A year after successful treatment of a herniated disc, I returned to Mr Ishaque in July 15 having again injured the same part of my back. I had severe pain at the site of the injury and intermittently from my pelvis through to my toes and was leaning away from the pain. An MRI scan showed a new disc herniation colliding with the sciatic nerve. Mr Ishaque recommended nerve blocking and epidural injections, which reduced the pain over the next weeks, but it had returned by late September.
Mr Ishaque explained my back problem to me in considerable detail, together with options of more injections or surgery. I chose the injections, being least invasive and with a worthwhile prospect of success, although he was clear that this may not succeed and that surgery could then be needed. I was pain free after the injections for several weeks, although still leaning. The pain then returned very suddenly and by the end of the year I was on maximum pain killers and anti-inflammatories; my back was more bent and I could only walk very short distances.
A further scan confirmed that the prolapse had not retracted and was constantly impacting my sciatic nerve. Mr Ishaque was definite that micro discectomy and decompression surgery now offered the best prospect of a remedy. After full explanations of the procedure and hazards and thorough preparation by Mr Ishaque and anaesthetist Dr Da Silva, I had the surgery 3 months ago in January 16. It was a long operation, also involving disentanglement of the nerve from the prolapsed disc.
I recovered very rapidly. Mr Ishaque and Dr Da Silva visited me several times to monitor my progress over the next two days. I went home a day early on day 3, walking and with the pain under control. On return home I soon backed off the pain killers and by day 5 had stopped them completely; I've had none since and am completely pain free.
He discharged me at my second review visit three weeks ago, with just physio needed now to help restore strength and flexibility over the coming months. I am able to (expected to ! ) walk up to an hour a day now, my back is straight, and I am returning to more and more of my normal activities.
I commend Mr Mushtaque Ishaque very highly, knowing that he will do all within his considerable skills to resolve anyone's back problem with the least possible intrusion and discomfort. My active life has been returned to me and I cannot thank Mr Ishaque, anaesthetist Dr Da Silva and private secretary Linda Hamilton too much for their genuine care and concern for me throughout.