Well that did not go well

JamesFoote
JamesFoote Member Posts: 86
edited 20. Dec 2014, 11:12 in Living with Arthritis archive
I have a big problem with my neck and over many months i met me Nuro surgeon last November but he did not have an MRI of my neck as the hospital had not sent it over. I informed him that the problems i was having in April have changed and things are much worse and may be a new MRI of my neck would be a good idea.
So i was back today, he looked at my MRI and was saying that it looks bad but not that bad, I pointed out that the MRI was old and i was having very little problems in my left aren it was all my right but now my left are is terrible. So a new MIR was to be made. It was at this stage he went on about my weight and i must lose weight now, today must be the day or they can not operate as Gisburne Park does have any IC unit and only one doctor on at night and if things go wrong then they could not do anything so i must lose weight. My BMI was much to high. Now that does not bother me i am a big chap and we did a life style change end of last year and my weight was dropping but the meds the doctor put me on make me prone to weight gain and i had gained weight. I have to lose two stone. not a lot for a big chap and i have colitis so i can lose that quite easily. white bread anyone.

My question is this.

If Gisburne park does not have the resources to deal with something going wrong then why would i even want to have the op there even if i lost 5 stone.
Or am i being soft.
ps by all means say it as you see it i can take it quite easily

It has not help not being able to walk very far, normally our holidays we are walking all day but the last one was rest and so will the next one lol

James

Comments

  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi james..I am in agreement with you why on earth would you want to go there anyway..they do go on about weight..my neuro surgeon is very chunky and even he says they are hung up about weight..there are some very over weight people, and you can understand the worry of the surgeons but then there are the ones a couple of stones over what they should be, and can still be classed as obese.....you carry on going the right way and make sure you get that MRI..
    Love
    Barbara
  • Starburst
    Starburst Member Posts: 2,546
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I can see why your confidence is shaken. I would feel the same way! You are entitled to a second opinion on the NHS and you have the right to choose where to be treated. With that in mind, I wonder if there are any specialist orthopaedic hospitals in your area or if not, somewhere else where you might feel comfortable?
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    You ask me to 'say it as I see it, James, so I will as I, too, prefer straight talking.

    Firstly, before operations, I like to tilt the scales as far as possible in my favour. People who are obese run far more risks post-op – that's a fact – so I would be making the loss of 2 stones my main priority regardless of whether or not the hospital I was in had an intensive care unit. Rubbish timing but, if you can make a start at Christmas, then you can achieve your goal.

    Secondly, I'm biased. A dear, very fit, friend opted for surgery at a private hospital because it was quicker and closer. Not only did they not have an intensive care unit but they didn't monitor him as regularly as they should have done. It resulted in him almost dying of complications that went unmonitored, being transferred to an NHS hospital and his life hanging in the balance for 48 hours.

    So personally I would always opt for the hospital with an IC unit but, equally, I'd lose the weight before even thinking of having the surgery.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Slosh
    Slosh Member Posts: 3,194
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I'm not sure what neck surgery you need but before I had mine I was warned that it included an increased risk of bleeding so I had to have my blood type taken so in case I needed a transfusion they had it to hand, and that another risk, although rare was that it could result in a stroke. This might be why they are wary in case weight would raise the risk of this. I was also told that neck surgery is complex and rexults are variable which is why for the NHS it is only considered once other options have prooved uneffective.

    Like Sticky I wpuld also say that a lot of private hospitals do not have the same facilities aound emergencies /ICU as they are not geared up for that in the same way the NHS is.
    He did not say you will not be storm tossed, you will not be sore distressed, you will not be work weary. He said you will not be overcome.
    Julian of Norwich
  • JamesFoote
    JamesFoote Member Posts: 86
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    You ask me to 'say it as I see it, James, so I will as I, too, prefer straight talking.

    Firstly, before operations, I like to tilt the scales as far as possible in my favour. People who are obese run far more risks post-op – that's a fact – so I would be making the loss of 2 stones my main priority regardless of whether or not the hospital I was in had an intensive care unit. Rubbish timing but, if you can make a start at Christmas, then you can achieve your goal.

    Secondly, I'm biased. A dear, very fit, friend opted for surgery at a private hospital because it was quicker and closer. Not only did they not have an intensive care unit but they didn't monitor him as regularly as they should have done. It resulted in him almost dying of complications that went unmonitored, being transferred to an NHS hospital and his life hanging in the balance for 48 hours.

    So personally I would always opt for the hospital with an IC unit but, equally, I'd lose the weight before even thinking of having the surgery.





    Thanks to all for the reply and thanks to Sticky.
    losing the weight is a given. to be fair here you could of walked out of his office and said lose weight to all but one of the staff and all the patients.

    I am no fool here i am over weight, always have been, hiking 17 miles a day and camping i was the biggest lad, weight is who i am. early this year i bought some fishing cloths and to be honest they are too tight so i need to lose some weight taking into account that a big change of food can kick of my colitis, I will lose a lot then lol.
    Having done a bit of reading i think it is the anaesthetic that is the problem. When i have the camera down and up they have to knock me out, I am a fighter under mild anaesthetic, i have no idea why.

    talking-to my wife tonight we have decided that we will have the MRI, I will go to the Pain Management and have the infections on the 9th and see if the Nero surgeon would be happy to operate if he is the we will ask to go to Preston.

    I have had a Nuro surgeon saying to me, only 5% risk dont worry and it all went wrong and my wife passed away. I really would be a bit miffed if it happen to me.

    once again every one thanks for the posts

    James
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    We live in an age where a sense of entitlement is increasing: I want, I deserve, therefore I will have. We are not surgeons or anaesthetists so cannot possibly understand the risks we run if we go ahead and have surgery when we're not 'fit' for it. As patients we have to play our part to make the outcomes of surgery as positive as possible but there is always a risk - nothing about surgery is a natural process.

    Not every hospital can provide every aspect of care - the worst nursing I experienced was in a private hospital so I won't do that again unless I really have to. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • mermaid
    mermaid Member Posts: 104
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Dear James,

    I have had three neck surgeries (c spine fusions) and it is the anaesthetic risk of operating in this area of the body that is the difficulty. I was in the Neurosurgical Critical Care Unit from the start of my stay. They don't tend to have these in private hospitals, mainly teaching hospitals.

    By the way, I am quite underweight so this wasn't the issue.

    I am happy to say that all the operations, which were last resort, were successful and wish you much luck with the outcome of your MRI.
  • JamesFoote
    JamesFoote Member Posts: 86
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    thanks to the two of you for your replies

    I do think it is in my best interest to have this done in the NHS were they do have the resources if they are needed.

    good incentive to lose some weight but this was happening before my neck because of a life style change the only difference are the pills i am on and both say weight gain.

    Its all good fun

    James
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I am under the care of the rheumatology department in a teaching hospital and I think it does make a difference when it comes to resources etc. - all docs have to learn about real medicine somewhere, and let's face it, real patients are very different to theory and book learning. :wink:

    We don't lead comfortable or easy lives, James, but we have to make the best of what we have and not rue the loss of what we no longer possess. We have a member of the forum who lost five stones despite being wheel-chair bound: that thought always brings me up short when I am trying to excuse my dietary laziness. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben