NHS - Arghhhhhh!

[dizzyblonde]

I was referred to the pain clinic, and, was on the waiting list for quite a while, as its hard to get in one. I was glad of the wait, as after looking at the Xray i was given of my spine, some 8 months after I fell, the consultant showed me an image that he said contained a fracture of the 3rd lumbar wotsit.
I was surprised and told him that my doctor had said there was nothing wrong. It kind of made me wonder why I had sat in agony for 12 months, until i got to see the pain clinic consultant. It made me feel relieved that after 12 months of people thinking I was putting it on, that finally someone proved I FLIPPIN HURT

I know what you mean, everything seems to be coming up as inconclusive but I spend all day every day in agony and I too feel like people think I'm putting it on a bit.........which believe me I'm not.

I just don't know what to do now. It would be nice to be pain free but I would rather find out exactly what is going on with my back so I can manage it more effectively if that is possible. Seems like you are on your own out there and nobody really explains the choices......

Can I ask for a referral to see an Orthopedic consultant?

yes you can.... just go see your GP and ask to be referred

It's mixed for me.

My bad back was wrongly diagnosed and I spent months on heavy pain killers and a physiotherapy course which was doing more damage and no good what so ever. After many complaints I went in to a physio session without the aid of pain killers ( I could barely walk). I went back to the consultant who sent me for an MRI scan. I had a crushed lower disc which was removed. From scan to operation was less than 6 months.

[Red Herring]

Originally Posted by MiniMatt

I
The NHS would be ten times better if they simply got rid of every single doctor and just left it in the hands of nurses.

Like you've thought that one through.....what a plonker!

Oh please, I don't think there's any reason to resort to personal insults? I'd like to think that my post was obviously written with more than a little tongue in cheek but I appreciate that it's sometimes hard to discern such intent in a purely written form. Personal experience with the NHS, of which I've had far too much lately has left me with the impression that nurses/ancilliary staff have upwards of double the medical knowledge and at least double the professionalism of the doctors I've encountered.

For the record, as it appears to need to be spelt out, no I can't envisage an NHS without doctors being effective, although from this patient's perspective almost all the problems I've witnessed can be laid at the feet of doctors, not nurses/ancilliary staff.

Sounds like a complete 'mare and the total opposite of my recent experience when one on my nippers broke a finger.

Originally Posted by krhall

These guys gave me a shoe raise (read lump of rubber) to put in my shoe, whihc made my back worse.

You did put it in the correct shoe, didn't you?

Yep correct shoe.......just kept walking round in circles after though!!!

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by krhall

I know what you mean, everything seems to be coming up as inconclusive but I spend all day every day in agony and I too feel like people think I'm putting it on a bit.........which believe me I'm not.

I just don't know what to do now. It would be nice to be pain free but I would rather find out exactly what is going on with my back so I can manage it more effectively if that is possible. Seems like you are on your own out there and nobody really explains the choices......

Can I ask for a referral to see an Orthopedic consultant?

Just don't give up. If you feel sh""ite then its obvious to you theres something wrong...after all they aren't the ones to feel how you feel. Adding to what I said above, I started getting a recurrence of the back problem a year or so ago, added to the dodgy shoulder that I've had permenantly for the last 15 years. I've had two steroid injections in that, one of which the consultant that did it in the hospital asked why I couldn't move it properly and I should start using it correctly....because I'm in agony you daft tit!!
Anyway back to the point.....I asked to be referrred back to physio because I had two different things going on, and it was driving me nuts.
I got to physio and he started to do routine checks and movements to figure out what was wrong, and after laying on my front with right foot somewhere above my head he proclaimed I was Hypermobile. I am super stretchy, Always thought it was down to being a gymnast for 10 years. Also he picked up on a tilted pelvis, which wasn't helping the spine problem, which had never been picked up before.....a few weeks of tailored excercises and my back problem has practically disappeared, it will always have a weak point but its manageable.
as for the shoulder well, no muscle strength in there, good biceps, forearms, but none in the joint, the tendons are stretched to capacity and are foobarred. Hypermoblilty prevents me from controling movement in it, if I'm not strict on building the excercise in it, I'll never make it work right.

It amazing how just getting the right person at the right time, will cure or improve you. I was lucky that this NHS physio could be bothered to look between the lines so to speak, as I'd have been constantly thinking there was something wrong, but not to others. Other doctors, and physios had missed big things.
There is -I'm hypermobile, because I've gained understanding in what it is, i can control it....it has its uses, phnar, phnar, but when I've been overdoing stuff I'm like a 70 year old woman

[Red Herring]

Originally Posted by Red Herring

Like you've thought that one through.....what a plonker!

Yes MiniMatt that was a personal insult, but quite justified I thought given what you said about an entire profession who in the main put in a considerable amount of time and effort to improve the lives of others. And I've also re-read your post and can't see the slightest clue you were trying to be "tounge in cheek".

For the record I have had my share of time in hospital,and like you I found the nurses, the people who I actually saw on an hourly basis looking after me, extremely caring and professional and I am grateful for the treatment they gave me. I also had experience of the consultant on his weekly round who walked in, didn't say hello or ask how I was, prodded me where it hurt most and walked out, leaving me spitting and swearing. However it was that same consultants time and expertise that meant I kept my arm so I'm very grateful to him to.