Going private...anyone else feel they had to do it?

JenniferB27
JenniferB27 Member Posts: 74
edited 6. Oct 2017, 13:40 in Living with Arthritis archive
I have today booked an appointment at a private hospital to see a rheumatologist after becoming really annoyed at the fact that 5 weeks ago I was referred to see NHS rheumatologist and I am still on the triage list and they haven't even assessed my referral! Im sure this might not seem long to some but I am in do much pain at the moment with swelling in most of my joints and have extreme fatigue. I am becoming quite distressed at the chronic pain and really just need someone to assess me and tell me what is going on. I already k me I have OA in my knees thumbs and neck so sure something else is happening ad I just don't feel right. Had anyone felt they needed to go private?

Comments

  • GraceB
    GraceB Member Posts: 1,595
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Yes - and I have done. However, I was told that although I saw the same orthopaedic consultant privately, if I needed NHS treatment I'd have to ask for an NHS referral to go back in and wait as he wasn't able to transfer patients from his private list to the NHS one. I had 45 minutes with him then - and it was worth every single penny I had to pay. I'd do it again. And I am - on Friday as I need urgent physio on my neck, and although I'll ask my GP to refer me on the NHS, this private session will get the crisis out of the way for me I hope.

    Unfortunately waits these days for the NHS is the norm. In my area you now wait over 6 months for a joint replacement from the time you are referred to the time you get the actual op.

    Good luck - hope you get some answers (oh, make sure you get a copy of the clinic notes for your own use - and keep them!).

    GraceB
    Turn a negative into a positive!
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Without a doubt I would if I had to.

    I am so sorry that our waiting lists seem to be growing longer and longer.

    I am a staunch supporter of our wonderful NHS, but if you have the money and you want to you must do what is right for you.

    Love

    Toni xx
  • JenniferB27
    JenniferB27 Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh thanks for the reassurance! I just feel I am in limbo and need answers, I'm off work and have been for 5 weeks now so will be good to have an idea of what us going on to tell work. When you're in constant pain waiting even a couple of weeks seems like an eternity.
  • palo
    palo Member Posts: 240
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Totally agree. The NHS is all very well but it works at its own pace which gets slower and slower. In the past I have gone private when I had insurance and recently I paid to see a chiropractor rather than wait 4 weeks in agony with sciatica - that was the best the NHS could do other than give me stronger and stronger pain meds.

    It was well worth it, one visit and I could weightbear again, and within a few days felt much better and the pain was considerably less. My recovery was far quicker than had I waited for the physio. appointment.

    I look upon it as you get piece of mind and quicker assistance and someone else gets your place in the NHS queue, obviously I and you I guess are having to pay out of savings but what is our life worth in agony, surely more than the price of the consultation?

    Good luck
  • JenniferB27
    JenniferB27 Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    palo wrote:
    Totally agree. The NHS is all very well but it works at its own pace which gets slower and slower. In the past I have gone private when I had insurance and recently I paid to see a chiropractor rather than wait 4 weeks in agony with sciatica - that was the best the NHS could do other than give me stronger and stronger pain meds.

    It was well worth it, one visit and I could weightbear again, and within a few days felt much better and the pain was considerably less. My recovery was far quicker than had I waited for the physio. appointment.

    I look upon it as you get piece of mind and quicker assistance and someone else gets your place in the NHS queue, obviously I and you I guess are having to pay out of savings but what is our life worth in agony, surely more than the price of the consultation?

    Good luck

    Hi yes I am paying out of my own savings I regret not taking out medical insurance when it was offered 13 year ago when I started my job! I have sciatica too and the GP just keeps giving me stronger pain killers. The way I feel at the moment I would pay anything to get answers.
  • Slosh
    Slosh Member Posts: 3,194
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was referred to pain management in February. In June I was contacted and asked if I was happy for my referral to be passed to a private hospital in order to try and speed things up. I felt gulity but said yes.
    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
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 3,635
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    After 6 months of going backwards and forwards to the GP, one Doc saying it was this another saying it wasn't it was that I finally said enough is enough I want a private appointment with a rheumatologist, with in 4 days and 10 minutes into my appointment I finally got a diagnoses. My appointment had been on a Saturday, the consultant asked me to ask my GP for an email referral, did this on the Monday. Two weeks later I saw him again put on medication, sorted!!!

    It is sad that the NHS take so long but I have to say that now I am in the system I get the best of care and support.
  • JenniferB27
    JenniferB27 Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you everyone! Im doing the right thing I'm sure, I have my referral letter and looking forward to getting some answers. What I found unbelievable is that held within my notes (I had a peek) is mention that I have a bulging disc c5 and c6 in my neck which they failed to tell me, they said I had cervical Spondylosis but my pain was mostly muscular?!?! Still, they should have told me that I had a bulging disc.
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    So they should have done Jennifer! Naughty :(

    Don't forget to let us know how you get on if you can.

    Love

    Toni xx
  • JenniferB27
    JenniferB27 Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    frogmorton wrote:
    So they should have done Jennifer! Naughty :(

    Don't forget to let us know how you get on if you can.

    Love

    Toni xx

    Thanks so much! I will let you know, I can't wait for this appointment I've spent the day in bed with complete exhaustion and pains. X
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    frogmorton wrote:
    So they should have done Jennifer! Naughty :(

    Don't forget to let us know how you get on if you can.

    Love

    Toni xx

    Thanks so much! I will let you know, I can't wait for this appointment I've spent the day in bed with complete exhaustion and pains. X
    Oh Jennifer I hope today is better ((()))

    Toni xx
  • JenniferB27
    JenniferB27 Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    frogmorton wrote:
    frogmorton wrote:
    So they should have done Jennifer! Naughty :(

    Don't forget to let us know how you get on if you can.

    Love

    Toni xx

    Thanks so much! I will let you know, I can't wait for this appointment I've spent the day in bed with complete exhaustion and pains. X
    Oh Jennifer I hope today is better ((()))

    Toni xx

    Thank you! The swelling on my hand was really bad yesterday I tried to upload a picture but the file was too big and I cant5figure out how to reduce it lol x
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I went private many moons ago when I was struggling to comprehend that the meds were not working as I wanted: I wondered if I was getting the right kind of treatment because I was used to medication making me feel well and controlling a problem to the extent that it wasn't noticeable. It turned out that I was (and still am) so had to rethink my definition of 'working' regarding medication.

    I also learned that conditions such as auto-immune arthritis were not covered under private medical insurance because they were on-going conditions. We have seen my current NHS consultant privately once in order to have a decent length of appointment. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • AliB
    AliB Member Posts: 41
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Yes I did this June ...for a hip replacement... was on the NHS list then 10 days before my op the hospital rang and put it back another 9 weeks so upset as I was so uncomfortable and couldn't stand almost the same waiting time again...am going in three weeks to have the other hip done by the same surgeon....want to get my life on track and if I have to pay for it then so be it.although I appreciate not everyone is in the position to do so.
  • JenniferB27
    JenniferB27 Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    AliB wrote:
    Yes I did this June ...for a hip replacement... was on the NHS list then 10 days before my op the hospital rang and put it back another 9 weeks so upset as I was so uncomfortable and couldn't stand almost the same waiting time again...am going in three weeks to have the other hip done by the same surgeon....want to get my life on track and if I have to pay for it then so be it.although I appreciate not everyone is in the position to do so.

    It's been 6 weeks so ce my doctor referred me to a rheumatologist and they still have me on the triage list. I'm really struggling so have an appointment next week. I will be using my savings but the waybii feel I would pay anything to get sorted. I am floored today and the pain and swelling is in a lot of my joints. I really am hoping for answers I hope I'm not expecting too much. I hope your hip op goes well. I've started to get aches and stiffness in my hip and really hoping it isn't OA, I have it in my neck, k was and wrists. I have never felt so tired in all my life x
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That's good Jennifer don't forget to let us know how you get on next week.

    By the way there's a thread on chit chat up near the top by an old forum member about how to post photos....

    I haven't tried it myself and now use google drive which is fairly easy.

    Best of luck

    Toni xx
  • Dragonfly17
    Dragonfly17 Member Posts: 47
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, I went private for my initial diagnosis last year, it was the best thing I could have done. Like you I was in great pain, with swollen joints going back and forth to the GP for pain relief (none of which worked) whilst waiting to see a rheumatologist - waiting list of 3 months. I felt I could not go on, I was getting very depressed being unable to even care for myself; I felt private was my only way forward. Luckily my GP was happy to refer me and I got an appointment within a week and the rheumatologist was also a Consultant at my local hospital. At my private visit he offered to continue to see me via the nhs. By the time I got to see him at would have been my initial appointment with the nhs, I was already a month into my treatment. I have continued with the nhs but was so happy I took the decision I did to go privately initially.
    I hope you have as good a experience as I had and get the help you obviously need. Will be thinking of you.
  • JenniferB27
    JenniferB27 Member Posts: 74
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, I went private for my initial diagnosis last year, it was the best thing I could have done. Like you I was in great pain, with swollen joints going back and forth to the GP for pain relief (none of which worked) whilst waiting to see a rheumatologist - waiting list of 3 months. I felt I could not go on, I was getting very depressed being unable to even care for myself; I felt private was my only way forward. Luckily my GP was happy to refer me and I got an appointment within a week and the rheumatologist was also a Consultant at my local hospital. At my private visit he offered to continue to see me via the nhs. By the time I got to see him at would have been my initial appointment with the nhs, I was already a month into my treatment. I have continued with the nhs but was so happy I took the decision I did to go privately initially.
    I hope you have as good a experience as I had and get the help you obviously need. Will be thinking of you.

    Thanks so much! I had an hour with the co sultan and he diagnosed 3 things! He was great so I have palendromic arthritis, Fibromyalgia and Hypermobity Syndrome..im.not going round the bend! Best thing I could have ever done x