Live With It

elainebadknee

Hi All

Well been to own doctor this morning and asked her about appointment with consultant. She said he has good reasons for wanting to turn me down and that she doesnt think he will make me wait till Im 62. She also said to me I can do lifestyle changes (go on a treadmill, cycling machine)....I know for a fact I cant do things like that??? She also said she had had a lot of people coming in to her this morning complaining about how the medical profession is treating them - maybe she should take a course? She told me not to become frustrated as when I have my consultation I have to live with whatever decision His Highness Almighty makes. She insinuated that if I let this eat into me it will make me ill....Am I well just now? She also said that why have I gone from in 6 months not wanting TKR to wanting one - simple, cos my leg has deteriorated so much and I dont want it, I feel I need it.......
I came out feeling more deflated and feeling like every door is being slammed in my face. Its my decision if I want a 2nd opinion, all boils down to me in the end, not them helping me......
Not even sure why Im posting this thread as home pc is not working, so in town library using this!!!!

Double

skezier

Hi Elaine,

I am sorry she was so one sided today. A ((( ))) and well here is my thoughts....... Maybe its like my mother had and they are doing the weight card. Its not right but thy do tend to pull it sometimes.

The next thing to me would be see a different gp, or change practice. before that though throw the weight card back and get them to help with losing it! They really annoy me with that card!

I wonder if phoning the helplines here would be of benefit to you. they are very good and very helpful but also they can get you focused t how to change a stalemate.

I don't know if you could get yourself to see a private consultant? Sometimes that's a way in and then if you get one who agrees to a TKR they will transfer you to them under the NHS.

Its not the end f the line, I don't know the right way to get it moving but know you can.

Hang in there flower and someone else will know the way forward for you. Did she say what his reasons were for not wanting to do it? I so hope you get a bit of help and did she at least get you some decent pain relief? Another ((( ))) and hope someone will come along who can help you. Cris x

frogmorton

Oh Elaine

You must feel like ****

The GP must have been having a bad day.

To be honest I would not give up yet - do what you can - (I go swimming when I can), but then you must go back. This will be hard as you will be very apprehensive.

This time take reinforcements with you.

A list ( with all the things you have tried on it exercise, meds, alternative therapies/heatpacks etc)

and

an other person to back you up as how it is affecting you and your life.

Dont give up

Love

Toni xx

speedalong

Hi Elaine,

What an unsatisfactory appointment.

I agree with Cris and Toni. The GP sounds like she was having a bad day ... not your fault and she have learnt to be more professional ... it's her job to listen to sick people moaning for goodness sake.

I would try exercise that you can tolerate - slightly up your walking/swimming etc so you can say you tried it. Openly challenge the weight issue. Weight prob and arther often go hand in hand - it is very hard to lose weight when you can't exercise and it is hard to cut down on food when you are bored and fed up ... but it is supposed to take help the joints.

I would go back and see a different GP ... joints DO deteriorate fast ... in 8 months my hip went from good joint space and very little wear and tear - to crumbling, loads of cysts, no joint space and limited movement and of course severe pain. Insist on a review ...

In the meantime request physio/hydro ... and a course at the pain clinic.

If you can afford to do one consultation privately ... then do so. Make sure you see a consultant who also operates for the NHS at a local hospital - so if he deems you need a TKR then you can transfer to his NHS list.

Good luck.

Speedy

PS did you see the One show - about the new cartilage treatment for some younger patients ??? Looked promising.

elainebadknee

This is to everyone who replied to me below.....I cant go on anymore, fighting this...
I had big document from Secretary of State this morning saying my ESA is not justified and is being superceded. It is to go to a tribunal and they put lots of things such as - I could get up and down from the examaning couch without help from another (funny how both me and my dad remember me being helped with two hands by the so called professional)...They put down also I have no problem driivng a manual car - can I just afford to go purchase another car in a heartbeat? Also I go shopping every day with my mother (who wasnt even mentioned), I stay in most days as its an effort to do basic tasks.....
So basically Im fit for work, have moderate pain, on moderate painkillers and it will imporve with treatment? According to the powers that be????
Im at the end of my tether good and proper, I cant afford private consuatnat, im miss ordinary.........I dont even want to attend my appointment now on 21st whats the point.........

Cant say how depressed I feel.......

Elaine

elainebadknee wrote:

Hi All

Well been to own doctor this morning and asked her about appointment with consultant. She said he has good reasons for wanting to turn me down and that she doesnt think he will make me wait till Im 62. She also said to me I can do lifestyle changes (go on a treadmill, cycling machine)....I know for a fact I cant do things like that??? She also said she had had a lot of people coming in to her this morning complaining about how the medical profession is treating them - maybe she should take a course? She told me not to become frustrated as when I have my consultation I have to live with whatever decision His Highness Almighty makes. She insinuated that if I let this eat into me it will make me ill....Am I well just now? She also said that why have I gone from in 6 months not wanting TKR to wanting one - simple, cos my leg has deteriorated so much and I dont want it, I feel I need it.......
I came out feeling more deflated and feeling like every door is being slammed in my face. Its my decision if I want a 2nd opinion, all boils down to me in the end, not them helping me......
Not even sure why Im posting this thread as home pc is not working, so in town library using this!!!!

Double

dreamdaisy

If they have recorded errors as fact you have to fight. Take some time out over the weekend to re-group. These things are no longer handed out on a plate. If you want it badly enough you will fight for it, you will find the energy from somewhere. It is just the one knee that is so weak, isn't it? I sometimes get people's details muddled! DD

elainebadknee

Yes DD it is one knee....But im done fighting I cant do it anymore, this compounded with the way doctor was other day means I cant anymore as I suspect she is now going to refuse to sign me off anymore...Im being forced back into the workpalce and Im not ready......
My energy is drained like an empty glass.....

dreamdaisy wrote:

If they have recorded errors as fact you have to fight. Take some time out over the weekend to re-group. These things are no longer handed out on a plate. If you want it badly enough you will fight for it, you will find the energy from somewhere. It is just the one knee that is so weak, isn't it? I sometimes get people's details muddled! DD

dreamdaisy

Whast support do you use for walking? Do you wear a knee support at all? What meds are you on? DD

elainebadknee

No I dont wear knee supports as my thighs are not slim enough for them....Im on co-proxamol for pain and sometimes diclofenic..........Im giving up

dreamdaisy wrote:

Whast support do you use for walking? Do you wear a knee support at all? What meds are you on? DD

dreamdaisy

OK, give up. Have a break from it all and see if you can regain your spirits. If not, go to the doctor and see if a mild anti-depressant might be of use.

You obviously feel that this knee of yours is seriously hampering your life, but what you are doing to help it doesn't reflect that fact. Painkillers do just that and millions of people take them every day and get on with things. You say you take diclofenic from time to time: I think that's an anti-inflammatory, I am not sure as I do not take it, but would it work better if you took it more regularly? You are able to walk without any support, visible or otherwise, so that gives the impression to others that things are manageable. I think they are manageable but you have lost the art of coping. It happens to us all. Take some time out and re-group. I wish you well. DD

frogmorton

Elaine

DD is right.

You need to forget it for now. Take some time out from worrying about it all. Rst up over the weekend THEN look at it all again. It is not good for any of us with arthritis to get stressed is it?

Take advice from a professional in welfare benfits too such as CAB.

Take care

Love

Toni xxx

elnafinn

elainebadknee wrote:

No I dont wear knee supports as my thighs are not slim enough for them....Im on co-proxamol for pain and sometimes diclofenic..........Im giving up

You do need to take the co prox AND the diclofenac EVERY day, Elaine. The diclo is an anti inflammatory and helps greatly with the inflammation. I had to come off it 10 days before my knee op and did I know about it. :roll: It is a wonderful drug. I am now off them for another reason and cannot wait for my symptoms to be sorted out so that I can hopefully go back on them. I am not actually on diclofenac but on another anti inflammatory but I have been in diclo before and the result is the same - helps greatly with inflammation as their name suggests. You should haved been prescribed Lansaprasole or similar as a stomach protector too.

Try it,

Elna x

elainebadknee

Elna

I do take the co-proxamol every day and do exercises twice a day plus trying to strengthen muscle by using step outside house also. I did take diclofenic for a period of time but found it didnt help me...I also took arthrotec which made me sick even walking about.....They even gave me the omeprazole (thats a stomach protector).....I have other conidtions also such as IBS and idiopathic urticaria which complicate matters with medication....
I appreciate your input as always, thank you....

Elaine

elnafinn wrote:

elainebadknee wrote:

No I dont wear knee supports as my thighs are not slim enough for them....Im on co-proxamol for pain and sometimes diclofenic..........Im giving up

You do need to take the co prox AND the diclofenac EVERY day, Elaine. The diclo is an anti inflammatory and helps greatly with the inflammation. I had to come off it 10 days before my knee op and did I know about it. :roll: It is a wonderful drug. I am now off them for another reason and cannot wait for my symptoms to be sorted out so that I can hopefully go back on them. I am not actually on diclofenac but on another anti inflammatory but I have been in diclo before and the result is the same - helps greatly with inflammation as their name suggests. You should haved been prescribed Lansaprasole or similar as a stomach protector too.

Try it,

Elna x

elainebadknee

Thank you for input.

dreamdaisy wrote:

OK, give up. Have a break from it all and see if you can regain your spirits. If not, go to the doctor and see if a mild anti-depressant might be of use.

You obviously feel that this knee of yours is seriously hampering your life, but what you are doing to help it doesn't reflect that fact. Painkillers do just that and millions of people take them every day and get on with things. You say you take diclofenic from time to time: I think that's an anti-inflammatory, I am not sure as I do not take it, but would it work better if you took it more regularly? You are able to walk without any support, visible or otherwise, so that gives the impression to others that things are manageable. I think they are manageable but you have lost the art of coping. It happens to us all. Take some time out and re-group. I wish you well. DD

elainebadknee

Toni

Sorry didnt reply individually to you, has been not best of days for me but feeling better. Spoken to solictior who has told me more about my appeal process for ESA and now I know Im not going to get taken to a court of law and strung up (silly I know but brain thought of worst case scenario).........
She told me also that my dad could give written evidence such as when I got up from a chair I only did so leaning on her desk and with the stabilising of my stick......Im now trying to read each page a bit at a time and note the discrepancies....

Thanks very much

Elaine

frogmorton wrote:

Elaine

DD is right.

You need to forget it for now. Take some time out from worrying about it all. Rst up over the weekend THEN look at it all again. It is not good for any of us with arthritis to get stressed is it?

Take advice from a professional in welfare benfits too such as CAB.

Take care

Love

Toni xxx

elainebadknee

Hi Cris

Well im hoping maybe is was a bad day for her, sweep slate clean eh?I dont want to change GP as she has on the whole been good and dont want to move just for sake of this one incident...It were just bad timing...

I totally get the weight card thing and mine does fluctuate, but what I do object to is they are not consistent and use age first.....But as you say they use it sometimes and we cant change that...Going private isnt an issue for me dont have funds, and dont do lottery!!!Ha...

Youre right its not the end of the line its just finding something (whether that be change in meds or physio) to tweak and make me look less like Long John Silver with me stick!!!

Sorry for getting back to you individually, many apologies....

Elaine

skezier wrote:

Hi Elaine,

I am sorry she was so one sided today. A ((( ))) and well here is my thoughts....... Maybe its like my mother had and they are doing the weight card. Its not right but thy do tend to pull it sometimes.

The next thing to me would be see a different gp, or change practice. before that though throw the weight card back and get them to help with losing it! They really annoy me with that card!

I wonder if phoning the helplines here would be of benefit to you. they are very good and very helpful but also they can get you focused t how to change a stalemate.

I don't know if you could get yourself to see a private consultant? Sometimes that's a way in and then if you get one who agrees to a TKR they will transfer you to them under the NHS.

Its not the end f the line, I don't know the right way to get it moving but know you can.

Hang in there flower and someone else will know the way forward for you. Did she say what his reasons were for not wanting to do it? I so hope you get a bit of help and did she at least get you some decent pain relief? Another ((( ))) and hope someone will come along who can help you. Cris x

elainebadknee

Hi Speedy

Yes I think it was a bad day with her, she was very behind with her apps which was not like her at all,,,,guess our bad days just coincided???

I have tried to up my exercise, doing exercises twice a day, using step outside house too and go to hydro once a week upping lenghts at pool....

I dont know if we have a pain clinic here, can but ask, cant go private as no funds.......But could maybe look into a cosultation at least...

Many thanks for input and sorry for delay in replying to you......Didnt watch One Show, never do, dont particularly like that woman presenter but glad old misery guts has left........

Thanks as always....

Elaine

speedalong wrote:

Hi Elaine,

What an unsatisfactory appointment.

I agree with Cris and Toni. The GP sounds like she was having a bad day ... not your fault and she have learnt to be more professional ... it's her job to listen to sick people moaning for goodness sake.

I would try exercise that you can tolerate - slightly up your walking/swimming etc so you can say you tried it. Openly challenge the weight issue. Weight prob and arther often go hand in hand - it is very hard to lose weight when you can't exercise and it is hard to cut down on food when you are bored and fed up ... but it is supposed to take help the joints.

I would go back and see a different GP ... joints DO deteriorate fast ... in 8 months my hip went from good joint space and very little wear and tear - to crumbling, loads of cysts, no joint space and limited movement and of course severe pain. Insist on a review ...

In the meantime request physio/hydro ... and a course at the pain clinic.

If you can afford to do one consultation privately ... then do so. Make sure you see a consultant who also operates for the NHS at a local hospital - so if he deems you need a TKR then you can transfer to his NHS list.

Good luck.

Speedy

PS did you see the One show - about the new cartilage treatment for some younger patients ??? Looked promising.

skezier

Hi Elaine,

I really hope your feeling a bit more positive now?

I still wonder if the helplines can help you here? They know so much more than we do and have a lot of resources and access to info as well.

I still think maybe throwing the weight card back at them might help...... My mother did that and they then had to help her lose the weight. You do need some encouragement as well and we can o that if it helps? I got to shift a good stone so maybe we could encourage each other? I know its hard but hang in there and I also am starting to wonder if a different gp practice could help? I am sure the helplines will be able to advise you you know and they are so good at taking the emotion as well. Don't give up and hopefully s you get your head round it all you will be able to come up with a plan.

I hope you are feeling bit more ok with it today and are getting a bit of decent weather, that always helps me at any rate. ((( ))) Cris x

elainebadknee

Hi Cris

Sorry didnt get back to as soon as have done in past. Our broadband isnt working so Im going to public library to use their pc for short periods of time....

I could try the helpline, they didnt seem to be able to help me at first re kneecap removal but told me to log on here...Its worth a go...

Re the weight card, well yes I dont know what they can do, I mean I dont pig out so much so that I can justify my weight (15.5 stone, 5"4 in height).....I do just find it hard to lose it no matter how little I eat....But yes we can encourage each other eh???Be good.

My GP on the whole has been fine with me, just hoping she isnt off on wed morning, if she refuses to sign me off it will be goodnight Vienna re ESA tribunal....I dont want to change but can maybe ask her if there are things such as pain clinics....

I would like to thank you very much for your lovely message of encouragement and just say youve been lovely to me since I joined this forum....Thanks lots n lots...

Elainexx
(PS...Its chucking it down today).......

skezier wrote:

Hi Elaine,

I really hope your feeling a bit more positive now?

I still wonder if the helplines can help you here? They know so much more than we do and have a lot of resources and access to info as well.

I still think maybe throwing the weight card back at them might help...... My mother did that and they then had to help her lose the weight. You do need some encouragement as well and we can o that if it helps? I got to shift a good stone so maybe we could encourage each other? I know its hard but hang in there and I also am starting to wonder if a different gp practice could help? I am sure the helplines will be able to advise you you know and they are so good at taking the emotion as well. Don't give up and hopefully s you get your head round it all you will be able to come up with a plan.

I hope you are feeling bit more ok with it today and are getting a bit of decent weather, that always helps me at any rate. ((( ))) Cris x