My L5 is bulge

I hurt my Back at work about 1 month and half ago.. I been going to PT 3 times week. This is a
Workmans comp ..  The Comp Dr.  Said my MRI was negative.  No rupture in any of my Disc.. He said it was just a strain. It started to feel better a couple weeks back so I went back to full work duty well in less then a week my lower back was killing me.. pain through out my back my right butt cheek and right leg.. Sometimes the tips of my toes get extremly numb.. Pins and needles.
I went Back to Comp Dr but seen a different Dr he , My regular Comp Dr. was Sick..  He looked at my paper work Said my MRI was negative for rupture or herniated Disk ,, but said my L5 was bluged..  He said I just had a strain to and gave some steriods.  
My back is killing me.. The thing I was curious about was , why wasn't I told I had a bugling disk or is it that it couldn't cause the pain..  My back hurts something terrible , Im taking 500 mg naparoxon and steriods but no relief from the pain If I ask for something stronger they look at me like im a drug addict..

[fairylady77]

first off.....welcome to wc hell!!!   the drs will lie and cheat and do whatever wc wants them to do to play your injury off like its nothing. the fact that you have leg pain...pins and needles feeling.........the disc is pressing on the sciatic nerve.

now....a bulging disc, herniated discs are the SAME THING...so dont let them fool you into thinking that they have different meanings.  if the disc is pressing on the nerve...heck yes it will cause BAD leg pain. and yes, you will have bad back pain if the disc is bulging....

do me one quick favor.....call the place that done your MRI and ask them for a complete copy of your MRI results. Go pick it up....or have them mail it to you...but PLEASE get a copy of it and read it for yourself...if you dont understand it...just ask us!! this way, you will KNOW that you are getting the full facts...instead of JUST what the dr wants to tell you....believe me....wc drs are NOT for the injured worker!!!!  you just have NO IDEA how sick workers comp and wc drs reallllly are.....they treated injured workers soooooo inhumanely....and pretty much...its legal...believe it or not.

you are in one very LONGGGGGGG ride with wc. so.....start now. Keep a DAILY journal of EVERYTHING....what happened, what date....who you told, who witnessed the incident, when you started seeing the dr....what they told you....procedures done, restrictions given.....also list the days that you missed from work, hours you attempted to work, dont leave ANYTHING out. BELIEVE ME...you will be sooooooooooo glad that you kept a daily journal of EVERY SINGLE detail. no matter how minor the detail....WRITE IT DOWN.

most likely, you will end up needing an attorney....sad to say..but its true. just be certain that its a BOARD CERTIFIED wc specialist. they do not get paid unless they win your claim....so please....talk to one!!!

here is a GREAT website for you to go to...but PLEASE...keep your identity, workplace and MAJOR details (such as drs names, wc ins names).....anonymous. dont even give exact date of injury.  you can ask any question you need to on this site....laws from your own state.....but you want to remain as anonymous as possible so that wc cannot link it to you.  you WILL be soooooooooo happy that you learned about this site!!!   EVERY injured worker needs to know that this site exists....it has ALOT of helpful info.
                   www.workerscompensationinsurance.com

[fairylady77]

oh yeah.............also....along with your daily journal....you might as well get you a folder.....(i have an expandable file folder)....and keep EVERYTHING in it.  get copies of ALL medical reports regarding your injury. any dr you have seen thus far.....go ahead and get copies of the reports and keep them. (sometimes its also "nice" to read whats in them.....and i mean "nice" very loosely....lol......sometimes what they say in their notes...will REALLY **** you off)

[chadry]

Well I could not have said it better myself. Excellent advice you gave. I have done all those things you mentioned. You have too.
Dougy- listen to this advice given. It is what you have to do. WC is a game and you have to play it according to their rules.
Read, read ,read and get informed about your problem. I have a disc "bulge at L4-5" with an annular tear that they told me was nothing. I aslo have quite a few in my neck, but according to them that is something that just comes with age. You feel a disc bulge believe me.
You may also want to read up about and EMG to see what nerves are being effected by this so called nothing problem you are having, and mention to them that you think it may be helpful if they gave you an EMG.
And by the way when they start telling you maybe you should consider changing your work or quitting your job just tell them that you have no plans on that and that if your job is making this problem worse then maybe they should keep you out till you are feeling better, but that probably will not happen. They will keep sending you back and back and back. Eventually they will declare you M.M.I. and say there is nothing else they can do for you.
Get a lawyer. If you have a union go through them.Only share what is necassry with your employer. When the doctor asks how are you today and you think they are being friendly, do not answer OK. They will write that down that you said you are doing fine.
Do a search on images about bulging discs where yours is located and see exactly where the pain may travel. That has been very helpful to me for my own personal knowledge.
The website that was mentioned is very good I would check that out. Alot of good info there.
How these doctors get away with what they do to us is a shame. You are probably in for a long road ahead of you, but remember that is a game that is not in your favor.
Fairylady77- I would love to hear about your problem sometime. Sounds like you have been through the wringer like me.
Chadry

[fairylady77]

Thank you Chadry....I can only speak from experience! haha. Ive not had as many "horror" stories as others have had...BUT...that does not lessen all that they have put me through. In the beginning, I was made to feel that my injury was nothing. Had I known then, what I know now, I would have left the drs office and come straight home. But, instead, I went back to work, just as the dr stated. The next day, I could not even move. It took me over a month to get them idiots to see that sending me back to work was causing me me harm than good, so they put me out of work until I got in to see the ortho dr. What a jerk that one was. I could barely move, total agony...and yet...was told to get back to work!!!  Long story short, after pt, and injections, nothing worked. (had to even BEG to get pt and injections!!!!!)....So was sent to surgeon to discuss surgery.  It took them a YEAR to get me in to see the surgeon..(which means a year that i didnt have a dr to go to at all...no medical care/treatment for that long!!!)..he was NOT happy that it had taken so long since injury occurred more than 2 years ago!!  well...he recommended surgery....hmmmm....that recommendation was MONTHS ago...and still have not got a date for surgery....and its too late for surgery now!!! damage has been done.  this whole time, wc has procrastinated on making necessary appts....pretty much like I have been lost in the system..and yet, its not that we get "lost".....thats just how the game is played. They hope that you get mad as heck and give up and move on without them so that they dont have to pay for your injury.

wc rules are sooooo ignorant. you not only have to sit and wait and wait and wait for them to get the appts made....BUT.....THEY set the appts for you, if that appt doesnt work for you, then you have to call WC.....NOT the drs office....and you have to tell wc that they have to reschedule the appt that they just made for you, because it doesnt work for you for whatever reason....then it takes them DAYS, sometimes WEEKS, to re-schedule that appt. To me, if an appt is made and doesnt work for me, I should be able to call the drs office and schedule the appt for when it works for me....but NOPE....thats against the "rules". wc has COMPLETE control over your health....and yet, they do as little as possible to get you the help that is needed to get you better.  

oh yeah.....dougy.....very true what chadry said......your employer.....your dr......workers comp......THEY ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS.....they are ready and willing to use anything you say/do against you.....i dont care how true/dedicated you have been to your employer, I dont care how close you are to your boss......this changes EVERYTHING....your boss might "pretend" to care...but believe me....they are reporting back to the company any little thing that can be used against you....so please be wise...and dont go into this blindly!!!  KNOW that they are now against you....because they KNOW that their company is now at high risk for LOTS of medical expenses, wage loss, etc....AND potential big money payout down the line....so no...they are NOT going to be your friend now...even if it seems that they havent changed....believe me....their true feelings/attitudes changes once you got hurt. Me and everyone at my job got along great, we worked very well together, laughed tremendously together, it was like our second home.....once I got hurt....NO ONE called to see how I was doing. They ALL abandoned me.  and if you think for one minute that this is just this one workplace.......hahahahhaa....you have another thing coming....lol. they are ALL like this. so please...prepare yourself as we have told you.

[chadry]

Hi fairylady,
the sad part about your story is that I can understand it all. Before I had any MRI's done I had one ortho doc. tell me I was lying about everything. I was so mad and frustrated and in pain thay day I cried like a baby the whole hour drive home. I had to have someone take me there that day because of the pain to be told I was lying. They always sent me to places so far away from me like there was no one closer to see me.
Last month my lawyer finally had a conference with the judge for my case. The judge was so upset about the lack of treatment that was given to me after the tests were done and my EMG confirmed that I had chronic L-5 radiculopathy that he is sending me to a doctor of his choice that is no way related to WC and he wants to see where I stand now over 2 years after my injury. Of course his office is not in any hurry either to set up my appt. I am still waiting on that but at least I have someone looking out for my well being.
Today I have benn down all day because of this new pain I have been getting in my calf. By new I mean this has been going on a few weeks now when I sit. It usuaaly gets better after I am up walking a bit but not today. No matter what today it has been there. Add that to my list.
I lost my job over a year ago. WC declared me MMI for about the 5th time and I was no where near better. I could not walk so I had to see a doctor on my own and he took me out of work for 4 weeks, so that gave them their chance to finally get rid of me. My union tried to fight it but I could not preform my duties I was hired for and WC would not see me anymore so that was it for me. So I have not worked since because I really do not know what I can do anymore. I have the one disc in my low back and 4 in my neck so I am pretty screwd as to what I can do anymore. Honestly making dinner and doing small household chores can really do me in.
Oh well that's about it. Thanks for the reply and take care of yourself
Chadry

[dougy]

Thanks alot for your info I really appreciate it..  I have saved all of my Occupational Injury/ Return to work Evalution sheets. I didn't know you could request a copy of MRI results I had it done about month ago.. I'm going to call them and see I they can send me copy. It has been a big headache I don't trust the Dr who is treating me at all.
He belongs to the same place that handles all of the  Physicals and yearly hearing test.. for  our company..  We have over 450 employees. Thats alot of testing.  My employer is there bread and butter in that part of their business.
I guess I have to watch what I say and who I say it to now..  I go back to see the Dr on tuesday.  It's been three days of taking the steriods and I have a little bit of relief but not much better..  I don't feel the numbness to much or the pins and needle in my toes like I was.. but I feel a clunking in my back sometimes now thats something new for me, and the bottom part of body seems to be feeling a little weaker sorta wobbley I don't if it's because of the pain and not moving as much as I should, or something else.
I'm still puzzled why the Main Dr I seen mentioned nothing to me at all about my bulged Disc , and the second Dr who seen me on whim did... I guess I'll find out in time
I been going to PT for over 7 weeks now and I'm worse now then where I started. I don't blame my Therepist He seems like someone I can trust but now I'm not sure. lol
Well thanks for all your advice you have given me on this thread I'll keep you updated on whats in the coming week.. or weeks ..  thanks..

[fairylady77]

that IS very sad...and ridiculous to even have to take it that far. it makes no sense to me at all to treat ppl this inhumanely, just to save a buck or two. oh i had one to say in my records (never to my face) that i had a couple of the "waddell symptoms"...which is a medical term for faking. ooohhhh when i read that..i was TICKED. but i laughed at that dr just a few weeks later when i had a new mri done and it showed definite deterioration/worsening from original mri !!!  but sadly, that is the way wc drs treat you. even when the evidence is staring them straight in the face that there is a definite problem....they deny anything being wrong.

i hope everything goes well for you. please let us know what the dr says. im kinda anxious to hear what he has to say about it being a 2 year old injury myself. what state are you in? im in nc.

[dougy]

I seen the wc dr today.. The one who saw me the first time. He didn't seem to pleased the the outside Dr they sent to me when He was sick gave me the week off..  
He wants me to see a Psy medicine Rehiblitation speicalist , but I have to go to one my company has picked I don't get to chose anyone just yet.
I picked up my MRI report too.
Impression : Minimal annular bulge L5-S1 with no evidence of focal disc hernaition or spinal stenosis. He still never mention it to me, So I guess its not what he thinks is causing my pain. He didn't say what he thought it was.
I guess I'll find out next week .. I don't know if that would cause my pain or not. but I know my back is still very painful is  hard to get comfortble
So I will keep you posted.. thanks for any info or advice you might have..

[fairylady77]

even though its minimal..it doesnt mean that there isnt pain. was that all that was on the report? on mine there is a section of "Findings" the other section is "Impression"...does yours have that? Yes, anytime you see the dr, you can request a copy of the reports...and you mentioned having the work evaluation sheets.....call the drs office and request the actual medical reports...those are more detailed. (sometimes, enough to tick you off!!). it REALLY lets you know what your drs thinking about you. lol. ...BUT.....SOMETIMES, MRI's cant show everything....so if you feel that theres more to it than what the MRI shows...(once you get a hold of a GOOD dr)..insist on a discogram..they shoot dye into you..and it shows things clearer than the MRI on very difficult areas to see.

you said its been a bit more than a month, and yet wc has been a headache.....hun...sorry to tell you...it will not get ANY better!!! they will make you want to fight, scream, cuss, cry, and make you mad enough to where you say "forget them, i will go to my own dr"....DONT DO THAT!!! you will mess up majorly!!!!  it will VOID your claim totally if you do seek your own dr.

Yes, definitely watch what you say, and who you say it to. The employer will definitely turn on you in a heartbeat...and if need be, they WILL lie just to figure a way to cause your claim to be voided. my employer lied SEVERAL times...but...(not even knowing that i needed this..lol)....i had phone messages saved, emails saved, etc....and I was able to poke holes ALL in his "stories". had i not saved all that info...i would have been up the creek without a paddle.

You are right to NOT trust the dr that is treating you....sadly...thats the way wc doctors are...they are for the COMPANY....NOT the patient. I dont see how thats legal??? But, apparently..it is. It doesnt even make sense. When I got hurt, I have NO doubt, that if I had gone to my own dr....he would have written me out indefinitely that second......but...i went to wc dr...was sent back to work that day! i fought them for over a month to put me out of work....they FINALLY agreed.....but...a couple of months later, when i got in to see the ortho dr.....that stupid thing told me to report back to work asap!!!  i couldnt even walk!!!  luckily, im not the sole supporter in my family, so i was able to stay home on an unpaid LOA. if i hadve HAD to work..i dont know what i would have done!

when i first went to urgent care, i was told it was spondolythesis (sp?)...never heard of it...and since he sent me back to work with just a 10 pound weight restriction, i didnt think it was a big deal....something that would get better in a few days..lol. soo, i went to work....BIG MAJOR mistake. could not move at allllll the next day. i went to dr and told him something was majorly wrong, and asked for an mri, that i felt it was a slipped disc or worse. he agreed to have the mri done. i didnt know at that time, that i could get reports, but i was told that it was a slipped disc. i was then sent to the ortho dr.  that dr mentioned it being a "slipped" disc. i get injections. go back for follow up a couple of months later..and i asked how much longer is this going to go on??? THEN was when it was said "well, when you have a TORN disc, it takes months for it recover"......what the heck....ive been injured by this point for 4 months...FIRST time that id heard that it was a TORN disc!!  sooo...thats another reason why its a VERY good idea to get copies of your reports. a few more months passed before i started getting copies of my reports...and when i did...i learned that i had 3 other discs bulging...but because they werent the ones causing my "severe" pain...they never told me that others were out of place!  gee...thanks!! i mean...its MY body....shouldnt I KNOW the FULL truth???? not just what you want me to know about??!!

therapy??...it can be a good thing..but it can also make your problems worse...it really depends...so...???  but..you are lucky...lol. in 2 years...ive managed a total of 12 visits!!.....6 visits in 2 weeks....and no more for a few months down the line....and got another 6 visits! whoo hoo...not even enough to get me started!
im certain that you can trust the PT....i had 2 different ones...2 different offices...both worked with me on what helped, what hurt, and to show me correct ways to sit, stand, etc...they didnt seem like "comp PT's".

Im glad that one dr cared enough to put you out of work for a week....if at all possible....you need to see if you can see that one..which i doubt they will let you, because he seems to be for the "patient" not for the company....so good luck with that one. give things a couple of months...if things are still going crappy....PLEASE consult with a board certified wc specialist attorney. if you try to talk to one now..odds are...they are going to say "its too early in the claim to be thinking of an attorney"...so, id give it 2-3 months.....but really..it wouldnt hurt to just TALK to one, to learn the laws of wc....WC KNOWS that we dont know the laws, and what we are entitled to...and they are HOPING that you never are wise enough to know/learn that you are entitled to things....thats why i sent you to that one site...so that you can start learning things now...its NOT easy by any means trying to learn wc laws.

keep us posted on how things are going.  good luck and i hope your pain gets better in a very short amount of time.

[shyster2011]

i was diag. with L4/5 diffuse disc bukge,bilateral facet arthrosis and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy also L5/S1 diffuse disc bulge. no evidence of disc protrusion. i need answers and yes im in pain what to do?