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I don't think I need pain management! I think there is something that could be done to fix it!
I am looking for some answers myself. This is my story. I am just looking for somebody to tell me what is going on! I go to a spine surgeon now and he is just going to refer me to Pain Management. I think something else could be done. I think that he thinks I don't have a autotomical problem and I think i do! My PT thinks so as well but my doc will not hear anyones opinion due to him being the only one who knows anything. You know the type! Problem= workers comp and cannot change docs. I haven't missed work due to this and I am not asking for disablilty. I just want the problem fixed!
I know you arent a dr. and I will not take what you say like you are. I just want your opinion. I was diagnosed with DDD and Facet Syndrome in June of last year after having my second child. My back was hurting so badly in the last few months, but you know I thought well, everyones back hurts. Don't be a wuss. In August, I fell at work. I do medical records and I was in the rolling charts and had my weight leaned up against one side. My partner, unknowingly, rolled the shelf that I was leaning on. I fell back on my bottom. This made things a lot worse. After an MRI, I was told I had two bulging discs one of which is torn. I think the tear is old. I herniated a disc in 1998 and I think that is what they were seeing because I still have issues with it. The gel-like stuff in the middle will squish out and touch the nerves. When that happens, my back goes into a complete spasm. However, the MRI also revealed that even though they were bulging, they weren't touching a nerve. So, all that being said, I still have tingly, numbing pain that goes down my right leg. What would justify the pain and the numbness and tingling that is so bad I have to take pain meds and Lyrica? Thank you very much in advance!
I know you arent a dr. and I will not take what you say like you are. I just want your opinion. I was diagnosed with DDD and Facet Syndrome in June of last year after having my second child. My back was hurting so badly in the last few months, but you know I thought well, everyones back hurts. Don't be a wuss. In August, I fell at work. I do medical records and I was in the rolling charts and had my weight leaned up against one side. My partner, unknowingly, rolled the shelf that I was leaning on. I fell back on my bottom. This made things a lot worse. After an MRI, I was told I had two bulging discs one of which is torn. I think the tear is old. I herniated a disc in 1998 and I think that is what they were seeing because I still have issues with it. The gel-like stuff in the middle will squish out and touch the nerves. When that happens, my back goes into a complete spasm. However, the MRI also revealed that even though they were bulging, they weren't touching a nerve. So, all that being said, I still have tingly, numbing pain that goes down my right leg. What would justify the pain and the numbness and tingling that is so bad I have to take pain meds and Lyrica? Thank you very much in advance!
I know what you mean with workers comp. I had a two level cervical fusion in Nov. and a rotator cuff repair in Feb of 2006. I was injuried on the job, and now I'm in worse pain than I was before either surgery. My doctor says that since my case was drug out for almost a year a half before my neck was repaired, it may have caused perminent damage. You need to get a lawyer to work with your case. Someone that knows the worker comp laws in your state. They normally don't charge a retainer fee, they will just take thier fee when your case is settled. My attorney has been very helpful with getting things done more quickly. And when comp. finds out that you have an attorney it seems to make them want to help you a little more because they then know that you have someone in your corner that knows the laws and they can't just treat you anyway they want to. I've been dealing with this injury since May 2005. My fall was caused by other employees, includung 4 supervisors. I had a torn rotator cuff and one bulging and two herniated disk in my neck. They did not fuse the one that was bulging at the time of the fusion, but now because of all of the pain I'm still in have decided that it may need to also be fused. So that means another surgery. I am schedualled for a pcyhological evaluation due to the depression I'm now having, and a milagram and a nerve conductor test. I live in Tn, and the laws here are pretty good for the patient. Good luck.
I don't really know your whole situation, but I'm going to share my experience with a pain Dr.
I have kind of the same thing as you. I have spinal stenosis, pinched nerves and degenerative joint disease ... they finally found this after an MRI. Anyway, after the MRI, they sent me to a pain management Dr and he has given me 2 epidural injections which contain an anesthetic and cortisone. This has worked like magic for me. I am finally able to stop pain pills. I can lay in bed at night without needing to move all over the place with pillows here and there just to get comfortable enough to fall asleep.
For me, I am optimistic that this treatment WILL fix my pain. I don't know about you, but my disc is all inflamed and swollen .... the cortizone helps it heal and shrink back to where it's supposed to be. For me the only other option is spinal surgery, and I'm not doing that unless I have to, because I'm only 30 years old and I have to live with this problem for the rest of my life.
If you have this, it will never be the way it used to be- your disc will always be "squished" ... but they can get rid of the inflamation and that might really work for you. It did for me.
I have kind of the same thing as you. I have spinal stenosis, pinched nerves and degenerative joint disease ... they finally found this after an MRI. Anyway, after the MRI, they sent me to a pain management Dr and he has given me 2 epidural injections which contain an anesthetic and cortisone. This has worked like magic for me. I am finally able to stop pain pills. I can lay in bed at night without needing to move all over the place with pillows here and there just to get comfortable enough to fall asleep.
For me, I am optimistic that this treatment WILL fix my pain. I don't know about you, but my disc is all inflamed and swollen .... the cortizone helps it heal and shrink back to where it's supposed to be. For me the only other option is spinal surgery, and I'm not doing that unless I have to, because I'm only 30 years old and I have to live with this problem for the rest of my life.
If you have this, it will never be the way it used to be- your disc will always be "squished" ... but they can get rid of the inflamation and that might really work for you. It did for me.
See your PT again to check your pelvis allignment and your piriformis muscle. Both issue will give you pain and symptoms just like a disc bulge touching nerves and sciatica. Yeah and get a new docotr!
Thank you so much for your response. I don't want a drs. opinion, I want the opinion of someone with some experience. If that is you, GREAT! I am workers comp so switching docs isn't an option at this time. My case manager would never approve it unless he recommended surgery. I have now ended PT and that has been the most helpful of anything I have done yet. Unfortunately, the last week I went, I could do nothing due to my back going out. It helps for the everyday pain but when my back goes out, not even heavy duty pain killers will touch it. BUT, I have figured something out... I can't stop my back from going ut, I don't know what I am doing to make it happen. I don't think it is anything, I think it just goes out when it wants to. I have found my miracle drug though, but not many docs will approve it. PREDNISONE!!!! It takes the 4-5 day reign of pain down to 1-2! Docs will not prescribe it often though. I can't take NSAIDS as I am allergic, but PREDNISONE... it rocks! They would rather call me in Hydro or something else for pain than this steroid.
as I said in my post i'm no doctor but I have a cousin in florida who is a spine surgeon, if you want the doctor's opinion you should go under the doctor to patient forum it sometimes takes him a couple days to answer but he usually does you do have to pay so be prepared. These are just public forums, they won't comment over here that I know of.
I have been however getting epidrual nerve blocks because of my abdominal and back pain that are horrendus, I do have bulging discs, and I think arthiritis in my spine. it does help it just takes a few days for the epidrual nerve block to kick in if you don't like needles find a place that uses sedation. depending on where you live i may be able to help you.
the reason they won't perscribe prednisone is because it is a steroid and it has a lot of risky side effects when used for long periods of time.
again I'M NOT A DOCTOR just someone who has gone through this. kind of thing...hope i helped a little
I have been however getting epidrual nerve blocks because of my abdominal and back pain that are horrendus, I do have bulging discs, and I think arthiritis in my spine. it does help it just takes a few days for the epidrual nerve block to kick in if you don't like needles find a place that uses sedation. depending on where you live i may be able to help you.
the reason they won't perscribe prednisone is because it is a steroid and it has a lot of risky side effects when used for long periods of time.
again I'M NOT A DOCTOR just someone who has gone through this. kind of thing...hope i helped a little
I have had the injections with no success. I have asked a doc and paid for his opinion on here and still, not anything more than what I knew.
I would seek a second opinion this guy obviously doesn't want to do anything and if the MRI showed a herniated disc then something needs to be done. They unfortuantley won't do anything surgical for bulging discs...I have been told that directly by a pain management doctor. If you find the right pain management doctor you will have have some relief then again everyone is different.
again I'm no doctor take it with a grain of salt.
again I'm no doctor take it with a grain of salt.
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