emergency doctors

salamander

Hi, some of you know I have been very unwell this past week and saw two emergency doctors over the bank holiday weekend. Saw my own GP this morning who kept asking me if I knew why they had made the decisions they had about my care i.e. not sending me for a chest xray or bloods (am asthmatic and on Mtx), why they only gave me a short course of antibiotics and didn't space the dosages out, so on.

I asked these questions too but got dismissed - told there was too long a waiting time in A&E for me to have xray and bloods. Had xray this morning and I have got an infection - even though they kept telling me it was 'only asthma.' I knew I was right. Got my meds sorted out but it means yet another week without mtx - now up to 5 weeks. Worried about my joints flaring up but on high dose of steroids (Trisher, I know what you mean about not sleeping - was up at 5am this morning!) Still feel very unwell today but breathing is easier and am glad my own gp is back. She has supplied me with blood forms so I can make the decision to have a test when I get ill rather than rely some fly-by-night doctor who doesn't know what they are doing. So there!

frogmorton

Oh Sal!!!

that is terrible care!!!

I am so glad you have finally seen your own doc and are being treated properl,y - even if you are bouncing off walls!

Good news too that you can already feel improvement and that in future you will be abel to get help yourself

Love

Toni xx

salamander

thanks Toni - it was good to get that off my chest - no pun meant
going to make myself take a nap this afternoon - if steroids will let me sleep!

dreamdaisy

Do let the organisation that runs the out-of-hours cover know what has happened: they are not infallible, the staff they provide to cover are often not good, they need to be told that they have failed you. I'm glad that your doc listened to you - I hope that you begin to feel better soon, you have had a rough time lately and things need to get better! DD

annie_mial

Hope you feel better soon in spite of the Steroids! They do work well on chest infections, but wish the side effects would disappear......

What dose have they put you on? I was always upped to 30mg except for one time when it was 40mg as I was displaying acute GCA symptoms too.

30mg has me bouncing off the ceiling for weeks.......

Hope you can come down for some (((((((((())))))))))

Love
Annie

salamander

hi DD, I was going to my gp said their contract runs out today and she thought the effort of doing it wasn't worth while. Will do in the future if that happens. I knew they weren't doing things properly but it is very hard to insist.

Hi Annie, how are you? Yes, I am on 30mg. feel that weird combination of being exhausted and hyped up. Excuse my ignorance but what is GCA?

xx

annie_mial

Hi there, GCA = Giant Cell Arteritis also known as TA = Temporal Arteritis, same thing....it's inflammation of the arteries, usually the medium arteries found in the head and neck. It is one of the less common conditions and is also classed as a form of vasculitis. High dose steroids is the only treatment currently available.

I can cope with most other things, but if that flares up it lays me out cold. It doesn't like cold weather - must find my hats soon.

That's the lesson for today!

Annie

[/i]

salamander

Thanks Annie, didn't know about that. Sounds unpleasant. Hope you don't get it this winter. Funnily enough I am just knitting a hat - present for my sister in Scotland. Perhaps I shld knit one for you too!
xx

ironic

Hi Sally,

So glad you finally got things sorted out. You must have been so worried.
Have a good nights sleep and fingers crossed you will start feeling better soon.

Lv, Ix

salamander

Thanks I. Wish I could say I was feeling good but am much worse again tonight. Why does that happen I wonder? Now got a sore throat to add to my woes. Will get some blood results tomorrow and perhaps they will tell me why I can't seem to recover from this bug. Trying not to worry but am. I haven't been this ill with a virus for years - must be that pesky methotrexate.

ironic

Aw Sally,
Sorry your having such a bad time of it, Gargle with some salt water before you go to bed. It's good your getting the bloods done tomorrow.
Do'nt forget you have been stressed out for the last few days so that will not be helping. Have you managed anything to eat?
Sadly you know the score...rest and sleep are your best mates at the moment.

Lv, Ix

trisher

Hi Salamanda

You have all my sympathy re the steroids. It is awful when you cannot sleep and it is so much worse at night. Peeps tell me to read but I cannot consentrate.

I just feel you have to be up and doing something even though you are tired.

I have Asthma very badly as well I musst say I have been treated well by the ermergency doctors.

I hope everything calms down soon for you sending some ((((()))))

Love Trish xxxx

salamander

ironic wrote:

Aw Sally,
Sorry your having such a bad time of it, Gargle with some salt water before you go to bed. It's good your getting the bloods done tomorrow.
Do'nt forget you have been stressed out for the last few days so that will not be helping. Have you managed anything to eat?
Sadly you know the score...rest and sleep are your best mates at the moment.

Lv, Ix

Thanks for your support - wouldn't get through this without everyone on here. You are right. Will do the salt water and rest, rest, rest.
What would I do without you all? My friends and family don't get it and I feel such a bore sometimes!
xx

barbara12

Hi I am so glad you have seen your own GP, the treatment you had was dreadful, but sadly it seem to be the norm.
The lesson here is that you know your own body, don't let out of hours GPs tell you otherwise.
I hope you are feeling better very soon .
Love
Barbara xx

marion1952

Hi Sally

Sorry to hear that things are still up and down for you..

Yep - things always seem to feel worse at night, and when you live alone the imagination runs riot (at least mine does, anyway!!)

What dose of methotrexate were you on before all this started happening?

Hope you manage to get some rest tonight..

Marion x

salamander

thanks Barbara & Marion, yes, I've got a great imagination, unfortunately for me I was on 10mg Mtx by injection (well, had just the one, been on tablets since Jan.) I'm not altogether sure I am going back on it after this. I really can't cope with this level of illness again. Just cannot get on top of the infection. Will talk to the nurse tomorrow and she can relay my views to the consultant. He doesn't think it's working very well in any case. We'll see.

Thanks again for support. couldn't have got through this week without it. Got some friends coming over tomorrow so hope they can cheer me up. The other thing is that it is coming up to the one year anniversary of my mother's death and that is affecting me too. Also, think erythromycin can bring you down as well. Grrr!

frogmorton

Hi Sal

Hoping you are feeling even a wee bit better today?

And maybe you got a little sleep?

Enjoy your time with your friends who will do their best to pick you up I'm sure

Love and hugs

Toni xx

salamander

thanks Toni but I feel even worse this morning. rang the rheumy nurse and waiting to hear back.

annie_mial

Oh, Sal, poor you........hope you feel better soon and that they give you some help between them.

Love
Annie

chris7

Hi Sally

Sorry you are still having a rough time there. Really hope you are on the right treatment at last and being looked after. Hang in there. We are all wishing you better days and some sleep at night. (((( ))))
take care
Chris

salamander

Thanks Annie and Chris. My gp has added in another antib and I will see her in the morning but feel marginally better this evening. Spoke to one of the rheumies at the hospital who agrees with me that I shouldn't take Mtx any more :shock: She was emailing my consultant so will wait to hear. I couldn't go through this again, it has been awful. My joints feel bad even with all the steroids. What's going to happen now I wonder?
Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive.
xx

marion1952

Hi Sal

This has been an awful time for you! I wonder what on earth has been going on in your body for you to have been this bad.. !!! Glad you are feeling a little bit better this evening, but it IS going to take a bit of time to get over this Sal, so you'll need to be gentle to yourself for quite a while I thinks..

Let us know how you are tomorrow ....

Marion

ironic

Hi Sally,
Not having a great time I know but at least the Dr's on the case.

Wish things would improve for you soon.
Try and rest tonight and I hope your friends come round with more lovely food.


Your mum will be with you flower so take heart.

Lv, Ix

salamander

thanks Marion and I, on yet another antibiotic but hopefully slightly better today. May not be able to continue with methroxate :shock: Got to wait and see.
xx