Hello there !
Few months ago I was asking your advice about the symptoms I was having which turned out to be a disc herniation at C6-C7 with impingement on nerve root exiting the canal.I went for a MRI scan and the radiologist recommended surgery .
Today I met with a neurosurgeon and he said from the same scan that it wasn't impinging on the nerve and it should recover without surgery . As the radiologist said the only way to go it is surgery , also the MS specialist said the only way to get my sensation back in my fingers , although it may take a while , it is surgery again .
I was taken by surprise when the surgeon said I do not need surgery , my questions to ask were all about the surgery so when I was asked if I have any questions I said no .He said he will refer me to phisiotherapy and that he wouldn't operate me but if I want to , he will , which to me, didn't sound right .
Now , I would be very , very happy if there will be no surgery but at the moment I can only say I'm confused , new questions arised in my mind , for example whether a herniated disc goes back in it's natural place , also the neurosurgeon said that I may or may not get my feeling back in my fingers.
So I'm thinking of requesting another appointment with a different neurosurgeon for a second opinion or do you think I should just trust what the first one said?
All comments are welcome .
Thank you
Hello Cheshirecat.
That is confusing and you are caught up the middle. :rolleyes:
You are entitled to a second opinion but that can be a lengthy process.
Maybe consider contacting Patient Advice and Liaison Services.
Surely there must be some way to bring the radiologist and neurosurgeon opinions together to give you clarity.
Good luck, let us know how you get on.
🙂
Hi CheshireCat,
We can become very trusting and dependent on a doctors diagnosis and treatment. I have known people who have searched for other doctor's opinions and sometimes after after 3 or 4 visits to different specialists found out the truth of their situation.
I'd say trust your own guidance system. Do not undermine your own feelings. If the thought of getting a second opinion urges you to get up from your chair right now, then by all means go for it. You know your body better than anyone. 🙂
A tricky situation. Could be he was fobbing you off? If you don't get a second opinion then you will never know who is right. Having no feeling in your fingers is seriously hampering and I for one would want it dealt with if at all psooible.
He wasn't fobbing you off. The neurosurgeon is the expert on when surgery is needed. The physio and radiologist may think surgery is needed - but they are not the ones who are going to have to do it.
I would go back to the neurosurgeon - or maybe write to him - and ask him why he feels surgery isn't indicated when other people have told you they thought it was.
When you have more information from him if you are not satsified then you are entitled to a second opnion and may indeed have cause for complaint to PALS (who are normally very good)
Sadly medical problems are rarely as clear cut as we would like them to be. It isn;t always possible to make a clear cut diagnosis from a set of symptoms and know immediately what the best treatment. But if surgery can be avoided it always should be.
However if I understand your post correctly he said hw would operate if you really wanted him to - so that gives you the reason to contact him again to ask him to explain the pro-s and cons of surgery in laymans terms
Hello !
Much appreciated your kindness to take time and reply .
I have rang the PALS today, the department for advice , not the complaints one ; they are very good indeed , helpful and they actually listen to what you have to say .
I have been told that at the end of the day it is the surgeon who decides whether I need surgery or not and not radilogist .However they look in the system and said that they can't see if the radiologist report have been sent to the neurosurgeon and suggested to ring the place where I had the scan done .
Other than that , PALS said that I'm entitled to a second opinion so I need to contact my GP.
I have rang the CATS , where I had the scan , and the lady (very nice one), said that they did send the report to the hospital and also said the same thing as PALS , that it is the surgeon who makes the decision , that he will probably send a letter to my GP and explain there why he thinks I do not need surgery.
Bottom line :
For the last 3 months I couldn't commit myself to full time work , I have put few important decisions on hold, which affected my life and career, all these because I don't feel well and knowing that I will have a surgery .
But that's ok , I know you have to wait long time if you can'tafford private medical care.
What annoys me the most it;s not the muscle weakness in my right arm and sometimes pain, but then the feeling of insecurity whether I will get my sensation back in my fingers or not , and not understanding how a bulging disc can heal on it's own and why the surgeon said I don't need an operation ... is it because it is too late and the nerve it's damaged already ? He also said that in most cases surgery reliefs the pain only but doesn't guarantee for the sensation back . I was in a lot of pain , more than I can take it, for a month and didn't get any help, treatment , surgery, apart from some painkillers given through a phone consultation which they didn't do anything .
However ,I will have a chat with my GP, but if he says that the process will take another 3 months ....I give up , I can't fight it anymore ..
Hello !
What annoys me the most it;s not the muscle weakness in my right arm and sometimes pain, but then the feeling of insecurity whether I will get my sensation back in my fingers or not , and not understanding how a bulging disc can heal on it's own and why the surgeon said I don't need an operation ... is it because it is too late and the nerve it's damaged already ? He also said that in most cases surgery reliefs the pain only but doesn't guarantee for the sensation back . I was in a lot of pain , more than I can take it, for a month and didn't get any help, treatment , surgery, apart from some painkillers given through a phone consultation which they didn't do anything .
However ,I will have a chat with my GP, but if he says that the process will take another 3 months ....I give up , I can't fight it anymore ..
Thats why you need to talk to the surgeon again. But it is highly unlikely the damager is irreparable so I hope that is some re-assurance. It should NOT take 3 months to get some answers.
The NHSis a clunking machine staffed on the whole by people who really care but are let down by the system. I know I used t be one of them. Sometimes you DO need to fight to get answers......which is wrong. But that is what PALS is for.. Trust me when PALS start asking questions people DO respond. They cannot work miracles but they are there for YOU!!! So don't give up.