"How Tarlov cyst has effected my life."

I have been unwell since September 2016. I visited my Gp practice on several occasions to no avail. 

I have paid money to try and get a diagnosis which hasn’t been easy and at a cost I have gotten myself into debt. My Gp practice was refusing to refer me for further investigations as I needed an MRI scan. I am debilitated and house bound due to my long term condition. I have worked for the nhs for the past 23 years and now my job is at risk due to the amount of sickness absence that I have suffered. I finally asked a locum to refer myself to a neurologist in which I am so grateful for his referral. I have been sent around in circles and feel that this could have been prevented if my Gp had carried out test when my Rheumatologist consultant had asked for a referral for a MRI has he was concerned about my symptoms, however my Gp flatly refused because I had been seen privately by the Benenden hospital.

I have been seen by numerous specialists, however I am living a complete nightmare as it shows evidently on my mri  scan that I have a Tarlov cyst but due to funding I’m not able to have this surgery. I have since contacted another Doctor and he has advised that I ask my Gp to refer.  I am at the end of my tether and feel that if my Gp listened this ordeal would not have been so stressful, instead I have been made to feel like it is all in my head. This has had a knock on effect with family and friends as they are enduring this awful agonising journey with me. I really don’t know how much more I can take of feeling constantly unwell.

I am currently having difficulty walking due to burning and tingling in feet and legs, I’m highly concerned about the nerve damage that this is causing to my body. I understand that there are thousands in my situation, although I feel that patients healths are being put at risk due to not being listened to by their Gps