a prick!

Time for a new GP. A complaint to the practice manager. And look for details of a well woman clinic locally.

I've never heard of a male GP not qualified to deal with a female enquiry. Did he maybe mean to offer you the choice of seeing a female GP if you didn't want to see him? And why is he answering the practice phone instead of his receptionist?
Hope you get an answer to your problem soon x

Molly - Sorry, should have been more clear, he was the 'Duty Doctor' today, so when I phoned I did speak to a receptionist, and when she told me they had no appointments for today, I asked if the Duty Doctor could ring me back, which he did.

Not even talking to you about contraception?? - he needs to sort himself out. I'm shocked and would be quite annoyed if I worked with him. Since when is contraception a "lady's problem???"

I do think you should be given a choice about whether you are happy to be examined by a male GP or would prefer a female. I always offer the choice of returning to see a male GP if a man comes to me with an issue that needs intimate examination.

What about asking to speak to the practice manager about their policies on intimate examinations? If a policy doesn't exist, you'd be within your rights to flag up hid attitude.