Recommended hospitals?

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Kertie446

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Hi, everybody. :)

I'd just like to ask if anyone has been to the following hospitals for a spinal disorder i.e. disc problems ;

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham

The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic in Shropshire

University Hospital of North StafforRABhire

University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire

If you have, please could you tell me what your experiences were like of these hospitals as I'm still not sure which hospital to choose to go to.

If you have gone to a good hospital that you would recommend that I haven't listed above, please could you let me know as I'm still looking for a good one that specialises in spines.

I'm UK based by the way, just in case you may be wondering. :)

Thanks in advance for any help and advice that you can give.
 
Hi
I have been in North StaRAB hospital 3 times, had bi-lateral decompression and disectomy facett joint injections, epidurals, mri scans and a discograph.
I have found the hospital and the staff very friendly and i have every faith in my surgeon. I am on the urgent list for a 3 level fusion at the moment,(i am a bit nervous) my disectomy and decompression worked fantastic for about 4 or 5 months until the same disc prolapsed again, nobodys fault just bad luck!
Hope this is of some interest,
Martin
 
I had a discograph and i am also a needle phobic so a discograph was my worst nightmare, it did hurt but not as much as i was expecting ,just the thought of the needles in my back freaks me out! :eek::eek:

I had 3 levels done without any sedatives and had a negative discograph so no conclusion.
I was then sent for an emergency mri (3rd) and it showed L45 prolapse,L34 tear, and narrow nerve channels.

Back in 2005 I told my doctor i wanted refering to a specialist he gave me 2 phone nurabers to ring, my doctor was not very helpful so i changed him and got a very supportive doctor who is brilliant (if you are not happy change doctors, same clinic just made an apointment with a different doctor))
In 2005 i paid privately for a consulation and mri scan and follow up consultaion (about
 
Thanks for sharing your experience and advice, martino1. :)

North StaRAB sounRAB good in general. Do you know if they do disc replacements? as I've got a Grade 3 degenerated disc in my lower back. I'm 20 by the way, just in case you were wondering and have been told that they (I haven't even seen a consultant anywhere yet as it's taking so long to get it sorted) will not do a fusion on a young person.

Another question I'd like to ask is when you were referred, did you have to see someone else before you saw a consultant? as I keep being made to see loaRAB of physiotherapists but they haven't let me see a consultant at the hospital (the RJ and AH Orthopaedic) as the one told me that the consultant didn't want to see me. :(

Below is how the system of being referred worked for me (or not in my case);

1) Referred by G.P to see spine specialist.
2) Seen by Physiotherapist Practitioner in Advanced Primary Care who was helpful and sent me for an MRI.
3) In the meantime before my MRI results are out the hospital senRAB me a letter saying I've got an appointment to see a Physiotherapy Practitioner Specialist in a so-called Rapid Referral Clinic which I found no way rapid at all (I waited 13 weeks + for this appointment which should've been with a consultant as I was told by the consultant's secretary that I was on his waiting list).
4) Attend the appointment to see this Physiotherapy Practitioner Specialist and get told of the fact the consultant doesn't want to see me so back to square one.

So that is my main reason why I am looking for other hospitals to go to as I am very dissatisfied with the level of treatment (or no treatment in my case) that they have given me.

Any advice or sharing of experiences would be very appreciated. :)
 
Hi,
I also go very frustrated by the time scale and some of the procedures, heres what happened to me.
2004 i ws 38 and never had back problems -i sneezed and ended up twisted and in agony on the floor. Doctor sent me for physio and pain killers, they got me straight again and out of pain.(said i had a slipped disc)
The next 12 months my back was OK ish,then it went again so back to the doctors he just prescribed more pain killers.

I then went to a chiropractor who said it was very rare to get a slipped disc and that it was muscular.I paid for an xray and he said everything was OK it was muscular, so i trusted his judgement and carried on with treatment at a cost of
 
Thanks for sharing your experience and giving advice, martino1. :)

When I first went to my G.P with back pain, all he did was give me painkillers and sent me out the door, one of them didn't give me anything and told me that nothing was wrong with my back and said that I was just growing or that I'd strained it! I didn't believe them then as I knew it wasn't either of those.

It seems most and nearly all healthcare professionals say that back pain is muscular but it isn't always, they just say that for some reason. They keep telling me that but I know otherwise which is why I am going elsewhere to get a consultation with an actual consultant for a change as I can't see one where I have been going.

I've got copies of my MRI and X-rays with their reports.

I've thought of having a discograph as they (at the current hospital) don't know what is wrong with my back or causing the pain even though I've had an MRI. What is a discogram like?

It'd be nice to eventually find the ultimate cure to all forms of back pain. :)

I have heard that disc replacement is still quite a new procedure and have heard of some success stories but also some bad ones too. It is something I would consider though.

I have decided to see a consultant privately as you can never get to see them on the NHS, only if you were nearly paralised or something which I think is terrible as a lot of patients who could and would benefit from early intervention i.e. the ones with trapped/compressed nerves are missing out.

I'd just like to ask you if it is possible I could go and get a consultation privately and be transferred onto the NHS for the actual operation if I need one as this is something I'm not sure about or whether once I'd gone private I'd have to pay for the operation privately but I can't afford to pay for an operation privately.
 
Thanks for your help and advice, martino1. :)

I've read that most people find the discograms not very pleasant but some don't feel much either. I think it depenRAB on who does it and how experienced they are. I rang up X-ray and asked how I get referred for one. They said that only a consultant can refer me and, unfortunately I don't have a consultant as he doesn't want to even see me. I'm stuck now and don't know how else to get one, apart from seeing a totally different consultant privately. If I saw a consultant privately, would I be able to have the discogram on the NHS or would I have to pay for it?

My G.P is ok but he's away until Septeraber so I'm having to see a different one at the same surgery to get a private referral.
 
Youre conslutant will refer you for surgery ,mri or discographs on the Nhs if that is what he or she thinks is required.

If you are feeling that you are not being treated seriously you can phone P.A.L.S (patients advisory liason service ) all uk hospitals have them, they take up youre case free of charge and sort out any problems you are having.
I have used them twice and they are excellent :D
My first operation i was on 3 month urgent list, 9 months later i found out about Pals and they got me operated on in 11 days.
My emergency Mri scan results went missing Pals found them for me!

Good luck Martin ;)
 
Thanks for your advice, martino1. :)

I do feel that I am being treated badly so I may give the P.A.L.S service team a ring and see what they can do.

Thanks once again for your help, martino1, I appreciate it a lot. :)
 
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