Frustrations over the NHS

Hey everyone, I hate airing my frustrations but its just bubbling over! I have had extreme pain in my back and chest as well as numbness in my legs for four weeks now. I can't walk any distance without it causing me extreme pain and walking itself is a chore for me, I haven't left my house except for numerous appointments at the emergency room and to my GP. I have been off work for the past four weeks as well and I worry constantly about my job and what they will say, doctors have been giving me fit notes saying I am not fit to work but it still doesn't ease my mind.

I want an answer and am not getting one. One doctor says its a muscular condition, another says its a spinal issue. Then finally last week after two and half weeks of me being off. I go to see physiotherapy and they want a spinal x-ray which no one had thought to do previously. They call in a orthopedic doctor to look at the x-ray and say he can't say find anything really except the fact that he sees scoliosis in my spine. I queried him about if it might be causing my pain and he says "I don't know". I was floored how could he not know? I then advised the doctor as I had on the previous five visits to the hospital (don't they have records?) that there was a history of MS and fibromyalgia in my family and he directed me back to my gp. So back to the gp I went for the fourth time and sobbed in front of her with my husband in the room telling her how much pain I was in and begging to have some sort of resolution. I asked her about an MRI and she says she cannot guarantee she can get me one, but will try. So here am I still waiting for a call.

I really am so frustrated. They have given me so much medication I could open a pharmacy and none of it is working. Then when I went to the GP she tells me I should not be taking one of the pain killers as its quite addicting. There seems to be no communication between GP's and hospitals and it literally takes WEEKS to get any help. One of the doctors in Emergency told me that they were convinced that my issue was not life threatening and I would need to see my GP to get any further diagnosis! Its affecting -every- aspect of my life and all I want is some answers and some proper treatment.

At home in Canada we have free health care and I always moaned about it, but they keep you in until they find out whats wrong, regardless of if the emergency doctor is your own family doctor or not.

Anyone else had any other frustrating experiences?

I asked her about an MRI and she says she cannot guarantee she can get me one, but will try. So here am I still waiting for a call.

The queues are always long for things like an MRI on the NHS. If your doctor can't get you an early MRI appointment and you haven't got private health insurance, how about arranging to go private and pay for it? It will only cost about £150ish. I was able to have an appointment for an MRI within 30 minutes of my doctor asking for one (private insurance).

I don't have have private health insurance and unfortunately £150.00 is a lot of money when I am off work and there are other bills to pay. I would think that if your in lot of pain and its affecting your everyday life that they would try to get you in for one in case you did have something serious.

I don't have have private health insurance and unfortunately £150.00 is a lot of money when I am off work and there are other bills to pay. I would think that if your in lot of pain and its affecting your everyday life that they would try to get you in for one in case you did have something serious.

Do you have the ability to switch GP's where you're living? If they're not making headway with your condition it's something that you may need to do to try and make progress. I'm also wondering if this is something that your local PALS could assist you with.

I generally always see a different GP in the surgery every appointment I have. But I am assigned to a GP which I have seen once and she wasn't particularly helpful. Another female GP I have seen more then once has been the most helpful out of all the doctors at the surgery (there are 6).

I generally always see a different GP in the surgery every appointment I have. But I am assigned to a GP which I have seen once and she wasn't particularly helpful. Another female GP I have seen more then once has been the most helpful out of all the doctors at the surgery (there are 6).

Can you try a completely different Surgery?

I honestly wasn't aware you were able to switch surgeries. I thought once you were assigned a doctor through the NHS you had to stick with them. The options for surgeries in Goole are rather limited though from what I understand.

I honestly wasn't aware you were able to switch surgeries. I thought once you were assigned a doctor through the NHS you had to stick with them. The options for surgeries in Goole are rather limited though from what I understand.

Some places have cachement areas, but you're not 'assigned' a particular doctor or surgery unless they're the only one for your cachement area. In my section of Derby we have 6 different surgerys that we can sign up with. Our family is actually registered at one of the surgeries that is furthest from our home because the one closest to us doesn't exactly have a great reputation.

That's good to know Weby thanks for the info I really just want my life to get back to normal and am constantly worried mostly about my job at the moment and that they might to decide to sack me because currently I am off for three weeks but I know that's going to have to be extended again.

Can you request to see the female doctor who has been the most helpful? I find that my experience at my surgery is COMPLETELY different depending on who I see--the male British doctor refuses to refer me to anything and the female American doctor is completely open to referrals and really seems to be an advocate for what I need.  I always insist on making an appt with her even if she is not available right away because I know the outcome will be better.

Also, can you specifically ask your GP to request an "urgent" MRI for you?  My GP recently requested an urgent ultrasound for me to look at my gallbladder and liver and I got in within 10 days at the hospital for that.

I am dealing with a ton of complications while pregnant right now and know I am facing an uphill battle and a LONG wait after I deliver to get scheduled for the surgery I need, so I really feel for what you're dealing with.  I have been back and forth between hospitals and specialists and GPs for three weeks now and been diagnosed and misdiagnosed a zillion times already.  This system is SO hard to navigate and the communication between all of the people you see is awful.  The OB I am seeing now just automatically gives me copies of all of my test results because he knows I will ask for copies to take back to my GP directly instead of trusting them to mail them to her. I've also found that they respond better when I tell them specifically what I suspect is wrong with me rather than just giving them my symptoms and letting them figure it out.  It took 3 or 4 hospital visits before I could convince them to focus on my liver and gallbladder blood test results but it finally clicked with one doctor I saw and I am much closer to pinpointing what is going on now.  If I hadn't insisted over and over that they needed to look at this, who knows what I would be diagnosed with now...

Good luck--I hope you can get some answers soon

Here's the link to find your PALS

http://www.pals.nhs.uk/

Aleanora,

I'm so sorry you are going through this pain.
 I am in a similar situation minus chest pains, I had my twins in dec of 09, and about 6 months after their birth, i couldn't get out of bed, and in serious pain in my lower back and numbness/shooting pain in my right leg, which I now know is prolapsed disk, with sciatica.   I've been suffering with this pain for many months now, I too have and still do sometimes struggle with just walking and don't leave the house much as walking is so painful.

I chose to breastfeed my twins until they were a year old so meds were a no go for so many months.  I was in constant tears and finally was able to get in for spinal epidural.  I had a series of 3 injections the first was the best, 2nd help, 3rd didn't work at all, I don't think the got the needle in the spinal cavity.

I don't have a clue if this is what's happened to you, But an Xray will not show a prolapsed disk or the sciatica, or if you have nerves being pinched or compromised, if that is an issue, must have an MRI to see that.  So hopefully your request for MRI will go through.
I feel so bad for you, wish I could give ya a big hug.

After I stopped nursing the twin in Jan, Dr's tried prescribing me cocodamol, targinact, then stronger targinact, nothing touched the pain in my leg which was due to nerve pain,   Finally the spinal department i am seeing suggested my GP prescribe me gabapentin, I'm on the lowest dosage, and thank goodness for this drug.    The nerve pain isn't completely gone but I can cope much better now.  I hate taking pills, but its a have to just cope day to day, especially caring for the twins. which they are full of beans now.   I am going to beg the spinal unit in Derby for spinal injections again next visit, so I don't have to take pills for a while.  

I really am hoping things get sorted out for you quickly, its so completely demoralizing suffering day to day.

Your in my thoughts, keep pestering your GP till something happens.
Big huggles!