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Accident - severe symptoms but not able to access help or treatment HELP PLEASE

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penny_quirk
penny_quirk

on April 30th I was away in Botswana and I fell, on to outstretched arms.

I had instant pain in my neck and then got pins and needles. I saw a doctor a week or so later in south africa who told me to get urgent help when I got home (after getting xrays).

Took xrays to doctor who said I could see urgent neurosurgen appt or MRI - I hate appts so opted for MRI.

I have numb patches down my arm, the pins and needles has spread to my chest, the pain in my shoulder, neck and arm is excrutiating.

It took 3 weeks for results to get back and has shown many problems but mainly a disc badly damaged enough to warrant urgent neurosurgery appointment for surgery asap

My doctor  referred me.

The referal got returned saying I have to go to physio first.

The pins and needles is horrendous, the pain is unbearable and I sit banging my head on my desk as I don't know what to do.

I have had no nelp. Nothing

When i used the symptom checker and put my symptoms in from after an accident it sayts ring 999 - can you do that after so many weeks? I am desperate

Please can someone help.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • lisa80029
    lisa80029 penny_quirk

    Posted

    Hi Penny

    I am so sorry to hear about your accident and that you are suffering badly.

    I won't bore you with too many details but I had a lower back pain problem made worse by a car accident last December. I have a bulging disc at L5, S1 touching the nerve and have sciatica, pins and needles etc. to cut a long story short the nhs generally send you down the physio route before they look to operate. That is pretty much the last resort.  

    Sadly pain levels can get pretty unbearable. Maybe go back to your GP in the morning and explain how things are worsening?

    I have - after 6 months - finally been seen by rheumatology and they have diagnosed a seronegative reactive arthritis condition which may have been triggered by the accident.  For me and several others who I have spoken to - it seems the course of action is physio first then if no improvement the referrals to other teams begin.

    I hope u

  • lisa80029
    lisa80029 penny_quirk

    Posted

    Sorry that sent before I had finished!

    I hope your pain improves and obviously if things continue as badly as they are then do seek urgent medical help.

    I wish you well.

    Regards

    Lisa smile

  • penny_quirk
    penny_quirk

    Posted

    Hi Lisa,

    I forgot to say that i had a similar problem in 1996 that resulted in surgery too, that left me with complex regional pain syndrome (type II)

    From what my GP has said, the results are such that physio does not look as though it is going to be any use and due to my history he'd rather not wait

    However, it has been almost 10 weeks now

    When I did the symptom checker on here, and putting it was from an accident then it says 999 for the symptoms I have got - this is partly why I don't understand why - when there is numbness, someone can't at least see me - its well over a month since I had the urgent MRI

    am at my wits end

  • ilovemyfamily
    ilovemyfamily penny_quirk

    Posted

    Ah so sorry to here you are suffering and I'm sure your in the right place as I'm sure we can all sympathise with you regarding pain. As for symptoms checker well ... Every time I look on there for help It 9/10 says ring 999 lol. So do you actuall know what has happened ? Like the damage? Hope you get sorted soon hun. 

    S xx

    • penny_quirk
      penny_quirk ilovemyfamily

      Posted

      Yes, there is severe compression of the root nerve at c7c8 caused by the fall and the damage is also badly herniated disc to c7? but there are older complications such as narrowing of the foramen (all down the cervical spine), severe osteophytes and previous surgery further up causing complex regional pain syndrome type II

      the 999 bit referred to the numbness in limbs after an accident - that is still present. 

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