"Falling down the stairs and the after care from GP"

In May 2022 I fell down the stairs and injured my coccyx area. As I normally would, I shook it off and continued on with my day and I went to work. At first I was more in shock than anything but then the pain and tenderness started to seep through to my brain and I realised I must have done some damage. I had fallen down the stairs before but this time felt very different.

In the end due to the pain and the effect it was having on my walking, I called my GP surgery who told me that I would need to go to the walk in centre as they had no available appointments. Due to the pain and being unable to sit for an extended amount of time, this was not an option. In the end, I called 111 who were very helpful and managed to get me an appointment at an out of hours GP surgery.

I went to the appointment and the GP assessed me and told me that there was no visible damage, not even much bruising and that the pain should just go away on it's own as it healed, but if not, I could be referred for a X-ray. If the pain hadn't reduced in the next week to contact my GP surgery to get an appointment for a follow up.

A few weeks later, I called the GP surgery as I was still in a lot of pain (I'd left it longer as I'd hit the stairs with some force and I know people heal at different speeds and also because I had to psyche myself up to ring the surgery as it is a very draining process). I was triaged over the phone yet again, before finally getting an in person app with a GP.

I attended the surgery where the GP assessed me. There was no visible problems but informed me that with coccyx pain such as this, it can take up to 12 months before it goes away-  not the words I wanted to hear but GP knows best, right? I mentioned that the previous GP I saw, had said about an x-ray however this GP that I was seeing then, told me that it wouldn't do much good as x-rays around that area aren't ideal. I didn't push as I am not a professional, so accepted the outcome that it would right itself most likely over the next 12 months.

 August 2023: It has now been 15 months since I fell down the stairs and I am in so much pain that I am struggling to sit or even lay down. It has affect my work life and personal life as well as my emotional, mental and physical health. I called 111 again yesterday who after many questions, told me to call my GP surgery within 6 hrs and ask for an appointment. I called my surgery around lunchtime and when I finally got through.  They looked at the report from 111 and informed me that they'd needs to get a GP to look at it, who would then call me back. The receptionist called me back at 5:11pm to inform me that I would need to call the surgery back tomorrow at 8:00am for a triage app or go to the walk in centre (again this is not an option due to the pain and discomfort as well as raising peoples suspicions when I am up and down from a chair and pacing because of the pain).

This is NOT what I was told would happen. So I called the surgery this morning at 8:00am.  52 attempts later, I finally got through to someone. I asked for an app, but they put me forward for a telephone triage app. A nurse practitioner has since called me to triage me.  They have referred me for physio despite me informing them that I have previously had physio that I have paid for privately and did not rate the service. They also offered me pills to help with the pain which I do not like taking due to past experience of trying a new pill every 4-6 weeks for a different problem.

I feel like what I am saying to the GP is that I feel I am just being ignored and that  is one of the reasons I don't go to the GP often when I probably should because it takes so much effort to get through, let alone for an appointment. I feel like I just get fobbed off. I just want rid of the pain, it is making me miserable and cranky and my everyday life hard. I just want to be seen by a GP