My 37 year old daughter

Your daughter needs seen urgently rather than waiting another 3 weeks to see her unhelpful GP. Becoming breathless with minimal exertion suggests she’s very anaemic and may be at the stage of needing a blood transfusion. Continuing in these circumstances can have serious effects on major organs.

My daughter had a similar situation in her late 30’s and thankfully was seen and treated efficiently. Her continuous bleeding and pain was caused by a large fibroid. Her anaemia was treated and a few months later the problem was permanently sorted when she had a hysterectomy. The transformation in her health was wonderful.

As a previous poster has suggested, she is now feeling so unwell and low that she’s not capable of making a rational decision. She’s said she doesn’t want to worry you. I’d tell her it’s beyond that stage and if she doesn’t seek urgent help today via A&E or 111 you will have to visit and help her to do so.

It’s such a worry for you and I hope you’ll succeed in encouraging her to seek help.

Thank you so much for all your replies.
I think l would feel better if she were nearer to me, or l could drive and my mobility was better. I have sent her a text offering to pay for a private consultation.
I have always been so grateful for our health service so don’t like to moan about it, but at the moment l l just feel despairing, rightly or wrongly.

Thank you for explaining the ways your daughter has tried to get a GP appointment.

I still think that A&E will be best.

She could try a private appointment but be wary of the costs. It's £150 - £300 for an initial consultation, but these are figures I have found if she wants more than that.

Initial Consultation: £150 – £300
Follow-up Consultation: £100 – £180
Pelvic Ultrasound Scan: £200 – £350
Blood Tests (e.g., hormones, CA125): £120 – £250

She could do the initial consultation and then ask to be referred back to the NHS if she decides to go down that route.

Wishing her the best, whatever she decides to do.

Can you afford a private appointment for her?
I think this is the only way forward.

She sounds in a bad way. Poor soul.
She should call 111 or whatever it is and she will be told where best to go. She can call a taxi if she doesn't feel up to calling an ambulance.
Such a worry for you too, especially when you can't help her or she won't allow you to.
Post an iron supplement to her.
Sending hugs.

Not surprised you are worried. Your daughter is indeed poorly and may not be able to rationalise very well. The bottom line is she must somehow get to an A & E unit. Failing that she will have to wait 3 weeks to see her GP. I fully understand she feeks too ill to wait in A &E but that is her best option. She needs someone to take charge and get her there! She is so weak and ill that she is unable to make a decision. Are you able to contact her boyfriend ? Surely he can take action . He may find it ' all too much ' but that is of no help!!!!
I am sorry you are going through this.
If she can't get to A &E then calling an ambulance is the best bet - sounds as though she needs someone to be with her and do this on her behalf, if not her boyfriend has she a good friend who can take over ? Please keep posting and let us know how the situation progresses. Good luck to you both.

AlwaysWorrying I'm so sorry to read of your worries over your daughter, and fully understand that she just doesn't feel well enough to present at A&E for probably a very long wait.

Would it be out of the question for her to see a gynaecologist privately, estimated cost £250-300? I know we shouldn't have to do this but when it's a question of our health, what could be more important?

I was having terrifying heart problems and getting nowhere with the different GPs I saw because my symptoms didn't occur while I was in front of them or while wearing a 24 hour monitor. A friend's husband died of heart failure due to lack of NHS care in Wales, and I didn't want the same outcome, so I decided to be proactive.

Within 10 days I saw a private cardiologist and had an echocardiogram. She said I could have had a stroke within 3 months, so it was £250 well spent. She sent a report to my GP recommending medication which I've been prescribed ever since on the NHS. My symptoms are now under control.

Your daughter needs a variety of scans and tests because continual bleeding is obviously not normal. If she chooses a private gynaecologist who also has an NHS practice, they can then transfer her into the NHS system afterwards. Google is your friend in order to find the right private consultant.

I wish you, and your daughter, all the very best.

Thank you for your replies.
To answer a few questions-she did not wait four months before trying to get a doctors appointment she filled in an econsult form many weeks ago, followed by a second one-it’s virtually impossible to get through on the phone, l tried myself and never got answered. She finally after days of attempts got through to ask about it; she was told that she was in a queue to be triaged and it may take a few weeks. She has actually been proactive in trying to get help. I also wrote to them, (her GP) asking for someone to contact her as she wasn’t getting a response but heard nothing back. I cannot understand why it has taken so long for her to be seen. The OCD that she suffers from makes life also very difficult for her and things that you and l might find straightforward and easy, she struggles with. She has been under a mental health team since she was a teenager for this.I have now suggested that we try to find someone privately to see her. There are just the two of us so it all feels quite overwhelming.

I agree with the above comments but as for the ferritin score, 220 was rather on the high side. I have genetic haemochromatosis ( the body absorbs and stores too much iron in various organs which is bad) and have had blood taken to get the ferritin below 100. One of the symptoms is also thinning hair. I'm not suggesting she has this condition though, just not to worry about the ferritin levels. Something more seems to be going on here.
I certainly think she needs more urgent action than the GP seems willing or able to provide.

She needs to be seen asap - the best way to do that is phone 111 and she will be guided what to do. She WILL be seen if she goes to Urgent Care.

When you read something like this it is no wonder that people go to A&E.

It sounds as if she has got to a point where she can’t help herself. Could you ask the boyfriend to take her to a walk in or A&E the waits aren’t always long. Failing that could you go and take her. I think this will be the only way

I had a similar situation in my early 40s. Thinning hair and excessive bleeding for me was connected to an underactive thyroid and peri menopausal symptoms. She will probably be anaemic if she's been bleeding so long. It may not be anything more nasty but she absolutely has to go back and speak to a doctor.

Sorry just seen she’s 37. Maybe not the menopause then. Please encourage her to find some help.

Your poor daughter she sounds very anaemic to me. The thinning hair and breathlessness are classic symptoms. She needs to either make another Dr appointment, preferably a different one to last time, or call or visit a walk in centre.
The continuous bleeding needs investigating. You don’t say how old she is, could it be the menopause ? Even so it needs looking into. I hope this is soon sorted and your daughter improves and you can have some peace of mind.

All this sounds concerning and I'm not surprised you are worried.

You say that she has been bleeding for 4 months. Why didn't she go for a GP appointment much earlier?

If the GP won't see her for another 3 weeks then surely she is better waiting a few hours, or however long it is, in A & E, rather than waiting 3 weeks for the GP?

If she feels too ill to go, she should call an ambulance.

Would her boyfriend be able to go with her?

Could she phone the NHS 111 number and explain her problem? They'd be able to book her an appointment at the local acute receiving unit?