Knee Op - Don't trust the surgeon!
Discussion
So - I've had a knee problem flare up in the spring, was manageable prior as it wasn't incapacitating but in the spring meant time off work and therefore no income.
I saw the doctor, he referred me for an MRI on the NHS which I had. Dates for a follow up appointment with an NHS consultant were miles away - so I paid for a private consultation, his view after looking at the MRI was there were 2 stages to go through.
1st - steroid/cortisone injection to sort out the initial flare up, which I had private.
2nd - he said an Arthroscopy would be next to take away some bone overgrowth from an earlier injury and anything else needed as spotted at the time.
I then waited for the NHS consultant appointment to get his view
When I saw him, he said 'take painkillers' you're getting old (I'm 42)
I replied that when it flares up I cannot work and therefore earn nothing - he said 'take more painkillers'
I was taking everything I could in the spring (prescribed from the doctor) no it didnt get me fit for work, nor anywhere close!
So, eventually he said that, if I wanted, he would put me on the list for an Arthroscopy but said there's only a 50% chance he could do anything to help and he would take a look at the time.
I said yes and date has come through and is looming.
But I'm really worried that he's on some sort of exploratory mission and doesn't think he can do anything anyway and may (my thought) make it worse - he didn't seem to care and only put me on an op list reluctantly.
Not sure what to do?
Any thoughts?
I saw the doctor, he referred me for an MRI on the NHS which I had. Dates for a follow up appointment with an NHS consultant were miles away - so I paid for a private consultation, his view after looking at the MRI was there were 2 stages to go through.
1st - steroid/cortisone injection to sort out the initial flare up, which I had private.
2nd - he said an Arthroscopy would be next to take away some bone overgrowth from an earlier injury and anything else needed as spotted at the time.
I then waited for the NHS consultant appointment to get his view
When I saw him, he said 'take painkillers' you're getting old (I'm 42)
I replied that when it flares up I cannot work and therefore earn nothing - he said 'take more painkillers'
I was taking everything I could in the spring (prescribed from the doctor) no it didnt get me fit for work, nor anywhere close!
So, eventually he said that, if I wanted, he would put me on the list for an Arthroscopy but said there's only a 50% chance he could do anything to help and he would take a look at the time.
I said yes and date has come through and is looming.
But I'm really worried that he's on some sort of exploratory mission and doesn't think he can do anything anyway and may (my thought) make it worse - he didn't seem to care and only put me on an op list reluctantly.
Not sure what to do?
Any thoughts?
At the very least an Arthroscopy should enable him to make an accurate diagnosis even if he is unable to fix the problem whilst he's in there.
Do a bit of research on the surgeon, he probably does private work also, if you're not happy ask to be referred to another consultant, maybe even in another hospital. A friend of my wife recently had her hip surgery done 180 miles away on the NHS, after researching the best man for the job.
Do a bit of research on the surgeon, he probably does private work also, if you're not happy ask to be referred to another consultant, maybe even in another hospital. A friend of my wife recently had her hip surgery done 180 miles away on the NHS, after researching the best man for the job.
I had an arthroscopy done a few years ago after I did my ACL.
I would recommend it as allows them to really check everything out, and they do simple stuff whilst in there, mine included trimming some cartilage that was required to enable full mobility of my knee, before I had ACL surgery a year later.
I would recommend it as allows them to really check everything out, and they do simple stuff whilst in there, mine included trimming some cartilage that was required to enable full mobility of my knee, before I had ACL surgery a year later.
3 years ago I had an elbow spur (small growth of bone on the tip of the elbow) that was causing me a disproportionate amount of pain.
The surgeon didn't want to operate and I really had to badger him to do the op (keyhole to burr down the excess bone, IF it was removable).
Everything went great, and apart from the few scars on my elbow I have been completely pain free ever since.
The surgeon didn't want to operate and I really had to badger him to do the op (keyhole to burr down the excess bone, IF it was removable).
Everything went great, and apart from the few scars on my elbow I have been completely pain free ever since.
I've had 13 knee ops over the last 27 years consisting of 3 replacement acl's (2 mid third patella tendon grafts, 1 hamstring graft) various arthroscopies/ micro fracture procedures, I've always found surgeons/specialist want you to do physio/strengthening exercises first and generally put up with pain and try and control pain with meds for as long as you possibly can which is what I've always done, currently it's very rare I take meds for the pain and swelling I'm currently binding my time for a partial knee replacement and a donor tendon
LivingTheDream said:
How do I ask for someone else? Who do I ask?
Just go back to your GP and ask them to refer you somewhere else for the reason you've explained.But as others have said surgeons do seem reluctant to operate, I was told 5 years ago that I need a total knee replacement but I've managed it so far with exercise and drugs.
CoolHands said:
The problem is they just want to save money these days and won't operate unless you really badger them / are an old moany f
ker. It's out of order. If they stopped the nhs tourism it would pay for this stuff.
This is wrong.ker. It's out of order. If they stopped the nhs tourism it would pay for this stuff.Hospitals actually make money from doing operations, once they've set up their service line correctly.
In private practice, there is the same push to work
The Commisioning Groups may be trying to ration care, because they hold the budget, and thus are looking at rationing by BMI/Smoking/Clinical Need. But you never see them at the front line.
Commisioning, or "how the Government spends £10billion out of the NHS 110billion" : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_commissioni...
Estimates for unrecovered Health tourism are out at around 1/2 to 1 billion, or 1/2 to 1% of budget.
People's own illheath and poor lifestyle choices (eg obesity, smoking, alcohol and diet abuse) are thought to make up 20-30%
Perspective
Had a hell of a time getting wisdom teeth out, they wanted to do concious sedation. I wanted a general, was at loggerheads, they were trying to save money. they try to only use general for difficult cases etc.
Yeah so i was to have three visits and concious sedation for all three... when a general they could have done all four teeth at the same time, nope not interested in concious. pushed and eventually get the general. much quicker.
not happy with the cost reductions that they try to force on people.
Yeah so i was to have three visits and concious sedation for all three... when a general they could have done all four teeth at the same time, nope not interested in concious. pushed and eventually get the general. much quicker.
not happy with the cost reductions that they try to force on people.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff