I'm doing a 'Victor Meldrew'! :evil: Went for my first appointment at the hospital today, spent 3 hours there, only to be told by the Doctor, he wasn't the right one to see :twisted: Apparently in December my doctor initially referred me to endincronology, but they in turn referred me onto Rheumatology, BUT the paperwork didn't reach Rheumy, so hence I ended up seeing the endincronolist. He was most apologetic but it didn't do my stress levels any good whatsoever :?
Initially my first appt was beginning Jan after an 8 week wait, but I couldn't go because of the snow, then another appt came for 3 weeks after, but then that got cancelled by the hospital and it became a 5 week wait. I am so CROSS :bleep:
Anyway the Endincronologist is trying to get me an urgent (ha ha!) appt with the Rheumy and in the meantime is arranging for me to have a brain scan (another ha ha - doubt whether they'll find much there!) as I get a lot of bad headaches which has been confirmed as not being GCA. Also had lot of blood taken so will be interesting to see what results they show.
Am going to pay my GP a visit in the morning to see if he can hurry an appt along. :sorry:
I'm so glad there's is this usergroup I can 'sound off' to' I feel much better for it!! :hug:
Interesting reading about chillblains, I am suffering too with my leg foot, mine don't itch at all, just feels very sore and tender. I have suffered since a child with Raynauds, but have always put it down to using a electric blanket. I have now taken to wearing bedsocks instead - very glam!! :diva:
Still hoping to make it on the 11th!
Regards to all.
Hi Yvonne - Gosh your hospital has really got their knickers in a twist between their Endocrinology and Rheumatology Departments - poor you. I expect you're still trying to unwind after such a frustrating experience and I do hope your Doctor is sympathetic to your predicament and can pull strings tomorrow to get this sorted out immediately. When you say that you are suffering from headaches but that GCA has been ruled out, I was wondering if you have had a biopsy of the artery at the side of the temple, as I understand that is the only real way to confirm whether or not someone has GCA.
I've still got my chillblains (or whatever they are!) but they have stopped spreading (I think since I have started wearing shoes on the stone kitchen floor) so I'm hoping that's a good sign. When you say that you put your problem down to a heated blanket, I must admit that I have been putting my feet on the water bottle this winter, talking of which whenever is it going to end?!!!
Do hope you get your long awaited appointment through soon and with the right Department - I think I'd ring Reception to confirm they've got it right this time before going along. Hopefully, it won't be on the 11th!!! :lol:
MrsO
Oh NO !! What a disaster all this doesent help does it My Dr said would I like a Rheumatology appointment after the recent flare up I have had but I decided unless it keeps happenning I dont want to as I am so well looked after by her So many people tell me about cancelled appointments seeing someone different every time and as far as I can see all the stress makes me worse !! Hope you get an appointment soon Mrs G
Oh Yvonne,
What a shambles! The waiting is bad enough without spending ages waiting for the wrong appointment and then waiting ages for the right one! Even withour the snow complication it is a shambles.
What I have never manged to work out is why hospitals never seem to try to deal with the huge backlog in their appointments.
If every consultant agreed to accept two or three extra appointments in each session, the backlog would eventually clear and patients would arrive at the consultantion much earlier in the process, perhaps avoiding the pain, distress, frustration and worsening of the disease.
As you say, thank goodness for this forun where we can vent our frustrations!
Keep smiling,
Tilly