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The first was a failed laminectomy that caused even more damage when all of the vertebrae collapsed. The second restored some sensation to his right foot but he is in constant pain. The problem is...we live in Alabama, so he is automatically classified as a "drug seeker" because he doesn't make $100k and has no insurance. He had a great doctor but he moved out of state and we can't afford the gas to go see him. Every other doctor refuses to prescribe him pain meds...unless he can pay the $100 office visit and then the $200 or so prescription. He is considering the methadone clinic but this depresses him as he considers this the refuge of junkies and addicts. Isn't there someone that can help him without bankrupting us?View Thread
Just wanted to say I'm happy to be apart of a community with patients alike. I'm a 25 yr old male who suffers from Chronic pain due to a MVA accident (Motorcycle) that has left me with a chronic compression fracture of three discs in my thoracic region, Chronic fracture of my wrists, neck pain accompanied by severe migraines and numbness. Before the accident I was a avid bicyclist & outdoors men, who worked a full time job when I wasn't playing in the foothills.
now live in constant pain and an inability to do the things I love.
My PCP has been wonderful at helping me cope with the drastic change in my life style by keeping my pains at minimal levels. He's been scripting me Norco 10.325 8x a day as needed, which works very well at keeping the pains at bay. Recently he told me I should see a PMR Dr.---I did. This PMR Dr. told me the pain I was experiencing is from "muscle spasms", I know better then anyone it isn't my muscles. He then signed me up for pain management where I found out the PMR Dr. said I shouldn't be on any Pain medications, not even Motrin!? The PMD Dr. told me I'm taking too many opiates, which nearly made me laugh. Considering my injuries and level of pain, I thought my current treatment was fairly conservative N' that's how I want to keep it. PMD then made a note to my PCP to begin weening me off the meds and trying a -1-2-3+ combo of other medications, which scares me. My current medicine works perfectly fine with no side effects other than constipation, Why destroy my liver with a combo of other meds when I can manage with just one?My chronic Fractures are clearly evident in every MRI, I've never abused my script or called in for a early refill nor have I ever showed up in the ER and I've passed my urine tests & blood work. I just don't get it, does my Pcp have to follow there invalid diagnosis and irrational recommendations?View Thread
I am a 51 year old female in average to good health.Quick health background:
Overweight
No diabetes
No high cholesterol
No heart trouble or history
Mild asthma - rarely use rescue inhaler (maybe 6 - 8 times/year)
Hypertension controlled with medication (yesterday's reading 118/72.)
My problem is right foot pain, numbness, tingling - little feeling in toes but at the same time sensitive to blankets covering them, feeling of bunched up socks in ball of foot - drives me crazy. My foot feels hard, rounded and swollen which makes any shoe uncomfortable. Duration - now over a year - started with numbness and shooting pains up inside of foot and into big toe.
Tests/Treatments so far:
Xray, MRI and nerve conduction tests
Cortisone shots in foot, didn't help or minimal relief
Tarsal tunnel release 6/11 which relieved shooting pain but numbness has continued/worsened - First discussed doing a surgery to see if there was a Mortons or other neuroma, but after they found the tarsal tunnel issue through nerve conduction, they did that instead and are reluctant to do second surgery since that one didnt' work.
Orthotics (have had about two weeks - still extremely uncomfortable)
Ordered orthopedic walking shoes - don't have yet
I love to walk my two dogs but find I now dread it and it's about the only exercise I get. I have started riding an elliptical and am purchasing one for home use. Coupled with all of this, I had a bad accident in November 2011 and severed and tore tendons in my right rotator cuff resulting in surgery to repair. I am in PT. I have tried riding my mountain bike to run the dogs, but it is causing too much pressure on my shoulder so my therapist said to wait awhile.
Despite being overweight, I'm very active and swim, hike, camp, and bike and especially love taking my dogs walking/hikiing. HELP!
Is there anything that is being overlooked? I am sure losing weight would be helpful, but I force myself to walk with the dogs and I also have a bad knee which has been causing additional issues. I want to get back to my active self. I am getting more and more depressed and my weight is not helping. I am scheduled for a orthoscopy Apri 27 to repair lateral miniscus tear and clean out two areas where cartilidge is sheered off, minor osteoarthitis so far.
I know this is really long and I don't mean to sound whiny. I am normally upbbeat and fun, but I don't even feel like myself anymore. I just want to get this fixed.
Dr. Clarice, please feel free to edit this - cut it down to size. I just wonder if there is something weird being overlooked. It has ruined my quality of life. I am on antidepressants (but from a long time ago, not related to this).
Thanks for any suggestion you can give.View Thread
I have been on pain meds for 5 years or more. I am currently on MS contin, 60mg X2 a day. the controlled release is great. I back it up with 5mg ocicodone, three tabs 4 times a day as needed.
The pain I feel most often is like walking on shards of glass, and a god forsaken burning. Seek help, as most of us think about an end, but yet we make it another day.View Thread
The days of being completely pain free are few and very far between. I fight my fibromyalgia every day, I absolutely hate what its doing to me, I cannot work any more. I make jewelry to help supplement what little bit of money I can make, but of course its not nearly enough.
I've always tried to live with the thought, "Judge not lest you be judged."View Thread
hope this helps.
Marieh9View Thread
The fed. drug agency will only allow him to prescribe low dosage medicine for pain,'
Second, find yourself a well reccomended spinal bone doctor. Go to him with your history. He will get you your mri for determining your problems and then can start you on right path to treatment or surgery if heeded.
I have had back problems for 26+ yrs and finally had to do lumbar fusion in 2000 and getting ready to go up my spine for five more vertabre.
Pain meds fro chronic pain will not make you an addict. You will become dependent on them for a near nornal life, because you aren't using them to get high/stupid. Best of luck
.jpinmissView Thread
This doesn't make me feel saintly, but it does help me keep from feeling useless.
The way I found out about the groups was that I founds a site called Meetup.com. They have groups in most big cities and lots of little ones. And there are groups on every possible interest -- from hiking to board games to reading groups to. . . . Just getting out among people helps me.
There are all kinds of things a person who can get out can do -- read to kids at a library, visit people in nursing homes, whatever.View Thread
But then one day, while at the grocery store no less, it dawned on me that I was pushing my cart and shopping at a very leisurely pace -- meaning, I hadn't just run in after a full day at work to pick up a few things to eat that were less than healthy because I was too tired to cook a decent meal once I finally got home. I stood there and realized that I could take as long as I wanted to complete this shopping trip, which meant I could browse, consider new items, check nutrition labels more thoroughly, compile new menu ideas, wow -- I now had time in a new place.
Eventually I found myself actually enjoying doing ordinary daily tasks with a sense of fun. Writing notes in greeting cards, instead of merely signing my name, called upon creative writing skills. Washing the dishes as it's own task, while not also conducting a phone conversation and doing a load of laundry, helped me to finally get a grip on the Zen concept. Being able to spontaneously stop at a favorite store to casually browse a sale during an uncrowded weekday afternoon was a gift. Sitting in my cushy lounge chair, feet up and eyes closed, musing toward a lite nap in broad daylight -- wow.
MS gave me time! Of course the time was always present, but more often than not it was filled with so many events, tasks, worries, responsibilities and distractions that enjoyment of the process wasn't possible -- there was always too much, it was too demanding, and it moved way too fast.
MS continues to fill my time with difficulties as well. I'm not overlooking that having more time to limp down the hallway with my quad cane is something I did not choose, nor does today's cheek to toe numbness on my right side invite the stuff of essays. But I am thankful that I have time to accommodate those limiters, and that I will also enjoy reading more of a great novel later.
I wish you enjoyment of the gift of time as you accept and adapt to the challenges of your disability.View Thread
You may simply be left with having to live in pain as I do. If so, what are going to do? Stay occupied as much as possible-sounds like lip service, but it has to be faced. Perhaps anti inflammatorys or cymbalta, that I am not sure of, but that way you'd lose the stomach-not the liver. Make no mistake-it's no picnic. We are not young.View Thread
spain threw my back... the lower part of my back is swollen.... have
knots on my spin and neck...hard to sit for a long time) cant stand for a long time...have nerve damage in left leg turns purple if i stand to long.
have nerve damage in left arm...had a car wreck last aug which was
a year ago and keeps getting worse? i was hitt from behind cant
work.. cant play with my kids which hurts..and the pain sometimes
is over baren... if anyone has gone threw this please tell meView Thread
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