IS THERE A DOCTOR OR ANYONE WHO CAN HELP ME PLEASE IV LIVED THE LAST 8 YEARS IN AGONY WITH MY RIB !!
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is there a doctor or medical profesional on here who can please help im at the end of the road i have no idea what to do i feel like giving up 8 years ago i got punched in the rib while on a night out they were broken but i rested at home for 6 weeks until they healed on there own and i didn't go to a hospital, ever since the pain has not stopped its got worse up until now i physically cant move it dosent matter what i do the pain doesn't go its the right side rib cage the lower ribs i have a hard gold ball sized lump on the back of my rib i cant sit againt anything because it hurts when i lean on it so i cant sit back on a chair or anything my chest wall 3rd rib is protruding out and the right side is now visablly disformed , i wake up every night of the early hours crying in pain it literaly feels as if im being stabbed and the knife left in and someone wobbling it up and down i cant cope anymore i really have no quality of life like this iv been to a and e and doctors 100s times over the years and never once have i been able to sit long enough in a and e because the pain is so excruciating my doctor has never give me and answer and iv only been checked for gall stones he completely ignores the fact iv told him irs from a previous injury i know its a long one sorry and if you read it all thankyou i feel like its never healed because it always feels as if somethings there
0 likes, 1 reply
richard51119 shirl14ey
Posted
Hi shir14ey,
Firstly, I just wanted to say, I am not a medical professional. I don't want to disappoint you with my reply, but I can at least tell you what I would do if I was in your situation.
I really felt your pain and had to register to this forum to give my reply. I hope it helps.
I'm so sorry to hear about the pain you are in and how much it has destroyed your quality of life. Nobody should have to endure what you have for as long as you have. I find it utterly disgusting that your G.P and the people at A&E don't seem to be listening to you. All too often I hear of experiences like yours where the so-called, medical professionals arrogantly think they know best, but they appear to have forgotten how to speak to a patient on an equal footing.
There is no excuse for your G.P allowing this to go on for 8 years. Any reasonable person with a sense of empathy would have at least sent you for an MRI or even a simple X-Ray to investigate your pain.
Unfortunately, when it comes to pain, many doctors instantly see it as a red flag and immediately think the patient is trying to get a painkiller/opiate on prescription. It's an unfair judgement and prejudice that many G.P's have. However, on this issue, I don't blame the G.P because I imagine they are seeing a growing number of patients who are attempting to get an opiate prescription just to get high. The UK, just like America, has an opiate crisis due to the amount of opiates that used to be given out. Nowadays, all medical professionals are reluctant to give out opiates if an alternative is available.
I'm guessing you may have sadly developed an opiate dependency yourself because of the pain you are in. No judgements at all, as it's not your fault. If you have, unfortunately for you, this may become another challenge after the source of your pain has been addressed.
This is what I would do if I was in your shoes.
If possible, I would change my G.P surgery and then book an appointment. If it's not possible to change your surgery, book an appointment at your current surgery. At the appointment, explain everything from start to finish. Outline your last 8 years in as much detail as possible. It might be a good idea to write a long list of notes before your appointment, so you don't forget anything. If it's your current G.P, tell them you are not happy with the treatment you are receiving and if necessary, tell them you want to make an official complaint. Don't allow the G.P to interrupt you while you are explaining your experience and tell them you are in crisis, and you need help. If you are receiving a pain relief prescription, it is very important that you book this appointment at a time when you DON'T need a new prescription.
Request an MRI to investigate your pain and emphasize this has been ongoing for 8 years now and reiterate how bad your quality of life has become. There is no reasonable excuse why you should be denied this.
If you feel that your G.P is drawing the wrong conclusion, and you think they are judging you based on your request for painkillers, it might be a good idea to tell your G.P that. Don't be afraid, as I know it's a bit confrontational, but you've suffered 8 years of pain and enough is enough. From my experiences with G.P's it's often better if you're honest and direct with them.
Simply say, "I feel you are unfairly judging me because of my prescription, and you are not taking my pain seriously. I need you to take me seriously and investigate the cause of my pain."
Hopefully, this will get your G.P's attention.
If this doesn't work, you're going to have to make an official complaint to the surgery. Don't fill this in, in the surgery. Take it home with you and take your time with it. Attach a written statement with the complaint and explain everything. The last 8 years of pain, your quality of life, the lack of help you have received and how the surgery has failed you for all this time. If the surgery has a website, go and visit it and read what they promise in a mission statement or a vision they have. They will likely promise to provide the best level of treatment, a duty of care etc. Use their own words in your official complaint.
Also, request a copy of your medical record. They have to provide this information if requested. This will allow you to see everything that over the last 8 years and it might open your eyes to information you didn't know.
GOOD LUCK
I really hope this helps you to get the treatment you deserve. Hopefully a medical professional will respond to your question soon and give you better advice.
It's easy to look back in hindsight at where you went wrong after the fact, but not visiting A&E when you first broke your ribs has cost you so much. I have no doubt they would have given you an X-ray and possibly discovered the problem you are trying to live with now. You may have done everything right yourself at home, but unfortunately it meant there was no X-Ray taken, and your GP had no evidence of the injury on file from A&E. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.