How long did it take from when you first saw your GP ... - NRAS

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How long did it take from when you first saw your GP about joint pain, stiffness, fatigue etc to when you saw a Rheumatologist?

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29 Replies
Cindy profile image
Cindy

It was only a few weeks but i did go private because my GP said it would take up to 12 weeks if i waited for NHS

maxb profile image
maxb

mine was over three months because my GP failed to acknowledge it on my blood tests, even though his wife, whos also a GP, spotted it straight away yet failed to act on it

SaggyOldBagpuss profile image
SaggyOldBagpuss

Be interesting to see the locations/hospitals involved also .....my appoint ment was suppose to be an emergency referral 4 months is a joke and I'm still having problems with this hospital just today have had to cal as the call I was ex pecting from them on monday never came there response was «oh yes Ibe your papers on my desk still will see cons later today:::::: I'm cy

still waiting!

Shelley1701 profile image
Shelley1701

My referral took so long because my GP put me on Sulphasalazine as soon as he spotted it, which was quite quick, then referred me when that medication stopped working.

over six months.. nearer to nine paid paid for a private interim diagnosis in desperation.. rheumatology poor relation in my area..

Think I was only seen/diagnosed quickly because I was seeing a Consultant privately for an unrelated foot condition and it was him who then referred me on to a Rheumy Consultant.

Just over twelve months If I remember correctly, but being pregnant at the time didn't help as they found it difficult to make a proper diagnosis. Convinced at first it was Lupus, consultant eventually agreed to start me on Sulphasalazine but by this time the RA was to aggressive.

mand xx

I was really lucky as I went to my GP in June who referred me urgently. Had initial consultation at hospital in August who got me an appointment the following week at another Rheumatology Clinic in same health authority and began treatment in September.

geraldineanne profile image
geraldineanne

I was told for more than four years {while getting worse} i was in my early 40's "it's osteoarthritis learn to live with it people get wear and tear as they get older " when i could not even lift a cup to drink moved home for help changed gp he took one look at my hands and got me in hospital within 24 hours...

It was 23 years ago and things just didn't move that fast in those days!! My GP suspected it was a form of arthritis but the waiting time to see a rheumatologist was 9 months ... by the time I saw him there was no doubt what it was!

Lyn x

bethbrown profile image
bethbrown

I went to rheumatologist after a couple of years of wierd tendon and joint pain. These swollen joints lasted just for 24 hours. It took 5 years before I was positively diagnosed. This could have been because I'm sero-negative and did not have (and still dont!) an RF factor 8 years later. (I dont even know whether they test for it now?)

ismael profile image
ismael

it took less than 5months but it seemed 10 years of waiting and i was lucky that ,that time MEDCIN SANS FRONTIERE "doctor without border" had 2 years mission here so they help me a lot...

Sheila_G profile image
Sheila_G

I saw my GP one day. Sent to hospital straight away. Results back the day after and GP rang me as soon as he received them. I was then seen by Consultant 2 weeks later as a private patient then continued on NHS. My GP was fantastic and very quick off the mark. I owe him!

Sunflower profile image
Sunflower

It took at least 2 years before I was diagnosed. I kept seeing my doctor with severe joint pain in my fingers, hands and wrists and shoulders but he kept telling me "it was all in my head" and to go home and take a pain killer. He said I was too young to have any joint problems at 28. I finally went to get a second opion and had a blood test straightaway. The next day i was asked to go back to the surgery with an urgent appointment and he told me I had Rheumatoid arthritius. It has taken me a long long time to come to terms with this as for so long told it was all in my head.

Continued to have trouble with wrists and fingers after carpel tunnel operation 20 years ago, but doctors decided is was probably "spamodic" arthritis, or a virus picked up during the op. The had slight positive RF factor result and was monitor my RA dept for 2 years but discharged. All they used to do was test the grip in my hands?? Mind you never attributed my sore tendons in my feet and ankles and aching calf muslces as being the same problem. Then started with bad swellings about 10 years ago in hands, come and went over 24/72 hours, and the doctor thought I had a insect sting? Saw RA dept because I got referral again after a few weeks and as my hands weren't swollen at the time, he said I had OA. Continued to get sore joints and swelling, had rotator cuff impingement in shoulder, "Tennis elbow" so had a series of blood tests with doctor last Summer (2010) and then finally had diagnosis by consultant in October 2010. Good ness know when it actually started?

Also had problems with feeling really tired and having no energy for years and tried all sorts of things to try and get more energy, gave up caffeine because it has such awful lows if you take too much, changed diet, ate lots of veg and fruit lost weight (again!) but still used to get tired....didn't know it was a symptom of RA.

Penguin profile image
Penguin

I was very lucky, especially as mine is mild and therefore presumably harder to diagnose, but I DID see someone privately. The GP initially spotted that I might have RA on my first appointment about a painful and swollen wrist, and she initiated blood tests and they came back with a slightly positive RA, so that was fairly conclusive. Then quickly saw a private consultant but he couldn't make a firm diagnosis beyond 'inflammatory arthritis' on the first appointment. He suggested I went back to the NHS because health insurance might not cover everything for ever and tests could be very expensive. I agreed. Probably the worst decision I ever made; should have stuck with private till it ran out! But having said that, he made a firm diagnosis on my first NHS appointment, which was almost exactly three months after I'd seen my GP the first time, so quite quick for a thing like RA, which can be hard to diagnose fast.

trust me for nhs 3 months is a damn miracle... cynical summer here sorry..i waited longer

Elainef profile image
Elainef

It was 4 months - but it was in 1978 and from seeing the GP in September I had a biopsy in November and saw the rheumatologist in January. (I was 10 and he remained my rheumatologist for 22 years even giving me a personal reference for a job that had asked him for a medical one just before he retired).

Marnie87 profile image
Marnie87

As I was 16 when my knee pain started I got told it was growing pains. It wasn't till I moved drs that they started to take it seriously! 7 years later at 23 I was diagnosed

Dlak profile image
Dlak

Luckily the GP was ready to refer and also I had private so was seen in days..

sandrane profile image
sandrane

I have an appointment with a Rheumatologist in November, was diagnosed with RA last October and been dealing with the pain, fatigue and stiffness for over 4 years now.

i first had pains in my younger years but because at age 6 i had been involed in an rta my mum was told it was scar tissue healing, then in my teens when these pains were in my legs and arms My mum was told it was growing pains. In my twentys it went into my back also this was said to be siatica, in later 20s my hands started this was said to be rsi, my feet pain was put down to planter fasiatis etc by early thirtys this is when it got real bad! it took me going every week and even phoning them out to my home to show them how bad I was feeling to get them to listen and reffer me, around 3 months later I finally seen a consultant and inbetween this I had already been hospitalized twice.

salem974 profile image
salem974

It all started out in one knee. I thought that my dog had sprained it by running into me. He weighs 140 so you can see how I thought that. It continued to get worse so went to ER. The dr there told me in so many words that I was overweight, old and had degenerating joints, just go home and it will get better. No insurance and little money. Finally got into a clinic where I was seen by a physicians asst. She kept testing for a lot of different things and finally she told me that my test results for RA were" through the roof". I had been training for Pharm tech, when it came time for externship they refused to send me out saying I was to big of liability. Could not graduate without that. Got an appt for Rheumatologist in nine months(only three in area). Went to meeting for RA. There I met one of the specialist in town and he called Dr I had appt with. I was seen in two months. Seven months after diagnosis and referal to specialist. Still pain and fatigue even with many meds.

Trish53 profile image
Trish53

8 years or so for me. I had to change my GP of nearly 40 years, as they said it definitely wasn't RA because my blood tests came back negative for RF factor (despite me saying I couldn't get out of bed in a morning due to being so stiff and in pain, and 'bruises' appearing around my toe and finger joints). The new GP (I moved last year) referred me immediately despite this and lucky he did!! Too late for the joints that are already damaged though! :-(

I'm also still sero-negative.

Freespirit profile image
Freespirit

At different times had nursed patients with RA for many years and recognised the symptoms immediately. Saw GP registrar, returned for blood results a week later, urgent referral and within 10 days saw rheumatologist. Seems one appt per week is kept for urgent referrals.

rab333 profile image
rab333

My GP was insisting I had inflammation of shoulders and had me on anti-inflammatory med. I diagnosed myself as something arthriticky and paid to see private consultant who diagnosed RA...

kenbell007 profile image
kenbell007

I had such problems getting a proper diagnosis or help from my GP even though an earlier referral to hospital for ankle pain came up with a high rheumatoid factor. I had about 2 months of the worst pain I have ever had before a visit to a specialist and proper treatment. It was a nightmare. My GP even said at one point that I was anxious and depressed and this might account for the pain! I had to persuade another GP in the practice to refer me to hospital.

elainep46 profile image
elainep46

Every time iwent to see my GP he just kept giving me Co-codomol this went on for nearly 2yrs i was in agony every day even crying with pain.I went to a different GP who said sounds as if its RA sent me to hospital and was diagnosed with RA but it was to late damage was done on both feet