Looking for a good Doctor

[anon56789]

I have a lot of health issues and already had to move doctors once due to not being listened too and lack of care.

I really need to find a doctor preferably within distance of Ainsdale (apart from the 2 in Ainsdale) who will actually listen to me and not just outright dismiss me/say no to getting the help I need.

I was told I have chronic fatigue (by a private specialist) but I've never had proper tests to rule out other things so especially if a doctor is knowledgeable about that condition and helpful I would love to know!

If there's any good private doctors as well that is within Sefton area I'd like to know too

Thanks and have a nice day

[The PNP]

Unhealthy lifestyles can lead to many health issues. I'd start by ensuring you eat a balanced diet of freshly prepared food, not exceeding approx 2,000cals per day. Along with getting adequate good quality sleep, plus enjoying at least 30mins meaningful exercise per day (e.g. brisk walking or cycling).

[Albion102]

Presumably the private specialist you saw was a rhuematologist ?

[LEMONDROP]

Unhealthy lifestyles can lead to many health issues. I'd start by ensuring you eat a balanced diet of freshly prepared food, not exceeding approx 2,000cals per day. Along with getting adequate good quality sleep, plus enjoying at least 30mins meaningful exercise per day (e.g. brisk walking or cycling).

Well isn't that just patronising.............How do you know this person doesn't already live a healthy lifestyle, you can live healthy but still have health problems. As for doctors in Southport don't bother, you are wasting your energy, took them 15 yrs to diagnose my hubby with MS which I may add started with chronic fatigue and no one listening, then fibromyalgia and chronic arthritis.....really is hit and miss but good luck

[anon56789]

Presumably the private specialist you saw was a rhuematologist ?

I think it was, was a few years back now

Well isn't that just patronising.............How do you know this person doesn't already live a healthy lifestyle, you can live healthy but still have health problems. As for doctors in Southport don't bother, you are wasting your energy, took them 15 yrs to diagnose my hubby with MS which I may add started with chronic fatigue and no one listening, then fibromyalgia and chronic arthritis.....really is hit and miss but good luck

I'll take PNP's comment with good intention sadly I am mostly housebound these days and in a lot of pain and very fatigued. May I ask where your husband was diagnosed? PM me if you need too. Very sorry to hear about his diagnosis, I have been told by someone I came into contact with recently online I may have MS as I have very similar symptoms and it's been a battle with my doctor to get things done and I wish to be tested to least rule it out. My symptoms have been 10 years and little done so I'm looking this year to get results, my new years resolution to myself in a way

[Hamble]

MS is a disease of the neurological system and would be referred to a neurologist.

How very frightening for you to worry about such a diagnosis.
The best option is to return to your G.p and ask for an appointment
time to talk about your symptoms.
It would help to go with a record of how you feel daily and the health problems you face.

A G.p could not refer you for an MRI scan on the nhs if your symptoms
did not meet the requirements (for referral to a neurologist) set by the hospital trust though you could go privately to a neurologist or to book
an MRI scan.


Guide to cost of a private MRI in England.
http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/condi...ri-scan/costs/

[Albion102]

I think it was, was a few years back now



, I have been told by someone I came into contact with recently online I may have MS as I have very similar symptoms

That doesn't sound like a terribly reliable source. Like asking Ruler! for information on charity finances. It might be worth asking yourself why it is that so many doctors seem not to want to deal with you.

My observation, purely empirical, is that people with CFS talk a lot online about what is wrong with them and what they can't do. People with other disabilities only mention them when relevant and their focus seems to be on what they can do.

[The PNP]

How do you know this person doesn't already live a healthy lifestyle

I don't, but having 'a lot of health issues' isn't normal and seemed to me to indicate that something is amiss.

It may not be the case here, but you would be surprised how many health issues can be traced back to poor lifestyle choices. Diabetes, heart problems, strokes, joint issues, to name but a few, have all been known to result from physical inactivity coupled with a poor diet......The NHS wouldn't be in the overstretched state it is now, if people had looked after themselves in the first place.

[bambi275]

That doesn't sound like a terribly reliable source. Like asking Ruler! for information on charity finances. It might be worth asking yourself why it is that so many doctors seem not to want to deal with you.

My observation, purely empirical, is that people with CFS talk a lot online about what is wrong with them and what they can't do. People with other disabilities only mention them when relevant and their focus seems to be on what they can do.

The reason most people talk about this online is because it is such an under researched illness despite WHO recognising it as a disease in 1969 there is still no diagnostic test and there are only 4 centres across the UK who 'specialise' in treatment for this.
Treatment consists of psychotherapy and PACE or GET even though it is classed as a physical condition it is still treated as a psychological one.
We talk about this online as there are researchers ans specialists who run a lot of the help sites who are interested in what we can and cannot do in terms of their research.
Inflammatory markers have been discovered on the brains of M.E patients as well as heart problems, low blood pressure and abnormal bloods. Most of the findings have been found by scientists in Norway who have ploughed money and effort into this illness.
Believe me Albion, I am not the person I used to be, sitting here now in pain,, smiling through when I feel like telling the world where to go, doing voluntary work every week rather than earning a wage, this is not where I expected or hoped to be at my age.
I don't claim benefits for this, I could, but I don't deem the level of what I have to be enough to be termed disabled. My daughter is disabled, not I, I am merely inconvenienced amd I hope it stays that way or improves.

[Lamparilla]

Note to OP: I hope you didn't come on here looking for sympathy!

[bambi275]

Anon56789, I am at Ainsdale Medical Centre, I was referred to an endocrinologist - NB Albion, ME patients normally referred first to endocrinology not rheumatology - about 10yrs ago at the Royal Liverpool, it took quite a few GP appts to get to that stage. Various tests then ensued and ME was diagnosed about 7yrs ago after consultation at Broadgreen with cardiologist.
Broadgreen is the nearest treatment centres and you usually need a referral from the Royal to get there. I have yet to go for treatment as the appts are totally inflexible but I have been sent the literature in the post.
Maybe try later looking up endocrinologists at Royal Liverpool and see if any of them practice private work too.

[bambi275]

That doesn't sound like a terribly reliable source. Like asking Ruler! for information on charity finances. It might be worth asking yourself why it is that so many doctors seem not to want to deal with you.

My observation, purely empirical, is that people with CFS talk a lot online about what is wrong with them and what they can't do. People with other disabilities only mention them when relevant and their focus seems to be on what they can do.

This should answer your question about online posts:

http://www.ted.com/talks/jen_brea_wh...ge=en#t-235832

[Little Londoner]

I don't, but having 'a lot of health issues' isn't normal and seemed to me to indicate that something is amiss.

It may not be the case here, but you would be surprised how many health issues can be traced back to poor lifestyle choices. Diabetes, heart problems, strokes, joint issues, to name but a few, have all been known to result from physical inactivity coupled with a poor diet......The NHS wouldn't be in the overstretched state it is now, if people had looked after themselves in the first place.

What is NORMAL being obsessed with cars being a complete and utter know all with views on anything that are right but everyone else is wrong having no regard for anyone else's viewpoint. For YOU to say someone is not NORMAL is the most two faced comment I have heard on here.
Unfortunately you are very lucky not to have had health problems but they say Karma is a wonderful thing and it would wipe that smirk off your mush if you succumbed to some awful condition brought on by your self declared perfect lifestyle. Now isn't it time for your midday berries and water and your nap.

[Albion102]

This should answer your question about online posts:

http://www.ted.com/talks/jen_brea_wh...ge=en#t-235832

Not really - she rightly says that some people get misdiagnosed, that is what happens when medical staff, who are fallible, examine complex systems such as the body. A few anecdotes about misdiagnosed autoimmune disorders does not prove that CFS is an autoimmune disorder, nor does it prove that 30 million CFS sufferers have been systematically misdiagnosed.

I don't know whether CFS is a physical disease or wholly psychosomatic. I'm sort of surprised that if there are 30 million sufferers (mostly in western countries with advanced healthcare system) that the drug companies have not got onto it. Of course, the campaigns of intimidation by CFS sufferers in the US against anybody doing meaningful studies into the efficacy of psychiatric interventions into CFS do not help the situation.

[anon56789]

First of all thank you for all your replies, I didn't come here to cause trouble but seems it might have done, I just came here to ask for a recommendation, that is all.

MS is a disease of the neurological system and would be referred to a neurologist.

How very frightening for you to worry about such a diagnosis.
The best option is to return to your G.p and ask for an appointment
time to talk about your symptoms.
It would help to go with a record of how you feel daily and the health problems you face.

A G.p could not refer you for an MRI scan on the nhs if your symptoms
did not meet the requirements (for referral to a neurologist) set by the hospital trust though you could go privately to a neurologist or to book
an MRI scan.


Guide to cost of a private MRI in England.
http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/condi...ri-scan/costs/

Thank you! That is very helpful

That doesn't sound like a terribly reliable source. Like asking Ruler! for information on charity finances. It might be worth asking yourself why it is that so many doctors seem not to want to deal with you.

My observation, purely empirical, is that people with CFS talk a lot online about what is wrong with them and what they can't do. People with other disabilities only mention them when relevant and their focus seems to be on what they can do.

My source was a person I was talking to voice wise on a game, his wife has MS and he was quite adamant about me getting checked for MS, no maybe not the best source but I should least get it checked

The reason most people talk about this online is because it is such an under researched illness despite WHO recognising it as a disease in 1969 there is still no diagnostic test and there are only 4 centres across the UK who 'specialise' in treatment for this.
Treatment consists of psychotherapy and PACE or GET even though it is classed as a physical condition it is still treated as a psychological one.
We talk about this online as there are researchers ans specialists who run a lot of the help sites who are interested in what we can and cannot do in terms of their research.
Inflammatory markers have been discovered on the brains of M.E patients as well as heart problems, low blood pressure and abnormal bloods. Most of the findings have been found by scientists in Norway who have ploughed money and effort into this illness.
Believe me Albion, I am not the person I used to be, sitting here now in pain,, smiling through when I feel like telling the world where to go, doing voluntary work every week rather than earning a wage, this is not where I expected or hoped to be at my age.
I don't claim benefits for this, I could, but I don't deem the level of what I have to be enough to be termed disabled. My daughter is disabled, not I, I am merely inconvenienced amd I hope it stays that way or improves.

Thanks bambi! My social life is online now as my volunteer job (which I loved and miss) I had to pack in late last year due to my health worsening. I have a best friend in Norway who knows of all these studies as well and it's quite exciting what they are finding but terrible that other countries do not seem to be interested!
I really hope there is a way you can get better, because believe me I really know how it feels

Anon56789, I am at Ainsdale Medical Centre, I was referred to an endocrinologist - NB Albion, ME patients normally referred first to endocrinology not rheumatology - about 10yrs ago at the Royal Liverpool, it took quite a few GP appts to get to that stage. Various tests then ensued and ME was diagnosed about 7yrs ago after consultation at Broadgreen with cardiologist.
Broadgreen is the nearest treatment centres and you usually need a referral from the Royal to get there. I have yet to go for treatment as the appts are totally inflexible but I have been sent the literature in the post.
Maybe try later looking up endocrinologists at Royal Liverpool and see if any of them practice private work too.

Thanks will give that a look into, sadly had very bad experience at that doctors and I did go to Broadgreen but you could say I was treated like how the PNP is acting right now but I know the person who assessed me no longer works there so I hope it goes a lot better for you if you do go!