Holiday problem. GP problem. No idea what to do

[JustOneDamnedThingAfterAnother]

Just wrote a long long post and bastard MN server ate it.

DH has somwthing wrong with his hip/back/pelvis. No idea what as cannot get a GP to actually see him in person. Just phonecalls. Told to take pain killers. It’s been 4 months. Getting worse. Is in quite serious pain.
He can’t stand up straight. Can’t walk more than 10 steps. Has to crawl up the stairs. Can work as sitting (driving) but this is getting to be a problem too. Has had X-ray. Physio said there’s nothing on that and to do some stretching. He can’t as in agony. He looks like shit and is worrying (as am I now) that there’s something nasty going on.
Latest phonecall was with a paramedic who suggested codeine. So now if he takes that he can’t work at all (driving/sedating effects - not a great idea).

Holiday is in 2 weeks. as he is he couldn’t walk across an airport. If we got there I could park him at the pool but would be a bit shit.

I assume insurance would need a Dr letter to cancel? Can’t get a dr appointment.

would insurance cover my bit or would we lose that? I couldn’t really go and leave him at home as he can’t do anything.

or go on holiday. How does one arrange that? He’d need wheeling to the bloody plane. Couldn’t stand in a queue at all.

I’d go to A&E … 4 months is way too long for this

Sorry. It’s a bit bullet pointy.

so

1. How does he get an actual dr to look at him and work out what’s going on?
2. Cancel holiday?
3. he stays, I go
4. somehow get him to the plane? How?

A&E currently has 15 ambulances waiting at the door. Not a solution sadly

He either goes to A&E, demands a F2F GP appointment urgently (same day) or he sees the physiotherapist and has a F2F appointment to discuss his options.

Pay to see a private physio if needs be - usually about £50.

Am HCP with a view of the back of the hospital.

You need to go back to the physio, they can refer to ortho for MRI scan.
GP will just send you back to physio.

If he's had an X ray and physio has looked at it, doesn't seem all that likely it's anything too worrying? Muscular stuff can hurt like hell though. Sounds like he needs to push through on the stretches or ask the physio for easier versions.

My dad's wife was in agony with her back. Doctor told her to take pain killers. She ended up going to A&E had a scan and had something wrong with her disc. Had to have operation that night. Go to A &E

Physio gave him the stretches. Didn’t make any sort of follow up arrangement.

Ill be ringing GP tomorrow and requesting a conversation with the practice manager.

just googled private GP appointment. I know the system is broken. I work in it.

I think you need to ignore the holiday for now and focus on getting him seen by a doctor.

You need to phone the GP and request an urgent appointment. If they refuse, speak to the practice manager. My late dh's increasing pain and immobility turned out to be a tumour pressing on his spinal column.

Please get back to the GP and do not take no for an answer. They're still seeing patients, they can't get out of seeing urgent problems as much as they seem determined to do so.

i can do the system fight.

what about the holiday?

A+E are not going to be able to do anything, he really does need to stretch. i suffer with lower back problems and have been crippled before when Ive put it out (this happened most recently on holiday and I couldnt move myself from the kitchen to the living room, a few steps

But you have to take as much painkillers and anti inflammatories to be able to stretch it out, arms right up to the door frame, very slowly, stretching each time a bit more, dont sit down if possible, keep walking round the house. He needs to follow the advice he has been given. If he cant work he will have to phone in sick so that he can do the exercises on the medication as its cruical for the inflammation to go down

When my sister had pain, gp kept prescribing painkillers, sent to Physio where she was screaming with pain, more painkillers, then it got so bad and she could barely move, scan at a&e and she had surgery to remove a tumor on her spine the morning after.

what xray did they do to your dh? What area where they looking at?

I would have thought that your insurance would cover you both but you need to read the policy.

You need to tell the insurance company that you can't see a GP and see what they say. They are probably hearing
this all the time so won't be unusual

Are there private GPs near you and you could afford it? I've seen them advertising near us and think it's about £50 per visit? Otherwise, can you self refer to a private consultant? We had health insurance last time I did it a few years ago and had a GP referral letter, but think it would have been £250 ish. Even if you couldn't ask afford private after that, if you picked the right type it would get you advice from an expert on what to ask the GP to do.

For the holiday, my gran used to book wheelchair assistance at the airport, she didn't have a blue badge, just couldn't walk airport distances by herself. No idea if you still can though!

Anyone know about the holiday insurance thing? I’ll ring them tomorrow too.

H is a bloke who has never had a day off sick in his life. I’m an HCP who goes with the ‘unless actively bleeding or unconscious you get on with it’ type. I also know the system and how ducked it is.

and thanks for advice.

If all else fails, can you get some codeine that he can take on holiday (seeing as he won’t be driving while there I assume?) It might make things a bit easier for him.

Relative was in agony with his back for weeks, signed off work etc - after many drugs, investigations etc, it turned out to be prostate cancer. Do not take no for an answer.

Yes you both should be covered if he is unable to travel. Holiday insurance usually covers immediate family and 1st degree relatives.

I would try an osteopath in the meantime. Good ones can really tell you a lot about what might be going on.

Has he had any X-rays? I know there are long waits in A&E but he might get more investigations albeit with having to wait.

Meant to add that my mother was strongly encouraged to see her gp after experiencing unexplained back pain. She had blood cancer causing spinal lesions. If she had waited longer it would have been far more serious.

My mother still sees the osteo for ongoing non-cancerous back pain.

I was really ill and admitted to hospital a week before the trip of a lifetime for our 25th wedding anniversary. I didn't get a diagnosis but our GP filled in a form for the travel insurance (think it cost £45?) and we got the total amount of money back as my GP advised me not to take the chance of travelling. It was remarkably pain free (excuse the pun) and simple - we were going to Switzerland and that's why our GP said don't travel as the healthcare would have cost a fortune. Luckily we didn't go as I ended up back in hospital again days later.........

I'd also recommend private GP appointments - you can book via Nuffield or Winfield hospitals as well as any private practices in the area. It's around £80 an appointment here (Gloucestershire) but actually really worth it when you get a 30 minute appointment with someone who has time to listen.

I hope your DH gets some answers soon.