"Fobbed off"

I feel very let down by this hospital.

I was referred by my dentist after complaining of severe jaw pain.

After about a 20 week wait i was finally sent a consultation appointment.

They took an x ray and examined me and then said they would need to refer me to another clinic.

Another 20 weeks later i was seen by another clinic who examined me and then referred me to the orthodontic department.

Again i waited around 18 weeks before i was given an appointment. They did exactly the same, examined me and said they would need to refer me back to the clinic who referred me in the first place.

So again i waited a good 18-20 weeks for an appointment to see a more senior member of staff, by this time the pain was excruciating and i burst into tears as soon as the Doctor walked into the room.

They took one look at me and said they would prescribe anti-depressants for the pain and it would hopefully lift my mood. I was appalled that after over a year of being passed from pillar to post the only option they were giving me was drugs. I am not depressed just in severe pain.

I politely declined this offer and asked to be referred to a more senior member of staff who would (hopefully) not insult my intelligence.

This time i only waited 10 weeks but to my dismay this Doctor admitted that the x-ray that was taken originally was blurred and they wouldn't be able to take another one ( no explanation why).

They then advised that they could insert botox into my face to numb the pain, but there was a high risk that i could lose movement until the botox wore off. Again i refused this invasive treatment until they could actually tell me what the issue was.

I asked if an MRI would help to identify the cause of pain and his response was " we would only do that if the botox or pain killers didn't work.

Forgive me for sounding ungrateful and i understand that the NHS is failing and drugs are a cheaper alternative, but i work hard and pay my taxes and would like these people to do their job properly and not just fob me off due to budget cuts. I left that clinic feeling devastated and let down.

Its now been over two years since i first went to my dentist and the pain is worse than ever.

I am now having to pay to be seen privately in the hope i will get a proper solution for my pain and not just fobbed off.