Update/Spinal Surgeon/Sciatica

You are all so encouraging and reading your own experiences so interesting.
Nannytopsy your mother sounds amazing.
Thank you for all your thoughts and I’ll keep you updated.

If you can get the surgery done soon then get it done, I ended up as an emergency admission and spent nearly 2 years trying to walk properly afterwards and with very little feeling in one leg.

If I had been able to get the op done sooner I might have escaped not only the amazing pain ( as though my leg was on fire) but the consequent rehab.

20 years later only a part of my upper leg is numb and my back is fine.

Nannytopsy never too late for some quality of life!

I had extensive spina surgery, lasting just under 7 hours. I understand your pain.
If you have the money, please have the surgery, as soon as you can. Fingers crossed it will give you your life back.

My mum had private spinal surgery in her late 80s and it made such a difference to her life. X

Marilla thanks he can’t wait either!

Thank you so much for such positive, practical and kind replies. I really do appreciate them.

You are all absolutely right. Private seems the best option.

BlueSky I do hope your husband doesn’t have to wait much longer. It is a most debilitating condition.

Marilla my apologies for being so practical!

I personally would go down the private route then you would know who is actually doing the surgery whereas if you go NHS it could be any member of his team.

Please do not forget that when you see him as an OPD, that is private and that cost can be as much as £300 depending on which part of the country you are in.

Hopefully, the hospital can supply a care package so that you pay one price which will include, blood tests, Xrays if required etc. and the surgery.

At present, I cannot see you having it done under the NHS even next year. Good luck.

It's great news that the problem can be remedied Marilla and if you can afford to go private, I'd do so. Being in constant pain is miserable and bad back pain can be so debilitating.

I wish you well.

If you have savings for a rainy day this could be the time to use them. I spent my rainy day money on my new knees and that gave me back my mobility. Worth every penny.

My DH was put on a waiting list back in the summer for exactly the same problem as you and has recently been contacted by the hospital. The op could possibly go ahead after Christmas but with the recent Covid spike I guess it’ll be cancelled for the time being. So really in your case, if you can afford private fees, it’ll be the pain level to make you go ahead sooner rather than later. All the best.

Missed out: Private surgery could be done in January.