Leg ulcer misery

[49dreamer]

I have a leg ulcer on my lower left shin which has been there for over a year. I attend what is called 'Leg Club' once a week to have it dressed. I am very dissatisfied with this treatment that has been offered to me from the NHS. My main problem is pain. It is at times unbearable causing me to cry out, leaving me sobbing. I have had bad reactions to most of the various debriding agents, causing me more pain and leaving my surrounding skin sore, peeling and bleeding. I can no longer have any adhesive dressings on my skin as this causes my skin to break down. Manuka honey leaves me screaming in pain. I've tried amytriptiline for the pain, but it makes me hallucinate and I am already on sertraline for depression, so adding another antidepressant doesn't seem appropriate; I don't want to be medicated to the point that it affects my mental functioning. so I am left with Zapain (co-codemol) and ibuprofen. These are not really sufficient to quell the pain. The ulcer is superficial, affecting only the top skin layers, but I have been told that these cause more pain than deeper ulcers due to the location of nerve endings near the surface. I am falling deeper and deeper into depression as I have several other health issues which the NHS is taking such a long time to deal with; ie a rectal prolapse ongoing for two and a half years leaving me doubly incontinent, and a heart condition which was originally diagnosed as severe heart failure but my heart has recovered, so it was rediagnosed as myocarditis caused by an infection and subsequent inflammation of the heart muscle. I am now awaiting an MRI scan before the hospital can put me back on the waiting list for prolapse surgery. I also have arthritis in my right knee which causes me excruciating pain and is hampering my ability to walk, but my GP isn't even willing to discuss this until my other problems are sorted out.

Has anyone got any advice or knowledge about leg ulcer pain. I am a fighter, but this almost constant pain is affecting my mental health and I feel no one is listening to me.

[Lynora]

As you have several conditions conspiring against you, have you thought about an alternative treatment such as acupuncture?

[lovesradio]

Oh my darling, it is horrible to have the feeling that no-one is listening to you despite your many health conditions. The problem with our wonderful NHS is that there is a different department/consultant for every condition rather than anyone able to take a holistic view of the way that all the conditions are affecting your mental health. The link between physical health and mental health is really well documented and researched but it doesn't seem to resonate with the NHS.