I Hate the NHS!!!!

[Dannywayoflife]

Thanks for the support everyone! I will keep you all updated with my progress.(I'm sure my gp won't make it easy!)

[marcus]

Danny first posting so hope this works.
I am currently trying to get a good surgeon on NHS.
I went thru gp and to hospital nearby to see surgeon who I understand had a lot of experience.
I was booked via ECN which is computer NHS booking.
I was seen however by one of his registrar surgeons who was on a 6 th month secondment.
Whilst having xrays and mri ,a second surgeon also on 6 th month secondment replaced the first.
His view was different to the 1 st  one.So I asked to see the main surgeon who I had hoped to see at first.
I was told that his fees was not within NHS guidlines and as such I would have to apply to my local NHS
and that would be under PCT(Primary Care Trust)
I waited for several months and they eventually decided the NHS could not fund me.
I have been back to gp and they have written to another surgeon(Mr Nolan from Norwich) who appears to have a great deal of experience.I am hoping that he sees me in person but have been told that I cannot specify my consultant surgeon just the hospital.
So fingers crossed.
I have spent about 9 months and have not achieved my aim as yet.
Good luck ref Mr Treacy maybe as you had private appointment he will help treat you under NHS.
Hope this will help you
Cheers Marcus

[Dannywayoflife]

hi marcus hope that you also get to see the surgeon of your choice! I spoke to mr treacy at great length about this and he said that he gets referrals from all over the country. So it can be done. I think that my being so young kinda works in my favour as i can use the argument that i need to see the best most experienced surgeon available as if it was to go wrong then at 28 that would be a total disaster!! I have fought my pct successfully before when they refused to opperate on my broken nose as they said it was cosmetic even though i could not breeth through it!! So if it comes to it then that is what i will do.
However i recieved the copy of the letter that mr treacy wrote tomy gp this evening and i feel that it is pretty persuasive and i feel maywell be enough to get the refferal. so ill just have to wait and see!
If worse comes to worst then ill just pop smoke to india and see dr bose on my own dime!
ATB Danny

[Tin Soldier]

"Earn your Treatment" that's awesome!  Danny - you got 10 more years of pain before you can get a new hip, dude ::)  We should put together a list of quotes from crappy doctors.  That would be kind of fun and we could keep it anonymous so we get in trouble.  I think you did the right thing by getting support from some of the best surgeons in the world.  Hang in there.

I think I emotionally earned a new hip as soon as the pain and poor ROM set in and my life became more sedentary and I became depressed.  I actually think I did a good thing for insuracne and in the long run I think I will be saving them money by staying with a healthy, active, and positive lifestyle. 

Do you guys in the Isles think maybe the NHS is changing their tune on HR in the last few months?  I ask because I sense that since the ASR recall last August, that stupid House MD show in Feb, some increases to copays on HR from my insurer this spring, and the recent FDA request for more data on metals ions,...  maybe this new fad of questioning the viability of HR is not just in the US and it's more international?

[Dannywayoflife]

"Earn your Treatment" that's awesome!  Danny - you got 10 more years of pain before you can get a new hip, dude ::)  We should put together a list of quotes from crappy doctors.  That would be kind of fun and we could keep it anonymous so we get in trouble.  I think you did the right thing by getting support from some of the best surgeons in the world.  Hang in there.

I think I emotionally earned a new hip as soon as the pain and poor ROM set in and my life became more sedentary and I became depressed.  I actually think I did a good thing for insuracne and in the long run I think I will be saving them money by staying with a healthy, active, and positive lifestyle. 

Do you guys in the Isles think maybe the NHS is changing their tune on HR in the last few months?  I ask because I sense that since the ASR recall last August, that stupid House MD show in Feb, some increases to copays on HR from my insurer this spring, and the recent FDA request for more data on metals ions,...  maybe this new fad of questioning the viability of HR is not just in the US and it's more international?

Hay Tin,
           i dont think that the bad media coverage of the asr debacle and the oxford thing have made much of a difference to my case but i know that some surgeons are worried by it. I think mainly due to the fact that the problems seem to arrise from the devices not being correctly installed. It means that they carnt blame anything other than poor technique. I think thay are using this bad media to cover themselfs for the future so that missinformed patients will belive the "its the device not me"argument!
Yeah the earn your op quote still gets my goat now!
Like you i feel emotionally i have earnt my new hip now! ive gained about 40-50lbs since august last year! due do depression and being unable to live my life how i want! I could cope with pain (the guy who did my arthroscopy said he couldnt belive i was able to walk) but emotionally im threaders!! i want my life back!!!!!!!

[Anniee]

Danny, of course you want your life back, and I think it's terrible that you have had to fight so hard for a surgeon who understands what you need!  Hopefully, things will work out the way you deserve, and the same for Marcus!  I'm afraid we'll be in the same boat here in the US in a few years.   Hang in there, both of you!

[Tin Soldier]

Maybe you should get a credit card, or sell your car, or maybe get a small part time job, or eat beans and rice for awhile and then just go to Belgium.  But ask DeSmet if you can get some beer during recovery.  There's no way I could or would spend $55k, but for $12k? and not many other choices?  I'd find a way to do it.   

BTW - you need to get your life.  Stick with it.

[Dannywayoflife]

Hay tin, going to see dr de Smet is one of my plan b's. I am however not sure which side of the cement debate I sit on! One minute I think no cement is the way forward then I speak to top surgeon's who have told me that cementless is trying to solve a problem that doesn't really exist. And that it's not just the device that has to be different the whole approach in surgery has to be totally different and is much more complex. Also I've been told its not just a case of spraying ha on the inside of a femoral cap.
I personally think each has there pro's and cons I just don't really know as theres not enough data to compare.

[AlanN]

Danny just stick with it mate, you know what you need just make sure you get it and don't be fobbed off.

If it's any consolation I was in an almost identical situation with PRIVATE care and, like you, became extremely frustrated and depressed.

Dig in, and make sure you get what you want/need, when it's all over you'll wonder what all the fuss was about ;)
Take care and good luck.

[marcus]

hello again
I have a question
if i want to send my hip xray and mri to one of the top guys
how do i first get it from my uk hospital ?
secondly how do i send it to someone abroad or at home other than recorded mail
can i send via internet and if so how ?
thanks marcus

[Dannywayoflife]

Hi Marcus, you have two choices, you either pay for some doing privately approx £100 or you use the freedom of information act to access you NHS ones. They will come on a disc so you can copy them onto your computer and email them that is what I did. Hope this helps
Danny

[marcus]

hi danny
thanks for reply
I will go and ask doctor to get the mri and x ray
hopefully they will come on disc as you said
let us know how you get on with Mr Treacy at 26 you deserve the best
cheers
marcus

[Dannywayoflife]

Hi Marcus you have to apply yourself mate. If you go to your pct's website there will be a freedom of information link somewhere on there and you just apply in writing.
I suspect that I will have to battle to see mr treacy on the NHS but at 28 there's very few surgeons who can give me a really good chance of a great outcome. So we will just have to wait and see what my next appointment with my gp brings

[cassiewoofer]

Hi Danny... I've sent you a PM.

You just need a GP that believes in Resurfacing...... to be honest many of them don't know about this 'new' procedure. Get a second opinion and don't waste any more time with this guy.
WHERE YOU BASED?

(Left BHR, Dec 2010 8))

[chris finn]

So...cassiewoofer...are you having your hip done in 5 months time..or did you put 2011 instead of 2010  ;) ;) :D :D

[Lopsided]

Or is the NHS waiting list five months?

[cassiewoofer]

 Corrected and thank! Was done six months back.

[Groundhog]

Hello Danny.
My first time on here. I have just had my hip done and just found this site.
You may be interested in my story. I was at first refered to my local hospital by my gp. They said they would fit me with a ceramic total job and would have to stop skiing as well as curtail my other sporting activities.
Not happy with that I did some research and found mr Traecy on the web.
Impressed with his qualifications I asked my gp to refer me to him. He was very reluctant and did his best to talk me out of it. He also said our local trust would almost certainly refuse to fund it. I stuck to my guns though and he went ahead with the referal. The trust did agree to it and to cut it short I went to Birmingham Royal Orthopaedic for assessment, pre op etc and last Thursday 7th I had my BHR installed my Mr Traecy himself. So far the experience has been excellent and I am a huge fan of the NHS!
I would urge you to insist on what you want. You can get it and on the NHS too.
I will be posting elsewhere on here with  some questions I have.
Good luck.

[Dannywayoflife]

Hay groundhog,
                      I saw my gp yesterday and in light of all the evidence I had in my file including an outstanding letter from Mr Treacy he agreed to referr me to see him!
Although he did make a few smarmy remarks I got what I wanted out of him although it clearly annoyed him to do it he didn't really have a choice!
I just have to hope my pct will fund my operation now!

[Lori Cee]

Way to go Danny!

That is awesome news :)  Hopefully now things can get moving in the right direction for you!