I was tested for Ces but the doctor has ruled it out

Unfortunately it seems CES gets missed way too often. It's like they are so afraid of it and refuse to believe it because of it's rarity that way too many people end up with it. Don't wait! It will be too late!

You need to be assessed as urgently as possible by a spinal surgeon or at least someone who works on his team. You are at serious risk. You need to keep notes on all your communications, what you did and said and when; what they said and did and when. Best dictate into a smartphone. Whatever you do get it on record and don't give up . Feel free to ask for further help.

If you feel that way then don't take no for an answer. I have suffered with back problems for 6 years & was more or less ignored, palmed off with tablets. It went on for so long I developed ces, I just knew something more was happening than a bulging disc that day. I called Nhs direct who luckily sent a brilliant emergency doctor who sent me to hospital, I rhen recieved the surgery I should of had years ago but was told it was'nt needed. Whether you have ces or not get treated properly now because it won't get better on it's own. Doctors do make mistakes on ces all the time. Google ces & advertising for solicitors/compo comes up,for a reason. If left untreated there can be consequences for you for life. Get a second opinion soon as. Good luck

I would like to thank everyone who replied to me . I am currently in hospital after having a L4-L5 discetomy and decompression surgery. It seems that after 3 weeks of reporting symptoms of cauda equina a doctor at a different hospital to the one I was going to finally saw that I was in trouble and operated within 2 days. The pain in my leg has gone....but as yet my 'saddle region' and foot are still numb.

I was misdiagnosed and operated on 10 days later,. Surgeon said if he had operated first day I was in a&e I wouldn’t have the neurological issues I have today. I sued Hse and won,. Money doesn’t cure but helps day to day life

Hi Angela. My advice after what has happened to me is go to A and E.

?For the last 8 weeks I began to have symptoms. Staring with a lower back pain but gradually being very sciatic firstly down my left leg but spreading to both legs, my buttocks and saddle area. Pain moving around dreadful stabbing pains like  had Taurets.... I work as a builder so do occasionally get bad backs but not for more than a few days.. I went t to get a sports massage  which I do every month and no real improvement . I then went to A Chiropractor. I had 2 apointments, I think they are DANGEROUS and would never go again.. By this time about 2 weeks in I went to the GP's I had what seemed a thorough examination and was ent away with a sheet of stretching exercises. A little while later I re visited th eGP surgery this time I was given cocodamol and another exam I asked for an MRI but was told the muscular skeletal team would have no interest..

The pain did ease around this time due to lots of co codamol and the Gp gave me a free private physiotherapist appointment. I was told that she was surprised I hadn't been referred but not to worry.

?I visited Gp a third time and the young doctor called a senior colleague in who said do you want an MRI??

? I replied I did and was told to go privately which I did. I had the scan and an appointment was made with a trainee GP 10 days later to look at the results!! By which time I had lost all faith in the GP's. I was in severe but intermittent pain I phoned for an emergency appointment but they had none this was then a telephone appointment.

If I wanted to see a Consultant I would have to pay. 3 days later I had an appointment and was referred to hospital the next morning for emergency discectomy and decompression on the NHS the leg pain has gone.

?The Consultant said if I had presented to A and E 7 weeks before I would have been operated on!!!!

I feel I'm dealing with the same issues right now and about to breakdown and go to the hospital again. I have severe sharp spinal pain right on the bone in my lower back/sacrum area. The pain is even radiating into my hips and groin and genital area. I do not have any urge to urinate and then I try nothing seems to come out and I'm having bowel issues of constipation that all started with the sudden onset of lower back pain. My legs feel numb, tingling and pins and needles down the buttocks and in between my legs and genital area. It even spreads to my hip and groin is that normal?  I'm also progressively getting weaker and can barely stand up straight to walk. When I sit of lye down I can feel the pain at an even more severe pain than when trying to move around. Does this sound like CES? On doctor told me it can't be that because I would be having incontinous issues and leaking bowels. He said severe urine retention and constipation is not a symptom of CES. I was thinking I should go the the hospital to be better evaluated. How have you been feeling after they acknowledged the CES you had?