Dear All,
After getting a phone call and letter confirming my Admission on (21.12.07) for 2.1.08 for my 2nd Op. I have received a letter today saying that my Op will now be taking place at another Hospital (which I cannot get too) but not until February now.
I went for 2 lots of Bloods and a MRSA Swab this week and now I get the dreaded letter. Why did they send me for these if they knew I wasn't going to go in on the 2nd.
How can they mess you about like this, I can't take much more.
Angela
Angela, this is typical of the NHS system at the moment. They don't know what the next person is doing.
I had similar a couple of months back, in that the Pain Clinic (which I cannot get to!) sent me out 2 letters on the same day, that arrived at the same time through my letterbox, with one letter saying that had changed the time of the appointment to one that there was no chance in hell of me ever being able to attend.
I have now run out of patience with this country & government. My life has to suffer because of these people behind the scenes making extortionate amounts of money for screwing up left, right & centre & saying that there is not enough funding for them (take a hint, take a wage cut & earn your money!). These people have no idea what patients are experiencing as they cannot be bothered to listen to them.
I am going to become an alcoholic, as at least alcoholics get treated by the system.
Hi Darren,
It's just so stressful :cry: waiting about. I'll of been off work for a year on New Years Eve and I'm still in alot of pain. Makes me wonder why we pay our taxes because you can't get anything done. They don't have a clue when it comes to coping with the pain on a daily basis and having to struggle with money.
I thought that I'd be able to go back to work in February if I'd had my Op on 2.1.08 but now I don't know what I'm going to do as my Mortgage Protection stops paying my Mortgage in February, so I'll be well and truly in trouble financially.
I can't claim DLA :evil: as I can walk 800m, dress myself and make myself something to eat. What a load of crap. How are you expected to live on £72.55 pw I'd like to see them try it.
How long do we have to suffer before something is done for us?
It's a wonder that we're all not Alcoholics :ale: :bubbly: but you're right we'd probably be seen quicker if we were! I'm fed up of moaning about the NHS.
How are you, are you in constant pain also?
Bye for now.
Angela
HI THERE
Just been reading your message i am so sorry 
to here about the delays with your op.
i am in constant pain :cry: and have been for 11 weeks i am meant to go back to work on monday, how many weeks sick line can the doc give you at one time as i keep having to go back every 2 weeks at the mo. i do have a pain clinic at the end of jan will they help? cause nothing else is even alcohol does'nt do anything
How long did you have to wait to get the hosp date for op
you could try to phone them and explain or this that me being a little naive :? hope it works out for you
[quote:0b0a868fb2=\"Angela (Teesside)\"]Hi Darren,
It's just so stressful :cry: waiting about. I'll of been off work for a year on New Years Eve and I'm still in alot of pain. Makes me wonder why we pay our taxes because you can't get anything done. They don't have a clue when it comes to coping with the pain on a daily basis and having to struggle with money.
I have paid so much into this country in taxes and NI, that I am majorly deflated to what I am receiving in return. An absolute joke.
I thought that I'd be able to go back to work in February if I'd had my Op on 2.1.08 but now I don't know what I'm going to do as my Mortgage Protection stops paying my Mortgage in February, so I'll be well and truly in trouble financially.
I am renting so fortunately I still get help with the rent and council tax. Without that I would be on the streets now.
I can't claim DLA :evil: as I can walk 800m, dress myself and make myself something to eat. What a load of crap. How are you expected to live on £72.55 pw I'd like to see them try it.
Similar to me then but it is agony doing those things, but I have no choice in the matter as if I don't do them, then nobody else is going to. We barely make ends meet with what is given by the Government (6 people to provide for) & the DWP will not let me go back to work for Health & Safety and Insurance reasons. An absolute joke. Still waiting to hear about my DLA claim.
How long do we have to suffer before something is done for us?
Mine started with excruciating headaches over 10 years ago, and nobody even noticed back then my neck was affected. Doctors recently (in the ast 2 years) rechecked my scans and x-rays from back then and noticed that my neck was damaged and has got that bad now that I doubt anything can be done to fully resolve the problem.
It's a wonder that we're all not Alcoholics :ale: :bubbly: but you're right we'd probably be seen quicker if we were! I'm fed up of moaning about the NHS.
Looks like alcoholism or drug addiction is the only way to get treated by the Health Service in this day & age. Anything self inflicted takes priority over accidents or long term problems.
How are you, are you in constant pain also?
Still in constant pain, but have to block it out the best I can else I would turn into a hermit and waste away. The pain cannot get much worse than it already is and as the Docs will not prescribe any effective pain relief, I have lost all confidence in the NHS. Whenever I go to the Surgery, I always end up seeing a final year med student rather than an actual GP for some reason and it goes round in circles. The only difference now is that I only have to go 250 metres to the surgery instead of a mile & a quarter.
Hi Angela,
So sorry to hear about your predicament. Have your contacted the hospital to ask what is going on? It could be a bed thing....this time of year is really busy with fractures, RTC's and people falling over drunk causing a head injury ( although this is all speculation on my part). I think the fact that they have given you another date ( albeit a month on and in another hospital says to me that they probably realise that you've been messed around enough and are trying all ways to come up with an alternative). It's a sad fact but true and won't offer any consolation or comfort but resourses, beds, nurses and doctors in the NHS are finite and there will always be someone who gets messed around, but usually with good reason. It may have helped though if they had explained the reasoning behing their decision in your letter. As you are unable to get to the other hospital it may be worth pushing the point about them providing transport for admission and discharge as they have arranged the alternative.
Take care,
Jules xx :D :D
Hi Ams,
I was given a 6 months Sick Note, ask and you should at least get a Months Sick. The Pain Clinic should be able to help sort you out with the correct pain relief for your pain. I've tried the Alcohol but I find I can't sleep if I have a drink.
I had my 1st Op in Jan 07, 2 Sacral Epidural Injections, a Nerve Root Block in May 07 and finally in July 07 was informed I had to have another Operation to fuse my back L5/S1 with Plates and Pins. So I've been waiting since July for a date. I've sent email after email and telephoned but they just fob you off. I don't think that they care whether you're in constant pain day after day. It's also a struggle financially. I have been off work with the pain a year on New Years Eve 07.
I'm taking alot of tablets:
2 x Indometacin
1 x Fluoxetine
1 x Amytryptlin
1 x Lansoprazole
Weekly Morphine Patches also.
Ask your Doctor for some stronger Painkillers.
Hope you get some Pain Relief very soon, take care.
Angela
Hi Darren,
I can't believe :shock: that you've been in constant pain for 10 years on and off. Have you tried contacting your local MP to see if they can help you. There must be thousands of us out there all in the same predicament.
Take care and have a Happy New Year, I'm going to get absolutely ratted, hopefully that'll take some of my pain away.
Angela
Dear Jules,
Thanks for your support, it's just so stressful, I don't think the NHS have a clue or give a damn about us all.
I'll keep on pestering them until something happens, hope that you're ok.
Angela
hi all
i know what everyone means about moaning about the nhs, god knows done enough of it in the past, i do think though with this new time structure coming into force march time it will make things a lot easier as my surgeon told me when he informed me he couldnt do the 2 discs at once as it was pretty invasive doing the decompression of c5 but he ststed that IF the other disc does start to trouble me he would do the surgey within 3 mths. so looks like things may be looking up lets hope so eh i know for a fact i couldnt go through 2 yrs of hell again NO WAY.
as for gps i had to phone this morning as im finding night-time is quite painful for me (for now) and need something a bit stronger than codeine , after explaining to the receptionist that i couldnt walk to the surgery to see the doctor she put me straight through to speak to her, she was brill explained that apart from tramadol(NO THANK YOU ) theres very little else she could give me as she didnt want to start me back on oramorph( which i totaly agree with) so sugessted that i double my amatriptaline at night and give her a ring tue if im no better,
have to admit its a little spooky how everyones so nice to me all of a sudden???? not that im complaining.
it would be an excellant idea though as jules stated if the hospitals give you a reason as im sure none of us are unresonable people just that we would like to informed, not a lot to ask is it. best wishes to all for a better new year :bubbly: :diva: gail
[quote:75f23ba7e6=\"Angela (Teesside)\"]Hi Darren,
I can't believe :shock: that you've been in constant pain for 10 years on and off. Have you tried contacting your local MP to see if they can help you. There must be thousands of us out there all in the same predicament.
Take care and have a Happy New Year, I'm going to get absolutely ratted, hopefully that'll take some of my pain away.
Angela
I have not been in constant pain for 10 years (if I had I would be going homicidal by now). The headaches would come and go frequently and would stop me from working at times. First they were diagnosed as tension headaches, then they were diagnosed as sight related (which was completely out of the question as they would happen if I was wearing glasses or not & eye tests showed no change in my sight or prescription). Was then sent to a Neuro doctor who arranged the MRI and X-Rays, but said there was nothing he could see that was wrong (which was discovered to be wrong diagnosis 2 years ago) & that it was a mental problem or something in my diet!!!!!!!!! I suffered then with the headaches, on & off, for almost another 8 years before having the pins & needles in my left arm on waking up one morning. After a few months of different things, it was said that I was suffering from Cervical Spondolysis, and another MRI was needed as well as other tests. Had over 6 months of Physio that done absolutely nothing at all to help (next day I felt worse). None of the prescribed pain relief done anything after a week or so (initally it worked then body must have got used to it). I have seen more Doctors than anything and not one of them is willing to do anything. I am expected to suffer and get on with my life whilst they can earn money for doing nothing.
I have been through complete & utter turmoil with my life over all this, been through the suicide route twice, drunk myself silly, marriage breakdown, severe depression, etc, yet nothing is still going to be done with regards to it. I am now in serious debt and no way of getting out of it. Have had to basically stop doing the things I enjoy in life because of the pain and weakness in the left side of my body. My life at the moment is basically either laying bed, ordering takeaway or sitting in front of the computer. I may as well be in Prison in all honesty.
Have had to stop driving due to high insurance costs because of the illness & the pain when turning head.
The only friends I have left are those online basically (and that is not a joke)!!!!!
May be I would be better off in Prison or deceased.
Needless to say it is New Years Eve now and I am going to try to get extremely drunk (although going by past drinking sessions it is not going to be easy as I seem to now be immune to the effects of alcohol unless in huge amounts!!!!).
Hi Angela
Thanks for your reply. Reading all the commenets has given me some hope that my pain will be more manageable in the future. I went back to the docs yesterday and he gave me some more painkillers - I am going back on Friday to ask for a month's sick line, even if I'm better in that time, it will give me time to sort the house out.
I am very lucky that my husband and kids have been helping with cooking, shopping, etc. I tried alcohol last night and boy did it work. I even managed to move my arm with no pain - not sure the doc will prescribe this as pain releif though - what do you think?
It has kept me sane being able to read all of your comments knowing that I am not imagining all the pain and symptoms.
I would like to wish you all a very happy and painfree new year :bubbly: :bubbly: and will keep in touch.
Anne Marie
Here is another of my experiences that happened on Thursday afternoon.
Had been fine other than the usual aches & pains during the day. Got up to go to the toilet (umpteenth time for the day), got to the toilet & the next thing I know I am laying on the floor with more pains than I had initially. From what I can make out I got to the bathroom and blacked out without any warning, cracking my head on the sink basin on the way down as well as hitting the side of my head & left shoulder hard on the bathtub!!!! Shoulder is all bruised & swollen, got a lump on the side of my head as well as one on the top of my right cheekbone & a splitting headache.
After a few moments to regain myself after coming round (must have knocked myself unconcious as I went down) I called my Docs, who then responded in telling me that there is nothing they can do!!!!!!!! I tried to get to A&E but couldn't get a lift off anyone (see told you I have nobody offline) & cannot afford taxi fare. No point in calling an ambulance & daren't try to walk the mile & half to the hospital in the case that I black out again (I have been having dizzy spells since the black out this evening).
I still feel groggy now a little and my head & shoulder are adding to the neck & back pains (neck is a lot stiffer now than it was before). I am hoping that I will be fine. Probably got a concussion of sorts but I know that I am going to look like I have done 12 rounds with Ricky Hatton in the morning (eye is swelling big style).
Before anyone mentions it no I had not been drinking today!!!!!!
I now give up with the NHS completely.
hi darren i would urge you to go to a&e even if it means phoning an ambulance you could have some damage your not aware of, the must be some unseen cause to black out like that! gail
Been to the hospital & yet another 3 hours or so wasted of my time that I will not get back. All they done was shine a torch in my eyes, take blood pressure & that was it!!!!! Same thing every single time. No x-rays (even though my left shoulder & the 2 lumps on my face have swollen up), no medication, no anything!!! Waste of my money on the taxi fares. Now I have no money until the morning for food as used the last of my cash for the cab.
hi everyone
well heres my up date still in pain for 24 hrs :cry: every day just been given another sick line for 4 weeks, they can't believe the pain is going to last long can they ?
think the child i look after might go to a different school which means i would lose my job isn't life great :cry:
i can't believe i'm complaining when so many other people out there are far worse of than me
anyway stll waiting for the latest xray to see if my first rib is damaged
do you think is may be causing the pain to last so long :roll:
ams