What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

Hi guys,

Well I havent been writing much on here lately, but I have hit a little snag in the last couple of weeks, which has thrown everything off and I just don't know what to do! :(

Basically, a week or two ago, I noticed some problems with the vision in my right eye, so I went to get it checked out at the medical school here. After some serious testing and consultations with retina specialists, I have been told I have a rare eye condition called myopic choroidal neovascularisation (basically bleeding behind the retina), which can progress to legal blindness rapidly in young people (i'm only 27!) in the affected eye. Now I must say that it looks as though I have gotten away with it because there is no more bleeding and it looks as though mine has spontaneously resolved itself, leaving a big arse scar behind, but I am not at all confident in my retina specialist (who is probably the best SA has to offer) and I just feel totally lost right now. I dont even know if I am sure of the diagnosis reading around.

All I want to do is get on the next plane and get it checked out at Moorefields as I just cant take any chances with this and MUST get the best advice around. Because of my occupation (scientist), I am aware of a big research group based at Moorefields who publish regularly on this condition and I think my best bet is to see these guys. What do you all think? I have e-mailed them to see what my options are, but I dont care, I'll go private if I have to. What are my NHS options? I CANNOT afford to go all over the place in the US (so please do not suggest that!). It's one thing having a serious illness, it's an entirely different matter when you have debt too. Should I just quit here and get the care I need back home (I'm 100% prepared to do that)?

I just need some advice here. My fiancee is shitting herself with worry in the UK and I'm only just about keeping it together here. I've been having a great time until this. Just when you think everything is fine and dandy.

Thanks in advance!

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

I'm sorry to hear about your bad news. While you're a resident in the US you are only entitled to emergency treatment on the NHS. Once you become a UK resident you are entitled to full NHS care.

Take a look at this there is a section about NHS cover for people returning to the UK.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=313047

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

oh dukey, i'm so sorry to read all this :(

i went to moorefields yrs ago when i had shingles on the back of my eyeball and nearly lost my sight in that eye. they were brill and saved me from going blind.

yes i'd be right on that plane back home for sure as long as it's ok to fly with your eye condition....the pressure and all that.
you can always sign on at the local NHS GP as a private patient and pay..it's pennies compared to here. sounds like you may be incontact with some of the team at moorefields and like you said if you have to go private then so be it, can't take the risk with eyesight. tons of good luck :thumbup:

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

Sorry to hear about your problem, I second the above, do check about the aircraft pressure then go back and see what they can do - from what I can see those docs are pretty accommodating.

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

Yeh I knew this. Looking in to it more, it seems that it is up to the hospital to determine whether or not you have to pay and it seems that some may ask, others may not. I do have a residency in the UK that I can used and do have access to a GP so in theory, I could get around it, but I really dont want to cheat the system and understand the reasons why the NHS does this. God I miss the NHS right now! (never thought I'd say that!)

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

Gawd bless it, and centres of excellence like Moorfields are world class.

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

If you'vr paid NI into the Uk system thats not cheating anything IMO

I would check up on pressures and get my arse over pronto

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

Thanks guy's, I think you have helped me make my mind up on this one. I will wait and see what this team says (hopefully by the end of this week) and then get a flight back ASAP. Pressure isnt an issue, but I wll double check with my specialist as well as get a copy of all my tests and notes to take back with me.

What a f**king nightmare!

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

it is, but we are lucky to have moorefields .....take care and good luck :)

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

I think they are now closing loopholes and checking NHS claims with the Inland Revenue. If you have notified the IR that you are not a resident of the UK the hospital can/will bill you. Have a word with Partystar I think she's back working for the NHS...if I remember correctly that's what she said a few weeks ago.

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

Yeh I know they are revising the guidlines, but they have an exemption for UK students studying temporarily outside the UK and technically I could be classed as a student and am on a student visa so that might be an option. At the end of the day though, I don't really give a shit, they can charge me if they want. I would rather pay Moorefields then pay some arsehole here who has some shitty practice down the road and has no experience with this thing.

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

You could be right...hope so. All the best...I hope you get it sorted out.

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

Are you taking any medications (over the counter or prescribed), vitamins, supplements or herbal remedies of any sort? If you are, did you mention this during your appointments?

I mention this because a coworker's MIL is going blind and she went her regular doctor (maybe even a local specialist) and was told she had macular degeneration. Then, she went to a local eye center in my area where the cause of her failing eyesight is due to her medications. Basically, a side effect of one of her medications is possible blindness and that's exactly what's happened to her.

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

No, but thanks for the comments. I wish it was that simple!

Re: What am I supposed to do - desperate!
 

My MIL went suddenly went blind on one eye. Went to her local Casualty Department in the morning, was immediately referred to Moorfields, admitted in the afternoon, and operated on the next morning, and her sight was restored.

I would hope that if someone hasn't been gone from the UK for too long - and especially someone on a student visa like the OP - it shouldn't be too difficult to re-establish residency.