"Don’t hold your breath"

I was referred by my GP to the chronic pain team Margate to assist me in the management of my widespread pain as my quality of life is very poor.

This was done in Oct 2016.

I was triaged and apparently not in enough pain so had to wait for N appointment in January 2017 which for some obscure reason was made in Canterbury Hospital despite living in Thanet.

In Feb 2017 I was given 4 facet joint injections and a hip bursitis injection - these didn’t really work and in May I woke up and couldn’t walk.

Additionally from the waist upwards I was bent at a 90deg angle to the right.

As you can imagine I was in severe pain and could not wait for an August follow up appointment - after a complaint I was seen in Canterbury (a nightmare getting there as I had to arrange for a family memberto drive 120 miles to take me and sit in a car for over 1/2 hr).

At this appointment I was told to change one medicine for nerve pain and that I could have further injections which I would need to go on the waiting list for.

I was insistent I had slipped a disc but this was dismissed.

I went back to my go who arranged an MRI scan and physio in the interim.

The MRI showed I had 4 slipped discs.

I complained about the pain clinic and 9/8/17 asked to be referred to the community one in Thanet so I could have the tools to manage the pain as I did not want further injections and needed to return to work ASAP.

I was put on the waiting list and told it could take 20 weeks.

In the meantime my pain had become so severe And unmanageable.

Additionally I visited A and E where they gave me stronger pain killers so I could manage.

My GP referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon for a view.

I went to the appointment a cancellation mid October 2017 only to find it wasn’t with a surgeon but a triage team to see if I could see an orthopaedic surgeon.

Today, I have just received a Letter advising that because at some point I will see a surgeon I cannot and do not meet the pain clinic criteria therefore my wait has all been cancelled.

I am totally gutted, I telephoned the pain clinic only to be told it’s one or the other so in effect you can’t have pain management if seeing a surgeon (one day when an appointment letter arrives) this is ludicrous!

Disgusted and appalled