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Torn rotator cuff from steroid injection at gp June 2016

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I went for a steroid injection from my doctor in June 2016. From later that day the pain started to become not like it should from previous ones. I was back at GPs within 48 in agony and sent for urgent scan. I have a right suprunatus tear and also torn muscle were injection was given at back. Specialist at hospital said can only be fixed by a operation and I had a nerve test in November 2016 then nothing until march 2017. I went back finally to the surgeon and was sent for a pre op in march. Now still nothing and over a year has gone by and what do I do. Or what can I do. Still struggling to use my arm due to the tear and I ring all the time with no joy and told just busy. But it's been over 12 month now and stress of it is doing my head in as the misssis is having do more with 1 son who is a hand full with autism and a 22 month old boy too. Any advise be grateful

Thanks

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Sounds highly stressful and usually when getting a steroid injection your GP will use the 'get out of jail free' card by telling you that there can be unforeseen complications in having it.

What was the reason you had the injection to begin with? It's not totally clear whether the injection was to relieve a torn rotator cuff or whether you had a torn rotator cuff and the injection has aggravated the condition.

But in any event, this is clearly a case where you need to have a robust conversation with your GP about going forward with this so that you achieve a solution to your problem. There's no other way to hurry the process up and GPs have access to hospitals in cases where urgency is needed.

Sometimes, unfortunately, it is just that, no matter what your need, you aren't considered an emergency or even a priority. If that's the case I can understand how dreadful it must be to live with pain and disability and how strained family life has become for you.

So, write down all that is making your life miserable through this, on a list. Go to your GP and go through the list with him/her, but without becoming aggressive or noisy. (You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar).

It's just possible that you are one of many people who have simply 'slipped through the cracks' whilst waiting to be called for your op. It only takes a letter to go astray in the post to find yourself forgotten and at the bottom of the queue for surgery.

I think it's time that we introduced a system that's similar to that of applying for social housing. You should be able to access an online list to see where you are in the queue. That way if you aren't moving up, or your name isn't there, you know to seek assistance in getting yourself seen urgently.

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stewhit in reply to

I had the injection for mobility reasons. I ring every week the surgeons pa and am told no time as when. They don't have a list of who is there and she doesn't know how long it will be. I always thought they had 18 weeks to give u a operation. But thanks for some advise. My gp on going back referred me after he did it. With a letter saying I was there 2 weeks before I'm agony and that was reason for the injection. However I was not for there 2 months previously

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stewhit in reply to stewhit

And the surgeon said it was a unquie injury as it wasn't the normal way to have a torn rotator cuff. As the front row were in tact but the back row. And said that why would be from the injection

Well I wish you the best of luck with it. Recently the rules regarding how long you may have to wait for an operation have been pretty much disregarded because of the parlous state the NHS is in. Even getting in to see your GP to discuss this can take a while, if your surgery is anything like ours (over a week for even a phone consultation, and at least three for one in the surgery). It's awful living constantly in pain, but the only way out is to take control yourself and keep pushing to make them make you a priority. If you just sit back and wait for it to happen, it probably won't!

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stewhit

I must have moaned that in because they ran yesterday with a cancellation on Saturday so got my op Saturday 😃

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