The waiting game!
Posted , 2 users are following.
hi guys, i have a slipped disc at L5 S1 and sciatica down one leg which has been going on since a fall in jan this year.
i have done osetopathy and pyhsio, NHS pyhsio would not do anything as she told me she thought she would make it worse! so onto an MRI got the results mid september. Just had a letter from the hosiptal to say they are very sorry but the spinal surgeon is very busy and they will write to me with an appointment but it will take up to 13 weeks to be seen!
i am still working, cannot take time off as my bills need paying, the thought of having this pain for anothr 6 months is just horrible!
i called the private hospital nearby and the surgeon has a private clinic and if i can get hold of my MRI i can make an appointment to be seen for a price!
my question is, if i pay to see him privatly am i allowed to go back on the NHS waiting list? if not does anyone know what price i would be looking at if i need surgery? the private clinic were telling me you can't swap and change but i hear quite a few people who have?
so confused!!
0 likes, 7 replies
Guest
Posted
I also have a prolapse in the same place as yourself and a broad base bulge in the disc above which occured when i picked up a bottle of water.....very dramatic!
I am a nurse and also have the waiting game although i work for the NHS! I would go back to the therapy services offered by your local trust as physiotherapy cannot do anything to help your disc but can give you help with the pain relief....I have acupuncture....from the physios...and it really helps with the muscle spasms and sciatica....It doesnt totally get rid of the pain, but it helps somewhat.
I cannot see any reason why you cant stay on the NHS waiting list, but knowing how long they are i expect you would get seen and sorted quicker privately.
Good luck and hopefully pain free soon
gail
Posted
so sorry to hear of your predicament butif you,ve been browing the forum you,ll see that the waiting game has only just began, once you,ve seen the doc you,ll be on another list then for the treatment it goes on and on. if you look up judiths notes on prolapse disc you,ll have a better understanding of the private thing, i wish now that i had gone private for my mri and my first appointment with the surgeon before going onto the waiting list if the doc is the same one that you,ll be seeing on nhs i cant see a problem wiv going private to see him then go onto list. its a terrible dilema. i hope this is helpful , i know i would have done things differant if i,d seen this site and had some advise a long time ago . all the best gail
Guest
Posted
You have my deepest sympathy. No-one should have to be in this position. The 13 week wait, is the longest they can hold you by law before seeing you. However, as Gail says, you get seen, then just move straight on to the next list. It isn't fair, it isn't right and in the meantime we are just expected to battle on, pumped full of Class B drugs that are doing our insides no good whatsoever.
If you can get seen privately by this surgeon maybe you should give it a try, at least you will know where you stand. If I could do my time over again, I'd have worked two jobs (despite the pain) to get the money together!
I did make some enquiries recently. The BMI hospitals do a package, for £650 - you get to see a doctor to discuss your case & examination, an MRI and then a consultation with a neurosurgeon and recommendations for either surgery or conservative treatment. In your case you wouldn't need the MRI so it would be cheaper.
Good luck!!!
Guest
Posted
Guest
Posted
going first thing in the morning so fingers crossed!!
gail
Posted
think this is the way to go only wished id realized before my wait began,hopfully he will explain options to you and then be able to move forward fingers crossed eh. best of luck.
gail
Guest
Posted
I totally sympathise with you I hurt my back in December 2006 and I had a Discectomy L5/S1 in January this year and I've had nothing but pain ever since. I still have the Sciatica and my left leg and foot are totally numb which I've been told I will never get this feeling back because of longterm Nerve Damage. I've had countless MRI Scans done and seen my Consultant 9 times in the last 10 months.
I have finally been put on another Urgent List on 9.10.07 for a PLIF (Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion) this I was told has a 4-5 month wait.
I've not worked at all this year and as the days go on my pain is increasing more and more and I now have trouble peeing again.
I just shows that money talks!
But why should we have to pay to go Private when we pay our taxes. All I want to do is get back to normality.
Good Luck tomorrow,
Angela