Hi Eileen, One thing after another eh. I have an appointment new referral on 25th. The one last year who said about taking vitamin D apparently signed me off and wrote to my Gp and said refer if necessary. She did ask for him again, but no I have been given someone else. So will mention it to who ever I see it (you don't always see them, usually one of their team). Don't hold out much hope though. My doctor as I said would be happy to prescribe them, it is the partners who won't pass it.
With regard to blood tests I have to have them once a year this is mainly to check thyroid but they do everything else as well. Maybe that's what he means or perhaps 3 or 6 monthly.
You mention the water tablets it is like any medication it who depends who you see as to what you get according to their beliefs. Luck of the draw whether you are cured so to speak.
I have been given omeprazole for this reflux thing. It has been driving me nuts with the mucus in the throat 24/7, a little better after 4 days of taking it. It seems that I never get anything sorted before something else is added to the pot. Having my toe nails cut this afternoon have to pay for that as I don't have diabetes or circulation problems £12 every 8 weeks. Mort get his done free, as he has type 2 diabetes. Have treated myself to a couple of things from Bon Marche, to cheer me up.
Hope you soon feel less tired. Have a good weekend
Eileen just read your post to Loxie. Good on you for not letting them fob you off. I wish I was a bit more like you. My husband is and says what he thinks. He had the same trouble with this hearing aid saga. Gp referred him to hospital he was already under. Got letter to make an appointment was told can't help you don't deal with this hospital. Doctor said it's a mistake only for new patients you can go to the local one. Went to audiology was told he needed to see consultant and said they would refer him. Heard nothing phoned and was told no we don't do that we have written to gp again. They had received nothing, however suddenly a copy came through the post dated weeks before. Eventually got the appointment when he went wrong department. Had to start all over again.
as you know he saw someone last week, nothing wrong said they would refer him back to audiology for new hearing aids. I told him to ring as look what happened before. Today he rang and has appointment for next week. All this going on since June. I do hope they can help him to hear better. I am fed up of him not hearing and he keeps saying I don't tell him things (I do he doesn't always hear me) What is it they say about men selective deafness. No He really does need better hearing aids. He says he is going to make a complaint.
You asked a very simple question but seem to have been inundated with people wanting to talk about anything but! A couple have wisely recommended a physiotherapist and I would endorse that, as I've had considerable pain relief since doing so. Low mood is inevitable due to the relentlessness of the condition and I have been guilty of task avoidance, as I couldn't face the consequences. However, I came to realise that my reluctance to take on tasks became a mindset and that I had to resolve that if I was to have any sort of active lifestyle. Don't go the pills route for mood elevation as it is self-defeating, as you then believe that you can only accomplish things if you have medication. I am now more positive about what I can and can't do but don't avoid the task. I do mental and physical preparation and stage the task into manageable elements. My original method was to treat the task as a whole which then seemed insurmountable. My only current pain control is one Ibuprophen tablet each morning, as much for it's analgaesic qualities as it's anti-inflamitary action.
Do a web search for your local NHS trust and see what they are supposed to be offering as support and/or treatment. There is a "Long Term Conditions" protocol which is part of the NHS's strategy for managing such conditions. This strategy overarches local strategies and aims to target significant areas of long term need. My own area also has a specialist Occupational Therapist for arthritis sufferers who is part of the NHS treatment progamme. There is a Pain Clinic too for people with enduring pain that doesn't respond to coventional pain relief treatments. Cognitive Behavoural Therapy can be a part of the treatment and which can enable people to cope with the psychological effects of enduring pain.
Your additional info is very useful Inquisitive, thank you. A number of us have replied specifically to the original enquiry about fatigue. I don't however see anything Jane's original question relating to psych issues such as depression or anxiety, so I believe you too have managed to go 'off track' as we all do when a general conversation starts up, as all info is helpful - as is yours. I would point out that not all NHS trusts are as good as some in providing the care you mention. If you care to read other posts, you'll see that referral to a pain clinic is very much a matter of opinion from one GP to another and isn't always a provision that is available to an individual patient. Fatigue is often a clinical symptom as opposed to psychological and treatment will differ depending on that factor. Also, occupational therapy offered is sporadic to say the least. Mine consisted of being shown how to climb a DIY box structure simulating three stairs and two x 10 min discussions with a PT (no actual exercises undertaken) and two rubber bands to take away to use to flex my ankle. No OT or PT assistance has been available, even though I requested it, for the OA in my thumb joints. No referral for any assistance with living aids either is available, again even though requested, I was told I would have to purchase these privately if required but given no guidance as to the type etc., I should investigate. Pain relief has been for my doctor to tell me to buy ibuprofen otc. Both ibuprofen and diclofenac have extreme adverse reactions and I am medically intolerant of both. I was refused prescription of any opiod (eg tramadol) by my GP without explanation, even though research shows that these are very effective for those who cannot tolerate NSAIDS.
The original question was indeed not about our issues with medication or life management but about fatigue. I believe I and several others did address this quite specifically to advise in response to Jane's question, that yes indeed fatigue is associated with arthritis not just as a result of coping with continuous pain and the psych effects but also as a clinical issue.
Long term conditions protocols may be created and written into the annals, they are however very hit and miss in operation, both due to attitudes of clinicians and to budgetary restrictions.
I book my appointments online but usually the doctor I'm supposed to see has quite a list so it doesnt need to be an emergency LOL As a partner she isnt always there...sometimes away at meetings.
So I just have to wait. Ido write the thinbgs down in advance but no way would I give it to her.....she wouldnt make it out LOL and i just put bullet points down to remind me.
I've never had a double appointment with her...everytime I look at the appointments I'm lucky if there is one free LOL
It was great this morning.....at the hospital on Mon my BP was sky high and they said I had to go and see the GP not a nurse...my tablets would probably have to be changed.
My doc wasnt available so I thought well lets take who is available I'm only asking her to check my BP.....she was lovely....New...because one of the other partners was in taking notes {assessing her} by the way my BP was back to normal {or what is normal for me LOL}
Eileen, Just as a matter of interest what blood pressure tablets are
you on. I wonder as I am on Amlodipine 5mg, have been since 2007. I have long suspected that they cause the nasal/ sinus problem and the latest throat mucus. My Gp did say she might consider changing it next time I see her. It is a calcium channel blocker. They all seem to have lots of side effects the most common seems to be swollen ankles, get that in the evening sometimes too.
I tend to always see the same consultant....lucky that way because he is lovely The same GP ...wish I didnt have to see her all the time but as they say multiple things so stick with the same doc!
I tend to have blood tests once poss twice a year...I know my BP is in May and December. Unless like the time at the hospital it shoots up and I have to go for an extra one.
Glad you are getting used to the omneprozol
I dont pay for my toenails to be cut
Because of the arthritis and spinal problems i cant reach them easily and it was the previous GP I was with that got me on the list for that.
Its usually only every 2 months or so....inbetween times I file at them maybe one or two at a time LOL
Ohh what did you get at Bon Marche?? Tops?
Well I've been on the iron for 2 days now have to be on it for 3 months before I get another test and then she will see if I need to stay on them or what?? So legs are still quite heavy.
Are you doing anything nice at the weekend.....dont think I'm doing anything out of the ordinary.
Hi Eileen, No I don't usually read your other posts, just for some reason saw it and read it. I will ask my gp about Lercanidpine, sounds like it is a calcium channel blocker which my one is. Its awful I know I sometimes think it is selective hearing with men, but joking apart he has got trouble hearing. When my daughter was last down he told me he couldn't hear what I was saying because I was mumbling, my daughter said no Dad
she's not, so he i is obviously having problems, hope it's sorted soon.
I bought trousers and a new top they fit well. I like Bon Marche. My
neighbours sister is in the North East and she does not pay for toenail cutting either. Today when I got there they told me the clinic had been cancelled, as they did not have enough rooms, and that everyone had been phoned. The receptionist said everyone was coming for their appointment and knew nothing about it. I certainly got no call or message even though they said that was they were told we were all phoned. I have another appointment next Friday. I bought a top and trousers at Bon Marche. I like this shop. We are not doing anything at the weekend, my daughter and grandson may come down, which will be nice.
Have a good weekend, by the way did you enjoy your meal last week?
It does cheer you up when you get something new doesnt it
I'm going into our Metro Centre this morning.....I'm looking for a top.....something not too summery but not a heavy jumper LOL
Needless to say I wont get it.....I never do when I go in with something in mind
I dont know if you knoww of the Metro Centre from your neighbours sister but it is great for me at the minute.
Its about 10 to 15 mins drive away from me. i've hired a scooter because its so large so I'll just drive about and relax this nmorning and window shop if nothing else.
I also go in on my own when Peter goes walking.....its dry and its flat and reasonably easy to walk on.....I just take my crutches and see how far I can walk.....can I walk any further than the last time in was in on crutches......dont do any shopping on thiose days....just an exercise and of course Starbucks or Costa. I have to have a rest halfway round.
I wonder why you have to pay for your toe nails and others dont? Have you ever asked your GP to send you to the chiropodist? Thats how I got it.....had to go on a waiting list but now with this fracture etc its a blessing.
Thats not good cancelling the appointment then covering themselves by sayinbg everyone had been called!!!!!
It will be nice to see your daughter and grandaughter
As for my meal....yes we had a great meal.....service wasnt great...it was slow but the food was nice and so was the company LOL
Yes the sun has come out now. Yes the Metro in in Gateshead......much to big for me to attempt to walk around LOL especially if I'm buying anything....not easy to carry when you have 2 crutches.
I wasnt in as long as I am sometimes....About 3 hours.
I got a top as well.......BHS.
I'm back to your toes again.....I wonder why we dont have to pay when we dont have particular diseases????? It was just a matter of havinbg great difficulty getting to them
Yes we tend to go to pizza places.....When Peter and I are on our own we go to Frankie and Benny a lot....apart from anything else if its horrible weather there is one inside the Metro So drive inside to park {free} and its not far from there.....very handy.
I blame the weather on my pains as well but not this weather.....the damp, cold, wet or sometimes very humid weather ....I woke up with the usual pain in that fractured leg...took ages to get going.
yes I have osteo arthritis of the hips waiting for a replacement and I get dreadfully tired. I have gone on a part time timetable at school and when I come home at lunch I go to bed for a sleep I am that shattered. I think it's all the tablets and limping around but pain can be very tiring too.
l am new to this site so bear with me . l too suffer with extreme fatiigue , l have cervical spondylosis for 8 years osteo in my feet and thumb joints .Have had blood tests done came back l tested positive for rheumatoid although l show no signs of this this apart from really dry eyes . So l am really confused
Unfortunately fatigue comes from two separate directions with arthritis - one is the weariness of dealing with constant pain, extremely tiring in itself. However arthritis clinically causes fatigue too, so a bit of a double whammy. Finding ways to relieve pain helps in the first instance and increasing oxygen in the blood will compensate for both causes. I got told that the better my general health is, the less affects the arthritis would have. Easier said than done when some types of exercise is either very painful or impossible but aerobic exercise (swimming, cycling, etc) is really effective in reducing fatigue a lot.
Hi, thanks for this advice, the same as I received from the physio last week when I saw him for a new diagnosis of arthritis BEHIND the knee cap and in my feet!!! Blinking thing gets everywhere!!! Do not like swimming, well, getting water in my eyes, plus the only stroke I can do is breast stroke which is a no-no after hip replacement!! Gradually falling apart but, I will survive!!! Got a lovely walking stick in Boots with poppies on it so, I fly with the flowers! X
I'm glad I'm not the only one that dislikes swimming.....all the consultants/physios etc say swimming swimming.....and i hate it so I dont do it.....no point in doing something you dont like because you wont keep it up.....thats what I think anyway
Glad you've got a nice stick.
I've now got pink crutches and a pair of purple ones have just arrived
If you've got to use them they might as well be distinctive