I think tinsy you have hit this spot on with regard to dealing with the GP.

I called the Hospital today as I had an open system with them for my wrist when I shattered it…. so I can go back anytime with no referal. they said as it was my whole side I could not go back to orthopeadics.. this seemed daft to me as it could be an old injury from that accident. So my only option is the GP again (4th time) if things were getting beter I would be happy but they are getting worse. I was asked by NHS direct if my GP had, taken blood pressure, pulse, temperature, done a reflex test, tested for diabetes, refered me for an x-ray or CT…. they have done none of these. The doctor at NHS direct was some what fuming that they had done no tests and just sent me away. In her words, neglegent. And oh joy my left arm is totally numb as I type. i just want to see someone who can find the problem, having 2 kids and this problem, I am worried… extra stress from difficult GP’s is not helping

Chewing a nettle may offer a distraction to the pain.

tried that, even listened to radio 5 but not even that worked 😆

so I can go back anytime with no referal. they said as it was my whole side I could not go back to orthopeadics.. this seemed daft

I can only presume this is regarded as a new condition i.e it was your wrist which was the original complaint – therefore I can only presume you have to start again and get referred agin – also I think there is also a time limit so if there has not been any need to see you in 1 year or what ever the time limit is (poss 9 months) (my wife know better as she work in the NHS) you may also have to go back to your GP and get it worked up agian?

The open system I have is totally open due to the mess my wrist was in, Ive had 3 op’s and am starting to think I may well have damaged the shoulder, neck at the same time as it is the same side. It could well have been my more recent fall when I broke ribs. I have been told it can take a while for some damage to show or cause a problem. Ah well if nothing else I have had a good rant and feel better for it, hopfully next week will get more progress.

Kramer, given that it only minority of dr’s i guess it must form only a small part of the problem.
This argument has part of it’s root in the days 40-50yrs ago when if you failed your exams you could only enter GP rather than be a brain surgeon.

Actually the problem is still ongoing. There are quotas to be made in the number of GPs trained, which leads to less than suitable candidates being selected for training. Once these candidates are being trained it is very difficult to kick them off, and there are financial pressures to limit the amount of remedial training that they get.

Quality control is still a huge issue, despite what GPs may think, and unfortunately it’s the bad experiences that stick in people’s minds.

What nick1c said, almost word for word.
Good luck with getting this sorted.

SM – you could do worse than than try http://www.bristolmassage.co.uk

It’s possible you have nerve impingement that might be relieved with some Trigger Point Therapy/Deep Tissue Massage/specific stretching and releases.

I have done some courses with one of their tutors and would def recommend.

Have you been checked for sensory or motor deficit by anyone? I’m an Osteopath & if someone came to see me that would be the first thing I did, followed by the strong suggestion that a visit to a neurologist would be in order (unless there was something obviously wrong which was suitable for my type of treatment). X-rays are probably not the investigation of choice, an MRI (or possibly CT) scan of the head and neck would be more use, but more expensive. I’d want it checked & soon.

It could be anything from the first sign of Multiple Sclerosis through to plain anxiety, and anything inbetween.

Please get this investigated properly by a qualified professional.. IE skilled GP who does a full neuro exam including cranial nerve testing, babinski + clonus tests (as well as the standard) then Neurologist if appropriate. It may well turn out to be something eminently treatable, BUT these sort of persistent worsening symptoms warrant proper investigation.

Kramer, maybe i am just fortunate to work where i do. It might just be that. I guess i practice in an affluent area, maybe it attracts the better GP’s? It’s possible. The GP’s i work with are as bright if not brighter than the hospital docs. They chose GP as a career, not as a default when they failed all else.
YES i do know the odd lazy/dodgy doc but you make it sound like a barrel full of rotten apples (or is my skin a bit too thin?)
– what do you actually do that gives you such an insight and poor opinion of GP’s?

As for the OP, on the surface of it the experience doesn’t sound good, but Internet descriptions of these sort of things are always just one side of the story. Not that i’m saying he’s fibbing, but people slant arguements/events they can’t help it.On the surface of it I find it amazing that you havn’t been examined, investigated or given a provisional diagnosis.

Tinsy, if i saw someone with a phx of knee probs and symps of an unstable knee- recurrent episodes of locking, giving way, swelling etc i like to think i would recognise it and how to treat it. What should you do if your doc doesn’t? discuss your concerns, ask for a diagnosis, ask why no xray, ask what management plan is, agree a duration for symptoms and action if not resolved, request a second opinion, ask for referral to physio/ extended scope physio, speak to practice manager, change GP etc etc. Though that’s easy to say as a GP. My advice to OP would be to do the same.

– what do you actually do that gives you such an insight and poor opinion of GP’s?

I’m a GP.

Not a lot to say in reply to that then really.

Was about to ask where you live Spank but it’s in your profile, Bristol is miles away or you could have popped around to see me I could do most of the tests otherwise. Hope your sorted soon.

polarisandy, many of our colleagues are very good, however in my opinion the speciality still faces many problems, quality control being one of the biggies. That’s not to say the same problem doesn’t occur in hospitals, it’s just in the other specialities the rigours of the various college exams does seem to weed out at least a proportion of the weaker candidates, and the impact of the rest is somewhat mitigated by their distance from the patients. In turn our speciality exams (again IMO) are somewhat of a joke, and deservedly so. The old MRCGP wasn’t exactly difficult, a bright medical student could sail through summative assessment, and now nMRCGP is somewhere between the two. Hardly a high bar to entry.

The problem is, and always has been that there are not enough GPs, and although the job has become more attractive to many junior doctors, it is still relatively undersubscribed, and as long as it continues to be so, we will have problems with quality control at the lower end.

Zara Ford is a good osteopath in Bristol – I’d go & see her, if you need further investigations she’ll point you in the right direction………

Drac – Thanks for the offer anyhow 🙂

Nick I will keep that in mind!

Just one last question for the medics on here, I am seeing my gp again tomorrow and will throw some ideas their way to get them thinking, before I do could a rotator cuff injury cause the pins and needles in the arm and leg? over the last 2 days it seems to have localised in my shoulder and arm, it almost feels like my shoulder is out (its not but feels it) my arm has gone weak (like you have slept on it and that feeling of not being in full control of your arm + the pins & needles)I still have pins & needles in my leg also but the shoulder and arm are 80% of the problem / pain. Just trying to think about things they need to investigate

I’ll leave that to the human medics I think – There maybe 2 different problems related to your previous injury IMHO or it could be related to one episode with further complications. Didn’t you say you had facial problems? Not sure that would relate to a rotator cuff injury?

Thoracic Outlet probs can certainly cause numb hands/arm issues [scalenes,pec minor etc]

It’s frustrating when nothing progressive seems to be happening. Been trying to get my back sorted since before Easter, a month ago this turned to not being able to weight bear on one leg and I have been off work since then and it is driving me nuts – what the hell do you do if not working/riding/climbing? (apart from self pleasure)

Anyway, finally got to see doctor that I had seen before the other day, they think it’s dragging on a bit (too damn right!) and referred me for mri and a specialist

This is obviously of no use to the OP, but they’re not alone in missing one of the best summers riding we’ve had for a while

bit of a result, new GP and basically I have a suspected torn cuff and possibly trapezium as well, she located the exact point when she pushed I almost feinted …. so another course of diazepam, diclofenac and co-dyramol with a referal to physio. She said it was pretty bad and I need make sure I do very little, time to stare at the bike ….. again!

they’ll be as sparkly clean as mine

keep away from the classifieds and ebay, my lack of riding is being replaced with increased fettling leading to an accrual of spare parts and building of extra bikes with ‘bargain parts’

Good result Spank – Glad to hear things are looking up on the diagnosis front. At least you didn’t have to resort to drastic measures i.e. casualty. did you have facial problems in the end or was that spasm – what about the explanation for the numnbess and weakness in your leg? CONFUSED!

After 2 accidents I have gone through 8 bikes and over 300 buying and selling transactions due to too much time on my hands….. not this time!

I was told due to inflamation in the neck the nerves could be effected to my left side hence all the numbness, pins & needles etc… next few weeks should tell 🙂