Bit of a last ditch attempt at some advice here if possible... hoping someone can give me some/any advice maybe?...

[EveninEden]

I'll try and keep it to the point...
I suddenly got pretty unwell last June. Sudden onset nausea all the time, no vomiting, just constant, debilitating nausea... lots of Dr's visits - no idea what's causing it (still getting it on and off regularly). Around July last year while sat in my mums garden I suddenly had a pretty large bleed from my back passage (drenched my underwear and trousers)... told the Dr's, they didn't even do a physical exam, they said its probably just haemorrhoids.

I had a sudden seizure in September one night, cannot recall lead up to it, or hour or so after - hospital sent me home saying it was probably just a fainting. The following month, I fainted/collapsed 3 times (these felt quite different to the 'faint' I had that Sept night).
Again, Dr's said despite me having what appears to be bad cases of postural hypotension, I'm fine and told me to go home, to which I stood up and passed out (they sent me home anyway).
Currently I'm still nauseous most of the time. I'm so incredibly tired all the time it is seriously affecting my life. If left, I can sleep in til 1pm, and need to sleep again an hour later - I work full time running a busy business so I really need this fixing, but Dr's genuinely make me feel like a time waster, its humiliating.
I had another serious bleed from my back passage this week while at work and saturated 3 large pads and still my clothes...
I'm trying to see my gp, but struggling to get in. I know there may be no advice or ideas anyone can give me. But surely this is not normal!?? I've had haemorrhoids on and off since my children where born - this is nothing like I've had before.
I'm fed up with asking Dr's, they just honestly treat me like I'm attention seeking etc...
Before last June, my last visit to A&E was 18 years ago, and my GP I saw twice for myself in two years - I'm not and never have been a medical 'time-waster' etc.
I just don't know who to go to for help. I'm truly at a point where I'm not sure I even care if someone gave me a scary diagnosis - at least I'd have some answers/help!
Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated if you've been patient enough to read this far...
TIA xx

It's essential you see a dr. Be insistent that you need an appointment and don't take no for an answer.

Tell your GP you'd like to be referred to a specialist. Even if it is actually haemorrhoids, they still need treating.

Wishing you lots of luck.

OP this sounds awful. I know nothing medical but you are NOT being a time waster. Maybe write it all down like this, go and see the GP and refuse to leave until the take it seriously. Good luck

Thank you for the responses guys...
The last time I saw my gp she sighed, turned from her computer and said "you look ok to me, you're probably just very stressed out, you should perhaps take a few days off work and try some vitamin supplements".
One Dr even said "if you're here just trying to get drugs, you're wasting yours and my time, try a change of diet or something"
I'm 42, I've always been careful what I eat, I'm a size 10, I don't drink or smoke etc... I can think of nothing that I can change to my lifestyle/habits that contribute to this, or would fix it as he suggested.
I know the advice I'd give would be to see a Dr again... but I ALWAYS end up being left feeling like an embarrassing time waster... no one, at ANY time has given me a thorough examination, apart from blood tests which show I'm very anaemic, but I always have been so that's not new.
I am psyching myself up to try the GP again... but I honestly feel no hope.
I feel so tired, nauseous, just rough, every day. I'm a single parent with a business and staff I'm responsible for - and I'm simply fighting to stay awake most days... its too much.

See a different GP within the practice

Change your GP practice

On a weekend ring the out of hours GP service and get seen by a GP there

Go to A and E when you have another emergency episode

See a GP privately as a one off

This is extremely worrying.
I would print out exactly what you have written here, contact the practice manager at your GP practice and tell them you need to see a doctor who will listen to your concerns and examine you.
Is there any way at all you could see a consultant privately? It is around £200.
If you google gastroenterologists at your local hospital and private hospitals you should be able to find one that is local to both. There is a chance you could get your referral to the NHS that way.
If you have a named GP you could write to them, stating everything you have said here.
So many red flags there it is outrageous that they are not taking it seriously.

The ‘care’ you’ve had so far is completely negligent. If you can, I’d transfer to another practice entirely rather than fight them for help.

My friend went to her gp with a lump in her breast. He said it was a rib. She said no it's not it's new. He said well you've just had a mammogram it's nothing. She insisted. He referred her. Consultant said he couldn't feel anything. She insisted. He said you've just had a mammogram. She insisted. He did a sonogram. It was cancer and she's had a mastectomy.
Moral is: you know your body. INSIST you get referred. A gp is a general practitioner- they know a little about a lot, but even to me this is not normal. Stand your ground, make a fuss, and get an urgent referral.
NExt time you have a bleed go to A & E.

If you bleed from your back passage it could cause blood loss which would lead to you fainting.
It sounds like you could have internal bleeding from somewhere. It could just be anal fissures but you need to find out.

Unfortunately in our experience doctors are the worse for actually diagnosing anything.
You end up going private to keep yourself well
I would start shouting and threatening to sue if you aren’t being taken seriously.
A lot of the time it is the only language they understand.

It would be worth considering narcolepsy if you’re needing to sleep that much and struggling to stay awake for which you would need referral to a sleep clinic.
The postural drop won’t be related to that but a good idea to check FBC, ferretin, B12 etc if not done already, the bleeding could possibly be haemorrhoids but you really need a rectal examination to be certain before assuming

I think note all your symptoms and the number of Dr's visits very calmly and note that your are concerned, your concerns have been dismissed and you require an appointment with the senior partner to agree a referral plan.

I would also post it and send it recorded delivery.

Thank you so much for the info and advice guys - honestly.
I'm going to go and see the GP again tomorrow IF I can get in
It's no reason not to pursue this, but as I've rarely had to see a Dr for myself, I'm shocked at how 'small' and patronised Dr's can make you feel. I've truly been naive in thinking when someone has got concerns/become unwell, that you'd just see a Dr and they'd help!
I've never been made to feel so humiliated and an inconvenience in my life. I'll go again, and keep pressing at this, but as dramatic as it sounds its almost soul destroying being consistently treated with eye-rolls and sighs. I don't want to be there, if I could treat it myself I would!
I'm so sorry about your friend Livingintheclouds I hope she's doing ok - it's truly unbelievable how so many people are just passed off like we're all hypochondriacs!
I'm not holding out much hope I'll be honest... despite having 'chronically low iron and ferritin levels' (there words) for 15 years - they finally gave me an iron infusion last march! My levels are chronically again and they've said my consultant has retired, I'll have to start the process of more treatment all over again with new one - I'm done, honestly - I just can't be bothered with it all anymore.
I may look into the private ideas. Problem is, I'm told that brings a host of other problems - claiming treatment is needed if its not so they make more money... no idea if this is true.
Thank you again guys... I will push myself to make more fuss with the GP this week... fingers crossed.
X

Hi very anemic person here. Anemia can cause all the symptoms you describe. I dont even bother with GP now, I go straight to walk in centre who send me straight to day care at local hospital and its treated with iron infusions. I cant say this loud enough, your GP is shockingly negligent. If you struggle being assertive do you have a bossy friend/ relative who can go with you? The main phrase to say if you are not taken seriously is "Ok so ive dedcribed my symptoms, tolf you this severely impacts my quality of life and you are stating you refuse further tests or even a proper examination? Im going to need that in writing on my notes, Ill need a copy within 10 days as is my right as a patient and Im going to need you to refer me for a second opinion" This phrase has saved my health, life and sanity more times than I can mention. Good luck.

That amount of rectal bleeding is a red flag. I cant believe you are being fobbed off!

100% agree with everyone else on next steps. Have you been asked to do a stool sample at all? I had the constant nausea that you’ve described and turned out to be h-pylori infection. Hope you manage to get some answers x

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/h-pylori/symptoms-causes/syc-20356171

Just to add that was fixed with a strong course of 3 diff antibiotics over a week x

You need to go and see a colorectal surgeon as soon as you can. Your gp really should refer you but if not and you can afford it then please go privately. I work for a colorectal surgeon in the private sector and they wouldn't say you needed things if you didn't, in my experience it's quite the opposite, you pay private to quickly get an expert opinion and then if you can't /don't want to pay for anything further privately then you can be transferred under their care into the NHS. They wouldn't make you wait long if they were concerned.

Even if it just haemorrhoids or H pylori, then these can also be treated by a colorectal surgeon.
But the bleeding, tiredness,nausea, and anaemia are all red flags that need investigating.
I lost my best friend to cancer after she was fobbed off for months with them saying it was gallstones, so I feel really strongly about this! Not saying that this is what you have at all, especially with how long it's been going on, but still, these symptoms need investigating.

Your 'care' has been horrendous!
DH had a massive bleed from his back passage years ago, we knew it was probably internal piles that had burst but it was very scary, there was a lot of blood.
He went straight to A&E and I'd advise you to do the same if it happens again, they tied his piles off for him. They told him he had done the right thing going in.
Good luck.

Cocolapew Mon 05-Jul-21 00:45:24

Your 'care' has been horrendous!
DH had a massive bleed from his back passage years ago, we knew it was probably internal piles that had burst but it was very scary, there was a lot of blood.
He went straight to A&E and I'd advise you to do the same if it happens again, they tied his piles off for him. They told him he had done the right thing going in.
Good luck.

This sounds good advice. Just a thought, having been sent a bowel cancer testing kit in the post this week, I do know you can contact then directly and request a kit. This might be helpful.
Hope you're feeling better soon.

I had many of the symptoms you describe including the bleeding. After 10 years of feeling so unwell, I insisted that something needed to be done as I could not carry on. I asked them to test me for Coeliac and I was mocked, yes mocked. They tested I did have Coeliac. Ask your GP to test it's a quick blood test. If that's negative I would be thinking Crohn's or ulcerative colitis. You need a colonoscopy.

The next time you're bleeding, go straight to A&E.

Call 111 and explain the situation.

You’ve been treated very badly by the GPs at your surgery.
As pp have said, next time you have a bleed go to A&E. Every TV programme about health says to see a doctor urgently if that happens.

Make appointment with GP or nurse (they often have the means to get you seen), take someone with you who is a) armed with a list of issues b) confident enough to speak up on your behalf, c) has a pad of paper to take notes. Then, write a list of all the issues / symptoms, and calmly using the list, explain your concerns.

Then tell the doctor / nurse what you want, & that you are concerned enough to want a referral to the gastroenterologist under the 14 day rule to rule out cancer.

Having just put the fear of God into you, the ruling out of cancer is exactly that, to rule it out. It's more likely to be polyps or similar. One other thought as I have your symptoms and more, what you are describing could be dysautomnia, a condition that is very complex and at a very basic level is the brain getting it's wiring muddled. I have the problem with sudden bleeding, but from my bladder, I have a blood pressure which is usually high but can suddenly drop to 68/41 with a heart rate of 140+ on standing from sitting or lying down, unsurprisingly I have black outs which can have consequences (my last one knocked me out as I hit my head and ended up confused), so no longer get out of bed at night. The nausea is always there, but I'm never sick, I get hot and cold inappropriately, have issues with dumping, headaches, etc.

The thing is you need to rule out the nasties, and can then start on the more complex issues. But don't think you are on your own.....you're not!

Frankly, if I had that sort of bleed I would go to A&E, especially since your GP hasn't been helpful.

I'm so glad I'm came to you guys - thank you so so much for all your advice here!
For the record... the first bad bleed I had - I DID go to A&E... they said my 'obs where fine', did NO physical assessment/investigation at all, and said you should maybe see my gp about anxiety and tried to prescribe me Diazapam!
I was feeling so rough it honestly took me all my time to get from the bed to outside to find a taxi home - it's crazy I know, but I truly just couldn't find the strength to argue or pursue it with them. I just went home and to bed.
One nurse said maybe I should seek counselling ... obviously I asked at what point did any of my symptoms (fainting and lots of bleeding) present any case for 'mental health issues'?? At which point she then passed me into some Russian surgeon as a possible appendicitis case, to which he just said basically "what/why/who on earth said you need me - there are no symptoms to suggest appendicitis at all!"
I honestly truly, have never been passed around and eye-rolled at so much in my life!
I am chronically anaemic, but no matter who I approach or how I go about it, they say your results look ok. I then went and paid to have my bloods looked at privately and the said my iron and ferritin levels where dreadfully low, and my thyroid is shoeing signs of failing!
I can't afford to pursue privately, so back to the gp who said "we take no interest in wherever else you've been, your bloods look fine to me"... on and on like this.
My sister is a nurse in Australia and she has repeatedly said she is horrified and disgusted by the care where I live. She even called A&E while I was there and she said it was impossible getting anything helpful from them.
I must not and should not give up, but every time I've been in the last few months (to the GP) he/she truly sits there and says to me "well what is it that you think you want us to do?"... I suggest Dr's specialising in these things, they say "ok, but you'll have a very long wait" and then I NEVER receive a referral letter/contact.
Unfortunately I'm not alone in this - my mums friend was badly bleeding from her bladder... she was told from January last year til November "its just an age thing" "it's probably just an infection" " do pelic floor exercises" etc etc... she actually had aggressive cancer... by November when they finally ran proper tests... they realised - too late... she is now on end of life care, and will doubtfully be here at Christmas
It's not a case of me giving up, it's a realisation that no-one is going to do a damn thing no matter how much I complain.
I've managed to get some good painkillers (nothing dodgy/illegal of course!) and I'm managing whatever symptoms I have.
If I ever get the money I'll chase some private care, but until then... I've lost hope to be honest.
X

This sounds horrendous. I really don’t understand why you are being treated like this, your symptoms sound awful and certainly need investigating. Even if your bleeds were down to haemorrhoids, surely a consultant should be confirming that and addressing the problem? Can you not change your practice? Your doctor sounds negligent.
Don’t give up OP, and good luck!