arthritis question
4 watchers
Apr 2012
5:11pm, 19 Apr 2012
7,864 posts
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runner duck
probably true, lorraine. fingers crossed you get some answers.
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Apr 2012
5:21pm, 30 Apr 2012
7,940 posts
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runner duck
gp receptionist just phoned with results of xray: minor wear and tear. it was obvious gp didn't feel the need to see me. she was very resistant to the idea of mri scan when i saw her. so now i'm confused. there's obviously something going on or i wouldn't be in pain with it - it's been pretty bad this weekend - on friday i was quite teary with it after pulling it getting the weights and deck in and out of the car at a clients then doing the supermarket shopping. it seems to be the lifting/bending/ twisting actions that really bother it. then for the next 24hours all the muscles in the area felt like they were tensed the whole time - trying to protect it? today it made me yelp just getting into the car. i had assumed it was just going to be more OA but i thought that would show up as more wear and tear than it has? can it be something else that doesn't show up on an xray? would an mri scan show different things? don't know what to do 
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Apr 2012
6:39pm, 30 Apr 2012
2,585 posts
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sallykate
Can you push for an MRI? It seems a bit weird to rely on x-ray for this. There may well be minor wear and tear but that doesn't necessarily explain all your symptoms. MRI shows far more than x-ray.
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Apr 2012
6:54pm, 30 Apr 2012
12,644 posts
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JohnnyO
The MRI would show you soft tissue, which doesn't show up on a plain x-ray. Pain in the back alone is difficult to treat. An MRI for back pain alone is often useless, as it doesn't affect treatment much. If you have sciatic type pain (shooting down the leg) then its a possibility that there is disc prolapse causing irritation of one of the nerve roots. The disc may need further treatment, which may include surgery. I dont want to give excuses for your GP, but its easier to make a better diagnosis having seen and examined you, than over the interweb, and she may, on examination thought the chances of disc involvement are very low and gone against the MRI on those grounds. Its also worth noting that this kind of issue will only get worse now. GPs wont necessarily be able to get you an MRI unless you meet (very) strict criteria for referral. There is a recession on dont you know. Apparently we are all in it together. Welcome to the new NHS :-/ |
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Apr 2012
7:36pm, 30 Apr 2012
7,942 posts
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runner duck
i think i'm going to have to, sk. no, i'm not criticising the gp, johnnyo, so don't worry about giving excuses! although she didn't really examine me. i stood and she looked at my back but that was all. i had to touch my toes, as well (which i can do without pain) although at that point i'd put my top back down and turned round so she couldn't see my back. if she'd asked me to reach towards my knee by sliding my hand down my leg she might have got a different reaction! i have private healthcare so i don't think referral should be a problem, except that she doesn't think there is a problem that could be fixed. but i would like to know what it is even tho i know that there probably isn't anything that can be done. i just think it will help me manage it and hopefully slow it's progress. i think psychologically it really helps to understand what is actually going on. the more i think about it it is like a compression problem in that carrying weights helps and lateral and twisting movements that really make it twinge. as does walking upstairs at the moment. to be fair to the gp i'm not sure i really explained myself very well. i have a tendency to smile a lot and say it's not that bad really but... which is a bit rubbish. |
May 2012
7:47am, 1 May 2012
603 posts
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Lorraine
Well my x-ray's came back clear....despite the lady who did them saying see your Gp and ask to see a specialist!! So he gave me a steroid injection in each knee.And yes the pain has calmed down but not gone completly in my right knee.He also refered me to a private physio because they have more time and the NHS ones have discharged me because I am too good at my stretching So we shall see what hapeens next Tuesday. RD push for a MRI or at the very least some physio. I fully understand not being good at explaining.....I tend to smile a lot and say things like it's not that bad ...when a few hours earlier I have been in tears with the pain and frustration |
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May 2012
8:38am, 1 May 2012
7,948 posts
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runner duck
Oh Lorraine Would an MRI scan not be useful for you? I'm definitely going to push for a referral. I've contacted sis in law who is a gp. I normally don't like to hassle her as she's megabusy with fulltime work and 3 little ones but mil insisted I should. Anyway she's going to phone me back today and talk me through it. She's really good at asking the right questions to draw out the right info from you so then I can go armed with the relevant things to say to my doc. Hopefully! |
May 2012
8:56am, 1 May 2012
41,622 posts
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plodding hippo
How are we supposed to help if you lot wont talkt o us;) Johnny makes some very valid points Also, the amount of wear and tear you can see on an X ray isnt necessarily related to the amoiunt of pain you get |
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May 2012
10:02am, 1 May 2012
7,949 posts
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runner duck
good point, well made, ph i did wonder about the relationship between what's visible and how much it hurts. |
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May 2012
2:49pm, 1 May 2012
7,952 posts
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runner duck
i've spoken to sis in law. the aim is to try and get a referral to an orthopaedic back specialist preferably one attached to a musculoskeletal sports clinic (because i'm a serious afleet, innit ;)). i've found one in surrey that looks good. so hopefully my gp will be happy to refer me and bupa will be happy to pay (i've got to check that before i see the gp!). she thinks that will help in terms of getting a good idea of what is going on and to get some good treatment options to help manage it optimally. a big thank you for your help, chaps and chappesses - it really is appreciated and i'll keep you posted - i know you'll be desperate to know
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