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Mixed emotion doctors update!

tlc-x

Undiagnosed Teenager
Location
England
Had the doctors this morning. We told her about the mucus and the blood and she looked at my bum. Awkwwwwaaaaaarrdddd. She didn't say anything about it but has seen that I have been bleeding (not making it up!) and that i'm sore. She also offered to stick a finger up my bum, but I said no.. not this time.

She asked me what tests i've had and I told her. I'm having another blood test to look at my ESR again. Damn, should have asked for that premethe.. something test! Good job I don't mind needles!

She gave me an information pack about IBS and we discussed this.. and she says i've got IBS. Then I questioned her using all my research and information. I have answers for everything and she has answers for everything! She asked my opinions on this and I still won't accept that it's IBS.

I've opted to get a second opinion and see Doctor Snook. The doctor that sees all my diseased family members. He's very good apparently.

We're going to try and go up the que to see Doctor Parry, the one I dislike.

It was all going well until the doctor said give it a few more years and we'll be there and will be managing my IBS and depression. I AM NOT DEPRESSED BUT IF YOU KEEP ON TRYING TO CONVINCE ME I AM DEPRESSED IT WILL HAPPEN! I had a bit of a melt down telling her that i'm not depressed, just very fed up of being poorly and how frustrating it all is.. you know the story by the now.

She has given me Amitriptyline for the pain to sleep at night.

Hmm, what else... so much to take in, in just 20 minutes!

My mum has rung up Dr Snook about going private, he said to go through the NHS first and see him, then think about going private if the NHS idea fails. I found out that my parents paid for my sister and brother both to go private when they were teenagers (different problems)

Last point - when I left the room, my mum walked back in. When me and mum got in the car I asked her what happened. Apparently Dr Hadley told mum that my crying was good. I thought she meant I was good at fake crying because it really wasn't fake. But mum said what she meant was the crying shows i'm frustrated and shows that i'm fighting this and want to get better - i'm not just accepting the IBS or depression.

That's pretty much it. Yay, we're getting somewhere! Also, any opinions on this? The whole IBS thing is bugging me. I'm beginning to worry that if we do go private, what if we waste the money and I actually do have IBS. When is that line to say "no, it's more than IBS" and when do you just accept maybe you do just have IBS...? Seriously going to need counselling by the end of this! I'm going insane! Heheheh. :D
 
I think Doctor just assume that everyone is depressed, it's an easy answer for them! If your parents are happy to pay to go privately I'd do it. I have just been seen privately four months ahead of when the NHS could see me with the same consultant. You can have a consultation and then go back into the NHS again if he thinks you are ok to wait.
 
Hi Tash :) Sorry about your mixed emotions, it's a rollercoaster for sure.

The Promethus test isn't available in the UK as far as I am aware, not at all so not even privately.

It's pretty outrageous that your GP has seen that you've been bleeding and still says IBS. But 2 GI's at my Hospital are so bent on not admitting they got it wrong years ago that they ignore my bleeding too, totally fobbed it off!

I notice you said that your Mum went into see the Dr. Did you know that Drs are not allowed to discuss your case with anyone unless you give consent- and if you decide you don't want things discussed with Mum then let your Dr know. They can get into an awful lot of trouble if they break this. Also if you don't want your Mum in the room with you when you see the Dr, tell her. Be prepared for a hurt and puzzled reaction but remember you're old enough to stand on your own two feet and need to let her know to treat you like an adult now :) Parent's don't always like to cut the apron strings and sometimes it is up to us to do this.

My Mum loves to play the injured party and act all hurt when I tell her to back off... which is kid of funny since she is the one stepping over the line and at fault. I just :rof: in private when I have been subjected to it he he.
 
Oh Tasha, My heart goes out to you. I went through all the same emotions and dramas with my doctor late last year and right up until my official diagnosis in January this year.

My doctor made me feel like I was imagining all my symptoms, kept telling me its only IBS and that he's only doing all these tests just to make me feel better about my diagnosis. I just kept telling him thats fine I hope it is IBS because the thoughts of me having Crohn's scares the sh*t out of me. Unfortunatly the doctor had to eat his own words and I did have Crohn's, the mixed emotions you feel when you get a diagnosis is tough but the relief out weighs the sadness.

Keep staying Strong, Positive and Fight.... If you feel its not IBS then more than likely its not, you'd be amazed how much we know our own bodies more than someone (even a doctor) on the outside does.

Your not alone, the Forum helps so much. I hope you'll use it when your feeling down just to chat because its amazing how many tips and friends you make on here.
 
I'm 38 and my Mum still likes to try and get involved! She means well but I don't like to discuss my disease with anyone other than my husband. I think it's a Mum thing!
 
Stay strong Tasha :)
I can see why you feel the mixed emotions but it is tough. It is not an easy thing to diagnose. I agree with the others if your parents will pay for privet then go for it! When I was going through diagnosis we could get privet health care on insurence from my Dad's work. They gave us £1000 and that paid for the tests and consultations I needed to get diagnosis. Then we had a consultation with the same GI on the NHS who then gave me the diagnosis. I agree with Bld, I think that it will speed up the process!
good luck x x
 

tlc-x

Undiagnosed Teenager
Location
England
I do go alone sometimes, but we're going through this together so she comes in. She doesn't get hurt if I go alone, it doesn't bother her. It doesn't bother me if she is there and the doctors don't mind. I know I can stand on my own two feet, but it's easier if I have back up as the doctors still class me as a child and don't always take me seriously (main reason to change GI!), so if mum is there to confirm things they actually listen. Silly, I know. But mum and me are very open so it's all good. :)


The parents don't really want to go private and would rather not pay the money but... well, if we can, we should. They just don't like spending money in general but they did it for my siblings, so it's only fair :p I feel bad going private though because it's cutting the queue, by me paying and going a head, other people who can't afford to pay have to wait.. :/ But we shall think about this all and stick to the NHS way first like Dr Snook suggested, then go private if we can.

Thanks all <3
 
Tasha its great that you have that relationship with your mother, i'm very lucky that i still have the same relationship with my mam. She comes to almost all my appointments with me too and also comes into the doctors at times when I know I need her support. Sometimes its easier to have someone else there because they can absorb the information you miss.

I wanted to go private too, but was advised to stick with going public because once your in the system it can go quite quickly with appointments. So far the public system has been great and I haven't had any problems, so I hope its the same in the NHS.

Fingers crossed for you.
 

tlc-x

Undiagnosed Teenager
Location
England
The way the system is for me at the moment isn't quick at all. I thought that was I was on the system then the appointments would be closer and quicker, but I still wait 4 months for appointments. Hopefully with Snook it'll go quicker because I think it's just because Parry thinks i'm just depressed so people who are worse than me in her eyes go through quicker. Just a thought, not sure. But we're gonna keep going through the NHS system and then if things really fail, we'll go private. :D
 
That is great news that you and your Mum are going through this together. I would definitely suggest if your symptoms get worse during the wait for NHS treatment then going privately would be worthwhile. Don't feel guilty about it, treating earlier could reduce the treatment you need in the long term and make you start feeling better sooner. Do you know how long the NHS wait is where you are?
 

tlc-x

Undiagnosed Teenager
Location
England
Oh and I read the IBS leaflet that my doctor gave me.. I couldn't believe it!

"Note: passing blood is NOT a symptom of IBS. You should tell a doctor is you pass blood."

"ESR - this can show if there is inflammation in the body - this does not occour with IBS"

I've told my doctor and still it's just IBS... atleast look into why i'm bleeding and why my ESR is high then..!
 

tlc-x

Undiagnosed Teenager
Location
England
That is great news that you and your Mum are going through this together. I would definitely suggest if your symptoms get worse during the wait for NHS treatment then going privately would be worthwhile. Don't feel guilty about it, treating earlier could reduce the treatment you need in the long term and make you start feeling better sooner. Do you know how long the NHS wait is where you are?

I wait 3/4 months between appointments. So much can happen in 3 months! Next appointment is in June, not long after my 17th :)
 

ekay03

My dog has hands!
Tasha, did I read right? Amitriptyline for your pain? At what dose? Not a bad choice. Don't try this one on an empty stomach. Could cause heartburn. Take at bedtime, cause this will make you sleepy. Start it on the weekend so you know how you will feel. I took Amitriptyline, lots of ppl on this forum have! So are you starting it this weekend? I hope it helps you! :goodluck:
 

tlc-x

Undiagnosed Teenager
Location
England
Yes! You read this right! I have to take it two hours before I plan on sleeping. I'm on Easter Holidays now so I don't have college. I'm going out over the weekend so i'll start it on a week day when I have nothing planned the next day because apparently it might make me feel sleepy and 'off' during the day.
 
Wow, it really pisses me off when doctors go that "oh, your depressed route". I have heard it all before as well. One thing to remember in the future, when you see your doctor it is better to be very straight foward and blunt, DO NOT ever cry as this will open the door for them to try and send ya off to the shrink and blame all your problems on stress or depression.


You are doing the right thing in seeking a second opinion. I also am going through the whole issue with not knowing what is wrong. I was also told IBS. I also was told to try librax and elavil(amitryptiline). I also cannot believe IBS can cause this much pain and agony constantly. Do not feel bad, you are not alone...
 

tlc-x

Undiagnosed Teenager
Location
England
"I also cannot believe IBS can cause this much pain and agony constantly." Oh my gosh! I said that. I always say that! Yay!

Yeah i'm already having counselling for my 'depression' and my counsellor says that my mental health is fine.

It's hard not to cry. I'ma cry-er! Lol.
 

ekay03

My dog has hands!
Yes! You read this right! I have to take it two hours before I plan on sleeping. I'm on Easter Holidays now so I don't have college. I'm going out over the weekend so i'll start it on a week day when I have nothing planned the next day because apparently it might make me feel sleepy and 'off' during the day.
Yes it might make you sleepy! It did me! Just a quick word on ibs since I have both ibd and ibs. Ibs can be just as painful as ibd. Sometimes more-so. Of course there is never blood w/ my ibs episodes. Just don't discount the amount of pain ibs sufferers suffer! Poor things, doctors aways telling them there is nothing mechanically wrong w/ them. Then what is wrong? IMO researchers need too keep researching! Dire amounts of pain for no reason? Yes researchers, keep researching!!
 
I'm 38 and my Mum still likes to try and get involved! She means well but I don't like to discuss my disease with anyone other than my husband. I think it's a Mum thing!
Oh I totally get that! But having had bad experiences with my own Mum, where she hides behind being a parent to ask grossly intrusive questions, and treating me in a manner she never would have tolerated from her Mum at my age, I am naturally a big advocate of telling them when they need to butt out lol, instead of putting up with it. That just breeds resentment which isn't good for either party.

Glad Tash you are happy with your Mum's involvement and support. Just wanted to make sure you knew what you say goes when dealing with your medical info.
 
Tasha, What happened in your personal life has absolutly no bearing on what is going on with your bowel issues and your GP had no right to discuss that with your specialist as it can easily cloud their diagnosis of you. I now see why your specialist is insiting your depressed.
 
I would ask your GP to provide an explanation of why she told, and if you're not satisfied, then complain to the practice manager of the Surgery.

I remember you saying that due to the assault you had a fear of being touched down below- maybe this is why the GP shared the info with the specialist?
 

tlc-x

Undiagnosed Teenager
Location
England
Yes, basically, I was assaulted, had counselling, finished that, went on holiday, this guy tried it on with me and I got cystitius, so when we came back off holiday, I saw the doctor about my cystitis and stuff, and she wanted to feel my stomach and check me over and I freaked out a little bit, then she asked what was wrong and we told her about the assault and about the guy on holiday (very scary guy!) and she offered more therapy, then last November another guy tried it on and blaah so I freaked out again.. that was when I really got the fear of being touched. But because i'm poorly, people obviously have to looked up my bum and touched me and stuff... so i've just had to suck it up and get on with it. It's not nice but well, I want to get better! So i'm coping with it. Doctor offered to stick a finger up my bum.. I said no.. but.. if she didn't have to then no lol.

So I think she told my specialist about it because the specialist is gonna want to touch me.

But I can happily say, so many doctors have touched me now that i'm not too worried and by telling my mum about the third guy took a load of weight of my shoulders... infact, enough to punch the next guy who dares - I am not a victim! :)

I seriously need to cut down on how much I write. I write you all essays! :lol:
 

ekay03

My dog has hands!
Tasha, I can think of no good reason to have another doctor stick a finger in your bum! You let them do it before and it is on record. They don't need to keep doing that! Doctors can be very redundant!
 

ekay03

My dog has hands!
Oh, ok. Still it is not a diagnostic tool. In my experience they a trying to see if they can notice any blood.
 
Tasha, I feel what your going through a very similar experienced happened to me when I was the same age and it does mess you up for a while but you seem to have your head screwed on right and its great that you have the support of your mum there. I had to see a counsellor too for a while and it helped alot, talking is great and don't be afraid of talking to people about it. There is something empowering about telling people your story, its like telling those guys that what they did was wrong and your willing to tell the world about it (you might not actually do it) but even telling one person makes those guys smaller. I admire you for telling us your story, it took me 10 years to tell anyone.

I would have had the same reaction at your age if a doctor wanted to stick his/her finger up my bum to and you have every right to say no if you don't feel comfortable with it.
 

tlc-x

Undiagnosed Teenager
Location
England
Yeah the doctor was seeing if I had been bleeding, but she managed to see the blood with out sticking the finger up! Phewww!

Sorry to hear that Sarah.
 
Sorry hear about your rubbish GP, personal I was miss diagnosed about 9-10 years when it fact I had all classic signs of Crohns. As for assault she should ask your permission or opt for you to experience to GI.
 
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