Advice needed please.

No you are not but you have been shamefully neglected.
A handrail should have been fitted within days and your Drs need to try some joined up thinking. ???on your behalf

Oh Annie, you shouldn't have to put up with all that, and as MawB said, you are not being stupid.
Could your granddaughter, or your daughter try shaking someone up and getting the things done, that have been shamefully neglected.
Sorry that you are having all this worry.

I wonder if the radiologist mentioned a lump because she thought she had seen or felt one as she was positioning your leg for Xray. It may not have been a lump that showed up on Xray.

However, you are concerned and it would be helpful for you to get another GP appointment if you are able to do that.

Would it be easier for you to write a brief letter to your GP to state your worries about the advice you are getting about your leg?

Don't worry about pressing your alarm - if an ambulance is called they won't take you to A&E unless it is absolutely necessary (e.g. you've broken your arm or something). They often attend a call and manage the situation themselves without having to take the patient to A&E.

You are definitely not being stupid. All that you have mentioned is very worrying indeed.
I haven't any advice as such but I know there are lots of Gransnetters who will be of help.
It must be awful to face such confusing information.

P.S. Have you a key safe?

Phone your surgery and ask to speak to your doctor don't be put off .

Get somebody to be an advocate .

www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/help-from-social-services-and-charities/someone-to-speak-up-for-you-advocate/

and/or a family member.

Unacceptable situation.

Oh Annie no you are certainly not stupid.
It seems as if the left half doesn't know what the right half is doing. Can you make a telephone appointment with your doctor so you can discuss this? Explain that you feel you cannot do the exercises until you know the results of the X-ray. Or ring the hospital - they should be able to make a new appointment with the consultant.

As someone said the paramedics if called will not take you into hospital unless you have broken something and then you would not be left on your own. With my parents they always fixed the problem there and then and put them back to bed!!

Sending you more hugs xx

Annie I think the link provided by Grapefruitpip would be worth a try.

It has been my experience (re father and mother in law)
that ambulance or paramedics will not take you to A and E unless suspect injury or illness such as a stroke.

Could you email to SS reminding them of your need for a handrail and also a need for a key box to be fitted for emergencies.

I lodged my father's key code with doctors surgery and with his alarm pedant provider.

Another hurdle for you to climb annie .

Thank you all so much .

I didn’t know about the paramedics, I thought you were just carted off and dumped in A & E.

I have a key box but they know my front door is never Locked, i am not ready to do that yet.

I don’t have a G.P, the surgery does that awful triage system, you get who your given, if a house call whoever is doing house calls, ring for results and it’s whoever is giving results that day.

The physiotherapist wasn’t arranged by the surgery , the physiotherapy dept contacted the community services , I didn’t ask, she just turned up.

I’m not worried about the lump, the radiologist told me after
she checked the x rays, it could be a mass of crystal thingies that some with arthritis have . My concern was doing what the physiotherapist said and no one has seen the x rays yet.

The front path has been measured twice, once by council and
once about Care and Repair,

I didn’t think about an advocate . I feel rather silly now but this triage system is awful. 10 doctors and you get who your given , no continuity.

Thank you x

I have claustrophobia and find doctor/hospital appointments very challenging. It's the extended waiting that I just can't cope with. Often, I just have to leave. My suggestions that they text me and I'll wait outside are rejected.

When I injured my back the (private) scans showed disk problems and arthritis. Private physiotherapy was wonderful but expensive until the NHS appointments came through. They were very different - and so disappointing.

Unbelievably, it was separate days, appointments and therapists for the lower and upper back! The first (lower) therapist just gave me exercises that I found very painful. The second (upper) forced my range of movement, despite restrictions due a previous shoulder injury and I was in extreme pain for a week. I cancelled then, deciding I really didn't want to spend any more thousands on further private treatment.

An ambulance was called when I had strange pains in my left arm one evening. They checked me over, then encouraged me to attend hospital for a blood test (in case of heart problems). I do wish I'd said no. I was taken in by ambulance, (the crew were good) then bullied, really, by hospital staff into leaving the trolley and waiting in a corridor. (I noticed that the drunk chap on the next trolley was allowed to remain.) I was in extreme pain with my back and couldn't sit on the metal chairs. After an hour (11.30 pm) I had the test. At 1.30 am, I could take no more and had to leave without seeing a doctor.

Walking without the trolley sounds like something that's alright with company and assistance but perhaps dangerous if you're alone. Maybe you could ask the physio for easier exercises to begin with. Go private if you can.

Good advice here annie but what a situation. It just shouldn’t be. I see a private physio for neck/shoulder issues as the NHS exercises made the pain so much worse. The private physio said no one should, do exercise that increase pain, a little achey and stiff is fair enough but not pain. I’ve got one of those bumps under a knee, strange aren’t they but not serious. I ageee a triage system is unhelpful but perhaps better to see or talk to someone rather than no one. I do hope an advocate is possible in your area, some support has to help. You are definitely not silly, systems have let you down. I can only hope that common sense prevails.

Seems to me you have had two conflicting stories. One is that you have a lump that for all you and they know could be serious - only a consultant can judge, the other is you just have arthritis that needs mobility aids and physio. I think I'd be worried until an actual consultant has said no it's ok. Physiotherapists and radiologists are not fully trained doctors. You need the reassurance of hearing the diagnosis from a fully trained doctor, IMHO.

You are suffering...and it isn’t right...but these medical people aren’t good communicators are they. They could dispel some of your anxiety easily I think, by talking to you about the X-ray results in more detail. I don’t doubt the arthritis diagnosis from the X-rays but if you want more information, you must ask for it. They are there to provide a service to you-dont let them gloss over your concerns without discussion. Regarding the physio, if it’s too painful, you must equally, say that. Then they can suggest something else. Voice your requirements, whether its to do with the hand rail, the agoraphobia, or your physical health. I do understand how hard this is to do, but you do count, and now, in later life, you need to assert yourself a little, and ask for some help. Ask (very nicely but repeatedly if need be) for what you want. Thinking of you.

I have a hip and knee problem like you (though I realise you have additional problems) and I too was advised by a patient and caring physiotherapist that the exercises I was given would be painful at first but are designed to build leg muscle to support my joints. I did do them and they have made a terrific difference and I have much less pain now.

I continue to do them daily even after my consultant discussed the x-rays as now I am managing well. I don't want my hip done till 100% essential as they only last 15- 20 years.

I would say, just be persistent with the exercises and you will reap the benefits quite quickly. I have.
Good luck.

Yes ReadyMeals when I phoned for the results the GP told me I had been referred to the physiotherapy department for
physiotherapy, and there was no lump. She was wrong about me referred to physio dept, what else did she get wrong !

I am concerned about doing the exercises etc , I want to wait
to see the consultant and know the results of the x Rays, I don’t want to cause damage.

I am so grateful to all who posted yesterday. When I read the thread again last night I suddenly thought ‘where have I gone’
The years my darling daughter was ill, I had no problem with
fighting for help for her, surgery, psychiatric hospital, even went to the Welsh Assembly about lack of funding. Spoke out
at the inquest into her death.

Brought up our daughters on my own, did fund raising for local charities. That me got lost two years ago. I need to find her again. I have turned into a ‘nodding dog’. Last year I was put on liquid meals, the nutritionist spoke to me last November and said she would contact me again in March , never heard from her again.

I phoned Age Concern this morning, some one will visit me in
two weeks, they give support in so many things.

I have you all to thank for this. X

Hi I am sure this question has been asked a number of times, sorry , but I am new.
Recently I have noticed my hair is thining and especially visable in the front. Does anyone have any advice ?

Anniebach You are far from silly in fact very sensible to be concerned over a system that is failing you.British Red Cross /Age Concern can be found online give them a call as they have some wonderful services which you will be entitled to. Big hug from me.

Pamdu, welcome to Gransnet. We usually keep threads to sorting out the problem of the person who started the thread, and then start our own new thread for our own problem. I am afraid your post may be overlooked just buried in this one.

Annie, when my FiL had an emergency button it connected with a service that had patrols that came out. They would do almost anything, apparently, including changing lightbulbs. He did pay a small annual fee.

They went to him several times, mainly because he'd pressed the button by mistake, but always checked that everything was OK.

By the time he did really need help, he'd forgotten what the button was for and had to wait for the carer.

I wonder if there's a service like that near you. FiL was in Sunderland, so a city location. Maybe worth investigating other emergency help options, though.

Lots of good advice annie please take it. Sometimes you have to be persistent but if you feel you have done all you can then get someone to intervene for you.

I had severe wear and tear in both knees and bony spurs had grown in the place of the cartilage. I suspect that this may be what was referred to as a lump in your case?

You have my sympathy but doing the proposed exercises has no bearing on knowing the results of the x-ray, or vice versa. The exercises may, as you say, be painful but if you don't put into action the advice you are given, then you can't expect to get any better relief.
The exercises are not dependent on you knowing the results of an x-ray.
The garden handrail is important so perhaps you could ring social services to help out if the council are being tardy.
Get your daughter to give them a kick.
Perhaps they think that as you have a walker plus Fred, that you're able to get about without a pressing need for the rail. It might not be a top priority if you have other means to get mobile outside.
I think the dept responsible for fitting have to fill out paperwork to concrete the path and order the rails and this takes time...as usual.
I have a relative who works for your council and I will ask how long these things take.
I wouldn't worry about being taken to A&E, as others have said, that would be a last resort.
I hope your therapy is going well and you're managing to keep in touch with your neighbours even if just by phone.
Why not invite the gentleman you've spoken about previously (who lives in the cul-de-sac) for coffee and chat? That might be a start.
Best wishes

Gabriella I have no other means to walk the garden path,
am not going to walk it pushing a tea trolley, the trolley could shoot off. I can’t use Fred.

An occupational therapist advised the hand rail back in the spring. The council measured the path , some months later
Someone from Care and Repair came and measured the path.

The gentleman is awaiting surgery and doesn’t go out.