Osteoarthritis

[chrisj]

I've been managing OA for some years now and have found walking difficult at times. Recently built up a 30 min walk with my sons support having had the docs telling me walk, walk, walk...so I did...as best I could

My left knees been troubling me for months but I kept on, until april 26th when I got out of bed as usual in the morning and couldnt put my foot to the floor, the pain was so bad. Got myself downstairs and dropped in a chair panicking. I dont deal well with pain My son phoned our gp and someone came out to see me the same morning. I asked her if it was a cartilage problem and she nodded, said she could feel the bones grinding together...shudder

She took a prescription for paracetamol and tramadol back with her to the chemist, next door to the surgery and left instructions to me to to "potter round the house". My son had asked if I needed to rest the leg, she said no....and watch tv, read your paper, keep your mind active

Potter? I couldn't potter anywhere. I was struggling on 2 walking sticks as it was trying to keep the weight off my knee joint. The prescription arrived the following day and for well over a week I took 8 a day as told, with an odd tramadol thrown in to no avail. I started feeling sick, lost my appetite and lost a bit of weight so I gave up on the painkillers

I've no idea just how bad it is or if there's any cartilage left at all. I rang rheumatology at the hospital and reception there put me through to an answering service, she said they would call me back. They didnt. So then I spoke to a gp again and she agreed to get me an appointment with a physio. I got a letter a couple of days ago with a password on it and rang the number, was told you should get an appointment in 2 weeks, if not ring your gp and tell them...sigh....bigger longer sigh....

The pains eased somewhat and I'm able to get around the house now but its not going away and at times its pretty bad. I did think to go to small injuries unit and sit in there to have them take a look but there's often a queue. I know because the rheumatology dep is right next door to it and I've seen people waiting to be seen

Havent been out of the house since april 26th, till yesterday when I had an app at the dental hospital. Went by taxi and up in the lift, my son was with me. It was a hygienist app that had been cancelled twice so I didnt like to cancel again. All went ok but lying flat out on the chair was hard on my knee

So here I am waiting for that visit to a sports centre and the NHS physio unit they have in there. I've been going there for help with tendonitis in one arm for a while and again had to cancel when my knee pain kicked off. When I told my gp I was already registered up there she said I'd have to see a different physio as they deal with different parts of the body in different parts of the building...so a different application made and another wait, assuming the app will turn up. I'm told the physio will send me off for an MRI if she thinks its necesarry

Even my gp admitted procedures are complicated now, she's not kidding. I'm wishing I'd got myself to A&E, pain and all. I'm worried about any permanent damage done thats not being treated quick enough

[suzannah16]

Hi, I too have osteoarthritis but mine is no where near as bad as yours sounds. I wish I could say something to help you. getting appointments to see anyone these days is near impossible I have a minimum 6 week wait to see a GP at my surgery and by the time I get to see anyone whatever I wanted to see them about has gone. I had surgery last august and was supposed to get a six week check up by the surgeon, I finally got an appointment for this june 10 months after the surgery. I hope you get help soon

[chrisj in reply to suzannah16]

6 weeks to see a gp?! I thought ours was bad enough but it seems to be the way things are these days. I grew up in a time when you put your coat on, got on the bus, went to the doctors and sat in a queue waiting to be seen. All you had to do was remember when your turn was. I understand your frustration. 10 months is way too long

Thank you for your reply, its appreciated. I just had to get it all off my chest. Hopefully my knee will heal itself, fingers crossed xxx

[suzannah16 in reply to chrisj]

minimum of 6 weeks. I remember those days too when you could just turn up get grilled by a nosy receptionist and straight in to see the doctor. sometimes I can get in earlier to see a GP other than my own but they never want to prescribe anything in case it interferes with what my regular GP does so what's the point in seeing them? I think most of us come here to get things off our chests illness can be very frustrating.