Doctors vs. Consultants and me stuck in the middle!
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi All,
Firstly, let me say that today's doctor's appointment I booked online, my doctor stated that she would need a double-appointment due to numerous things she wantedt to go over during the appointment.
Secondly, the appointment was made for 11:30am - eventually, we got called in around 11:55am - okay, a bit late, but I made the appointment before the Doctor's dinner break, and she was running late.
At first she went through my memory doing a number of checks - passed that okay. Some questions I did get wrong, but like she said it is prrobably down to medication rather than anything else, but she said she would redo the test at a later date. She actually did this test via patient.info resources which I thought was a good idea, since this site is a wealth of information.
Secondly, she wanted to check my stomach, legs, ankles and feet. So, she checked my stomach and said it felt 'bloated' then came the rectum check, gawd I hate having them done!
She noticed how difficult I found it to get out the wheelchair on to the examination bed, and back again - and how painful it is if anyone just slightly touches my legs! She said I knew your mobility was impaired, but not this much. So, then she started to go through other paths we could take to make life a little easier for you.
1. Contact your Occupational Therapist regarding the need for an electronic adjustable bed. Also, mention that you need a Fully Electronic Dual Riser Chair, this will help you with standing up and also aid your legs which need elevating when sitting down. It is not possible for you to walk around the house all the time. She stated your legs look like they are retaining water, but they are not doing that, it is an actual long term side-effect of numerous medications.
2. The Tramadol we really need to get you off, but the problem is at the moment, you have back pain in your spine, pain in your shoulder to your arm - this alone is making it virtually impossible to get out of bed on your own, therefore I am recommending District Nurses come around to see you as well, and help you out a bit. Now, the Tramadol we really need to get you off of, but they are well known with Paracetamol to work well with back pain. What I am suggesting is we change the dose around and make them slow-release, this will hopefully work better during the day and night, until you see the Pain Management Clinic Consultant. But we will need to up the Tramadol to 200mg a day, instead of 150mg - but only to be taken twice, not three times as previously done. The trouble is your body is relying on the Tramadol and Paracetamol 3 times a day, but with normal Tramadol the release is virtually instant so you feel pain less but not for a great period of time, therefore we need to keep the Tramadol at a continous level, so by changing these to just 2 a day and slow release you should feel better with the current pain.
And at the end of all that, she said please book another double-appointment for 2 weeks time, or I can come out to see you if that would make things easier. I said to be honest I would rather come down here, it gets me out of the house.
She said she was running over 50 minutes behind her schedule, because she spent over 40 minutes with me (she had run well into her dinner break just with me!). lol At least a lot was accomplished, but there is Consultants that might have a different opinion. lol
I got to see my Pain Management Consultant next month, he forwarded a removal of Tramadol and Amitriptyline from my medications, and my doctor has just overwrote that instruction. The ironic part is my doctor referred me to the Pain Management Consultant to get them removed. But with me nothing is easy, the medication which was to substitute Tramadol gave me IBS problems!! The complexity of my medications is unreal, there is so many problems which are brought on by counteracting medications. All the changes the Pain Management Consultant made in December have not only been overwritten by my own doctor, but also my Neurology Consultant.
With me it's like a battle of Doctors vs. Consultants!!
Oh well, all the new appointments are booked!
Yesterday, it was sad we seen the Paramedics and Doctors at a neighbours house. A really nice guy, and he lives on his own - sadly last year he was rushed in to hospital with cancer, he came back out of hospital and seemed to be on the mend until just before Christmas last year. He took a turn for the worse and has been in and out of hospital ever since. My wife spoke to his brother yesterday, but he said he's lost a lot of weight and 5 blood transfusions in a week, but they are unable to operate because he is so frail and probably would not survive the operation. Sad, really... we've known him since we moved in this bungalow, which must be around 18 years ago. I hope all goes well with him.
Regards,
Les.
3 likes, 7 replies
georgeGG SteV3
Posted
I have an outstanding issue in my GP's court. I asked her to help switch my Oncologist. Seems to be a hot potato. Professional sensibilities are in the frame, but then so are mine. So now I shall settle down to read Les's account.
georgeGG
Posted
It was later I learned from a dear friend, now dead, that she had the same Oncologist. She too had been offered a single therapy. When she did not wish it my friend was abruptly dismissed and transferred to another department. I found that a bit too interesting.
SteV3 georgeGG
Posted
My first Oncologist was a woman, she was fine with me. I did ask her if I could be seen as an Oncology Out-patient in another hospital that was closer to me. Being my first appointment I did not know much about the Oncology Outpatient System in the Hospitals over here. She asked which would be better for you, so I told her - and she had me changed straight away.
That first hospital was just so depressing, you know what everyone is there for, the hospital covered 3 counties which over here is a large area. There was men, women, girls and boys - it was so sad to see them having Chemo and Radiology.
The hospital I attend does all standard tests, CT Scans, X-rays and Blood Tests. I've had all them done recently anyway, when my doctor wanted checks done for Prostate Cancer.
I said to my GP I don't know how you can do that, the rectal examination - lol she said "Believe me Les I wouldn't be doing this if I was not being paid to do so!!" I just laughed....
Regards,
Les.
SteV3
Posted
Personally, I think it was down to the examination room and moving from the wheelchair to the bed, and then having to turn over. I know my doctor and my wife were trying to help me, but just touching my legs gives me so much bad pain. It's hard to explain what the pain is like.
Waking up this morning was an absolute nightmare. The pain was from my shoulder to the bottom of my spine, of course trying to turn over in bed is a nightmare in itself, when you have back pain, I was even getting frustrated at one point, my wife was trying but I am not that light and stand over 6ft, so it isn't a very easy task - my wife struggles which is why my Doctor is putting in place a request for another review of the premises being made even more easier for me to get around. She has requested the Occupational Therapist can get an electric bed put in, a dual riser chair to get me on my feet easier, and few other adaptions to the place in general. I took 100mg of Tramadol this morning slow-release, and I'm falling asleep from the side-effects, and drained from just trying to get out of bed, well turn over! Man, life is so difficult sometimes!!!
Regards,
Les.
GeorgiaS SteV3
Posted
Have you seen a Naturopath?
SteV3 GeorgiaS
Posted
Oh yeah, and I got to do a nasty 'mud' sample for the doctor to send to the Hospital. That's another story! lol
To be honest Georgia, we all have to brave in one way or another, to beat our disorders/problems,
BTW, what is an Naturopath? Sounds like a person thats in to not wearing any clothes!! LMAO I think I would get arrested for trying that!! hehe
Regards,
Les.
GeorgiaS SteV3
Posted
A Naturopath is someone who knows a lot about a holistic approach, non invasive. I wish I could sum it up better than that. A good one knows all about the body, diet, herbs etc. You could google it.
When I first got sick I saw one in Harley St before I had my mercury silver amalgam fillings out. He tested me with a Vega machine and told me a lot that the doctors couldn't from their tests. He started me off on the right path and though I haven't recovered I'm a lot better than I was then. I'm very grateful for his advice.