Overseas treatment

Mad_maxx

I've zero faith in the so called experts in this country when it comes to anything complex where the patient lives with chronic pain

A 25 kg block fell four feet onto my foot over fourteen months ago and the pain has been unbearable every day since, no consultant I've seen has been any use and my GP happily tells me the pain is all in my head

I'm fortunate to be fairly well off so would be prepared to travel abroad for competent health care, the usa is too expensive but is there any country which stands out?

Thanks for reading

Graces7

Mad_maxx wrote: »

I've zero faith in the so called experts in this country when it comes to anything complex where the patient lives with chronic pain

A 25 kg block fell four feet onto my foot over fourteen months ago and the pain has been unbearable every day since, no consultant I've seen has been any use and my GP happily tells me the pain is all in my head

I'm fortunate to be fairly well off so would be prepared to travel abroad for competent health care, the usa is too expensive but is there any country which stands out?

Thanks for reading

Change your GP?

Assuming you have googled the Cross Border Initiative resources online?

Someone I knew took his wife with knee pain to Spain; there are maybe specialist ex-pat forums? There have been mothers taking little ones overseas in the news.

Mad_maxx

Graces7 wrote: »

Change your GP?

Assuming you have googled the Cross Border Initiative resources online?

Someone I knew took his wife with knee pain to Spain; there are maybe specialist ex-pat forums? There have been mothers taking little ones overseas in the news.

Most GP, s know nothing about chronic pain, I can live with the snide comments

OUTDOORLASS

Check out Dr Tadgh Lynch, who works out of the Aut Even Hospital in Kilkenny and the
Blackrock Clinic. he says...there is always a plan. Very progressive Pain Consultant, and
a total gentleman.

Graces7

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Most GP, s know nothing about chronic pain, I can live with the snide comments

Hey there was nothing snide in what I wrote .

I live with chronic pain so know the scene very well, and only once in my very old age have I had a GP who even had any idea, and the only way IS to shop around. ask others about their drs. I have no choice as I am on a small island.

I now see no drs; lost all faith in them and tell them what to prescribe.
My current one; a neighbour waited three years for a hip op in terrible pain and all he got was Panadol.
Here I was getting nowhere, sleepless with severe pain, then I contacted my previous GP, retired now, in another county and told him I was being refused pain relief. That cleared the logjam. I now get the codeine that is the only thing that avails. Enough to let me get some rest.Although nothing stops the pain totally. I am semi bedbound and the drs did not believe me until the one GP who did intervened.

You have to shop around and make waves. As you are trying to do .
As I said, shop around.
And all good wishes. Life is too short to waste in pain

Mad_maxx

Graces7 wrote: »

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Most GP, s know nothing about chronic pain, I can live with the snide comments

Hey there was nothing snide in what I wrote .

I live with chronic pain so know the scene very well, and only once in my very old age have I had a GP who even had any idea, and the only way IS to shop around. ask others about their drs. I have no choice as I am on a small island.

I now see no drs; lost all faith in them and tell them what to prescribe.
My current one; a neighbour waited three years for a hip op in terrible pain and all he got was Panadol.
Here I was getting nowhere, sleepless with severe pain, then I contacted my previous GP, retired now, in another county and told him I was being refused pain relief. That cleared the logjam. I now get the codeine that is the only thing that avails. Enough to let me get some rest.Although nothing stops the pain totally. I am semi bedbound and the drs did not believe me until the one GP who did intervened.

You have to shop around and make waves. As you are trying to do .
As I said, shop around.
And all good wishes. Life is too short to waste in pain

Oh for heavens sake, I meant I can live with the snide comments of GP, s

Wesser

i thought that graces comments were helpful and kind

holliehobbie

France is supposed to be good. And the Netherlands. I was in A and E in Ireland for a DVT and I was lucky I live really near the hospital because I went home at 2am having been in since 1pm and was back for a scan at 8am then back to A and E for special stockings and an injection. One of the phlebotomists told me about a woman she knew who was treated for a DVT in the Netherlands in less than two hours!!

holliehobbie

France is supposed to be good. And the Netherlands. I was in A and E in Ireland for a DVT and I was lucky I live really near the hospital because I went home at 2am having been in since 1pm and was back for a scan at 8am then back to A and E for special stockings and an injection. One of the phlebotomists told me about a woman she knew who was treated for a DVT in the Netherlands in less than two hours!!

Mad_maxx

Wesser wrote: »

i thought that graces comments were helpful and kind

They were

Silent Running

Mad_maxx wrote: »

I've zero faith in the so called experts in this country when it comes to anything complex where the patient lives with chronic pain

A 25 kg block fell four feet onto my foot over fourteen months ago and the pain has been unbearable every day since, no consultant I've seen has been any use and my GP happily tells me the pain is all in my head

I'm fortunate to be fairly well off so would be prepared to travel abroad for competent health care, the usa is too expensive but is there any country which stands out?

Thanks for reading

I had a major operation in Spain (Costa del Sol). The private hospitals, consultants and surgeons are very good, and mostly English speaking. After the operation, I was in intensive care for 2 days and a week in a private room while I got to my feet.

I paid cash and it wasn't bank breaking. That was in 2005, so it would be a good plan to check out current fees. All scans and tests were done privately, and paid for by credit card at the clinic.

Buenas suerte.

Mad_maxx

Silent Running wrote: »

I had a major operation in Spain (Costa del Sol). The private hospitals, consultants and surgeons are very good, and mostly English speaking. After the operation, I was in intensive care for 2 days and a week in a private room while I got to my feet.

I paid cash and it wasn't bank breaking. That was in 2005, so it would be a good plan to check out current fees. All scans and tests were done privately, and paid for by credit card at the clinic.

Buenas suerte.

Were you on holiday in the Costa del sol and then needed surgery?

Seems an unusual place to eject to have an operation

Silent Running

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Were you on holiday in the Costa del sol and then needed surgery?

Seems an unusual place to eject to have an operation

I was living there at the time. My experience was a good one, so I thought I'd pass it on.

If you elected to have an operation there and wanted to bring a family member as support, and maybe stay a couple of weeks to convalesce, I can think of worse places. :cool:

G-Man

Who in europe is the best surgeon for treating these types of injuries and where do the sports stars with money go for such treatments..

You say you have money so that would be my line.

Some alpine resorts have long history of orthopaedic surgery, and now that's where f1 and soccer stars go for treatment.

Perhaps a few mini breaks with consultation with some consultants in these areas might be worth it.

Mad_maxx

G-Man wrote: »

Who in europe is the best surgeon for treating these types of injuries and where do the sports stars with money go for such treatments..

You say you have money so that would be my line.

Some alpine resorts have long history of orthopaedic surgery, and now that's where f1 and soccer stars go for treatment.

Perhaps a few mini breaks with consultation with some consultants in these areas might be worth it.

I'm not on premiership football money, in Ireland it makes no difference if you have money , service is awful regardless

Graces7

Lost a whole long post,,, some good ideas here though

My pain is nerve pain; does not show outwardely although there are assessable signs,, and aspirin and the others don't touch it. there are codeine otc meds that might help?

Mad_maxx

Graces7 wrote: »

Lost a whole long post,,, some good ideas here though

My pain is nerve pain; does not show outwardely although there are assessable signs,, and aspirin and the others don't touch it. there are codeine otc meds that might help?

I can't take codeine, stomach ulcer risk

Began taking lyrica on the suggestion of my GP around five weeks ago, I'm up to 200mg per day now but no relief ( no side effects though)

My problem may not be nerve pain, nerve pain is something which often gets diagnosed if nothing is showing up on scans or xray

holliehobbie

Graces7 wrote: »

Lost a whole long post,,, some good ideas here though

My pain is nerve pain; does not show outwardely although there are assessable signs,, and aspirin and the others don't touch it. there are codeine otc meds that might help?

Solpadeine? But not for long term use. Has your gp/consultant not recommended anything?

banie01

Mad_maxx wrote: »

I can't take codeine, stomach ulcer risk

Began taking lyrica on the suggestion of my GP around five weeks ago, I'm up to 200mg per day now but no relief ( no side effects though)

My problem may not be nerve pain, nerve pain is something which often gets diagnosed if nothing is showing up on scans or xray

Have you been referred to any pain management specialist or sought a referral to one?

Yes nerve pain, neuropathy or similar is often diagnosed when nothing is visible on a scan, as without a visible cause the pain is very likely Neuropathic.

My advice, and this is as someone who is currently undergoing specialist care and ongoing pain management is to seek a referral to your local Pain Management team.

Regarding seeking treatment via a foreign specialist.
Without an obvious injury being visible, surgery may not be an option.
Without an obvious diagnosis other than pain, seeking any opinion from anything other than a podiatrist may be a bit of a trek too.

Most P.I includes an option for a second opinion, have you sought that as yet?

Graces7

holliehobbie wrote: »

Solpadeine? But not for long term use. Has your gp/consultant not recommended anything?

No; a lot stronger codeine mix than that. On prescription And for many years with no increase in dosage. There is no clinical reason why not; there is a preoccupation re addiction as in the US where codeine heavy meds have been abused and led to addiction and illegal drugs .

But careful self control is fine and it allows me sleep. My first months in Mayo I could not access medical care in any meaningful form and went through sheer hell of pain and no sleep. ( as a few dear folk here witnessed!) Once that mess was sorted life became bearable much of the time. Like many GPs these days they offered Panadol at first but then I contacted my former GP, retired, who set them right. My notes were missing.

Graces7

Mad_maxx wrote: »

I can't take codeine, stomach ulcer risk

Began taking lyrica on the suggestion of my GP around five weeks ago, I'm up to 200mg per day now but no relief ( no side effects though)

My problem may not be nerve pain, nerve pain is something which often gets diagnosed if nothing is showing up on scans or xray

Have you tried pain patches? Someone I know is finally finding relief from severe pain with them . Applied locally they work well. She has a form of arthritis which also does not show on scans etc

Graces7

banie01 wrote: »

Have you been referred to any pain management specialist or sought a referral to one?

Yes nerve pain, neuropathy or similar is often diagnosed when nothing is visible on a scan, as without a visible cause the pain is very likely Neuropathic.

My advice, and this is as someone who is currently undergoing specialist care and ongoing pain management is to seek a referral to your local Pain Management team.

Regarding seeking treatment via a foreign specialist.
Without an obvious injury being visible, surgery may not be an option.
Without an obvious diagnosis other than pain, seeking any opinion from anything other than a podiatrist may be a bit of a trek too.

Most P.I includes an option for a second opinion, have you sought that as yet?

Glad you are getting proper help. At nearly 80 and with the totally ignored issues of severe CFS/ME I am not any more wasting time and energy. Pain relief is all I ask of drs and migraine meds as they have made a comeback.Just pottering out here in the peace is enough now!

I have had to fight even for this.

banie01

Graces7 wrote: »

Have you tried pain patches? Someone I know is finally finding relief from severe pain with them . Applied locally they work well. She has a form of arthritis which also does not show on scans etc

I had some fantastic relief in the past from AC arthritis using Versatis patches.
They are only prescribed now for post herpetic nueralgia AFAIK.

Private prescriptions may differ.

Graces7

banie01 wrote: »

I had some fantastic relief in the past from AC arthritis using Versatis patches.
They are only prescribed now for post herpetic nueralgia AFAIK.

Private prescriptions may differ.

This was from the US. By post. they have a huge variety there even in Walmart

and not just as in the versatis ones... different meds in them.

Graces7

Mad_maxx wrote: »

I can't take codeine, stomach ulcer risk

Began taking lyrica on the suggestion of my GP around five weeks ago, I'm up to 200mg per day now but no relief ( no side effects though)

My problem may not be nerve pain, nerve pain is something which often gets diagnosed if nothing is showing up on scans or xray

ah glad he came through for you. Hoping it improves soon. Nothing more draining than pain