Is it just me or do doctors play OA down

Marty39
Marty39 Member Posts: 3
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:05 in Living with arthritis
Hi, could anyone help with advice on coping with OA rather than taking opioids . Ive been suffering from OA for last 6 years, can't take antiflammateries, gels don't work, operation didn't work, is it just me or do doctors play OA down, in a lot of pain don't know what to do.

Comments

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    Have you been referred to a Pain Clinic? If not ask your GP to do so.

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,048

    Hi @Marty39

    Yes I think they do because it's quite common (in the frequent way I mean) I really think they do.

    They like to solve our problems quickly and easily and send us on our way. I feel I annoy them when I keep coming back. There are lots of things you can try yourself such as gentle exercises (range of movement at least if you can). Some find swimming good not sure if we can do this with COVID though...

    have you tried heat? I use wheatbags on sore bones which you microwave. Some like ice packs on theirs. I have also used a tens machine in the past which did help.

    Finally I 100% agree with Mike you need to see a pain specialist really which is where pain clinics come in. That is all they do and they understand.

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,750

    My lovely GP was reluctant to send me for xrays when my hip was playing up on the basis that "it's probably wear and tear, and there's nothing they can do for it anyway". Even my physio felt the same, "it would be interesting to know what's going on, but it's probably not treatable". Eventually, a few months later, my hip took matters into it's own hands (so to speak) and starting screaming like a demented toddler in a supermarket and refused to move at all. This time they finally consented to send me for an Xray and announced four days later that they were putting me straight on the list for hip replacement.

    I resisted the temptation to quote someone famous who wanted on their headstone "See, I told you |I was ill".

    And this was from a really good GP and a very competent sports physio. So I hate to think what reaction I would have got from a bad to indifferent ones. They have meanwhile thrown pills at the problem, for which I am very grateful.

  • jooms
    jooms Member Posts: 39

    Nobody could explain why one day I was unable to walk without any earlier symptoms.

    And unless I contact the NHS I am out of sight and out of mind.

    "Wear and tear" simple time-saving explanation that explains nothing.

    To ease pain in the meantime they will go through their list of prescriptive medications and when that list is exhausted then no other option other than joint replacement.

    Do we have to accept that ostearthritis is untreatable unless by joint replacement?

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