Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Patients‘living in agony’ waiting on arthritis ops
Women desperate for treatment
TWO women are among many living in “sheer agony” while waiting for arthritis treatment.
Elizabeth Mclucas, from Co Down, has needed a full hip replacement because of rheumatoid arthritis since January 2019, while Belfast woman Mary Anderson has been waiting for an ankle operation since last June.
Elizabeth, 57, was due to have a procedure last July while her deteriorating hip has left her unable to sleep or walk.
She said: “It’s getting so bad that my doctor had to write to the hospital to warn them of my pain levels, although I’ve heard nothing since.
“Last time I spoke to a doctor at the hospital he said they haven’t resumed doing any surgery yet because of
Covid-19, so all they can do is increase my pain killers. I’m like a zombie.
“I used to take Tramadol but it caused me to have quite dark thoughts. I became very, very depressed but it was all they could do to ease the pain.
“Now I’m just taking co-codamol, which barely takes the edge off.
“This has taken over my life. I can’t control it anymore – it controls me. I get a lot of support from my husband who is a carer for the NHS, but it means he never gets away from his work.”
Mary, 64, also suffers from rheumatoid arthritis but has osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia too. She needed surgery on her left ankle in June last year but because of her rheumatoid arthritis medication, she had a 3-month review before going on the waiting list.
That review didn’t happen until March and by then it was too late as a proper assessment could not be done due to Covid.
Mary said: “The cost isn’t just physical – it’s emotional too.
“It affects relationships and my desire to do things. But there’s no indication of when surgery will resume.
“If this appointment had happened in September 2019, I wouldn’t be waiting in pain like I am today.”
Sara Graham of Versus Arthritis said: “The NHS just about survived Covid-19 so far, but at the expense of services many relied upon to sustain their quality of life.
“The Executive must take urgent steps to ensure people with arthritis are not forgotten.”