A Barossa Valley woman who's had her elective surgery cancelled three times this year has made an emotional plea for help.

The 66-year-old is among tens of thousands of South Australians on a waitlist, as the state's health system struggles to cope with demand.

Monica Wohlstadt, who requires complex spinal surgery, has been in pain for over a year.

"Even though I'm 66, I feel like a 90-year-old," she said.

Wohlstadt's initial surgery was scheduled for July but was cancelled due to capacity issues. A subsequent booking in August met the same fate.

"Receiving that news when you're home on your own has been emotional and destroying," she said.

She then declined surgery with a specialist she had not previously met, before a further cancellation in November.

Opposition health spokeswoman

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