Am I being Unreasonable or expecting too much?

fairlady

New Member
Jul 14, 2007
10,306
1
0
Bristol
Yet another trip to the Doctors today !

For those that are not aware, I have a neck injury from almost 5 years ago, non operable as too high risk. I was taking codeine on a daily basis and then for some reason it stopped working, head tilted once again to the left, pain
radiating thro' shoulder blade and down right arm, numbness in fingers.

Now periodically if I have overdone it, I get this anyway but usually rights
itself with rest and upping the medication. This time it didn't work. They changed me to Tramadol. I withdrew from the Codeine, QUITE BADLY IN FACT, shaking, sickness etc., etc., and have been on the Tramadol now for 2 weeks. Feeling a little
better but head 'up and down' and Tramadol also making me feel sick etc....

They have now given me two more 'lots' of Medication to enable me to
keep taking the Tramadol...........Naproxan and Omeprazole...............To
me it seems ridiculous, I am like a walking Pharmacists.......taking three
lots of medication to enable me to take the ONE !! Oh, she won't let me back to work, signed me off for another TWO WEEKS !!!

I lost it, I am afraid, told them this is 'MY LIFE' they are playing about with and having time off work and taking lots of medication is encroaching on
my 'quality of life'. SOOOOOOOOOOO...........lol, she suggested Physio and
gave me the number of Physio Direct.........they give you a 'TELEPHONE
Consultation' send you exercises thro' the post and if they don't work give
you an appointment !!!!!!! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH THE NHS !!

She is also going to refer me to the Pain Clinic......which IS a step in the
right direction.

I 'totally' understood the Consultants point of view at the time, the operation IS too high risk and its about 'pain management' etc., I didn't present with the 'muscle wastage' etc., he expected to see with the injury, I was managing to do most of what I wanted/needed to do with the occasional 'blip' however thats more down to the person I am than the injury...........however, I also feel I was kicked out the door to 'get on with it' and other than pain killers was offered NOTHING !

Am I being unreasonable, I am so damn FRUSTRATED !!!
 
Last edited:
no I don't think you are being unreasonable at all, & I know exactly how you feel .. I am constantly ill .. in pain .. tired etc .. & everytime I go to the docs all I get is "here go for some blood test" then the results come back abnormal .. in what way abnormal I never find out .. & it is never followed up .. so I STILL don't know what is up with me :banghead:, so now I have just given up on going to the docs as I feel I am just annoying them with being there all the time :(
 
no, you are not being unreasonable. My OH has had similar medication issues. He has sciatica. He was put on codein long term which he became addicted to. NHS solution? up the dosage of his medication :stomp: he also had to take omeprazol to protect his stomach. It hasn't worked. Infact the pain meds prescribed by the NHS nearly sent him into renal failure, have given him a bleeding stomach lining and he's now in an absolute mess.

The NHS never offer any form of constructive help. We spent thousands on a chiropractor for my OH to sort his back out, and it looks like we will have to do that again. He was offered an op but like you it's dangerous. He's a 30% chance of ending up paralysed. No form of physical therapy has ever been offered and they became very uncooperative when we said we were going to a private chiropractor.

NHS - no hope service i'm afraid :(
 
I think its disgusting the way they treat you. Taking a concoction of medication can have dreadful side effects. Some doctors hand out pills like they were sweets. I have seen a lot of bad practice in my job. It seems the only way you get anywhere is to make a nuisance of yourself which shouldnt be the case.
 
Hell no your not being unreasonable !!

I wouldnt want to take all those drugs, I get that Tramadol is a pain killer ? but what do the other two do ?

Have you tried a physio before ? I tried a physio and chiro with my back pain spending over £200 and neither worked but an osteo worked wonders after one session. Ive had 3 sessions in the past 4 months and feel sooo much better than with the chiro and physio. They were both a complete waste of money.

I was informed chiro only does bones and physio only does musles an oesto does both and more. I have always been with the osteo for an hour the others were 30 mins max and out, sometimes in more pain for day than when I went in.
 
Last edited:
I have already taken the decision that I am not going to take these new
tablets.

I WILL stick with the Tramadol for this week as beginning to feel slightly better and in hindsight think the Sickness etc., could still be related to withdrawal from the Codeine which tbh as I said earlier I have been on for
a long time, although never taking the full dosage when 'well'.

I really don't know how long it will be for the referral to the Pain Clinic but
think if I haven't heard anything within a week I will go back to the Doctor
and press for that.

Will also look at Physio but depending on the outcome of the 'telephone
consultation' will go privately and see my Son's Football Team Physio who I at least get to see 'face to face' and I know is excellent.

Libbylou.........one of the tablets apparently 'lines the stomach' to stop any problems with the medication such as 'ulcers' and the other
is to kerb the sickness .........??????

When I initially had the problem I saw a Chiropractor who was absolutely fantastic, he was recommended and is actually the Chiropractor for Bath Rugby Club. I was bloody DESPERATE tbh and he said at first visit exactly where he thought the injury was etc., and was proved 100% right. He wouldn't 'manipulate' me as he felt he could do more damage without an MRI scan, but did do some 'physio' type work with me that helped. When I saw the Consultant he wasn't at all 'happy' with the fact I had seen a Chiropractor, and tbh the Chirpractor once the MRI Scan results were through wasn't happy dealing with me anyway !! The Doctor then along the line suggested Physio, but tbh by the time the Appointment came through my head was UP and I was loads better and petrified that somebody 'messing about' may put me back where I was before so cancelled the Appointment. If I need Physio, I need it NOW, not weeks down the line, so will see what happens thro' NHS or will go privately.
 
Last edited:
i would take the ompeprazol hun. Its only purpose is to protect your stomach. These hefty pain killers can do so much damage to the stomach. My OH wasn't initially prescribed omperazol and by the time he was he had a bleeding stomach lining. i recognise naproxan but cannot remember what i does, i'll ask OH when he gets home.
 
Naproxen is an anti inflammatory, as just googled it, so maybe that
would help...........can't take voltorol/diclofenic as they make me really sick.

Turning into a right 'druggie':stomp:
 
If you in so much pain to say you need a physio now then I would pay for a few private sessions. I know with my back that I went in when taking pain killers every few hours and trying not to sleep in one position for too long...to be told my back was awful with curvature of the spine, my right shoulder had dropped, turned in and forward, my ligaments in my lower legs were abnormal and one leg was shorter that the other.

After one session I felt and rode completely differently that even my instructor noticed it.
 
Well, I eat 'humble pie' and take back what I said about Physio Direct.....

They have just rung me back and talked to me at great length and have
sent an Urgent Referral to Frenchay Hospital Physio Department and assure me I should have an appointment within 5 days otherwise to ring them back and they will chase it up !!

SOOOOO lets see if it happens !:wink:
 
I can only get a small inkling of just how frustrating and painful this is fir you.

The one thing I have learnt over the years is to educate myself and ask loads if questions.

Personally speaking I wouldn't go against instructions without speaking to your doctor again. I'd suggest getting another appointment to vent your frustrations and ask any questions but I wouldn't be self prescribing.
 
No of course you are right Joyscarer.

I was just 'venting' really. Ideally I would like to get to a place where I have to take 'no' medication unless really needed but I also accept this is unlikely and I just found it frustrating that I was give 'more' medication to take !

I am feeling a 'glimmer' of hope that people are finally realising I have lived
with this condition for 4 almost 5 years and nobody 'knows' my neck condition or more still how to manage it better than I do tbh.

Physio Direct definately listened and agreed the time for Physio is NOW and not 6 weeks down the line waiting for appointments. I also feel the Doctor actually listened this morning as she gave me the referral number.

Fingers crossed it happens and does some good and in the meantime I will
take medication prescribed and be a 'good girl':biggrin:

I just find it frustrating that there are things I want to do, be doing, and I can't do it, simple as, but I am not stupid enough to not realise my capabilities at this time are limited either. xx
 
Last edited:
I was informed chiro only does bones and physio only does musles an oesto does both and more.
Thats not true at all Libbylou; Chiros/Osteos do essentially the same thing, they both treat musculoskeletal problems, just that the philosophy is slightly different. Physiotherapy is very similar too. The trick is to find a good one, like in any profession.

Physios are mostly used within the NHS but that is changing and many PCT now refer to Chiropractors and Osteopaths too but it is easier for GPs to stick with what they know. Sadly its all about the money and not quite so much about the patient.
 
I know Portia and couldn't agree more, however I have to say in all
honesty I didn't even know until last year such a thing existed otherwise
I would have pushed for referral before now, but I wasn't told such a thing
as 'pain management Clinics' were available either !!
 
newrider.com