Wizard of Oz, Saga of Hives and CBT (weather depending).

Mat48

Saga of hives will be kept brief. I'm on my second antihistamine having failed the first type and proving it by turning up on Monday to see my GP (at her request) with a new crop of them all over my forehead and down by my ears and cheeks and the itchiest scalp ever - lovely :? She took a full blood count and something called me Eosinophil count to check whether I'm having an allergic response to something. I said it could be the Naproxen perhaps and she nodded but then I thought this was daft of me becuase they are just a mass version of the individual spots I've been getting around my face for two years now. I asked to be referred to a dermatologist but she said it's too soon - she has to run some tests first to see if it goes away. Also she says my rheumy may have ideas when she gets his letter from apt two weeks ago. Hmmmm :?:

She called my podiatrist the Wizard of Oz a few months ago when I told her he had convinced me to take Prednisolone for my RA (having first convinced me that I do have RA that is). She has never actually met him but says that patients often claim that seeing him is life changing. I saw him again today and he took my icy tootsies and massaged my feet and made me wince in the process (he claims I yelped and then gave him a "never do that again glare" but I don't recall doing so!). And then he went over to his cupboard and brought out what looked to be a rug of sheep's wool and cut some off and shoved two pieces inside my socks. He then put my socks on very gently so that the toes were dipped into this wool and held my toes (in socks plus wool) in his hands for a minute or two for each foot. Then he pulled my socks up and my leggings down like a dad sending his wee girl off to school - and told me that the wool would set around my toes in a clump and would insulate them to help with circulation issues. How nice was this?!

After sharing a few of our hair raising travel experiences with each other (he has to fly home tomorrow in storm force winds and blizzards according to the forecast) while he cut out new insoles from this vinyl foam stuff and put them in my shoes - I put shoes back on and my feet felt a million dollars compared to the cold sad feet that had trudged in 20 minutes earlier. He gave me spare vinyl and spare wool and told me to come and see him as and when I needed to - and definitely if I was flaring.

Isn't it amazing that a podiatrist can make a person feel so great and properly understood where GPs and rheumy generally make me feel frustrated, misunderstood, or both?

Tomorrow is my day for CBT assessment. It's with a charity who provide a counseling service for all sorts but nowhere does it say for people living with long term conditions. In fact it says "(place name) Alcohol Counseling and Advisory Service" - not very reassuring for me somehow?

My GP referred me after I'd tried antidepressants following a prolonged period of insomnia (pain) and a five day trial period on a Parkinson's drug (for RLS) that led to me being rushed into hospital in an ambulance and an overnight stay. She wrote to the Community Mental Health Team to say that I had been struggling with severe depression from acceptance issues and the general medicalisation of my life as well as drug side effects. She felt that CBT with someone from an OT background would really help me.

They wrote back saying that they had passed this on to the consultant psychiatrist. She was rather baffled by this - but then as the months passed and I inquired when I would see him she chased this up and found, to her dismay, that he had written back to her saying that he didn't need to see me but that she should prescribe an SSRI anti-depressant. She said that given what I'd been through she wasn't immediately enthused at this idea and was unimpressed by the whole thing - she even read up the NICE guidelines on services that should be available to those with chronic conditions she was so cross. Anyway she then agreed to refer me to this charity instead although "less than ideal alternative" she felt. So I then got a letter from the manager of the charity confirming tomorrow as my appointment day but saying she hoped that I didn't mind that she is someone I know from a work context (artist). Well by this time I've given up on being private about RA and ensuing mental chaos so I told her that it was fine for her to assess me :roll:

The weather forecast is so bad for tomorrow that all boats are already cancelled, storm force winds and snow mean that blizzard conditions are already well underway and I've warned this woman who that I may well not get into town. Our car is parked at the top of the hill on the main road and I'll try - but in truth I'd try much harder if it was for my lovely podiatrist - he's all the "talking therapy" I really need

kentishlady

Hi. Do hope you manage to get to your appointment and that it helps you. Where do you live, somewhere up North? I know the forecast for tomorrow and next few days isn't too brilliant. Your Podiatrist sounds a real sweetie. It's lovely when someone actually tries to help, isn't it?

Let us know how you get on.

Take care.

Beryl

Mat48

Thanks Beryil - yes podiatrist is a complete star. My toes have been going icy cold on and off throughout the day and night and toes go bright white. Hands were same last year. So lovely to have this soft thermal warmth - bliss in fact. I live on a Scottish island - wind and hail already battering the house. Yiuck! X