Getting a Dr to take me seriously...?

[StormVixen]

OK so i have decided at last, after realzing i have lost alot of thickness, that i need to see a Dr about my scalp...

I was very reluctant to go because I've had Drs tell me that I was wasting their time before (I had mental issues at the time and nearly did something very silly after that) and I kind of feel like scalp and hair is one of those things that a Dr might not see as important...

Anyways... my scalp has been continuously itchy since January and I have tried so many things... natural and medicated, gental and harsh... its pretty red raw at the moment, stinging rather than itchy...

I dont know what to say to the Dr to get them to take it seriously... I'm soo scared that im just going to keep loosing hair until is all gone!

Thanks SV xXx

[yvsa]

When the Dr sees for him or herself that your scalp is red raw then he/she will have to take it serious. I hope your scalp gets better soon.

[trillcat]

Get a referral to a dermatologist.
STOP with putting stuff on it till a REAL doc can take a look at it. They will not laugh at you, think you silly. Gp's are notorious for dismissing things like this. If they had red raw scalps, they would sing a different tune.
Mental issues, now that pisses me off. I was diagnosed with IBS before it got to be a real thing. I was told by so many docs it was all in my mind, told I needed to go into counseling, grrrrrrrrrrr. Counsel this, my entire digestive system is messed up, deal with this!!!
Sorry, I ranted, I am sorry.

[freckles]

I really feel for you. I'm struggling with doctors dismissing me right now, too. I don't have any advice, I'm afraid, just empathy. :shrug: :hug:

[pepperminttea]

I feel your pain with doctors; had one dismiss my depression in my teens, and recently got up the guts to see someone else about, only to have them ask why I haven't grown out of it yet. Hopefully with a solid, physical symptom that they can't dispute, you'll be able to get a referral. If you do have trouble, switch doctors. There is some good ones out there somewhere. :grouphug:

[julliams]

Just tell them how you feel. If you scalp is affecting the way you feel, then it is justified to see someone in order to do something about it. I agree with getting a referral for a dermatologist.

Now this is going to sound really stupid but we have a show here in Australia that comes from the UK called Embarrassing Illnesses and there is this lovely female dr called Dr Pixie McKenna and she looks like the sort of dr that would take you seriously and would do something about it. I'm not sure if she's practicing outside of the show and it's probably naive of me to think that you might happen to live anywhere near her anyway, but I'm sure there are some drs who would be able to help you.

[Peggy E.]

Your skin is often an indicator of internal issues and any doctor worth that framed piece of parchment on the wall would not automatically dismiss complaints of this nature.

If they do, it's not because "you're wasting their time" as it is the fact they are poor excuses for members of what is meant to be a field for caring medical professionals.

Get to the dermatologist who specializes in these issues and who will not put you down in any way. Don't continue to suffer needlessly because there are jerks in the medical profession who were sadly turned loose on you.

And if any doctor ever again treats you in the manner you reported here, tell him/her that you will not stand for such treatment and will report them to the medical association - and then follow through and DO IT!

[Sara Smile]

There are good doctors who specialize in hair problems, but sometimes it's hard to find them.

My mother had spots of hair loss for a while and went to a dermatologist who treated the areas aggressively. It didn't help at all. Finally, she found a specialist in Dallas who was appalled at the treatment she had already had. He has been seeing her now for several years and has stopped the hair loss, but has told her that the aggressive treatment has probably destroyed the follicles in the small bald patches she has, and those areas will probably not grow back. The areas are small and easily covered, but it's frustrating that she had to continue looking for a good doctor after the initial treatment didn't help.

I'm not trying to scare you, as it sounds like your hair loss is not like my mother's (hers is small bald patches about the size of a quarter located here and there on her head). I'm saying that you should go to a doctor who specializes in hair loss and get treatment, and if that treatment doesn't work, go to a different doctor. Good luck!

[spidermom]

I think a red and raw scalp will speak for itself.

[rosyaddie]

A good doctor will take you seriously if something causes you discomfort.

[Centaur]

Your skin is often an indicator of internal issues and any doctor worth that framed piece of parchment on the wall would not automatically dismiss complaints of this nature.

If they do, it's not because "you're wasting their time" as it is the fact they are poor excuses for members of what is meant to be a field for caring medical professionals.

Get to the dermatologist who specializes in these issues and who will not put you down in any way. Don't continue to suffer needlessly because there are jerks in the medical profession who were sadly turned loose on you.

And if any doctor ever again treats you in the manner you reported here, tell him/her that you will not stand for such treatment and will report them to the medical association - and then follow through and DO IT!

I agree with this advice. I hope you get the help you need and feel better soon.

[x0h_bother]

I came to a dermatologist for a makeup allergy, and he took my hair's 'scalp issue' very serioulsy, which I never even asked him about! And my scalp is 'under control.' Being someone with sensitive skin, I would suggest trying to refrain from using products with fragrance and any ingredient you think may be a possible irritant, even if you do not suspect an allergy. I found this list of causes that may be interesting:
-Dandruff (I have this)
-Psoriasis
-Seborrheic dermatitis
-Reaction to hair products
-Hair dye allergy
-Reaction to perm chemicals
-Eczema (I have this)
-Contact dermatitis (I have this)
-Chemical sensitivity to hair products
-Tinea capitis
-Neurodermatitis (http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/n/neurodermatitis/intro.htm) I wonder if he is thinking you are experiencing this? If so, it does not mean you are mentally unhealthy, this is a natural reaction to a chronic itch. Even if you do scratch more than what is healthy, there is a real itch there and the source needs to be identified and taken seriously, as does your raw scalp. Good luck, I hope you can find a caring practitioner and the source of your itchies :blossom:

[Xi]

I sympathize, StormVixen. I sometimes have felt that a physician I was seeing has dealt a little to hastily with my concerns (in fact, I've had troubles with hair loss, although it sounds quite different from what you're experiencing -- I think in the end mine was related to stress, not scalp issues). Truly I don't think most physicians brush us off without caring -- in my country, at least, there's a shortage of family physicians, and they try to see as many people as possible. So sometimes they seem a bit rushed. I believe that often there is a lot of thinking going on that the physician doesn't express out loud -- sometimes asking how they came to their conclusions, or why they recommend such and such a treatment, can be very helpful, I find.

Another suggestion is to write down, ahead of time, all of your concerns, with as many details as possible (when it started, other symptoms, how things have changed over time, etc.). I'm not always good at thinking of everything I want to say on the spot -- often I have lingering questions that I was too shy or hesitant to get out. It also helps the doctor to have all these details collected and organized. Don't be afraid to tell the doctor what you are worried about -- sometimes I am embarressed to say all the weird and wornderful diagnoses that I'm worried about, but expressing them is the only way to get them addressed.

And I agree with several others in this thread -- GPs are only human, and often mistaken. If your doctor suggests something that doesn't work, go back and say so -- that should be the signal for him or her to refer you to a specialist.

Good luck! As a fellow long-hair, I can empathize all to well with this issue you're dealing with.:grouphug:

(Full disclosure -- I'm a medical student.)

[ZenBird07]

I agree with the suggestions to see a dermatologist. I had went to one after my neurologist had recommended one for my hair loss issues to check for vitamin deficiency. In fact, we found that I have another auto-immune issue. My first day there she had me go down to the lab to get some blood work drawn. She blamed said issue for hair loss. Hope this helps. :)

[jera]

A red scalp is a symptom of an inflammatory condition which could indicate underlying health issues. You deserve to be taken seriously by doctor but since your scalp is skin, I'd go to a dermatologist. :rolleyes:

[lillithnight]

And I'm deffintly glad that my doctors, yes mutiple ones, aren't allowed to not consult the other or ignore my concerns. The perks of being an epileptic, having oddly placed kidneys, and andrenal hyperplasia. Thank everything that is good that I haven't been on meds since I was in 6th grade. Med free for 6 years makes me happy.

[Toadstool]

Just for information, in the UK you can't just "go to a dermatologist", your GP has to agree to refer you to one.
To the OP, someone suggested writing down as many details as possible. Also explain how much this is distressing you. Can you take someone with you? When I have accompanied friends, they have reported feeling that they are taken much more seriously, perhaps because of a "witness"?
Good luck with finding a good doctor. They do exist, but sometimes you have to shop around.
Freckles, good luck with finding someone to listen to you too.

[christine1989]

It is true that doctors tend to down play hair loss as "not very serious" but it will help if you told them that you have tried everything already (changing products, moisturizing...). Even if the first doctor you visit does not work out try a new one (it took me 4 different doctors to finally find a solution to my hair shedding!) I had good luck with a naturopath- she took me very seriously and did as many tests as it took until she was able to fix the problem.

[StormVixen]

Thankyou all... I'm feeling a bit braver about seeing a Dr now... befor i make an appointment tho im going to write a list of all my symptoms and what i have tried...

does anyone know if i would need to ask the GP to refer me to the dermatologist...?

I hope it gets sorted, its driving me crazy... somtimes feel like shaving my hair all off to let my scalp "breath" :headache: (actually, no hair is worse than ichyness...)

[lhangel9]

probably the reason why the dr. told you that it's in your head is simply because the dr. doesn't have an answer. i had the same thing happen to me. since being a mbr of LHC i've learned so much more than the dr. could ever teach me. now regarding the rash on your scalp - as spidermom said it speaks for itself. please take care of it. HHG - i'm sure you'll resolve the matter:cheese: