My health issues, and issues with nhs

colinfloyd

Hello, I did post on here last year, about my health, and work issues, and yous was very helpful, 
At  present I am on long term sick from work, have been off since end of august last year. I have a lot of issues with my back, I have multiple herniated disc’s . 7 in total. , facet hypertrophy on some of them, mild scoliosis., I had an mri scan in July last year, stating this. This is the 3 rd mri scan since 2015 I am in a lot of pain most of the time , pain in my back and legs. 

I was under the pain clinic , but that doctor don’t really help me. and they referred me to neurosurgery dept, the pain clinic said I would probably need surgery. I saw a neurologist on Monday, and it was a dreadful experience, his first words were, I’m not operating on you, then he dismissed the mri scan I had done. More a less saying that the radiologist didn’t know what he was doing !! Anything I said to him , he wouldn’t listen, he told me I need to go to the pain clinic, I told him I have already seen them, and they recommended I see him, not once did he ask me how I was feeling, it was like he couldn’t be bothered with me, I told him I have bad pains in my back, and pains going down my legs, he snapped at me saying , that’s not sciatica , then sai d he would be writing to my doctor, and that was it, I had to leave. my partner was me, and couldn’t believe what had happened, 
I am so upset, and angry, I saw my doctor the next day and she apologised to me, and said she would contact the pain clinic again. And phone me . The only reason the neurologist would see , was that f I had randicular pains in my legs, which I do have, and then he dismissed me outright, and spoke to me in an awful way. 

I feel totally helpless . And depressed at the moment, I’ve been to different nhs depts, and practically nothing has been done. And it feels like I’m going backwards. All the while I’m not getting any better. 

Apologies for such a long message, thanks 

Hannah_Alumni

Hello again @colinfloyd

I'm so sorry you have so much going on, are in pain and had an awful experience with the neurologist. 

Have you thought about asking the pain clinic to refer you again to a different neurologist? That being if the GP is unable to get you in sooner. I would also look at contacting PALs, no one should talk to you like that, I am so sorry.

You said you took your partner with you, are they a good support for you? If you are wanting to talk to someone, you can refer yourself through the NHS but there are organisations like SHOUT who are a 24/7 texting mental health service. 

colinfloyd

Hi, thank you for replying, my doctor 
apologised to me ,  she couldn’t believe how I was treated either!!! and she is contacting the pain clinic again for me, if I don’t hear anything by Monday, I will be contacting my doctor again, and will go on pals , and make a complaint to the nhs .
I had so much hope when I was referred to the neurologist that something was finally going to be done for me. , I waited nearly 3 months for the appointment. and left there feeling totally let down. My partner is a big help to me , she is having a knee operation next Thursday, we support each other. 

Thanks again for your help. 

janer1967

I was going to suggest pals hope you get something sorted sometimes I think these consultant think they are superior to us and have no empathy or decent social skills 

Hannah_Alumni

Keep us updated! hopefully you can get something sorted soon  

SueHeath

Good afternoon @colinfloyd i am so sorry to hear about your experience, it's not nice when your in so much pain, we raise our hopes in these people, and they let us down, 
Can i ask if you have seen anyone from any other clinic's ie spinal orthopaedic/physiotheraphy clinics or have any of the pain relief clinics mentioned spinal injections, there is some kind of help if your not suitable for surgery but it's an awful waiting game in some parts of the country.
As Janer has said as well - get in touch with PALS as there is no excuse in Doctors speaking to you like this, even a talk about not being eligable for any opps would of sounding better. I  wish you all the luck and look forward to hearing how you get on.

colinfloyd

Hello, I have been to the pain clinic.
I had physiotherapy there,after a few sessions with them, they said they couldn’t do any more for me. and also saw a doctor there, this was in September/ October last year, then when my MRI scan came through, they looked at it, and said I should see the neurologist, as surgery would be better, than having a pain injection, and so they put me forward , as did my doctor, to see the neourologist, and now after my experience with the neurologist, my doctor has sent a letter back to the pain clinic. Which I am still waiting to hear from, I also went privately to an osteopath, for a few sessions , which helped a bit for a few hours. 

But wouldn’t really help  me in the way that’s needed for me. 

Thank you for your comments, it’s very helpful.

SueHeath

Bless you @colinfloyd i really do feel for you, i'm in the same position with stenosis, and it's not nice at all. I was looking forward to having the opp but can't because my spines not stable enough, so i'm on the waiting list for a cocktail of drugs their going to try injecting in different parts of my spine, experiment really, then they may look at an implant that goes under the skin that works as a pain blocker, but i know that this is one of those postcode type drugs and you have to jump through hoops before they put you on that list, it's a nightmare with waiting times were i live. 

I do agree with you tho - the surgeons attitude was not good at all, you don't need it when you feel this bad and with no proper explanation i wouldn't take that kind of attitude either.
I really wish you well x

colinfloyd

Hi Sue heath 
thank you for your comments, I hope you get yourself sorted out soon, it’s not good is it, waiting for something to be done, all the while in pain and getting worse. 
I went on Pals today, sent them a long email explaining my situation etc, waiting to see what they come back with, thanks again 
Colin 

SueHeath

Morning @colinfloyd Fingers crossed your pains start to get more manageable soon.
Let us know how you get on with PALS and it would be great if you get another consultant with a little more empathy.

colinfloyd

Hi, just an update, I emailed Pals on Monday afternoon, they replied today, saying they were sorry about my situation, and they will be contacting the relevant depts, and investigating my complaint and concerns, and I should hear back within 5-10 working days , 
thanks 
colin 

SueHeath

Thanks for the up date @colinfloyd i look forward to seeing how that goes and fingers crossed they send you to a different consultant.

colinfloyd

Hello, hope you are all well .
here’s an update on my situation.
I didn’t hear anything back from Pals. They emailed me on the 22nd feb, saying they would get back to me in 5-10 working days.I didn’t hear from them.  So I emailed them on Sunday, had a reply this morning, 
Saying they were sorry the dept hasn’t contacted me yet, and they are chasing them up . And asking them to get back to me !!! 

I also saw my doctor yesterday, she was supposed to contact the pain clinic on the 15 th February. But she forgot!!! And didn’t contact them till the 27 th February. When I had an appointment with her, and it must have jogged her memory !!! I haven’t heard back from them either, 
I’m getting nowhere with this, my pain in my back and legs is getting worse. I’m now on tramadol  tablets. As well as naproxen, diazepam. Etc 
apparently the neurologist, said he didn’t think an operation would help me. But I still haven’t been told why or how it wouldn’t help. 

And the pain clinic originally said, I should have an operation. 

I am thinking of getting a private consultation, as my doctor has said. Just wait a bit longer for the pain clinic. I’ve been waiting since august . And nothing has been done, and I am getting worse. Also I have another long term sick meeting on the 27th March, where I will probably be medically dismissed.

Hannah_Alumni

Can you call the pain clinic @colinfloyd see if they have had any cancellations and if you could be seen sooner? 

With your meeting on the 27th, have you reached out to ACAS for any additional advice?

SueHeath

Bless @colinfloyd i really do feel for you, some of these waiting lists are silly now, i know its no help when you are in this much pain. 

colinfloyd

Hello, hope you are all well .
here’s an update on my situation.
I didn’t hear anything back from Pals. They emailed me on the 22nd feb, saying they would get back to me in 5-10 working days.I didn’t hear from them.  So I emailed them on Sunday, had a reply this morning, 
Saying they were sorry the dept hasn’t contacted me yet, and they are chasing them up . And asking them to get back to me !!! 

I also saw my doctor yesterday, she was supposed to contact the pain clinic on the 15 th February. But she forgot!!! And didn’t contact them till the 27 th February. When I had an appointment with her, and it must have jogged her memory !!! I haven’t heard back from them either, 
I’m getting nowhere with this, my pain in my back and legs is getting worse. I’m now on tramadol  tablets. As well as naproxen, diazepam. Etc 
apparently the neurologist, said he didn’t think an operation would help me. But I still haven’t been told why or how it wouldn’t help. 

And the pain clinic originally said, I should have an operation. 

I am thinking of getting a private consultation, as my doctor has said. Just wait a bit longer for the pain clinic. I’ve been waiting since august . And nothing has been done, and I am getting worse. Also I have another long term sick meeting on the 27th March, where I will probably be medically dismissed.

colinfloyd

Hi. Thank you for your advice.
And comments, it’s very helpful,
I will contact Acas