"Support for patients trying to Improve their..."

I very rarely visit the surgery , I use common sense, local pharmacist and NHS online advice to treat minor illnesses. There have been concerns about my obesity and high-ish blood pressure. I have taken up gym membership and changed my lifestyle to try to improve my own health.

I had extremely painful and tight Achilles' tendons in one leg following a loliday walking in the USA and I had tight shoulder and back muscles. I was proactive

I went, at my own expense , to a sports physio for massage. They would not treat me because I had varicose veins in that leg, saying they did not know enough about the condition so would not touch any part of my body even my back, without the go ahead from my doctor. I made an appointment with my doctor.... The response I got was that my doctor wouldn't give permission either because they didn't know enough about deep tissue massage. They were quite abrupt. They printed me off a few exercises , without asking if I needed them... I was a sports coach for twenty years... I know how to stretch. They left me feeling I had wasted ten minutes of their day!

All I had tried to do was keep my health problems off the NHS lists as I always try to do.

So the ignorance of two professionals, both terrified of litigation, prevented me from getting treatment. It has taken months of self massage to relieve the problem.... Which has been very difficult because as an obese person i find it very difficult to reach my lower leg myself.

However..... I do not owe my recovery to the physio or the doctor!

Doesn't really make me feel I want to ' bother the busy doctor' again.