And so it continues...
I had my appointment with the consultant last night about the problems with my hip.
When I talked to my GP back in December, he said that he'd be referring me to a rhuematologist because they deal with muscles and the tissues connecting joints, which is where he thinks the problem lies. But I got given an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. I'm assuming that the GP had a good reason for sending me there, but I'll be asking him about it at my next check-up.
The news from the othopod is that the bones in my hips aren't diseased. Woot. I had, however, already worked that out for myself because it probably would have shown up on the x-ray. He has noted that the hip sockets are a little shallow and the joint isn't sitting right, but at the moment there's nothing surgical that he can do. He mentioned a few things that we could do further down the line if the hips cause too many problems, but the problems are in the muscle attachments and connective tissues which isn't his area. No drugs for the pain, because this also isn't his area. He wants to see me again in a few months to re-xray and check that the joint isn't doing anything else. And that's it.
He reckons that physio is my best bet at this point and possibly a doctor that isn't an orthopod. Very helpful. So it's back to battling with the medical insurance company. There, at least, I'm making progress because I finally spoke to someone who knew what she was doing. She's emailed me a new form (rather than promising to put one in the post that never arrives) and I've taken the form to the doctor's surgery so that he can fill it out, with a note inside reminding him to fill it out correctly this time. The girl at the insurance company also told me to scan and email it back it her (so they can't lose it from the postal system) and she'll be able to OK the treatment on the spot. So hopefully I'll be getting this mythical physio soon, if I can pursuade work to let me have the time off for it. I'll fight that battle (again) when I get there.
So, absolutely no progress and, importantly, no drugs to make the pain a little less problematic. Huh. I feel like yesterday's appointment had so much point :-(
But I'm finding ways to be cheerful. I had an email from a friend last night, just a few words, but it made me feel better. I chatted to a couple of friends on-line and spoke to terrylbirch. I whined at Mom. All of it helped. Now I'm determined to find things that make me smile or laugh because pain is easier to deal with when I'm laughing rather than crying. And I have my aunt's visit (arriving in a week!) to look forward to. So, I'm being positive.
When I talked to my GP back in December, he said that he'd be referring me to a rhuematologist because they deal with muscles and the tissues connecting joints, which is where he thinks the problem lies. But I got given an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. I'm assuming that the GP had a good reason for sending me there, but I'll be asking him about it at my next check-up.
The news from the othopod is that the bones in my hips aren't diseased. Woot. I had, however, already worked that out for myself because it probably would have shown up on the x-ray. He has noted that the hip sockets are a little shallow and the joint isn't sitting right, but at the moment there's nothing surgical that he can do. He mentioned a few things that we could do further down the line if the hips cause too many problems, but the problems are in the muscle attachments and connective tissues which isn't his area. No drugs for the pain, because this also isn't his area. He wants to see me again in a few months to re-xray and check that the joint isn't doing anything else. And that's it.
He reckons that physio is my best bet at this point and possibly a doctor that isn't an orthopod. Very helpful. So it's back to battling with the medical insurance company. There, at least, I'm making progress because I finally spoke to someone who knew what she was doing. She's emailed me a new form (rather than promising to put one in the post that never arrives) and I've taken the form to the doctor's surgery so that he can fill it out, with a note inside reminding him to fill it out correctly this time. The girl at the insurance company also told me to scan and email it back it her (so they can't lose it from the postal system) and she'll be able to OK the treatment on the spot. So hopefully I'll be getting this mythical physio soon, if I can pursuade work to let me have the time off for it. I'll fight that battle (again) when I get there.
So, absolutely no progress and, importantly, no drugs to make the pain a little less problematic. Huh. I feel like yesterday's appointment had so much point :-(
But I'm finding ways to be cheerful. I had an email from a friend last night, just a few words, but it made me feel better. I chatted to a couple of friends on-line and spoke to terrylbirch. I whined at Mom. All of it helped. Now I'm determined to find things that make me smile or laugh because pain is easier to deal with when I'm laughing rather than crying. And I have my aunt's visit (arriving in a week!) to look forward to. So, I'm being positive.