From Chronic Pain to a Pain-Free Future: My Spine Surgery Story

My name is Oliver, and for over 30 years, I managed construction projects across the UK. It was a tough job, but I loved it. I was a hands-on manager, always on the site, climbing ladders, and carrying equipment. But all those years of heavy lifting and physical strain eventually caught up with me. For the past decade, I've been living with chronic, debilitating back pain.

It started as a dull ache, but it progressed to a constant, searing pain that shot down my legs. I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. It got so bad that even sitting for more than 15 minutes was torture. I couldn't go on long walks with my wife, and my life, which was once so active, was reduced to a cycle of pain, medication, and doctor's visits.

I knew I needed spine surgery, but the prospect was terrifying. In the UK, the NHS waitlist was impossibly long—I was told it could be over a year. And the private options were financially out of reach for a retiree like me, costing tens of thousands of pounds. I was in constant pain, and the idea of waiting so long for a solution was unbearable. I felt trapped and powerless.

My daughter, who's very tech-savvy, found information about medical tourism and suggested I look into it. I was skeptical. Turkey? For my spine? It sounded crazy. But when she found PlacidWay’s website and showed me the patient stories, I was impressed. The testimonials felt so real, and the clinic profiles were incredibly detailed. I decided to fill out their inquiry form, not really expecting much.

I received a call the very next day from a PlacidWay patient care manager named Murat. He was a perfect gentleman. He spoke excellent English and had a deep understanding of my condition. We talked for an hour about my symptoms, my fears, and my goals. He explained the concept of spine surgery abroad and assured me that many Turkish hospitals, like the one he was recommending, had international accreditations like JCI (Joint Commission International). He presented me with several options, but Private Algomed Hospital in Adana, Turkey, stood out. The cost for the spine surgery was around £10,500, a fraction of what I would have paid at home.

PlacidWay handled every logistical detail. They arranged my airport transfers, my hotel stay, and all my appointments. When I arrived in Adana, a driver was waiting for me. I was nervous, but the warmth of the Turkish people and the seamless process put me at ease. The hospital was spotless and incredibly modern, every bit as good as, if not better than, a private hospital in the UK. My surgeon was a renowned neurosurgery specialist. He was kind, professional, and took the time to explain the procedure and what to expect during recovery.

The surgery itself was a success. I woke up feeling a different kind of pain—a post-surgical ache, but the chronic, debilitating pain I had lived with for years was gone. The care I received from the nurses was fantastic. They were attentive and compassionate, and the physical therapists had me up and walking with support the very next day.

I spent the next week recovering at a beautiful hotel, doing my physical therapy exercises every day. The city of Adana was lovely, and just being able to walk around a bit without that crushing pain was a miracle. When I flew back to Nottingham, I felt like a new man. Over the next few months, my mobility improved dramatically. I'm now able to go on long walks with my wife, and I even started a small woodworking hobby. I'm not just living without pain; I'm living life to the fullest again.