Health

Arthritis sufferers who are suffering from “total distress” on the waiting list feel forgotten in the recovery of Covid-19

Two NI women are among many living in “pure suffering” while struggling on the waiting list for much needed arthritis treatment.

Elizabeth McClaucas Co down Since January 2019, we are waiting for total hip arthroplasty for rheumatoid arthritis. Belfast Mary Anderson has been waiting for ankle surgery since June last year.

He said the surgery scheduled for July 2019 never happened to Elizabeth, 57. His X-rays show his hips are getting worse and his pain levels are soaring that he can’t keep walking.

Elizabeth said: “I hurt my back. I haven’t heard anything from the hospital, but it’s getting so bad that my doctor had to send a letter to the hospital to warn me of my pain level.

“The last time I talked to the doctor at the hospital, he said he hadn’t resumed surgery. COVID-19So, all they can do is increase my painkillers. But I’m like a zombie with them.

“I used to drink tramadol, but I had a rather dark idea. It was very depressed, but that was all they could do to relieve the pain. Now, drink cocodamol. Edge off.

Elizabeth, 57, cannot sleep or walk now due to pain

“This is a complete take over of my life. I can’t sleep, I can’t walk, I can’t work because of pain. I can’t control it anymore. It’s me. Thankfully the support from my husband who is taking care of the NHS means that he will never escape his work.

“My doctor and my family did their best, but the waiting list in Northern Ireland is ridiculous. I need surgery to get my life back.”

National charities and arthritis warn of urgent need to prioritize NHS Recovery plans to support people with arthritis in Northern Ireland.

They bear the brunt of the turmoil of treatment and surgery caused by such patients with Covid-19, and many now wait years for pain for life-altering treatments such as joint replacement surgery. Say you are facing something.

“Cost is not only physical, it’s emotional,” said Mary Anderson, a Belfast woman.

A Belfast woman, Mary Anderson, 64, also suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, but she also has osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.

She learned in June 2019 that she needed surgery for her left ankle, but because of rheumatoid arthritis, she needed a three-month review before going to the waiting list.

She added that the review wasn’t done until March 2020, and it was too late because it couldn’t make a proper assessment for Covid by then.

“Cost is not only physical, it’s emotional,” she explained.

“It affects relationships and my desire for work, but I’m just in a painful rampage because there’s no indication when surgery will resume.

“The most frustrating thing was that I was told I should be on the waiting list for ankle surgery. The point of the March consultation was to decide how high I needed to be on the list. Covid was unable to take an X-ray on the phone and could not make a proper assessment.

“If I had this appointment when it was scheduled for September 2019, I wouldn’t wait for pain like today. My ankles always hurt. The pressure I put on my ankles So what’s happening now is that I’m unable to move or walk, and my other joints hurt, and I’m having surgery on this joint because it’s making my overall health worse. need to do it.

“I purchased some ankle support, but it was useless and put too much pressure on my feet. This is already badly affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Nothing removes pain So I don’t want to use strong painkillers.”

More than 487,000 people live with musculoskeletal conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and back pain. Even before Covid-19, Northern Ireland was the worst waiting time in any part of the UK, waiting years for access to important medical services such as physiotherapy, rheumatology, and important joint replacement surgery. It was

Versus Arthritis investigated more than 6,000 people with arthritis and musculoskeletal symptoms throughout the UK, and the effects of lockdowns and pandemics on NHS have had a devastating impact on many of their disease management. I found that.

Northern Ireland:

Over 47% of those who experience chronic pain have canceled their arthritis appointments

Nearly half (48%) said they were advised to self-isolate-and Shields experienced slightly more cancellations (52%) than unshielded (47%).

When asked about health, care, and quality of life during a pandemic:

One third (34%) did not get the care and treatment needed to manage their pain.

Over half (56%) report that they were unable to manage the pain of doing what they wanted to do around the house or performing basic tasks.

More than half (54%) say they cannot move because of pain.

47% report loneliness and loneliness, rising to 51% of those who are self-isolated

48% reported having difficulty accessing shopping and deliveries.

Anti-arthritis Thousands are at risk of serious health deterioration if people do not have continuous access to adequate health care, and health services warn the government that it will pay higher prices in the long run. I will.

Latency in Northern Ireland is disguising the actual scale of the problem because there is more than one latency. For example, there is a measure of wait time before the first consultant leads an outpatient visit, and a measure of subsequent treatment or surgery referral. In other words, the actual wait time can be several years.

According to the latest March 2020 latency statistics, 45% of patients waited for more than 52 weeks on their first outpatient visit, and 45% waited for more than 52 weeks of surgery. weekly.

Sarah Graham, Director of Northern Ireland vs. Arthritis, said: “Medical services have largely survived Covid-19, but at the expense of services that many depend on to maintain quality of life. The Government of Northern Ireland said that people with arthritis were forgotten or ignored. We have to take urgent steps not to do so, we can’t go back to “normal”-we have to demand better things.

“This crisis will not accelerate anymore, as it is essential that the recovery plan include arthritis treatment, including joint replacement surgery.

“The government will prioritize reducing the waiting list, resuming planned joint replacement surgery so that people will be provided with clear information about what to expect and support to manage pain. is needed.”

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