My dad is in agony, can only walk with walking sticks, crying out with the pain, can't get his shoes on etc. My mum (80 years old herself) is having to help him up and down, to toilet etc. He is, understandably, quite down about it.
OTC painkillers aren't touching the pain but the thing is, when he got to speak to his gp (phone consultation, as no appointment available) he immediately went into 'oh, it's not that bad' mode (I was there, heard it all). He doesn't want to make a fuss, doesn't want gp to think he is wasting her time, a malingerer etc. She asked him to put on an appointment so that she can see him in person, but he won't even do that, thinks speaking to her is enough 
I am banging my head against a brick wall with him, trying to explain that telling the dr the true extent of your symptoms is very different from 'moaning' and if anything by downplaying it he is wasting her time by not letting her have all the facts. No complaints about gp at all btw, she is lovely, and attentive, but she can hardly help if he won't tell her what's wrong!
How can I help when he won't help himself? It's so frustrating.