To think the nhs are useless..

[Anon662120622]

I have had severe shoulder pain for over five months now, it is completely deformed and I can't move it out any further than 45°. To start with the drs thought I had a fully torn supraspinatus and referred me for an mri, went to see the specialist for the results and he was trying to say there was nothing to really worry about (remember.. visibily deformed shoulder with lack of movement and chronic pain.) Referred me to physio. When the report came through from the mri it said "thinning of the supraspinatus, burstitis and tendinopathy". First physio appointment was told he didn't think there was anything he could do for me and that he would just try to keep it moving (implied I shouldn't have been sent to him in my condition.) Second appointment with him was told I had severe muscle wastage. Third appointment- paralysed muscle alongside the wastage and nerve damage. Saw the specialist, alongside a surgeon with my letter from physio and was told "good news, I don't think it's anything serious.. definitely have an impingement but there must be something else" was told I was holding my shoulder down because of the pain even though I had felt it pop out and it was instantly lower, was told there was no muscle wastage or nerve damage without even touching the area. Has referred me to rehab because apparently the physio can be pretty useless. Will be recieving my next appointment through to see them in six months. Can't have steroid injections due to bipolar diagnosis.

I feel so helpless and really don't even know what I can do to help myself anymore. I don't know who to trust with their diagnosis and I'm just sick and tired of being In this pain. I haven't been able to take my children out on my own, can't work or enjoy my favourite hobbies. I'm trying to hold it all together, but feel like I'm falling to pieces. We've lost our mortgage, my husband and in-laws have provided endless care and massively changed their schedules to help. I'm honestly just a complete burden at the moment.

Thanks for reading if you made it all the way through.. has anyone else had the same kind of experience that could give me some kind of advise/hope?

My aunt had similar issues but once she had an MRI, they saw a surgical issue that they could fix. Before that, it was ten years of going back and forth to physios and having steroid injections.

So sorry you’re going through this.
I've had chronic pain for 18 months following a hand injury , had great care for 7 months from hand therapy department, but my referral to pain management team took 9 months and then I had a phone consultation only. Got referred to a more specialist service 2 months ago and am still waiting to hear about that.
chronic pain and loss of function is hideous to live with particularly when you’re getting little or no answers or treatment/ support.
i truly hope you get some decent treatment soon.

@JadeSquid oh god.. I really feel for her, I've struggled so much for the last 5 months.. I can't stand the thought of having to wait as long as her. I'm missing out on the best years of my childrens lives and I'm so worried it'll just go on and on. I'm glad your Aunt managed to get the help she needed.

@MiddleAgedButterfly I'm so sorry that you've had to put up with it for so long.. the NHS will do anything and everything to try to save money without having to do surgery ect.. but, I personally think they'll inevitably have to end up putting the money into the surgery, and at that point they've not only wasted the money spent on other treatment but also months of your life. I have a three and four year old and feel like they're missing out on so much. I've just turned 30 and I feel like I'm such a burden on everyone.. really need to get it sorted x

I know MRIs are expensive...but wouldnt it be wiser to give patients with suspected serious problem to have one in the first instance rather than mess patient around with useless xrays and physio after physio for months on end -
Penny-wise pound-foolish comes to mind

I had similar problems. G.P. Recommended phisiotherapy, which didn’t work. I had an ultrasound examination and guided steroid injection, which cost £140, the problem resolved and turned out to be an inflamed bursa probably caused by weight lifting. I was 100% better in 3 weeks, which was a great relief as I think it was probably the worst pain I have ever had, much worse than gallstones.

I’ve been in pain and only just surviving for 12 months been waiting 7 months for gastroenterology appointment so still no diagnosis - my life just is being spent in bed once I powered through the bare minimum. Completely understand your frustrations!

The difficulty is pain relief options are extremely limited and shoulder surgery is actually really complex and can make matters worse so it really is a last resort. Chronic pain is horrendous and I feel for you but it’s never as clear cut as you imagine it to be. That said, your doctors should be explaining the treatment options or lack of to you. It’s mentally easier to deal with when you understand why no one is doing anything to fix it.

Er no I think the difficulty is being told several contradictory things and then being made to wait months for something that you don't believe will work. It does a number on your mental health as does having doctors who are so burnt out that they don't appear to give a stuff that you're in a lot of pain.

I don't have a shoulder problem thankfully but I do have a couple of chronic conditions that aren't being managed properly. I don't think people who haven't been there understand how frightening it is when you are in constant pain and you have doctors that clearly don't know what's wrong. I am in that position now and I do not trust doctors any more, even my GP (where previously I did).

At my last gynae appt the gynae said "well you probably know more about this condition than I do." That's not acceptable. Ironically, given the issue mentioned by the OP, the one clinician I do trust is a physio that I've been seeing for another condition.

It really annoys me when those slightly baffled filler news articles appear wondering why there are so many middle aged people not in work (at least 3 of us on this thread by the looks of it).