1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Disc Prolapse

Disc prolapse, L5/S1, living hell for 18 months!

Posted , 16 users are following.

james82082
james82082

hi everyone! 

Finally ly I have at last had a result!!!

18 months ago I was involved in an RTA. Rear end shunted. I was in A&E. X-ray done, sent home with painkillers.

Over the next 10 months, I took these along with several courses of diazepam, ibuprofen, and some other anti inflamatories. Then the co-dydramol did nothing anymore. So I was started on tramadol. This did nothing after 2 weeks of agony so I was put straight onto morphine. 30mg modified release with 10mg every 4 hours for a boost if needed. I also had approx 12-18 sessions of physio to no effect.

I was then in June when I went back to the doctor for n increase in morphine, sent for an urgent MRI scan. Why this has taken nearly 12 months I do not know! I was now on 60mg of modified release morphine twice a day plus boosters!

MRI scan came and went in June. Scan apparently showed nothing wrong and my GP told me to live with the pain!!!!!

In August, I was taken to hospital in horrendous pain. I couldn't stand straight! The doctor gave me a morphine injection of 30mg to try and help bearing in mind I had already taken 90mg throughout the day!

I saw my GP the next day, he refused to get me seen by a specialist at the hospital, would only send me to a pain clinic to manage the pain! He also increased the morphine again to 100mg modified release twice a day plus 10mg boosters if needed!!! This was now a max of 240mg a day!!!! This now was disrupting my sleep, hormones and my general life.

I realised this and with the help and support of my fiancé, I reduced my morphine during the night down to 60mg and stopped the daytime boosters.

With the GP refusing to do anything at all. I thought I had no choice but to live in agony. I started the pain clinic, and all the doctor said there was, scan showed nothing so we won't even look at anything anymore!

my dad saw his doctor at the same practice as me and voiced his concerns. I then made an appointment to see him and went along. He accepted my concerns over the results of the scan after I had a false result from a previous scan on the same machine some 7 years previously on my knee so he sent a scan request. I had the scan on 4th January and finally have an L5/S1 prolapse result!

I feel totally abused by my GP. I put my total trust in him to do the best for me and he basically refused treatment! I was also told by the pain clinic that the level of morphine he had me on was dangerous. 

Im now waiting for my doctor to call me on Thursday lunchtime, hoping to tell me they can do something! I was told by one friend that because it's been left undiagnosed for so long, it may cause problems!? He has had prolapsed discs many moons ago.

 

0 likes, 55 replies

55 Replies

Prev Next
  • james82082
    james82082

    Posted

    Spoken to doctor this morning, 

    im getting a referral to a osteo clinic I think he said as he can't refer me straight to a surgeon?!

  • james82082
    james82082

    Posted

    Noticing with the morphine reducing pain down my right leg too, legs feel weak and it hurts more to bear weight on my right one.

    Woke up this morning needing the toilet so badly I nearly wet the bed I couldnt get out quick enough!

    My tail bone area is very painful to sit on too

    • dugsy30
      dugsy30 james82082

      Posted

      I am so glad you have wrote about peeing,I didn't even need the toliet yesteday but stood up and raced to bathroom but ended up weeing a bit before I did,just reading your thread and already know excatly how u feel,corinne
  • n8ster
    n8ster james82082

    Posted

    well this doctor sounds like he should be in prison or at least sued for malpractice . You don't have that kind of pain without some kind of serious problem . Most doctors can't read an mri. Thats why they have specialist that do . I had a shoulder injury once and had an mri . I asked the doctor what it showed and she said she didn't even look at it because she could not read them  . So I am like are you going to show it to someone that can . The point is that some doctors don't do their job . I don't know if you can sue doctors in the uk but if you can I say this guy owes you big time . It is pathetic that you have been in this much pain .
  • karen1205
    karen1205 james82082

    Posted

    Good evening,

    I know you may feel like a guinea pig by now, when we put our lives in the hands of those who claim to understand, care, about there patient. But get otherwise, what then what do we do next?

    That much morphine could have killed you!

    Have you changed docs? Please say you did.

    Karen1205

    • james82082
      james82082 karen1205

      Posted

      Hi Karen. I'm waiting to get it in writing that the morphine dose was higher than the recommended level and then I shall change docs and my solicitor for my injury has mentioned the possibility of a mal practice law suit. The whole treatment of me so far has been appalling sad
    • karen1205
      karen1205 james82082

      Posted

      Hi James, yeah it should not have come down to that. But I am glad to hear you are on the right track, please let me know how things go with your case. Also with further treatment with your new doctor.

      It's easy to get down, but you keep fighting things will get better!

    • james82082
      james82082 karen1205

      Posted

      Even the A&E sent me home o the saturday night/Sunday morning with no medication and told me to get it from my gp on Monday morning! So I had to suffer in agony after the accident!
    • karen1205
      karen1205 james82082

      Posted

      Hi Karen,

      Are you serious what kind of mess is that. And when you had your appt with your doc, what did your Doc say about that?

      heck I'm sorry I'm mad for you.

      that's some Bologna big time!!!!!!!

      😤

    • leisa75705
      leisa75705 james82082

      Posted

      That's really awful, and negligent I think. I had to go to a walk in centre (on a Friday) where they were really offhand and unhelpful until I saw an angel of a nurse who understood the pain and prescribed painkillers. Before this I hadn't slept for 3 nights and when I called the doctors on Monday morning the triage refused me an appointment as they said it wasn't an emergency! I had to wait til the Tuesday and tell a little white lie, so if I hadn't had any painkillers I would have gone mad! Can't believe that A and E treated you like that!
    • james82082
      james82082 karen1205

      Posted

      He didn't say anything. Gave me a very hard look as if to say 'they did what?!'
  • owen19345
    owen19345 james82082

    Posted

    James, I had a similar experience with my GP. 

    I had a sore back in September 14 and carried on without any treatment. This progressively got worse until it manifested itself into the exact pain type described. Terrible pain on left buttock radiating down my leg, numb foot etc. I went to my GP who were not helpful. even though I could hardly walk prescribed Ibuprofen that cost more from the chemist with the prescription than with out.

    No pain relief and symptoms levelled out but were life changing. Couldn't exeercise and or socialise due to the debilitating symptoms.

    Went back to the GP who prescribed Dicloflex with paracetamol and that has taken the edge off the pain. Started private physio that was recommended by the GP, £45 per session as NHS had a three week wait.

    Physio seemed to help and I increased exercise And pain wasn't so bad. I had a set back, probably caused by me doing too much. Went to physio and by the end of the treatment needed urgent acupuncture as the pain got so bad. 

    Went back to GP who told me a three month wait for an MRI. I then paid for one privately £250 the next day (mid November by this stage).

    This diagnosed a bulging S1 L5 causing the pain and symptoms. I carried on the physio and symptoms appeared to be getting better. Off the Dicloflex and back on ibuprofen. 

    its important to highlight that I had to insist to be referred to a spinal clinic with the NHS by my GP. They were reluctant and asked if I could pay privately to which point I stated that I thought I had helped out enough at reducing the cost to there practice.

    In December 14 saw the spinal clinic and they stated see you in about six weeks to see how you are progressing.

    Unfortunately the symptoms got worse and back on the Dicloflex just to feel well enough to work etc. Have a standing computer point at work that makes people laugh but it helps.

    Attended the spinal clinic yesterday and was told that they recommend a Fluoroscopy-guided lumber nerve root injection. After the initial shock of what are the risks etc I have to be realistic about what I can do and set goals that are months away rather than weeks. 

    What is amazing is that when I was told there was an approximate wait time of nine weeks I asked could I pay privately. The NHS to my surprise offered the service to me for this Monday !

    I am so pleased that I insisted upon the NHS referral. otherwise I would of been several weeks behind treatment.

    I any event had no sleep again tonight constant pain etc thought I would look up the condition and saw James post. in one way glad to read of other peoples experience and hope that James you get the right help and begin to get slowly.

    I have never read anyone say they had a quick recovery so best we get realistic and look for goals set months away rather than weeks,

    anyhow hope this post helps someone,

    kind regards

    Owen

  • james82082
    james82082

    Posted

    Just a quick message,

    My doctors appear to have lost all sense now!

    I re-ordered my 10 & 30 mg morphine tablets Friday, only for the doctor to reject it!! Had he even of looked at my file, he would off the last letter from the pain clinic prescribing these!!!!! Instead someone took it upon themselves to issue 100mg morphine tablets which i no longer take and did not ask for!!!!!!! Surely they can't be that stupid trying to kill me! Luckily I'm a good honest citizen and have kept them safe.

    I them had to call 111 on Saturday, drive 12 miles to out of hours GP and he said he wants to see my tablets I was prescribed by mistake! Says I could of been a drug addict!!!! Great! So 12 miles home, 12 miles back again! Back is killing now from driving. He says fine, gives me a prescription with enough till Wednesday!

    Then I have to drive around the city trying to find a pharmacy open with the morphine in stock!

    I get home at 4:30pm, ill from stress. £15 of fuel and two prescriptions out of pocket and a whole day's work lost!!

    Yesterday I went into doctors, 9am. Asked for an emergency appointment. She said medicine isn't urgent and wouldn't give me an appointment until Wednesday! I explain I run out again Wednesday and she says he could call you?

    Had the call, got the repeat at last, complaint lodged with NHS England. Totally had enough of their incompetence now!!!

    • joe52881
      joe52881 james82082

      Posted

      Hi James, if you've had enough mate just threaten them with a police complaint, then watch their faces.
Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.