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ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS?????
I am 18 year old female and I was involved in a car accident in March 2007. I was at a complete stop and and two cars rear-ended me( the 1st car that hit me.....their car was totaled and the one behind was messed up)..No matter what i do the pain is always there, most of my pain is in the center of my spine and the left side of my upperback and middleback area.The left side of that area gets numb and tingly. I've had 8 MRI'S(3 cervical, 3thoracic, 1 lumbar, 1 sacral). I was told I have 3 cervical bulging disks.I was given a variety of pain meds,muscles relaxers, and anti-inflammatories(Nothing worked). I went to physical therapy for 2-3 months but was discharged because they told me they couldn't help me any longer. I did ultrasound therapy,traction,exercises,stretching,tens units, 1 adjustment and massages.I recieves 3 trigger point injections in May.I then started seeing a neurologist and had an EMG and NCV study and both came back normal. I then recieved 4 cortisone injections and it didnt work. After my orthopedic said he couldn't help me anymore he referred me to pain management. I recieved an cervical epidural on Septmber 21st...... and that didnt work either(that doctor told me after the 3rd epidural that i would need surgery).I did not go through with anymore epidurals because my parents wanted another opinion.(I went to a research hospital in miami and the docotr did all new MRI'S and shook his and apologized for not knowing whats wrong with me)I have seen more than 8 doctors and the most i've gotten is "bulging disks and myofascial pain syndrome" I cant doing anything because of the pain. .I was told from the very begining that the cervival disks are nothing to worry about(even though the pain managemnt doctor said its my last resort) Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.THIS MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL as an L.P.N student i need some relief. One more thing the newest doctor i have been seeing is a urologist becasue EXCESSIVE urination(within the past 3-4 months) and so far he says so far i have urinary retention.
I would be very careful with pain meds. I had two herniated discs in the lumbar region after a car accident. I was on my way to my Nursing Concepts 2 class one night when someone hit me from behind. I did not finish school. The pain started to control my life. Four years later i finally received the back surgery I needed at that point I was told after my last mri, that I had no disc tissue left between L4-L5 and L5-S1. I picked my surgeon very carefully. I have been working as an EMT these last four years which really didn't help my situation. My surgery is great. I can move like a normal person again. I can even stand up straight! My doc did a hybrid procedure where he fused the bottom vertebrae and placed a replacement disc on the one above. You probably already know the risk of fusion is that you can easily blow the disc above the surgery site. The replacement disc is supposed to help prevent this from happening as it allows movement to help the discs below withstand the pressure. This whole time I have never ran out of pills early, and I saw one doc for all meds. Now six months post op I am having to detox from very high doses of methadone, dilaudid, and lortab. Because I had a high tolerance to the pain meds, by the time I received my surgery they didn't work to control the pain. You are so young and have so much ahead of you. I have had four different types of injections through the years, with no success. The physical rehab was the thing that helped the most. Especially, working in the swimming pool. Be careful what pain doc you choose and make sure you do not fall for one that just wants to give you pain meds. Don't ever take methadone! If you want to know more about my withdrawal story go to the addiction forum.
I hope you find the help you need. Message me if you have any questions.
I hope you find the help you need. Message me if you have any questions.
What condition caused you to have two cervical surgeries and what were your symptoms? Also did you have herniated or bulging disks? I appreciate you not sugarcoating anything, I know I am faced with some hard decisions and sugarcoating it will not help at all, I just need to know the facts.Time after time the doctors tell me the underlying cause is muscle, and they tell me "we can't do anything.... just give it time to heal". As for school despite always leaving school early and being absent I am still a straight A L.P.N student.I have a couple months left and I will finish.
First, forget about this pain going away during your senior year. It's not going anywhere any time soon. I'm appalled that you have done everything your doctors told you to do, and they still tell you that 3 bulging disks are of no concern. I suspect surgery will be your last resort, and that is obviously not something to entertain lightly. I've had 2 cervical surgeries, and I'll tell you that surgery is only the first step. It's the rehab AFTER the surgery that will do the job. Rehab hurts - badly. It hurts worse than your original injury. You have to do the work to build your muscles up to the point that they can help do the job of your skeletal system.
I had years of post-op pain and had reached the end of my rope with it. It was either completely ruin my body or fix it on my own. I joined a gym, hired a trainer, and within a month all my pain was gone. It's not returned in over 10 years, and I spent 5 of those years as a gym rat until an entirely different medical problem forced me out. Did all that work hurt? Oh yeah! I only "thought" I knew what pain was before I hit the weights, but it was worth every bit of it.
Too many surgeons only do their cutting, and don't impress the importantce of rehab work on their patients forcefully enough. Time and pain meds don't cut the mustard. Recovery is a two-part process involving you and your doctor. He does the cutting; you do all the rest. If you can't commit yourself to enduring weeks of teeth-grinding pain after surgery, then don't do the surgery. Rehab isn't for quitters, or the faint-of heart.
There is no magic pill or injection out there that will get rid of your pain. You'll either have to get to the underlying cause, or treat the symptoms and live with it as best you can. I know that sounds awful because you're so young, but that's what you're facing. I don't want to sugarcoat it and raise your expectations of an easy cure.
As for school - if you can tolerate the pain enough to complete your senior year - great. If not, which is more important? Losing one year of schooling, or getting your entire life back?
I had years of post-op pain and had reached the end of my rope with it. It was either completely ruin my body or fix it on my own. I joined a gym, hired a trainer, and within a month all my pain was gone. It's not returned in over 10 years, and I spent 5 of those years as a gym rat until an entirely different medical problem forced me out. Did all that work hurt? Oh yeah! I only "thought" I knew what pain was before I hit the weights, but it was worth every bit of it.
Too many surgeons only do their cutting, and don't impress the importantce of rehab work on their patients forcefully enough. Time and pain meds don't cut the mustard. Recovery is a two-part process involving you and your doctor. He does the cutting; you do all the rest. If you can't commit yourself to enduring weeks of teeth-grinding pain after surgery, then don't do the surgery. Rehab isn't for quitters, or the faint-of heart.
There is no magic pill or injection out there that will get rid of your pain. You'll either have to get to the underlying cause, or treat the symptoms and live with it as best you can. I know that sounds awful because you're so young, but that's what you're facing. I don't want to sugarcoat it and raise your expectations of an easy cure.
As for school - if you can tolerate the pain enough to complete your senior year - great. If not, which is more important? Losing one year of schooling, or getting your entire life back?
I thought that Jackson Memorial was a good place too, but I didnt recieve any help. My parents and I were thinking about a pain treatment center(Rosomoff comprehensive pain center) that the doctor suggested, but realistically I couldn't have missed 3 weeks of school.Basically I have been at square one for almost 9 months.
sunshine--I am so sorry for you--your are in a good area for skilled care--Jackson Memorial etc. I can understand the dr's not wanting to prescribe opiates for long term, because of your young age. If you plan on being a nurse, I know whoever hires you will require drug testing etc. and if you have opiates in your system, it will be a red flag. Try a different Pain Management facility--they even have one at Jackson--
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