Awaiting a call from my GP

Hi everyone,

I thought I'd write this as I'm waiting for a call from my GP about pain relief and daren't attempt a shower until I hear from them as they are bound to call the minute I get in there.

I know, shameful isn't it? Nine o'clock in the morning and not a child in the house washed (as my dad used to say).

I've got 'joined-up' pain again all down the left side of my body. I don't know whether it is resonating from my ankle up or from my neck down or whether it is my back pain going both ways!

My son helped me with my shopping yesterday and I just used a shopping trolley to lean on rather than their scooter. By the time I got down the second isle I was in so much pain I couldn't think straight so I think I may have some unusual choices in my larder for this week. Quinoa and beans seem to feature quite highly so I may well be contributing to global warming later. Luckily Tom acted as my runner for most of it though - 'leave-me-son, you-go-get-cat-food............'

I came home and took some more codeine plus some more paracetamol and some movicol to reduce the effect of the codeine in my colon. I had already taken my diclofenac for the morning and omeprazole to counter the effect of the diclofenac on the stomach. I did some stretching exercises to see if I could relieve some of the nerve pain and rested while my son hoovered the sitting room (why is this dog not bald? So much hair everywhere) before borrowing the car for the weekend.

I tried to cut the grass later but only managed a couple strips before giving up entirely. Usually it takes me three or four sessions to cut it with a break between each one but yesterday I decided not to care so I'm feeling a little exasperated with myself at the moment. (we're talking small patch of grass rather than sweeping lawn here).

This morning, though, I decided that maybe I didn't actually need to put up with this pain all the time and perhaps I should be asking for more effective pain relief rather than compensating so much in other ways - so that is what I am doing. I have also put my name down on the 'garden share scheme' run by the Totnes Transition Town. Basically, you offer a part of your garden to someone in the area who doesn't have the space for growing vegetables and in return receive a quarter of their harvest. It's a win, win situation for me as I am unable to manage it myself so can enjoy watching the plants grow and have fresh fruit and veg as a bonus. Hopefully there is someone close by looking for a patch to cultivate.

Does anyone else feel they have the recheck their levels of what they feel is normal and acceptable? I think we become so used to having to adjust, accept and deal with with affects of RA that it can become easy to overlook the possibility of asking for further help and we struggle on with only half a life.

Later......GP called, wants to see me at 3pm. Beginning to regret letting the car go but there is a bus stop just outside so I'll nip out and check the timetable. Better get dressed first. The neighbourhood isn't ready to see me in my current condition.

I hope you are all well and pain free today

Judy xx

[sylvi]

Judy my friend,i hope that by the time you read this you are smelling sweeter LOL. It is so hard work isn't when we're in pain. There is now a lot of things i can't do,but i would always try,then get told off by my family for over doing it. I hate sitting around doing nothing as i see so much wants doing and i haven't the energy to do it.

Let us all know how you get on at the drs. Love sylvi.xxx

[Hidden in reply to sylvi]

Smelling like a rose Sylivi, like a rose.

[Hidden]

'Codeine in the colon' that's going to haunt me all day! It brought back some really gruesome memories.

My first Rheumy appointment was with a locum who hadn't worked in the UK for long and treated me like a human being! One of the things she said was 'British patients are the most patient in the world'. And the implication was most definitely that we should not have to be so patient and accepting. 'Normal' can just mean the appalling situation that everyone's putting up with. And if you don't ask you don't get etc. etc.

The garden share scheme sounds brilliant.

Christina x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I did ask - and I got! Thank goodness, these meds seem to get to the root of the worst pain. As I said, sometimes I become so used to having pain that it becomes a miserable but expected condition and I ought to be less tolerant of it.

[helixhelix]

Don't ask, don't get is exactly right I think. Sadly the NHS is so overstretched (the auto correct changed that to "very retched", which also sounds about right) that I think many practices wait for people to come and bash on their door in desperation rather than checking how you're doing. And the rheumy will assume all's well unless you tell them otherwise. So I hope you did get clean enough to be seen in public, and had a fruitful discussion with GPs. There are loads and loads of different approaches to pain relief, so there must be one that will work better for you.

I have just mown our grass so am definitely not fit to be seen out....sweaty and covered in grass cuttings. Px

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

I'm glad I did make that phone call. As you say, there is usually something out there.xx

[minka]

what a woman

im only a man and cant even multi task and your in so much pain i did the garden the other day took me ages do a strip sit doa sit strip

its so frustrating and i dont know what ive got just know i get water then dry up and turns to i think authritus dont think wife understands cos mri show ok on me knees

going shopping see how we do today

keep ya spirit up

regards john

[su2po]

fair play to you, I'm a winger if the pain stops me from doing what I consider to be mostly normal I'm straight to the doctor but it's only because I'm hoping to get back to acrobatics at some point so if I can't live normally there is no hope of that. I had some really severe shooting pains down my arm for a while to the point where it became very difficult to use my arm. Turns out it was an impinged tendon and a steroid injection sorted it out. maybe if your pain is nerve pain that might be part of the problem. I hope you get it sorted too and complain more

[Hidden]

Hi Guys,

My doc has prescribed amytriptyline which aparently works well for nerve pain.

It's only been 24hours but seems to have deadened the pain but as I am being a bit of a couch potato today so haven't really asked much of myself.

I was warned about the tiredness but I also stayed up to watch the opening ceromany last night so I'm relctant to blame it all on the meds just yet. Although it does feel like a bit of a drug induced tiredness.

I'm going to need a couple of days to settle into it and then hopefully manage to do a few things around the house again.

I'm glad I went back to the GP and didn't continue to 'just put up with my lot'.

Take care all

Judy

[helixhelix]

Quite a few on here take Amytriptyline, so hope that works ok for you too. But if it doesn't then make another call.... (I didn't manage to stay awake for the whole ceremony, no need of Amytriptyline me) Px