"I was admitted to the old DRI ..."

What I liked

I was admitted to the old DRI as a surgical emergency for massive slipped disc with cauda equina syndrome. I was operated on the following day, and discharged on the wed, with a view to a f/up appt in 2 weeks. My f/up came 6 weeks later. I attended this appt and had a further appt for 3 months time. At this appt I told the consultant that I had started to experience problems again and was told it was all to be expected and to be patient. At a further appt I told the same consultant that I was experiencing further problems and again was told to be patient, this went on with my symptoms getting worse until Jan of this year my legs kept buckling underneath me and I was in excrutiating pain so another MRI was ordered, this request was lost so ended up waiting longer than I should of.In March I was admitted with loss of bladder sensation and a numb left leg, I was visited by around 5-6 Drs who stood at the end of my bed and said "why are you here, your MRI doesn't show anything"! I told them the symptoms of my admission, We'll arrange physio was the reply. At this point I broke down and nearly discharged myself but for 1 kindly nurse. To cut a long story short pain management got invoved and I was left with an open appt for orthopaedics. My first appt with the pain team I couldn't even be examined properly because I was in so much pain so another MRI was ordered with a different sequence. 15 months down the line and with help of an understanding Dr who was willing to listen to my symptoms and the scan showed adhesions had formed around my surgery site, tethering the S1 nerve. I'm still in pain, but at least I know why and now something is finally being done to help me. If an animal had been in left in that much pain and discomfort it would of either been put to sleep, and the owner would have been prosecuted. Why are Dr's allowed to treat their patients in this way, when they are being told that their patient is in pain and no longer has any quality of life.

What could be improved

Doctors should listen to what their patients are telling them, and be respectful when speaking to them.

Scans and results should be explained to patients fully and not always using medical terminology that not everyone understands.

Anything else?

During my admission in March, I had a spinal epidural injection for pain relief in my leg. This was done on an open ward full of older people.

Do you find this acceptable?

I certainly didn't.