I have had a lump in the center of my ribs.

[burlyb]

I have had a lump in the center of my ribs for the past three years and its grown from about the size of the top of my little finger to about the size of half my palm in that time...also about the same time span there has been two growths appear on each side of my bottom ribs they feel like hard nodules maybe an inch x an inch in size. I have seen no less than 7 doctors at my surgery and yesterday was the stand and fight day 'especially when i found out I had been lied to at 9.30' in the morning when the receptionist told me that they ahd tried to call me to say that the doc would not be able to see me due to being off sick....I returning home 'fuming' I checked my phone and on one had called me what so ever so I forced a new appontment for yesterday afternoon and had a heated argument with not one but two doctors there who are refusing me an MIR scan to my head shoulders front of chest and the two ribs....I think there is a fear there that the surgery has made a massive fopar with my ongoing diagnosis.....................I need to get this scan done they had sort of agreed to get me seen by a specialist but I fear it's all too late ....any advise on what i can do to force this issue to a faster consultation...noting will allay my fears now other than an MIR.

I was listening to Dr Phil hammond on questiontime a few weeks ago and he laid it wide open as to why we older people get less and less care...................I have paid my taxes basts

[Panthro]

burlyb - you really should start a new thread but I feel the need to comment.

 

1. Have any of the seven doctors given you a diagnosis or an explanation for your 'lumps'?

2. Which specialty are they going to refer you on to?

3. Why do you want a MRI specifically? A CT scan +/- contrast is usually used in detection/classification of tumours affecting the chest, abdomen and pelvis.

4. Are your GPs allowed to refer for MRIs? AFAIK I think it is not commonplace. There is a trial going on in my health board at the minute for GP MRI referrals.

5. Why do you feel "it's too late"? You say you noticed the first one three years ago. Is your general health deteriorating?

6. Do the practice have the right telephone number for you?

[burlyb]

seems all I do in here is write the wrong thing in the wrong place all the time.....I was following on fromt the top COMPLAINTS...............i'm complaing that my GP and the pracatice HAS been complained to in letter and verbal form by me................where does MY post differ so much from the others above it AND if I knew the answers #9 then i would NOT be here writting this COMPLAINT

[honeybee13]

seems all I do in here is write the wrong thing in the wrong place all the time.....I was following on fromt the top COMPLAINTS...............i'm complaing that my GP and the pracatice HAS been complained to in letter and verbal form by me................where does MY post differ so much from the others above it AND if I knew the answers #9 then i would NOT be here writting this COMPLAINT

 

Hello burlyb. No-one's criticising you, but this thread is about mjc's problems. The site rules do say something along the lines of no matter how closely your problem resembles the other person's, it's good practice to start your own thread. There's always copy and paste . It also means you will receive advice specific to you, which is good.

 

My best, HB

[Panthro]

seems all I do in here is write the wrong thing in the wrong place all the time.....I was following on fromt the top COMPLAINTS...............i'm complaing that my GP and the pracatice HAS been complained to in letter and verbal form by me................where does MY post differ so much from the others above it AND if I knew the answers #9 then i would NOT be here writting this COMPLAINT

 

You are obviously worried about your diagnosis and your inability to get the answers you need or want from your GP. This is very understandable and not a criticism in any way. If you feel you are writing things on this forum in the "wrong place" then I'd take honeybee's advice and start a new thread about the matter. Even if you post these in the wrong forums, the moderators wil - I am sure - move them for you.

 

Although the OP's poster was about formal complaints she was really looking for support or advice on her issue not as a invitation to other users to post their particular issues. Of course anyone is allowed to post but yours is on a different issue entirely but I am certainly here to help hence my questions. My questions are specific as I think they will help you get the answers you are seeking. You might not have answers to some e.g. the MRI and GP referral question but surely one of the seven doctors has told you what it is and why the aren't referring you on? Your diagnosis? Surely you can check with the receptionist if they have the correct number rather than assuming they lied when they said they tried to contact you?

 

As I said, I can understand your frustration but going in and shouting and arguing with your GP or his/her partners is not going to get you anywhere except booted off of their list and you will be back to square one. My questions were posted to try to get a better understanding of your situation and to provide you with advice and support. Making a complaint is entirely up to you and I sure the users of this forum will help your formulate one which can address your concerns about your health and wellbeing.

[maroondevo52]

Hi, burlyb.

 

I have started a new thread for you, please continue to post here regarding this issue.

 

Many thanks,

 

Scott.

[burlyb]

cheers everyone it can be daunting in here at times then being told i posted in the wrong place 'I do it all the time' lol

I have been under 7 different doctors at my surgery for almost three years and the lump in the center of my chest has grown from something about the size of the top of my little finger to something about 60mm across and maybe 10 or more mm deep. It affects me like now bending forwards and it pokes out under my skin if i lean back....it reads more horrible than it feels TBH BUT when I eat I have to sometimes stop and lean back andtake an extra breath due to it feels like it's trying to tuck under my rib cage 'docs have tried to allay my fears of what it may be. and have told me they can stick a needle in it and drain it off...not on their nelly I WANT to see what it is via an MIR scan before they fiddle with it. I also have two hardish nodules mabe about and inch by inch growing off the last rib on each side of me and these nodules can also be seen if i bend left or righ and they give a dull ache if I lay on them....I didnt have any of these symptoms before i started taking my heart pills or diabetic pills. I need to MIR to do two things....one to SEE whats growing there and to alay my fears and then also to check my shoulders and arms due I wrenched the right one when I fell over a raised pavement outside my house 'The last doctor told me that they do NOT do referals for shoulder strains' from the surgery....whats that all about and I also need to have them check my forehead when my head hit the path as i fell and it has left a small crater to the top left sdie of my forehead ......'council has been informed' still no one has visited the site or contacted me or checked the path.

I am just sick and tired of being at the sh-t end of the stick all the damn time....i've paid my taxes I deserve....and demand better than whats so far been offered

Edited November 25, 2011 by burlyb

[seanamarts]

Have you thought about changing your doctors? Having a pair of fresh eyes seeing you may help alleviate your fears

[Nystagmite]

Why would you want an MRI scan? I've had similar on my back and it was just drained off with no further investigation. (but have now been told that it should have been investigated)

 

You will only get an MRI scan if the GP / consultant believes it's needed. You can't just request a scan like that.

[zippygbr]

Why would you want an MRI scan? I've had similar on my back and it was just drained off with no further investigation. (but have now been told that it should have been investigated)

 

You will only get an MRI scan if the GP / consultant believes it's needed. You can't just request a scan like that.

 

didn't you know MRI scans are magical and can answer all questions immediately and cure all ills ...

[Nystagmite]

My consultant is clearly doing something wrong then - my last MRI has raised more questions than answers...

[burlyb]

thats what I need the scan for ....answers to many questions as to the raw pains in my ribs but through my shoulders from a fall over a raised council path too all thanks to a cyclist WHO was riding his bike and made me side step out of his way and onto the raised iffy repair....I ripped so much stuff in my right shoulder and cracked my head on the concrete that its somehow made a small crater in my forehead.....I need answers that xrays will not give....pity I'm not in bupa or it would have all been done by now.............I need to know for not just MY health but for my peace of mind too...............jeeeeeeeeeez....7 doctors ...why did I have to get past 7 doctors just to get the letter to get to triage...............if I were new to these shores i'd be loaded and seeing speicalists every other day

 

roll on the republic

Edited November 26, 2011 by burlyb

[zippygbr]

.I need answers that xrays will not give....pity I'm not in bupa or it would have all been done by now...........................if I were new to these shores i'd be loaded and seeing speicalists every other day

 

 

two parts to this answer

 

first part imaging

 

What is the clinical question you believe will be answered by a scan ?

 

Why do you believe that MRI is the most appropriate imaging methodology ?

 

NHS or private referrals for imaging are still evaluated against the RCR guidelines - http://www.rcr.ac.uk/content.aspx?PageID=995 - unfortunately there isn't a free online version of the 7th edition i can find

 

Second part

 

what 'evidence' other than the lies put about by the likes of the BNP that immigrants of whatever legality get preferential access to health services ?

 

there is no place for racism , casual or otherwise on these forums

[zippygbr]

My consultant is clearly doing something wrong then - my last MRI has raised more questions than answers...

 

obviously ..... ;-)

[Nystagmite]

if I were new to these shores i'd be loaded and seeing speicalists every other day

 

roll on the republic

 

Utter rubbish. My dad's family are immigrants and have had NO special treatment, ditto a friends' wife.

[seanamarts]

Ok guys lets get back on topic before things get to out of hand

[burlyb]

some people spoil for fights #16...........I need to know whats going wrong with me due to I have my two sons to think about IF things are wrong ...they came close to losing me in nov 06 and DID lose their mum in Jan 99 so # 15 i'll leave it at that...and i'm more UKIP than BNP cheers for your input but YOU dont know me and vise versa but I know what i mean when i say what i say......

[seanamarts]

I can understand your concerns, It may help if you can request a second opinion out side of your main surgery

[burlyb]

I had an almost stand up row with two docs last week about it Sean ....one of them told me not to be so aggressive was more the the thing....7 blidy doctors and it came to an argument to get them to allow me to triage......dr Phil Hammond was right on question time the other week and I told one of the doctors that .....wow good old Phil he said...stirring it all up again..............someone has to grrrrrrrrrrrr

I just want answers to my questions due to it's my body NOT theirs and they cant feel the things I feel inside it ....tired here I just drove back with my son from our visit to check out Luton Uni...it's a great uni...I need a nap now poor ole me lol

[Panthro]

I'm a nurse not a doctor and my usual stance for anyone looking for health advice on forums is to see their GP. Now obviously you have done that and come to this stage where you feel you have to post on this forum and feel the need for a formal complaint.

 

You do seem to have a fixation on MRI scans and the perceived benefits that you think/hope they will provide to your treatment - if any.

 

"and have told me they can stick a needle in it and drain it off...not on their nelly I WANT to see what it is via an MIR scan before they fiddle with it"

 

A needle aspirate would be appropriate in my opinion. An MRI would not. The tissue/fluid could be taken and sent to the pathology lab for analysis to determine its nature. An MRI might tell if it is a solid mass or a fluid filled one - possibly might be able to determine its nature but not likely. An MRI will likely tell us the location and size of these growths but ultimately a biopsy would be required. In any case, I am sure a HRCT (High Resolution CT) scan is the standard imaging investigation here. I may be wrong and will stand to be corrected.

 

"also to check my shoulders and arms due I wrenched the right one when I fell over a raised pavement outside my house 'The last doctor told me that they do NOT do referals for shoulder strains' from the surgery....whats that all about and I also need to have them check my forehead when my head hit the path as i fell and it has left a small crater to the top left sdie of my forehead"

 

How long ago did this happen? Did you go to casualty after this trip over the kerb? Are you still having issues with your arm and shoulders? An MRI might be of use here then again could provide no diagnostic information. A skull depression? Where exactly is this? I am sure in an adult would likely be a fracture - even a hair line one - and I assume you don't exhibit symptoms of a skull fracture? Your rather dramatic description of a 'crater' would seem to suggest it's pretty serious. From my days in casualty, I think the gold standard is a CT scan rather than MRI in any case.

 

I think the GPs have all acted reasonably. These advanced imaging techniques - if used in the way you propose - would bankrupt the NHS pretty quickly and cause patients with complaints that can be sorted in primary care to cause lengthy waits at radiology departments up and down the country. It would be great if everyone who came to their GP with a headache for instance could be offered a CT. 99.9% of them will show nothing.

 

From your posts it is obvious you are worried that these growths are malignant (cancer). From the little information you have posted, to me it wouldn't seem that way. I know that's not going to alleviate your worry for you and your sons. But you do come across as quite aggressive and your GPs seem to have had immense patience with you. I know many GPs who would remove you from your list for much less. Rather than you 'winning' by getting your referral, it is probably so the GPs can get you out of their hair for a wee while at least.

 

Good luck with your onward referral to whatever speciality your GP has referred you to.

[burlyb]

you know what YOU know but you dont know me or the history of me and my family. I will re-read what you have posted BUT also I have tried for the past three years to have questions answerd......gp's are governed by how much they can spend per patient....I wasnt told that when I paid my stamp since I started work 43 years ago. I am worried about cancer due to my eldest and the younger of my sisters have died from it and I myself have had...............ah well.....

[Nystagmite]

You paying your stamp is irrelevant. You can't just choose to have an MRI scan - there would have to be good reason for you to have one.

 

If it' really that bad, I am surprised you haven't gone to A&E or an out of hours GP.

[burlyb]

aimed at # 20 and in part to #22 damn it who do YOU think you are ...........................read the private message and digest it maybe you'll learn something instead of spouting off why I should or shouldnt do this that or the other YOU DONT KNOW ME and as for A&E back then I didnt go due to I didnt want to clog up their time with what i thought was trivial it's onle the past weeks that it's all come back to haunt me................I am NOT having needles in me without knowing more about what is being probed ...and like I said....Triage here I come BUT if that isnt what I expect it to be then I will be reporting my gp..............thats for sure.................7 doctors SEVEN

Edited November 27, 2011 by burlyb

[watchinginvestigation2011]

You know I have learnt myself, sometimes we can get worked up or flustered about something and think we have the right stance or understanding of what should happen, to realise later we were OTT and they do have patient interestes at heart of all they do. They do know what they are doing re the needle as first move.

 

I may get flustered and have a moan on here, but would never be rude to someone or want to come across agressive. You do burley come across aggressive, so why not let them do what they suggest and take it form there or the alternative is to go private and find the funds to pay for it.

[burlyb]

I paid my way I have no intention of paying for something I already put into why would i want to go private ??..............I am aggressive to people who are pure ignorant to other peoples plight and especially when the other person may know what they are talking about BUT does NOT know me or my way of thinking...............you can have as many needles in you as much as you want...............I want what I want and not what that want as the cheapest option.............I was told that I had just 5 days to make my mind up on the triage .............hows that for the NHS.

give me a sub i'll go private

 

I am sick of trying to explain to some of you...you have your notionas and i have mine...........you neither know me or can possible understand what and where I have to in my life.................I have paid into the NHS and i expect service and to be able to get cured and or put my mind at rest and if any of you can not see that because YOU are all sorted then good for you..........as for me I'm going to do what I can to get peace of mind and be cured.

 

I have so many issues to be posted in other forums on here and you would be surprised maybe when you know the shyte I have been through and still am going through.............nahhhhhhhhhhh you wouldnt I realise that you wouldnt understand

Edited November 27, 2011 by burlyb