you and your medical team.

mistywillow

Hi all
Have just been on the 'chit chat' forum where Colin has posted a topic ' what's your rheumatologist Like.?'
So many of you have to put up with less than sympathetic doctors in addition to arthur. Perhaps we could share some stories of how any of you have dealt sucessfully with this problem. I used to be a physiotherapist and in the main most of the doctors were sympathetic and helpful but like in all professions some not so good ones are out there, with a touch too much of arrogance and self importance! I am very fortunate in having a wonderful GP practice and a really nice rheumy, but i have had some dreadful experiences in the past when i was trying to start a family. So can we help each other indealing with the medics who have forgotten why they chose their profession in the first place!!
Lots of love to you all Gillx
Ps i have given in today and am lying in bed hence the long post

frogmorton

Hi Gill
nice thread!!
We CAN support each other yes!!
I hope you are not feeling too bad and that 'giving in' today has helped a bit
Take care
Toni x

mistywillow

frogmorton wrote:

Hi Gill
nice thread!!
We CAN support each other yes!!
I hope you are not feeling too bad and that 'giving in' today has helped a bit
Take care
Toni x

Hi Toni
Had to stuggle up this morning to feed the all the animals as they only know about breakfast and supper not arthur, think i might have a bug or something to make it this bad. It does make me so angry when i read how rude and uncaring some medics are to their patients. I think i have said before on the site, it should all be about team work and working together for the best results
Hope you are having a good day
Gillx

lindalegs

Hi Gill,

I've known 4 Rheumy's over the years and my latest is the best I've ever had - and I've told him so, much to his embarrassment :oops: I know alot of peeps prefer to take someone with them when they have an appointment but I like to go on my own so all their attention is focused on me, but then I am rather assertive (understatement of the year :roll: )

Hope your duvet day is doing you good.

Luv Legs

vonski

Hi Gill

My consultant used to be very supportive but the last few times he's done nothing at all. Says there's nothing more can be done and has discharged me :roll: The best Dr. has retired too so I'm pretty stuck.

Hope you are ok

Toni are you good too?

Legs hope you are ok too and can you give me some tips on how to be assertive

Love
Vonski x

jaspercat

Hi, before I was referred by my gp he said that I was being referred to the best Rheumy available, she is a professor, she was good at first, I saw her in a review clinic once a year and was very under control, now I have been told that I would only go to review clinic if needed.

The past year or so I have been plagued with severe pains in my hands and wrists, I have had scans and x-rays but no inflamation has been found, she consistently says that she will increase my drugs but dosen't do it, and I don't have much time with her during clinic appts.

I see her on thursday so am hoping for the best, it is a good idea supporting each other love Jaspercatxx

lindalegs

Vonski you WILL listen to me :shock: (Did it work?)

I was brought up with 3 brothers and a sister and I was the middle child so I think I learnt to stick up for myself from an early age


I've taken the legs for their weekly hydrotherapy today so my muscles are letting me know they're there :roll: .........so it's feet up in a minute whilst we have cheese crackers and watch Holby City

Luv Legs

mistywillow

jaspercat wrote:

Hi, before I was referred by my gp he said that I was being referred to the best Rheumy available, she is a professor, she was good at first, I saw her in a review clinic once a year and was very under control, now I have been told that I would only go to review clinic if needed.

The past year or so I have been plagued with severe pains in my hands and wrists, I have had scans and x-rays but no inflamation has been found, she consistently says that she will increase my drugs but dosen't do it, and I don't have much time with her during clinic appts.

I see her on thursday so am hoping for the best, it is a good idea supporting each other love Jaspercatxx

Hi Legs, Vonski and Jaspercat
Maybe legs should start an assertiveness training forum. I think the best way is polite persistence making sure that you actually get what you need whether it be answers or meds.
Good luck on Thur
Gillx

vonski

Hi Gill, Legs, Jaspercat

I agree, Legs should start up a course, she made me listen
Good Holby tonight, much better than Casualty
I've just thought, do sometimes I had an older brother, 6yrs between us so he was always in charge and tormented me. Would this be why I'm so soft

Love
Vonski x

terryd

Hi All,
I hope you are feeling Ok today
Are you all RA’s I’ am an OA (both knees).
Anybody got experience of pain management my GP is thinking of sending me there if my next op does not give any pain relief.

Best wishes
Terry

frogmorton

Hi Gill
I hope you are feeling a bit better today and the animals are ok.
Terry
I would go for the pain management - might even do it myself too!!
The sun is shining here today I hope it is for all of you too!
Toni x

marie48

I suffer from OA. I did attend pain management clinic years ago for my back pain. The consultant was good and advised me to have an injection in my back which I declined. In the end I was referred for physio who gave me acupunture, it did help a bit short term.

terryd

Hi Toni x
If you do go will you post what happens.
Work inside no windows.
Will let you know if the sun is shining after my lunch time walk

Marie 48
Sounds like you did not feel the pain management was very useful
Did you not get called back for meds review or other treatment.

Terry

elnafinn

I went to pain management and had injections in my neck which helped. Options are offered and it is up to the individual to take them up on them or not. I was given advice on meds. It is also another place to go and get advice and answers to questions you may have.

I hope your op proves successful for a long time for you but if not, go for it Terry, what can you lose by going to pain management? Nothing, only time, and you may well gain. If offered and you do not attend, you will never know, will you?

Elna

terryd

Elna

Thank you for your best wishes for the op I am hoping a quick nip and a tuck will leave me nearly pain free again.
If I do get the pain management like you say only time to loose so must go.
Is pain management a one visit treatment?
Do you not get called back to see if best pain control has been archived or is that left to you and your GP.

Terry

elnafinn

Hi Terry

I attended a few times. I arranged my next appointment with the pain clinic whilst I was there. This may differ depending where you live. How many times you attend, would I think depend on what they feel they can do to help you and how long that takes.

Best wishes,
Elna

terryd

Thanks Elin

I will make sure I ask all the questions I can think of at the first visit just in case.

Still new to this OA thing hope to get things under control soon.

Best Wishes

Terry

mistywillow

terryd wrote:

Elna

Thank you for your best wishes for the op I am hoping a quick nip and a tuck will leave me nearly pain free again.
If I do get the pain management like you say only time to loose so must go.
Is pain management a one visit treatment?
Do you not get called back to see if best pain control has been archived or is that left to you and your GP.

Terry

Hi Terry
I posted something similar to this on another thread so sorry to bore the rest of you if i repeat it for Terry. I have RA but also OA of the spine and had 2 major ops to fuse my spine from shouders to bum. Was in a real state pain wise and although i have a great GP she was a bit at loss. I asked to go to a pain management clinic and was referred to a local one (ST Albans) It was dreadful, the consultant looked at my x rays and said no wonder you are in pain and proceeded to prescribe me paracetamol! Spoke to my GP about this , did some homework on the net and found that King's college in London ran one. GP was only to happy to re refer me. I went, the doctor was brilliant, really understood the problems and that different types of pain respond to different drugs. I can't say i don't have pain anymore but she has helped me get it under reasonable control, was really kind and left it open for me to go back to her, even gave me her e-mail address. So there are good ones and bad ones around, but they are run by anaethetists who specialise in pain management and so should be the best place to go to deal with chronic pain. Hope this helps
Gillx

marie48

I had to go several times. After being referred for Physio and had acupunture, I was discharged from physio and the pain clinic. That's my experience with pain management. Elna, which hospital do you go in Bucks?

elnafinn

Hi Marie

I sent you a private message a few days ago. Top lert hand corner of your screen when you log on.

E x

terryd

Hi GillI hope you are having a good day today.

Yes that does help.
I will check out clinics in my area on the net before I go back to my GP if op does not work.

Got 21/4/09 for my op.

My GP has been very good but I have been back so many times I think he has run out of options and I am still in pain.
Terry

mistywillow

terryd wrote:

Hi GillI hope you are having a good day today.

Yes that does help.
I will check out clinics in my area on the net before I go back to my GP if op does not work.

Got 21/4/09 for my op.

My GP has been very good but I have been back so many times I think he has run out of options and I am still in pain.
Terry

Hi Terry
I think sometimes GP's are at a loss because chronic pain is really the hardest type of pain to treat and really requires specialist knowledge
Good luck with your op and keep us posted
Gillx

livinglegend

vonski wrote:

can you give me some tips on how to be assertive

Just thought, these may be of help.

There are a couple of good films at http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-talk-to-people-better-communication-skills and http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-be-assertive

Joseph 8)

terryd

Hi Gill

Thank you for your best wishes for my op

I have had bad week this week, something to do with trying to keep up with the grandchildren last weekend, but the pain is taking longer to settle down so might be back to the GP.

Why is pain so difficult to treat, is there enough research into the causes of pain. Going down the meds until you get the right one does not inspire confidence.

Out for a meal tonight then try and rest until work Monday.

Terry.

marie48

terryd wrote:

Hi Toni x
If you do go will you post what happens.
Work inside no windows.
Will let you know if the sun is shining after my lunch time walk

Marie 48
Sounds like you did not feel the pain management was very useful
Did you not get called back for meds review or other treatment.

Terry

No, I was not called back, after the session with the physio I was discharged back to my GP. I still do not know what's wrong with my ongoing back problem. Now with my neck problem I am scared to ask my GP for a scan on my back.

mistywillow

terryd wrote:

Hi Gill

Thank you for your best wishes for my op

I have had bad week this week, something to do with trying to keep up with the grandchildren last weekend, but the pain is taking longer to settle down so might be back to the GP.

Why is pain so difficult to treat, is there enough research into the causes of pain. Going down the meds until you get the right one does not inspire confidence.



Hi Terry
Hope you enjoyed your meal out and are going to chill this weekend after chasing round your grandchildren!
Chronic pain is hard to treat because there are so many different causes of the pain eg neropathic pain is due to nerves conducting the pain messages(eg pain from a problem that no longer exists but the nerve impulses are still firing pain messages to the brain. Phantom limb pain that some amputees get is of this type) so this requires drugs that will have an effect on the central nervous system. other causes are mechanical, inflammatory....... There is loads of research and quite a lot of drugs around. But the drugs have to be right for the pain, be right for the person taking it. ( we are all genetically different and so handle drugs differently) and of course all drugs have side effects (ask all these great people on the site!) so your doctor has to give you the drug that will be most effective for you but with the least side effects for you. Wow sooorrry about the mini lecture i didn't realise how much i was going on! I'm obviously missing work too much. Take care of yourself Gillx

AND I seem to have inserted my message in the middle of yours!!! :roll: :roll:


Out for a meal tonight then try and rest until work Monday.

Terry.