Waste of time

[gazelleLOL]

Last appointment was the usual waste of my time and the person who takes time

off work to run me about.

I am in agony with my shoulders, I do mean agony! have been up since two am and

painkillers and hot bottie and tea has not helped. Writing this with elbows stuck to

my body and even so my shoulders are screaming.

As usual I was fobbed off with a trainee who I could just about understand and who

in spite of having my notes in front of him kept asking pointless questions. At one

stage I was about to say, "forget it" but I sat it out as in the end as I know I would have

been blacklisted. If he asked my age once he asked it several times, he did not even

touch my shoulders and kept asking for my medication, I have never been asked to

bring a lorry carrying my meds, I take in the booklet with all written down plus it is all

on the computer.

I came out shaking my head in disbelief.

I next go to see the nurse who quite honestly does not fill me with confidence either,

I am getting so fed up with just being passed off from this one to that.

Off to make another cuppa as pain too much now to type, I can honestly say I have

never felt so let down by our health service as I have over the last ten years. Twenty odd years

back the treatment I had was far better than todays, our health service is fast falling

apart and I think I know why.

[Hidden]

I agree with you totally x

[Hidden]

I'm lucky the MTX and Hydroxy have worked so well for me and I have brilliant gps - if I was in a lot of pain I feel confident they would try and help me as best they could. It must be horrible seeing inexperienced registrars all the time - could you write to your MP or PALS perhaps? I feel for you being in do much pain - when my shoulders were as you describe I felt very low and like I was carrying the weight if the world in them. X

[helixhelix]

There's really no excuse for such rubbish treatment, and I think you should raise it with the PALs at your hospital. Not precisely to complain, but just to say that you thought that that particular doctor needs to do more on his patient skills. Even the lowliest junior doctor has had at least 5 years of training, and often 7. And if they were a registrar then will already have had at least a further 2 years experience with patients in a hospital. So they really should be more practiced at dealing with people properly. I think that as patients we need to be a bit more demanding, and tell the hospitals what is good and what not so good. Otherwise they'll just assume all is ok. But also hope you find some pain relief so too! Polly

[gazelleLOL]

try to manage to write. I still am getting no respite from this ******* flare up, am stuffing pills in the hope it goes.Unable to pull my pants up or cover myself with a duvet that is how bad it is.

Someone coming home to help me in an hour so should be OK then. I am beginning to think

they do not like me as I do not suffer fools gladly and I find if you speak up or show your

displeasure you are past from pillar to post.

I am going to up my steroids again and see if that takes the swelling and pain down.

When I was a kid I walked a dog for an old lady in a wheelchair, she had this and when

I look back, fifty odd years, I now know just how she suffered and her main pain killer

was Aspirin. It seems to me thinks have not progressed that much. Can type no more

thanks for you wishes

Ann

[pinkjen11]

Yes hospitals are useless I'm off to my GP tonight to try and get referred elsewhere as just not getting the care, support or help I need grrr to hospitals.

[Hidden]

I'm suffering with shoulder pain as well,mine started at the end of Nov 2012, by Dec I was in agony,got painkillers from the Docs but they didn't work,the only thing that kept me going was knowing I was seeing the Consultant in early Jan. I was awake most nights like you, I even phoned the Specialist Nurse,who I had not met,she wasn't any help whatsoever!!

Saw the Consultant and she gave me a steroid injection,went through what meds I would be going on,took bloods,she said the next step would be to see the nurse,great I thought it won't be long....how wrong was I? Left a message for the nurse to ask when I would be seeing her, she said I hadn't been referred, it turned out I had she had overlooked it. She can't see me until the end of Feb, plus my GP told me that my LFT was high, this nurse didn't even mention that so now I am waiting to go for a scan.

I have no faith in this nurse,she told me that if I'm still in pain( which I am) to go to my GP.

[Josie2]

Oh i agree totally.

Im having rubbish time with nhs too!!

Jo

Xxxxx

[Hidden]

Just got a call from another hospital, they have said if I can get there Thursday morning they will sort my meds out. Glad I complained now to my GP, she said she would get in touch with the Consultant.

Fingers crossed that they work.

[Hidden]

We can't win can we it seems? If we are too polite and obliging and just do as we are told we get shoved to the bottom of the pile and seen as easy so just pop some more pills and see you in a year - but if we are direct and questioning we get labelled as difficult and doctors then become wary and dismissive too. I think it's possible to just be polite, friendly but very hard to fob off and extremely firm - if you can. If you can face it the best thing would be to write and complain about this registrar and then also complain about your situation - being left high and dry on inadequate medication and persistently flaring. Failing that go and see your GP and tell them what you've told us and ask them to refer you to someone decent and experienced this time? TTx

[cathie]

The last time I went to the RA department I was down to see the registrar. But when the nurse was doing my observations I mentioned that I really wanted to see the consultant and she said if you dont mind waiting, I'll make sure you see her - and I did. It may help to find out who are the gatekeepers in the department. I do hope you can get to see the main person - would a word from your GP help?

And if you're getting to complain, I would focus on your treatment first. You have a year from any incident to report it, and getting yourself on your feet is your priority.

Hope you get somewhere - Cathie

[gazelleLOL]

Thank you so much for sharing your wishes and experiences.

Tonight after not hearing back from the hospital I rang my doctor for advice,

guess what, he is on holiday AGAIN, seems whenever I want him he is away.

I managed to speak to another doctor in the end who has put my steroids

up again to 10mg for two days, no injection as too soon after the last one.

Supposed to be seeing the nurse in three weeks, I can honestly say I

am not hopeful for any better from her. Am getting so depressed, in spite of

the happy pills, I try to tell myself there are so many people far worse off than

me, including one dear soul with m nuron.

So with her in my prayers I will away to bed and try and sleep.

[oldtimer]

Since I moved here, I have only seen the registrar once and even then he had to discuss me with the consultant before I left. This is despite the fact that the appointments claerks put me in on the registrar's list - the consultant then moves me to his.

I think I ask too many difficult questions and argue about the best course of action, so I am usually seen in the teaching clinic. But I do get on fine with the rheumy nurses who here are well trained and meticulous - so you often get a more thorough examination and explanation.

[gazelleLOL]

May have a break through, at last a blood test was done to test my

Vit D levels and they are way down. I am off to have an injection.

Whilst on the subject of vitimins, is anyone on here taking the calcium

supplement that requires you to take it and then remain standing for

quite a while whilst drinking loads of water, if so how do you

cope if not a great lover of water?