Can I go private and then back public?

elleelle19

I have had some problems with me knees and was attending the bone and joint unit in Vincents, I got a diagnosis of hyper-mobility and was sent for some physio, all seemed well and I was discharged a few months ago.

In the last few days my knee has completely locked up. I can't straighten my leg or walk on it. I went to the VHI Swiftcare clinic and they said it might be a Menicus tear but I need and MRI and then to see and ortho. I was thinking of just paying for the MRI and Consultant as this is obviously pretty urgent and I don't know how long I would be waiting to be seen again publicly. But if it ends up that I need surgery or something would I be able to have that publicly?

I can just about afford to pay for an MRI and a Consultant visit, but no way could I afford thousand (No idea how much it would actually be) for knee surgery.

I don't want to be queue jumping public waiting lists or anything, but I really need to get this sorted asap. Walking is kind of important.

whats_my_name

I had an MRI done privately in July but my consultant visits and subsequent procedures have all been public. Like you, I couldn't straighten my leg (still can't) & it was a suspected meniscus tear, my consultant booked me in for MRI (private) and a scope to trim meniscus (public) within 3 weeks. Unfortunately it was more than a meniscus tear, tore cruciate & mcl also...so after a week in hospital for intense physio in October, still can't straighten leg, now waiting to see specialist in Beaumont. To go private for the operation I require it would cost in the region of €5000 in the sports clinic in Santry. It was my consultant who suggested going private for MRI so maybe speak to them again to see if you could do something similar.

elleelle19

Thanks What_my_name. Unfortunately at the moment I don't have a consultant. I've been discharged from Vincents, just worried about how long it might take me to get back in there. Might ring them and see if I can find out.

Can you walk on your leg? I'm freaking out that I'm going to end up on crutches for weeks.

whats_my_name

For a long time after I had an obvious limp, its only recently got better but can be obvious again when I've been on my feet all day or the few days after a night out. My quad & glute muscles have completely wasted away so I have loads of exercises to do to try & strengthen them up, which will hopefully enable me to straighten my leg. I am receiving physio at the moment so it helps.

I would recommend then that you go to your gp, get a referral letter to the orthopaedic clinic in the nearest available hospital, they be on weekly in my nearest hospital so if you went today you should hopefully be seen by a consultant next week. See what they say and say you are prepared to pay for MRI, mine cost €200 in Drogheda. I've just been so unlucky with mine, hopefully you'll be back on your feet in the next few months.

whats_my_name

Just to add though I would be a worst case scenario with this type of injury. My consultant is baffled as to what's causing my leg not straightening hence why I've been reffered to a specialist. More than likely you'll not have to see a specialist & it will be much more straightforward than mine.

Spook_ie

elleelle19 wrote: »

Thanks What_my_name. Unfortunately at the moment I don't have a consultant. I've been discharged from Vincents, just worried about how long it might take me to get back in there. Might ring them and see if I can find out.

Can you walk on your leg? I'm freaking out that I'm going to end up on crutches for weeks.

I think ringing Vincents would be my first port of call, if the wait is too long for them, your GP can order a MRI so you dont need a consultant and then depending on the result you can decide what your next plan of action is.

elleelle19

The Swiftcare doctor gave me a referral letter for the MRI and the ortho consult so don't need to go back to GP.

Would Vincents usually be able to tell you how long a wait it would be. I know the last time I got seen pretty quick because I'm only in my early thirties and they thought I might have arthritis or something in my knees. But whenever I have rang them, they seemed pretty useless.

Edit to say I've made and app with Euromedic for the MRI, it's this friday.

Vorsprung

elleelle19 wrote: »

The Swiftcare doctor gave me a referral letter for the MRI and the ortho consult so don't need to go back to GP.

Would Vincents usually be able to tell you how long a wait it would be. I know the last time I got seen pretty quick because I'm only in my early thirties and they thought I might have arthritis or something in my knees. But whenever I have rang them, they seemed pretty useless.

Edit to say I've made and app with Euromedic for the MRI, it's this friday.

The referral letter would need to be seen by the consultant and it's triaged from there, so hard to know long it would take, it's not something they can tell you over the phone.

Maura74

Meniscus tear is very painful in itself, it happened to me about 5 years ago when I was rushing to catch public transport. I did not fall not sure what I did but when I put foot down I nearly fell over with pain. Went to A&E got an x-ray but nothing was broken and told me to go home. I advised them that I could not stand never mind walking. They got me some crutches and I made my way home. Luckily there is lots of public transport nearby and I did not have far to walk, it is a problem when you live on your own having to do shopping and making meals etc.

Next day my knee was swollen like a balloon, went to GP and was sent to another hospital nearby and they booked me in for a MRI but after that was done they could not see anything due to swelling. However the consultant suspected a meniscus tear, I was advised to have knee arthroscopy commonly known as knee wash. I would have agreed to it if it was done under local anaesthetic but they could only do it under general anaesthetic. I am not good at being knocked out completely. Also I was told that the knee wash would clean out bits of that apparently get lodge there over time as we get older. I decided to keep doing the physio and it took almost a year before it went completely. My knee is good as new now thank god.

http://www.medicinenet.com/torn_meniscus/page3.htm#how_is_a_meniscus_tear_diagnosed

elleelle19

Vorsprung wrote: »

The referral letter would need to be seen by the consultant and it's triaged from there, so hard to know long it would take, it's not something they can tell you over the phone.

Is it possible to just send a copy of the letter and keep the original in case they say it is going to be 6 months and then I can use it to get a private appointment? Or if i sent it in and then rang to explain that I can't walk unaided and see if that speeds it up.

Maura74 wrote: »

I was advised to have knee arthroscopy commonly known as knee wash.[/url]

Was the arthroscopy done publicly or privately? how long did it take to get done?

Maura74

elleelle19 wrote: »

Was the arthroscopy done publicly or privately? how long did it take to get done?

elleelle19 I live in the UK therefore used NHS. I did not go through with the surgery for 2 reason firstly I thought that they would mend the tear but apparently they cannot do that they can only clean the knee out around the tear.
Secondly, I am a coward, I do not get on well with general anaesthetic, although I had to have it when I was younger for ops, but got ill afterwards. It is a bit like flying with me did it when I was younger but as I got older I tend to stay away from it and look for alternatives.

I do not think it matter whether it is private or public the same medical professionals do both public and private. The only difference is the with private you get medical attention when you want it. I am sure I will be correct if I got it wrong.

username123

elleelle19 wrote: »

Was the arthroscopy done publicly or privately? how long did it take to get done?

I saw a OS (orthopedic surgeon)privately some years back after not bring able to walk or use my leg for 3 years and wasting thousands on a useless OS and physio. Problem was bucket handle meniscus tear, lay flat on MRI so everyone kept saying nothing was wrong. The new OS immediately decided to scope and booked me in to his public list as I did not have vhi. 6 weeks later I was scoped and repaired. Repair meaning he cut out the bit that was flapping about locking my knee up. Pm if you want his name. I highly recommend him. I've had other knee surgeries and this guy was the most human OS I've ever encountered.

elleelle19

username123 wrote: »

I saw a OS (orthopedic surgeon)privately some years back after not bring able to walk or use my leg for 3 years and wasting thousands on a useless OS and physio. Problem was bucket handle meniscus tear, lay flat on MRI so everyone kept saying nothing was wrong. The new OS immediately decided to scope and booked me in to his public list as I did not have vhi. 6 weeks later I was scoped and repaired. Repair meaning he cut out the bit that was flapping about locking my knee up. Pm if you want his name. I highly recommend him. I've had other knee surgeries and this guy was the most human OS I've ever encountered.

So did you see him privately and then he was able to put you on the public list for the surgery?

username123

elleelle19 wrote: »

So did you see him privately and then he was able to put you on the public list for the surgery?

Yes.

I saw him privately at rooms in leixlip and he operated on me as a public patient in Tallaght hospital. I then saw him publicly in his rooms in Tallaght hospital for follow up (ie, it was free).

Maura74

elleelle19 wrote: »

So did you see him privately and then he was able to put you on the public list for the surgery?

I think you can do that in Ireland as looking back when my mother wanted a hip operation she was in her 70's the medical profession did not want to do it because of her age.
After speaking to her GP she had the op in the end with the op done on health service but she paid for her aftercare apparently accommodation and after care is the most expensive. Speak to HSE or your GP about it.

Marcusm

Maura74 wrote: »

Secondly, I am a coward, I do not get on well with general anaesthetic, although I had to have it when I was younger for ops, but got ill afterwards. It is a bit like flying with me did it when I was younger but as I got older I tend to stay away from it and look for alternatives.

I had an arthroscopy for a miniscus tear - like you I live int he UK but tore it getting off a plane in Ireland and had it done there. rather than a general, I had a spinal block anaesthetic. It's somewhat similar in principle to an epidural. You have to stay overnight afterwards but it might be worth considering. I know others in your position (my issue was weight related) who have had knees and hips done with spinal blocks.

Maura74

Marcusm wrote: »

I had an arthroscopy for a miniscus tear - like you I live int he UK but tore it getting off a plane in Ireland and had it done there. rather than a general, I had a spinal block anaesthetic. It's somewhat similar in principle to an epidural. You have to stay overnight afterwards but it might be worth considering. I know others in your position (my issue was weight related) who have had knees and hips done with spinal blocks.

Thanks Marcusm it's better now, I did some exercises as direct by physio, but it took a while for the pain to go completely and swelling to go down.
UCH in London did not recommend epidural block therefore I refused the op, but the consultant said I could go back within a year and have the op if needed to, thankfully it got better and no operation.

I will never cry foul again when I see a footballer rolling over in pain on the field when playing as it certainly is very painful.