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.

An osteopath really helps me when my back goes from annoying background pain to agony. She can restore me to near normal in one or two sessions.

A private GP might prescribe pain meds that don't interfere with his ability to work. On a doctors advice he can take more ibuprofen than the OTC dose, with esomeprazole to protect his stomach - up to 600mg four times a day, or 1600mg of the slow release type once a day.

Getting a wheelchair at the airport is no problem, just contact the airline. Doesn't sound like the holiday would be much fun for him though.

sorry if it's been mentioned try an econsult. GP has to respond within 48 working hours, might not get a face to face but might get meds/referal to inhouse physio. All the GPs in my area have a physio working for them at least one day a week, our physio works out of another surgery in the area so the appointments are physically in a differnt surgery but they are for our patients.

Private GP? Codeine really isn’t that strong, he might feel groggy at first but his body will get used to it

The husband has already seen a physio and been given advice and stretches to do.

Are his bowels and bladder working okay? Does he have any numbness anywhere?

You really need to demand to see a doctor or go to private. Or maybe you could fly and go see a doctor on your holiday and wither pay or use your travel insurance. This can easily be something internal where physios and osteopaths are not going to be any help.

No numbness/bowel/bladder symptoms.
Saw osteopath a few months back who said she couldn’t do anything more. Said he needed proper investigations. Had acupuncture - nothing.

I despise being forced to pay for care we should be getting in the nhs but will make him contact a private GP.

He needs a referral to a specialist, if you can afford it pay private. Don’t wait a moment longer

I have breast cancer and it took 4.5 months to get referred by GP in which time in went to lymph node. Its hopefully not cancer but it could be and he needs urgent tests and get them anyway you can. Would say if you have the money going private would get you seen a lot faster. Alternatively A&E is horrendous at the moment but I have had CTs and MRIs through them in the past done as urgent and it can work, it will be a very long wait in there, it may not work but at this stage would try anything. Sometimes 111 will help, depends who you get. Or go down complaints route at GP and say you are worried he may have cancer or something similar to stress the urgency. But find a way to get him seen because if it is cancer the longer you wait the worse the prognosis. I had a clear x-ray with breast cancer, don't think it means much though if you are a HCP would know more than me. I had no abnormal bloods either, well had raised CRP but rest in normal range though blood tests may be worth running as well to see if can flag an issue somewhere. 111 can also tell GP they must see you as emergency here if phone in day. The system is in crisis and its basically shout loudly to get help and don't take no for an answer. Complaints route is effective as well.

A colleague's wife, in her 40s, with ever increasing back pain, was fobbed off until it hurt so much she had to be admitted. Turned out to be cancer so virulent they never found where it came from; she was dead within weeks.
So I think it's ok to be twitchy and make a fuss. The holiday timing is a bugger and I feel for you, but the health concern is the scary bit.

Just to balance out the post above. It could be inflamed disks. Extraordinarily painful and debilitating but I had them 8 years ago and I'm still here.

I just feel the OP is under enough stress without a post saying it may be inoperable cancer in quite such blunt terms.

To add on, driving as a full time job is very damaging to the back. When you finally see a GP, he may need to be signed off work to give his back a chance to recover. Continuing to drive while his back has flared up will only make the inflammation and pain worse. (My FIL was a lorry driver and had to retire early due to how it wrecked his back.)

my DH, DS and I were due to go on holiday with my parents when my Dad was rushed to hospital the day before, and he was in for a couple of weeks. We didn’t go on holiday and insurance covered us all. I would imagine yours will cover you and your DH but you will need a doctors letter. Good luck to you both OP, I hope you get answers for your DH soon.

The nasty is unlikely. And if it’s a muscle and we cancel the first week away in 3 years I will have to kill him. But he (and I) need the nasty stuff ruled out so we can get on. It’s frustrating and ridiculous and wrong.
reassuring about the holiday insurance. Thanks.

It’s far more likely to be discs or nerves than terminal cancer before the op panics too much. A serious disease is the least likely scenario but nobody should be having such a impact on their quality of life due to back pain

Sitting is one of the worst things that can be done for backs. So he isnt doing his stretches, not taking painkillers which could enable more movement and continuing to drive at work.

Yet the focus is on getting some sort of emergency specialist input?

My inflamed discs came on fairly quickly and it was horrendous. GP wasn't much use tbh (although he was great for other issues, backs just seem to stump them) but I went to see an osteopath and he recommended ibuprofen as a medicine to reduce the swelling (so not just for pain relief, taken regularly every day for a week or so) plus a corset like elasticated back support, and complete rest of it.

But he said had it been muscular he'd have recommended the opposite of rest - it needs exercise and movement.

He also recommended Pilates at a specialist Back Care class. Once the acute phase of inflammation cleared up.

He was surprised I didn't need steroid injections in my back as that is usually needed for them to calm down.

And I then continue with pilates and acupuncture which both help.

But it really depends what it is in your DH case. You've got to get a diagnosis soon. He must be so ground down by it.

Our GPs are now seeing people face to face so I'd push for that too.

He should just go to A&E. By this time tomorrow he could know what it is / have a referral.

Sorry I now see you've covered things I suggested - I missed this first read through.

Um. He is taking pain killers. About 2 hour ago he was prescribed codeine which will indeed affect his ability to work. He cannot stand or walk but can sit without pain. One cannot stand and walk in pain for 4 months without stopping. At some point a person has to stop. He also cannot do the stretches that were suggested. Actually cannot do them, not just doesn’t fancy doing them. And emergency specialist input? I (and he) cannot access a specialist as nobody knows which specialist he would need as he has not been diagnosed with anything. Do try not to build an entire fantasy life out of a very brief written report. Your anger at a strangers problem must be exhausting.

Yes totally second this. My back issues flared up when I was driving 1 1/2 hours to work and then back again.

When it was really bad I then had to switch to going on the train so I could stand up, as I just couldn't sit for that long with the pain. The train journey took me 2 1/4 hours each way. But that was preferable to sitting and driving.

Sorry. Above for the enraged Bellac

Yes, I thought so 😆

I also recommend osteopath ASAP

I entirely agree with the driving link too. He’s at the point where he can’t so will have to have time off.
additional stress. No work=no pay. But we’ll cope.