i've been on morphine and pregabalin now for 4 years, and have given up on my GP completely. every time i used to go to the docs to say there's more pain or problems they just refer me to another doctor or hospital... even if i want to increase my pain killers they have to refer me to the pain clinic..... can this man actually do anything apart from refer me to every other tom dick and harry??? .... has anyone had the same feelings.... now if i'm in pain or things get worse. i don't even go to the docs any more... i just ride it out... what's the point.. he will just refer me and by the time i get the letter asking me the phone and make an appointment that can be anything from 3 to 8 weeks away and then only for it to be canceled and rescheduled its really not worth it any more....and even if i do want to see my doctor i have to wait 3 weeks any way or see a nurse who is no good for anything unless u have a cold or a chest infection... .... i have no faith in my surgery at all any more
Are GP's A waste of time?: i've been on... - Pain Concern
Are GP's A waste of time?
Hi u need to change u GP if u have to change to a new surgery all together, my old GP was the same he would just sit there and when I told him what was wrong some times he would say what do u want me to do about it and if I needed to be referred to a specialist he would say they have better things to do than bother with me,
Good luck
How bad is that of your old gp. Thankfully you changed your gp or I would have been inclined to report him. That's terrible patient/doctor care. Sounds like he needs self prescribing amitriptyline or something .Grumpy old man
I dont think some gp's know what "care "is.we aren't people just a name/number
Hi Mikewitney, I totally agree with you this is exactly how I felt about my gp. Was prescribed pregabalin by London surgeon and when I went to get my next prescription from my gp he only wanted to put me on gabapentin . I told him I cannot wait for the time this takes to start taking effect. I had already been taking pregabalin for a month and had just got over the side effects . I stood my ground and got pregabalin in the end. Even after a referral to my local pain clinic this seemed a waste of time they tried all sorts of meds eg slow release morphine, tramadol etc. and nothing helped until I got prescribed pregabalin and amitriptyline. I understand where you are coming from with this really I do.
Put these questions to your GP and hear what he has to say.
GPs are guided by the consultants opinion, that is why they refer to an expert. If they went against that opinion, there could be professional repercussions and if anything happened to you as a result of any changes the GP made, he could be for it. That would all work ok if we didnt have so long to wait or if the GP could just ring the consultant to discuss our cases but that only happens in tv soaps or if one is a VIP. I'm sure some GPs, either from work pressures or whatever, don't think things through so it is up to us to present them with our reasons.
My GP and the others in the practice are pretty good. I had a phone consultation yesterday asking to up my morphine dose and my anti depressants . She's up the morphine but made a double appointment next week to review my pain medication and discuss gabapentin etc with me.
They do their best given the restraints and rules they have to work under.
Dee
I'm with Dee and Calceolaria here.
GPs are General Practitioners and don't know everything. That's why we have specialist consultants.
The pain consultant will recommend changes, tweaks or modifications to meds etc and hopefully GP will oblige.
David, for example, has spoken with his GP about changing his Fentanyl. Consultant has approved but went on holiday. Pain Nurse was off sick so nothing happened. Remember too the pain clinics are seriously under staffed.
We shouldn't have to chase GP or consultant but we do have to.
Please don't knock the medical profession. They do an excellent job (mostly) under enormous pressure of under funding and targets.
Pat x
My gp is the same. He accused me of abusing drugs and has put this on my file so any time I go to hospital or out of hours doc that flashes up on my notes. I have been on so many tablets like yourself I've stopped going to docs when my back is really bad as he just says use a heat pack.and a ice pack I can't do anything else for you. It's a waste of my time going to gp. My daily tabs are palexia 200mg twice a day, 30/500mg of kapake 2 tabs 4 times a day, baclofen 20mg times a day, amitriptyline 50mg 1 tab twice a day, tramadol 50mg sr 1 tab twice a day and lactimal 25mg 2 in.morning 1 at night. I have been asking my gp to take.me off some of those meds as I'm Sure it's not great for.my liver. Hope u get sorted soon xx
Have you asked him why he has written that on your notes?
One thin I picked up is the amount of Amitriptyline. That amount is too high as muscle relaxant. Around 20 per day is the norm. Higher than that it is used as anti depressant. Check why you have been prescribed it.
Pat x
He said it was for nerves my legs and hands wud jolt out or shake really bad. My leg could jolt out unexpectedly same with my hands. Yeah I am on alot of meds. I've asked for an mri scan because my last scan was in 2010 he won't refer me. My pain has got worse I can't stand for any longer than 10mins it's so hard to do normal things like washing dishes I have to sit down 2 or 3 times until my back pain eases. My mum has osteoporosis and I had a scan to see if I have it and I do its called osteopenia. When i told gp he said its fine it won't effect you yet. I know for a fact my back has got worse but he doesn't believe me. It's so hard the amount of meds I'm on and I'm still.in pain everyday is breaking me. I can't do things with kids and it's so hard to say no.I can't go it I am just a spectator on days out. Thanks paton ☺
I am still unsure of why he has you on such a high dose. Amitriptyline is basically an anti depressant but like many meds used for their side effect benefits. The high dose you take has no more benehits for muscle relaxant once above max of 50. Just tell him about that one drug.
You say you can't do what you used too do or want to. That sadly is the effects of chronic pain and often termed a denial of your condition. Don't look back on that life. Accept it is past and try whenever possible to do what yo can do. So you have to sit down to do sishes. Sit down then. No shame in that. It is what you are.
You can do other things with your children which don't cause pain, or more pain. I can't see to read so when mine were little I had to find another way to read books at bedtime. We are all so different don't try and compare what is regarded as normal.
Sorry. My reinforced soap box coming out!
Focus on what you can do never what you can't.
Pat x
I am with Anna,my gp falsely accused me of "angling" for meds ,referrals and xrays.now no-one takes me seriously.
What does your pain consultant say? He is the one primarily looking after you. GP is his number 2
x
It's a joke Patricia I have actually said stop my meds and u will see how bad I am without them. He just laughed told me to stop being so immature. Fed up.com
Change the GP practice I had to see 7 gps and wait over a year just to get a MRI scan I all most gave up on them but I was very firm and said its my right too
Don't give up on them
Oh, don't get me started! My pain and symptoms seem to go in cycles, one week I can't walk, another I am so tired I can't get up out of bed, another, I am bleeding to death. My doctors think that when I see them I am fine, I am on that day, they just never see me on any of the other days. It is very difficult to get an appointment for two weeks time and know I am going to be ill that day. Often they never listen, and send me for a 'cure all' 'blood test' which has got nothing to do with the lymes I think I may have.
I have the same problem in fact just waited 2years to get pain clinic appointment as they are only booking new patient appointments. I give up and struggle on at home. My gp can do nothing. Today is hard. Sending you my thoughts🌺
I know the feeling hun im was on dihydrocodine , ibuprofen and oramorph went to a gp at my surgery to say dihydrocodine are addictive and instead prescribed co codamol & gabapentin ok I understand they do this for a reason but the co codamol don't do jack. im going back to my gp on Wednesday to complain iv been on dihydrocodine for 4 months my body has got used to them and when I saw the orthopaedic consultant he said not to worry about pain relief I will be in touch with your dr but I don't think they have even checked its so frustrating I hope you get to see someone who can help soon 
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