"I have no where else to go, could you please provide some hope"

I had problems pre surgery with neck arthritis, and general arthritis due to 48 years with Crohns disease, subsequent steroid use, and I suppose general wear and tear. In June of this year 2011, I underwent triple bi-pass surgery along with mitral valve repair. I cannot fault my care at the time, however, since surgery I have been in terrible pain with my my neck, chest, and particularly my left shoulder which has now completeley frozen. Unfortunately now every muscle in my body aches and hurts to the extent that I cannot sleep more than a few minutes at a time.

I am in such pain that for the last four months I have been on fentaynl patches along with DF118. My GP refered me to a rheumatologist, who consequently gave me a full body bone scan and various blood tests. I have had results which suggest I have osteoarthritis, but no actual answer as to the pain I am in on an hour by hour basis.

The rheumatologist has given me an appointment for March- I do not think this is good enough, but particularly not early enough, considering the 24/7 pain I have to live with. I cannot live with this pain, nor should I have to. The consultant prescribed amytryptyline as a away of sleep management relative to a healing process. This proved to be unsuccessful and worked in the opposite way.

At the time of consultation with the rheumatologist it was suggested that help would be forhcoming via pain management clinic and hospital physio, however after chasing things up with the secretary, it transpires that I am not considered to be in clinical danger and that an early appointment is not deemed necessary due to excessive patient backlog. Ii was also suggested by the secretary, who sympathised, that a referral from my GP was necessary in order to obtain pain management, bearing in mind that we actually have no diagnosis.

In one weeks time I have to see the cardiac surgeon regarding the pain in my chest, maybe he will have some of the answers, but obviously not all.

All I can say is my whole body is constantly in pain, my quality of life is virtually nil and I feel I am left with nowhere to go. I am only 61 years of age, and would like some kind of movement in my joints, and to be somewhat free of pain.

I have no where else to go, could you please provide some hope.

I am not ungrateful for the treatment I have received. I realise it is both expensive and time consuming, however, March is a long way off without any form of diagnosis or the hope of alleviating problems.