Doctor won't send me for an MRI. Is this usual?

I'm sorry I laughed when I read your postings. I'm 73 now but I was 33 ish when I fell down the stairs. None of the drs wanted to know after osteopathy failed but the osteopath in 2005 booked me into a hospital for an MRI.4\5 3\4 and much later s1

My Dr was useless. I spent money on all sorts of things to help with the pain and (I think I'm getting the years wrong but procedures right)..... I went to Preston, I asked to go there but they forgot me for 12 months but in that time I did research with the reps for a widget that stopped the disc dropping onto the one below. I had the procedure done and within weeks it slipped. I could have screamed with the pain.In the end the useless Dr was again useless and iended up in Warrington for decompression which I paid for myself. That was no good either that was nearly 10 thousand down the drain. And so still in pain we decided to come to Spain to live and what a difference. I have been here now since 2010 and the drs have been marvelous although we had an altication with a surgeon as we could speak Spanish and although nearly all surgeons speak English something happened to this surgeon in English and he was being nasty for the UK's reaction to what happened to him. He WS being childish but ended up speaking English. I have had everything you can think of and haven't a clue who sent me for shock treatment!!! Myusuàl Dr at the hospital is seeing me in may and I am praying he is going to give me a cortisone injection. To say I'm in pain is a joke. I just live in pain 24\7. Sometimes I just go to bed with a couple of lyrica and a hot water bottle. I don't know whats in store for me next. I only hope its an op and that its successful as last the moment life is just not worth living.

I understand exactly how you are feeling.i have had this for years.i have severe pin's and needles.ive been back and for the doctor's I'm on the waiting list to see a neurologist and the waiting time is 30 weeks. I was so bad with the pins and needles and the base of my back become swollen and was having giddy spells pain in my head on the right side. my husband took me to A&E they thought it was a spinal injury , I had a x-ray and it wasn't that they told me it neurological. I have been given pain meds but they only last five hours .I am going back to my doctor and demanding to have a MRI scan. unfortunately this is such a long process to sort out.

Hello barty and e eryone who answered to you.

Everyone was correct. I checked out all the answers !!!!So I would love to know what happened in the end.

I have had terrible sciatic now for many years and yes it has ruined my life one surgeon playing about with my back and don't know what the other was doing (probably didn't claim my cash to the inland Revenue) and saw £ notes in front of his eyes.

I won't bore you with my story but would be grateful if you can answer some questions.

Did you pay for your MRI ? That's what I did but shouldn't have to!!!

Was it a successful op and how old were you when you had the op? where do you live and the name of the surgeon if you had an op?

I am sitting here with my hot water bottle on my back having just had my meds. I went to a surgeon ...a very good one....who didn't like expats. Even more SK when we expected him to speak English. Its the word ecpercted !!!!! All surgeons speak English in Spain but got on the wrong foot where by he goes to Leicester to seminars and he said why should I speak into you in English, the English don't translate for me. A bad beginning. The second appoint went bad as well. He said he couldn't really help me because the op would be so difficukt. So I decided not to have it. I am now getting worse so if a micro disectomy works for some one who is in exactly the same position as me I may be in luck. So near I must have spent 20,000£ and worse. Life really is a b***h. I hope you get on OK, as my friend says, Slowly wins the race. I am going to moan at my pain Dr and see what he says.

Hope anyone on this thread can help. Problem: same as everyone else!!!

I have very close friend he had severe hip pain for years he been to doctors they did xray he done physio but it's just getting worse he tried to demand an mri but doctor knocked him back and his mobility is really getting bad now and I'm worried with not a clue what to do next thanks

This is absolutely awful. These GPs are getting paid for nothing. You have to fight even to get an X-ray. My mum has been 6 times to three different doctors with ??? Sciatica from  a possible prolapsed disk. She is only offered medication no definitive diagnosis. No X-ray. She states the radiographer doesn't like to X-ray backs and she states she cannot prescribe an MRI scan. Real disgusting disgrace. 

I have lost all my thigh and buttock muscle and keep tripping up the kerb with weakness in legs and groin area.Gp did send me or an ordinary X-ray which showed slipped discs and one had disappeared. but hip and bone good for age - 73.   Hospital advised me to see GP about examining my soft tissues but did not mention that in his letter, 

In 2003 he first referred me for a knee problem to a specialist and he referred me for an MRI scan.  I have read that GP cannot directly refer for MRI only a specialist can do that..I know a woman whose neurologist noticed something on her MRI scan and referred her to a spinal speialist who gave her another MRI on her spine.

She had a steroid injection which did not work and caused her terrific pain and is now waiting for the operation.  She is 75.an,d , in her words " will not allow herself to be fobbed off " and gets what he wants.

Interestingly, she left my GPs surgery as she did not like the way she was treated !

Hi, unfortunately you need to fight so hard to get referred!! Do NOT stop fighting to get one! I slipped two discs when I was 13 and because of being so young they told me and my mum it was growing pains and to forget about it. After 9 months of it gradually getting worse I had to have an emergency operation. I’ve slipped my discs 4 times now and had 3 operations (awaiting a 4th at 23 years old), each and every time I’ve been through the same road... tablets from doctors, Physio, acupuncture, private chiropractor and then because it’s been left so long emergency operation. They always say nothing can be done unless there “red flags”, losing control of bladder/bowels, whitch is disgusting they want to let it get that far but it’s not true. I’ve luckily not got to that stage but have been bad enough. Make sure you tell them everything (which I’m sure you have), tell them what makes your pain worse (Physio etc) it’s just a long exhausting battle. Oh, and don’t forget you can always get 2nd opinions!!

I hope you get something sorted!! 

Sam