Demanding a blood test today.

[CollyWombles]

For the past two months, my health has been off. It started with nausea, which passed. Then headaches which have pretty much passed. Then I started having pains in my legs when I am in bed. This is on going but now my joints have become painful and my limbs feel weak. When I wake in the morning, both Achilles tendons hurt and knees. I hobble down the stairs. The tendons ease fairly quickly but the knees and elbows hurt and it feels like I've been lifting weights for hours.

I have had telephone appointments with the doctor as seeing him in person is near on impossible. He just says virus or anxiety, which I am on medication for.

I've had anxiety for 15 years, manage it well and I know when something is not right. I'm only 33 but I feel like Im 80.

So i finally have an in person appointment today with the doctor. Can I demand a blood test?

I don't think you can demand anything. You would be better presenting what is wrong/symptoms, why you don't think it is anxiety and what you are concerned it is and if a blood test would clarify that.

I have told the doctor what is wrong by telephone and he hasn't been concerned. This appointment I've waited 6 weeks for as the surgery is so stretched for appointments.

As for anxiety, first off, the anxiety has been under control for 8 months due to medication. Secondly anxiety symptoms are not physical for me, they are psychological. Thirdly, usually any sort of ill health doesn't get on top of me, to the point that I had pneumonia for 4 months and assumed it was a bad cough, I just got on with it.

If you are an anxiety sufferer, you find that some doctors look at your notes and just seem to assume it will be anxiety. I have given symptoms time to alleviate and two of them have, one has got worse.

I want to know what is causing it and to be taken seriously. I have no idea what I think it is, what I do know is a normally healthy 33 year old should not struggle to get up and down stairs and generally feel like their muscles are fatigued without exercising.

I know exactly what you mean. I had a seizure last month - unconscious, foaming at the mouth etc - totally out the blue.

Because I've had anxiety in the past one doctor seemed to think it was this. Every other doctor thankfully took me serious.

We are self aware enough to KNOW when something is caused by anxiety and when something is seriously wrong. We know what anxiety and panic attacks feel like! for you xx

YANBU to expect a proper examination and a GP who takes you seriously. YABU to demand a blood test - testing for what specifically?

You’ve got the right to ask about investigations, differential diagnoses etc.

You don’t have the right to “demand” something from your doctor. They are not your slave.

I'd like them to do full bloods to see if anything flags up. An infection say, or deficiency of some sort. I am fully aware my GP is not my slave, however it seems if I don't make a stand of some sort, the gp will just dismiss it as an anxiety symptom. Which it is not. I have had anxiety a long time and it has never caused headaches, nausea or joint pain. The only physical symptom anxiety causes with me is diahorrea which I don't have but is usually the first sign of a relapse.

I need them to find out what's causing the joint pains as it's limiting my ability to do things with the children and certain housework, as well as giving my dog a long enough walk. It's also beginning to get me down and I don't think that 2 months of being unwell with no investigations done is acceptable.

They'll probably do bloods as a matter of course.

I have similar symptoms to you. Dr sent me for blood tests and I have low vitamin D.

I live in Scotland and I think in general the Scottish are deficient in vitamin D all year round. It's certainly worth checking. I'm honestly just sick of hearing myself saying things hurt or I'm tired. I just want to know what is causing it and treat it so it stops.

I had these symptoms and a few others for years. It turns out I have coeliac disease. My symptoms were so varied and "low level" that I just got used to being sore and exhausted. I would push for a blood test.

Well I had my appointment and the doctor I saw was absolutely lovely. He thinks I have reactive arthritis due to food poisoning I had around a month ago and it's temporary. So he prescribed me naproxen for pain and he has also taken bloods. Never once suggested anything was related to anxiety and really listened. I'm so glad.

That's great that you saw someone who listened to you and has provided some answers plus further investigations. Hope you get good results.