FMS + Chronic Daily Headaches

I ended up sending a letter to the first GP who didn't link my FMS to my headaches and asking him for further assistance with my headaches and migraines, I said that I'd be willing to try medication that I can swallow and that won't affect my IBS and reflux and that atm referrals aren't an option but my son is hoping to be driving in the next year which will make attending referral appointments a little easier.

I also stated that NICE and another place do not see FMS as a cause of headaches and pointed him to the diagnosis criteria for headaches. I gave him other info about possibly having TMJ disorder due to teeth grinding and asked if I could have a blood test to see if I am going through the menopause as I know that can also cause problems with headaches and migraines.

Hi @michael57 thanks for taking the time to respond. If the GP wants to speak to me I'll try and remember to ask my son to mention it to him. Thanks for the suggestion.

@Mary_Scope I wanted to ask, I mentioned that the glands nears my neck are swollen/sore, and you mentioned that yours are also painful, can I ask is it more of an aching feeling or? I feel like mine ache often and I also get like a shooting pain from time to time, it affects my right one more as that's the one that's most swollen.

Also, how did you go about getting diagnosed, tests etc?

It's something I want to address in the new year along with my mental health, I'd like to be diagnosed, hopefully my son will be driving in the next year (just need to sort his provisional out) which will make attending referral appointments a bit easier.

I see, so I'd need to be referred to Rheumatology then if I was concerned that it is Sjogren's. Thank you.

Now this medical centre is getting on my nerves, there are adjustments in place, two of which are to only book appointments when someone has spoken to either myself or my son and the other was for a preferred GP, although I know that I cannot always get an appointment with him as he only works 3 days per week, but for non urgent appointments I would prefer him, this was also granted just the other day, there was also a task note for someone to call in Jan to book an appointment with the preferred GP.. someone called, couldn't get a hold of us (we just missed the call) so left a voicemail saying they'd book the appointment and it wasn't even with the preferred GP, when my son went to speak to someone the receptionist was trying to fob him off and said you can't always get an appointment with the GP that you want (we already know that!) she didn't even bother to check the notes, I'm assuming the practice manager would make notes the receptionists can see? When my son said I understand that you understand etc but people don't want to always keep seeing different GPs, she then acknowledged what he said and nodded, she said to keep calling back.. but there was a task already in place to begin with.

So my son's now had to write a letter to the practice manager because two adjustments were ignored and so was the task… as it is the admin get on my nerves.

Pardon the moan, but I feel like I'm back the the previous MC, it's sad when clerical/admin constantly mess up and aren't helpful, it makes the rest of the MC look bad.

Oh and I realised something else @Holly_Scope in my records my preferred method of contact is email, I have never given them permission for them to leave voicemails either, I've given permission for sms notifications and that's it, while I understand that they will need to call sometimes, this was for a non urgent appointment, the person could have text or emailed requesting that we call back, they manage to text when you need to book an appointment after a blood test..

I have now turned voicemail off to avoid issues like this from happening.

Hopefully my son receives a response next week otherwise he'll be having to email them again or go to the practice which is a pain in the bottom.

To be fair, the practice manager does appear to be helpful, she's not responded to one of my letters but I'll get my son to mention it to her when she responds, it's not her I'm moaning about, it's the receptionists and admin staff as they don't appear to read notes properly or communicate with each other.