Undiagnosed injury for six weeks

[wecanhelpeachother]

Hi allI think I did something really bad to my ankle after jumping around doing a workout video. Six weeks ago. Now it's so bad I can't even stand. I have been totally sedentary for four weeks. I feel absolutely dreadful. Incredibly stiff of course and utterly depressed as I don't know what on earth is going on. Although I have a NHS referral to orthopedics I know they won't be able to do anything without further tests. I think it might be stress fractures. I got a private MRI scan out of desperation but it's taking ages for them to send results and to be honest I just don't trust that they ever will.

I'm not asking for a diagnosis. Just solidarity or any shared experience.

I have been given the images on a CD but I don't know if any (UK) consultant has the correct software to even open the images.

I've never been so depressed and worried and I think I'll never be able to walk again

[Fruitandnutcase]

Poor you, that doesn’t sound good.

If you have got your CD back your results ought to go to whoever referred you right away. When I had a private MRI I left with the CD but my results went straight to the physio who referred me and he forwarded them to me then I saw him again to discuss the findings.

So contact the clinic again and find out what is going on. Private MRIs don’t come cheap and you are entitled to know what was found so remind them you have paid them a lot of money for the MRI and you want to see the report asap. You shouldn’t have to wait ages.

It might be worth going to A&E and having your foot x rayed again and possibly have it put in plaster - at least once that was done you could maybe get about a bit better.

I’m sure you will be able to walk again, when I fractured my sacrum in a freak accident in 2021 I felt the same, the pain was indescribable, I could barely move and I was sure I would need a mobility scooter for the rest of my life but here I am back to how I used to be. You will get there, you might not feel like it but you will.

[wecanhelpeachother in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

thank you out of interest, how long did it take for the results to go to the physio? That's a good idea about the repeat X ray actually, although every time I have been to A&E they make it clear they are pretty unimpressed with my appearance and remind me that it's an emergency service and I don't have a life threatening condition. Ouch for the sacrum injury! how long did it take you to recover?

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to wecanhelpeachother]

The physio I saw who referred me to the scan clinic emailed me a copy of my MRI report next day. Who referred you for the MRI?

I was recently referred for an MRI on my head - ear problems - I realised that all I had afterwards was a letter from the referring consultant basically saying there was nothing really wrong.

When I thought about the difference between that scan and the one for my back I realised that I ought to have had a copy of the radiographer’s too so I emailed the ENT consultant’s secretary and asked for a copy and was given it right away, I suppose because the consultant had seen it and been in touch with me. You could try doing that.

The sacrum - took quite a long time to recover - 6-12 months probably. I queued all night to see the lying in state for the Queen and that almost killed me off. When I saw my Pilates teacher / physio afterwards her very first question was ‘How’s the back?’ And the answer was ‘Hmm, not great’.

I went for a lot of flat walks and realised I could gradually go further before I had to sit down or lean on something, it was slow though and I found standing still quite a problem, I had a lot of nerve pain - the Nordic poles were very good for lifting the pressure off my lower back when I stopped to talk to people.

I joked with the physio at the start that there was no way I would be jay walking and I can do that now. I can also jog a little if I need to. I’m back to taking 10K steps, more if I want to whereas I really didn’t think I would ever walk again.

Good luck with the foot, if you can’t walk on it you are as entitled as anyone else to have it treated. Could you ask your GP to refer you for an x ray? That way you wouldn’t have to go to A&E.

[wecanhelpeachother in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

thanks. I don't know. it's been a long time, it was x rayed already but that didn't show anything. the MRI was done privately although I got a GP to refer. I guess because they are external then they take their time. I can only dream of being able to walk! The trouble is I don't really know what it is - might not be a fracture, might be nerve damage and this terrifies me and it's so horrible just being in the dark for so long.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to wecanhelpeachother]

Sounds like they have sent the report to your GP - phone the clinic and ask where it is then phone your GP.

[wecanhelpeachother in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

thanks - i asked them yesterday they said the report had not been sent yet, i think i will try again on Tuesday. Thank you for your messages