New Year wishes, my diagnosis and Pradaxa.

[jennydog]

First, my best wishes to you all and my thanks for all your kindness, friendship and help over the past 3 years.

Since my ablation in 2014 my mobility and dexterity have deteriorated but my AF is 95% decreased. It has been 86 weeks since my referral to Orthopaedics. The delays and waiting lists are awful but I had a quickly arranged appointment with a Spinal Surgeon on Dec 30th. He saw October's MRI scan and diagnosed cervical stenosis due to 2 herniated discs in my neck. He will operate in 6-8 weeks to remove the discs. I am to stop the Pradaxa 72 hours in advance of the operation.

It was a huge relief to meet a doctor who understood my problems. But I have to ask, does it normally take 86 weeks to diagnose slipped discs?

[Finvola]

My first reaction jennydog is some relief that you have a firm diagnosis and have remedial action in hand after so much waiting and pain.

The NHS waiting lists are the same in N Ireland in some sections and it is so frustrating and worrying but 86 weeks seems mighty excessive. My lowest disc is practically gone but I found out about it years ago only when I went to a chiropractor in desperation after six years of pain and ibuprofen which did nothing at all.

I hope your operation goes well and that you will be free of such debilitating misery soon. Best wishes for 2017. xx

[BobD Volunteer]

Mistakes and miss-diagnosis happen ever where I'm afraid not just under NHS. My Brother in law in France was taken (after several weeks) to hospital with sever sciatica where they discovered also some strange blood disorder. After about ten days of pain in hospital they then discovered he had actually broken his hip! On the back of that he has osteoporosis caused by a rare form of bone cancer which accounts for the blood disorder. Luckily he lives about 30 miles from the top hospital in France for this condition so his prognosis is not as bad as might be. Just goes to show that simple things are not always simple.

So sorry you have had so much pain for so long. I am lucky in that my C4/5 disc problems mainly cause numbness or tingling in my arms from time to time. I really hope that the operation is soon and works for you Jenny .

[jennydog in reply to BobD]

Bob and Finvola, thank you both.

Bob, my problems are c5&6. The numbness in my left hand was diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome some years ago but a nerve test in April indicated that there was nothing wrong with my carpal tunnel. The surgeon said that numbness in the hand is most likely due to be problems in the neck. I gather that c5 controls nerves to the arms and c6 to the legs and feet. I am fortunate in that I am amongst the 20% who aren't wracked with pain - I can't walk far as my legs don't pick up.

I'll let you know how the operation goes. All I know so far is that they go in through the front of the neck, that it involves moving the carotid vein to one side away from the voice box. I will croak for some days. It's a GA and one night hospital stay which doesn't sound too bad.

[BobD Volunteer]

I damaged my neck 35 years ago at a race meeting. I had been working under the car. crawled out and stood up only to find some idiot had left the door open. and I collected the bottom edge of the door with my neck. Spent about three months having physio, plus ultrasound etc and eventually feeling came back into my arm and gradually my hand. Just my thumb tingles some days now. I go to a Bowen practitioner when things get bad and he usually sorts it out in a couple of visits. Trouble with getting older and the skeleton start to remind you its still there!

[Plai]

Had you tried an osteopath before going along the operation route??

[jennydog in reply to Plai]

Plai yes and then Chinese massage and now acupuncture. Interestingly the acupuncture has had a very calming effect on my heart.

Nothing has worked to improve my mobility and if I continue to deteriorate then I will need a wheelchair. I am gutted that it has taken 86 weeks to correctly diagnose the problem. A friend tells me that they suck the discs out so that doesn't sound too scary.

[Plai]

I hope it goes well Jennydog. Good luck. I hope you are back fit and healthy soon.