So, so angry

LegacyUser

Just wanted to let it out somewhere. I am so, so angry with my GP (have actually changed to a different one over this). To cut a long story short, I went to get a smear test done a few years back when I was in final year of college and she decided to tell me I had chlamydia, based on the appearance of some discharge I had. I told her I doubted that, as I'd used condoms every time, and I am always getting irritations and infections down there, since puberty, but she insisted that it was very likely. She said I didn't need a test and told me to take some antibiotics to treat it. This makes me sound very naive - I'm not. I was just very, very shocked and scared and trusted a doctor with her opinion. I walked around in a daze for a week, worrying about if I'd be left infertile because of this. I got into my head all the other diseases I could have caught and spent a month worrying I had HIV until I got the nerve to get tested. The people in the clinic were amazed that any Dr would be so irresponsible to give me antibiotics for something I'd never been tested for. Because of this I now don't know if I ever did have it or not, which is really headwrecking. I doubt it, but the possibility is there.

After taking the antibiotics, my general health got really bad. I've never been sickly before, but suddenly was coming down with ulcers, chest infections, all sorts. I think it was from taking antibiotics I didn't need. My immune system just seemed to crash. My health is only now recovering 3 years on, and I still have problems with may or may not be related to that. I have bigger mental issues - every time I have weird discharge I head to the doctor fot STI testing even though I'm nearly sure I have nothing. I made my bf get tested three times. I'm badgering him now to get his throat tested in case he has something there. I paid a fortune to get vaccinated for Hep B. Basically I'm absolutely obsessive about getting an STI, even though I'm careful and don't sleep around. I was always careful but not neurotic, and now I am. It drove my ex away and annoys my new BF.

I know most of this is my responsibility and I am trying to work through it, but I am so, so angry that this woman can go around making people feel like sluts for having sex, assuming that every bit of discharge is chlamydia and prescribing antibiotics for something that hasn't been tested for. Let alone not bothering to refer the patient for further STI screening. If I had chlamydia, who's to say I didn't have anything else? It's so irresponsible and pointless. I feel like writing her a note telling her the impact her stupid little comment has made on my life. My work in final year suffered from constantly being ill and I am still living with the paranoia. Aghhhh!!!!

Astrogeek

Did you report the doctor?

Lollipops23

report the GP; it's thoroughly irresponsible of her to prescribe antibiotics even though she has not tested for anything, apart from the emotional distress.

it sounds extremely unlikely you caught anything. but you can't get obsessive about it. be sensible ,get tested every few years. but as long as you and your BF get a clean bill of health then you can stop worrying;you can't pick up STIs from a toilet seat after all!!

thefeatheredcat

OP,

Shocking thing to have happened and I wouldn't like it to have been me. It's good to get it out of your system.

I'm not sure what you can do about it other than report the doctor and the matter could get investigated.

Do you have a record of your medical file from that time?

With the antibiotics.... it could have been a reaction to the chemicals in it and some which can forever have an effect on you.

I hope you've a better GP that is aware of this situation and I now would double take if I was being offered meds without being tested for anything.

Tuesday_Girl

I know that GP's commonly prescribe treatment for chlamydia (it's usually just 1 tablet, but there are probably different options for treatment) even where the patient hasn't been tested. I think this is because the STD is so common and it's effect so potentially serious that it is considered wise to prescribe the medication even without proof that the infection exists. I myself took the med unnecessarily some years ago but luckily did not have any side-effects.

LegacyUser

Well the doctor sort of backed down when I insisted I didn't think it was chlamydia, and said it could be bacterial vaginosis, and that the medication would work for either. Of course, I still had it in my head that it was chlamydia as she'd talked about it so much. It's just not nice not knowing if you ever had it or not.

Aloysius Flyte

Unregistered wrote: »

Just wanted to let it out somewhere. I am so, so angry with my GP (have actually changed to a different one over this). To cut a long story short, I went to get a smear test done a few years back when I was in final year of college and she decided to tell me I had chlamydia, based on the appearance of some discharge I had. I told her I doubted that, as I'd used condoms every time, and I am always getting irritations and infections down there, since puberty, but she insisted that it was very likely. She said I didn't need a test and told me to take some antibiotics to treat it. This makes me sound very naive - I'm not. I was just very, very shocked and scared and trusted a doctor with her opinion. I walked around in a daze for a week, worrying about if I'd be left infertile because of this. I got into my head all the other diseases I could have caught and spent a month worrying I had HIV until I got the nerve to get tested. The people in the clinic were amazed that any Dr would be so irresponsible to give me antibiotics for something I'd never been tested for. Because of this I now don't know if I ever did have it or not, which is really headwrecking. I doubt it, but the possibility is there.

After taking the antibiotics, my general health got really bad. I've never been sickly before, but suddenly was coming down with ulcers, chest infections, all sorts. I think it was from taking antibiotics I didn't need. My immune system just seemed to crash. My health is only now recovering 3 years on, and I still have problems with may or may not be related to that. I have bigger mental issues - every time I have weird discharge I head to the doctor fot STI testing even though I'm nearly sure I have nothing. I made my bf get tested three times. I'm badgering him now to get his throat tested in case he has something there. I paid a fortune to get vaccinated for Hep B. Basically I'm absolutely obsessive about getting an STI, even though I'm careful and don't sleep around. I was always careful but not neurotic, and now I am. It drove my ex away and annoys my new BF.

I know most of this is my responsibility and I am trying to work through it, but I am so, so angry that this woman can go around making people feel like sluts for having sex, assuming that every bit of discharge is chlamydia and prescribing antibiotics for something that hasn't been tested for. Let alone not bothering to refer the patient for further STI screening. If I had chlamydia, who's to say I didn't have anything else? It's so irresponsible and pointless. I feel like writing her a note telling her the impact her stupid little comment has made on my life. My work in final year suffered from constantly being ill and I am still living with the paranoia. Aghhhh!!!!

This sounds cruel, I'm sorry you had a bad experience with a doctor, but you really need to get over it. Seriously!
One comment has impacted your life that much. Dear God girl, it was 3 YEARS AGO!! Wait until you get to the real world. You are blaming a throw-away comment for the fact that you have an over-active imagination and didn't get down to work/study?

I was dumbfounded by your post.

What I'd suggest is you get some therapy, your anger is mis-directed and I don't think its how you should live your life. The anti-biotics haven't ruined your health, nor has what the doctor said to you, but you are chosing to blame them, rather than deal with whatever it is that is actually going on in your life.

LegacyUser

Eh, I AM in the 'real world', thank you very much. I don't know how you got out of my post that I didn't get down to work/study. Despite the stress of this and being pretty ill in my final year, I just missed out on a first by one percent. I don't think worrying I could have been exposed to other STDs was an overreaction at all. I have seen multiple specialists since then (I actually do have a problem with my cervix and possibly ovaries) and they all completely agreed that it was madness to hand me antibiotics without testing me for all the STDs. After all, if you can get one, who's to say you don't have more? I went through over a month of unnecessary stress over this. I do agree that still continuing to worry is a bit silly, but the seed has been planted. I mean, the doctor told me condoms weren't that effective, that STDs can be transmitted even if you didn't realise it and other stuff - how do you just forget that?

And as for the antibiotics, who on earth are you to say that they didn't ruin my health? I was someone who barely ever went to the doctor and had taken 2 lots of antibiotics in my life. After that course of antibiotics, I came down with thrush (every few weeks), ulcers, two chest infections, swollen glands and more, in 2-3 months! It could be a coincidence, but it's very strange that my health suddenly deteriorated.

LegacyUser

Hi,

Id like to point out and its something that i have learned from this thread and another one posted up about a doctor not spotting cancer on another post there, and it is to always get a second even third opinion. I would never have done this myself but after reading these 2 posts i will now.

It is easy to believe in a doctors opinion but they are not god.

Aloysius Flyte

Unregistered wrote: »

Eh, I AM in the 'real world', thank you very much. I don't know how you got out of my post that I didn't get down to work/study. Despite the stress of this and being pretty ill in my final year, I just missed out on a first by one percent. I don't think worrying I could have been exposed to other STDs was an overreaction at all. I have seen multiple specialists since then (I actually do have a problem with my cervix and possibly ovaries) and they all completely agreed that it was madness to hand me antibiotics without testing me for all the STDs. After all, if you can get one, who's to say you don't have more? I went through over a month of unnecessary stress over this. I do agree that still continuing to worry is a bit silly, but the seed has been planted. I mean, the doctor told me condoms weren't that effective, that STDs can be transmitted even if you didn't realise it and other stuff - how do you just forget that?

And as for the antibiotics, who on earth are you to say that they didn't ruin my health? I was someone who barely ever went to the doctor and had taken 2 lots of antibiotics in my life. After that course of antibiotics, I came down with thrush (every few weeks), ulcers, two chest infections, swollen glands and more, in 2-3 months! It could be a coincidence, but it's very strange that my health suddenly deteriorated.

OK. You can get angry with me if you like, but its not going to make you better. It is a scientifically proven fact that happy people don't get as sick as un-happy people. And you clearly aren't happy.

You can blame everyone you like for your illnesses, it really doesn't matter. But where's the benefit to you? All it will do is make you sicker and to be honest quite dislikeable. Nobody wants to be around an angry person.

So. You have a choice. Take responsibility for your actions and how you interpret the world around you, accept what is happening to you and be pro-active about your recovery. This could be in many forms, one of which should be a form of therapy in conjunction with other things.

Good luck.

Astrogeek

Aloysius Flyte wrote: »

OK. You can get angry with me if you like, but its not going to make you better. It is a scientifically proven fact that happy people don't get as sick as un-happy people. And you clearly aren't happy.

You can blame everyone you like for your illnesses, it really doesn't matter. But where's the benefit to you? All it will do is make you sicker and to be honest quite dislikeable. Nobody wants to be around an angry person.

So. You have a choice. Take responsibility for your actions and how you interpret the world around you, accept what is happening to you and be pro-active about your recovery. This could be in many forms, one of which should be a form of therapy in conjunction with other things.

Good luck.

Just wanted to say I don't think this is very fair. One rant on an internet forum does not make the OP an angry person. If the same thing happened to me I imagine I would feel terrived, dirty and probably very paranoid.
BUT that you haven't been able to get past this in three years I would suggest you talk to somebody. A professional who hopefully could help you relax and deal with what happened and get over it.

b3t4

Unregistered wrote: »

how do you just forget that?

You don't but you've to learn to live past it.

I was someone who barely ever went to the doctor and had taken 2 lots of antibiotics in my life. After that course of antibiotics, I came down with thrush (every few weeks), ulcers, two chest infections, swollen glands and more, in 2-3 months! It could be a coincidence, but it's very strange that my health suddenly deteriorated.

Antibiotics kills all the good and bad bacteria in your body. Thrush is quite a common fall out of taking antibiotics. I've well versed in this side effect, trust me

My advise, but I'm not a doctor, would be to build up your immune system. Get yourself some pro-biotic tablets from a pharmacy along with some natural supplements that will help your immune system.

You're in a sh!t situation and probably exhausted from being sick for so long and for the fact that you believe this broke up a previous relationship of yours. It's ok to feel exhausted and worn out and want to blame that doctor. Tbh, she doesn't sound like a great doctor but as a human she probably thought she was doing the best by you. Not good enough, you say? Definitely, but move past this. Allow yourself to do that much. Inform yourself, learn as much as you can yourself with regard to sti's and sti prevention. Knowledge is power and knowledge is calm.

Oh The Humanity

Hi OP,

I really doubt your poor health following the antibiotics were related to the antibiotics.

Ive been on antibiotics 6 times this year and while you might get a touch of thrush (easily remedied with an over the counter cream and pessary) Acidopholis and natural yogurts should also control that. But i doubt the chest infections/ulcer etc are in any way related.

However I am in agreement with you that she had no business prescribing the AB's without testing you properly. BV and Chlamidiya are cured by two different antibiotics, so that was shoddy work on her part definitely.

You say you were never sickly but on the other hand were always getting infections and irritations down there yet only ever took antibiotics twice in your life.

It sounds to me as though your immune system might be weak but it sounds more of an ongoing problem. I would definitely try to build that up with a good diet, supplements and excersise.

Also although the doc made a bags of the original consultation I think you do need to let go of this. Its an average enough experience that doctors make mistakes. They are not infallable and although it caused you some distress you need to try to deal with it in a less obsessive way.

Definitely work on letting go of this as you go through life you will meet many doctors good and bad. They are not always right but you need to focus on your health and not one bad experience.

All the best.

weird

Okay, not being smart here or taking the piss but... after reading your post and your reply I honestly think you might be suffering from hypochondriasis.

You seem to be very obsessed with catching or having an STI.

This excessive preoccupation is effecting your daily life and relationships:

I made my bf get tested three times. I'm badgering him now to get his throat tested in case he has something there.

I think you should see your G.P. and ask him or her if they think you have hypochondriasis. If so they will refer you to a psychiatrist and you can start getting better.

An ex-girlfriend of mine had this. At first I thought it was just healthy paranoia. The she started demanding that I "get tested" I would and of course nothing would show up. She then started accusing the Doctors of malpractice because they couldn't find the "illness" she was suffering from or that I "given" her. She'd have crying fits and accuse me of the most outrageous infidelities. Once I helped a mate replace his transmission in his truck and hurt my back doing it. She accused me of having rough sex with him ffs! She even wanted me to take a lie detector test and I agreed but she could never find anyone who did them. It got to the point where I just got tired of it all and was really unhappy and I had to leave the relationship.

This was in the late 1990s and ironically I am now dating a Doctor!

LegacyUser

I understand you're angry but I also think you are completely overreacting.
My GP misdiagosed me with a stomach upset when I actually had a kidney infection... to cut a long story short I ended up on a trolley in A&E for two days thinking I might die with the pain.
That recovery took some time. I was angry for a while but made a conscious decision to focus my energy on getting better and staying healthy instead of thinking too much about the mistake.

You can't change what's happened but you can change how you react to it.

tbh

what makes you think you never had it? If it could be proved that you did have, would you be happier about taking the antibiotics?

LegacyUser

tbh wrote: »

what makes you think you never had it? If it could be proved that you did have, would you be happier about taking the antibiotics?

Well, would I have? I had always used condoms carefully and actually had only had sex about three times. I'd had problems like BV all my life. So it was far, far more likely to be that. The discharge persisted after the antibiotics, so the next dr I saw told me it was likely I was misdiagnosed.

Oh The Humanity

Unregistered wrote: »

Well, would I have? I had always used condoms carefully and actually had only had sex about three times. I'd had problems like BV all my life. So it was far, far more likely to be that. The discharge persisted after the antibiotics, so the next dr I saw told me it was likely I was misdiagnosed.

I agree you were misdiagnosed. For Chlamydia the AB's are different to BV so they would not have cured BV.

By the way, you need appropriate AB's for that, persistant BV can lead to pelvic inflammitory disease if left untreated.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Unregistered wrote: »

Well, would I have? I had always used condoms carefully and actually had only had sex about three times. I'd had problems like BV all my life. So it was far, far more likely to be that. The discharge persisted after the antibiotics, so the next dr I saw told me it was likely I was misdiagnosed.

I'm sorry you've had this experience. I really am.

However, look at the doctor's point of view. She sees discharge that resembles a chlamydia symptom. She will have to send the urine/swab sample to a lab and wait til it comes back to be sure. So she prescribes the anti-biotic so you're not left with the infection any longer.

People tell doctors they always use condoms when they haven't, so she wasn't to know you were telling the truth.

Yout think the side effects are from taking anti-biotics when you didnt need them. This isn't true - they'd have the same side effects whether you had the infection or not.

Fair enough the doctor made the mistake, but you can't blame her for your over-reaction. You seem to think Chlamydia has a much bigger stigma attached to it than it actually does. Get over that and you'll probably stop worrying about everything else. You do need to realise that the problem is with you and not just down to a doctor's mistake.

tbh

Unregistered wrote: »

Well, would I have? I had always used condoms carefully and actually had only had sex about three times. I'd had problems like BV all my life. So it was far, far more likely to be that. The discharge persisted after the antibiotics, so the next dr I saw told me it was likely I was misdiagnosed.

I dunno, I was just wondering what it was that prompted you to ask - maybe another doc had told you. You didn't mention the other doc in the OP. I'd definitely ring the medical council and tell them your story.

Oh The Humanity

Oh The Humanity wrote: »

I agree you were misdiagnosed. For Chlamydia the AB's are different to BV so they would not have cured BV.

By the way, you need appropriate AB's for that, persistant BV can lead to pelvic inflammitory disease if left untreated.

(Sorry to butt in) I heard that but I've had several doctors tell me it wasn't true. As far as I know, tests for BV don't come back 'positive' or 'negative', but rather they see if you have certain symptoms of it. Sometimes I've been told I'm grand, other times that it's likely I do have it (2 out of 3 criteria). The last time I was told it really wasn't healthy to keep taking antibiotics and prescribed some creams instead. They never really seem to know what's wrong with me. Whatever it is keeps coming back, it's really headwrecking. The thought this thing could be wrecking my insides is terrible, but I get a different description of BV from every doctor I see ranging from 'it's an STD' to 'it can be just the natural state of your vagina'. A lot of the time I do nothing and the symptoms seem to go away on their own. It's really odd.

LegacyUser

Hi Op, Seriously I think that you are over reacting. So what you had an anti-biotic that you may not have needed. Thousands of people are prescribed anti-biotics everyday, some more necessary than others. Children for example often need them as they are more prone to infections due to an immune system which has not fully developed.

I don't think that one course of anti-biotics and a possible misdiagnosis is the problem for your poor health, it sounds more to me that you don't exercise much and suffer from stress which you are not handling very well. I could be wrong but thats what its seems like from reading your post. Most people would have forgotton about this by now, I think you should try to do the same.

bohsboy

I think the problem is you obsessing about having an STI.

Sounds like OCD to me, you know you have'nt got an sti but cant stop yourself believing you might have. You're probably a little sensitive to this issue now and I feel you might be better going to a new doctor, starting all over again, explain your story. It can be quite common to get so worked up about things like this.