Just to let you know how my husband got on with the GP, he said he would not write to the consultant as there was no point because of the waiting list, he would just have to wait. He said no point in seeing consultant privately unless he could afford to have the op done privately too!!! He did however give him amitriptyline 10mg 1 or 2 at night to help with sleep. He took 2 on Friday and didn't surface until 10.30am, he was very groggy and disoriented and not feeling good (I had same effects years ago). He said he would drop it down to 1 tablet, which he has, but still feels groggy. He can't take these whilst working due to his job, but they have enabled him to get some much needed sleep.
Thanks all for your comments, we will see how he gets on, but the pain is still there and getting worse. I think he is going to try and go on light duties at work to see if this helps.
Jan
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Titchyj
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In regard to taking the Amitryptiyline, I was prescribed these following a knee replacement as sleep just wasn't happening. At 1st they just wouldn't work and I was taking 50mg a night! By a process of my own testing, I found I needed to take it much earlier in the evening for it to work and not feel groggy in the morning. I've got it down to 10mg's a night but have to take it no later than 7.30pm. Maybe your husband could try taking it earlier to? It might mean bed by 9 but hey! A good night's sleep & not feeling too horrible the next morning is worth it in my book
I think you should see the surgeon privately. At least you will have a proper opinion from the man who does the op. Your doc can't deny you a second opinion. Your husband works and needs his job. The surgeon may take that into account when he assesses him.
Thank you both for your replies, he is now waiting for his work to see if they could put him through their own private medical for the operation. He did take it at 9pm on Saturday, but still was knocked out by them. I will suggest he takes them earlier next time. He didn't take any last night as he is working tonight, but still feels wiped out.
Can I suggest you buy some nytol one a night over the counter. Take one of these, nothing else that night and get a good nights sleep with no after effects. I have been on all the things you describe and they work in varying degrees..but if I need a decent sleep I go for the nytol.
Amitryptylline is something that your body does get used to, so the grogginess will wear off after a week or two if you take it regularly. If you only take them erratically or just on days you don't have to work the next day, then its going to be that much harder to get through the groggy effect. I'd suggest he asks his doctor for the smallest tablet size to start with, and also take it much earlier (I got told to take it 12 hours before I wanted to wake up). It shouldn't take long to get used to a very low dose, and then you'd only need to increase it if it wasn't working well enough. For some folk, 10 mg is well enough to modify pain and they never need the maximum pain relieving dose of 50-75 mg.
I've been on between 50 &75mg every night now for 6yrs but have never even thought about taking it earlier, just always taken it when getting into bed. I will be trying it much earlier in the hope it helps me sleep. I do find however it does help with the pain. Thanks
I presume amitriptyline is for the pain. He is likely to have inflammation which needs a different treatment. Pain will accompany inflammation in the shoulder. My experience is that a two week course of Erythromycin will get rid of pain in the shoulder and surrounding muscles by reducing the inflammation. Erythromycin is a an antibiotic and macrolide. There has been a lot of work showing the effects of macrolides as an anti-inflamatory. This can be googled for more information which you can then take to the GP.
Once the inflammation has gone the muscles will cease to hurt as much. Then it is a case of releasing any muscles that are in spasm. This can be done by massage and stretching exercises.
Pain Killers do not treat the cause of pain they just mask the symptoms.
Many anti-depressants are addictive. Your GP will no doubt disagree. But you can Google for the information on this issue.
Thank you all for your views, I will certainly tell him and put them into action if he thinks he needs to. I was on. 75mg amitriptyline many years ago fro Fibro and they just wiped me out, slept most of the day, just couldn't cope with them so had to stop.
Don't see a surgeon privately! It's a waist of money! There must be more then one surgeon he could be referred to. See a different GP and get them to refer your husband to a different hospital if that's what it takes. Or go in to an A&E at a weekend. Saying you can't see your gp because they are closed. It sounds like your gp isn't doing their job.
GP's practices get a pp of money from the government per patient per year. They then have to pay for every referral they male and ever prescription they give. It sounds like yours doesn't want to give any away.
You can even right to the surgeons secretary your self and explain your situation. They will often take people like that (but they don't like doing it that way).
Good luck and I wish your husband a speedy recovery.
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Confused
Anyone have neck, shoulder and back pain and no diagnosis?
