Pain

The physiotherapists do have elbow supports but I have no idea how effective they are I'm afraid. What are the pain clinic doing? JB

Pain clinic are not doing anything. Haven't seen them in a long time. Thought I would mention too that I've also just been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both my hands too. With regards to my elbows what other surgical options are available for my elbows??

Different surgeons suggest all sorts of interventions for the elbows but I think the evidence that any particular operation is a good option tends to be pretty poor and multiple operations are likely to be a bad idea I think. A month ago I thought you were still, at least in theory, under the pain clinic? Do you mind if I pull your notes so that I can read through what has been said in the various clinic letters - I almost certainly haven't seen them all. JB

Yes that's fine

Ok I'll get them dragged out from records, have a read through and let you know what I find - probably by email rather than on here. It will probably take a few days to get them out. JB

Hi just wanted to know if you have managed to look at my notes and what the next step is. I'm really not coping with this pain in my elbows as it's agony. Regards Vicky

They haven't appeared on my desk yet - I'll try again. JB

Hi any luck with my notes? It's been about a month and a half since I first messaged you.

Regards

They arrived on my desk this week - quite a thick volume - but I'm at a conference in London at present. I'll read through them this weekend. JB

I've had a look through the volume of notes that came through this morning but it looks as though it's incomplete. It seems to start with the follow-up after the ulnar nerve operation along with some general medical stuff so I suspect there is another volume somewhere. The most recent contributions are from rheumatology. I can't see anything from the pain clinic at all. Andrew Smith asked the hand therapists to have a look at you early this year but I can't see a letter saying what they thought or did. Rheumatology found evidence of mild osteoarhtritis in several joints but seem to have thought that the major diagnosis was probably fibromyalgia - for which there is no definitive test, but you do seem to fit the clinical diagnostic criteria, though I am not sure about the prominent numbness amongst the symptoms myself.

So.... what I seem to be lacking is any opinion from the pain clinic or the hand therapists - anyI think I am right that you have not seen one of the neurologists - is that right. JB

Thanks for getting back to me. I have never seen a neurologist but I think it's a good idea to see one if you think this too?? Are you able to do a referral to them??

I'd like to know what I'm missing from the current notes before anything else - did you ever get to the pain clinic? what did the hand therapists have to say? JB

Yes I was seeing pain clinic on a regular basis. Haven't seen them though now for about 6 months. Every time I saw them it was just a case of changing my medications etc. The hand therapist didn't say much. They gave me a splint to wear for my thumb and gave me one treatment of the hot hand paraffin wax and just suggested that I buy one of these for at home which I haven't done yet. They only saw me twice then discharged me but they didn't know I had the osteoarthritis then.

Regards

So I wonder where the notes are from those clinics. I'll make some further enquiries today. JB

Ok thank you.

Regards

Apparently there is another volume of notes. It has been requested. JB

... a bit later. Volume 1 is 4 inches thick!. I'll try to have a skim through it later today but its a long clinic today JB

That's fine. Thank you for all your help.

Regards

Vicky

I've now gone through the rather mammoth volume 1 but even that one seems to contain a lot of notes from other clinics over the years but nothing that I can find from the pain clinic - I wonder if they are keeping their own separate notes in the same way that I do. Do you know who the responsible consultant is there most recently? JB

I'm under and see Dr senasingne the pain consultant at the Spencer wing margate but choose and book as a nhs patient. Haven't seen them for a few months and no follow up planned so can't even ask for you. I'm still really struggling. The pain in my elbows is worse now than it was before the surgery and the knubness is my little finger and the one next to it seems to be getting worse too.

Regards

I'll try to track down what's going on in Spencer Wing (or not) - I might have to email the consultant I think. JB

HI any news yet on getting hold of my notes? I have been told that the Spencer wing do have their own notes.

Regards

Vicky

I've been away for three weeks but I've not forgotten - still working on it. JB

Thank you so much I appreciate it

Regards

Vicky