Back pain that does leave???

[james708]

My wife was diagnosed with conversion disorder and nueropathy just recently.  She has had from 1997 and 2004 disc removal surgery.  But she has not gotten better.  So in 2007 we had a boston scientific spinal simulator installed and that worked for about 9 months.  In 2008 I had to take her to the emergency room when she lost all control of the lower half of her body.  The bowels where still working but with the spinal cord item in her back the doctors could not give her a MRI to see if she has another disc malfunctioning.  She has met with a pshcologist and they said she was normal.  She has seen two different ones and the same results.  My question is this....can chornic pain cause the diagnosis of conversion disorder and nueropathy?  You know she is on cymbalta and lyrica and zanaflex and narco.  She does have good days when she can walk.  But most of the time she is in pain and cannot walk far.  She cannot walk to the mail box with out falling down and crawling back to the front door.  She is only 43 and should not be in such pain that she is in now.  I also figure with all of the meds she has taken that she cannot say what she wants to a doctor without getting frustrated.  I know this does not help the doctor that is trying to help her out.  I have noticed that this beginning to affect me also.  I just don't know what to do for her anymore and keep things going to keep her moving forward.  I feel that the spinal cord simulator was a bad thing for her in many ways and it just masked the pain that she feels.  I know constant pain can cause severe depression but what must one do to find a way to slow down the power of pain?  I guess I should not say this but I have noticed that when she uses mariguana and other stuff she can walk for months at time.  I know this is also not good for her and I have forbade this but we are really getting no where with her condition.  I just wonder why those drugs worked and nothing else has?  I would like for us to get a doctor that could help her and move her forward.  She truely feels helpless in this condition and is now aging faster than I would have ever thought.  When she was on methadone that worked for awhile but she need more and more and moved on to other stuff.  If we could get her to walk again and be able to drive a car I would be happy and so would she.  We understand that this is never going to get better but there has to be something or doctor out there that can assit with this.  Any suggestions with the great minds that we have in the MD community?  

Thanks,

James

[Tuckamore]

Hi James.

It is good to hear from you again. I have a question if I may ask. Who (not looking for a name) told your wife she has conversion disorder?

It doesn't make sense to me that two psychologists stated she was "normal" yet she has conversion disorder. Conversion disorder symptoms appear with no underlying physical cause. They cannot be controlled by the person with the disorder.

Symptoms of conversion disorder typically affect your movement or your senses, such as the ability to walk, swallow, see or hear. Conversion disorder symptoms can be severe, but for most people, they get better within a few weeks. Your wife does not present with typical symptoms of this disorder.

In my opinion she needs intervention now. Possibly new eyes and ears can be more beneficial than her current medical practitioners. I'll look forward to your next update.
Tuck

[james708]

I find that all of the doctors have only one thing to say to her.  Get off the narco and let us see what is happening.  This has been a ten year adventure and it is not getting better.  Once she understood what the doc said she started to have other problems that cannot be explained.  She complains about involuntary bowels and I asked her when she asked me about this did she want to go to the ER.  She said no.  So the next day I asked her again if she wanted to go to the ER.  She said she would wait and call her doctor.  So on Monday I took her to the ER and they could not find a thing wrong with her.  

So being me I told her it is all in her mind that is causing this.  This made her mad but now she has decided to not eat and chooses to die.  So I guess the cymbalta and such is now running the game and I will have to see how far she chooses to go.  I do know she has a physical problem but I also believe she has an over riding mental problem.  With that said I will see how far she will go and then I will take over again and see what is the deal with her.  

It is sad to see a person in so much pain not be able to say how much and what does work.  I think over the past ten years too many drugs and surgeries with no success.  We really don't know how the spine works and it is a mystery for us.  I wish pain management worked but is not the best.  So for now all I can do is wait and watch and see how stupid she becomes before I send her to the ER and get her some psych help with this.  

I guess when your in so much pain that nothing is going to help you would want to die.  So I will now have to be watching and then send her in agasint her will to make something better.  

You all ask who do I have to talk to?  No one really, it is just me and I move forward and hope I can make a good choice and such.  I have found that know one wants to hear this and so they just listen and move on.  I can understand that since it may be something new and strange to hear.  

The next step is always to keep a postive outlook on these type of problems.  

[Tuckamore]

Hello James,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am so very sorry to hear bout all the problems your wife is experiencing. My heart goes out to both of you.

Conversion symptoms are not considered to be under voluntary control, and, should not be explained by any physical disorder or known pathological mechanism (after an appropriate medical evaluation). Chronic pain does not trigger Conversion Disorder but there should be a thorough work up on her both physical and mental to determine what has caused this.

You are so right. We do need more physicians that are a Dr. House. There are a few out there, minus the drugs and absent bedside manner but they do exist.

I do not condone your wives illegal drug use. She needs to discuss or you need to discuss this in detail with her physician. These drugs may be playing a part in her condition.

You are a caretaker. Caretakers need R&R and support. It is often more difficult on the ppl that are caring for a loved one than it is on the one that is effected by physical and emotional illness. Who do you vent to? Who takes care of you when you need it? Don't put all your needs on the back burner. It endangers your health and your relationship. I hope you will seek some support.

Best of luck to you and your wife. Peace, Tuck

[james708]

To be honest I would love to find a DR.House but that is not real and just a drama.  I would love to meet a Dr. that would go to the extreme and help her.  I have noticed when I talk about the illegal stuff they run away.  When it comes down to it I would give up everthing that we own to get her back to being her.  But to find a DR. that would go all out is not the norm and to many lawsuits that could happen.  We have not looked at MS and I will need to read about it some to understand MS.  Nick30 what do you know about this as I educate myself on the subject.  

Thanks,

james

[nick30]

Has MS been ruled out? some of her symptoms sound familiar, and i know MS sufferers who have had more relief from Marijauna than any other meds. if it helps her then i would mention that to her dr's. even though it's not something you want to talk about. it might help the dr's understand what is going on.
best of luck, keep us informed about her progress.

Nick.

[worried878]

is there some kind of defined diagnosis for her condition?  do u  have anymore opinions from drs that u can ask...sometimes the more experimental type doc do best at this sorta stuff..i do wish u the best