Good fm doctor

Hi does anyone reccommend a good doctor in Belfast (where I have been living over 30 years), who is really interested in anyone with fm esp, thank you

[Homer]

Hi, I've been referred to the Royal National Hospital for Rhueamatic diseases in Bath, they specialise in fibromyalgia , chronic pain conditions and the like, they're renound nationwide for their research and treatment of these conditions

Nicki xx

[Hidden in reply to Homer]

Hi Homer,

That sounds good, but unfortunately I live in Belfast, and I saw a Rhuemy in our local Hospital in February, thank you anyway xx

[Homer in reply to Hidden]

Yeh sorry didn't realize you lived across the pond, hope you find a good in xxx

[LindseyMid]

I would suggest contacting a Northern Ireland support group and asking them if you haven't already:

fibroaction.org/pages/North...

There aren't many specialist doctors or clinics in the UK generally sadly.

[Hidden in reply to LindseyMid]

Thank you Lindsey will do that, good idea what put me off was the group is the far side of Belfast, and I thought I'd feel a bit silly, if I did, but I'll give it a try, thanks again Claire xxxxx

[Hidden]

Hi Claire, I am also from Belfast & find it hard to get a Doctor to understand. I've been with the same surgery for 49 yrs. I was only diagnosed FM in Feb this year. Drs seem ructant to give pain meds out now & think exercise is the way forward. That is all fine in theiry if your body will let you exercise whilst in chronic pain.

However on a trip to Docs a few weeks ago cause my back had seized, my son drove me to ghd surgery whilst I had to lie on one side in the back of the car.

I got to see a Senior Doc who is now a Professor & lectures at Queens, he only does a Tuesay in the the surgery & I had'nt seen him for years. He was amazed to see the state I was in & was really interested to find out what had been going on with me over the years whilst checking my details on screen. As I cant take am MRi coz of panic attack, he had me on the couch checking me all over he said I was in a bad way & was so kind & supportive. He put me on Lyrica for nerve pain as my back is also causing hip & groin pain. He saud we wiuld try them for a month & see how it goes as some people cant take the sde effects. I have had no problems with them. He also increasd my amyitriptaline to 35mg & gave me co-codamol. I am still in pain but its not so bad when I get moving around.

I go to Hillhead Family Practice on Stewartstown Rd. BT11.

I wish you luck. I think sometimes you need to be seen when at your worst before they will give you meds.

Luv & hugs

Jac

[Lillith in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jac, I was just reading about your new medication and would like to say something about co-codamol. This might not apply to everybody but I feel I should let people know. I used co-codamol which were fine at first, but after a while I would get chronic sharp pain in my finger ends and toes - this turned out to be salt intake so I had to change to codeine phosphate instead which are just the same but don't dissolve. Dissolvable co-codamols are very very high in salt which OUR bodies have a hard time breaking down, the chrystals collect in our extremities, like gout sufferers. I keep my salt intake very low now so don't get that pain anymore.

Please excuse me if this isn't relevant.

All my best xxxxx

[Hidden]

Hi Jac,

I was told by our local mla, that Ballyowen Health Centre, (which is the health Centre I use), does not support DLA, that is why I was wondering if there was a specialist doctor that was really good and had time to listen to everything you say, and every complaint you have, (I have a lot!, unfortunately)

My doctor is very good and has given me meds, but as his Crumlin Road practice has closed down and all 1000 plus patients have joined in his practice in Ballyowen Health Centre, I just feel as good as he is and he did write a four pages letter to Hospitals looking for me to be given x rays etc, because he was so worried about me, I don't think he can give me all the meds I'm due despite the Rheumatologist in the Royal telling me in late Feb., that I had the full 18 points of fibro, because he is still waiting for a report from him and I'm still waiting to be called back. (Incidentally the rhumys secretary keeps giving me the run around when I phone her, telling me the Wed before last that she had a cancellation for me and she'd ring me back before that Friday, and then denying on the following Monday that she ever said that, and I'm still waiting.)

You see I'm just worried that he could'nt possibly give me his whole attention, when he has a ccouple or more thousand patients, as good as he is, and he can be really nice and good, so because of that and the warning form my local mla, that Ballyowen did'nt back DLA, thats why I'm on the lookout for a change. Which might sound like I'm only fussing, but I'm thinking of the other few drawbacks I have with fibro, I hav'en got to discuss with him yet, and I've been attending him for all the symptoms since 17 months, which makes me wonder.

What's your doctor like?, I guess it's hard to know really what to do for the best, anyway Jac thank you for replying and for your advice, your doctor is accross the road where I used to work, it's a small world, thanks again from Claire xxxxx

[Hidden]

Sorry Jac, what is ghd surgery, and where is it? thanks xxxx

[Hidden]

Hi Claire ghd was meant to be 'the' lol my fingers are too fat for my fone lol.

It is hard gettin a Dr to listen to you. I have even been to the Pain Clinic & the Consultant there has referred me to BCH for a 2 day week course which lasts 5 wks to learn how to overcome pain with exercise. On the day I saw him I was'nt too bad pain wise until he started pressing on the tender parts. He agreed I have Fibro & gave me a lecture about how different medications can bring on other fibro problems & become addicted to some medications. I have found it to be a total nightmare getting help.

I am on ESA & was sent for a medical assesment, was told to bring my meds with me too & so I did, a box of them. The supposed Dr entered all medications into computer, asked me a few questions & then poked about me. A few weeks later got a letter stating I received zero points. I had'nt been diagnosed fibro then either. I was in tears, how was I gonna cope & I know I could'nt hold down a job even if I knew where to get one. Showed my GP the letter & she was furious, she told me to appeal which I have done & have been waiting on an appeal date from January.

You could try registering with Dr MacAuley at Hillhead or Dr Dugan whose surgery is just below Ballyowen. It took me 3 attempts to get DLA as they are a lot more harder on people now & are putting people off. I have a cousin with that Motor Nueron Disease (muscle wasting) & he has been put off DLA. Jeez the guy is dying a long slow death how can he do anything?

Both these surgeries will fill in on DLA but how lucky you are is hard to call.

Keep in touch & let me know how you get on?

Luv n hugs

Jac

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jac,

Thank's for replying, and yes my doctor did write on my dla form in front of me, (as was advised to ask him to by my local mla), my illnesses, though I had other problems found the next day due to my barium swallow results coming in, but not to do with fibro, and a lady doctor from dla came up to visit me at the start of the month, no reply yet apart from telling me they were looking at it, or something, so I'm still waiting for an answer.

It's hard waiting for a decision isint it?, oh my doctor by the way seems to be increasingly giving me the bums rush ( I mean rushing me too much, after his alloted time), after what seems to me a short while, just because he's always running over an hour late, that's why I'm getting increasingly disconted with him. I have a lot of illnesses, so if my visit to him goes over by a few mins it's hardly my fault, I told him today when I was being rushed out the door that I was finding the iron tablets (200gm each), really hard to take, and before I told him that they were causing me to be constantly constipated so I have had to take them every few days instead of every day, he just said I had to take them and that was that, would you blame me for wanting to change him, also it's because I think he is rushing patients, (me most of the time anyway), because of his extra patients, but thats the way it goes I guess, I think I'll just go to his colleagues that work for him for a while if I need to, and wait and see.

Sorry I have to go my daughter is home after being in Dublin all day, best wishes anyway and take care Claire xx

[Hidden]

Hi Claire, just want to say best of luck with DLA, it usually takes around 13 wks for it to go through.

Maybe you should try seeing one of the other Drs in the surgery. I've been toldvto try to get a young Dr as they are more aware & trained in fibro where the oldies are'nt.

Lots of luv & luck

Jac xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jac,

Thank you will do, I'll see one of his colleagues first if I need to, and if I'm still not happy I'll maybe see further afield, they sometimes forget we are actually human. Thank you Jac, I was good of you to talk to me, take care and have a nice weekend, Gentle hugs, Claire xxxx

[Hidden]

Hi Claire

Its good to talk to a fellow Belfast person.

You have a good wknd too.

Luv & Hugs

Jac