I’m in so much pain I feel sick but my GP won’t see me

[SweetSilverLark]

I injured myself five months ago. I’m seeing physio but it’s a two month wait for a face to face appointment and every night doing the exercises the video physio set me is leaving me in agony.

It’s to the point I feel sick and can’t concentrate on my work, I’m taking the highest dose of ibuprofen and paracetamol I can but they’re not doing a thing. The GP keeps pushing me back and saying it’s a physio issue and because of that, they can’t prescribe me anything.

I have been in this pain for five months now and I just can’t keep doing it. WIBU to sit in my GP’s reception on Monday until they’ll sit me in front of a doctor and let me explain the impact it’s having on my life?

I'm so sorry

If you have actually torn a ligament, in most cases I thought you'd have to be off your feet and on crutches.

I don't advocate wasting time in A&E But this is not a waste of time.

I think you should tell them you think you've torn the ligament and and they will do the scan. Maybe don't go on a Friday night though

did your doctor not say anything about even getting you on crutches and resting? If I've understood this correctly, then this is really appalling treatment by your doctor.

I'm worried you're doing more damage to it by walking around.

You can ask your doctors to refer you to a pain clinic.

DP had a full patellar tendon sever, and it took them over 2 weeks to operate which left some pretty heavy scar tissue around his tendon and has left him unable to walk properly and is in constant pain.

He's not getting on well with cocodamol, and the only exercise he can do that physio recommended was backwards walking on a treadmill for about 10 minutes a day before it starts getting inflamed.

It has taken a lot of backwards and forwards to the doctors, a lot of feeling like he's being unheard, but he has been referred to the pain clinic where they're considering other medications to block the pain.

If you want this sorted sooner, you need to start the process sooner.

It’s Co-Codamol and only available on prescription. OP says GP won’t prescribe.

OP, Have you had any type of scan? 💚

Posters are wasting their time giving advice here.

Yeah, I'm calling bullshit now. She's been given the same advice (on multiple threads) and always comes up with excuses as to why she can't follow any of it. Very strange.

You mention no longer being able to play with your nieces and nephews. So there must be a sibling who could get you to a walk in centre? Have you no friends who can help? What about your fellow gym goers?

I understand and totally believe the pain you are in, but am not sure what you think Mumsnet can do to help you. Every reasonable solution has been rejected, and while that may well be for good reasons, what more can we offer?

If I were in your shoes I would be taking out a loan if necessary to pay for transport to a walk in centre, or sitting for however long it takes in MIU or A&E, whatever you have.

I have to say I find it strange when people can afford to go to the gym multiple times a week but can’t afford a physio appointment. I am aware that many people would rather chew their own leg off than pay for something they think they should get free on the NHS but I find this a strange attitude to take.

This is a really unusual amount of pain for 5 months after any injury.

The GP may not be resposible for assessing/investigating and treating your knee but they are 100% responsible for pain relief.

In you situation I would:

1. book a GP appointment for severe pain. If they wont give you one ask to speak to the practice manager. Also mention that you have been taking ibuprofen for months. You should have a medication like Omeprazole from the GP to protect your stomach as ibuprofen shouldnt be taken continuously for more than 2 weeks without this.

2. I would say to the GP and the physio that you are worried that the uncontrolled, severe pain 5 months after the injury may mean there is a fracture. Ask how they know this isnt the case.

GP can (probably, depending on your history) give naproxen or cocodamol. Nothing will get rid of 100% of your pain. 50% relief from pain medicine is very good. Neither of these is ideal in the long term, and will generally be stopped eventually whether your pain goes or not but should get you to your physio appt/scan.

4. Adjust your physio exercises. Keep doing something but not so much that it flares your pain up afterwards and makes you throw up/faint. I promise you no physio would intentionally have you doing exercises that caused pain like that. You could make movements smaller, do less of them, leave out any movements that are very aggravating.

If you are fainting or vomiting with the pain, A&E or ideally minor injuries is reasonable. They arent going to fix your knee but they will give you some pain relief for the short term.

I think I’ve read one or two of her other threads as well. Painkillers have been her main focus and the only post she was really interested in here was the one telling her about another potential route to get a prescription.

Try the 111 service and see if it gets you to a night appointment with a GP or nurse practitioner? When our doctor can't give us an appointment I confess that I sometimes wait for them to close at 6.30pm and go through 111. The appointment with the night doctor is as good if not better than the GP here.

Another one saying "Go to A and E". Don't tell them you've been going to physio (though don't lie if they ask). Let them assess you.

Yes do this, you don’t need your manager. Phone up your OH department and ask to make a referral to the staff physio. I did this and had a phone consultation within a week and following that got seen face to face less 10 days later.

I am under care of physio at local hospital and twice now the exercises have made things worse. I have widespread arthritis and when they focus on the joint causing trouble now it triggers another joint. My GP has given me strong painkillers but I am not a fan.

My advice is to put what you have said here in writing to your GP. In my experience a well written email generally gets results. If you can get an email address use it. I think you have every right to painkillers. I personally don't like strong painkillers but if they work they work

you could try a - tens machine - I have found them very useful in the past.

Have you tried voltoral gel directly on the knee?

Ask for some naproxen it’s a stronger anti-inflammatory

When the original injury occurred did you seek medical help then or just wait it out for physio? Are you absolutely certain it's ligaments as opposed to fracture or similar? Were x rays done? I'd stop the exercises if they're that bad and try to rest it more. I'd query the quality of a video consultation over an in person consultation to be honest for something like this. When I tore ligaments I was on crutches for a while before getting to the point of physio and that was quite gentle.

I really feel for you, replies like this are a reflection of what’s wrong with the world.

here’s what we know

• you’re in excruciating pain that is impacting your quality of life
• your gp will not see you
• you can not see your physio for 2 months

ridiculous post you’ve had to respond to, suggesting pain killers aren’t appropriate, to get signed off by gp or speak to physio. HELLO!!! She can’t see either!!!

what planet is that acceptable
and what on earth are painkillers for if not this? Of course the root cause needs finding but because of our crappy NHS that’s months off so you are 100% being let down by not being given pain relief

you need to make a complaint to GP/PALs and that will hopefully get things moving. I’ve had to resort to that and surprise surprise, the treatment you should get happens.

Where?

my gp’s are fucking arsey about prescribing it.

Urgent care are very unlikely to send you for imaging and there's even less to no chance they will prescribe painkillers. You need to persuade your GP or physio team to see you. I don't know what a&e would do differently either. Stop the exercises until you get a review

Literally! I answered this OP’s other thread on Sunday, same thing lots of helpful advice they don’t take it. It’s bizarre, every 2/3 days same thread about their knee (albeit usually diff username but same details) and nothing ever gets done? What answer do you want OP?

Ok. What is actually wrong with your knee? Like what hurts? What was the injury? I am hugely sympathetic, I am also very active and have injured myself multiple times and the NHS is fucking useless for Physio. It does seem very likely that you have torn a ligament etc. and in a sensible country, would likely need surgery.

I am not usually a fan of doctor google but if you can try and figure out what might be wrong, look up the NICE guidelines on what the treatment should be and try and go from there.

You can take cocodamol for longer - there are people in it for years. You can only buy 3 days due to opioid addiction

But the OP has had lots of really helpful advice over several threads in the past week, yet is still posting new ones? Makes no sense.

If you work for the NHS, employees can access physio via OH

NHS guidelines on torn ligaments

www.nhs.uk/symptoms/knee-pain/