Sorry, missed the update (Duh)
My cousin had this done and it was successful, maddyone.
I hope you don't have to wait too long now.
Changing from a Manual car to an Automatic after driving manual for around 50 yrs
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I’m delighted and I’m furious: neck problem finally diagnosed and getting treatment
(84 Posts)I’ve only ever mentioned this problem on one other thread, because I’ve tried to get on with my life and cope with the pain as best I could, but finally I’ve seen the Spinal Consultant and I have a treatment plan and I’m over the moon.
It’s a long story but here goes;
I developed pain in my two middle fingers on my right hand. It wasn’t very bad and so I pretty well ignored it. This was about two/three years ago. Gradually the pain became worse and I could no longer ignore it. Whilst we were in New Zealand visiting our daughter last year (December 2022 - February 2023) I went online and made an appointment to see my doctor about the pain, because I could no longer tolerate even wearing a ring on that hand, and I’d started taking regular painkillers.
Once at home I spoke to my doctor and she sent me for a conductivity test to check for carpal tunnel syndrome. A few week’s waiting saw me at the clinic where I was told I didn’t have carpal tunnel syndrome. Back to the GP (so a further wait for an appointment) and she examined my hand and decided to send me for a hand X-ray. Further waiting for a few more weeks, and by then the pain was much worse and travelling up my arm. My GP phoned me a week later to tell me the X-ray showed nothing wrong. She decided to send me to the Hand Consultant, and so then there was a couple of month’s waiting to see him, during which time my husband regularly phoned the department asking when the appointment would be, because by then I was in quite severe pain in my fingers, hand, arm, and shoulder.
I continued to take painkillers, paracetamol every four hours every day, and Pregabalin was added in by my GP. I also used copious amounts of Voltarol, rubbing it into my fingers several times a day, and also rubbing it into my arm. When I had to take steroids for an asthma flare up, my pain was considerably reduced.
The Hand Consultant could find nothing wrong, but said he’d see me again in three months time. When I returned to him, the pain was worse. He said he felt the problem wasn’t in my hand but in my neck and I needed to see the Spinal Team, because I needed an MRI neck scan, but because he worked in one of the city hospitals, he wasn’t allowed to refer me to them at the other city hospital and so I must ask my GP to refer me to them. I spoke to my GP and she said she wasn't allowed to refer me to the Spinal Consultant because I must see a physiotherapist first (even though a consultant had said I needed the Spinal Team) and so several weeks waiting to see a physiotherapist followed. He examined me and said that in two weeks he would attend the Spinal Team meeting and ask the Spinal Team to take me on for the scan.
Some three weeks later I was informed I’d been approved for the scan and several weeks later I went to have the neck scan. Then followed a further wait and then an appointment to see a different physiotherapist who explained the results of the scan to me and said I need an injection into the spine, performed by the spinal consultant. He said as I’m healthy otherwise he could ask the spinal team to see me at the private hospital some hour and a quarter away. Then I waited for my initial consultation with the spinal doctor, and the date was today.
In the meantime we went back to New Zealand to visit our daughter again and my GP gave me steroids to help with the pain before the journey out and again before the journey back.
So finally today I saw the spinal consultant and today when I came home I cried with relief and with anger. He was so lovely and so positive and said it will only be a 3/4 weeks and he’ll do the injection. If I need the surgery afterwards he’ll do that and it won’t be too long a wait. He was so positive, he said it’s a common condition and he does these procedures all the time.
I’m so happy that my pain will go. But I’m so angry that our NHS has played games with me, sending me to physiotherapists clearly to keep me off waiting lists, and deliberately elongating the process, and every single day in the last year I’ve been in considerable pain and at times distress. And yet this procedure is the bread and butter of my Spinal Consultant’s job.
If you’re still reading and haven’t died of boredom, thank you. I just felt the need to share this horrendous journey and my anger that the NHS has played with me in my opinion, clearly to keep me off a waiting list for as long as possible, and I resent that because the pain I’m suffering every single day in not inconsiderable. I’ve got on with my life as best as I could, but this pain has very much impacted on my ability to enjoy my life. But I tried to enjoy life as best as I could.
Thanks for reading.
So sorry to read of all you’ve been through maddy.
Yes the system is well and truly broken but not just from the outside through lack of funding (good riddance Tories) but also from inside - too many ‘couldn’t care less’ doctors & nurses.
You could argue that they have been beaten down by over-work, under-appreciation, Covid, stress, etc. and that is true to a large extent. But there are still some who just don’t do their job properly. So I’m thrilled that you found a consultant who has the skills to help you and reassure you. A little of the latter goes a long way,
So good to hear that treatment is in sight. How you coped I don't know. Sending you very best wishes for early resolution.
Oh maddyone what a shocking indictment of ‘our’ NHS system! A complete travesty with tick boxes and collusion on a grand scale. Sheer frustration at this Kafkaesque situation would have had me howling - never mind the pain aspect.
I’d set out a letter giving full details and address is to Amanda Pritchard, she who is responsible on a fat cat salary for running NHS England. I’d ask her whether she would find this run around acceptable if it were one of her family? Send it recorded delivery. Address it to her PERSONALLY or strictly FAO.
Also, copy in another person. Don’t just keep it between you and her. Let her know you’ve copied in A.N. OTHER. I’ll focus her mind and subsequent reply. Perhaps the new Minister for Health? Wes Streeting?
Go to the very top. The chiefs need to be told how the indians manipulate waiting lists and massage the figures.
‘Our’ NHS the envy of the world? What rot.
P.s. I’m delighted for you!
maddyone
Oh thank you Mollygo, that’s very reassuring because I freely admit that I’m very afraid of having spinal surgery. It’s good to hear about success stories.
Can you remember how long her recovery took? My consultant says two months but my daughter, who is a doctor, but not a spinal consultant, is warning me it could take longer.
She was told 2-3 months, before she could do everything, but can’t remember exactly how long. She said life was better within a month and she could do lots more, particularly driving.
Hope all goes well for you.
My best wishes, everything crossed here for a successful intervention maddy. A young friend (well 40’s, seems young to me) has reported huge benefit from the same surgery.
I do understand how debilitating chronic pain is, and how unnecessarily tortuous the process is to get help. I’m currently waiting for an appointment at the pain clinic as relief from steroid injections and rhizolysis proved to be short lived. The spinal ‘experts’ have suggested this rather than surgical intervention at the moment. To be truthful I’d accept anything that might help. Pain is adversely impacting my mobility and also mental well-being. I’ve withdrawn from my usual presence on two GN threads because it’s impossible to sound cheerful and I don’t want to spread gloom. Just pottering around this morning I’m exhausted and currently lying down trying to ease spinal pain. If anyone else says to me ‘oh have you got a back ache, that’s not too bad’ I’ll not be responsible for my actions.
Thinking MRI scans. In this area many are are outsourced due to a local staff shortage. My latest MRI was assessed in South Africa, very quickly turnaround. A knee x-ray last year went to Germany for interpretation, turnaround time was in my view an unacceptable 6 weeks.
I’ll be thinking of you as you wait, hopefully not too long maddy.
So pleased for you, and angry you’ve been sent from pillar to post. Being in constant pain is so debilitating.
I’m going through a similar experience with a pain in my left thigh. Soon as I mentioned it to dr it’s bursitis. I know it isn’t. Put up with it for several months and rang dr again and as soon as I mentioned thigh/hip I didn’t get any further. I had to see the physio even though I explained there was nothing wrong with my hip. Physio useless and once she was satisfied my hips were excellent diagnosed bursitis.
A few months later I ring dr again and insist on seeing GP who then examines me and agrees it’s not bursitis. Told I would be referred to a ‘bone specialist’ but it could be months before an appointment.
Finally used the health insurance I took out last year and 2 MRI’s later and 4 consultations with specialist we know it’s definitely not bursitis but maybe something to do with my spine/discs. Seeing private physio for 6 appointments (included with insurance) and he thinks it’s my gluteus medius that’s causing the problem and I’m doing exercises to strengthen it but I’m not convinced.
I hope you get sorted and I thank the Lord I went ahead and took out the health insurance last year otherwise I’d still be waiting to see a consultant on the NHS.
That sounds like such a rough experience. I went through something kind of similar a few years ago with my shoulder pain—lots of waiting and bouncing around between specialists. It was really frustrating to deal with all the delays and keep hoping for answers. I’m really glad to hear you finally have a treatment plan and that you’re feeling hopeful about it. I hope the injection does the trick and you get back to enjoying life pain-free!
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