My only regret is quite simply not meeting with him sooner.

Having suffered severe and often immobilising back pain at the base of my spine since the late 90’s, I often sought advice and treatment from a range of medical professionals. However, I never left one single appointment or rehabilitation course feeling like the problem has specifically been addressed, but more that I was simply receiving fairly generic treatment with a fingers crossed approach. Nor was I ever given any indication as to precisely what my issue was.

So, not surprisingly I was sceptical at best when I first met with Mr A Ishaque. His credentials spoke for themselves but he was not the first highly qualified consultant to treat me, but I remained open minded and optimistic that he may in fact be able to make a difference. 

I first met with him in Feb 2012. Upon leaving that consultation I was not only impressed by his general demeanour, approach and genuine desire to help, but for the first time since suffering the issue I left confident that at the very least I would learn what my issue was. “You have been treated blind so far, and that is not going to help anybody. Before we do anything else we need to understand what the issue is”. This was music to my ears. At last I was in the hands of proactive consultant who before offering the solution, wanted to know the problem, and it had only taken me 15 years to find one!

Sure enough and without delay I learned the very next week that I was suffering from degenerative disc disease, disc herniation and facet joint arthritis. Not good news, but at least a diagnosis. From here, Mr Ishaque advised me of the most reasonable course of treatment which involved injecting my spine with ‘miracle cure’ (my own labelling), a procedure which he fully explained, reassuring me of it’s simplicity as far as medical procedures go, and the fact he would a carry this out itself.

His approach was very honest and at no point did he try to convince me or suggest that this treatment would solve the problem immediately, but only that in the majority of cases it does work on some level. A date was booked in then and there, and the next thing I know I am lying in the recovery room. Immediately after the procedure Mr Ishaque personally came and saw me to say that there were no complications, everything went as it should have done and that we would meet again next week.

Given the nature of my condition it is by no means cured and there is still a way to go, but I am now on the road to recovery and can see the light at the end of tunnel, which before now simply had not existed.  I am able to play golf, cycle, swim and have more recently started running, none of which I was able to do painlessly prior to meeting with Mr Ishaque.

My only regret is quite simply not meeting with him sooner. If there is anyone else out there deliberating over whether to meet with him, you are only making the same mistake I once did. 

On a more personal note I am very grateful of the time he took out of his day quite recently to listen to my more personal and none back related issues. I am sure he doesn’t want me to invite you all to employ him as your counsellor as well as your medical consultant, but I would like to thank him again for this support he offered. It was beyond the call of duty, genuine, and further evidence of his standing as above all, a very nice man