I want to ask my consultant to stop writing this on all my letters, can I do this?

[ASockofFleagulls]

A quick background to my heath issues. I have struggled with awful gynae issues and digestive problems for over 20 years. During that time I have had endless gynae and gastro appointments and tests and have been told for years that my gynae issues were just one of those things some women go through and that my gut issues are simply IBS and so I have just had to get on with it.

Despite spending a small fortune trying to find ways to feel better, the older I became the worse it got. In 2023 I asked my gynae if I could have a MRI scan because I had a uterine ablation a year before which had failed leaving me in awful pain (was told just to take pain killers). Turns out that I actually have deep endometriosis and diffuse adenomyosis and I am now on a long wait for a laparoscopy. Discovered all of this at the age of 50.

My gastro says it is possible my gut issues could be related to my gynae problems but then of course I could still simply have IBS alongside this which is fair enough. My GP says I can't possibily have bowel endo because I would be passing blood from my rectal area (being on several support groups I am pretty certain that isn't the only bowel endo symptom).

However, since being in perimenopause my gut issues are now a dreadful daily occurrence, my gastro can't offer up any more advice than I am already following (which is everything advised) as I have had all the tests. This is fine, I accept that and I now have a yearly telephone follow up appointment with her.

This thing is that with every follow up letter that comes from her she will state 'HEALTH ANXIETY' in bold letters which really pisses me off. I have anxiety yes but not health anxiety. I am anxious because I am living with daily pain, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, nausea and discomfort all the time, find me anyone who can put up with this every single day and not feel a little anxious about the whole thing. I have never once told her that I am suffering from health anxiety as I truly don't believe that I am, it's not as though I am going from one health worry to another, I am simply trying my best to live with the issues that I currently and genuinely suffer from which can be quite debilitating at times.

I feel with this stated on every letter neither she or any GP is ever going to take me seriously, now or in the future and surely it's just her personal opinion which she should keep to herself?

I want to ring her secretary and ask that from now on she does not add this on to any of my letters. I feel it serves no purpose other than to make it look as though I am exaggerating my problems.

WWYD?

I’m afraid I’ve no useful knowledge to share but just replying to say this sounds infuriating and so undermining! I’m really sorry for what you’re dealing with.

I would do EXACTLY what you are proposing you do and spell it out in no uncertain terms.

Short, clear and to the point

Thank you CavalierApproach, it really does frustrate me.

I would actually raise a formal complaint about it.

It is not a diagnosis you have and it is causing you to be taken less seriously.

It’s funny men never seem to have this on their notes.

I hate complaining about things but I feel that I should on this occasion, thanks curious79

I bet that wouldn’t be on your letters and notes if you were a man! In my opinion consultants should not be diagnosing psych disorders if that’s not their specialty and I fear you are right about this being a way of dismissing your very real health conditions. My endometriosis has completely fused my bowel and uterus together (confirmed surgically) and I never bled out of my backside! Your GP is talking out of their arse. I did however have symptoms similar to severe IBS and agonising periods thanks to endo and adenomyosis. Menopause has improved my symptoms.

Yes I think you should make the ask but you do need to explain you don't think you have health anxiety.

More that your health problems lead you to experience anxiety.

As you put it "I am anxious because I am living with daily pain, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, nausea and discomfort all the time".

So therefore you would appreciate it if reference to 'health anxiety' is not used in the letters from now on.

It really has upset me, I'd understand if I did have a diagnosis of health anxiety but I haven't.

I agree with you but I would go through PALS rather than contacting the consultant directly. You could also discuss with them how you don't feel that your symptoms are being taken seriously.

Honestly if you hadn’t said your Gastro was a woman I would have thought it was the total cunt I saw in Manchester.

Perhaps they teach it in medical school “how to dismiss a female patients concerns l”

Definitely complain. And very firmly.

This is what frustrates me, my friend's endo was stuck to her bowel and she ended up with a bag for a while as part of her colon was removed. She also says she never once bled from her rectal area.
I am really hoping menopause will ease everything. I am 52 in a few weeks but still having a cycle.

In my experience, I genuinely believe the NHS despise women.

Haven't RTFT but OP YES, do raise it. Classic way of silencing and minimising you're issues. Ask for it to be removed and if no joy make a complaint. Ask for it to be removed from your notes as well. You should have a Patient Advice and Liaison service locally if you need a hand.
I'm in the same position with health anxiety. They use it to mean hypochondriac. It's written on my notes though not on the letters.

I had postnatal anxiety which led to me being treated very similarly by consultants when I developed physical illnesses.
It’s treated like the modern equivalent of hysteria and it’s like many have said on here, if you were a man you wouldn’t be treated this way. Men have co-existing mental health issues and they are treated as tough and brave and strong, women have them and they are treated like weak attention seekers and aren’t allowed to have physical illnesses at the same time.
I would definitely complain. If we don’t shout about these things, nothing will change.

The older I am getting the more it pisses me off. Women's health is just not taken seriously. My dh never has these issues.
My dd16 is having period problems and the GP is constantly minimalising her issues and dismissing my concerns that she too may have endo (my sister also has it). It is a constant battle.

I think they despise patients. People
who have the audacity to expect treatment and care that they have paid for.

I do agree though that it is more pronounced towards women.

The consultant I saw was a private appt but he did also do a lot of NHS work. Basically he couldn’t work out the problem so he wanted to dump me to protect his ego so started with the “health anxiety” bollocks.

I made a formal complaint and he then lied during the investigation.

This!!

I bet no man alive has that written in his notes.

The sad thing is that so many women are shouting but still nothing is being done about things.
If I hadn't pushed for the MRI in 2023 I would still be none the wiser that my uterus is buggered due to adenomyosis and my pelvic cavity is full of endometriosis.
I will definitely complain because I know that I don't have health anxiety, so to me it's false and misleading information.

That is dreadful.

Oh, @ASockofFleagulls I am furious for you.

It’s bad enough that medical professionals failed for so long to diagnose a condition that is not at all unusual. To then turn it on you and label you as she is doing is - gross.

I concur with the advice here that you should make a formal complaint.

I complained to the GMC about his shoddy treatment - that wasn’t upheld.

I also put in a formal complaint to the private hospital when they tried for 9 months to fob me off before eventually refunding me some of the money I paid.

I am now complaining to the GMC solely about the lying. I have 2 documents - one saying what he insists he never said and another saying he never said that so it’s fairly obvious.

I fully expect this will not be upheld either.

But that said I believe all women should complain more.

Tbh there ought to be a press expose but even if there is the Misogyny and ableism won’t change as it’s baked in.

I was told for 15 years I was anxious/mentally ill but it turns out I have MS and they were not diagnosing due to misogyny. It is a huge, huge problem. I am sorry you are also going thru this - at times I thought I must be literally mad.

I thinking me minded tonwrite a polite letter to the consultant, copied to your GP, stating that you want it placed on your medical records.

I'd say something like, I note xx consultant's statement that I am suffering from anxiety but for the record whish to note that any anxiety relates to the lack of diagnosis relating to my problems and to the concerns, which are embarrassing and painful, arising from my symptoms.

I would like some definitive diagnoses to take place and some definitive solutions to help alleviate the symptoms and to orevent and further deterioration.

I look forward to hearingnfrom you and please confirm that my concerns are now on my record and there will be further consideration given to my symptoms and why they are occurring from a physical, clinical perspective.

Good luck.

I was dismissed and belittled by multiple GPs in my late teens over symptoms that they did not bother even investigating, instead labelling me as a hypochondriac. It was only when a trainee doctor physically examined me (the first time any doctor had done so) after I fainted in public that it was discovered I actually had a large tumour in my abdomen. FFS.