Would you go to Hospital?

drewfromrisca

I've had a problem with my back and hip for 2 years this December and I'm getting no-where with it. Specialist say's I have disc degeneration which is suprising as I'm only 30, scans show 2 bulges on my disc's but not once in this time have they examined my hip, they just keep passing it off as secondary pain. Well last nite I spent all nite in absolute agony, the worst I've had for the 2 years. I'm now struggling to walk and can't bend over. My wife even had to put my socks on for me this morning.
After much nagging from her, my flatmate and even my mother on the phone they told me to go to A & E to see if that can help.
I feel a bit stupid as I'm sure there is more serious people needing the time I'll take up but I also feel like it's the last straw! I really really cant go on much more like this. Pain is incredible, from my lower back all way down my leg and into my groin!

So should I just sit it out this weekend and go to Doc's (again) on Monday or get to A & E?

Crapaud

Sounds nasty, Drew. I'd go to A&E. They'll decide the most important cases. The worst that can happen is that you have to sit about for a few hours before being seen.

wiffachip

go now, whats the worst that can happen?

when you get back, explain how you have a wife and a flatmate

STEFANOS4784

I too would go, let us know how you get on mate.

White Line

Should probably go.

You have a wife and a flatmate? :?

drewfromrisca

Well turned up, saw GP who said that all he could do was give me some painkillers till Monday when I go back to my GP to be referred back to my Specialist...going to take forever again! I said I already had some diazepam's but they don't touch it so painkillers were pointless.
He explained that they wouldn't treat me as it was an ongoing problem with a specific specialist. So it's a weekend of limping and agony then!!!
I'm so frustrated with my situation it's unbelievable. Two years of pain, ruined career, having to quit playing football and hardly any cycling.
Like banging my head against a brick wall. Sorry if I've gone on a bit here, it's starting to get to me a bit :x

STEFANOS4784

, Does sound like a right bugger, did they even give you any morphine?

drewfromrisca

Nowt...total waste of my time! I went straight to Tesco and bought bottle of hoegaarden...that'll do the trick especially with my lack of drinking abilities!

OffTheBackAdam

Time to go private!

drewfromrisca

Yeah I know what you mean, just can't afford it at moment though. It's a one wage family at the moment so no spare cash available and credit cards are almost maxed.
I had looked at joining BUPA at one time but they said due to it being a previous problem I wouldn't be able to use my policy for this injury.

stephenite

Suffering from sciatica right now so i know what u're going thru regarding the pain, and the limitations on movement. Actually passed out while trying to get dressed, a couple of weeks ago, to go to the A&E here in oslo. Been suffering for 3 weeks now, but it does seem to be, slowly, getting better. Nothing like your TWO YEARS, i know. Also, pain around the hip and a feeling of bruising deep in the buttock (on the right side in my case). I had a bout of sciatica in July last year that lasted for 4 weeks, and have had occasional tweeks in between then and this recent f***ing one. Now i'm beginning to get a little worried because it IS crippling and, seriously, screws up ones life.

As you seem to have a chronic problem, and u're only 30 (i'm a fairly fit 41) I would make it a priority. As u said at 3.54pm its gonna take an eternity - 1st GP then specialist 2 weeks later and prob then get some half-arsed answers and follow-up. Do as previous poster said and go private. I dont what your finances are like but, if like me, u're not loaded - phook it. Look around for somewhere with a reasonably priced initial consultation fee. At the same time, at least initially, following the NHS route. Let the GP and NHS specialist know that you have, or are considering, private consultation. Maybe then they'll get their finger out.

I dont think u should procrastinate, dude. An private initial consultation is only gonna set u back a few quid. Hope things work out for u.

Corporate Camper

drewfromrisca wrote:

It's a one wage family at the moment

Does your wife stay at home with your flatmate? :shock:

jellybellywmb

I know you said cash was tight, but if you can go and have couple of appointments with a sports physio.
My wife had chronic neck pain (she does no sport by the way) which stopped her even lifting the iron!! Docs kept refering her here there and evrywhere with no effect finally I said enough was enough and booked a physio session, they found the problem in the first session and treated it with physio and accupuncture, 3 weeks later no pain at all.
Cost me about £200 but happy wife and crisp shirts again.

drewfromrisca

Cheers jellybellywmb, I've been through physio and chiro etc, no good. Physio even told me that what she was doing was making it worse!

Corporate Camper - he works, spends most spare time with his girlfriend

pepelepew

drewfromrisca wrote:

Yeah I know what you mean, just can't afford it at moment though. It's a one wage family at the moment so no spare cash available and credit cards are almost maxed.
I had looked at joining BUPA at one time but they said due to it being a previous problem I wouldn't be able to use my policy for this injury.

Don't the Met pay? I had private physio paid for injury cos it interfered with job, and wait for NHS would have meant me being on restricted duties for longer.

pottssteve

drew,
I had back pain and numbness in my upper back. Went to three GPs and no relief. Saw specialists, got worse. I suffered for over 18 months. Eventually had a scan and it turned out to be testicular cancer that had spread to my spine. You need to DEMAND a scan of back and hip - MRI should do it.

Steve

Headhuunter

Does going private make much difference? I've got BUPA through work and had an op on a varicose vein (I'm only 36!)

I was referred to a specialist and was able to get the op quite quickly but other than the time frame, I could have had the same op through the NHS and with the same surgeon! Although after the op I did get to recover in my own private hospital room with cable TV etc...

passout

I'd go to your GP and let them refer you to a specialist. It's not really an emergency so I wouldn't go to A&E personally. It's one option though I guess.

drewfromrisca

pepe unfortunately it's not like the county forces where they spend to save. They got rid of that few years back I've been told. Also because it wasn't job related they don't want to know. I've even been turned down for physio as I've had my alloted 6 appointments.
Cheers for the heads up Steve. I have an appointment at 7pm tonight where I'm going to unleash on the poor Doctor!!! 2 years of pent up frustration have finally boiled over this weekend making me a nasty piece of work right now! Last straw has to be when my wife had to dress me over the weekend as it's that bad.
I worked out this morning that I've been waiting for 11 weeks to have an x-ray from when I last saw a doctor complaining about my hip and they were going to send me for one.
I also learned today that 2 of my cousins have had hip operations in there twenties along with my Mum who had a full replacement when she was 30. I told them about my Mum ages ago but they didn't seem that bothered. Maybe another 2 family members with same problem might set alarm bells ringing for them.

Nuggs

OffTheBackAdam wrote:

Time to go private!

You say that, but I have similar sympoms to Drew. Going private has meant I could have 5 really expensive operations/procedures really quickly. I'm still in agony :?

Mothyman

Drew
write the whole story out on a sheet of paper in date order (including treatmetns tried, physio, rest etc)
then list and number your questions (eg could it be my hip, do i need a scan,do i need any blood tests, can you reassure me everything has been done to exclude worrying causes etc)
then go to GP, hand him the sheet, go through it with him,ask for orthopaedic referral if not getting anywhere, and take the sheet to orthopod if nec.

crankycrank

Here's another possibility. I have no idea if this will help or not but worth looking into. http://www.rolfing.org/ Rolfing helped rid me and two of my friends of my back problems. I agree with some of the other posters that you have to be diligent in demanding a solution to your problem. I have plenty of first-hand experience with mis-diagnosis and missed ailments with myself and people I know. It may be a long process of trying different treatments and specialists but hopefully you may eventually find a solution. Good luck to you!

drewfromrisca

Well I went to Doc's tonight, basically the Doctor said it was a mess how my situation has been dealt with and the timescales were poor. He told me that last Doctor who saw me on 6th July didn't refer me for a x-ray in the end, instead just referred me for a steroid injection in my hip. Then he told me that she hadn't sent the referral off till the 8th of August! Almost a month later WTF! Worse thing is I still haven't heard back from them.

So in the end the Doctor is going to write to the original specialist to look at my hip problem as well as the back and also written to the pain clinic specialist to see about pain relief in my hip.

He also told me that they are looking at carrying out surgery on my back...1st I heard about it!

So end result is I've learned that it's all a bloody mess at the moment but hopefully some direction will come out of this.

Mothyman

well done Drew
I'll send some positive vibes and hopefully you'll get sorted.

Pross

It sounds very like my back problems. I've got a herniated disk and it causes problems in the hips from the swelling trapping nerves. The x rays I had done also show my back is in a mess with the chiropractor saying it looked like the back of someone in their 50's (I was 34 at the time!). I had manipulation to get rid of the pain at the time and then they wanted me to pay £30 twice a week for half an hour of core strengthening exercises. I didn't keep going for long but other than a few flare ups I haven't had a problem for 2 years.

drewfromrisca

Hi Pross, I tried a chiro but apart from 35 quid twice a week for 3 months it did nothing. What annoyed me most was that he used to spend about 5 mins cracking me in various places then tell me what exercise to do next when at home!!! Right waste of money.
I do some pilates & yoga when I can and try to work my core but it's really difficult to when I struggle to walk.
Pross is there anything you do specifically to help?

edjo

One of the best sources of info is: http://www.spine-health.com/
Go through this and hopefully you'll find info on what the cause is and the exercises to relieve it. It's a bit 'american' but useful. I was off the bike for months with a torn disc - not bike related - and this was the best source of info I could find.
A good physio should be able to deal with the pain which will be mostly your sciatic nerve. Take it from there - hope the doc's sort themselves out and the site is useful.

Ollieda

Have you considered alternative therapy?

My friend went to a place called Dr&Herbs (they have a few branches around the country). He had an ongoing problem with his hip and just found he was getting pushed from one specialist to another on the NHS. Went to dr&herbs and they sorted out some acupuncture and some herbal pills for him and after 3 or 4 months he was fine. He says that when he plays rugby if he gets a hard tackle he'll feel it more in his hip then anywhere else but its gone by the next day....just the normal sort of bruising type pain you get from rugby!

I keep meaning to go see them about my ankle that ive had on going problems with, im just a little apprehensive as I still see the whole alternative therapy thing as a little "witch doctor" like but I guess theres no harm in just seeing them and talking about options.

drewfromrisca

I think Dr Herbs went into administration in the summer? Well the one by me in Chiswick did.
To be honest I would rather the conventional medical therapy be done fully and properly first without resorting to the unknown although I wouldn't dismiss it fully as I'm open minded to other practises. I have had acupunture in both my back and shoulder. It helped with shoulder but did nothing but aggravate my back and hip.

Pross

Hi Drew, I haven't really done anything since my last flair up. I don't get the problems constantly, it was only about 4 or 5 years after the initial injury playing rugby that I got it looked at - thought at the time it was just a bit of a soft tissue injury. One of the reasons I'm back on the bike is to try to strengthen the core muscles to give my back some additional support.

da goose

Drew,
Hang in there matey...I sufferred back problems on/off for years much of which I put down to getting in/out of the old job escorts....dodgy seat angles or what.
Last 18 months+ I went into melt down with piriformis problems which gave me sciatica little sleep and became very run down with a diagnosis of chronic fatigue/ m.e which really helped...not!
Trying to be positive I stopped cycling (doesnt help the back sitting stretched for hours and pushing big gears...) chilled out and started as much stretching as I could....by now I had used the job physio (3 appts) paid my own and used some promise the earth deliver little individual..... I found the SACROWEDGY on the net thought what the hell and bought one from the states @£ 30 best money ever spent. Sorted back and made it stronger with more exercises eased off the bike and more running these days.
I appreciate your injury is different, but have previously had disc injuries lower back probs this is the first time in years its all okay.
Plus a mate borrowed it for his 18 year old footballer son he was in all sorts of problems and after 3 days use, back on the field scoring the winning goal...needless to say he`s bought his own.
Hang in there dude it will get better.
J