I'm sick, the NHS are not helping me and I'm not sure where to go from here. I'm hoping that someone will come along and advise me on how or with whom I can get the help I need. I can't afford to go private unfortunately. Or if anyone has experienced something similar, what did you do that helped you feel better.
I'll go into more detail but a breif overview is that for around 2 weeks now, I've had a productive cough with green and white mucus, wheezing on exhale, breathlessness when resting, mild fever, severe fatigue and lethargy, drenching night sweats, nasal and head congestion. Pretty much all standard viral symptoms. I've been managing at home with bed rest, paracetamol and decongestants. I also have a suppressed immune system so usual bugs and illness do tend to hit me much harder than most.
Last weekend I started feeling tingling in my leg and foot. I then noticed my foot starting to swell and it eventually became uncomfortable to walk on and wear shoes. After another day spent coughing up thick green mucus, too exhausted to get out of bed and the foot swelling not going away despite a week of bed rest, I thought it was best to call nhs 24 and hopefully get seen by ooh gp.
I wanted to add that I had a similar experience at the beginning of the year. I was very very sick and after 6 GP appointments, they reluctantly prescribed me antibiotics. (Without actually seeing me again) These helped but I needed to call for a second stronger course. I also had issues with my legs and walking was uncomfortable with some mild swelling. I also had severe chest and back pain due to all the coughing and was constantly told it was just viral and I had probably pulled a muscle. I went back to the gp again and seen a paramedic who decided I likely had pleurisy. No tests or anything so I don't understand how he could diagnose this.
I spent the best part of 3 months in bed during this time and no one would listen to me or help me. I asked to be referred for a chest xray and was refused do to them not wanting to expose me to excess radiation! Wtf!
I was eventually prescribed painkillers to help, then after another appointment I was given antidepressants to 'relax' me and on my final visit I was told it was likely just because I was overweight and there wasn't anything else they could do except try to get healthy and loose weight. Kind of difficult to do when I had been bedbound for months. I gave up at this point, went on long term sick from work and by some miracle, things slowly started to get better.
I had around 1-2 months of feeling okay in the summer and then the breathlessness started again leading us to now.
I was seen today at the local OOH. It was a nurse that seen me, as nice as she was, she didn't seem to agree that my chest issues could be linked to my foot swelling. I explained it has happened before and she advised rest, ice and elevation, all the usual treatments for swelling. I should call the gp if it persists. She would only be concerned for things like cellulitis or gout, I don't have any signs of this so nothing she can do basically. She said my chest sounded clear. Fair enough. My thick rubbery green phlegm makes me feel differently but who am I to disagree.
I feel like banging my head off a wall as no one is listening to me. I know for a fact if I call my GP tomorrow that I will again be brushed off. I literally had to beg them for the antibiotics the last time. I remember telling my husband that I genuinely thought that my life was going to end and no one will take me seriously. I was so weak and lethargic. It hurt to breath.
Why? Why is the NHS like this? I have no fight left in me. I am weak, I am sick, I am defeated. What can I do to make them take me seriously and refer me on for some further testing. Green mucus, wheezing and swollen feet/foot can't just be a viral infection surely? Not when I'm feeling this poorly? My fever does seem a little better today so I guess it's not all bad.
If you made it this far then thank you for taking the time to listen to my rant. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.