To follow up on my last post I am booked in for micro discectomy on 14th Aug, seems they are getting through their waiting list. I can also report I have an appointment with the consultant on 4th Aug, although I had to get mad with his secretary in the process. Actually I got annoyed with her patronising attitude and being reminded that there are other people waiting too. When I first phoned in June I was told the consultant was on holiday but the scan result (which was marked 'vital' (?) would be dealt with on his return. With this phone call I was told he is now on holiday and I wouldn't get an appointment with him before surgery, although I could cancel surgery if I wanted to. The point is that not only do I suffer pain with the disc in the lumbar spine, I also suffer constantly from neck and shoulder pain and find daily tasks very painful. And even if I am being a wimp, I really don't like the idea of having a disc pressing on my spinal cord....but I seem to be the only person concerned about it. I'm ready to give up on it all really, no matter how much Diazepam, Tramadol or Amitryptiline they give me....nothing takes the pain away so I actually appreciate it when my head is in another world. I've never been a junkie before anyway.
Reply Melza
Hi Melza,
I know exactly what you mean, i was told that there aren't any appointments, they understand how frustrated i am etc etc etc, and out of that said frustration, i started to cry...and guess what....she gave me an apointment!!!!!!!! A result but not the way i wanted it!!!
My surgeon is also taking holidays again now when the caseloads haven't even reduced from his last holiday!
It beggers belief really....so i share your frustration.
Hi,
If you need to speed things up tell them you cannot pee and find it hard to crap. My disc was hitting the nerve that controlled the badder and about 3 days before the op i could hardly pee at all, They said on the phone that they would get me in right away if i wanted to but i waited until the day because i wanted the same surgeon to do the op. Loss of strength in the legs is also a bad sign and that seems to get them going as well.
I went to every meeting looking like crap and made sure they new how i felt and how bad things were, if you go to your Doc looking ok because you have put some smart gear on he/she will think things are not so bad.
Also if the surgeon is on holiday can they not get another one to do it for you, It pisses me right off, I feel like sticking some electric rods on there legs and see how they like it, bloody wa"k£rs. If things are so bad it doesn't matter who does as long as it gets done. I know you want the person to do it who you have had meetings with but if you can get a quicker op go with someone else.
Hey there!
Olli, you are absolutely right, cattleprod their asses and see how they like it!
I will keep my toilet habits to myself, but will take your advice on board!!! ha ha 😮
Athough, i do have weakess and get the shakes in my affected leg too...
However, as for the surgeon bit, i am told that because i am waiting for a decision on surgery, its must be my surgeon who makes that decision and no-one else as he is my consultant, and was when i had my last surgery. No-one else is available. I have tried every way i can to get the MRI report myself but to no avail, i could tell THEM what was gonna happen if i had that! Sheeesh!
Thoroughly enjoyed your post olli, but not sure my carefully managed image as a dignified lady will carry that one through successfully. But I do have weakness in my legs, I just thought that was due to lack of muscle use. Okay Alli, are we going for it? Unwashed hair, crumpled clothes, blouse with buttons done up in the wrong order. I think dragging a leg behind us as we go should be convincing too.
Oh no, I need to convince them that my neck and shoulders (and arms) are suffering, I already have the lower disc sorted (I think). You know, if I try and straighten my shoulders out I have a tingle going right down my left leg, I don't feel comfortable about that. I have lone parent syndrome where any kind of weakness is forbidden (by me). Time to be a vulnerable helpless female methinks. How nauseating.
By the way, I've spent a whole 2 minutes with my consultant so far....and I'm allowing him to play with my spinal discs....I must be crazy!
Thanks for giving me a giggle Olli, and for your sympathy Alli x
Hi everyone ,I'm back.
I have definitely done the right thing so far.
The op took about two and a half hours - a bi lateral discectomy L4/L5. Apparently there was extra disc material that had pushed far out to the rightside which didn't show up on the mri. I definitely needed the op as I would never have got better doing nothing or other treatments such as injections.
I was wide awake within 30 mins after the op and wiggled my toes, thank god. I felt brilliant. No pain at all in the buttocks, hips or legs anymore. I keep thinking its going to come back but so far really good. I don't feel the nerve trapped or pulling either.
My wound was a bit sore for a few days but this pain was nothing compared to before. I took a couple of parecetamol to help me sleep for a few days but now I am not taking pain relief at all, I don't need it its amazing. The surgeon came to see me 15mins after I was back in my room then I watched a movie had something to eat then went to sleep. I was really thirsty and was drinking a lot of water for a few days.
Had physio the next morning which was some basic leg movements lying down and a walk down the corridor. I felt very weak and wobbly but was standing up straight the first time in ages and walking without my frame. I had to take a few walks a day which got easier everytime. I felt a bit stiff the next day until I got moving. I had to walk up and down some stairs this day which was difficult and I could feel it pull in my back but this was much easier the next day.
I was allowed to come home on saturday after I had sat for the first time in a chair since the op for 20 mins. I had a shower before I left which felt great. The journey home took an hour and a half because we drove slowly and had to stop a few times so I could stand up and walk around abit as I am not allowed to sit for more than 20 mins.
Theres things that I have to avoid doing so as not to push anymore disc material out of the disc and to let it heal up, but I am moving around pain free and better everyday.
The staff were superb and the surgeon visited me everyday. I am very happy with the results and will keep you all informed of my progress.
Good luck to you all.:)
One more thing. I returned home to find a letter from the NHS saying I was on the waiting list for surgery and I should get an appointment sometime in the next six months! I'm going to wait and see how long it would have been.
i hate the nhs
beware big rant coming...
just finished having a big cry and thought writing on here might make me feel better...
finally had the long awaited 3rd mri scan yesterday, which showed a "very large" disc protrusion between L4 &5...surprise, surprise, same thing i have had for 7 years. got given a telephone number to call to get an appointment with the consultant (who is STILL on holiday).
phoned yesterday, no answer, left a message. phoned today, no answer, left a message. phoned again a bit later and spoke to someone who said i couldn't have an appointment until the consultant had seen my mri and decided if i need one...uuummm...cannot walk, am dependent on morphine, i think i perhaps deserve a 10 minute appointment.
got upset. someone phoned back and gave me an appointment on 12th august. i rejoiced. someone then phoned back and said they had made a mistake, took away my 12th august appointment and told me to phone back in 2 weeks. only i don't know how much longer i can go on like this...
i know the god-like consultant is back next week, but on call because they told me this when i was admitted last week because of the pain. so it feels like my only option is to go back to a&e on monday and try to see him there!!
getting a private appointment is equally as difficult because of doctors' holidays. i think i may need to move house to get anywhere but unfortunately can't manage the 2 flights of stairs out of my flat...
Reply Jess
Jess
Sorry to hear about your pain. Remember it will pass, you will get through this. I have been where you are now and know it's not a good place to be.
Keep on pestering. Keep on going. You will succeed. In a few months time this will be a memory. Never doubt that you can get over this and have a normal life back.
I went to see my consultant yesterday and he signed me off. I am now almost completely back to normal. I had the same problem as you and have been struggling with nightmarish post op back pain which disappeared a week ago, thank god. I had months of agony. I was convinced the op had failed and that I was heading for a life of permanent pain. Anyway the point is that at the time you dont feel that you will get through it but you will.
Perhaps you should consider some of the symptoms in the last Olli post!!!
Keep your spirits up.
Rod
thank you rod!! that was just what i needed to hear. i am attempting to befriend the consultant's secretary...may send chocolates or flowers...and she has agreed i can phone her on monday for an update.
really glad you are doing so much better. your stories do offer so much hope. can't wait to eventually share mine!
jess xx
ps....tried the "can't pee" thing when admitted to the orthopaedic ward last week and the registrar's response was that this was probably due to the discomfort of having to sit on a toilet. bit of an assumption about my peeing strategy, but i'm guessig this symptom gets more of a response if you're male!
Sorry to hear about your struggle Jess. How on earth do they expect you to pee? They should of raised some alarm bells just incase as it is supposed to be serious if you can't.
Try to speak to the consultants private secretary. You will probably get a consultation straight away for about £150 to £250 and if you need surgery which it sounds like if you cannot walk - I had the same thing - they seem to be able to operate on the NHS far quicker than going through the NHS route.
I gave up on the NHS after wasting 3 months of getting no where and no indication of any treatment date.
Hang in there and Good luck:)
Jess if you cannot pee please get back to the hospital it is a symptom of cauda equina
syndrome get them ****** doctors to look in to it please, i hate to see or here people suffer. God dam *****ds(not all of them but some!)
If you were in my town i would help you get there
Oh what have i done nobody will be able to pee when they go and see the surgeons.
It took me 4 times in A&E for them to take a look at me and say that i needed the op within a week. All 4 times i said i found it hard to pee but it seems to go in one ear and out the other.
Keep ringing them and keep badgering them they will give in, in the end.
Olli;)
I think I may be going insane but have decided to cancel my surgery on the 12th Aug (not the 14th), although I will speak to my doctor first of course. The consultant apparently has to clear his waiting list and so I have to arrive at the hospital at 7.30am.....but have to phone 2 hours before to check there is a bed. I pointed out that I am 16 miles away and don't have transport, the admissions officer assured me that transport could be arranged. I've been arranging hospital transport for 4 years and never known it arrive in this town before 9am, perhaps they have a spare pumpkin. I am more angry that I was also told that if I wanted the surgery then this was what I would have to do, is it me or are they getting a bit heavy handed around here? I can imagine leaving here at daybreak and not saying goodbye to my kids because I won't want to wake them. They are almost grown up, but even so.
I don't think this surgery should be taking place until I know whats happening with the 'multiple abnormalities' of the cervical spine, reasonable? And I am concerned that this surgery will put added pressure on my upper back, reasonable?
Now another question, the surgery is a lumbar mircro discectomy.....in the two minutes spent with the consultant he told me they are taking the disc 'protrusion' away from one of the 3 prolapsed discs, is this what everyone else has had done? I thought Jayboys report was reassuring as far as that is concerned. Can someone reassure me please? Am I right to get stroppy about this planned surgery?
yes that is what i had done on L5/S1. The surgery might take the pressure away from your upper back because you may not be as tense and everything will start to relax. You are no going to be able to sort everything out all at once, they will not do upper and lower back surgery on the same day. My sister had what sounds like the same as you. They did surgery on her upper back first because of head aches and lost of arm strength then they never needed to do the surgery in her lower back as things to sorted themselves out over about 6 months.
Think very hard before you loose your place and then have to wait even longer. Believe me if you are in half the pain you are in now everything is so much easier to deal with. Keep going, keep thinking positive and don't let the wan£ers get you down.
Olli