How do I approach my doctor?

NicoS

Hi guys, me again,

(Background, diagnosed with OA about 6 - 8 months ago).

It is really hard for me to get a GP appointment where I am (my previous appointment took almost 3 months to see someone), and I seem to see a different one every time I go, so want to maximise the little time I have at my next one tomorrow.

I am worried that I have been misdiagnosed. I started with pain in my wrists and feet middle of last year when a diagnosis of OA was made (x rays of hands and feet, bloods where done for RA and ruled out). I have since progressed to pain in my hands, elbows, shoulders and knees. Some days I struggle to walk.

My hands get really cold (my nails turn blue) and stiff. My wrists are so damaged I can't fish, and I use a jar opener. One of my toes is going numb (it feels like I have a dead sausage in my shoe), another has sharp, stabbing pains (like needle pricks). When my feet are at their worst they burn, not just ache, like I'm standing on really hot sand.

I try to walk as much as I can, but only average about 7000 steps a day now (bad days almost nothing, good days twice that), I don't know if that is too much?

I've been tried on Naproxen, currently on Etoricoxib, but truthfully it makes zero difference. Not a little difference, zero difference. Paracetamol doesn't do anything but maybe that's to be expected.

I have no swollen, red or warm joints anywhere.

I'd really like for further tests to be done, or at the very least x-rays to see what progression there is.

How do I tell all of this to the doctor? My last appointment I could see that they were just desperate to stay in their per patient time limit. Gave me a prescription and shuffled me out.

I feel very unheard, lost in the machine. I'm worried. I do not want live in permanent pain, I can't see how to manage that mentally. Between pain and worry I am not getting enough sleep which probably makes it worse. I also don't want to be a hypochondriac or a burden to an already overloaded system.

Looking forward to replies!

Nico

noddingtonpete

Hello @NicoS just a suggestion, but why not print out something similar to what you have written above and give it to your GP to read when you are in there. It saves them time and means you don't forget anything.

Hope it goes well,

Peter

Trish9556

Hi @NicoS

As @noddingtonpete has said, noting down and taking the main comments from your original post would help but I would add, if you have any photographs of your hands etc when they've been cold and blue nails would help. Tell him what you do when your hands are like this and if it helps - do you put gloves on, use topical creams, apply heat and cold alternatively to boost blood flow? The cold part of this sounds silly but it does help.

I use Hot Hands (other brands are available but I found these the best and best value for money) that are available from most shops at £1 for a pair of 2. They're air activated and last about 12 hours. They do get really hot and are the perfect size for slipping inside gloves, pockets etc. After these have expired I keep a couple in the freezer for the cold part of the therapy (in a plastic bag clearly labelled lol ) If these do help, I would suggest buying them in bulk from online stores as they're much cheaper by the box load. I also use fingerless thermal gloves with these, that way I can still type which was useful when I was working as a PA.

Making a note of what the weather is like when you're at your worst might help as well. A lot of us suffer more with pain when it's cold, damp, freezing, raining etc.

Doctor's don't always see the evidence when we are at appointments, discoloration decides it's not happening and swelling doesn't show up so any days you have bad days, take a photo! If you also keep a pain diary that would help. There are apps for phones for tracking arthritis pain and it may help to download one of these? Quite simply a series of smiley faces showing the affected joints.

It would also help if you have someone that could go with you that sees you at your worst who will back up what you are saying.

Finally, don't be afraid to tell your GP the meds are not working - the same med doesn't work for all of us or suit all of us, it would save the NHS a fortune if it did!

Good luck

Trish x