Clinical Physio visit - Useless!

woodbon

Hi, I've been to the hospital today to see the Clinical Physio, who apparantly looks at your notes and examines you to see if you have anything 'serious' wrong, as say a tumor or something and then works out a care plan to suit you. I had no idea before I went that this was the reason or who had referred me.
Firstly, she didn't have all the notes or correct information about me, said that the nerve tests I've had showed nothing wrong, except both my husband and I quoted the doctor who did the tests, including the medical jargon he used, and the nerves that aren't working properly. I also had no idea that the symptoms I had were nerve based and hadn't mentioned them until the neuro consultant asked me and explained.
Her examination showed mild wear and tear in my neck with no nerve problems although when she found the results after I insisted that they should be in my notes it showed everything I told her. She got out the scan to show me that it was just a few 'herniated disks' which were fine, just early 'wear and tear'. I asked did she mean OA and she agreed. I told her that no one looked at the whole picture, they just looked at my neck or my hands but didn't put the whole thing together. She said its 'The Screws' whatever that is, the only ones I know of don't make my hands numb!!!
Anyway, she said that if I was happy, she'd just leave it at that and order more physio as an MRI would cost £350 and I wouldn't have that if I had to pay for it!!! Bloody cheek! I said I have been thinking of private treatment to get a proper diagnosis and I wasn't happy! I would be quite willing to pay for proper treatment that would help me and money, luckily wasn't an issue. (Well, we'd agreed to pay if not happy and had the name of a recommended rheummy). She changed her mind and said that I did have 'funny' reflexes and very stiff, painful joints and an MRI of my neck might help. So thats where I am. Slightly upset that I waisted an hour and was treated as if I was an elderly senile person. One of my worst experiences at the hospital. She seemed to have trouble pronoucing medical words and kept saying, "You wont understand that' when I understood clearly. I feel fed up!
Sorry to moan so much for a Supervisory physio she seemed underinformed.

madwestie

Sue, That sounds terrible. it is really bad that clinical people treat patients as if they have no need to know what is wrong with them.
I am glad that she decided to go for the MRI in the end and hope that you get soem better information about your condition when you get the results.

Tracey

Dottydoodah

Good morning Woodbon

That is just awful. You must feel so deflated by it all.
Sadly, from my own experience it is not an unusual situation either. Since my return from overseas, I have noticed just how differently the UK NHS staff behave towards patients in contrast to Australia. I feel the difference is that down there, because you pay for a lot of your treatments doctors, nurses and other medical staff treat you like a customer rather than some underling who should be grateful for their attention. You are RIGHTLY treated as an equal with respect and dignity.
It is a sad and sorry state of affairs. I hope you can find the help that you need. It might be a good idea to make a complaint about this physio. If we as "customers" dont stand up for ourselves nothing will change.

Big hugs
Nicki xx

frogmorton

Oh Sue

that sounds really a very bad experience.

If you can try to forget that......maybe she was there to 'gatekeep' the services? and be pleased that you succeeded in 'getting past' her and having your MRI referral.

You did well really Sue and bless hubby for being there.

Love

Toni xx

julie47

Hi sue

Sorry your appointment was not good, that the physio was useless.
I am always saddened when they throw the cost of treatment at you.
I give you a pat on the back for getting an appointment for the scan eventually.

Take care
Juliepf x

kathbee

Hi Sue

I wasnt surprised in the least by the title of the post.

I have had bad appointments with the physio genre.

Apologies to any physios who do their job well, I just
havent met any yet. Mostly its text book stuff and if
you dont conform to the text books then its tough.

I dont like the attitude you were put through at all.
'You wouldnt understand',
TRY ME is what we need to
say isnt it. Its our bodies and we need more info - to say
its a 'few herniated discs' may not matter much to them but
to the patient it matters a flipping lot.

I am getting to the end of my tether with the rheumies telling
me the same thing over and over at each clinic appointment
regardless of how poorly I feel,
and it doesnt help the disease at all having more stress
added by the 'experts'.

Hope you feel a little better today.
Kath

speedalong

DURR!!! Just lost my reply!

Oh Sue what a horrible appointment. However, you did get a good result - you made her find and acknowledge the report on nerve damage and you got yourself an appointment for an MRI - she tried to fob you off and you stood your ground. Of course, we shouldn't have to do this - we should get our treatment as a right. GRRR!!!

Speedy

woodbon

Hello, Thank you for all the support - I came home feeling stunned. The appointment had come out of the blue and I still don't know who referred me. Thinking about it, yes, telling a patient the cost of a proceedure is a mean and dirty trick, used to make you feel bad that you are taking so much from the hospital. I also felt like a fraud - making things up for attention.
I think what got me the MRI was when she tried using medical terms and asking me what they meant and I answered using the knowledge of 10 years as a secretary to acadmic doctors in biochemistry at Oxford! I never do that, as I think its boreish, but I felt I had to defend myself! She also had a tape recorder, like a dictaphone and she kept telling me to be quiet whilst she checked to see if she had all the information. I did agree to her using it at the start, but it was off putting and interupted the flow of my thoughts.
Oh well, maybe I've mis-judged her and she will come up with a decent plan. My very first physio, who's left now, was so good and got me back to near normal. It was me that decided to go back to work as a care assisstant in the dementia unit, that messed all the hard work we did up and added a few more aches to it! :roll:
Sorry, I'll shut up now, but thank you all again, for the support its great to come on here and speak to people who understand the problems and have been through similar situations. Ordinary friend and family are are lovely, but they don't fully understand. Lots of love Sue xxx