GP meltdown.

I can not answer your questions, but hope you will get the treatment you need to help you. After going through such major surgery as a child it must be worrying for you, I do have friends who have had major heart surgery and come through really well with a better quality of life afterwards. I do hope that with a different GP you that you get the treatment you need.

Hilltopgran They will have to break ribs!

Ruby It sounds very scary to have ribs broken but I had 2 ribs removed because I had compression of the blood vessels in my neck . They did it from under my arms , God knows how , but it really wasn`t too bad as operations go . They won`t brake them but go through the softer tissue where they join onto the sternum , It sounds really violent to think of having your ribs broken !! If it sorts your problem out then it will be all worth it . I get fobbed off all the time btw , investigations which show up what the problems are then to be told that there is no treatment. I am very much like you , struggling on and trying to cope with some very unpleasant symptoms and putting on a brave face . I am just grateful for the things I do have and try to concentrate on the good things but it is not always easy .

f77ms Aw, I do feel for you. It's not easy if they are finding out what is wrong and then being told there is no treatment. Life sucks at times, but we do have to look for the positive. I have just watched Would I Lie To You and had a half hour of pain free laughs. What sort of things do you manage to do for some happiness? I have some craft things to do for Christmas and bought a new colouring book today. I also bought some battery fairy lights, but can't get the battery cover off! I really need to get some muscles.

My cardiologist has said that they will break ribs, they did when I had my last operation. Like you said, it will be worth it. The only problem is, that the new valves only last 10 years and then they need to be done again.

This may be entirely unconnected rubylady but DH had a replacement aortic valve 9 years ago . He had the option of tissue or metal but given his other problems including being on immunosuppressants, the tissue valve was considered the better option. Nobody said anything about it only lasting 10 years!! His heart valve seems to be one of the few bits of him which is working without problems, so PLEASE don't let anything about "10years shelf life" scare you unnecessarily

My Dad had that operation and his quality of life improved 100%?

I am afraid I only have staunch support to offer, but also, I would make the observation that it seems a real crying shame a patient has to insist on a different GP, AND go into melt down before anything gets done.

Oh, Rubylady how awful! I am so sorry you're having to use your precious energy to try to get some attention, get things moving! Good luck with it all.

It makes you wonder why these GPs who fob people off bother to become doctors in the first place.

I am glad to read that you were finally listened to. I hope it is sorted out for you very soon. Best wishes.

Not sure if you all know but since your GP is now given responsibility for funding they try not to spend it! Anything that's expensive they avoid. MRIs are wonderful but they do them only as a last resort. It took me 2 years to get an ultrasound to check my ovaries as I was concerned about them.I ended up saying I'd pay for it myself.

Don't tar all GPs with the same brush. When I asked for an ultrasound scan to see if I had an aortic aneurism, it was arranged within a week. I also had an internal scan some years ago as my mother died of cancer of the fallopian tubes.

Good luck with it all ruby lady ?

Our surgery is now consisting purely of locums. No chance anymore of having a one to one with a doctor who actually cares about you and not the money. I'm sorry for sounding cynical ruby lady but my thoughts and prayers are with you. All the best.

I am delighted that you saw a new GP who was prepared to get to grips with things - that must be giving you much more confidence.

AMT101 Please inform me if your statement re GPs is UK wide or just England>

It is important not to tar all the regions with the same brush.

I can only wish you the very best and hope that there is some progress made towards an improvement in your health. A friend once advised me to change something myself if I wanted things to change, and that's what you've done. Seen a different doctor. The start of better things I hope.

Wish you the best Rubylady, seeing a different can be a great benefit especialy if they are young and keen.

A listening doctor is worth her/his weight in gold. Wishing you all the best rubylady

Different medical problem, same issues. I had to go round every single GP in my practice, something I've never done before, with a very painful problem I ve had a year. Finally a locum who works one day a week listened and put me down for a scan. I'm still waiting in great pain daily, a month later, but I have hope at least that the scan will show something once I do get it. ( Scotland)

Good luck Rubylady. I know the feeling as I had a similar situation with my regular Dr giving me the same meds for flooding periods and anaemia for years. Then one day I saw a locum and he said why on earth hasn't something been done before now, and booked me in with consultant and I was in having a hysterectomy within a week! I had 20 fibroids!

I have DCs that are Doctors and one told me that they get a referral league table of all the practices in the vicinity, sent to them. I don't know how often they get them, as I forgot to ask.
'But, but,' I said to her, ' so you have to decide who is the most worthy of getting a referral ? That sort of thing puts pressure on you not to refer.' 'Yep Mum' she said.

Believe me it is not easy being a GP. My lot say most people who come through the door have ailments that would clear up themselves in three weeks. There are a lot with vague symptoms such as ' I am tired all the time' A lot whose symptoms are caused by their stressful lives. The worried well are in there as well and the lonely. Then don't get me started on those who are self destructing with smoking, over eating and lack of exercise. They expect a GP to give them a pill to get them to feel like a 20 year old again. A GP is not allowed to be brutally candid.

Believe me, my dear children are compassionate loving people. They visit old people who are lonely and visit after hours to check up on people. They have cried in my presence when relating sad stories such as suicide. Who of us would like to cut down a young person who has hanged themselves? There are millions of interactions with GPs every day ( they get 10 mins per consultation) and if anything goes wrong they get chopped to bits.
I am so proud of them but their job is far from easy, as they are not God.

I have had the valve replacement surgery, not pleasant at the time but the difference is amazing.
Please do not leave it too late, it really does give you a new lease of life.
I had an ECG and an ultrasound scan just 2 weeks ago and the consultant said my heart was really healthy and everything was fine.
Good luck

I think the GP's are just overburdened in a health system that has become unworkable! But apart from the politics - I know someone who had a valve op two years ago and is now doing fine (think she is late 70's). Long recovery but worth it. I think when you go to the Dr you might have to insist if you really want to be referred. When I was younger Drs seemed to know everything - maybe because we generally were more ignorant of medical matters. Now there is so much for them to know, that it must be so difficult. I have had very good medical advice this year and been referred several times (although I did not have to insist!). But I hate having to go to the Dr.!

Good post, Janeayressister, GPs have difficult, demanding jobs on the best of days