To cancel my referral for an MRI?

[womenspeakout]

So, I've had back pain for years and years now. I had an MRI about 12 years ago. I always have a base level of pain that I just have to get on with and manage.

The other month my back really started to play up, increased pain, spasms every day. I just thought it would right itself, so got on with it. Then I had increased pain and pain in my thigh, it was really bad and making me feel sick, I couldn't sit or walk without so much pain in the back and thigh. I had to cave after a week or so of it not going and went to my GP.
I saw a locum who upped my painkillers and put me through for an MRI.

Looking at it, it seems like sciatica.

Anyway, a few weeks have passed and it's back to it's normal level now. No pain in the thigh.

I have an MRI on Monday, but I'm thinking it'll be a waste of time and money for them as it's back to normal now.

So, to cancel or not. That is the question....

I'm glad you're going, my story is very similar to reckless in that I went for a scan when the neurologist thought my neck pain was probably just due to posture. It turned out I had a prolapsed disc which was causing severe spinal cord compression and I was in danger of permanent paralysis from the neck down if the disc dried out and I fell /had a bump in the car. You're definitely doing the right thing!

Yes you would be very wrong to cancel. You've not been taken seriously previously, now you are. Have the MRI and find out if anything can be seen that could be the cause of your pain. You aren't wasting time or money.

Definitely definitely go, OP! People have to beg for spinal MRI, it’s really hard to get. Don’t waste it. You could be in agony again next week and find yourself with a doctor who won’t refer.

@recklessruby
So glad to hear you're OK now, it must have been a scary ordeal though.

You've completely convinced me, it's one day out of my life, and if further down the line it's worse and could have been sorted earlier, I know I'll regret it, especially after reading your warning!

I'm not scared of it, I actually had one last year for Endo mapping, it's just I didn't want to waste anyone's time and also it's quite out of the way now. We have two hospitals really close by with an MRI, but now you can't use those unless the hospital refers you, not GP. For GP referrals, we have to use an outside source, and all of them are really far, which is annoying.

I thought I only banged up my knee. 8 days later I went for an x-ray, after long thinking (and threats from DH who wanted to drag me to the A&E kicking and screaming).
I am currently on my second week of working from the sofa with a broken kneecap. Crutches, brace, haven't been able to bend my knee since Thursday week before last.

Which means - please go and have a check-up.

@EerieSilence

Oh, poor you, that sounds so painful. How on earth did you do that? God. I wish you a quick recovery.

No, I think I'll definitely go now. I didn't think it would be unanimous that I should go, I actually thought I'd have more don't go replies.

You're not wasting anyone's time or money. The MRI is there, the staff are paid salaries not by the scan. If you're lucky they're on the ball and they fill your cancelled slot, if not, it'll just go empty, so you might as well go.

Honestly, you have pain, it is absolutely right that you have diagnostic testing. You wouldn't quibble if the GP thought you'd broken something and needed an x-ray.

@womenspeakout it really was scary. Like you i thought its just back pain i cant go to hospital and waste people s time with that.
I was 36 at the time and the thought of maybe not walking again was daunting.