This is me
I have not had a very good couple of months, physical health-wise, which is why I've not been around. The pain I was having in my leg since my fall at Christmas was just getting worse and worse, the physiotherapy helped a little but then it got to the point where I couldn't even do the basic exercises.
About 5 or 6 weeks ago, my physio and agreed this Was Not Working and she referred me on to orthopaedics for 'investigation' and in her referral, she's recommended they do MRI and ultrasound of my knee, my hip and my back. Thus started The Waiting Game
Two weeks ago, I was in so much pain I couldn't function. It was radiating from my hip, up my back and side, around my book, into my shoulder and down my arm. I literally couldn't breathe without pain.
Now I have a bloody high pain threshold. Like, I broke my wrist and my reaction was 'Ow, I broke my wrist'. I tore a ligament in my knee, carried on working for 5 hours, drove home before going to the hospital.
So when I say I was in excruciating pain and broke down in tears on my boss? Yeah.
I ring up the hospital, get an emergency appointment to see my physio. I break down in tears on her. She does a full physical exam and says there are a few different issues - there's the joint problem, the muscle problem and there's a nerve problem and what's causing me all this pain is nerve pain. She writes me a quick note to give to my GP to prescribe me some nerve painkillers and says she's going to see if she can get my ortho appointment prioritised.
Essentially, she thinks I've torn my hamstring and torn one of the tendons or ligaments in my hip which may need surgical repair. She also can't tell if I've damaged the nerve, or if it's just being trapped or pinched because of everything else.
Fun times, yo!
So, I get back to work, ring up my doctors and the militant receptionist makes me feel like some drug-seeking junkie. But I get an appointment to see a doctor the following morning. I give him the note from the physio, he does a physical exam which leaves me in tears. He triples my dose of co-codamol, doubles my dose of naproxen and prescribes pregabalin. So I'm on 2x 30/500 co-codamol 4x a day, 500mg naproxen 3x a day and 100mg pregabalin 2x a day. Throw in my anti-depressants and if anyone needs a percussion section, I'm your gal!
I get a phone call on Thursday from orthopaedics offering me my 'urgent referral' appointment the following Thursday, the 6th September. Of course, it bloody well is, I go on holiday on the 5th, back in the country on the 19th. The appointment is now 9 am on the 20th. On the bright side, everything should be really swollen and angry
Although, now that the new regime of anti-inflammatories and painkillers is kicking in, I do feel a lot better. I can move without extreme pain. I'm sleeping better because I'm not waking up in pain every time I move. And I'm looking forward to my holiday again, rather than dreading it
About 5 or 6 weeks ago, my physio and agreed this Was Not Working and she referred me on to orthopaedics for 'investigation' and in her referral, she's recommended they do MRI and ultrasound of my knee, my hip and my back. Thus started The Waiting Game
Two weeks ago, I was in so much pain I couldn't function. It was radiating from my hip, up my back and side, around my book, into my shoulder and down my arm. I literally couldn't breathe without pain.
Now I have a bloody high pain threshold. Like, I broke my wrist and my reaction was 'Ow, I broke my wrist'. I tore a ligament in my knee, carried on working for 5 hours, drove home before going to the hospital.
So when I say I was in excruciating pain and broke down in tears on my boss? Yeah.
I ring up the hospital, get an emergency appointment to see my physio. I break down in tears on her. She does a full physical exam and says there are a few different issues - there's the joint problem, the muscle problem and there's a nerve problem and what's causing me all this pain is nerve pain. She writes me a quick note to give to my GP to prescribe me some nerve painkillers and says she's going to see if she can get my ortho appointment prioritised.
Essentially, she thinks I've torn my hamstring and torn one of the tendons or ligaments in my hip which may need surgical repair. She also can't tell if I've damaged the nerve, or if it's just being trapped or pinched because of everything else.
Fun times, yo!
So, I get back to work, ring up my doctors and the militant receptionist makes me feel like some drug-seeking junkie. But I get an appointment to see a doctor the following morning. I give him the note from the physio, he does a physical exam which leaves me in tears. He triples my dose of co-codamol, doubles my dose of naproxen and prescribes pregabalin. So I'm on 2x 30/500 co-codamol 4x a day, 500mg naproxen 3x a day and 100mg pregabalin 2x a day. Throw in my anti-depressants and if anyone needs a percussion section, I'm your gal!
I get a phone call on Thursday from orthopaedics offering me my 'urgent referral' appointment the following Thursday, the 6th September. Of course, it bloody well is, I go on holiday on the 5th, back in the country on the 19th. The appointment is now 9 am on the 20th. On the bright side, everything should be really swollen and angry
Although, now that the new regime of anti-inflammatories and painkillers is kicking in, I do feel a lot better. I can move without extreme pain. I'm sleeping better because I'm not waking up in pain every time I move. And I'm looking forward to my holiday again, rather than dreading it