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"Suffering with a frozen shoulder for over a year"

About: Crosshouse Hospital / Physiotherapy General practices in Ayrshire & Arran

(as the patient),

I have been suffering with a very sore left shoulder and arm for over a year now. I have been to see several doctors within my practice and given painkillers to manage this which I have repeatedly said do not help at all. I was finally referred to a physiotherapist who was fantastic and diagnosed a severe frozen shoulder with limited movement. This appointment was a year after my initial complaint about having shoulder/arm pain.

I had a steroid injection in Jan 2017 followed by a second injection a fortnight later where it was apparent that these had made no difference at all. I was referred after seeing my physiotherapist a week later. Since then the pain has got significantly worse. It's unbearable! My skin pigmentation on my shoulder/arm/hand has become patchy and discoloured. There are times when my arm doesn't feel like it's attached to my body. I finally got through to my doctor surgery this morning and made it through the triage for a doctor to call me. I received a call about an hour later. The doctor did not introduce themselves. They advised me that I had already been seen by several doctors and a physiotherapist so increasing my medication for pain relief would probably be the best thing to do. To be honest by then I wished I hadn't bothered calling! I asked about when I may see the orthopaedic team and was told to call them. I asked why I was still waiting for an MRI which my other doctor has referred me for in May 2016 as they queried possible Degenerate Disc Disease and again I was told they didn't know. Can anyone actually help me? I've had this pain for 15 months and it's really impacting on my life! I feel that I cannot cope anymore.

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Responses

Response from Eunice Goodwin, Patient Feedback Manager for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Quality Improvement and Governance Team, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 7 years ago
Eunice Goodwin
Patient Feedback Manager for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Quality Improvement and Governance Team,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

I respond initially to most of the posts and ensure they are passed to the appropriate team whether they are compliments, observations or grumbles. It is important to make sure all issues are addressed and I try to encourage that to happen for all the posts as required.

Submitted on 28/02/2017 at 17:47
Published on Care Opinion on 01/03/2017 at 09:54


picture of Eunice Goodwin

Dear AngEden,

I am really sorry you have been through all of this pain and uncertainty. Those who have not experienced this would possibly struggle to understand how debilitating it can be. Having suffered torn ligaments which affected my shoulder (immensely), I sympathise whole heartedly. It affects every aspect of your life for example, being unable to sleep, which made it difficult to cope. I struggled even to push a shopping trolley or carry my handbag. (mind you, maybe it wasn't the smallest handbag in the world!).

I would like to help and one thing I can do is establish the situation with the MRI. If you would like to contact me by email - Eunice.goodwin@aapctr.scot.nhs.uk or call 01563 826222 and I will find out about the MRI. If you are happy to contact me, then let's see what we can do to help.

Best wishes,

Eunice

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