Well knock me down with a feather.... My faith in Drs has perked up

[ravenhex]

.Bit of background...

I have a a trapped nerve in my elbow also my neck veterbra have claws which are compressing my spinal column, nerves and major blood veins to the head. Xray show both side are affected, left being the worse.

My elbow flaired up, all i did was move the computer mouse and OUCH, pain shot up, muscles constricted, hand was pulled back. After suffering for a week I went ot see my GP. One squeeze on my elbow, and a threat to decaptitate him if he so much as looked at it again. Possible Tennis or Golf elbow. Different affected muscles mean one or the other. One nasty steriod later and OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOUCCCHH! Sent for a nerve conduction test. Several electric shocks later and verdict weakness, nerve damage to elbow and below. Then did the test to upper arm. I screamed as soon as the needle, was put into the upper muscle. I carried on screaming until he took it out. Then I burst into tears as the pain was horrendous. Verdict same as elbow, nerve trapped shoulder or neck.

Then I ended up with a complete agony of the left arm. Totally weak, I could even hold a leat in it.

Sent to Rheumtology. Got given physio on neck, totally forgot the arm. Physio sent me back asking for clarification as neck and arm were not atypical. Reseen, sent back to physio for full neck and arm. Plus to see Orthopedic to nerve block under Xray guidance.

Back to rhemutology 9 months later. Saw a minion, not the boss. Minion said thats its now youve had your nerve block and its worked, so dismissing you.

Ahem what nerve block, not had one and ahem, have you read the physio report? One red faced minion hurtled into the Boss. Both returned and I got the patronising, youve had the nerve block. No, I havent. Yes you have you must have forgotten it. Where is it in my notes then to say I have. Quick check and must have been a mix up, you havent.

Resent to Orthopedics. and....

I saw my new ( non invisible) Othropedic Consultant this morning, regarding the issue of my neck and left arm

Now SIT DOWN.

He demanded to know why wasnt my bloods being tested for B12 and a long list of things and why was I on Levothryoxine with Hashis? Who was checking this rather large mass of either lymph, nodes.thyroid or bundle of both in front of my throat, it nearly coevers te whole front of my neck.. What the hell was my blood tests doing as they were frightening and who wasnt sititng up and looking into them. Why wasnt anybody actively treating me?

I must have fainted, my jaw certainly did lterally hit the floor. Quiestest ive ever been too. My ears were shocked.

I never have I been told that before. Never actually had somebody say, the amount of nerves, tendons, bones, muscles, headaches, dizzy spells, numbness, pins & needles, loss of blood flow, pressure, tachychardia, and gait damage and the other horrorible anomolies, I have is more in keeping with B12 lack of and Hashis. Than just an atypical trapped nerve in elbow and spinal nerves and veins by neck.

He then poked, avoiding the areas I said I'd rip his heart out if he touched, checked,, tested,, re tested, poked, pulled. I was in there for 2 hours as he checked me, listened, questioned me.

OK 1 & half hours, the first 30 minutes my blood decided to leave my body via my nose. Even that he checked. Was amused that the typical techniques made my blood run out faster.

Best laugh, for him, I had to stand up, close my eyes and.....I fell over. I was supposed to walk forward. No I fell over. He told me to stand still, I swayed. Then he said your finger to your nose, eyes shut. I fell over, so he sat me down and I never knew my nose was in my ear? I swear he thought I was drunk.

Then he said I am going to make you stand straight. I toppled over. He then told me to stand what I thought was straigh. He said I was the leaning tower of Pizza in human form.

I had to show him my real gait and the one Im forced to use. bascially my left leg is turned out by 45 degrees.I walk like a cowbody. Very flattering. Even with my foot forced straight my gait resmebles a rather wobbly penguin.

No wonder I get brain fog, I dont know what I am. LOL

Had me wired up to blood pressure machine. Noted the tachycardia dancing the tango. pressure all over the shop. Then he ran temperature checks, my throat, where the thyroid is regsters 45 degress.

My straight and straight is well off. He said the disorientation and world spins, he saw happen as my eyes flick round should have been actively investigated. Glad I couldnt see my eyes spinning. Freaky.

He's very interested into whats going on but his money he says thyroid, and.or B12 etc. Also he was writing to both Rhemutology, my GP and the Endo to ask who, what and when was somebody going to actually treat me than just badly manage me?

To my physio, hes sending more punishment for her to do to me. Plus thank her for actually doing something and to keep up with what she was doing.

I'm to get a nerve block near the neck along the shoulder ont he left arm. to see if it will just give me a break from the pain. Hes not hopeful but if it works bonus for me. Then he will go from there and will want copies of my full blood tests to see what if anything blood wise could be behind this. He didnt expect miracles and quite possibly be years or never found but he is investigating me and inhis own words. Nobody should feel that ill and be left to get on with it. The damage from the ignorance is not fantasy its actual facts.

Its so nice to come away and feel hopeful & bit of weight lfited.

So own up, who brainwashed my new Orthopedic Consutlant. It worked, do it again. please.

[Jackie]

Hi Pleased things are working out for you. There are some brilliant doctors and some dreadful ones, like everything, the problem is" sifting the wheat fro the sand."

Best wishes, hope you soon feel really well.

Jackie

[twinks]

Oh at last someone taking notice of you, and he wasn't an endo, who should be ashamed you've been left to cope with all this. All the best x

[Hidden]

I suppose SOME of them must pick up some genuine deep knowledge and understanding after spending all those years at University and the training afterwards... sadly it's not nearly as many as you would hope.

Remember too that Surgeons (NOT the General ones) such as this Orthopaedic Surgeon) are acknowledged to be the cream of the crop anyway, there is a lot of competition to get into surgical specialities, and the rest we see ending up as Rheumatologists, Endocrinologists, GPs etc. are those not up to the technical, academic and physical challenge that those specialities require.

Nice to see one that thinks outside of the surgery "box" too, they tend to think of everything in terms of what the surgical solution is, clearly this one didn't forget that he is a Doctor first of all!

That said, my own experience of several Orthopaedic Surgeons is not too wonderful, and I am permanently seriously disabled thanks to repeated misdiagnosis of a very common and very simply observable condition as a child.

[LinDonaldson]

It is a bitter irony that consultants who have nothing much to do with endocrinology actually know more than the endocrinologists. Thank goodness you came across someone who realised that patients who have symptoms should not just be left to get on with it. Unfortunately, it happens so often!

Regards

Lin

[shaws Administrator]

I am glad that someone knew his 'stuff' and hope you now get treated properly.