Choose and Book
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have many spinal issues and have had a spinal fusion (paid for by myself) 6 years on I am still in pain and life is grimm. Have seen a spinal surgeon in London privately (I live on the Isle of Wight) He has looked at year old mri/ct scans also paid for by myself and see I have a screw pressing on a facet joint and the fusion never fused, he is suggesting facet joint injections plus new ct and mri scans he told me to go to my GP and ask for a referral to him through the choose and book scheme to him at a London Hosp that accepts it and he will be happy to treat me under the nhs. So this morning I have been to my gp who is really nice but he pulled a face and said although its a good idea in principal it doesnt work in certain areas? and doubts I will be allowed to be seen on this system. He has taken all the details and the secretary will deal with it and I have to wait for a letter as to wether I will be allowed but it will take a week plus. Is this right from what I read on the nhs website it was my right I have paid thousands out on physio, osteopaths, accupuncture plus never asked a thing from nhs, I have bupa cover but not for my spine. I wondered if anyone one here could advise me on what my true rights are. Thank you in advance
0 likes, 18 replies
joycemadine hythe
Posted
I am sorry to hear you are still suffering al those years after your spinal fusion I.
I am having the same problems since I had mind done last year In fact I have had 4 ops on my back the last one being the spinal fusion plus rods and scaffoling as I call it,,lol put in.I also had fractures of the sacrum and the bottom of my spine .I was given facet joint injections but they havent hekepe what so ever...
I wish you luck for the future and hope you can get the help you need
Take care Joyce x
gail17114 hythe
Posted
You have my symphty on all of this. I was lucky enough to have all of my back surgeries done on the NHS and I can honestly say other than 1 of the surgeries I can't complain. My 1st op they screwed 2 of my vertebrae together with a spacer inbetween and put a cage round that. I didn't have much in the way of physio for that op. Everything went well and I was fine still in pain as that was something he stressed that he couldn't get rid of. So for about 18 months I was fine and like you I went off and had a holiday in SanFran. When I next saw my surgeon after the MRI he said he had no choice but to take out what he had done and just go right up my back. That was a shock I can tell you. So that's what he did resulting in 14 titianium screws, 2 rods and 2 cages over 7 of my vertebrae. I felt fantastic, in a lot of pain of course, loads of physio and they were so good to me. I felt really good for some time but in constant pain but didn't need sticks to walk with but since then and this is over a period of 10 years and 4 more surgeries I now can't walk anywhere without sticks but I can walk just always in pain. I have an amazing GP that's been a great help but I can't fault the NHS for any of what they have done and I'm surprised that you choose the go private when there is such a great number of surgoens out there that could have done it for you. I reserched the surgoens before I went ahead with this and although mine is very abrupt he is dam good at his job.
I wish you well and hope you get it all resolved and I'm sure if you did some research you will find out all the answers you need and hopefully get the results you need.