Theme 4: healthcare experience
pneumonia, allergic reaction, pain
PNEUMONIA, ALLERGIC REACTION, ACUTE EOSINOPHILIC PNEUMONIA, TENNIS ELBOW, SAID, EOSINOPHILIC PNEUMONIA
Participants had experienced a wide range of treatments via the public healthcare system and privately, prior to entering the OPTimisE pilot and feasibility trial. They had typically consulted their general practitioner initially and been offered corticosteroid injections, prescription painkillers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), often with just a short-term temporary effect.I had a couple of injections; you know the injections they do for the steroids and stuff. That helped me. It went away for a couple of years. I didn’t have any pain but after it came back again … Yes, basically I went back to the GP to the doctors and they suggested to have again a couple of injections. I had the first and then after three months another one. They didn’t seem to have helped at all the last injections. BHX004One participant experienced a rare but serious side-effect to oral NSAIDs, having not trialled topical versions. Acute eosinophilic pneumonia can be fatal but, in this case, fortunately the patient recovered following hospital admission and treatment.In fact, I mean for me it was, the first time I went to the NHS was back in April and actually, he prescribed naproxen for me. Which the symptoms of the Tennis Elbow disappeared immediately within a couple of days. But I got an allergic reaction to it and developed eosinophilic pneumonia so, I was really in a really bad way for a few weeks. Had to have a six week course of steroids to clear that pneumonia so, that was pretty scary. SHE013Another had received several different treatments for their other elbow previously and underwent surgery when their symptoms had failed to respond.Yes, I had physio. I went to see a sports massage therapist who did like laser on it, acupuncture. But it just got so bad that the doctor then referred me to have it operated on. SHE005Some had been referred to physiotherapy and some had sought this privately with treatments including ultrasound therapy, massage, laser, acupuncture, shockwave therapy and exercise prescription. Many had been advised to purchase an elbow orthosis without any clear recommendation of which type to buy, often finding them ineffectual.I had to buy my own. So, she gave me a link to an App that had some information about Tennis Elbow … It had videos on it and some written information and amongst all of that was some pictures of Tennis Elbow supports. So, the first one that was suggested on there was the standard tubular bandage which I tried and that was immediately a disaster. I mean I couldn’t find one that was the right size for me … So, after that I tried the second one which was the strap round the forearm … it was a plain white band that was meant to go just below your elbow. It had like a padded bit on it on the inside that was meant to go over the muscle that’s attached to that tendon to sort of act as a pressure point to reduce the amount of action that muscle has got I guess. It didn’t really have very good instructions or anything with it … but I had it checked by my physio and it was the right size and I was wearing it properly but it was causing me pain every time I was wearing it. DER006Some were given the advice to completely avoid all painful activities.When I last went to the GP I said to her, I need to do some decorating at home. My house needs decorating I’m desperate. She says under no circumstances do any decorating, because that’ll just aggravate it. Golf, you can’t go and play golf. Don’t go to the gym. Don’t do any exercises at the gym, weight bearing or anything like that, because that will aggravate it and it’ll put you back to square one. SHE004Yes, I saw the Community Physio. She diagnosed it and prescribed total rest. Do not use that arm she says, forget you’ve even got it. DER006This may have resulted in some developing fear-avoidance behaviour.My biggest issue: I was afraid of doing too much and being in pain again. SHE014