A MAN with a mystery heart complaint has told how he used Google to diagnose the condition himself.

Edward Green had been complaining of feeling unwell since 1999 but his symptoms worsened last year.

When his heart rate became elevated and he found himself suffering from pains in his abdomen and wind he bought himself a heart monitor.

Finding his heart rate was extremely high at times, he turned to the internet, and when he typed his symptoms into Google, he discovered they were remarkably similar to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome – known as POTS – which causes heart rates to rise to more than 200 times a minute when standing up.

He is now being treated by a specialist for the condition.

Mr Green said he had visited his GP in 1999 and Worcester’s Royal Hospital’s accident and emergency unit in 2003 but the heart condition had not been diagnosed.

He said the GP was concerned that the symptoms were in his mind, while the hospital diagnosed chronic fatigue symptom.

Mr Green has since paid for a copy of his medical notes. In them his GP says his symptoms are “neurosis which has been fuelled by his mother”.

“They kept saying it was all in my mind, that I should exercise my way out of it,” said the 26-year-old.

“If I had not diagnosed myself I would be on anti-depressents right now.

“The doctors would just be saying I was neurotic.”

Mr Green has made formal complaints about the doctors’ surgery involved, Pershore Medical Practice, but both the Worcestershire Primary Care Trust and the health ombudsman have ruled against him.

Dr James Rankin, a partner at Pershore Medical Practice, said: “We are sorry that Mr Green continues to be dissatisfied with the service he received from the practice, which was investigated by the primary care trust and the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman.

“We regret that he is unhappy with the outcome of this investigation, and indeed the decision of the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman.

"Pershore Medical Practice is committed to providing high quality professional services to all our patients.

“We take all complaints seriously and address these through our formal complaints procedures.”

Mr Green has now been struck off the patients’ register by the practice.

A letter to him cites a breakdown in the relationship between doctor and patient caused by his complaints.