Wrist Pain: Occupational Health Interview

My company asked me if I would be referred to a company to discuss my illness. I had no good reason not to go so I agreed. The stated reason is to help me with my illness and ensure that I can continue working. My cynical take on it is a check to see if I've been pulling a sickie and they will be getting data from my doctor.

I had a morning interview with the outsourcing occupational health company in central London. I discussed my wrist pain with the doctor interviewing me. She asked me what treatment I had. I told her that I had had a cortisol injection.

She asked me, "Did you have it injected into your wrist?"
I replied, "No, it was injected into my bottom", in a deadpan manner.

Without batting an eyelid, in true professional style, she countered, "So, it was an intra-muscular injection."

She dictated a letter into her dictaphone to my GP asking for details of the injection. She wanted to write to the rheumatologist but I said I thought he was too busy too reply and she agreed saying that rheumatologists are very busy.

Wrist Pain: Cortisol injection

I went to see my rheumatologist and found out my chest x-ray was negative for TB. After all the negative TB tests, I thought he would finally admit that I didn't have TB. So. I asked him. He replied:

"There hasn't been any evidence of TB."

So, that grudging response is the nearest thing I would get to an admission.

He said the next step was a cortisol injection. He offered me the choice of having it injected into a muscle or into the wrist. It would be more painful to have it injected into the wrist so I opted for what a thought was the easy and comfortable choice of a muscle injection. I thought the injection would be into my arm. He sent me off to the nurse with a note. She told me to drop my pants as she was going to inject it up my bottom. I feared for my comfort returning on the bus that day.

It was a painful prick but I managed to sit down 10 minutes later. The injection has helped a bit although I do sometimes get shooting pains in my wrist, which I never had before. I wonder how long it will last. Next time, I might need the cortisol injected into my wrist.

I will be back to see the rheumatologist on 8/1/08.